TENNESSEE CONFERENCE REVIEW October 30, 2009
Articles in this issue of THE REVIEW
1. Lois Banks Nunley Conference Center dedicated at Beersheba Springs United Methodist Assembly, Sunday, October 18, 2009
2. The David Bain Hawkins Memorial Golf Tournament, November 2-3, 2009
3. Palmyra United Methodist October Revival provided new ways to Re-Think Church,
4. Happy 25 th Anniversary Community Care Fellowship
5. Brief History of the Community Care Fellowship
6. Remembering by the Rev. Jerry Hilton
7. Thanks to those who plant by the Rev. Pat Freudenthal
8. Health Plan Committee Selects new Third Party Administrator (TPA) by Jim Allen
______________________________
Lois Banks Nunley Conference Center dedicated at Beersheba Springs United Methodist Assembly, Sunday, October 18, 2009
Mrs. Lois Banks Nunley
Brick Row at the Beersheba Springs Assembly has been an aging collection of guest rooms with sagging floors and walls as well as some serious structural problems. Thanks to a gift from the will of Lois Banks Nunley, Brick Row has been gutted and transformed into a Conference Room and three updated guest rooms. The Conference Center has been named in honor of Lois Banks Nunley. Three remodeled guest rooms and the Conference Room were named after Bishops who have been elected from the Tennessee Annual Conference.
Interior of the new conference room
The newly rebuilt Brick Row also contains a nursery with a bathroom and kitchen, as well as a kitchen attached to the Conference Room. The Conference Room has been designed so it can be divided to serve as two Conference Rooms. Each conference room will have conference tables with desk chairs and will seat 10 or 12 persons, or when used as a single meeting space, will be able to seat 20. The new layout will be great for cabinet, church staff, and other executive type meetings.
Five bishops who were elected to the episcopacy from the Tennessee Conference. From left to right: Joe Pennel, Roy C. Clark, Robert H. Spain, James R. King, and William W. Morris.
Lois Banks Nunley, before her death, was an active layperson in Ivy Bluff United Methodist Church, and because of her great love for the church her gift was presented to Beersheba Springs Assembly.
The Bishops rooms are available Sunday through Thursday nights for clergy and other professional church workers to use as personal retreat space for a nominal charge. The kitchen is available for their use as well.
Mrs. Evelyn Casey (right), niece of Lois Banks Nunley, was present for the dedication along with family.
The Service of Dedication of the Lois Banks Nunley Conference Center, was held on Sunday afternoon, October 18, 2:00 p.m. The remodeled guest rooms were dedicated in honor of Bishop Roy C. Clark, Bishop Robert H. Spain, and Bishop Joe Pennel. A forth guest room at the front of the old hotel has been dedicated to Bishop William W. Morris. The Conference room was dedicated in honor of Bishop James R. King. All five bishops were ministers within the Tennessee Annual Conference when they were elected to the episcopacy, and all five were present on the mountain for the dedication.
Camping director the Rev. Dickie Hinton shared that he was a young person at Beersheba when he received his call to ministry.
The immense value of the Beersheba Springs Assembly was quite obvious as visitors came for the dedication of the Conference Center. Arriving guests witnessed the ending moments of Belmont United Methodist Church’s 31st annual family retreat at Beersheba with over 214 participants (50 children, 21 youth, 143 adults). The temperature was below freezing for much of the weekend but the Belmont families obviously had a rich and enjoyable time.
Leading the Service of Dedication were the Reverend Bud Alexander, chairperson of the Tennessee Conference Committee on Camp and Retreat Ministers; The Rev. Loyd Mabry, Director of Conference Connectional Ministries; The Rev. Dickie Hinton, Director of Tennessee Conference Camp and Retreat Ministries; and the Rev. Bob Case. Bishop William Morris officiated in the Act of Dedication, substituting for Bishop Richard J. Wills who is recovering from rather recent back surgery.
Part of the crowd at the Conference Center dedication.
Each Bishop reflected on early visits to Beersheba Springs Assembly. Bishop Joe Pennel was called to Beersheba for a meeting that would require staying overnight. Pennel phoned the Assembly to book a room and was informed, “Oh, you have a room with a chamber pot” – as if he would be spending the night in a high tech facility.
Bishop Clark was the preacher for a summer Bible Conference with Bishop Roy Short as the Bible teacher. Bishop King recalled an early morning experience at Beersheba as he faced a group of campers at the edge of the quadrangle. It looked like everyone had rushed to get there and most had hair that was unruly and wet—the result of VERY recent showers. King looked over the crowd and greeted them with the words, “Good morning beautiful people.” This was the first time he used what has since become a James King signature greeting.
Removing, preserving, and re-installing the bricks on “Brick Row” was essential. The bricks were made by slaves and go back well before the Civil war—part of the amazing history of Beersheba Springs Assembly.
Dickie Hinton pointed out that the new facilities were designed for spiritual retreats of individual clergy or small groups of clergy, as well as for staff retreats for local church leadership. It is a place where all can find rest and renewal. Special thanks were also offered to four congregations for providing funding to the remodeling of individual rooms: Belle Meade, Belmont, Brentwood, and West End United Methodist Churches.
The David Bain Hawkins Memorial Golf Tournament, November 2-3, 2009
This great event sponsored by the Nashville Area Foundation and Beersheba Springs Assembly not only provides an opportunity for clergy and laity to enjoy great golf, and spend a night of renewal at beautiful Beersheba Springs Assembly, but it honors the late David Hawkins and his passion for the church’s mission outreach.
The golf tournament will be held at Willowbrook Golf Course in Morrison and at Collins River Golf Course in McMinnville. The first day, Monday, November 2nd, golfers will gather at Willowbrook with tee time at 12:00 noon for an afternoon of golf. At 6:00 p.m. there will be a relaxing supper at Beersheba Springs Assembly with plenty of fellowship. The overnight will be spent at the Assembly.
On Tuesday, November 3rd, there will be breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and the golfing begins at 9:00 a.m. at Collins River. The tournament concludes with lunch at Collins River at 1:30 p.m. with departure for home set for 2:15 p.m.
Cost for the golfers “dream” will be $125.00 per person for both days with a double room, and $155.00 per person for both days with a single room. Special pricing on partial plans is also available by contacting Beersheba Springs Assembly at 931-692-3669.
To register for the golf tournament you can call Beersheba Assembly or e-mail the Assembly at tnumcamps@tnumc.org
All participants are asked to bring a donation for the David Bain Hawkins Mission Scholarship Fund which is administered through Charlotte-Fagan United Methodist Church. Checks should be made out to the Tennessee Conference.
On mission in Mexico: David Hawkins (left) with Nashville District Superintendent John Collett, and Miriam’s Promise Director Deborah Robinson
David Hawkins participated in numerous Volunteer in Mission trips as a pastor, and continued with his interest in missions after he was named Director of Administrative Services for the Tennessee Conference. In a final sermon delivered at Charlotte-Fagan UMC shortly before his unexpected death Hawkins preached about his own experience of transformation through the Holy Spirit when one goes on a mission trip. He gave examples from his own life and at the end of the service, as persons exited from the church, a member of the congregation indicated a strong desire to go on a mission trip. She followed through with her intention by organizing a mission trip to Slidell, Louisiana, to do Katrina Recovery work in March, 2008.
On Sunday evening, October 4, 2009, David Hawkins’ wife, the Rev. Melisa Derseweh, met Pastor Juan and his wife Maria from Amatitan, Nicaragua, where David went on more than one mission trip while serving Lawrenceburg First UMC. Through an interpreter Pastor Juan told her that he loved her because he had loved David and David had loved him. He told her about David working construction during the day and preaching, teaching, singing and being with the adults and children of the village at night during his mission trips among them. Pastor Juan reminded us all in his sermon that our true citizenship is in heaven.
So far the David Bain Hawkins scholarships have been awarded for mission projects involving Katrina Recovery, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Applications are available by contacting the Charlotte-Fagan United Methodist Church, 3158 Vanleer Highway Charlotte, TN 37036. 615-789-5194.
Palmyra United Methodist October Revival provided new ways to Re-Think Church
Palmyra United Methodist Church
Storytellers and historians within Palmyra United Methodist Church enjoy sharing the dramatic history of the Palmyra community. At a time, particularly before the American Civil War, Palmyra was both a rail hub and river port. It was also in an area where iron ore was discovered and mined—and the landscape still shows holes where iron ore was removed from the earth. Not all the holes are from iron mining, however, the storytellers will say with a smile. The creation of moonshine forced some entrepreneurs to hide their work with holes dug in the earth and made to look like mine holes.
The first night crowd begins to assemble in the sanctuary.
Palmyra’s prominence at the time of the Civil War meant that the obvious was likely to happen. The community hosted retreating Confederate Forces and provided such assistance as they could with food and medical help. The advancing Union Army not only knew of the support for Confederate Forces but knew that destroying Palmyra would destroy a crucial southern supply route—and they burned the community to the ground.
In October of 2009 it was obvious that Palmyra had recovered, and the Palmyra United Methodist Church was looking for ways to reach out more strongly to the community. In a four-night Revival built on the theme “Re-think” church it was obvious that church growth was on the hearts and minds of Revival participants.
The offering for the first night, laundry and cleaning supplies for the Community Care Fellowship
On the first night, October 11th,. Rev. Pat Freudenthal, Executive Director of the Community Care Fellowship in Nashville, taught us that we tend to ignore the presence of our nearest neighbors... not those over the back fence so much, but those who have no clothes, no home, no bed, and wonder where their next meal is coming from. Jesus taught us to care for the 'least of these', and taught us such with no caveat of entitlement or statements like "they should just go and get a job...". Re:Think church - who are our neighbors?
The first night of the revival included the Rayson family singers, the first time the Revs. Amy and Mike Rayson have performed publicly with their children.
The second night. Rev. Joel Nulty took the story of the church meeting together in Acts, and had us think through the possibilities of sharing all we have with each other. The church itself should have no walls. If we were missing a physical wall of the church, it might cause us to look outside. Re:Think church - what is our calling? Special music was provided by Tammy Mathews of Pleasant View UMC.
The Rev Donna Parramore, on the third night, went fishing with the congregation (metaphorically). When Jesus invites us to be fishers of men and women, we need to know what bait to put on the hook, where to fish, and when to cut the line. But if we sit on the bank and wave at the fish swimming by, then we are not fishing. Re:Think church - who has God called, through us? The Palmyra singers of Palmyra UMC provided special music for the service.
On the fourth and final night. Rev Mike Rayson took the great commission and called us to be part of its great completion. The only thing that stops us all accepting the call of Jesus to be 'missionaries' in the world is our excuses. There is no place for "retirement", and no "baby sitting service" within the church - we are all called to be about the mission and ministry of God's kingdom. Re:Think church - where do we go from here? Special music by Randy Burnett (Loretta Lynn's guitarist)
District Superintendent Ron Lowery helped kick-off the revival: “Size doesn’t excuse us from making disciples!” . . . “My heart is with small churches because I come from a small church.”
Palmyra UMC experienced great attendance at our fall revival - with numbers exceeding normal church attendance each Sunday. In the words of Pat Freudenthal "God is getting ready to bust loose at Palmyra". Though a small country community church, the congregation has an enormous vision to reach out as a community of faith, in the name of Jesus, into the town and county. With hard work, and God's help, the sky is the limit!
Happy 25th Anniversary Community Care Fellowship
Jerry Hilton, retired UMC minister serving as CCF Administrative Coordinator, and Pat Freudenthal, CCF Executive Director, go through the schedule for the 25th Anniversary program with Mike Terry. Terry, radio station 650AM WSM, served as master of ceremonies for the evening.
Since 1984 Community Care Fellowship has been dedicated to serving those persons in Nashville Tennessee, who find themselves without the means to provide the basic needs of life --- a place to live, food to eat, a place to take a bath, a place to wash the one or two changes of clothes typically owned by a homeless person, a place to rest from the elements and pressures of living on the street.
In the following three articles plus photos from the 25th Anniversary banquet, aptly called “25 and Counting,” Brentwood United Methodist Church, Thursday, September 24, 2009, we will try to share the history and philosophy of an agency dedicated to reaching out beyond the walls of the church to persons in desperate need. Because of the recent downturn in the economy Community Care Fellowship is also faced with expanded demands on its services and a large increase in the number of women and children requiring those services. Located in a zip code with a high crime rate, and across the street from the James A. Cayce homes, the Community Care Fellowship ministry has never been more important. If you or your church would like to explore opportunities to provide service as volunteers, you can contact Community Care Fellowship, 511 South 8th Street, P.O. Box 60068, Nashville, Tn 37206. Phone: 615-227-1953; emai,l Ccf511@bellsouth.net; website, www.ccf-ministry.org
25 and Counting. LtoR Student Intern Katie Pearce, Dare to Dream teachers Jessica Pantino and LaTara Holt.
Volunteers help CCF communicate the love of Jesus Christ by greeting, signing in, and providing much needed services to those who enter its doors each morning. The days and hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Reception and Hygiene Volunteers are Needed: Morning Hours: 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Afternoon Hours: 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. For information about volunteering in reception and hygiene area call: Vaughn Horner, 615-297-3142.
Kitchen Volunteers minister love through the preparation and service of food. Lunch is served four days each week: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Volunteers help the regular kitchen staff prepare and serve food. Kitchen Volunteers are Needed Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 10:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Sunday: 12:00 Noon until 2:00 p.m. For information about kitchen volunteers call: Rev. Pat Freudenthal, 615-227-1953 or E-mail: ccf511@bellsouth.net
Brief History of the Community Care Fellowship
From the Community Care Website
The Seeds of what became Community Care Fellowship were planted at McKendree United Methodist Church under the leadership of Rock Hardaway and Ken Powers early in the 1980s
Community Care Fellowship opened in 1984 as a program unit of United Methodist Urban Ministries under the guidance of Jerry Hilton, Executive Director. Ken and Carol Powers were its first staff members....thus it became quickly know as Ken and Carol's Place. Now twenty-four years later it is still known on the street that way.
The youth group from Hermitage United Methodist Church helped with food service during the 25th Anniversary Banquet
In the mid-eighties the redevelopment of Lower Broadway and the Riverfront began to put pressure on the homeless to leave downtown. The migration east across the Shelby St. Bridge was beginning. The building lease on the property at 114 Fourth Ave., which was two doors north of the present day Schemerhorn Concert Hall, was due to expire in 1987. A search for a new home began.
What’s a 25th Anniversary celebration without great food?
The first ten years in the new building saw a number of changes in the way services were provided to the homeless population and to the neighborhood. One thing that remained a constant was trying to serve the hunger needs of the area. By 1999 it was apparent that the small original kitchen could not provide for the increase in number of people being fed. The Cal Turner Family Foundation provided a generous gift of $100,000.00 which was used to renovate the kitchen area and install a commercial kitchen. Not long after the kitchen renovation a careful look at the future needs of the ministry of CCF and Nancy Webb Kelly UMC was undertaken . The result was a decision to enter into a capital campaign under the leadership of Don Williams that would raise funds to add space to both buildings and renovate most of the area. The result is a building that will enable more services for the foreseeable future.
Remembering
By Jerry Hilton
From the Community Care Fellowship Journal, Vo. 25, Issue 3, July-Sept. 2009
Toi King, Assistant Director, began with CCF in October 2007.
As we have reached the twenty-fifth celebration of Community Care Fellowship, I have a difficult time accepting the fact that it was one quarter of a century ago that the doors opened for the first time. To me it still seems like only a short time ago that the decade of the 80’s dawned and we began to recognize the growing number of “street people” as a real concern for Nashville. I remember very clearly participating in the first meeting where Rusty Lawrence, Director of the Council of Community Services, Bill Monnyhan, Director of Metro Social Services, Bob Horton from the Mayor’s Office and others began to discuss this growing issue. These meetings continued over the coming months and eventually became the Nashville Committee on the Homeless.
Bruce Long, Hermitage UMC, a member of the CCF Board of Directors, shares information about financial giving.
It was during this time that McKendree UMC along with other down-town churches tried to meet the growing number of homeless people at their doors. Billy Craighead and Rock Hardaway were appointed as the clergy staff in 1981 and soon after began to invite the homeless in to share in the Thursday Noon meal. It was there that Ken Powers fell under the influence of Rock’s compassionate spirit for the “down and out.” Rock knew that the resources of one church could not begin to meet the needs he saw and that the beginning commitment he saw in Ken for those he met with each Thursday needed a broader arena to grow. It was at that point that Rock called me and Ken to come to meet with him. Rock was gallantly fighting his losing battle with cancer. He was still trying to carry on some of his staff responsibilities from home. He contended that as Director of United Methodist Urban Ministries I should bring Ken on staff as an advocate for the homeless.
As had become my custom over the years, I quickly recognized the wisdom of Rock’s suggestions. Ken became a member of our staff and soon relieved me of some of the responsibilities of keeping up with all the activities which were going on with the Committee on the Homeless. It was not long after trying the ministry to the homeless on the street that Ken came to the conclusion that we would have to have a place where we could meet some of the basic needs of those who lived on the streets. Twenty-five years later we are still trying to live out that conclusion.
I count it as a very special grace from God to have shared in the struggles, joys and blessings of these two special friends. I also count it as a special blessing, and in some ways a sacred responsibility to still be around to participate in their dreams.
Thanks for those who plant
By Pat Freudenthal
From the Community Care Fellowship Journal, Vo. 25, Issue 3, July-Sept. 2009
25 and Counting, Let the banquet begin. Theme of the
The above quote was shared with me recently by a close friend. After reading it several times I began to wonder what kind of trees I tend to plant. Do I plant trees that provide shade and rest for people or are my trees so full of judgment that not even the smallest of creatures can find comfort? Do the trees I plant with people last or do they wither away after only one season? And the one question that really causes me to stop in my tracks is – why do I plant trees? Do I plant trees so that people will say something nice about me or do I plant trees to give honor to the Creator of all trees?
At Community Care Fellowship we plant trees. Our ministry is one giant tree under which we offer dignity and personhood to our guests. The meals, showers, laundry and other services are just means to that end. Our goal is to offer to each man, woman, and child shade from the arduous journey caused by poverty. Our mission is to make sure that our guests know that Jesus the Christ loves them and wants them more than they can imagine. Our prayer is that each person will leave CCF with an acorn of hope that someday will grow into a mighty oak that offers shade to other pilgrims on the journey.
Recounting history can be boring. The history of Community Care Fellowship is ANYthing but boring.
The work of CCF is not always easy and does not always offer reward. It is not easy to plant trees in soil that is not cultivated. It is not easy to be in community with people whose values we do not share. It is difficult to be peaceful when lives are invaded by the violence of the streets. Yet, we continue to plant trees. We trust that our Lord can use our imperfect efforts to provide shade for others long after we are gone. We may not get to enjoy the shade today, but we are grateful for those who planted trees before us and rejoice that God always provides for us.
The evening concluded with prayer, and the start of the next 25 years.
So, the next time you see a tree please send up a silent prayer for us. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for those who planted the tree we call Community Care Fellow-ship twenty-five years ago. May God give us the strength to continue planting trees in the name and honor of our loving Lord.
Health Plan Committee Selects new Third Party Administrator (TPA)
By James R. Allen*
Mercer, who has served as our TPA for a number of years, is getting out of the TPA business effective January 1, 2010. For a number of months, we have been moving toward a decision on who will be our TPA beginning in January.
UMR was selected at the recent meeting of the conference’s Health Plan Committee. UMR is a wholly-owned subsidiary of insurance company United Healthcare, and will perform the claim and administrative services currently provided by Mercer. This will also allow us to utilize United Healthcare’s national medical provider network (PPO), replacing Signature and Tennessee Healthcare, the 2 local networks we now use in our 42 counties. A detailed study of our Participants’ doctor and hospital relationships shows that there should be very little disruption within the UMR network, as it contains most of the same providers as our current networks.
We will continue to use Caremark as our prescription drug provider. This means there will be no changes in the drugs covered by our plan. However, it may be necessary for some of our participants who are ordering on-line and receiving their prescriptions through the mail to re-register with Caremark in December so UMR and Caremark will have all necessary information for the transition effective January 1. Those affected will receive more information about that.
The regular deductible for medical services will begin January 1 as usual, and will not change. As a reminder, the Plan postponed the annual prescription deductible from July 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010. This $50 annual deductible, which will be applied to drug purchases after January 1, is unrelated to the change in TPA.
Our priorities in selecting providers and planning for this transition were (1) costs, (2) minimal disruption and confusion to our pastors, our participants, and our conference office. There will be a small increase in the Plan’s administrative costs (which are funded by apportionment contributions) which should be more than offset by the savings from being in a larger network. All participants will receive a replacement insurance card in December to use beginning January 1, but most will see no other substantive change.
*James R. Allen is Plan Administrator and Treasurer/Director, Administrative Services, Tennessee Conference of The United Methodist Church
1. Lois Banks Nunley Conference Center dedicated at Beersheba Springs United Methodist Assembly, Sunday, October 18, 2009
2. The David Bain Hawkins Memorial Golf Tournament, November 2-3, 2009
3. Palmyra United Methodist October Revival provided new ways to Re-Think Church,
4. Happy 25 th Anniversary Community Care Fellowship
5. Brief History of the Community Care Fellowship
6. Remembering by the Rev. Jerry Hilton
7. Thanks to those who plant by the Rev. Pat Freudenthal
8. Health Plan Committee Selects new Third Party Administrator (TPA) by Jim Allen
______________________________
Lois Banks Nunley Conference Center dedicated at Beersheba Springs United Methodist Assembly, Sunday, October 18, 2009
Mrs. Lois Banks Nunley
Brick Row at the Beersheba Springs Assembly has been an aging collection of guest rooms with sagging floors and walls as well as some serious structural problems. Thanks to a gift from the will of Lois Banks Nunley, Brick Row has been gutted and transformed into a Conference Room and three updated guest rooms. The Conference Center has been named in honor of Lois Banks Nunley. Three remodeled guest rooms and the Conference Room were named after Bishops who have been elected from the Tennessee Annual Conference.
The newly rebuilt Brick Row also contains a nursery with a bathroom and kitchen, as well as a kitchen attached to the Conference Room. The Conference Room has been designed so it can be divided to serve as two Conference Rooms. Each conference room will have conference tables with desk chairs and will seat 10 or 12 persons, or when used as a single meeting space, will be able to seat 20. The new layout will be great for cabinet, church staff, and other executive type meetings.
Lois Banks Nunley, before her death, was an active layperson in Ivy Bluff United Methodist Church, and because of her great love for the church her gift was presented to Beersheba Springs Assembly.
The Bishops rooms are available Sunday through Thursday nights for clergy and other professional church workers to use as personal retreat space for a nominal charge. The kitchen is available for their use as well.
The Service of Dedication of the Lois Banks Nunley Conference Center, was held on Sunday afternoon, October 18, 2:00 p.m. The remodeled guest rooms were dedicated in honor of Bishop Roy C. Clark, Bishop Robert H. Spain, and Bishop Joe Pennel. A forth guest room at the front of the old hotel has been dedicated to Bishop William W. Morris. The Conference room was dedicated in honor of Bishop James R. King. All five bishops were ministers within the Tennessee Annual Conference when they were elected to the episcopacy, and all five were present on the mountain for the dedication.
The immense value of the Beersheba Springs Assembly was quite obvious as visitors came for the dedication of the Conference Center. Arriving guests witnessed the ending moments of Belmont United Methodist Church’s 31st annual family retreat at Beersheba with over 214 participants (50 children, 21 youth, 143 adults). The temperature was below freezing for much of the weekend but the Belmont families obviously had a rich and enjoyable time.
Leading the Service of Dedication were the Reverend Bud Alexander, chairperson of the Tennessee Conference Committee on Camp and Retreat Ministers; The Rev. Loyd Mabry, Director of Conference Connectional Ministries; The Rev. Dickie Hinton, Director of Tennessee Conference Camp and Retreat Ministries; and the Rev. Bob Case. Bishop William Morris officiated in the Act of Dedication, substituting for Bishop Richard J. Wills who is recovering from rather recent back surgery.
Each Bishop reflected on early visits to Beersheba Springs Assembly. Bishop Joe Pennel was called to Beersheba for a meeting that would require staying overnight. Pennel phoned the Assembly to book a room and was informed, “Oh, you have a room with a chamber pot” – as if he would be spending the night in a high tech facility.
Bishop Clark was the preacher for a summer Bible Conference with Bishop Roy Short as the Bible teacher. Bishop King recalled an early morning experience at Beersheba as he faced a group of campers at the edge of the quadrangle. It looked like everyone had rushed to get there and most had hair that was unruly and wet—the result of VERY recent showers. King looked over the crowd and greeted them with the words, “Good morning beautiful people.” This was the first time he used what has since become a James King signature greeting.
Dickie Hinton pointed out that the new facilities were designed for spiritual retreats of individual clergy or small groups of clergy, as well as for staff retreats for local church leadership. It is a place where all can find rest and renewal. Special thanks were also offered to four congregations for providing funding to the remodeling of individual rooms: Belle Meade, Belmont, Brentwood, and West End United Methodist Churches.
The David Bain Hawkins Memorial Golf Tournament, November 2-3, 2009
This great event sponsored by the Nashville Area Foundation and Beersheba Springs Assembly not only provides an opportunity for clergy and laity to enjoy great golf, and spend a night of renewal at beautiful Beersheba Springs Assembly, but it honors the late David Hawkins and his passion for the church’s mission outreach.
The golf tournament will be held at Willowbrook Golf Course in Morrison and at Collins River Golf Course in McMinnville. The first day, Monday, November 2nd, golfers will gather at Willowbrook with tee time at 12:00 noon for an afternoon of golf. At 6:00 p.m. there will be a relaxing supper at Beersheba Springs Assembly with plenty of fellowship. The overnight will be spent at the Assembly.
On Tuesday, November 3rd, there will be breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and the golfing begins at 9:00 a.m. at Collins River. The tournament concludes with lunch at Collins River at 1:30 p.m. with departure for home set for 2:15 p.m.
Cost for the golfers “dream” will be $125.00 per person for both days with a double room, and $155.00 per person for both days with a single room. Special pricing on partial plans is also available by contacting Beersheba Springs Assembly at 931-692-3669.
To register for the golf tournament you can call Beersheba Assembly or e-mail the Assembly at tnumcamps@tnumc.org
All participants are asked to bring a donation for the David Bain Hawkins Mission Scholarship Fund which is administered through Charlotte-Fagan United Methodist Church. Checks should be made out to the Tennessee Conference.
David Hawkins participated in numerous Volunteer in Mission trips as a pastor, and continued with his interest in missions after he was named Director of Administrative Services for the Tennessee Conference. In a final sermon delivered at Charlotte-Fagan UMC shortly before his unexpected death Hawkins preached about his own experience of transformation through the Holy Spirit when one goes on a mission trip. He gave examples from his own life and at the end of the service, as persons exited from the church, a member of the congregation indicated a strong desire to go on a mission trip. She followed through with her intention by organizing a mission trip to Slidell, Louisiana, to do Katrina Recovery work in March, 2008.
On Sunday evening, October 4, 2009, David Hawkins’ wife, the Rev. Melisa Derseweh, met Pastor Juan and his wife Maria from Amatitan, Nicaragua, where David went on more than one mission trip while serving Lawrenceburg First UMC. Through an interpreter Pastor Juan told her that he loved her because he had loved David and David had loved him. He told her about David working construction during the day and preaching, teaching, singing and being with the adults and children of the village at night during his mission trips among them. Pastor Juan reminded us all in his sermon that our true citizenship is in heaven.
So far the David Bain Hawkins scholarships have been awarded for mission projects involving Katrina Recovery, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Applications are available by contacting the Charlotte-Fagan United Methodist Church, 3158 Vanleer Highway Charlotte, TN 37036. 615-789-5194.
Palmyra United Methodist October Revival provided new ways to Re-Think Church
Storytellers and historians within Palmyra United Methodist Church enjoy sharing the dramatic history of the Palmyra community. At a time, particularly before the American Civil War, Palmyra was both a rail hub and river port. It was also in an area where iron ore was discovered and mined—and the landscape still shows holes where iron ore was removed from the earth. Not all the holes are from iron mining, however, the storytellers will say with a smile. The creation of moonshine forced some entrepreneurs to hide their work with holes dug in the earth and made to look like mine holes.
Palmyra’s prominence at the time of the Civil War meant that the obvious was likely to happen. The community hosted retreating Confederate Forces and provided such assistance as they could with food and medical help. The advancing Union Army not only knew of the support for Confederate Forces but knew that destroying Palmyra would destroy a crucial southern supply route—and they burned the community to the ground.
In October of 2009 it was obvious that Palmyra had recovered, and the Palmyra United Methodist Church was looking for ways to reach out more strongly to the community. In a four-night Revival built on the theme “Re-think” church it was obvious that church growth was on the hearts and minds of Revival participants.
On the first night, October 11th,. Rev. Pat Freudenthal, Executive Director of the Community Care Fellowship in Nashville, taught us that we tend to ignore the presence of our nearest neighbors... not those over the back fence so much, but those who have no clothes, no home, no bed, and wonder where their next meal is coming from. Jesus taught us to care for the 'least of these', and taught us such with no caveat of entitlement or statements like "they should just go and get a job...". Re:Think church - who are our neighbors?
The second night. Rev. Joel Nulty took the story of the church meeting together in Acts, and had us think through the possibilities of sharing all we have with each other. The church itself should have no walls. If we were missing a physical wall of the church, it might cause us to look outside. Re:Think church - what is our calling? Special music was provided by Tammy Mathews of Pleasant View UMC.
The Rev Donna Parramore, on the third night, went fishing with the congregation (metaphorically). When Jesus invites us to be fishers of men and women, we need to know what bait to put on the hook, where to fish, and when to cut the line. But if we sit on the bank and wave at the fish swimming by, then we are not fishing. Re:Think church - who has God called, through us? The Palmyra singers of Palmyra UMC provided special music for the service.
On the fourth and final night. Rev Mike Rayson took the great commission and called us to be part of its great completion. The only thing that stops us all accepting the call of Jesus to be 'missionaries' in the world is our excuses. There is no place for "retirement", and no "baby sitting service" within the church - we are all called to be about the mission and ministry of God's kingdom. Re:Think church - where do we go from here? Special music by Randy Burnett (Loretta Lynn's guitarist)
Palmyra UMC experienced great attendance at our fall revival - with numbers exceeding normal church attendance each Sunday. In the words of Pat Freudenthal "God is getting ready to bust loose at Palmyra". Though a small country community church, the congregation has an enormous vision to reach out as a community of faith, in the name of Jesus, into the town and county. With hard work, and God's help, the sky is the limit!
Happy 25th Anniversary Community Care Fellowship
Jerry Hilton, retired UMC minister serving as CCF Administrative Coordinator, and Pat Freudenthal, CCF Executive Director, go through the schedule for the 25th Anniversary program with Mike Terry. Terry, radio station 650AM WSM, served as master of ceremonies for the evening.
Since 1984 Community Care Fellowship has been dedicated to serving those persons in Nashville Tennessee, who find themselves without the means to provide the basic needs of life --- a place to live, food to eat, a place to take a bath, a place to wash the one or two changes of clothes typically owned by a homeless person, a place to rest from the elements and pressures of living on the street.
In the following three articles plus photos from the 25th Anniversary banquet, aptly called “25 and Counting,” Brentwood United Methodist Church, Thursday, September 24, 2009, we will try to share the history and philosophy of an agency dedicated to reaching out beyond the walls of the church to persons in desperate need. Because of the recent downturn in the economy Community Care Fellowship is also faced with expanded demands on its services and a large increase in the number of women and children requiring those services. Located in a zip code with a high crime rate, and across the street from the James A. Cayce homes, the Community Care Fellowship ministry has never been more important. If you or your church would like to explore opportunities to provide service as volunteers, you can contact Community Care Fellowship, 511 South 8th Street, P.O. Box 60068, Nashville, Tn 37206. Phone: 615-227-1953; emai,l Ccf511@bellsouth.net; website, www.ccf-ministry.org
Volunteers help CCF communicate the love of Jesus Christ by greeting, signing in, and providing much needed services to those who enter its doors each morning. The days and hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Reception and Hygiene Volunteers are Needed: Morning Hours: 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Afternoon Hours: 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. For information about volunteering in reception and hygiene area call: Vaughn Horner, 615-297-3142.
Kitchen Volunteers minister love through the preparation and service of food. Lunch is served four days each week: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Volunteers help the regular kitchen staff prepare and serve food. Kitchen Volunteers are Needed Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 10:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Sunday: 12:00 Noon until 2:00 p.m. For information about kitchen volunteers call: Rev. Pat Freudenthal, 615-227-1953 or E-mail: ccf511@bellsouth.net
Brief History of the Community Care Fellowship
From the Community Care Website
The Seeds of what became Community Care Fellowship were planted at McKendree United Methodist Church under the leadership of Rock Hardaway and Ken Powers early in the 1980s
Community Care Fellowship opened in 1984 as a program unit of United Methodist Urban Ministries under the guidance of Jerry Hilton, Executive Director. Ken and Carol Powers were its first staff members....thus it became quickly know as Ken and Carol's Place. Now twenty-four years later it is still known on the street that way.
In the mid-eighties the redevelopment of Lower Broadway and the Riverfront began to put pressure on the homeless to leave downtown. The migration east across the Shelby St. Bridge was beginning. The building lease on the property at 114 Fourth Ave., which was two doors north of the present day Schemerhorn Concert Hall, was due to expire in 1987. A search for a new home began.
The search for a location near downtown found no buildings available. A donor offered a dollar for dollar match grant to begin the fund raising effort to build our own building. Fund raising began but no property was available. Nancy Webb Kelly UMC, under the leadership of pastor Shug McBay and lay leaders Bill and Jeanette Underwood. offered a lot on their property for building. The plans for the new building were completed by Chris McGill Associates at an estimated cost of $250,000.00. The fund raising stalled at $30,000.00 short of the goal. Tom Ritter, a friend of the ministry, made an interest free loan for the remainder of the cost and the building began. It was completed and opened in the Spring of 1989.
What’s a 25th Anniversary celebration without great food?The first ten years in the new building saw a number of changes in the way services were provided to the homeless population and to the neighborhood. One thing that remained a constant was trying to serve the hunger needs of the area. By 1999 it was apparent that the small original kitchen could not provide for the increase in number of people being fed. The Cal Turner Family Foundation provided a generous gift of $100,000.00 which was used to renovate the kitchen area and install a commercial kitchen. Not long after the kitchen renovation a careful look at the future needs of the ministry of CCF and Nancy Webb Kelly UMC was undertaken . The result was a decision to enter into a capital campaign under the leadership of Don Williams that would raise funds to add space to both buildings and renovate most of the area. The result is a building that will enable more services for the foreseeable future.
Remembering
By Jerry Hilton
From the Community Care Fellowship Journal, Vo. 25, Issue 3, July-Sept. 2009
As we have reached the twenty-fifth celebration of Community Care Fellowship, I have a difficult time accepting the fact that it was one quarter of a century ago that the doors opened for the first time. To me it still seems like only a short time ago that the decade of the 80’s dawned and we began to recognize the growing number of “street people” as a real concern for Nashville. I remember very clearly participating in the first meeting where Rusty Lawrence, Director of the Council of Community Services, Bill Monnyhan, Director of Metro Social Services, Bob Horton from the Mayor’s Office and others began to discuss this growing issue. These meetings continued over the coming months and eventually became the Nashville Committee on the Homeless.
It was during this time that McKendree UMC along with other down-town churches tried to meet the growing number of homeless people at their doors. Billy Craighead and Rock Hardaway were appointed as the clergy staff in 1981 and soon after began to invite the homeless in to share in the Thursday Noon meal. It was there that Ken Powers fell under the influence of Rock’s compassionate spirit for the “down and out.” Rock knew that the resources of one church could not begin to meet the needs he saw and that the beginning commitment he saw in Ken for those he met with each Thursday needed a broader arena to grow. It was at that point that Rock called me and Ken to come to meet with him. Rock was gallantly fighting his losing battle with cancer. He was still trying to carry on some of his staff responsibilities from home. He contended that as Director of United Methodist Urban Ministries I should bring Ken on staff as an advocate for the homeless.
As had become my custom over the years, I quickly recognized the wisdom of Rock’s suggestions. Ken became a member of our staff and soon relieved me of some of the responsibilities of keeping up with all the activities which were going on with the Committee on the Homeless. It was not long after trying the ministry to the homeless on the street that Ken came to the conclusion that we would have to have a place where we could meet some of the basic needs of those who lived on the streets. Twenty-five years later we are still trying to live out that conclusion.
I count it as a very special grace from God to have shared in the struggles, joys and blessings of these two special friends. I also count it as a special blessing, and in some ways a sacred responsibility to still be around to participate in their dreams.
Thanks for those who plant
By Pat Freudenthal
From the Community Care Fellowship Journal, Vo. 25, Issue 3, July-Sept. 2009
25 and Counting, Let the banquet begin. Theme of the evening could easily be stated “ALL are welcome at God’s Table.”
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” ——Nelson Henderson
At Community Care Fellowship we plant trees. Our ministry is one giant tree under which we offer dignity and personhood to our guests. The meals, showers, laundry and other services are just means to that end. Our goal is to offer to each man, woman, and child shade from the arduous journey caused by poverty. Our mission is to make sure that our guests know that Jesus the Christ loves them and wants them more than they can imagine. Our prayer is that each person will leave CCF with an acorn of hope that someday will grow into a mighty oak that offers shade to other pilgrims on the journey.
The work of CCF is not always easy and does not always offer reward. It is not easy to plant trees in soil that is not cultivated. It is not easy to be in community with people whose values we do not share. It is difficult to be peaceful when lives are invaded by the violence of the streets. Yet, we continue to plant trees. We trust that our Lord can use our imperfect efforts to provide shade for others long after we are gone. We may not get to enjoy the shade today, but we are grateful for those who planted trees before us and rejoice that God always provides for us.
So, the next time you see a tree please send up a silent prayer for us. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for those who planted the tree we call Community Care Fellow-ship twenty-five years ago. May God give us the strength to continue planting trees in the name and honor of our loving Lord.
Health Plan Committee Selects new Third Party Administrator (TPA)
By James R. Allen*
Mercer, who has served as our TPA for a number of years, is getting out of the TPA business effective January 1, 2010. For a number of months, we have been moving toward a decision on who will be our TPA beginning in January.
UMR was selected at the recent meeting of the conference’s Health Plan Committee. UMR is a wholly-owned subsidiary of insurance company United Healthcare, and will perform the claim and administrative services currently provided by Mercer. This will also allow us to utilize United Healthcare’s national medical provider network (PPO), replacing Signature and Tennessee Healthcare, the 2 local networks we now use in our 42 counties. A detailed study of our Participants’ doctor and hospital relationships shows that there should be very little disruption within the UMR network, as it contains most of the same providers as our current networks.
We will continue to use Caremark as our prescription drug provider. This means there will be no changes in the drugs covered by our plan. However, it may be necessary for some of our participants who are ordering on-line and receiving their prescriptions through the mail to re-register with Caremark in December so UMR and Caremark will have all necessary information for the transition effective January 1. Those affected will receive more information about that.
The regular deductible for medical services will begin January 1 as usual, and will not change. As a reminder, the Plan postponed the annual prescription deductible from July 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010. This $50 annual deductible, which will be applied to drug purchases after January 1, is unrelated to the change in TPA.
Our priorities in selecting providers and planning for this transition were (1) costs, (2) minimal disruption and confusion to our pastors, our participants, and our conference office. There will be a small increase in the Plan’s administrative costs (which are funded by apportionment contributions) which should be more than offset by the savings from being in a larger network. All participants will receive a replacement insurance card in December to use beginning January 1, but most will see no other substantive change.
*James R. Allen is Plan Administrator and Treasurer/Director, Administrative Services, Tennessee Conference of The United Methodist Church
posted by TN Conference UMC @ 7:51 AM
<< Home