TENNESSEE CONFERENCE REVIEW JUNE 1, 2006
Articles in this issue
1. Barbara Garcia Retiring as Assistant to the Nashville Area Bishop
2. July 18-21 Mission Study asks United Methodists to “Sing Across the Walls!” -- basic mission study for All United Methodists.
3. Church provides 'lids for kids' to cancer ward.
4. First Combination Youth and Young Adult Event was a great success!
5. Murfreesboro District Youth go Fishin’, article with one captioned photos,
6. COSROW and Human Diversity* . . . raises the question: “Should General Conference delegates be representative of the church or the world.” Shares some interesting statistics.
Barbara Garcia Retiring as Assistant to the Nashville Area Bishop
Barbara Garcia
Barbara Garcia, who has served the Nashville Area for eleven years as Assistant to the Bishop will be retiring at the 2007 session of Annual Conference. As she prepares to leave her position in the Episcopal office Garcia paused a moment to reflect: “Life’s journey has led me to many wonderful places with many wonderful people, and into many wonderful unexpected ministries. God and a lot of very patient people have taught me many things.And, though all are very different, three words can sum them up: Blessing and Grace!”
In many ways Barbara’s life story can be told through her relationship to the Methodist Church, the Methodist Church of Mexico, and the United Methodist Church.
She grew up in rural Mississippi. As a child and then as a teenager, she, her three brothers and her parents, Roy and Verdie Phillips were an integral part of the faith community at Collinsville Methodist Church. This tiny, rural church—with her pastors, Sunday School teachers, and family—helped her develop a strong global perspective and supported her in her call to ministry.
Barbara played the piano for worship starting in the 4th grade and continuing through the 12th grade when she left to attend Millsaps College. At Millsaps she majored in Religion, minored in music, worked in the music department and sang on scholarship at Galloway Memorial Methodist Church in Jackson. During the summers following her sophomore and junior years, Galloway Memorial sponsored her trips to Monterrey, Mexico to get a glimpse of what mission work would be like. This is where she met her future husband, Joaquin Garcia.
After college graduation, she served for three years in Monterrey, Mexico as a short-term missionary teaching English, working in Christian Education at La Trinidad Methodist Church, and in helping to built “Camp Sierra Linda” in the mountains near Monterrey..
In 1967 Barbara and Joaquin were married and both began work on a Masters in Christian Education at Scarritt College for Christian Workers. In 1969 the couple returned to Mexico—this time to Mexico City—where she served as a consultant in Christian Education to the Methodist Church of Mexico while Joaquin served as the General Secretary of Christian Education for the country of Mexico. Their two sons, Roy and Carlos, were born in Mexico City.
The family moved to the United States in 1977, and Barbara served at First United Methodist Church in Monroe, Louisiana. While serving at First UMC in Monroe she was consecrated as a diaconal minister.
Barbara accepted a position in 1979 at the General Board of Discipleship where she served, first as a bi-lingual secretary in the Section on Evangelism, and then for 10 years on the professional staff in the area of Children and Worship in the Section on Worship, and as Coordinator of Children’s Ministries. While at the Board, she directed the large and pivotal international conference Focus 85—Children: The Word, The World.
In 1989 Barbara was appointed to Brentwood United Methodist Church as Director of Adult Ministries. She later became Director of all Program and Age-Level Ministries. During her 7 years at Brentwood UMC, the Sunday School attendance was 15th in the nation, and support groups were initiated for cancer survivors, persons in career transition, Alzheimer’s care givers, adult respite care, grief support, and divorce recovery.
Barbara Garcia shows her farm skills on a Brentwood UMC mission trip to the “Tree of Life” Agricultural Working Farm in rural Puebla, Mexico
She also organized the first education work mission team to the “Tree of Life” Agricultural Working Farm in rural Puebla, Mexico (1992). The Methodist Church of Mexico sponsored the Farm. Since the first visit, Brentwood has been sending teams every year, and she has led the Area cabinets on two work and educational trips there.
In 1996, Barbara Garcia was appointed as Assistant to the Bishop, the first female to serve in this role in the Nashville Area, and the first diaconal minister to serve in this role in the United States. She served as a delegate to General and Jurisdiction Conferences in 1996, 2000, and 2004. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the General Commission on Communications (UMCOM), and for the General Board of Church and Society.
July 18-21 Mission Study asks United Methodists to “Sing Across the Walls!”
Church provides 'lids for kids' to cancer ward
By Lilla Marigza*
Bald heads are the norm around the cancer ward at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, where chemotherapy typically robs young patients of both their hair and their youthful energy.
But brightly colored hats in all styles are a welcome special delivery that brings smiles to children fighting the ravages of the disease.
Through the "Lids for Kids" ministry of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in nearby Hendersonville, a group of United Methodist Men collected nearly a thousand hats this year as part of its annual service project.
Cancer patient Kelsie Karnes wears a purple bandana provided by the Lids for Kids ministry of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Hendersonville, Tenn. UMNS photo by Terry Bulger.
"This is faith in action. … It's putting feet on prayers," says the Rev. Allen Weller, senior pastor of the congregation.
Or, more specifically, lids on kids.
Two-year-old Cody lights up when handed a green plastic Army hat "just like Daddy wears," according to the toddler's mom.
In the next room, 6-year-old Alijah Prado studies three hats - a knit cap with bright blue flames, a Tennessee Titans football cap and a Nashville Predators hockey hat. He finally decides to wear all three at once.
In 2006, church members donated around a hundred hats. This year, the harvest was tenfold as word of the ministry spread. "People love to help, people like to share, people like to care, and this was such a simple but important way," says Weller.
Members of the church youth group decorated large collection bins for the cause. Alissa Walker, 16, gets especially excited when she comes upon hats donated just for little girls "There's just a bunch of guy hats, but when the girls see the cute little frilly hats, they'll get real excited," she says.
The lids are sorted and sterilized and then delivered in person on a cart pushed from room to room at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Volunteers try to match hats to kids.
Two-year-old Matthew quickly tries on one bearing the name of his favorite movie. Though it's adult-sized and must be adjusted accordingly, the grin on Matthew's face indicates the lid is a perfect fit. "It's always good to see him smile and laugh … and when you hand him a Star Wars hat, it always perks his little face up," says mom Gina Butterfield.
*Marigza is a freelance producer in Nashville, Tenn.
First Combination Youth and Young Adult Event was a great success!
Some had lunch as their mission - they made a served lunches to all the workers
Murfreesboro District Youth go Fishin’
Murfreesboro District Youth discovered Sunday, May 20, what Christ’s call to his disciples means to their own lives. The Murfreesboro District Youth Rally, held at St. Mark’s UMC in Murfreesboro, drew a crowd of over 100 youth and adults for a night of food, fun, and fellowship while students learned about being fishers of men.
The theme was “Caught,” a reference to Matthew 4:19, where Jesus calls Peter and Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people” (NRSV).
The festivities were kicked off with a cookout of hamburgers and hot dogs, giving students from the 8 churches present a chance to interact and foster new inter-church friendships in Christ.
After dinner, students were given the opportunity to get a little artistic and extremely messy, as they decorated two lucky volunteers’ faces with peanut butter and goldfish crackers. St. Mark’s UMC’s Alex Galloway and his team took home the honor of best fishy disguise.
Alex Galloway after having his face decorated with Goldfish Crackers
The night continued with a time of community worship. Students united their voices in praise to God led by J.P. Clardy and Carl Glenn of St. Mark’s.
The highlight of the night was speaker Bill Lizor from the General Board of Discipleship. Lizor highlighted characters in the Bible who were caught by the Lord’s call, each time taking the stories of Elijah and others and explaining how students could apply the lessons these Biblical figures learned to their own lives.
Students closed the night by again joining in song and a prayer that Christ would both catch them and help them to answer his call of “Follow me,” and make them fishers of men.
COSROW and Human Diversity*
The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCSRW) is mandated by the United Methodist Church to help confront and eradicate sexism from its structures and institutions, and to foster full participation of women and girls in the total life of the church. The General Conference is the official decision-making body of the UMC and its representation should be reflective of the membership of the United Methodist Church across various demographics including age, ethnicity, gender, and church size.
As COSROW, The General Commission on Religion and Race, and other commissions/agencies monitor the make up of the General Conference delegates as a whole and within each individual conference, one of the questions you might ponder upon is if General Conference delegates should be representative of the church or the world. Some of the statistics from the 2004 General Conference – the UMC is 93% white and 7% racial/ethnic, the delegates were 79% white and 21% racial/ethnic; the UMC is 37% male and 63% female, the delegates were 57% male and 43% female (clergy – 65% male, 35% female; lay – 49% male, 51% female); the average age for a UM member is 56, the average age for a delegate 54; 71% UM’s are married while 81% of the delegates were; 14% UM’s are widow/widowers while 4% of delegates were; 47% of UM’s have household incomes of $50,000 or more while 85% of delegates did, 26% of the church have household incomes of $25,000 or less while only 4% of the delegates do; and one last statistic on the church and its delegates is that 47% of UM’s are from churches with 500 or more members, 69% of clergy and 47% lay delegates came from churches with more than 500 members.
What do we look like? The average age of the United Methodist is 56 while the average age of a US citizen is 35. The delegates are 21% racial/ethnic while the US is 31% racial/ethnic. In looking at the year-end reports within the Tennessee Conference we find there are 117,476 members. The ethnicities reported are 266 Asian, 3,858 African American, 120 Hispanics, 62 Native American, 30 Pacific Islander, 66,951 white, and 581 are mixed. It was also reported as having 38,734 women and 29,107 men. Discrepancies in the numbers are reflective of turning in this information to the conference office at the end of each year.
Why is this important? A quote from Rene Dubos “human diversity makes tolerance more than a virtue; it makes it a requirement for survival.” Parity is a proportional representation, diversity is the extent of inclusion of people of diverse backgrounds, and inclusiveness is going beyond having diverse individuals to a commitment to incorporate the needs and experiences of the church’s diverse communities and ministry fields into the design, operations, programs and culture of the church. The more inclusive we as a church become, the more effective we become in serving our increasingly diverse and global communities.
It is important to have an inclusive delegation from our Tennessee Annual Conference to represent us at both General Conference (the decision making body for the global church) and for the Southeastern Jurisdiction Conference (where bishops are being elected). It is important to elect those who will help us reach out into the world and minister to its diverse needs and concerns.
*Shared by Dawn Yelverton, Chair of the Tennessee Conference Commission on Status and Role of Women. Excerpts from The Flyer April – June 2007 issue published by the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women
1. Barbara Garcia Retiring as Assistant to the Nashville Area Bishop
2. July 18-21 Mission Study asks United Methodists to “Sing Across the Walls!” -- basic mission study for All United Methodists.
3. Church provides 'lids for kids' to cancer ward.
4. First Combination Youth and Young Adult Event was a great success!
5. Murfreesboro District Youth go Fishin’, article with one captioned photos,
6. COSROW and Human Diversity* . . . raises the question: “Should General Conference delegates be representative of the church or the world.” Shares some interesting statistics.
Barbara Garcia Retiring as Assistant to the Nashville Area Bishop
Barbara GarciaBarbara Garcia, who has served the Nashville Area for eleven years as Assistant to the Bishop will be retiring at the 2007 session of Annual Conference. As she prepares to leave her position in the Episcopal office Garcia paused a moment to reflect: “Life’s journey has led me to many wonderful places with many wonderful people, and into many wonderful unexpected ministries. God and a lot of very patient people have taught me many things.And, though all are very different, three words can sum them up: Blessing and Grace!”
In many ways Barbara’s life story can be told through her relationship to the Methodist Church, the Methodist Church of Mexico, and the United Methodist Church.
She grew up in rural Mississippi. As a child and then as a teenager, she, her three brothers and her parents, Roy and Verdie Phillips were an integral part of the faith community at Collinsville Methodist Church. This tiny, rural church—with her pastors, Sunday School teachers, and family—helped her develop a strong global perspective and supported her in her call to ministry.
Barbara played the piano for worship starting in the 4th grade and continuing through the 12th grade when she left to attend Millsaps College. At Millsaps she majored in Religion, minored in music, worked in the music department and sang on scholarship at Galloway Memorial Methodist Church in Jackson. During the summers following her sophomore and junior years, Galloway Memorial sponsored her trips to Monterrey, Mexico to get a glimpse of what mission work would be like. This is where she met her future husband, Joaquin Garcia.
After college graduation, she served for three years in Monterrey, Mexico as a short-term missionary teaching English, working in Christian Education at La Trinidad Methodist Church, and in helping to built “Camp Sierra Linda” in the mountains near Monterrey..
In 1967 Barbara and Joaquin were married and both began work on a Masters in Christian Education at Scarritt College for Christian Workers. In 1969 the couple returned to Mexico—this time to Mexico City—where she served as a consultant in Christian Education to the Methodist Church of Mexico while Joaquin served as the General Secretary of Christian Education for the country of Mexico. Their two sons, Roy and Carlos, were born in Mexico City.
The family moved to the United States in 1977, and Barbara served at First United Methodist Church in Monroe, Louisiana. While serving at First UMC in Monroe she was consecrated as a diaconal minister.
Barbara accepted a position in 1979 at the General Board of Discipleship where she served, first as a bi-lingual secretary in the Section on Evangelism, and then for 10 years on the professional staff in the area of Children and Worship in the Section on Worship, and as Coordinator of Children’s Ministries. While at the Board, she directed the large and pivotal international conference Focus 85—Children: The Word, The World.
In 1989 Barbara was appointed to Brentwood United Methodist Church as Director of Adult Ministries. She later became Director of all Program and Age-Level Ministries. During her 7 years at Brentwood UMC, the Sunday School attendance was 15th in the nation, and support groups were initiated for cancer survivors, persons in career transition, Alzheimer’s care givers, adult respite care, grief support, and divorce recovery.
Barbara Garcia shows her farm skills on a Brentwood UMC mission trip to the “Tree of Life” Agricultural Working Farm in rural Puebla, Mexico
She also organized the first education work mission team to the “Tree of Life” Agricultural Working Farm in rural Puebla, Mexico (1992). The Methodist Church of Mexico sponsored the Farm. Since the first visit, Brentwood has been sending teams every year, and she has led the Area cabinets on two work and educational trips there.
In 1996, Barbara Garcia was appointed as Assistant to the Bishop, the first female to serve in this role in the Nashville Area, and the first diaconal minister to serve in this role in the United States. She served as a delegate to General and Jurisdiction Conferences in 1996, 2000, and 2004. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the General Commission on Communications (UMCOM), and for the General Board of Church and Society.
July 18-21 Mission Study asks United Methodists to “Sing Across the Walls!”
Editor's note: Further information on the Mission Study plus biographical information about the leaders can be found on the Tennessee Conference Blogsite: CLICK HERE http://tnconfnewsviews.blogspot.com/2007/05/july-18-21-mission-study-asks-united.html
Christian educators, church school leaders, ministers, chairpersons and membership of local church mission or Global Ministries committees, leadership in the United Methodist Men, youth workers, adult Sunday School teachers—all have the same stereotypical view when the annual summer Christian Mission Education Event is held: “Oh, this is an event for the United Methodist Women.” It may be sponsored by the United Methodist Women but it focuses on topics or concerns that are church-wide and deserves attendance by more than just UMW members. Typically you can say two things about the yearly studies:
Christian educators, church school leaders, ministers, chairpersons and membership of local church mission or Global Ministries committees, leadership in the United Methodist Men, youth workers, adult Sunday School teachers—all have the same stereotypical view when the annual summer Christian Mission Education Event is held: “Oh, this is an event for the United Methodist Women.” It may be sponsored by the United Methodist Women but it focuses on topics or concerns that are church-wide and deserves attendance by more than just UMW members. Typically you can say two things about the yearly studies:
1. The topics chosen are generally much in the news in the years after a study is released. When you consider that the topics are chosen well in advance (several years) and time is spent in preparing, testing, and editing manuscripts, it is amazing how often the material is as current as the daily news.
2. The topics NEED to be discussed in every study or action venue offered by the church—adult and youth classes, committees, UMW circles, United Methodist Men, discussion groups through the week, home meetings—and there is generally enough good sermon material to keep clergy and lay ministers busy.
The 2007 church-wide Mission Education event will be held July 18-21 at the Scarritt-Bennett Center, 1008 19th Ave. So., Nashville, Tennessee. Three studies will be offered for day-time students, and one study will be offered for persons who can only attend in the evenings and on Saturday morning.
The over-all theme for the event is Sing Across the Walls! As people of faith who have a PURPOSE which we strive to fulfill, we have sung the songs of mission for over a century. Songs of justice, love, mercy, and freedom have changed so many situations of hopelessness. Lyrics to “Battle Hymn of the Republic” were written by Julia Ward Howe to resist slavery. Fanny Crosby wrote, “Rescue the Perishing” as she worked with the poor of New York City in the late 1900s and shaped the church’s understanding of mission. Martin Luther King led the people in singing “We Shall Overcome,” and now freedom movements throughout the world lean on that song of hope.
This year’s mission studies--Mission & Music, Israel and Palestine, and Globalization, present opportunities to continue the legacy of justice and freedom. We will struggle as we confront our feelings—joy for some of us as walls or barriers are going up in some parts of the world, or for others, sadness and despair as walls are being erected.
How do we sing across the walls? Walls isolate and separate for economic, social, political and/or religious purposes. What can a song do? Bring hope and give courage. The African American spiritual, “I’m gonna live so God can use me,” repeats after every verse, “Anywhere Lord, Anytime!”
We, too, are called to sing a sing of hope and freedom across walls. Jesus Christ sets us free to be whole persons. We sing for the freedom of all people, not just ourselves. We sing of the Good News that God loves everyone and invites the most unexpected people to the feast. We sing the songs of hope that have the power to bring down walls of hatred and injustice. Sing across the walls!
Spiritual Growth Mission Study: God’s Mission, God’s Song”Three sections during the day taught by Rev. James C. Clardy, Jr., Rev. Patricia A. Clendenen, and Nancy Bearden Hudson. One section in the evening to be taught by Rev. Jesse Boyce.
John Wesley gave instructions on how to sing. Therein he directs, “Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but life up your voice with strength.”
When we sing the songs of mission we can do no less. Joyce Sohl’s book God’s Mission, God’s Song, reminds us of the passion brought to mission work by our fore bearers and expressed in the hymns of then and now. Mission hymns bring out all of our feelings—sadness for the state of the world—conviction to follow Jesus as he ministered to the poor and sick—joy in experiencing the reconciliation and freedom of salvation from death—and so much more. We express our theology of mission through our prayers, our works and our songs.
Today, the sounds of mission hymns take on the rhythms and languages of peoples around the world. God’s love is alive and singing in Africa, Latin America, Asia and North America—and all over the world.
Geographic Mission Study: Israel and Palestine
Three sections to be taught by Bishop William Wesley Morris, Rev. Judy Hoffman, and Rev. Ray Newell.
This study will help the participants to learn about the history and complexities of relationships between Israel and Palestine. We will explore and understand the concepts of security and freedom that dominate the lives of these peoples. This study will challenge participants to move through tolerance and respect to achieve a just peace.
General Interest Mission Study: Globalization: Its Impact in Our Lives
One section taught by Rev. Howard Reynolds
“The United Methodist Church, as the covenant community committed to God’s justice, must work toward a just global economy.” General Conference Resolution 206: Economic Justice for a New Millennium.
Throughout the history of the Schools of Christian Missions, United Methodists have turned their attention to issues of the economy, thus, continuing the church’s public witness for economic justice. Today, in this time of globalization—when what occurs in one part of the world, whether it concerns wealth, poverty, abundance, and scarcity, affects people in many other parts—it is appropriate that as United Methodists, we once again focus on this issue.
2. The topics NEED to be discussed in every study or action venue offered by the church—adult and youth classes, committees, UMW circles, United Methodist Men, discussion groups through the week, home meetings—and there is generally enough good sermon material to keep clergy and lay ministers busy.
The 2007 church-wide Mission Education event will be held July 18-21 at the Scarritt-Bennett Center, 1008 19th Ave. So., Nashville, Tennessee. Three studies will be offered for day-time students, and one study will be offered for persons who can only attend in the evenings and on Saturday morning.
The over-all theme for the event is Sing Across the Walls! As people of faith who have a PURPOSE which we strive to fulfill, we have sung the songs of mission for over a century. Songs of justice, love, mercy, and freedom have changed so many situations of hopelessness. Lyrics to “Battle Hymn of the Republic” were written by Julia Ward Howe to resist slavery. Fanny Crosby wrote, “Rescue the Perishing” as she worked with the poor of New York City in the late 1900s and shaped the church’s understanding of mission. Martin Luther King led the people in singing “We Shall Overcome,” and now freedom movements throughout the world lean on that song of hope.
This year’s mission studies--Mission & Music, Israel and Palestine, and Globalization, present opportunities to continue the legacy of justice and freedom. We will struggle as we confront our feelings—joy for some of us as walls or barriers are going up in some parts of the world, or for others, sadness and despair as walls are being erected.
How do we sing across the walls? Walls isolate and separate for economic, social, political and/or religious purposes. What can a song do? Bring hope and give courage. The African American spiritual, “I’m gonna live so God can use me,” repeats after every verse, “Anywhere Lord, Anytime!”
We, too, are called to sing a sing of hope and freedom across walls. Jesus Christ sets us free to be whole persons. We sing for the freedom of all people, not just ourselves. We sing of the Good News that God loves everyone and invites the most unexpected people to the feast. We sing the songs of hope that have the power to bring down walls of hatred and injustice. Sing across the walls!
Spiritual Growth Mission Study: God’s Mission, God’s Song”Three sections during the day taught by Rev. James C. Clardy, Jr., Rev. Patricia A. Clendenen, and Nancy Bearden Hudson. One section in the evening to be taught by Rev. Jesse Boyce.
John Wesley gave instructions on how to sing. Therein he directs, “Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but life up your voice with strength.”
When we sing the songs of mission we can do no less. Joyce Sohl’s book God’s Mission, God’s Song, reminds us of the passion brought to mission work by our fore bearers and expressed in the hymns of then and now. Mission hymns bring out all of our feelings—sadness for the state of the world—conviction to follow Jesus as he ministered to the poor and sick—joy in experiencing the reconciliation and freedom of salvation from death—and so much more. We express our theology of mission through our prayers, our works and our songs.
Today, the sounds of mission hymns take on the rhythms and languages of peoples around the world. God’s love is alive and singing in Africa, Latin America, Asia and North America—and all over the world.
Geographic Mission Study: Israel and Palestine
Three sections to be taught by Bishop William Wesley Morris, Rev. Judy Hoffman, and Rev. Ray Newell.
This study will help the participants to learn about the history and complexities of relationships between Israel and Palestine. We will explore and understand the concepts of security and freedom that dominate the lives of these peoples. This study will challenge participants to move through tolerance and respect to achieve a just peace.
General Interest Mission Study: Globalization: Its Impact in Our Lives
One section taught by Rev. Howard Reynolds
“The United Methodist Church, as the covenant community committed to God’s justice, must work toward a just global economy.” General Conference Resolution 206: Economic Justice for a New Millennium.
Throughout the history of the Schools of Christian Missions, United Methodists have turned their attention to issues of the economy, thus, continuing the church’s public witness for economic justice. Today, in this time of globalization—when what occurs in one part of the world, whether it concerns wealth, poverty, abundance, and scarcity, affects people in many other parts—it is appropriate that as United Methodists, we once again focus on this issue.
Children’s Study and Youth Study
Esther Sims is the lead teacher for children assisted by Lynda F. Kilby as the children study From Palestine to Seattle, Becoming Neighbors and Friends.
This year the youth, under the direction of Gwen Sales and Terry Guertin, will look at the Spiritual Growth study on Music and Mission. A text has been prepared especially for the youth.
Individuals, UMW units, and districts are encouraged to provide scholarships for youth and children to attend this year’s event.
Cost and Registration
The cost for full-time participation (includes room Thursday/Friday, all meals Thursday lunch thru Saturday breakfast), $155.00 for adults; $115.00 for youth; and children $75.00. Commuters pay $80.00 adult, $60.00 youth, $45.00 for children. Meals are separate. The Evening Class has an adult registration fee of $80.
For registration forms or information contact Robbie Hooper, Dean, 1611 Greenway Drive, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 (615- 898-0287; e-mail Robbie@ptsllc.com
Esther Sims is the lead teacher for children assisted by Lynda F. Kilby as the children study From Palestine to Seattle, Becoming Neighbors and Friends.
This year the youth, under the direction of Gwen Sales and Terry Guertin, will look at the Spiritual Growth study on Music and Mission. A text has been prepared especially for the youth.
Individuals, UMW units, and districts are encouraged to provide scholarships for youth and children to attend this year’s event.
Cost and Registration
The cost for full-time participation (includes room Thursday/Friday, all meals Thursday lunch thru Saturday breakfast), $155.00 for adults; $115.00 for youth; and children $75.00. Commuters pay $80.00 adult, $60.00 youth, $45.00 for children. Meals are separate. The Evening Class has an adult registration fee of $80.
For registration forms or information contact Robbie Hooper, Dean, 1611 Greenway Drive, Murfreesboro, TN 37129 (615- 898-0287; e-mail Robbie@ptsllc.com
Church provides 'lids for kids' to cancer ward
By Lilla Marigza*
Bald heads are the norm around the cancer ward at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, where chemotherapy typically robs young patients of both their hair and their youthful energy.
But brightly colored hats in all styles are a welcome special delivery that brings smiles to children fighting the ravages of the disease.
Through the "Lids for Kids" ministry of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in nearby Hendersonville, a group of United Methodist Men collected nearly a thousand hats this year as part of its annual service project.
Cancer patient Kelsie Karnes wears a purple bandana provided by the Lids for Kids ministry of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Hendersonville, Tenn. UMNS photo by Terry Bulger."This is faith in action. … It's putting feet on prayers," says the Rev. Allen Weller, senior pastor of the congregation.
Or, more specifically, lids on kids.
Two-year-old Cody lights up when handed a green plastic Army hat "just like Daddy wears," according to the toddler's mom.
In the next room, 6-year-old Alijah Prado studies three hats - a knit cap with bright blue flames, a Tennessee Titans football cap and a Nashville Predators hockey hat. He finally decides to wear all three at once.
In 2006, church members donated around a hundred hats. This year, the harvest was tenfold as word of the ministry spread. "People love to help, people like to share, people like to care, and this was such a simple but important way," says Weller.
Members of the church youth group decorated large collection bins for the cause. Alissa Walker, 16, gets especially excited when she comes upon hats donated just for little girls "There's just a bunch of guy hats, but when the girls see the cute little frilly hats, they'll get real excited," she says.
The lids are sorted and sterilized and then delivered in person on a cart pushed from room to room at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Volunteers try to match hats to kids.
Two-year-old Matthew quickly tries on one bearing the name of his favorite movie. Though it's adult-sized and must be adjusted accordingly, the grin on Matthew's face indicates the lid is a perfect fit. "It's always good to see him smile and laugh … and when you hand him a Star Wars hat, it always perks his little face up," says mom Gina Butterfield.
*Marigza is a freelance producer in Nashville, Tenn.
First Combination Youth and Young Adult Event was a great success!
Conference Youth President Sarah Williams with Jump 5 the Saturday evening concert artists
Hands and Feet, our newest conference event was held in Murfreesboro, TN on April 14 & 15 of this year. This is mission orientated event was the creation of the conference CCYM and the Young Adult Council. A small but mighty group gathered on Saturday morning to begin work.
Hands and Feet, our newest conference event was held in Murfreesboro, TN on April 14 & 15 of this year. This is mission orientated event was the creation of the conference CCYM and the Young Adult Council. A small but mighty group gathered on Saturday morning to begin work.
Almost done with one of the wheel chair ramps
During the day, groups built two wheel chair ramps, visited with and played BINGO with nursing home residents, worked on a Habitat House, made lunches and delivered them, cleaned a warehouse for a ministry group, and helped clean at an orphanage where they were also able to play with the children. Though it rained on and off for most of the day, all the groups were pleased with their accomplishments and proud of the work they did.
Some had lunch as their mission - they made a served lunches to all the workers
Finishing touches to the Habitat House
On Saturday evening, they celebrated with a concert by a local Christian band and ended the weekend on Sunday morning with a worship service. The event went very well and plans are for this to become an annual event to held each fall beginning fall of 2008.
Murfreesboro District Youth go Fishin’
Murfreesboro District Youth discovered Sunday, May 20, what Christ’s call to his disciples means to their own lives. The Murfreesboro District Youth Rally, held at St. Mark’s UMC in Murfreesboro, drew a crowd of over 100 youth and adults for a night of food, fun, and fellowship while students learned about being fishers of men.
The theme was “Caught,” a reference to Matthew 4:19, where Jesus calls Peter and Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people” (NRSV).
The festivities were kicked off with a cookout of hamburgers and hot dogs, giving students from the 8 churches present a chance to interact and foster new inter-church friendships in Christ.
After dinner, students were given the opportunity to get a little artistic and extremely messy, as they decorated two lucky volunteers’ faces with peanut butter and goldfish crackers. St. Mark’s UMC’s Alex Galloway and his team took home the honor of best fishy disguise.
Alex Galloway after having his face decorated with Goldfish CrackersThe night continued with a time of community worship. Students united their voices in praise to God led by J.P. Clardy and Carl Glenn of St. Mark’s.
The highlight of the night was speaker Bill Lizor from the General Board of Discipleship. Lizor highlighted characters in the Bible who were caught by the Lord’s call, each time taking the stories of Elijah and others and explaining how students could apply the lessons these Biblical figures learned to their own lives.
Students closed the night by again joining in song and a prayer that Christ would both catch them and help them to answer his call of “Follow me,” and make them fishers of men.
COSROW and Human Diversity*
The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCSRW) is mandated by the United Methodist Church to help confront and eradicate sexism from its structures and institutions, and to foster full participation of women and girls in the total life of the church. The General Conference is the official decision-making body of the UMC and its representation should be reflective of the membership of the United Methodist Church across various demographics including age, ethnicity, gender, and church size.
As COSROW, The General Commission on Religion and Race, and other commissions/agencies monitor the make up of the General Conference delegates as a whole and within each individual conference, one of the questions you might ponder upon is if General Conference delegates should be representative of the church or the world. Some of the statistics from the 2004 General Conference – the UMC is 93% white and 7% racial/ethnic, the delegates were 79% white and 21% racial/ethnic; the UMC is 37% male and 63% female, the delegates were 57% male and 43% female (clergy – 65% male, 35% female; lay – 49% male, 51% female); the average age for a UM member is 56, the average age for a delegate 54; 71% UM’s are married while 81% of the delegates were; 14% UM’s are widow/widowers while 4% of delegates were; 47% of UM’s have household incomes of $50,000 or more while 85% of delegates did, 26% of the church have household incomes of $25,000 or less while only 4% of the delegates do; and one last statistic on the church and its delegates is that 47% of UM’s are from churches with 500 or more members, 69% of clergy and 47% lay delegates came from churches with more than 500 members.
What do we look like? The average age of the United Methodist is 56 while the average age of a US citizen is 35. The delegates are 21% racial/ethnic while the US is 31% racial/ethnic. In looking at the year-end reports within the Tennessee Conference we find there are 117,476 members. The ethnicities reported are 266 Asian, 3,858 African American, 120 Hispanics, 62 Native American, 30 Pacific Islander, 66,951 white, and 581 are mixed. It was also reported as having 38,734 women and 29,107 men. Discrepancies in the numbers are reflective of turning in this information to the conference office at the end of each year.
Why is this important? A quote from Rene Dubos “human diversity makes tolerance more than a virtue; it makes it a requirement for survival.” Parity is a proportional representation, diversity is the extent of inclusion of people of diverse backgrounds, and inclusiveness is going beyond having diverse individuals to a commitment to incorporate the needs and experiences of the church’s diverse communities and ministry fields into the design, operations, programs and culture of the church. The more inclusive we as a church become, the more effective we become in serving our increasingly diverse and global communities.
It is important to have an inclusive delegation from our Tennessee Annual Conference to represent us at both General Conference (the decision making body for the global church) and for the Southeastern Jurisdiction Conference (where bishops are being elected). It is important to elect those who will help us reach out into the world and minister to its diverse needs and concerns.
*Shared by Dawn Yelverton, Chair of the Tennessee Conference Commission on Status and Role of Women. Excerpts from The Flyer April – June 2007 issue published by the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women
posted by TN Conference UMC @ 7:04 AM
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