Youth Prepare for Easter in Portageville

Transcription

APRIL 2015
Youth Prepare for Easter in Portageville
Many Engaged in Mission in Haiti
Sharpening their Saws for Mission
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Fred Koenig, Editor
Missouri Conference
Publications
Published by The Missouri
Conference of the United
Methodist Church
3601 Amron Court
Columbia, MO 65202
Phone: 573-441-1770
About the Cover:
Youth gather at Portageville
UMC for worship every
morning before school for
a week before Easter.
Cover Photography:
Eric Mattson
For inquiries
regarding content:
fkoenig@moumethodist.org
For inquiries
regarding circulation:
lsanders@moumethodist.org
I
t’s time to check in about a few things that are new with The Missouri Methodists.
First, last month the magazine was delivered in a plastic bag with the 2015
Catalog of Spiritual Formation for Next Generation Ministries. I can’t take
any credit for that publication, it was prepared by the Camping and Retreat
Ministries staff. The camp book has been traditionally sent out to people who had
participated in camps the year before. This publication had been sent to that group as well, but it seemed that many
people in the Conference did not realize that camps were being offered in the
summer of 2015, due to the news about the Conference-owned locations not
being used. There are camps being offered, and they still have room for more. The
Camping and Retreat Ministries staff wanted to put the catalogue in more hands
so people are aware of this.
We’ve also started accepting paid advertising. This isn’t exactly something new – we
also accepted paid advertising in the newspaper, The Missouri Conference Review.
When we changed to the new format, I had just not made it a point to invite
potential advertisers into the magazine. We now have policy in place to support
accepting ads, and the invitation has been made. If you know someone who could
provide a benefit to our readers by advertising in these pages, please pass along
the opportunity. It doesn’t have to be a business focused on churches necessarily –
an architecture firm or a roofing company may also find mutual benefits from
advertising to our readership.
Finally, this issue contains a business reply card to make it easy for your church
to order additional copies of this magazine. It costs more to mail the magazine
than it costs to print it, so getting a box full is the most economical way to go.
Several churches have been doing this already. Some just get 10, some get more.
You can personally give them to leaders in your church whom you want to keep
informed, or you can just make them available in public spaces.
And don’t forget, the magazine is available online. Just go to www.
moumethodist.org/momethodists , and you will find the current and past issues.
You can also install it as an app on most smart phones and tablets by searching
your app store for The Missouri Methodists.
So that’s the nuts and bolts of the magazine. But how about the content? It’s
hard for me to look over the table of contents of this issue without being impressed
with the scope of ministry that can be reported on in a single month. Various
projects in Haiti, youth worshipping together during Holy Week, progress report
from our new church start in Ferguson, wood-cutting and food ministries, those
stories from a few churches don’t even scratch the surface of the depth of ministry
going on in the United Methodist Church in Missouri on any given week. It’s an
honor to have a role in sharing these stories with you.
Fred Koenig, Editor
Missouri Conference Publications
EDITOR
Fred Koenig
WRITERS
Jeff Baker
Julie Christiansen
Brian Hammons
Jennifer Klein
Hal Knight
Jim McCarty
Donna Nichols
Trista Soendker Nicholson
Mark Roach
Raymond Varner
PHOTOGRAPHY
Jodie Allen
Fred Koenig
Eric Mattson
Chris Wheeler
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Message from the Cabinet: A Heart for Haiti
College Students Bring Clean Water to Haiti
Caring for the Orphans
Preparing for Easter
Clergy Appointment Changes
United Methodist Foundation: Planned Giving 101
Reaching Out to Change Lives
Laity Voices: Crucial Conversations
2015 Mobile Camp Additions
Kids’ Weekend Food Program
Intentional Faith Development: Opening Our Hearts to the Spirit of Grace
2015 Annual Conference Offering
Being a Pastor in a Community in Crisis
Wesley in the World Today: Salvation by Faith
Music Matters: It’s Worth a Tribe
Now Read This: A Pastor’s Practical Guide to Funerals
Calendar of Events
MESSAGE FROM
THE CABINET
WRITTEN BY JEFF BAKER
A Heart for Haiti
W
e had be been traveling for
our third day. The roads were
more like trails. Something
you might experience on
a Jeep trail ride in the
mountains of Colorado rather
than a gravel county road. We slowly crawled over large
rocks and through deep holes on the path. As I bounced
around, I couldn’t help but remember when Jesus spoke
to the disciples telling them to go to Judea, Samaria,
and to the ends of the Earth. I thought we were in fact,
finding the ends of the Earth. The dusty road took us to
a remote part of Haiti. The road ended at the edge of a
small stream. The narrowest parts of the water were only
eight feet wide. There were several areas where rocks
had been strategically placed as stepping-stones to forge
water. Robenson, our guide and translator, told us the
water was ten feet deep and he had to use a boat to cross
when he visited the area in December. It was quite the
contrast. Now, locals were growing tobacco in the low
plain and would harvest it before the next flood.
We traveled by foot up the mountain to a small
ridge. We met the pastor along the way who began
to share a bit about the community. There were about
80 homes with as many as three families per home in
4
April 2015 | The Missouri Methodists
the immediate area. It was clear; life in the area was a
constant struggle. As we walked up the trail, we came
upon an area where a small spring created a pool of water
where the locals would fill buckets for cooking, cleaning,
and drinking. We spent some time visiting with the
people that had gathered around the water source, and
then walked to the small church on top of the ridge. The
view was incredible. Sharing time with the locals and
enjoying the beautiful views did not compare to what
happened as we began our trek back to the vehicle.
As we returned to the vehicle, we had to cross the
small stream again. A few of the locals followed and
helped us across. It was in those next few moments that
I was reminded of the question posed to me many times,
“Where have you seen Jesus Christ at work today?”
As I stood and watched, I was amazed. I got those
little goose bumps or chicken skin on my arms. A chill
came over me in the hot, eighty-seven degree day. Bob, one of the guys in our group, stepped in the mud
crossing the stream. One of men from the community
we had just visited quickly grabbed a towel and a small
jug with some water and knelt at his feet and began to
wash them. He washed and rinsed until Bob’s feet were
the cleanest they had been our entire journey. I was
overtaken by emotion.
www.moumethodist.org
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WRITTEN BY TRISTA SOENDKER NICHOLSON
S
park@MOUMC, the college age ministry at Missouri
UMC, sent a team to Duplan, Haiti January 12 – 18.
The team installed 100 Sawyer water filters in the
community, facilitated a hygiene training and learned
from the recipients about the ongoing health struggles
within the country. Because of this project, 100 families
now have access to clean water, and no longer must fear
that drinking water from the community well will bring the
devastating illnesses caused by e-coli and cholera.
Doran Vaillancourt, a student participant, reflected,
“The most meaningful thing I saw during my trip to
Haiti in January was the joy and excitement that the
Haitians expressed when they were learning about hygiene
and receiving their water filters. I could see the selfempowerment expressed on their faces from understanding
the importance of cleanliness and being able to provide
clean water for themselves and their families.”
In addition to these life-giving filters, our team was able
to develop new relationships that will continue long after our
week in Haiti ended. Our team installed filters with the help
of the Methodist Church in Duplan, Haiti. The church also
serves as a host for a primary school, which we toured. We
also had the opportunity to interact with a lot of the school
children who wanted to learn more about our filters, and
who stayed around one day to play soccer with us after school
was let out. The team also prayed with the families to offer a
blessing over their filter, and our prayers for their healing and
wholeness continue. We continue to learn from the Haitian
people, and are excited to continue to connect with ways that
we can be in relationship with those from Duplan.
Another amazing part of our week in Haiti is witnessing
the transformation of our team members. This experience
often leads to greater discipleship, and to a commitment
to continue to
be in ministry in
the world. While
in Haiti, these
college agers
identified ways
that they can use
their gifts to be in
service to God’s
world and to
God’s people. As
one participant,
Kennedy Krieg
explained, “That
is truly one of the best and life changing experiences of
your life. It can sound cheesy, but I think until one truly
experiences a trip like this, you cannot relate to just stories.
It changes how you view everything. After my first trip
to Haiti, I saw a change of my career plans and how I had
a new desire to work with children. Seeing the Haitian
children laughing and smiling in such poor conditions
made me understand that children inspire me and make
me happy whether or not they are trying!” Like Kennedy,
many participants point to their experience in Haiti as a
launching point to the new ways that they are called to be
in mission and ministry with God in the world.
“What we do in Haiti is simple, but the impact we leave
is greater than anything you can ever imagine,” Vaillancourt
said. “Not only are you changing their lives, you are forever
changing yours and your outlook on life itself.”
Another Haiti Clean Water Team from Spark is forming
for a trip in June. Contact Rev. Trista Soendker Nicholson
at Trista@moumc.org for more information.
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W
hen the children’s ministry leader at
First UMC in Sedalia told her pastor
that she felt called to be in ministry
with orphans, he didn’t realize that calling
would lead her out the door. But after research
and referrals grew into a mission trip to Haiti,
a passion to develop an orphanage there
became a fulltime job for Lorie Holt.
“I had to quit my job at First UMC in
children’s ministry so I could work full-time
for Strong Tower Orphanage,” Holt said.
She may be working full-time, but to be
clear, her position is a volunteer one. She
doesn’t receive a salary. Since she started
working on the development of Strong Tower
Orphanage in 2009, she has been to Haiti
13 times. The most recent trip was in March
2015, during which her team included Bill
Beck from First UMC-Sedalia and Krista
Corbett from Bethany UMC.
It was a time of prayer and discernment that
moved Holt to foreign missions, with a focus
on caring for orphans. She considers Jeremiah
3:33 to be God’s phone number: Call to me
and I will answer you, and will tell you great
and hidden things that you have not known.
Holt herself was an orphan, adopted by her
parents at age four months. She was born in
New Orleans, a surprise twin, healthy but
weighing only four pounds. Her and her twin
sister were adopted together.
“I’ve never been compelled to learn about my
birth mother. I do know she had a choice, and
I’m grateful for what she did,” Holt said. Holt’s
adoptive father was a metallurgical engineer.
They were a fostering family, and provided
foster care for 85 different children.
Holt first connected to Strong Tower
through contacts she made at a children’s
ministry conference at Saddleback Church.
From the beginning Strong Tower’s partners
were ecumenical. Strong Tower has partner
churches in Maine, Nebraska and Kansas, and
the United Methodist Women’s group at Lee’s
Summit UMC are partners.
“That’s how God put it together,” Holt said.
When a team of volunteers goes to Strong
Tower, the pastor brings them before the
orphanage, where everyone raises hands
and blesses them, praying aloud. “It’s
overwhelming,” Holt said. “These girls are
growing up in the presence of the Lord. They
know him.”
Holt describes disembarking from a plane
in Haiti as being hit with sensory overload.
Trash everywhere is an initial sign of poverty,
although a much more poignant one is
children with red hair or distended bellies as a
symptom of malnutrition. But the feeling she
feels most isn’t pity, it’s quite the opposite.
“They truly know what it means to depend
on God, to trust in him for your daily bread.
They have a fullness of the spirit, void of
business and distractions. I see the way they
live and I want that. They have a fullness of
faith,” Holt said. “They live by faith, not by
self. It’s what they do.”
The Strong Tower orphanage is on a property
that had been priced at $30,000, that the church
eventually purchased for $2,500. The children
at Strong Tower mostly just speak Creole, and
most children there do not learn English unless
they go to high school. In addition to Holt’s
personal connection, she believes all Christians
are called to care for the orphan.
“We were all lost, alone and without hope
until our Heavenly father found us,” Holt
said. “When we care for the orphan it is a
reflection of the heart of God, a reflection of
the gospel.
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10
F
or more than six decades, Portageville UMC
has been a place where the youth of the
community take their faith much deeper at the end
of Lent. For that last week of school, every morning
they gather at church.
“It’s a different start to the day,” said Debbie Nave, a
member of Portageville UMC. “They are starting the
day with God – in God’s house.”
Rev. Barron Scott Willer has been pastor at
Portageville UMC since 2012, and was informed
when he first arrived that a special role that church
has in the community is hosting the event.
“At one time it was led by the United Methodists
youth, but with fewer youth in the church it has
become a community event with youth leading from
different churches,” Willer said.
The service, which started 65 years ago, is entirely
youth led. It begins at 7 a.m. and includes an opening
prayer, a meditation, a message, congregational
singing and special music. People light a candle as
they enter the church. The youth are from the whole
community and various churches, including Baptist,
Catholic, Assemblies of God, Church of God and
United Methodists.
“There are also a number of unchurched youth who
will come and be part of this,” Nave said.
Nave, who has worked as the high school secretary
for 28 years, actively invites youth she knows from
school to be part of the tradition.
“I might tell someone, ‘Hey, you were awesome on
the football field. Why don’t you come join us and be
awesome for God?’” she said.
Nave prepares scriptures and messages for the
youth. Some take what she offers, and others choose
to use their own. They take new approaches each year
to keep the service that is rich in tradition fresh for
those who come each year. The congregation consists
largely of school teachers, administrators and staff, as
well as parents of the youth.
“A lot of the adults who attend had lit a candle here
when they were young,” Nave said.
The services are usually during Holy Week, but
when Holy Week is the same week that the school
is on spring break, as it is this year, the services are
held the week before. “It really prepares you for Easter
Sunday,” Nave said.
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WRITTEN BY FRED KOENIG
S
pring is in the air, and so
are the announcements of
clergy appointment changes.
Changes in three cabinet-level
positions were announced during
the second week of March.
The first change is by the book –
the Book of Discipline. Rev. Bart
Hildreth has completed eight years
as District Superintendent, which is
the maximum tenure allowed by the
Book of Discipline.
“Bart has done excellent work,
has contributed to the growth of our
churches, acted as mentor and coach
to countless pastors, planned and led
high quality learning events for laity
and clergy, and was instrumental in
uniting the two Ozarks districts,”
Bishop Schnase said. “His
thoughtful and thorough work will
be missed on the cabinet.”
Hildreth moving on meant that
someone was needed to serve as
Ozarks District Superintendent.
That person will be Rev. Lynn
Dyke, current Mid-State District
Superintendent.
“Lynn has served four excellent
years as District Superintendent
of the Mid-State District in
Columbia, and this relocation to
Springfield allows her to work closer
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to her husband and family,” Bishop
Schnase said. “Lynn brings to the
new appointment her expertise as
a superintendent, experience as a
successful pastor of churches in the
Ozarks District, service as chair of
the Conference Council on Finance
and Administration, and experience
from serving on staff in other
conference offices. We will miss her
in the Mid-State District and in the
conference office.”
Dyke was born in Baltimore,
Maryland, and moved to Overland
Park, Kan., with her family when
she was in the seventh grade. There
her family was active in a new
church start, Indian Heights UMC.
She attended Southwestern College,
a United Methodist institution in
Winfield, Kan., and majored in
elementary education. After college
she went to seminary at Iliff School
of Theology In Denver. She was
ordained elder in the Kansas East
Conference in 1987. She started her
ministry as an associate pastor, and
was later appointed to Conference
staff as Youth, Camping and
Discipleship director for five years. She then moved to Seattle, and
served in a similar Conference staff
position for the Pacific Northwest
BART HILDRETH
Conference. She was then a pastor
in the Arkansas Conference before
moving to Missouri and being
appointed first to Marshfield UMC,
then Kimberling City UMC, both
of which are in the Ozarks District.
Dyke’s husband teaches at
Southwest Missouri State University
in Springfield.
“I’ve loved the Mid-State District,
and I’ve seen so many good things
happen here, I will miss it, but it
will be nice to be living in the same
house as my husband again,” she
said. Her son will also be close by, as
he runs the 1,000 Hills golf shop in
Branson.
LYNN DYKE
SHERRY HABBEN
KIM JENNE
As she goes to her new post this
time, Dyke will be bringing four
years of experience as a District
Superintendent with her.
“I now understand the
appointment system in a totally
different way, and I view everything
through that lens,” she said. She also
said she is not often surprised by
things anymore.
“I’m taking a different sense of
calm into the beginning of this
appointment,” she said.
But if Dyke’s Ozark bound,
who will be moving the Mid-State
District Office? Here’s a clue:
she doesn’t have to go outside to
move offices.
Rev. Sherry Habben, current
Director of Connectional
Ministries, will be the
next Mid-State District
Superintendent.“Sherry has done
excellent work in connectional
ministries, especially in
coordinating annual conference
sessions, supervising conference
staff, and overseeing conference
communications,” Bishop Schnase
said. “Her participation for the
last several years on the cabinet
gives her experience and insight
into the appointment process, and
her knowledge of the Mid-State
churches, laity, and clergy will
benefit her leadership. We all look
forward to working with Sherry in
her new role.”
Habben grew up in the Kansas
City area. She wasn’t raised in the
church, but was brought in by her
then 12-year-old son to St. Peter
UMC in Blue Springs. After a
time she found she had served
on practically every committee,
including serving as chair of the
Pastor-Parish Relations committee
and the Administrative Council.
“I realized I was no longer there
just for my son,” she said.
She followed her call to ministry
and went to Saint Paul School
of Theology, where she earned a
Masters of Divinity with a specialty
in Christian education. She started
out as an associate pastor of Red
Bridge UMC in the Heartland
District, then was senior pastor
of North Spring UMC in the
Heartland District, and next was
associate pastor of Salem in Ladue
UMC in the Gateway District. She
was appointed as the Director of
Connectional Ministries in 2008.
As Director of Connectional
Ministries, Habben was responsible
for the oversight of Annual
Conference Session each year.
“I’ve had a great Annual
Conference Sessions team and
staff to work with,” she said.
“We’ve moved to a more learning
and leadership model for Annual
Conference that has worked well. It’s been a joy to start the process
over again each year, from the
selection of theme and speakers to
working through all of the details. It
takes a lot of people to make Annual
Conference happen. I enjoy the
planning part, and being there to
see it all unfold.”
As Director of Connectional
Ministries, Habben was involved
in many facets of the Conference,
liaisoning with the Core
Practices Team, Communications
Commission, Rules and Procedures
Committee, and Nominations
Committee, as well as being on the
“I now understand the
appointment system in
a totally different way,
and I view everything
through that lens.”
LYNN DYKE
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“It will be compelling
to take a step back
closer to the local
church, and offer direct
encouragement and
support to them as a
District Superintendent.”
SHERRY HABBEN
cabinet and overseeing operations
of the Conference as one of five
Conference directors. Together
with the Director of Financial and
Administrative Ministries, she
was responsible for the staffing the
Conference Center, and responsible
for oversight of the Safe Sanctuaries
process. Habben also did most of
the Days of Prayer and Repentance
for the Healthy Church Initiative
and the Small Church Initiative
process. She’s looking forward
to her new role as Mid-State
District Superintendent. “It will be
compelling to take a step back closer
to the local church, and offer direct
encouragement and support to
them as a District Superintendent,”
Habben said. “I want to be able
to encourage pastors, laity and
churches to be who God is calling
them to be.”
Habben’s path from her office to
being a District Superintendent is
well worn. The previous Director of
Connectional Ministries, Steve Cox,
went from that position to Pony
Express District Superintendent.
His predecessor, Elmer Revelle,
went from his position as DCM to
being appointed Mid-State District
Superintendent.
Habben’s transition means
someone new needs to be the
Director of Connectional Ministries.
Rev. Kimberly Jenne, senior pastor of
Webster Hills UMC, will be moving
into that position. “Kim brings
outstanding leadership, supervision,
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and organizational skills to the work
of Connectional Ministries,” said
Missouri Bishop Robert Schnase.
“We look forward to her service on
the cabinet and her leadership in the
conference office.”
Jenne grew up s in Coulterville,
Ill., where she was a member of
the Coulterville UMC. She went
to college at Southeast Missouri
State University in Cape Girardeau.
While in college she attended
Centenary, Grace and La Croix
United Methodists Churches.
After college Jenne moved to St.
Louis, where she worked for the
Schupp Company, a marketing
and advertising agency. She was
attending Webster Hills UMC, and
part of the team that launched The
Gathering. At this time she was
beginning to experience the call
the ministry. Rev. Matt Miofsky,
The Gathering’s pastor, shared
that if she was considering going
into ordained ministry, she might
want to experience leadership at an
established church, as it would be
different than a new-church start. She ended up going to Grace
UMC (St. Louis), where she worked
in a part-time capacity at building
relationships between the church
and Washington University.
In 2009, Jenne moved to Atlanta,
where she attended Candler
School of Theology seminary.
She concluded this experience by
spending a year in England.
“I see mission
experiences as an
opportunity for a
pilgrimage,” she said.
“I found we have as
much to learn from our
brothers and sisters in
Mozambique as we have
to share with them.”
KIMBERLY JENNE
There she lived in a Wesley House
with other seminarians, where
they experienced a daily cycle of
praying, worshipping and eating
together. “It was much more of a
monastic community than a typical
theological school,” she said.
Upon returning in 2012, Jenne
was appointed to be senior pastor
of Webster Hills UMC. The
following year she became chair
of the Missouri Conference Core
Practices Team.
“It’s been a great fit around
my passions and interests in
discipleship and sharing best
practices,” Jenne said. “We have
a fantastic team that makes a
good example of the connection
working well.” Jenne also served
on the Gateway District Board of
Missions and Growth.
Last year Jenne traveled to
Mozambique for the opening of the
Gondola Training Center. She has
previously served on mission teams
to Haiti, the Gulf Coast and the
Hinton Rural Life Center.
“I see mission experiences as an
opportunity for a pilgrimage,” she
said. “I found we have as much to
learn from our brothers and sisters
in Mozambique as we have to share
with them.”
Jenne is looking forward to her
position as a Conference director.
“I think this position is uniquely
suited for my gifts, and I’m excited
to be able to serve the Conference
in this way,” she said.
Jenne is a huge Cardinals fan,
but realizes as someone serving all
of Missouri, she may need to soften
her team alliances. She did cry
last year when the Royals lost the
World Series.
UNITED METHODIST FOUNDATION
PG 101: The Charitable Gift Annuity
I
f you have made a gift to any charitable organization
in the last fifteen years – a university, a hospital
foundation, charities that seek cures for disease – then
you have probably received information and solicitations
to consider a Charitable Gift Annuity. This popular gift
arrangement requires an up-front gift to the organization
in return for fixed payments to the giver for life.
Hundreds of United Methodists in Missouri have created
gift annuities to benefit a local church or other favorite
ministries. Nevertheless, many church members remain
unaware that this option exists, or uncertain how it works.
History
Something like a gift annuity was actually created in the
US as early as the 1830s for the benefit of Yale College.
In the 1920s, the American Bible Society conducted
a very successful national gift annuity campaign that
popularized the arrangement. The Missouri United
Methodist Foundation began administering gift annuities
in the early 1990s and currently has 126 active gift
annuities valued at over $3.25 million.
How It Works
The primary purpose of a gift annuity is to make a gift
to charity – but with the added helpful feature of fixed
payments for life. The terms of a gift annuity are spelled
out in a simple contract between the donor and the
charity. Based on the age of the donor(s) at the time of
the gift, the charity agrees to pay a fixed annual amount
to the donor(s) for life. This amount is calculated as
a percentage of the original gift amount and does not
change for the life of the annuitant(s).
Gift annuity rates are determined and published by
the American Council on Gift Annuities, a national
association of charities. The goal of the rate calculation
is to allow at least half of the original gift amount to
be available for use by the charity when the annuity
obligation ends.
Example
Donor age = 80
Gift amount = $10,000
(cash/stock/property; a portion is tax deductible)
Annuity rate = 6.8% = $680 annual payment to donor
(a portion is tax-free)
When the annuity terminates, the gift remainder is
distributed to the church or charity designated by the
donor(s). Some donors will instruct that the gift become
a permanent memorial endowment at the Foundation –
in turn, providing sustaining annual support for church
or charity.
Learn More
Visit the Foundation website at www.mumf.org or
call 800-332-8238 to find information or to request a
personalized illustration and application.
15
I
n a small room at the Stockton
United Methodist Church, a group
of men gather around a table. Maps
of the Holy Land rest on easels in
the room, but their focus is much
closer to home. The first cold snap
of the year has pushed temperatures
into the low 20s. Doyle Fry tells
the men about someone who needs
firewood to stay warm.
Neale Johnson has some good oak
that has been cut but needs to be
split. Rick Spiker has a splitter. Don
Levi offers his dump trailer. Doyle
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sets a date, and others agree to be on
hand to help load, unload and stack
the firewood.
In an area where nearly 18 percent
of the population lives below the
poverty line and many people
heat with wood, keeping the fires
burning is just one way the church’s
Methodist Men’s Group strives to
live up to the ideals of the faith’s
founder, John Wesley.
The men who make up the group
are dedicated to making life better
for those who find themselves in a
bad situation. They are a vital part of
a community that insists on taking
care of those in need.
“It’s a group that is very
welcoming of ideas on how to help
people,” says Marvin Manring, a
member of the group and the lay
leader for the church. “They have a
long tradition of cutting firewood
or doing whatever they can to make
people more comfortable.”
Most of the men know what
it’s like to be on the receiving end
of help. In May 2003, a tornado
WRITTEN BY JIM MCCARTY
struck Stockton. The twister killed
three people, leveled much of
the downtown and stripped the
landscape of prized trees. Those who
experienced the destruction in the
southwest Missouri town of 1,819
will never forget the devastation, nor
the many strangers who showed up
in droves to rebuild.
“After what happened, there were
a lot of good things that took place,”
recalls Marvin, who also is the band
director for the Stockton R-1 School
District. “We were going to rebuild,
here we come. I think we have built
back bigger and better.”
The tornado destroyed the church
sanctuary and heavily damaged its
Family Life Center. Heavy debt
followed, and the Methodist Men’s
Group helped pay it off the best way
they knew how: cutting firewood.
“We cut something over 100 cords
of wood,” says Harold Beck. “It may
not sound like a lot, but it is when
your back is killing you.”
It’s not unusual for the group to
learn about a needy family from the
local school. That was the case with
one ongoing effort that saw a family
receive electricity for the first time.
Roy and Tamarah Burch live on
43 acres of land near Jerico Springs.
They moved there 15 years ago,
planning to build their own barnstyle house and live off the land.
“When we came here, we came
with the pioneer spirit to do things
the way we wanted to,” Tamarah
says. “But shortly after we did,
my husband came down sick with
leukemia. I’ve had several injuries. I
17
18
“It’s a group that is very welcoming of ideas on
how to help people. They have a long tradition
of cutting firewood or doing whatever they can
to make people more comfortable.”
MARVIN MANRING
fell and ripped both of my rotator
cuffs in my shoulder. I also have
fibromyalgia. Things have been a
struggle.”
Another setback came when the
couple attempted to gain custody of
their granddaughter, an expensive
process that required them to live
in Indiana for seven months before
succeeding. Debt grew, and the
house they started building never
was completed.
Solar panels they hoped would
power the home failed, and the
couple rented a generator to supply
electricity to their well. They used oil
lamps for light and wood for heat.
Their only “luxury” was a radio.
Marvin learned of the family’s
plight from the couple’s 10-yearold granddaughter, who was one
of his students. He spread the
word among the teachers, and a
collection started.
Meanwhile, Don and Neale,
who are members of the board of
directors at Sac-Osage Electric
Cooperative, looked into what it
would take to bring electricity to
the home through the co-op’s lines.
Two things were needed: a
cleared right of way and $1,640 to
pay for the line extension. “That
was an impossible number for us,”
Tamarah says.
The Burch family soon learned
what a caring community they lived
in. Inspired by the donations from
the teachers, others offered money.
The Methodist Men’s Group
chipped in, as did the Stockton
Area Ministerial Alliance. A
Sunday school group at another
church helped, individuals made
contributions and before long, the
money was there.
“Whenever we got enough checks
made out to Sac Osage, I took that
over there, and we just got in the
queue like everyone else,” Don says.
“I suppose it took a couple of weeks.”
The co-op’s crews staked the
route for the line, and on a hot
Saturday, the Methodist Men’s
Group showed up at the Burch
house to clear the right of way. “We
went out there with a long rope and
laid it down and said that’s going
to be our center line,” Don says.
The right of way ended up a little
crooked, but it did the job.
With a lot of help from a backhoe
supplied by Scott Smith and a
skid-steer loader owned by Stewart
Thomson, the route for the power
line was cleared in about four hours
of hard labor. Sac Osage had power
flowing to the house by September,
much to the delight of the family.
“We had no electricity for 15
years,” Tamarah says. “We were
ecstatic. I was telling them I have
appliances I’ve held on to for 15
years. Now I’ve got to dust them off
and see if they still work.”
The Methodist Men’s Group
isn’t through helping the family.
They are working on replacing the
roof and doing some much-needed
wiring.“We are very grateful to
them,” Tamarah says, “more than
what we could ever express.”
Over the years, the group has
established a number of ministries. They financially support Barceda
Families, an organization that
works to prevent child abuse,
mentors parents and helps them
care for disabled children.
They sponsor a Cub Scout troop,
coordinate a recycling program,
clean up litter and for 20 years have
been active in a prison ministry
at the Cedar County Jail that
includes weekly visits. They host
a Christmas Angel Tree ministry
with donated gifts that creates a
connection between children and
fathers who are in jail.
“They are a capable bunch, and
they have been for a long time,”
says Marvin. “We try to improve
what we can, and sometimes you
have to put some muscle into it to
make it go.”
Explaining why the men give so
much back to the community, Don
tells a story related to him by his
wife, Chris. “A couple moved back
to the area after retiring. The lady
said when they lived here before,
they didn’t remember anyone being
poor. Well, nobody recognized it. It
was just a way of life. There, but for
the grace of God, go I.”
This story was originally published
in Rural Missouri, the statewide
publication of the association of
Missouri Electric Cooperatives:
www.ruralmissouri.org/digitalrm.
19
LAITY VOICES
S
ometimes
in
leadership
we come
across
something that just seems to fit the
times, the situations we’re going
through. A book I’ve been reading,
Crucial Conversations, just seems to
fit right now. For many reasons.
The book has four named authors,
and I recall hearing one, Joseph
Grenny, talk about the subject at
Leadership Summit last August. My
pastor recommended that all our
congregation’s leaders read the book
and discuss it in a recent leadership
training, so I’ve been reading and
absorbing what I can.
A “crucial conversation” is
described as one where opinions
vary, emotions are strong, and stakes
are high. The authors describe how
people often don’t handle these
situations well and the result is...
not good. They describe skills and
techniques that can help us stay in
dialogue and work through these
conversations. They remind us to
remember a common purpose while
maintaining mutual respect.
Sounds like many of us could use
these skills, doesn’t it? Think about
20
how often conversations break down
in our personal lives, our workplaces,
and our churches – really anytime
people are doing things together. We’ve all seen people who can work
through “crucial conversations” well,
and others who seem to let strong
emotions and differing opinions
cloud their judgment.
As I think about our church
and the upcoming session of the
Annual Conference in June, it
seems like the skills in Crucial
Conversations will be needed. The
“Holy Conferencing” concepts,
inviting God’s Spirit to be part of
the process, also will help. After
all, with elections, proposals on
camping, and perhaps other issues,
there is a danger that we could lose
focus upon our common purpose
and our mutual respect as leaders in
Christ’s mission. Hopefully we can
work through those and come away
energized with ideas from the main
theme, Discipleship: Growing
in Grace.
Now, regarding the “crucial
conversation” of GC / JC elections,
I’d like to share a few thoughts – and
will be interested to know yours. You see, I believe that the 2016
conferences will be very important
for the future of our church. We
will need to elect people who can
humbly offer reasoned perspective,
a focus upon local congregations,
and spiritually engaged leadership
experience in Missouri. We
especially need to elect people who
can keep focused upon the “Main
Thing” in transforming lives by
helping people follow Jesus.
Of course, General Conference
will include many proposals. I think
the biggest issue really isn’t the
church’s position on homosexuality
or other potentially distracting,
divisive issues. The church will
need to deal with those proposals,
hopefully in a respectful way,
and I do believe it’s important to
uphold faithful understanding of
scriptural truth, accountability, and
excellence as we make decisions.
“Crucial Conversation” and “Holy
Conferencing” skills can help here.
But the biggest issue involves
the church’s ability to redirect
attention, energy, and resources
toward increasing the number of
congregations that can be healthy,
reaching more people. With less
bureaucracy that inhibits effective
change. That’s the “adaptive
challenge” for the future of the
church, as our bishops and other
leaders have continued to remind us.
In addition, Leadership issues will
be important, particularly recruiting
and training clergy leaders. Also
tenure and accountability.
As we look to electing bishops
at jurisdictional conference, I
WRITTEN BY BRIAN HAMMONS
believe that future bishops need
to be exemplary leaders. Bishop
Schnase has been one of those
exemplary leaders with us – doing
remarkable work in transformative
leadership, and I’m excited to see
his ideas making a difference across
Methodism. Our delegation should
expect future bishops to reflect the
five expectations we have of leaders
in Missouri – and I would add the
following descriptors:
1. Christ-centered – spiritually
engaged, solidly Wesleyan in
theology;
2. Excellence – strong record
of teaching, preaching, and
leading in congregations and
conference roles;
3. Accountable – willing to
listen, allow review, take
responsibility, and work within
prescribed boundaries;
4. Fruitful – consistent record
of growth in congregations
leading people to follow Jesus;
5. Collaboration – effective work
with colleagues, laity, and staff
to accomplish the mission and
goals of the church.
Finally, somehow we’ve got
to recapture the spiritual energy
of the Methodist movement
that can change the world. Yes,
the conversations we’ll have at
annual, general, and jurisdictional
conferences will be “crucial” in
many respects – often with differing
opinions, strong emotions, and
high stakes. Can we hold these
conversations with mutual respect
and focus upon our common
purpose? Can we invite God’s
transforming Spirit to help us in
Holy Conferencing so that we come
out affirming relationships and
offering Christ to the world? I hope
and pray that we can.
Thanks for all you do in following
Jesus every day, making disciples
where you are!
Paid advertising space is now
available in the The Missouri
Methodists. Prices start at $400,
with a free ad for every three
purchased. For more information
email fkoenig@moumethodist.org.
2015 Mobile camp additions
by raymond varner
F
or the summer of 2015 the Missouri Conference has
decided to add the amazing camping experience of
Mobile Camps in addition to the residential camps (AKA
CORE Camps) and Mission Camps. Over the past few
months we have been working closely with the Navigators
to bring the camping experience to you at your church.
We had a fantastic response from churches filling out
applications to be one of the 10 churches to host a mobile
camp this summer. After several weeks of planning,
strategizing, prayer, and research the selection committee
was able to select the 10 churches (see our map) to fill the
summer schedule.
We wanted to make sure that we reached a wide
demographic of churches and their congregations. We
chose churches in the middle of the city and out in the
country, we chose churches spread out across the state,
and we chose both small and large congregations. When
the churches hosting mobile camps were asked why they
wanted to be a host church here is what they said: Aaron
Talbott from Oakton UMC in Lamar said, "it gives
our kids a great experience at a low cost" and "it's super
affordable for our families". And that's the truth, at only
$25/kid for a week of Mobile Camp!
Jill Chaloupka from Kearney UMC said, "We are super
excited about hosting the mobile camp this summer at
First UMC, it is a great opportunity for us to reach out to
the unchurched children in our community and to share
Christ with them and give them a chance to experience
Him first hand." Jill also said, "Another great thing about
the mobile camps is the fact that we have many children
who are unable to attend an overnight camp for various
reasons, so to have the camp meet the kids where they are
is absolutely a win-win situation."
Lynae McFarland from Kirksville UMC said, "We
have prayed and prayed and PRAYED about Camp Jo
Ota closing and what this means for our children/youth. I
believe that God doesn't just open windows, but he truly
teaches us how to soar out of them by wholeheartedly
putting our trust in Him. This mobile camping experience
is going to offer something to our children that is new,
adventurous, thrilling, meaningful and challenging. All
of those words should and need to describe our daily
walk with Christ! Our vision for the children and youth
22
at First UMC in Kirksville is that they will own their
faith and become life-long followers of Jesus Christ who
wholeheartedly love and serve God in all that they do. I
believe this will help our children in their journey!"
Mobile Camps provides amazing opportunities for
spiritual growth bringing today's youth closer and deeper
in a relationship with Christ. The host churches are also
working with surrounding United Methodist churches,
the community, and other churches in order reach as
many kids in their community as possible. All in all
Mobile Camps is a great addition to the United Methodist
Conference Camping & Retreat Division.
For more information about camping ministry in the Missouri
Conference, go to www.nextgenumc.org.
WRITTEN BY JULIE CHRISTIANSEN
W
hile going through
the Healthy Church
Initiative process at
Mount Zion United Methodist
Church, one of the things we
discovered was that our mission and
service projects were all over the
place. While all were good causes,
by trying to support too many
things, we felt we weren’t effectively
supporting anything. We also
wanted to find a way to serve people
right in our neighborhood so we
searched for an area where we could
make a difference.
Mount Zion is across the street
from Craig Elementary School
and we were working to establish a
closer relationship with them. In the
fall of 2012, we were approached
by the Polar Star Rose Hill #79
Masonic Lodge, also located in the
area. The lodge members wanted to
start a weekend food program for
children in need at Craig School.
They had received approval from
the school and were looking for a
partner with facilities and volunteers
to shop and pack each week. The
school suggested that they contact
us. Our search for a local, ongoing
mission project was over!
School staff identified
children in need and
registration forms were
sent home for parents
to complete. Food was
purchased and volunteer
packers were lined up. The
first bags were packed on
April 26, 2013. On that
first day, we served nine
children (eight students
and one sibling).
Bags are packed with food items
including two breakfasts, two
lunches, two snacks, two fruits and
two drinks for each child. These are
guidelines established by similar
programs around the country.
Dietary restrictions, either religious
or health-related, are observed for
several children. Items consist of
oatmeal, cereal bars, pop-tarts, mac
& cheese, ramen noodles, peanut
butter crackers, applesauce, fruit
cups, juice boxes, and similar items.
All require little or no preparation.
The program does not operate
during the summer but started up
again in August 2013. In the spring
of 2014, Parkway Northeast Middle
School was added. In November
2014 we began serving students at
Ross Elementary and look forward
to adding McKelvey & Bellerive
Elementary Schools before the
2014-15 school year ends. We are
currently preparing food bags for
over 150 children each week.
The Kids’ Weekend Food
Program is supervised by Tara
Mooney and David Reiling.
Volunteers from Mt Zion and the
Masons pack the bags each week.
For more information about the
program, contact the church office
at info@mtzion-umc.org or
(314) 432-4251.
23
INTENTIONAL FAITH DEVELOPMENT
WRITTEN BY JENNIFER KLEIN
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine, according to his power
that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for
ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
This year’s theme for Annual Conference focuses
upon spiritual formation as a means of grace.
Being formed in the image of Christ as the body
of Christ in loving action is our business at hand
as we come to Conference this year. How can we
do so with integrity and an attitude in which we
can agree to disagree, working toward resolutions
regarding difficult topics? I believe we do so with
an attitude of holy conferencing and a spirit of
grace and love.
24
Opening
Our Hearts
to the Spirit
of Grace
This year every delegate to Annual Conference
will receive a copy of “Listen: Praying in a Noisy
World.” It is the most recent book on prayer and
devotion by Bishop Reuben Job. The book is a six
week study, approximately 40 days, of scripture
and prayer practices that are aimed at helping
persons learn to “listen anew and develop habits
that can lead to a deep and vital relationship with
God” and thus with one another. It is the hope
that many of the churches in our conference will
use this daily devotional as a means of prayerfully
preparing for Annual Conference. During the
Easter Season, encourage persons to use it as an
individual study, with small groups, or as a church
wide focus on prayer (also available is leader’s
guide and DVD for group facilitation).
Please join me, and so many others from around
the Conference, in a time of listening for the gift
of the Holy Spirit, who is already intervening on
our behalf, and preparing this Annual Conference
to be conducted and shared as means of grace.
May God bless all those who attend and all of our
Conference who are represented and effected by
the prayerful work we undertake together.
2015
Annual
Conference
Offerings
The Mozambique Initiative
www.mzinitiative.com
T
he Mozambique Initiative
is a holistic ministry based
on partnership with the Church
in Mozambique. We focus on
enabling the sustainability of
United Methodist communities
in Mozambique, so that they
might be the catalyst for growth
and development in their
region. This past year, with
the help of teams of volunteers,
we developed resources to tell
our story in new ways through
congregations here in Missouri.
These new ways of telling the
story of this ministry include
video material, curriculum
guides, and recorded original
Mozambican music, all of which
will be available at Annual
Conference for telling the story
in your own congregation.
When you give to the MI in
this year's offering, you become
part of the story and help us
write a new chapter of ministry
both here in Missouri and in
Mozambique.
Haiti Clean Water Project
www.ifyouknewthegift.com
F
or the last four years,
congregations and
individuals have continued to
support communities in Haiti
with access to clean water
through distribution of bio-sand
and Sawyer water filters. In
2014, we sent fourteen teams
to Haiti as part of this ongoing
project. These teams were able
to provide nearly 1,600 filters or
8,400 individuals with a way of
eating, drinking, and cleaning
without fear of becoming ill
from the water they were using.
With your support, we can
continue this amazing ministry
opportunity distributing filters
for clean water and developing
the many relationships as teams
continue to serve.
The Church in Ferguson
wellspringchurch-stl.org
H
ow can we help? Many
times this question has
been asked around the country
regarding the situation in
Ferguson. Rev. Willis Johnson
and Wellspring UMC have
been pillars in the Ferguson
community providing a home
for peace, respite, and leadership
while tension and emotions
ran high. It is through the
work of Rev. Johnson and the
congregation at Wellspring that
the United Methodist Church
has had an ongoing presence in
this community. We want to
make sure they can continue to
share hope and peace in these
challenging times.
25
Being
A Pastor In A
Community
In Crisis
I
n the category of what news happened while you were
sleeping, the news from Ferguson, Mo., got even
worse,” said Steve Innskeep, as he led off the Morning
Edition national newscast on National Public Radio on
March 12.
The previous day, the police chief in Ferguson had
resigned following public outcry from a report from the
U.S. Attorney General. That night, around midnight, two
police officers were shot while they stood outside of the
Ferguson police station monitoring a demonstration.
That next morning, Rev. F. Willis Johnson of Wellspring
UMC was meeting with his clergy coach, Rev. David
Bennett of Kirkwood UMC. Bennett had called in
Rev. Kimberly Jenne of Webster Hills UMC, who had
previously helped Johnson with media relations. He also
had over his local chief of police and a city council member
to share any advice they might have. During the meeting,
Johnson’s phone kept buzzing.
“I was just starting to get used to my phone not doing
that,” he said.
Wellspring UMC is a new-church start. The church was
about three years old when Ferguson became the focus of
the national spotlight last summer. Wellspring has been
in the middle of everything that followed, serving as a
common ground for community discussion. Johnson has
been in the streets, trying to balance an ethical approach
and prophetic voice, and trying to keep people safe and
keep things moving forward.
Johnson first learned of the police officers being shot on
March 12 via social media at around 4 a.m. He had seen
the buildup the previous day, but had hoped things would
diffuse. When he heard the news he was disappointed,
disturbed and anxious. When friends started calling, they
asked, “Can you stop this?” “Can you temper this in some
way?” Johnson also wonders how, and when, it will stop.
26
“How do we move towards an end that will bring
about a resolution, that is needed at this time?” Johnson
asked himself.
“When we were at our most vulnerable, this did not
occur. Now that we’re at a point where we have some
momentum, and actions are being taken to address some
issues that are systematic in nature, this occurs.”
Johnson lives in Ferguson. The police station is about
halfway between his house and the church. He has seen
people come in protest of police department, and people
demonstrate in support of the police department. One
thing he’s found the two groups have in common is their
lack of Ferguson residents.
“I don’t think Ferguson residents have made up 10
percent of any demonstration,” Johnson said. “This has been
like hosting the Super Bowl or basketball tournament.
We have to deal with everyone coming here, but our team
isn’t playing, and we don’t have tickets to the game.”
Johnson doesn’t decry protest, but would like to see
local voices heard. “We need to be more coordinated and
conscientious about how and where we are moving forward
to,” he said. “It’s about transforming how we see one
another. We have a lot of growing up to do, and a lot of
growing together to do.”
“I haven’t stopped praying,” Johnson said. “I haven’t
stopped reaching out with both arms, in both directions.
And I haven’t stopped listening. That’s something that is
hard for all of us. We’re living in a society that wants us to
discount ‘the other’.”
The shooting of the officers was happening at a
time when most pastors were focused on making sure
everything is in order for Holy Week. And for Johnson,
that side of being a pastor goes on as well. Lent has been a season of prayer and reflection. Maundy
Thursday at the church will be a special service involving
foot washing. Good Friday will be a pilgrimage to
Indianapolis, to a church where Johnson used to work,
where they will join with other congregations for a
worship service based around “The Seven Last Words.” Resurrection Sunday will have special music, an Easter
egg hunt, and candy for the children. This is also a
time of Launching Of Leaders (lol) and the start of the
confirmation class.
This summer Wellspring will be hosting the new
Missouri Conference mobile camps program for a week. They will be partnering with other North St. Louis
United Methodist Churches, including Asbury, North
Park and Harmony.
“I’m really excited about partnering with these churches,
and about the opportunity hosting mobile camps is
bringing us,” Johnson said. “This is a real gift to the
community, because we wouldn’t have had the manpower
or resources to do this on our own.”
Johnson said he’s working on building a whole month
of programming around the mobile camp experience, so it
isn’t just a here-and-gone activity. He doesn’t know what
will be coming next in the story everyone just refers to as
“Ferguson,” but he does know that in addition to being the
pastor whom the media calls, he needs to be the pastor in
his own young congregation in the middle of it all.
“I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know who
holds the future,” Johnson said. “It’s in that power and
purpose that I put my trust and faith.”
27
WESLEY IN THE
WORLD TODAY
WRITTEN BY HAL KNIGHT
I
n 1738, less than
a month after
John Wesley
found faith at a
prayer meeting
on Aldersgate Street,
he stood in the pulpit
at Oxford University
to preach on “Salvation
by Faith.” He began by
distinguishing the faith by
which we are saved from other kinds of faith.
The faith that saves, he says, is not “the faith of a
heathen.” In Wesley’s day this term was not so much
demeaning as it was descriptive: it was the catchall
designation for anyone who was not Christian, Jewish
or Muslim, from Hindus and Native Americans
to Roman and Greek philosophers. God expects a
heathen to believe there is a God who rewards those
who seek God, give thanks to God for the blessings of
creation, and practice moral virtue. Those who did not
at least believe these things did not have the faith of a
heathen—they did not have faith at all.
Second was the faith of a devil. The “devil believes,
not only that there is a wise and powerful God,
gracious to reward and just to punish, but also that
Jesus is the Son of God, the Christ, the Saviour of
the world.” The devil knows more about God than
a heathen, and may tremble in believing. But this
knowledge has no effect on the devil’s heart and life.
Third, there is the faith of the apostles while Jesus
was upon the earth. Although they had faith in Jesus,
it was inconsistent. They had left everything to follow
Jesus, but also repeatedly showed weakness of faith, as
Jesus himself told them.
The faith that saves is “faith in Christ—Christ, and
God through Christ, are the proper object of it.” That it
is “in Christ” distinguishes it “from the faith of ancient
or modern heathens.” It is distinguished from the faith
28
“The salvation we
receive by this faith
is a present salvation
from not only guilt
and fear but from the
power of sin itself.”
of a devil in that it is not “a speculative, rational thing,
a cold, lifeless assent, a train of ideas in the head; but
also a disposition of the heart.” And it differs from
“that faith which the apostles themselves had while
our Lord was on earth” in that it is “not only an assent
to the whole gospel of Christ, but also a full reliance
on the blood of Christ, a trust in the merits of his life,
death and resurrection….” His death redeems us from
sin and death, and his resurrection restores us to life
eternal. It is a faith only possible after Easter.
The salvation we receive by this faith is a present
salvation “from not only guilt and fear but from the
power of sin itself.” It is to be reborn such that the love
we see in Christ takes root and grows in our hearts,
and from there increasingly governs our motivations,
desires, and actions. This salvation is offered to all, a
gift of new life made possible through the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. This Easter let us renew
our faith in the risen Christ, and receive afresh this
new life of love.
MUSIC MATTERS
WRITTEN BY MARK ROACH
I
remember when I started
as the Music/Media
Director for Morning Star
Church almost 16 years
ago. I was 24 years old. I
don’t know if I’d classify
myself as succinctly as
‘young and stupid’ but that
probably comes pretty close. One
of the reasons, looking back, that
I would say that is that I resisted
the idea of meeting regularly
with and gathering wisdom—
and friendship—from those in
my area doing the same thing I
was doing. As I looked around,
I thought I was pretty capable
and didn’t think I needed wise
guides who were further along
than I—or even people in the
trenches I had just jumped into
for that matter. It wasn’t that I
didn’t like other people. It wasn’t
even really that I thought I was
better than everyone else. I just
didn’t see the value of a tribe.
Now, as I turn 40 and look
back at almost 16 years of
ministry—the joy, the pain, the
reward, the sacrifice—I see the
immense value of a tribe. We all know that community
is important, but sometimes we
lie to ourselves by believing that
community can exist exclusively
within the confines of our
ministry. After all, the ministry
is reaching out, there are
constantly new people entering
our community. Still, I submit
to you that community outside
your context is incredibly
important, too.
For several years I’ve been
attending a small, intimate
conference in Nashville, TN
that really emphasizes the
tribe—the word itself and the
concept of it. Since then, I’ve
worked to foster relationships
between like-minded creatives
here in our area as well. It’s
been fascinating to hear the
ideas others have. It’s been a
privilege to be able to pray for
them and their ministries. I lead
at a larger church than many
in our area, and I’ve had the
blessing of being able to resource
other worship leaders in a pinch
with gear, stage props, ideas,
musicians, my time, etc. And
when life and/or ministry gets
rough—or I just find myself
facing a conflict, question or
situation that I just can’t or
don’t necessarily want to tackle
alone—these are the people
who I know I can turn to. I get
the way they’re wired, and they
get me. These are people that
will pray for me on a moment’s
notice. People that have had to
have difficult conversations with
volunteers, have struggled with
their Pastors, fielded complaints
from the congregation, and
sacrificed time with their
families for the sake of ministry
just like me.
This part is important: it
really doesn’t matter if they sing
well, direct well, make records,
write songs, prefer hymns, serve
communion weekly or even
agree with me about politics
for that matter! They. Are.
In. Ministry. And a creative
ministry at that. That’s an
enormous common denominator
and if you plan to have any sort
of longevity in ministry, you
need them and they need you.
So my point is short and
sweet. Lock arms with likeminded people doing what
you do at other churches in
your area. Pray for them. Pray
with them. Love them. Help
them. Serve them. Give them
an opportunity and a reason to
do the same for you. If there’s
one thing I’ve learned about
ministry, it’s this: If it’s worth
your time, your energy, your
passion, your sacrifice...it’s worth
a tribe.
29
NOW
READ THIS
WRITTEN BY DONNA NICHOLS
A Pastor’s Practical Guide to Funerals
Offering Help, Assurance, and Hope
D
eath happens – often at
the most inopportune
times - and no pastor would
deny that caring for the
dying and the grieving is
at one and the same time
both hard work and sacred
privilege.
In “A Pastor’s Practical
Guide to Funerals:
Offering Help, Assurance,
and Hope” - author Lee
Franklin, a hospice chaplain
and ordained pastor in
the Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
presents a thorough guide
to pastoral care of the dying
and the bereaved. The book
contains many complex
and interrelated processes
that are integral to proper
care. None of the processes
of grief care presented by
Franklin are unimportant.
Franklin’s book offers
chapters on Preparing for
Death; Caring through
Anticipated Death; Caring
through Sudden Death;
Meeting with Family
30
follow-up care. There is, of
before the Funeral Service;
course, God’s story of loving
Creating the Funeral
presence and future hope as
Service; Creating the
well as stories of the dying or
Funeral Sermon; and an
the deceased; stories of the
impressive chapter about
grievers most impacted by
Following up with Grievers.
the death; the congregation’s
The stated purpose of the
stories; and the pastor’s
book is to offer ways to assist
story as he or she engages in
the pastor in providing “a
helping others with meaning
ministry of presence and
making throughout the
hope before, during, and
process of dying, death,
after the funeral.” Franklin’s
funeral/memorial and
work succeeded in that
follow-up care.
purpose as well as affirming
As pastors, our story
that ministering through the
usually intersects with all of
funeral is one of the great
the other stories; therefore,
privileges of ministry.
Franklin
The book is
rightfully
systematically laid
points out “it
out and is indeed
is important
a “practical”
to come to
guide even as it is
grips with our
thoroughly and
own death
deeply theological.
experiences or
She develops
lack thereof and
scenarios of
how we cope or
pastoral care in
DONNA NICHOLS
haven’t coped
a well-reasoned
with them.”
progression of
Pastors who are desiring
“story-centered” topics,
to be better companions to
all of them intersecting
others in their grief, will
with the various ways
get in touch with their own
grieving persons experience
stories of grief.
the presence (or seeming
Frankiln provides
absence) of God.
numerous examples of caring
One of the things that
pastoral interactions with
impressed me is the way
the dying and bereaved in a
Franklin consistently uses
broad spectrum of situations
“story.” Her guide is entirely
from preparing people for
story-centered as it unfolds
an expected imminent death
in many examples of the
to caring for those bereaved
intersections of five stories
by unexpected sudden
that are heard throughout
deaths from most prevalent
the death and funeral and
causes. Examples range from
pastoral care of a couple
whose infant was stillborn,
those grieving loss of a loved
one to suicide, and other
tragic losses.
She advises pastors: “If you
want to affect the faith of
your community, and if you
want to bring God’s good
word to a hurting world,
you will plan out funeral
services with care and
love.” The three chapters on
ministry through the funeral
are central and helpful for
following this advice.
Franklin concludes
the book by stating: “By
manifesting God’s loving
presence and hope, the
pastor has the holy task of
companioning grievers as
they make meaning of this
death event and construct
their own next chapters of
their life stories beckoned
by God’s hope and held in
God’s love.”
“Beckoned by God’s hope
and held in God’s love” –
is that not the very place to
which we pastor’s want to
lead not only the dying and
the bereaved but also all
of those to whom God
sends us?
A Pastor’s Practical Guide
to Funerals can be purchased
from Abingdon Press at
www.abingdonpress.com
APRIL 23, 2015
Joyful Generosity: Serving God’s Vision
Time: 10am-2pm
Location: CMU, Inman Student & Community Center
Registration: www.mumf.org/weems-seminar
Contact: lburgin@mumf.org
Cost: $35, Includes Lunch
Nationally recognized author, educator, and church leader, Dr. Lovett
Weems, will be featured at the 8th annual Leadership Institute at Central
Methodist University. Renowned for his insight and wit, Weems will
address practical ways to increase giving and fund your churchs ministry.
With lots of take-home material, this will be an excellent opportunity for
pastors and lay leaders to talk about, plan and build a better financial
ministry. Sponsored by your Missouri United Methodist Foundation.
APRIL 27, 2015 & MAY 5, 2015
Soul Connections Regional Day Apart
Time: 9:30am-3:30pm
Location: Unity Retreats and Events, Unity Village, MO (April 27)
or Old Kinderhook, Cadmenton, MO (May 5)
Registration: www.moumethodist.org/registrations/register/225
Contact: Jenny Gragg, jgragg@moumethodist.org
Cost: $25, Includes Lunch
We all dream of it – just one day where we can step away from the office.
One day where we can escape the chaos of our calendar. One day where
we can experience God in a new and different way. Good news! Your “One
Day” is here! Clergy and church leaders are invited to enjoy a Day Apart in
one of three regions this Spring. The day will commence with a brief and
informal worship followed by a day of unstructured set-apartness. There
will be space for silence, space for creative expressions, space for worship
planning, space to fellowship with friends and colleagues… whatever you
need your day apart to look like. Visit http://mosoulconnections.org for
more information.
View More Events Online:
www.moumethodist.org/events
31
THE
MISSOURI
METHODISTS
Missouri Annual Conference
3601 Amron Court
Columbia, MO 65202
PHOTO BY CHRIS WHEELER
I AM THE MISSOURI CONFERENCE...
J
ennifer Bell has played a
piano since the second
grade. That didn’t mean
she could play the organ.
“I tried once, and thought
no way,” she said. “I couldn’t
believe how hard it was to use
your hands and feet at the
same time.”
But later, when the meditation
organist who played before
church needed a few weeks,
Bell was asked to step up. Her
son, who was born premature
and was a high-risk pregnancy,
was two months old and doing
well. So filled with gratitude
for how things had turned out,
Bell stepped up to the task,
practicing the organ between
Sundays. “I learned as I went,
missed notes and all,” she said.
About five years ago, Bell’s
husband Mike shared that he felt
called to ministry. At the time
they were figuring out how to
pay for their son’s college, and
when they looked into seminary
the cost was daunting. Then
they were told that Campbell
UMC, a nearby country church,
needed a pastor. Mike Bell
started preaching there, and
soon Sumach UMC was added
to his charge.
“We’ve gone in as a team, he
preaches and I play the piano,”
Bell said. “We’ve grown to love
these two little churches. When
there are only a few of you
attending, you become very
close. When someone is gone,
we know where they are.”
Bell and her husband remain
members of First UMC Kennett.
She still plays for the children’s
choir, and sings with the choir at
Kennett once a month.
“This is like a mission for us,”
she said.
Sometimes Bell’s role in the
three churches bring them
together. She leads a Bible
study for women at her home
on Sundays at 6 p.m. The group
includes women from First UMC
Kennett, Campbell UMC and
Sumach UMC. It’s not the only
small group that she leads. Bell
fell into a state of depression
after witnessing a child being
killed while riding a bicycle. Through that experience she
felt called to minister to others
suffering from depression, and
formed a weekly small group
ministry called Whispers of Hope
for women who are experiencing
depression and anxiety.
Serving a small church is like
going home for Bell. She grew
up in Caruth UMC, although she
was involved in the youth group
at Kennett when she was young.
Now Caruth UMC is served by
Jim Pemberton, who had also
been a member of Kennett.
After high school, Bell
attended Missouri State
University in Springfield, and
ended up singing in the choir
at Schweitzer UMC. Her son
attends Missouri State now, and
has been active in the collegeage ministry there, and with
Wesley South.
“My son’s faith grew a lot
through the youth program
at Kennett led by Chris and
John Wheeler, and through
his involvement in CCYM
(Conference Council Youth
Ministries) and Conference
youth mission trips,” Bell said.
Her son currently plays music
and helps lead worship at
Wesley South.
“He’s under the assumption
that when you are at a church
you don’t just attend, you
serve,” Bell said.
Bells gratitude for First UMC
doesn’t just extend to how it’s
forming the generation that
follows her, she’s also eternally
grateful for how they’ve cared
for the generation before her.
Her mother has been in her final
stage of life in the past year,
and the church has been there
for her. She said she’s received
much more from the church
than she has ever given.
“I couldn’t begin to name
all the church programs that
have reached out to my dad
and mother,” she said. “They
have ministered to them at the
nursing home, have brought
them cookies, the youth ministry
has been out there, even the
kindergarten Sunday school
class loaded up and came one
Sunday. They’ve done so much.”

Youth Prepare for Easter in Portageville

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