TENNESSEE CONFERENCE REVIEW November 27, 2009
1. Missionary Cherie White is a Seminary Dean in Mexico City
2. Last Minute Toy Store reflects the true meaning of Christmas
3. The Last Minute Toy Store Needs New Unwrapped Toddler and Teen Gifts
4. Tennessee Conference Committee on Native American Ministries hosts national gathering
5. Positive Living through Community -- .-- A Story from the 2009 Project Tariro Deacon Caravan to Zimbabwe
6. Captain Steve Blackwell Chaplain Recruiter of the Year,
7. Palmyra/Cumberland Heights UMC Provide a Safe Sanctuary Training Opportunity,
8. Inspirational Creative Items designed by Tennessee Conference Diaconal Minister, Roela Victoria Rivera
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Missionary Cherie White is a Seminary Dean in Mexico City
Early on, Cherie White, who was raised and educated on the mission field, the daughter of missionaries and was conscious of the sacrifices made in the mission field, vowed that there were three things she would never do – be a missionary, be a teacher, or marry a minister. Fast forward to 2009 and Cherie White, notes with a smile that she is all three things she vowed never to be: a missionary, an educator, and married to a minister. Cherie White is a missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church presently assigned to the Seminario Dr. Gonzalo Baez Camargo of the Methodist Church of Mexico, where she has been since 1992. She is the Academic Dean and teaches courses in Church History and Bible. The Seminary is located in Mexico City, a community with tremendous poverty and heavy unemployment, as well as great spiritual needs..
The Seminario Dr. Gonzalo Baez provides trained ministers for three of the six Mexican Annual Conferences, and Cherie White has a passion for the seminary and its work even though her mission defies most stereotypes of a seminary academic dean:
- +First, the seminary’s ministry takes place in the midst of poverty. Each student pays registration of $45.00 a semester -- money which is exceedingly hard to come by.
- +The actual expense for each seminarian is near $450.00 per month which includes room, board, tuition. The seminary does a great deal of scrounging to bring in food and financing.
- +The seminary has a director but when the director is out of town the Academic Dean has responsibility for the management of the institution.
- +There are no resident faculty members at the seminary and White, as Academic Dean, has responsibility for lining up teachers each semester for all classes. Serving as registrar and giving individual counseling with students about schedule and course work is also part of her work as Academic Dean, as well as guiding all graduating seminarians through the writing of their final academic paper (akin to our “thesis”).
- +After their first year each seminary student must take a local church appointment which requires travel . . . with little compensation.
- +None of the students can afford text books and the library is definitely under-funded. This means that professors assign sections from numerous books and the sections and relevant portions of the books are copied for each student. Obtaining books for the library is a responsibility of the Dean. It would not be unusual for the cost of a new book to come from her own pocket.
These are just a few of the problem areas that Cherie White faces as a missionary – but the General Board of Global Ministries has just created two advance special programs to improve the situation. Advance Special #10528B is set up to provide annual scholarships for 10 students, covering room, board and tuition. Advance Special #3020734 is designed to update the computer hall and purchase books and periodicals for the library. Persons can contribute to these Advance Specials through their local church. The funds go from the local church treasurer to the Tennessee Conference treasurer and are forwarded quickly to the General Board of Global Ministries who makes certain they get to the designated program..
Much of Cherie White’s salary comes from churches in six Annual Conferences, with churches in her home conference, Tennessee, leading the way. Ten congregations within the Tennessee Annual Conference have a Covenant Relationship with Cherie White—making possible her VERY important work as a missionary. They are Waverly First UMC, Gallatin First UMC, St. Bethlehem UMC in Clarksville, Cookeville First UMC, Springfield First UMC, Bethlehem UMC in Franklin, Franklin First UMC, Crievewood UMC ( White’s home church), Belmont UMC (has had a Covenant Relationsip with Cherie White longer than anyone else), Calvary UMC. She is grateful for the strong support of these ten churches, but still needs additional Covenant Relationships (Four Tennessee churches are presently working through the process of entering a Covenant Relationship).
Cherie feels strongly that each local church must be engaged in local mission, but she also promotes each local church reaching out globally. This can be done through the General Board of Global Ministries. Presently there are eight missionaries that the Tennessee Conference supports through the Board.
In January of each year the seminary hosts a continuing education event. Graduates of Seminario Dr. Gonzalo Baez Camargo return to campus, and Cherie has the opportunity to talk with individuals or groups about training from the seminary that was significant for them. She is adamant that students get the skills they need for ministry—but more than that, to get the vision they will use in ministry. Individuals can range the spectrum on interests and talents but Seminario Dr. Gonzalo Baez Camargo is interested in persons that look beyond the four walls. How can we become a caring and inclusive church? How do we create vibrant congregations? How do we reach out?
The seminary is definitely helping to change the vision of the Methodist Church of Mexico – many graduates have moved on to become District Superintendents. Two of the present bishops have graduated from the seminary. They are exhibiting the type of leadership they found in seminary.
Missionary biographies – which allows you to call up missionaries by name or as group for missionaries supported by the Tennessee Annual Conference: http://new.gbgm-umc.org/work/missionaries/biographies/. The biography home page also allows you to download and print a Covenant Relationship Application Form. You can also access the section on “How to Give to Ministries Around the World,” http://new.gbgm-umc.org/give/. This section gives numerous possibilities – giving through your local church, through United Methodist Women, through The Advance, and even through contributions of relief supplies (i.e. flood buckets).
(For more information on THE ADVANCE or forming a Covenant Relationship with a missionary contact Jason Brock, Mercy Mission, and Justice Ministries, Tennessee Annual Conference, 304 S. Perimeter Park Drive, Suite 1, Nashville, TN 37211, 615-329-1177, jbrock@tnumc.org)
Last Minute Toy Store reflects the true meaning of Christmas
Every Advent Season for the last fifteen years Sixty-First Avenue UMC in West Nashville has hosted the Last Minute Toy Store. Working cooperatively with several other agencies, the Toy Store is for the children of low-income families in Davidson County who did not register for assistance with other agencies earlier in the fall. The children's parents or guardians are able to come on a first-come, first-served basis to select new, unwrapped toys for their young ones at the “last minute,” Dec. 18-21. Families needing assistance can call either (615) 463-0192 or 463-0193 for details on how this works. In 2008, 3,880 children from close to 1,300 families received toys, books, candy canes, and oranges through this ministry.
But of course the numbers don’t really tell the story. That is told in the tired but resolute expressions on the face of a mother who gets up at two o’clock in the morning to get in line for a free ticket. The story is related in the comforting smiles of church members and other volunteers who also get up in the middle of the night to welcome these guests in out of the cold. It is told in the expression of thankful relief from a grandfather who is the custodian of three teenagers when he leaves with gifts for all three that he could never have afforded. And of course, it is told in one way that those who direct the ministry never see, and that is in the gleeful opening of presents by the children and youth on Christmas morning.
But even those things only start to describe the Toy Store. The following story, written by Toy Store volunteer and Edgehill UMC member, Mauni Mitchel, really captures the spirit of this ministry
“Every December I volunteer at the Last Minute Toy Store. Last year, my job was to help parents “shop,” by explaining the rules of selection, steering them towards the appropriate age level areas, and carrying their toys. The afternoon had been long and the crowds copious. As the numbers of parents thinned, I found myself in a crowd of tired fellow volunteers who were happy at how well the Toy Store had gone and were readying themselves for ending their shift.
“At that moment one of the workers who helped steer our guests to the toy room came to us. She said that there was a young woman who had a special needs child and could any of us help her shop. We wearily looked around our group, and I realized that of all of us, I probably had the best background to help. I had been a teacher’s assistant at a school where there were a lot of special needs children, and currently worked as a school counselor with a specialization in play therapy. Who better to help her?
“I met Alice at the door. She was young, fresh faced, nicely dressed. She looked like one of our student volunteers from the Wesley Foundation at TSU. When I asked what the needs were, she falteringly explained that she had just taken on the responsibility for her 6 year old nephew. His mother was dead. His father, her brother, was in jail. Alex had been born drug affected and functioned at a 3 year old level. She explained he had not received any help until she had gained custody, and he was now in the process of being tested. She shared that the doctors had said he had ADHD as well as developmental delays. She had been reading, trying to educate herself on how best to help him, but did not have money for gifts and did not know what toys would be appropriate.
“I led Alice to the shelves for 3 year olds. There were all sorts of toys. She looked at me, “I don‘t know what to get him that will help him learn.” So I picked out toys that I would have stocked in a play therapy room and explained how they could help.
“One thing Alice had said was that Alex liked to tell stories. I had been looking for puppets in vain when I saw IT. It was sitting on a shelf apart from all the other toys. My vision tunneled - it was like in a movie when the camera focuses on one object and everything around it blurs. I moved forward to grab it. This was a gift I had never seen at the Toy Store. It was a large flannel board story telling kit - something I had dreamed of having when I had young children but never actually seen made in kit form! I was in awe. We examined it. The board folded out and had a country scene on one side and a city scene on the other. There were up to a hundred felt figures of people of different colors, animals, plants and objects that could be placed on the board to tell a story. It was Perfect!!!
“Both Alice and I were very excited and a bit misty-eyed. She thanked me. I wished her a Merry Christmas, and we parted ways. God provided in that 45-minute encounter between a footsore volunteer and a courageous, faithful young woman the perfect confluence of need, love, desire to help, knowledge and the right tools that would help a special child. Amazing Grace.”
The Last Minute Toy Store Needs New Unwrapped Toddler and Teen Gifts
Every year the Last Minute Toy Store struggles to find age-appropriate toys and gifts for very small children (ages 0-4) and teenagers. Ideas for teens include: portable CD players; ITUNES gift cards; make-up kits; shaving kits; perfumes; colognes; bath/body products; purses; wallets; watches; jackets; hoodies; Titans or Predators stuff; etc. Also, this is a great opportunity for youth groups to help since they know what others their age like. Please steer away from clothing and small accessories for the teens. For the 0-4 age group, the easiest thing is to go to some of the bigger stores that have aisles set up just for this age range. New clothing for babies is okay. Toys and teen gifts can be delivered any time from Dec. 5-18. Please call first. Donations can also be made to purchase these items. Checks should be made out to Sixty-First Avenue UMC with “Toy Store” on the for line and sent to 6018 New York Avenue, Nashville, TN 37209. Please call Sixty-First Avenue UMC at (615) 292-7184 for more information about donating toys or to volunteer. Or go to the website http://www.lastminutetoystore.com/.
Tennessee Conference Committee on Native American Ministries hosts national gathering
The TN Conference CONAM (Committee on Native American Ministries) was host toa quadrennial training “CONAM Training Conference” sponsored by Native American Comprehensive Plan (NACP). Held in Nashville, TN on November 6, 7, 8, 2009, this event was an opportunity for annual conferences to develop and/or strengthen existing CONAMS by addressing issues that are affecting the local church and the Native American community as a whole and individually.
Executive Director, Rev. Anita Phillips (Cherokee) and Chair of Denominational Presence, Rev. Jennifer Battiest (Choctaw) opened the event. Jennifer welcomed participants from across the United States, some as far away as Alaska. Blessing, welcome and prayer were offered by Mary T Newman and Debbie Fitzhugh (Shuswap Salish) of the TN Conference CONAM committee. Rev. Roger Hopson and Rev. Bettye Lewis represented the Area Episcopal Office and the Office of Connectional Ministries.
Each new quadrennium, committees are given tasks of developing programming for NACP to bring to the community and local church. Visibility and diversity are both obstacles and blessings. Workshops revolved around the issues annual conferences and individuals face. A seat at the table is of great importance. In many conferences, that is not offered and most often ignored. Many people still have the misunderstanding that “there are no Indians”. That phrase in itself is stereotypical of many within the church and the community at large. When there is the possibility of recognizing Native Americans, they are still not called upon to represent the church, or one person is asked to perform many tasks.
The display area featured pottery by artist Mary T Newman, Secretary of the Conference Committee on Native American Ministries, and Native American events coordinator.
The first gathering was a discussion of current issues: CONAM’s, Native Americans and the United Methodist Church. Sharing from personal experience as from the experiences “on the job” as Executive Director of NACP, Rev. Anita Phillips spoke of the struggles and concerns for representation at the table for native people. Certainly, the mandates of The Book of Discipline lay down the guidelines. Unfortunately, misinformation, misunderstanding and economic restraints are creating challenges that have to be met with strength and discernment.
Bringing us into a time of devotion on Saturday morning was Fred Shaw (Shawnee). Fred is Co-chair of the North Central Jurisdiction CONAM and well-known storyteller.
Our second gathering dealt with an issue that goes all the way to General Conference. An in-depth presentation was given by Rev. Carol Lakota-Eastin (Lakota/Yakima). A member of the Denominational Presence Task Force, Carol brought to us: Acts of Confession, Repentance and Reconciliation-Planning for General Conference 2012 and beyond. As part of this gathering, the participants had break out groups for conversations and sharing. These results will also become part of the presentation material. This session was video taped by TN Conference and will be made available.
Rev. Michael Pina (Nom’alki) is Chair of the Cal-Nevada CONAM Development Committee. His workshop dealt with annual conferences without an existing CONAM or one just beginning. Sharing personal frustration of how long the process can take to appeal to an annual conference and establish a committee, Michael encouraged his group to find allies in their conferences who are supportive of the process.
CONAM Strategies: Partnering with Multiple Groups and Entities for the Benefit of Native Peoples was led by a Rev. Julienne Judd (Kiowa/Choctaw) of Kansas East CONAM and Bener Agtarap of GBOD.
Boe Harris (Chippewa/Dakota) and Ragghi Calentine (Eastern Cherokee) of Penisula/Delaware Conference co-taught a session on Developing a Strategy specialized to your conference. Coming from a well developed CONAM, Boe and Ragghi shared resources and ideas that they were using.
Ecumenical Possibilities was led by Russell Masartis, Director of Tree of Life Ministries, Dakotas Annual Conference. Sponsored by the Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Tree of Life works with Rosebud and Crow Creek Reservations.
The Communications, Technology, and Annual Conference Resources workshop was led by Mary T Newman (Eastern Cherokee) of the TN Conference. Stressing how vital it is for communications and technology to work together, Mary T shared resources garnered or developed by TN Conference CONAM.
The Reservations and Urban Settings session was presented by Rev. Robert Odum of the Milwaukee Native American Ministry Center and Alex Dickerson, Odanah UMC, Chair of Wisconsin Conference CONAM. 60% of Native Americans live in urban settings. *Upon returning home from this weekend, Rev. Odum was told their budget was cut $10,000.
So much information and learning back to back can make one weary. Saturday evening was an informal gathering with stories by nationally known storyteller, Ragghi Calentine. Of course, stories become songs. Music was led by well known singer/song writer, Jamie Russell. Joining him on flute was Boe Harris.
Sunday was spent in the final gathering to discuss advocacy and provide input on a position paper addressed to the UMC “The Cultural Realities of Native Americans-Not Just Another United Methodist ministry”. Regularly, sometimes daily, The Book of Discipline guidelines are overlooked or ignored. It is becoming increasing alarming how easy it is to sidestep Disciplinary guidelines.
Positive Living through Community
Editor’s Note: Rev. Nancy Neelley, a deacon serving at United Methodist Communications & 61st Avenue UMC, was one of the members on the 2009 Deacon Caravan for Project Tariro. Neelley is Program Manager, Programs & Strategic Initiatives, at United Methodist Communications You may contact her at nneelley@comcast.net or 615-260-6945. Other Tennesseans participating were the Rev. Dr. Paul Van Buren, retired from General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and deacon in the East Ohio Conference, who attends Grace UMC, Mt. Juliet; The Rev. Anita Wood, a deacon from the West Ohio Annual Conference and Director of Professional Development, Division of Ordained Ministry, General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, and her husband the Rev. Brian Wood, an Elder (retired) in the West Ohio Conference. The Woods attend Blakemore UMC, Nashville.
A Story from the 2009 Project Tariro Deacon Caravan
“We weren’t washing feet, but it was just as sacred.” These are the words of Rev. Gregory Gross when asked about giving the shoes off his feet to a resident of the Old People’s Home at Gatsi in Zimbabwe. Gross, a deacon in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference, was one of twelve members in a Deacon Caravan who traveled to Zimbabwe through Project Tariro, a new program to help those with HIV/AIDS live “positively in community.” The team, who was visiting the United Methodist mission, began to notice that several residents did not have shoes. It would have been difficult had only one team member stepped forward to donate, when several were shoeless. However, the Spirit moved through the team, prompting one person after another to take off their shoes and put them on another whose feet were bare. We all had brought more than one pair of shoes – something that seemed to be a necessity when packing for the trip, but when standing amongst people who had not even one pair to call their own, seemed less necessity and more like luxury.
The purpose of the 2009 Deacon Caravan was to educate participants in the effects of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe, and move forward on Project “Tariro” (Translation: “Hope”). Visits were paid to primary and secondary schools, medical clinics and hospitals, Africa University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, and to the Gatsi mission. Through these visits, it was evident that all ages have been greatly affected by the AIDS pandemic, where children are orphaned at an alarming rate and everyone else (including the elderly) are called upon to help raise them. The high level of abject poverty creates moral and ethical dilemmas as people are forced to choose between whom they help and who they turn away.
Project Tariro seeks to make a difference in Zimbabwe by providing assistance to adults living with HIV/AIDS, so that families do not continue to be torn apart by this disease. When a generation is lost in a family, it leaves the older generation without children to care for them, and the younger generation without parents to meet their physical, educational, emotional and spiritual needs. This gap must be narrowed. Project Tariro will provide medical, emotional, spiritual, nutritional and financial (income-generating projects) assistance so that the elderly and the younger may not lose those so important to their well-being. For this vital work to be done, funding is desperately needed.
Perhaps the shoe giving at Gatsi best illustrates what it is that Project Tariro is seeking to accomplish – to give people what they need so that they can manage the rocky paths of their lives; to help them not grow weary on the journey; and to let them know the love of Christ truly exists not only in the hearts of humanity but also in their actions. Why not donate the cost of one pair of shoes to this effort, that journeys to "positive living" in Zimbabwe will become the norm, rather than the exception?
You may learn more about Project Tariro by going to http://www.projecttariro.com/ or by joining the Facebook group, Friends of Project Tariro. If your church, district or conference would like to support Project Tariro, you may send your tax deductible gifts and pledges to: Africa University Development Office, P.O. Box 34000, Nashville, TN 37203 with a notation: Project Tariro.
Captain Steve Blackwell Chaplain Recruiter of the Year
Captain Blackwell, third from left, is a ministerial member of the Tennessee Annual Conference.
The West Army Chaplain Recruiting Team under the leadership of Chaplain (Captain) Steve Blackwell, a United Methodist endorsed Army Chaplain from the Tennessee Conference, was named the Top Chaplain Recruiting Team by the U.S. Army Recruiting Command for fiscal year 2009 at their annual awards ceremony in Charleston, SC on October 26, 2009. Chaplain Blackwell's team earned this award by achieving 155% of their assigned mission volume for fiscal year 2009. The West Chaplain Recruiting Team accessioned 65 chaplains and chaplain candidates in fiscal year 2009 exceeding their assigned mission of 42 by 23. In addition to the Team award, Chaplain Blackwell was individually named as the USAREC Top Chaplain Recruiter for fiscal year 2009. The West Chaplain Recruiting Team is responsible for recruiting chaplains and chaplain candidates in a 10 state area in the western United States. The office for the West CRT is in Encino, CA. Chaplain Blackwell has been assigned to the West CRT since December 2007.
Palmyra/Cumberland Heights UMC Provide a Safe Sanctuary Training Opportunity
In the past few years, the safety of children in our churches has risen to the forefront of our thinking and action. With this in mind, Palmyra UMC and Cumberland Heights UMC - two churches in the Clarksville District - offered a Safe Sanctuaries training event on November the 5th.
Eight clergy and 32 laity representing 12 churches in the Clarksville district joined together on a cold November evening to begin the process of creating a Safe Sanctuary policy for their church, led by Rev. Terry Carty.
"Although all clergy are mandated to undertake Safe Sanctuary training, we felt it was important for the laity to undergo education in this regard", said the Rev. Amy Rayson from Palmyra. "Children are not just the future of our church, they are the church - and as such they need to be treated with dignity and respect, as well as knowing that the Church is a safe place for them".
Rev. Carty spoke at length about the importance of small rural churches developing their own policy statement in regards to Safe Sanctuaries. He stressed that even though many small member churches have few, and sometimes no, children present, it's still imperative for each congregation to take proactive steps to make sure children are protected at all times when they do attend.
A vibrant and energetic discussion ensued between many attendees, both publically and in small groups, as Terry guided the gathering through the minefield of ethics and reporting guidelines in terms of children abused or suspected of being abused.
The "Safe Sanctuaries" evening was a resounding success - and 12 more of our churches have shown a willingness to take Jesus at his word, and let the little children come, secure in the knowledge that they are in a safe place.
Bishop Dick Wills has spoken at length on the issue of "Safe Sanctuaries" at a conference level, saying, "We live in a time when our own training and awareness as pastors are vital if our churches are to be safe places and our own lives are to reflect the very character of Jesus."
"Here at Palmyra and Cumberland Heights Churches, we are seeking to begin the journey of developing sustainable and smart policies and procedures in regard to the care and safety of children and vulnerable adults in our midst", said Rev. Mike Rayson of Palymra UMC. "We want to make sure that when we finally leave Palmyra UMC, any policy in place on Safe Sanctuaries will outlive our time of ministry here. This is why we involved and exposed the laity to an evening of education on the subject, so that any future policy that is drawn up will be laity driven".
Palmyra and Cumberland Heights hope to offer another ministry training evening in the first quarter of 2010.
Inspirational Creative Items designed by Tennessee Conference Diaconal Minister, Roela Victoria Rivera
When one talks to Roela Victoria Rivera her sense of excitement and gratitude is contagious. Dr. Rivera, D.Min., a diaconal minister and member of the Tennessee Annual Conference, readily shares information about a new ministry which makes use of her creative skills as a writer and an artist. The ministry, GraceNotes, is a creative and inspirational publishing line that includes a 2010 Calendar, all-occasion greeting cards, and designer stationary. That Rivera can express pure joy at the way God is moving in her life is amazing.
Not many years ago she went through a time of serious illness which almost cost her life . . . and not long after that developed a vision problem. The eye problem has left her legally blind, unable to see anything except for a blurred version of the real world. For an artist, who shares his/her vision of creation and life graphically through paintings and drawings, loss of eye sight is generally devastating. Yet, Rivera feels strongly that her line of products or items, her Creative Ministry Project, shares her creative art and artworks that are God’s gift and grace. Each item is a “pure symbol,” she says, “of my faith story and a testimony to how GOD has amazingly blessed my life and healed me with His loving grace.” When GOD gave me second chance to live with a new purpose and meaning in life, I made a covenant with the Lord to lay my best offering ---- my creative art which is the highest expression of my heart and soul, my thoughts and feelings, my vision and mission. How I develop, use, and share my creative art is my pure and humble offering in praise and thanksgiving to GOD and in loving service to others. ‘Even though I cannot see very well now, I believe in my heart that I can see clearly with the eyes of my heart and the heart of my eyes.”
The items labeled GraceNotes feature Rivera’s original water-color paintings using Oriental free-style techniques that show the beauty and blessing of God’s creation and His great love, as well as the freshness, joy, and candor of life. With her present low-vision challenge she can no longer do similar paintings, but as she shares the art pieces from the past she feels she is fulfilling her covenant with God and doing her part in “Christ’s mission to share God’s great message of love, truth, and grace, and His promise of hope and eternal life for everyone.”
The official dedication of GraceNotes Creative Ministry Project and the line of inspirational products was held on October 10, 2009, at Torrance First United Methodist Church in California. This launching event was able to raise some funds in support of their Sanctuary renovation project focusing on the altar and chancel area. Sometime in early December, GraceNotes will be re-dedicated and launched in the Tennessee Conference where she serves as diaconal minister particularly at Hendersonville First United Methodist Church.
GraceNotes Inspirational items are now being handled and available at Cokesbury Bookstore-Nashville, The Upper Room Bookstore as well as at Scarritt-Bennett Center Front Forth Gift Shop and Nashville Davis Kidd Booksellers. GraceNotes items may also be available soon in Cokesbury Southeastern branches in Memphis, Knoxville, TN and Lake Junaluska, NC.
For more information on GraceNotes and for orders and purchase you can visit Roela Victoria Rivera’s website at http://www.gracenotesbyroela.com/. You can also make contact with her through her email address gracenotesRVRivera@gmail.com
posted by TN Conference UMC @ 12:15 PM
