Transformation, Volume 2 Issue 1

Transformation Vo l u m e 2 I s s u e 1

Ministry Magazine

of

The Desert Southwest Conference

RETHINK: MISSION, MINISTRY, CHURCH

Spring 2010 | Desert Southwest Conference Communications | www.desertsouthwestconference.org

Spring 2010

Contents 3 Publisher’s Pen 5 Living our Vision

Contents

9 What does it mean to be a church?

10 This ain’t Uncle Walter’s world 12 Become a fan of the DSC 14 Relevance X, the transformation has begun 18 DSC to become more welcoming 19 What it now means to be Connectional

Special Features 4

Ministry with an E.D.G.E.

6

From 19 to 190

16

Justa church and mission without lines

Red Mountain UMC launches a new family-friendly ministry.

Sanctuary UMC rethinks how it reaches out to it’s surrounding community.

All walks of life come together in worship at the Justa Center.

2 | Transformation | Spring 2010

M inistry M agazine

of

T he D esert S outhwest C onference

Spring 2010 Volume 2, Issue 1 Contributors

For general inquiries or subscription information, email: communications@desertsw.org, call 602-266-6956, or mail Communications Department, 1550 E. Meadowbrook Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85014-4040.

Transformation is provided quarterly in spring, summer, fall, and winter by the Communications Department of The Desert Southwest Conference. Transformation is also available online by going to www.desertsouthwestconference.org/ transformation. Individual articles and photos may be used by DSC churches and organizations. Views in Transformation come from representatives of official Conference groups or by request of Conference Staff. View points may only be those of the writer and may not be representative of the entire Conference.

Questions about the reproduction of individual articles or photos should be directed to Stephen J. Hustedt, Conference Director of Communications (602-2666956 ext. 220 or steve@desertsw.org).

I

f you are reading this it must be true—Transformation, the ministry magazine of The Desert Southwest Conference, is back in publication. Last year the grand launching of Transformation Magazine hit a significant bump when the difficult financial times led to the decision to suspend publication for the remainder of the year. Only the initial issue of Transformation made it off the presses, which made it difficult to sell the idea of subscriptions to churches or individuals. But what the magazine was able to do, even in a single issue, was cast a new vision for printed communications in the Desert Southwest.

You might say Transformation was the result of the Communications Commission rethinking what printed communications are and can be. Transformation has been designed to provide feature stories of ministry that inspire church members and church seekers, alike. Classically, communications in the church have focused on keeping members and leadership connected, which is a vital role of communications. Some have also said that the primary role of communications should be to reach out to the church seeker. This is also a crucial role for communications.

Transformation sought to find a third option. The designers of the magazine asked the question, “What are the stories of ministry taking place that can inspire both the most connected and the unconnected?” Everything else was cut from Transformation and shared through other communications channels. The end result was an amazing ministry tool that could be shared with church leaders or church visitors. What was most exciting was that church leaders were then charged with passing on their copy of Transformation when they had finished, in an act of connectionalism or evangelism, and because the stories of ministry are timeless, those initial copies of Transformation are still being used for vital ministry today.

In this way the concept of printed

Stephen J. Hustedt communications was rethought and it became something far more vital. Vital enough, in fact, that even when it became clear that economic times were to continue to be strained, funds were still made available for this exciting ministry tool.

Now you, the reader, have another chance to give away a copy of Transformation and do your part to share our story. Please take advantage of that opportunity.

It is a very simple act to give something away, but it took rethinking the way we do things to create such an easy act of ministry. In that spirit, the theme for this issue of Transformation is “Rethink: Mission, Ministry, Church.” All around The Desert Southwest Conference there are leaders rethinking what ministry is and how we do it. Some of those ministries will be highlighted in this issue. These ministries are reaching new people in new ways to make disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world. Hopefully they can encourage all of us to live out our faith and share our story.

- Stephen J. Hustedt, DSC Director of Communications Spring 2010 | Transformation | 3

By Stephen J. Hustedt, Director of Communications

Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño, Dottie Escobedo-Frank, Debbie Murphy, Glen Simpson, James Owen Taylor, Larry Hollen, Lynn Bartlow, Mark Maddox, Scott Ritchey, Stephen J. Hustedt, and Valerie K. Maravolo

Rethink Transformation

Publisher’s Pen

Transformation

Ministry with an E.D.G.E.

By Valerie K. Maravolo

Photo courtesy of Lisa Knowles Participants in the Red Mountain E.D.G.E. Nights program have an opportunity to grow in faith and fellowship with one another while learning a few new things along the way.

F

or some time, Red Mountain United Methodist Church in Mesa, Arizona had been holding choir and handbell rehearsals on Wednesday nights. That is, until the leadership in the church started talking about how they might rethink the way they do things. “We wanted to create something for fellowship; something that was intergenerational 4 | Transformation | Spring 2010

and allowed for people to grow deeper in their faith and deeper in their relationships with each other,” explained Debbie Hollenbach, member of the E.D.G.E. Nights leadership team. “Red Mountain is smack dab in the middle of a bunch of housing developments. East Mesa is known for retirement and snow birds, but there are a lot of families, too. The church wanted to

be more intentional about reaching out to those families.”

After gathering leadership from within the church and collectively evaluating what could be, E.D.G.E. Nights was born. Gleaned from a popular Cokesbury vacation bible school curriculum, E.D.G.E., or Experiencing and Discovering God Everywhere, became the name for a story continues on page 20

Living our vision:

a transformed world through Jesus

By Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño

Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño

I

love the vision of our Desert Southwest Conference. We are so bold as to say that we believe that it is God’s own vision for us. Our vision is that of a transformed world through Jesus. We can see it: a world where people live in peace with themselves, with each other, and with God because the sin in their lives has been confessed, forgiven, and overcome. A world where sinful systems and practices that oppress and dehumanize some of God’s children and destroy Creation itself, are unmasked for all to see and destroyed so that all may experience God’s own justice and righteous peace.

As Christians we are called to be the best advocates of such a vision, working for it with the commitment of our very being! I have always thought this commitment was a matter of the heart. It is, but the apostle Paul reminds us that the mind has a say as well.

In the second verse of the twelfth chapter of his letter to the Romans, Paul says it this way: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

The transformation of the world begins with us and it requires that we be willing to surrender our minds to God for renewal, and so that we may know God’s will for us and the world. I’m working on it, and I have a long way to go. I also know that I am dependent on the Holy Spirit to do this right, and I know that I do it best when I have the help of others.

Surrendering our minds to God requires discipline. Daily prayer and silent meditation, the study of the Bible, and worshipping regularly with others are the starting point. Every time we participate in these holy disciplines we contribute to God’s own work of transforming and renewing our minds.

It’s not just about us though. The transformation and renewal of our minds is ultimately for the purpose of knowing what is good and acceptable and perfect in the mind of God. In other words it is so that we can know how we are to live our lives. Can you imagine what would happen if we did what God considers good and acceptable and perfect? Yes! Our lives would be transformed, but the world around us would be transformed as well!

John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, called this transformation and renewal of our minds and thus our lives, the process of moving on to perfection. He calls us to have every confidence

that even in our lifetime we can be made perfect by the mercy and grace of God. Wesley, with the apostle Paul, believed that while we are not perfect, the Holy Spirit has the power to transform us and make us perfect—perfectly in tune, in step, in line with God’s own mind and Spirit.

These days there are many voices in the world telling us what our minds should think and believe in the midst of life’s struggles. The laundry list of human pain and suffering is long; health care, immigration, war, poverty, environmental degradation, education, natural disasters, economic decline…. The list of human woes is long and the world’s opinions of how to face these struggles are loud, varied, often conflicted, and rarely perfect.

Yet we can dream of a day when the world will be perfectly transformed. Transformation is coming and not because of us, but because of Christ Jesus. As Christians we know in whom we believe and so we do not conform to the mind of the world that is so often confused and hopeless.

Instead we seek to know the mind of God through Christ Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, God who desires holy, loving transformation for all of us.

I encourage us to place before God all of our woes and invite God to speak to our minds showing us the way-that which is good, acceptable and perfect to God. Let us daily practice seeking God’s will above any other will, our own or that of the world around us. And as we begin to experience the transformation and renewal of our minds and our lives that will surely come when we seek the mind of God, let us humbly be faithful to God’s will for us and for the world.

Spring 2010 | Transformation | 5

From

19 to190

By Mark Maddox

Sanctuary UMC once was a dying fellowship that just refused to die. Many churches today can agree; they’ve had their good times and their bad times. During the bad times, Sanctuary dropped to an average of 19 people worshipping Sunday mornings. Although the Director of Connectional Ministries at the time tried his best to close this church, it seemed God had other plans.

The group was committed to making one last attempt at succeeding with no funding and a budget smaller than most churches have for their nursery staff. Soon, with a new pastor and commitment of the parishioners, this fellowship began to breathe new life.

Sanctuary eventually was chartered as a United Methodist Church, and today is averaging between 170 and 200 worshipers every week.

One might ask, “So why the growth? What did this church do to rethink itself?”

Sanctuary didn’t have much to offer by way of a church building; they worship at an elementary school. However, they had the timeless Methodist message to share and love and friendliness to make their church special. They knew that their real problem was nobody in the community knew they existed.

They needed to get word out about their church, with very little Photo courtesy of Mark Maddox

money.

The fellowship identified three questions that had to be answered: 1) How do we get people in the door? 2) What do we do with them once they come in? 3) How do we follow up with them after they leave? They were quick to realize that it doesn’t do any good to bring someone into your church if you don’t give them a reason to return.

In the beginning, they tried the standard, “Bring a Friend to Church Sunday,” and their attendance dropped that day. It turns out those parishioners who don’t have friends to bring felt embarrassed to show up. So instead, every Sunday became “Bring a Friend to Church Sunday,” and from that point on, referrals from other church members have been one of the best ways the church has grown. Additionally, they now encourage new friends to attend special events like a Valentine’s Day dinner, Fall Festival, movie night, and more. Parishioners found that it was easier to invite friends and family to special events rather than just saying, “You really should come to church with me.” To

Special events like a Valentine’s Day dinner, Fall Festival or movie night are held for new friends of Sanctuary. help even more, the fellowship designed flyers to be given to friends and family members.

Using innovative techniques, Sanctuary UMC reaches out to their surrounding community.

8 | Transformation | Spring 2010

Sanctuary decided that to continue to grow, they needed to be strategic about their marketing efforts. They began looking at low-cost alternatives like displaying street signs that announce the church, sending press releases to the newspaper, and doing some “old fashioned” bartering so they could advertise with the local movie theater on their preview screens.

What this church has begun to realize is they have to “think outside the box” when it comes to marketing. They even started posting to Craigslist.com and setting up booths at local community events in hopes of reaching out to more people.

The booths are a big hit because there they can hand out flyers and hold a gift card drawing that allows them to obtain e-mail addresses of all the people they meet.

They add these people to their e-mail marketing list. Sanctuary started keeping their website more up to date, created a Facebook page, Twitter following, pizzabox toppers, door hangers, new neighbor letters, and started wearing church t-shirts to community events.

As these efforts allowed the fellowship to continue to grow, they decided to allocate 10% of their general fund to marketing efforts. In addition to the low-cost and free marketing, they now story continues on page 23

What does it mean to be a church?

Contributions by Debbie Murphy, James Owen Taylor, Rev. Dottie Escobedo-Frank, and Valerie K. Maravolo

Photo courtesy of Dottie Escobedo-Frank Transforming the way they do church, CrossRoads UMC holds a worship service on Saturday mornings, outside on the church property for area poor and/or homeless.

A

t CrossRoads UMC, we are restating what it means to be the church. We went from being a traditional worshipping community of mainly elderly Anglos to a community with four diverse gatherings; a contemporary, “Multi!” community on Sunday morning; a worshipping community of homeless, poor, and volunteers from all over the city; and a low-income Spanish-speaking community that meets in a mobile home park.

Interestingly enough, at this local church of four venues, some amazing lives are being transformed. Particularly within the ministry called Prodigals Home, a Saturday morning worship service with pancake breakfast.

Debbie Murphy, the chair of CrossRoads’ missions team, has helped

to organize and facilitate the ministry of Prodigals Home at the church along with Mike and Kim Ricker, the couple integral in helping to establish the ministry’s roots.

The Church and the Rickers began to be in ministry together, celebrating their faith on the front lawn of the church property.

It was through this new ministry that lives were changing like never before.

Owen and Debbie, two very different people, have come to be fulfilled and have grown spiritually through their connection with Prodigals Home. Once a supervisor for a construction company and a valued worker, James Owen Taylor hit a streak of bad luck that included a major car accident in which his best friend died, 11 months of rehabilitation, and a home invasion during which he was badly beaten and his home

destroyed. Owen found himself discouraged, disheartened, and on the streets. He began to work day labor jobs, but after several years of this routine, he escaped into a life of drug use.

This behavior went on for years and eventually, Owen knew he needed to turn his life around. He tried attending several churches, but to his dismay, found that because of his homelessness, he wasn’t being welcomed. “At one church, I was asked to move to the balcony section where they saved seats for the homeless. I felt disgusted and dejected and vowed never to return to that church again,” he shared.

Eventually, Owen found himself attending story continues on page 13 Spring 2010 | Transformation | 9

This ain’t Uncle Walter’s world

By Rev. Larry Hollon

I

f there were even an iota of doubt that the world has changed because of digital technologies, it should be erased now and forever by the Haiti earthquake.

As I listened recently to an official source tell me “off the record” information, I was reading that same information on Facebook, and I received a link from a colleague about an online newspaper article containing the information. My “source” wanted to keep this “under the radar,” but he couldn’t keep it off the Internet.

Today information moves at the speed of the Internet. “Under the radar” is a quaint colloquialism. This new reality comes as disruptive and threatening to established communications patterns and traditional command and control organizations because it introduces a new set of values and new ways of perceiving.

It means the gatekeepers have lost

control of the gate through which information flows. They can’t move fast enough because there are just too many cell phones and laptops in the hands of too many individuals with data packages and wireless access. There are too many gates to control.

Those institutions that try will break down under the strain or become irrelevant. We will simply go elsewhere for information.

In this superheated environment, if you do not contribute to the conversation, you cannot expect to influence it, and you are irrelevant to it—even if you are an official source. The conversation will continue without you, making up the story as it moves along.

Of course, this is uncomfortable. It is certainly frustrating. And it results in a crazy mix of fact and fantasy. Yet it happens and it won’t stop. Yearn as we may for yesteryear and news anchor Walter

UMNS Photo by Mike DuBose 10 | Transformation | Spring 2010

Rev. Larry Hollon Cronkite telling us “that’s the way it is,” those days are gone and they’re not coming back.

As I have worked with staff of United Methodist Communications during this week of earthquake coverage, I have felt like the steel ball in an old pinball machine, buffeted in every area by new information, decisions or challenges. I move through one passageway and I get slammed backward and have to adjust because a new force has been exerted. Not just the news operation, but marketing, fundraising, technology infrastructure, web utilization, graphic design, and public information are all affected by these changes.

Add to this, input from Twitter, Google and Facebook–real-time conversation, reaction and utilization—and you have a rock ‘em, sock ‘em communications environment that is always on and always moving. And that, as Uncle Walter used to say, is the way it is.

“If there were even an iota of doubt that the world has changed because of digital technologies, it should be erased now and forever by the Haiti earthquake.�

UMNS Photo by Mike DuBose

Become a fan

of The Desert Southwest Conference

By Rev. Lynn Bartlow

T

he Desert Southwest Conference has taken the next step in its ongoing social media campaign.

Recently, DSC Communications launched a Facebook fan page, and the Conference had just fewer than 250 fans within 24 hours. As a point of comparison, the Communications Department has been building the Conference email list, DSC Notes, for the last three and a half years, and there 12 | Transformation | Spring 2010

are around nine hundred recipients on the list at any given time.

“This response clearly shows the potential of social media at all levels of the United Methodist Church,” said Stephen J. Hustedt, Director of Communications for The Desert Southwest Conference. “What are we about as United Methodists if not connection? That’s what social media is all about, too. It’s a natural fit.”

This is not the first venture into social media for DSC Communications.

Last year Myspace and Facebook pages were launched for Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño and Annual Conference was tweeted. About two and a half years ago, all DSC digital video features and resources were moved over to YouTube.

“Once we had an online ‘home’ at www.desertsouthwestconference.org to

invite people back to, Conference Communications made the radical decision that we needed to go to where the people are to invite them,” Hustedt said. “Frankly, it makes me nervous when

I hear people question if the Church should be a part of social media or suggest Christian alternatives to popular sites. We are called to go forth and tell our story, and the audience that most needs to hear our story will not be waiting

where we are comfortable.”

The Desert Southwest Conference fan page is expected to become a crucial part of DSC Communications in the coming months and years, but it is an entirely new channel that will not replace anything that is already in place.

“Our goal is to create a model for local churches and the entire United Methodist Church,” Hustedt said. “We must learn to blend classic communications elements, like magazines, newsletters, audio, video, and—dare I say—websites with the new ways that people communicate, like YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and whatever is next. Not everyone uses new media. Not everyone is even comfortable with the thought of new media, but facts are facts. The people who most need hear our story are there. That is where they are waiting for us today. So let’s go to them!”

To become a fan of The Desert Southwest Conference you can go to www.face book.com/dscumc and click “become a fan.”

You will need to be a registered Facebook user to become a fan.

If you need support in creating a Facebook profile for yourself or a Facebook fan page for your church, contact Communications@ desertsw.org.

What does it mean | Continued from page 9 Prodigals Home. He began to feel God’s call for him to put his life back together and in time, joined a men’s Bible study.

Owen has been in recovery for over a year now and regularly attends the Saturday morning worship and the Sunday morning “Multi!” service as part of his healing. He set those requisites for himself, knowing that staying close to a community of faith would keep him close to God. When Owen reflects on his former life in

a downward spiral he said of the people he used to work with, “They would never believe it if they had seen me a few years back.”

For Debbie, a nurse and midwife who regularly donates time in Africa, gathering each week in ministry was something she looked forward to. “…I feel that prayer has been answered by my ability to be part of Prodigals Home,” she said. I look forward to news that someone else has

been able to stop their self-destruction and find shelter and regular meals.”

Debbie is moved by watching those who live outdoors and by little means, raise their hands in praise and sing together.

Her faith is strengthened and she too is fed; by love of God and God’s people.

For Debbie and Owen, that Saturday morning ministry is more than just a ministry. It is a way of living into their faith. It is church–in every sense of the word.

Photos courtesy of Dottie Escobedo-Frank The Saturday morning ministry at CrossRoads provides hope and support to those who have lost their way. For Owen (pictured above), his former life was a constant downward spiral, but now, his life has turned around.

Spring 2010 | Transformation | 13

Photos courtesy of Glen Simpson

MAKING NEW

DISCIPLES Relevance X, the transformation has begun

By Glen Simpson

T

his spring, more than 150 young adults, representing more than six ethnic backgrounds converged in Las Vegas at University United Methodist Church for Relevance X: Making New Disciples. The goal was to prepare this new generation of Christian Leaders to be the leaders of today. This conference “encouraged young people to live out God’s vision for themselves and others, with hope for a just and inclusive world.”

The Power of Ten was explored—ten new social justice projects, ten new disciples, ten new faith communities. Imagine the power of ten: ten struggling young adults realizing the relevance of the church today and ten new disciples transforming the world. Now imagine the power of ten times hundreds of young adults eager to live the relevance of Christ’s message!

To learn more about Relevance, the official young adult ministry of the DSC, email glen@ relevancex.com or visit www.relevanceonline.com.

Justa church and mission without lines

By Rev. Scott Ritchey and Stephen J. Hustedt

Regardless of each person’s story, at Justa, an open and honest worship brings them together.

T

hroughout the week the Justa Center provides a place of shelter and safety to older adults who are homeless, and works to help those older adults rise out of homelessness. In itself this is a worthy and energized ministry, 16 | Transformation | Spring 2010

but on Sunday mornings the ministry also becomes church to a great variety of people. For an hour every Sunday, those with the least stand side by side with clergy, executives, teachers, volunteers, and people with countless other stories, for worship.

“The great gift of worshipping at Justa is that there is no pretense,” Said Rev. Scott Ritchey, who runs the Justa Center and serves as pastor to those worshipping on Sunday mornings. “Sometimes when people go to church, their lives may be in turmoil—their kids are using drugs or are running away… marriages are in chaos.

However, when they come into church and are asked how they are doing, they simply reply ‘great, things are wonderful.’ In other words, their insides do not match their outsides. At Justa, there is no pretending.

When people pray, there is an honesty and an authenticity that is very holy.”

The Justa Center rethought what church was or could be when an empty room at the back of the center was turned into a makeshift sanctuary. However, it was not made into a place to hold church just for the homeless. All are invited and, believe it or not, the people came.

Some are homeless, some have risen out of homelessness, some volunteer with the homeless, and some have little or no contact with the homeless outside of Sunday morning worship. Regardless of their story, the open and honest worship brings them all together.

“One Sunday during worship, for the confession, I asked the congregation to call out the names they have been called in their lives,” Ritchey shared. “One man said bum. Another said a lazy, useless dog.

Another said homeless. Another said a drain on society and another said disgusting… some names were just too shocking to repeat and they did not only reference the homeless… I responded, ‘but at this story continues on page 23 Right: The Justa Center rethought what church was or could be when an empty room at the back of the center was turned into a makeshift sanctuary.

Photo by Stephen J. Hustedt

DSC to become more welcoming

I

n November, Conference Director of Communications, Stephen J. Hustedt was one of dozens of individuals to participate in a nationwide Training of Trainers event with United Methodist Communications in Nashville. Energized by the new resources available, the Communications Commission approached the conference Board of Laity as a potential partner in identifying leaders around Conference to become trainers in a variety of areas. It was determined that the place to begin was in identifying potential trainers in welcoming and hospitality and prepare for the training event.

“What is really exciting about this is that we are thinking about training in a new way,” said Jim Nibbelink, Conference Lay Leader. “Too often we attend a conference level training event and get excited before hitting the ‘so what moment.’ That will not happen with this new way of training.”

This is also just the first step in raising up leaders to provide training around the Conference. In the coming months and years,

A UMNS photo by Linda Green

Conference level trainers will be taught to provide local churches with training in Rethink Church, Local Church Marketing, Web Ministry, Our United Methodist Connection/Promotion of Giving, Local Church Communications, Media Spokesperson/Crisis Communications, and more.

A UMNS photo by Jeanette Pinkston 18 | Transformation | Spring 2010

this process will be fine tuned and tweaked to provide Conference-wide trainers in the areas of Rethink church, Local Church Marketing, Web Ministry, Our United Methodist Connection/Promotion of Giving, Local Church Communications, Media Spokesperson/Crisis Communications, and more. There will be some overlap in the trainers that take on specific subject areas, but the goal will be to have a pool of trainers that are passionate and knowledgeable about each area.

“Yes, this is rethinking how we do training, but the question is why we never thought of it before,” Nibbelink said. “This kind of connection is what being United Methodist is all about!”

What it now means to be Connectional

By Stephen J. Hustedt

“

”

If Jesus came back today, he’d start his ministry on Facebook.

R

ecently I had a meeting with several representatives of our Conference Committee on Young Adult Ministries. The group was working on an exciting event for young adults called RelevanceX that would be held in the spring of 2010 in Las Vegas, NV. We were discussing direct and indirect means of communicating, with young people in particular. During this conversation I spent a lot of time explaining how various communications channels work, on the Local Church, District, Conference, Jurisdictional, and General Church levels.

As I continued on for a half hour and then more, the group’s eyes hung low and they began to exchange glances. I was concerned that I was starting to lose their interest, so I took the time to acknowledge the often complex nature of the church.

“Oh, I know it sounds complicated,” I said.

“I guess it really is, but don’t worry, I’m here to guide you though.”

Our Conference chair of Young Adult Ministries, Glen Simpson, responded for the group. “Thanks Steve, this is all very helpful. It’s just not what we’re used to… We’re just used to talking and ministering directly to each other.”

Then Glen said something that drew my interest. “With the technology to help us connect today, there is really no excuse for us not to be able to make the systems more efficient and focus on ministry,” he said, as he smiled at what he was about to say next. “If Jesus came back today, he’d start his ministry on Facebook.”

The meeting continued on and a lot was accomplished, but Glen’s words stuck with me throughout the rest of that day, into the next day, and over the weekend.

I couldn’t get this idea out of my head. It was as if I needed to take something away from the conversation.

In the meantime, I received a call from United Methodist Communications

in Nashville. They were asking for me to help with a United Methodist News Service story on the issue of healthcare and specifically, to find some individuals on the local church level to interview. Now this is the connectional system I know well, and I jumped at the opportunity to help my fellow communicators.

As the weekend came and went, I was able to provide support for the UMNS article, and I got a call from a friend and colleague at UMCom, Tim Tanton, thanking me for the help that I provided for the article.

“And while I have you on the line,” Tim said, as we finished up discussing the healthcare article, “I had another item you may be able to help with…”

The UMNS Facebook page had received a message from someone in story continues on page 22

Spring 2010 | Transformation | 19

Photo courtesy of Lisa Knowles

Top Left: The official logo for Red Mountain E.D.G.E. Nights. Top right & Bottom: Many opportunities are offered as part of the E.D.G.E. Nights program. Both adults and children can particpate in a variety of classes including hand bell and percussion lessons.

Bible study, support groups, and discussion series are also held. Right page: Every E.D.G.E. Night begins with a free family meal provided by volunteers.

Photo courtesy of Lisa Knowles 20 | Transformation | Spring 2010

Photo courtesy of Lisa Knowles E.D.G.E. | Continued from page 4 program that regularly meets in sessions, each Wednesday evening.

Launching September 2009, E.D.G.E. became an instant success. Each night, the program begins with dinner at 5:15 p.m. and is provided by four teams of volunteers who, on a rotating basis, prepare the meal.

Although there is no charge, donations are accepted. The group has grown from feeding 50 to 80 people on any given E.D.G.E. Night. Michael Brooks, age 7, says that for him, this is the best part of E.D.G.E. Nights. “My favorite part is eating dinner with my family and my church family,” he said. Hollenbach says that the meal time is a great time for families to fellowship with each other—even if it is once a week.

Following the meal, the evening kicks into high gear. Participants break off into their small groups and classes which are led by lay leadership and some retired clergy members of the church.

Two, one-hour blocks of time are devoted to personal growth, faith formation, and more. Depending on the session focus,

programs are catered to be intergenerational, thus appealing to young children and adults and addressing a wide range of topics including creative arts; Bible studies; topical studies (such as world religions); guitar and percussion lessons; divorce care; and more. Confirmation classes are offered for all junior high youth, and a student-led senior high Bible study has become a hit.

Adult classes are typically held in five-week increments with one week off between sessions. “This system seems to work for everyone because they can easily commit to five weeks,” says Hollenbach.

One of the most recent sessions, “Financial Peace University,” by Dave Ramsey, was well received. This course was offered to adults and youth and aimed to teach people how to achieve their financial goals, saving for the future and how to get out of debt.

“Social Principals of the Methodist Church” is being offered during their second winter session. This class will explore beliefs of the UMC and the social

issues that confront members of the faith.

According to the course description, participants “will learn again how what we believe ties together faith and practice, and that the power of the Gospel is both personal and social.”

“Interest and participation have been terrific,” shares Lisa Knowles, Coordinator of adult classes for E.D.G.E. Nights.

More than 180 people have registered for E.D.G.E. Nights so far and they’re continuing to grow. “We’re excited because a number of families bring their children to what is going on here, some of whom have become active in the church [as a result],” says Hollenbach. “We even have some adults who don’t participate, but they are making efforts to bring their children.”

“E.D.G.E. Nights has just exploded beyond our dream,” says Knowles. “I would hope we can continue to expand, not necessarily by size, but by the different classes we offer and the variety of people we provide an opportunity to… participants, young and old.”

Spring 2010 | Transformation | 21

UMNS Photo by Bill Norton Connectional | Continued from page 19 Bullhead City, AZ who was in desperate need of help. The gentleman who wrote explained that he and his family had moved across the country to Bullhead City for work before the economic downturn took away their livelihood. They had fallen very far behind on their bills, and, even though they were now working, their power was going to be shut off. The gentleman feared for his children and especially his infant.

The family also lamented that their move had taken them away from family and their safety net. They felt afraid and lonely. Clearly they needed more than financial support. They needed the embrace of a loving church family, and this email was some sort of a cry for help into the vast night that is the Internet.

As Tim explained the story to me, I thought of what Glen had said about using technology to minister directly to people.

“Imagine how many cries for help are shouted across the Internet every few minutes without ever being heard,” I thought.

“The same hurt and starving people that reside outside our church doors are online 22 | Transformation | Spring 2010

looking for answers.”

In fact, even more lost and lonely people can be touched by a single individual because of the technology that exists.

We just usually aren’t there to respond to these cries for help.

However, this is a happy story.

Someone did hear this family that was in such need of support, and the team at UMCom took the time to use our own United Methodist Connection to look for that support.

I took down the contact information and sent out a simple email sharing the story with the local pastor and several people I felt could be of assistance. Before the week was out, the family had their physical needs taken care of, and, perhaps more importantly, had found the spiritual support of a church family.

As United Methodists, we take great pride in our Connectional System, and it is truly amazing to see it in action.

However, helping this family and seeing all the pieces that led to providing that help made it clear to me that we cannot become

complacent. When we use technology and our Connectional System together we can achieve amazing things. Now we have to embrace technology as a part of our Connectional System. We have moved beyond a time when we could question what the Internet means to the church, or what our role on the Internet should be.

Yes, we can use technology as a tool to keep ourselves connected, but it is even more important that we use it as a tool to reach out to all those people who are crying out into the night. We must follow our charge as Christians and take our story to where the people are.

There can be unpleasant things on the Internet. Even sites like YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook that don’t let in the worst can be frightening, but that is why we must be there with the light that our story brings. The time for us to go forth is now!

I’m a believer. What do you think? If Jesus came back today, would he start his ministry on Facebook?

Justa church | Continued from page 16 table, we are simply named and called God’s children. Let us offer one another a sign of peace.’”

The worship service is in four parts: gathering, word, thanksgiving, and sending forth. In many ways the services look the same as services taking place at United Methodist Churches around the world on Sunday morning.

Even with the raw and honest testimony, perhaps the most different and controversial part of the service is that there are extended periods of silence to absorb God’s Word. When new people visit they are sometime taken back by the silence and begin to cough or rustle their bulletins, as if to say let’s get this thing moving.

Ritchey explained, “What I have learned is that when you live in a shelter there is not a lot of quiet time. Even if one does not live in a shelter there is not a lot of quiet time. So I have come to appreci-

ate those moments to allow God to speak to us. There is a peace and serenity to the service. And there is a sense of gratitude and sincerity for God caring for God’s children.”

Yet, there are also times those gathered are too joyful and grateful not to speak.

“We secured an apartment for a 78 year old man. He had worshipped with us for about three months prior. In that time he always sat quietly and simply sang and prayed, but when he learned he was moving out of the ‘zone,’ he spoke up and prayed during the joys and concerns,” Ritchey shared. “He stood up and asked me if he could pray. I said, ‘of course.’ He raised his arms above his head and simply yelled out at the top of his lungs ‘God, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia’ and he began to do a small jig.”

Alleluia was all that needed to be said.

WJ to focus on communications Beginning in January 2010, the Western Jurisdiction Leadership team moved to continue to develop the Jurisdiction’s communications ministry. This included the launching and development of a new website, development of other communications channels such as calendar of events, social media, email blasts and more.

Maintenance and ongoing development of internal and external communications channels will be performed by the Communications Department of The Desert Southwest Conference and will be funded by the Jurisdictional Communications Budget.

To learn more about the Western Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church, or to check out the new website, go to www.westernjurisdictionumc.org.

19 to 90 | Continued from page 8 host direct mail campaigns throughout the year, mailing nearly 12,000 postcards a campaign.

Sanctuary also started to get involved in their community. They now are a large supporter of the local food bank and they help out several local elementary schools. They host events like their annual Fall Festival, and in March, will team with a local veterinarian to have a special blessing of the animals.

Although getting people in the door was important, it was equally important that once they came in, the fellowship made them feel comfortable and welcome.

When they learn of new visitors, they provide them with a welcome packet that explains Sanctuary and the United Methodist Church. They also identify people in their congregation who will point out restrooms, nursery, Sunday school, and the food table to the new visitors. Contact cards are included in each welcome folder.

At each service, guests are encouraged to complete the cards and drop them in the offering plate instead of money. This technique has worked. Eighty percent of all first time visitors fill out the cards and 80% of them become members within a year.

Welcoming has become part of the DNA of the fellowship. One parishioner shared that, “If you don’t have any friends before you came in, you’ll leave with several.”

It didn’t stop there, either. All bulletins at Sanctuary have added text to the “churchy” part of their bulletins, they include notes designed to help visitors know what is going on such as the United Methodist belief on Holy Communion and whether visitors are expected to give to the offering.

Each Sunday, their pastor preaches a sermon series. With the sermon series there is usually a hook or something in the sermon that encourages the parishioners

to come back the following week. During Easter and Christmas, the pastor always announces a new and very interesting sermon series that starts right after the holiday. This is done to encourage people to come back.

The final part of their marketing plan is inviting visitors back. Sanctuary does this by visiting the home of the new visitor and leaving behind a bag of microwave popcorn and a brochure with more information on the church. This is always followed up by a thank you letter and encouragement to attend a service the following week. The last follow up comes with a visit from the pastor at their home.

By rethinking the way they “do church,” by being truly welcoming and understanding that the first time visitor usually feels out of place, they have been able to grow their faith community and to broaden their outreach to 190 and beyond.

Spring 2010 | Transformation | 23

Order your copy of Transformation today!

I

ndividual subscriptions to Transformation Magazine are available for only $20 a year. Each subscription includes four full-color issues packed with stories of ministry from around The Desert Southwest Conference and The United Methodist Church.

Transformation is intended not only to serve as a tool to inspire current members of The Desert Southwest Conference, but it is also a tool to help tell visitors the story of what it means to be United Methodist in the Desert Southwest. It is because of this, the DSC Communications Commission is asking every member of The Desert Southwest Conference to prayerfully consider not only purchasing one subscription, but two. The first subscription would be for you to read before giving it away to a

church seeker in the spirit of evangelism.

The second subscription would be for someone you know who may not otherwise become connected, or someone who may be looking for a means of evangelizing. What a wonderful way to be a part of telling our story!

To subscribe, simply fill out the form below or place an order online at: http://desertsouthwestconference.org/ transformation.

If you have any questions about the return of this exciting ministry tool or anything else, please contact the Communications Department at Communications@desertsw.org or 602-266-6956. The Desert Southwest Conference Communications Commission and Communications Department are always ready to help. Let us work

together to make disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world.