East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church FALL 2010 | Volume 11 | Issue 1
joining hands east ohio
- informed, inspired and in touch.
bridging the
gap The Vision of the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church is to make and mature disciples of Jesus Christ.
East Ohio Joining Hands Fall 2010
Vol. 11 No. 1
East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church Office of Communications Editors: Sue Zakovec and Lois Speelman
bridging the
gap
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ou probably cross several bridges a day without thinking. Bridges span gaps and most often cross rivers to connect the opposite riverbanks. This issue of East Ohio Joining Hands calls your attention to a different sort of bridge – the ministry bridges that span alienation, desperation, poverty, and apathy.
Subscriptions/Administrative Lois Speelman lois@eocumc.com Contributing Writer John Booth Under the direction of: The Conference Board of Communications, Rev. Steve Bailey, Chairman Mail: Editor East Ohio Joining Hands 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W. North Canton, Ohio 44720
As you read the pages that follow you will learn about efforts to restore broken communities; reach across racial and generational divides; and overcome outdated architecture. You’ll learn about using horses and summer camp experiences as evangelism tools. You’ll discover how technology, theology and passion serve to focus mission efforts. You will learn about pioneers who are building bridges to the future.
Phone: ext ext. ext.
Bridging the gap can be hazardous duty. Several articles speak about the need to work through distrust, apathy and resistance to move congregations from where they have been to where their future lie. Those who bridge the gap are change agents who often are unappreciated by those who liked things the way they were. As you read you will also sense the joy that is found on the other side of those efforts; the joy of new life, new energy and new ways of living out our mission.
Submission of articles is encouraged. The deadline is November 15 for the Winter 2011 issue. Our theme is “Laity Lead: Grace Mixed with Faith”
We also are happy to announce that here in communications we are “bridging the technology gap” with the new technology for online publications. The Online Joining Hands looks like the printed magazine, is interactive but has additional stories and resources. Not only are we using this technology for our magazine, but are using this new format for online publications such as “The Window.” Thanks to all of you who endure the discomfort of bridging the gap between what once was and what shall soon be. The Spirit is strong within you. Faithfully yours, Rev. Dr. Steve Bailey Chair, Board of Communications
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Graphic Designer Sue Zakovec sue@eocumc.com
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800.831.3972 105 Editor 105 Graphic Designer 119 Subscriptions
Web site: www.eocumc.com
East Ohio Joining Hands USPS (005-882) is published quarterly by the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church, Office of Communications, 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W., North Canton, Ohio 44720. Periodical Postage paid at Canton, Ohio. Postmaster: Send address corrections to: East Ohio Joining Hands 8800 Cleveland Ave. N.W. North Canton, Ohio 44720
bridges
bridging the gap
Building Bridges
D
uring the summer of 1998, my wife, Lorraine, our then two middle school-age sons, and I went on a family vacation, touring seven western states and covering approximately 2,500 miles in a 12-day span. We had a lot of great experiences during the course of our “Wild West” sojourn (how else can you describe spending long periods of time in a car with two teen-age guys?). One of our experiences included driving over the Glen Canyon Bridge in Page, Ariz. As we stopped to tour the adjacent and equally impressive Glen Canyon Dam, I was amazed at what it had taken to construct a bridge that spanned the opposing canyon walls. It was apparent that world class architects, structural engineers, construction firms and project teams had to be employed to build a 1,560-feet-long, 700-feet-high bridge that could accomplish the mission of spanning one of nature’s greatest chasms. Since its completion in 1959, the Glen Canyon Bridge helped to transform an entire region. Before the bridge was constructed, the residents of Page living on the east side of the canyon needed to travel 192 miles to get to the opposite side of the canyon just a quarter mile to the west. The bridge has helped to transform the future of an entire region. Jesus Christ calls us to be bridge builders. The apostle Paul may have had this theme in mind when he
By Rev. Dr. Gary George
wrote to the Christians in Corinth, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation;” (II Corinthians 5:18). As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are blessed to have the privilege of being in ministry in ways that provide bridges over the life-denying torrents of violence, hatred and fear. We are partners together building bridges that allow people and entire communities to get to the other side where grace, mercy and hope reside. Any time we are partners with Christ in building bridges, we see a new bridge of hope and reconciliation constructed. Every day, we have abundant opportunities to be part of a mission that calls for us to help span the chasms, to bridge the gaps, and to make a way for people to “cross” over and experience God’s abundant grace and love. We live in a world and in communities where the bridges that are most needed have less to do with spanning rivers, roads and other natural barriers and more to do with bridging the gaps of human need and divine grace. We are called as individual disciples and as the Church to be God’s partners in building and being bridges that help to transform lives and communities. It’s great to know that you can be a bridge builder without having to be a registered engineer! Dr. George is the assistant to Bishop John L. Hopkins
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stewardship
bridging the gap
Modernizing financial giving makes ‘cents’ churchwide By Brian Sheetz, executive director of the East Ohio United Methodist Foundation
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n response to the earthquake in Haiti, the American Red Cross invited people to send a text that would result in a $10 donation to help relief efforts. More than $33 million was raised this way from 3.2 million individual donors. At one point, 900 such gifts were made in a single second.
Unfortunately the church is not as adept to change as the Red Cross. I would bet that if you looked back to the stewardship program of your church 50 years ago, it would look very familiar. Every October or November you ask your members to make a financial commitment to support the church for the following year. You may mention tithing but not really expect most of your members to do so. You have the same pledge cards, the same offering envelopes sized to hold cash or checks and ushers passing the plate each Sunday. We already have recognized that “church” needs to change to be relevant these days. The music has changed, we are more accepting of a more casual dress code and we may even see a Starbucks cup during worship. If we are to ask younger generations to support the church, stewardship needs to make changes as well. Younger people are less likely to want to support the institution of the church. They don’t care about the copier contract or the pastor’s health insurance costs. They want to invest in what they deem to be important: changing lives.
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Show them how their financial contributions help to feed the hungry, clothe the poor and comfort the afflicted. Stop hiding shared mission funding and lift up the work the church is doing in the area and around the world. Make giving possible for a generation that rarely carries cash or a checkbook. Are you set up to receive electronic transfers either one time or regularly every month? Can a member stop by the church office after worship to swipe a debit card to pay a special offering or even register a child for Vacation Bible School? Talk about money all year. The old stewardship model assumed that the person in the pew in August had been there the previous November to hear the stewardship sermon. How do you respond year-round to not only new members but also new attendees who may never join? And finally, be transparent. Finances that are open and available to all people suggest good management and wise stewardship of your resources. Do you have a narrative budget that shows how much of that copier contract supports missions and that utility expenses are actually costs to feed the hungry? Keep this information available and easy to find on your web site. Businesses have learned they need to make it easy for us to be their customers. How hard is it for someone to be a paying “customer” at your church?
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logging, tweeting and the social networks seem to be the territory of the next generation, folks who have never dialed a telephone or used a “rewind” button. The Foundation is finding ways to bridge this generational gap with the Stewardship Signposts blog by Brian Sheetz at http://eoumfblog.wordpress. com. It offers weekly updates, from the nuts and bolts of campaigns to discussions of stewardship and church leadership issues. Add to that the Foundation’s presence on Twitter, all generations can be up-to-date on the latest stewardship news.
young adults
bridging the gap
Mission work - reaching an entire generation of young people
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By Kaye Wolfinger, director of Youth Ministries
s soon as computers hit the classroom, technology defined the generation gap between teens and older generations. Hit fast forward to the year 2010 and that gap continues to widen as technology continues to advance. With the Internet, plentiful information, not always truth, is at our fingertips. If a person needs to know what an otter eats, just Google it. The same is true when it comes to religion. Who is Jesus? Just Google it! While we could debate the pros and cons that technology brings to our world, it would be time lost on something we cannot change. Add the fact that the younger generation is the wealthiest of any that has come before, and you have a mixture of something great and destructive. They will either change the world for Christ or make it complacent. This is why it is vital for our churches to grab the attention of these young adults and not let go. Sounds simple, but how do you bridge the gap with those 15to 25-year-olds? It is not an easy task, and one we should not take lightly. The Bible shows how important this is for our churches. There are plenty of examples of young men and women who changed their world by being leaders for God. Take for instance, David, Mary and the disciples Jesus chose. Some would argue they had some of the biggest impact in the Bible. How many of us have leaders in this age bracket in our ministries? Some might say that people at this age are too busy or unwilling to commit. This could be true. However, if they were well-equipped, could we see a difference? Ben Thompson, director of Young Adult Ministries at Wadsworth UMC, has an insightful view on this topic. He says he has seen a paradigm shift taking place. Our churches have been using an “attraction model,” which invites the community to “Come and see Jesus.” We want the community to come to our programs and learn about Jesus. However, this young adult generation seems to be more drawn to a “mission model” which moves from “Come and see” to “Go and be Jesus.” Rick Warren uses the model of a baseball diamond to show how disciples are “formed.” He says that home to first base is encountering Jesus and putting faith in Him. First and second bases are growing in faith, theology and learning scriptures. Second and third bases are discovering how God has shaped and gifted you. Finally, third base to home plate is being sent out into mission and ministry.
Adam Hamilton, founding pastor of The Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, has said that this model must be inverted for young adults. Young people need to hear both sides of Wesley’s theology, both the personal and the social aspects of the gospel and holiness. Young people are drawn more than ever to the social gospel. Many are connecting themselves to the church first and foremost through missions. They go and feed the poor and care for the least of these first (home to third), then they discover WHY we do these things as the bride of Christ (third to second). Then they start coming to church regularly (second to first) and then they encounter Jesus and put their faith in him (first to home). The cycle doesn’t end there. They then go back into mission because everything for them started in a mission context, and they continually go through this inverted baseball diamond. The “ReThink Church” momentum could be just what grabs this generation. They want to see this shift, from church being an attraction to a mission, from an institution to a movement, from a noun to a verb. This idea is nothing new to Methodists. Dr. Paul W. Chilcote, professor of historical theology and Wesleyan studies at Ashland Theological Seminary, said Wesley believed the church is not called to live for itself but to live for others. He firmly believed God was raising up Methodists for the task of resuscitating a missional church to share Jesus through its various ministries in the world. What would happen if we went back to this idea of “doing” church? “The challenge,” says Thompson, “particularly for mainline denominations, like the United Methodist Church is whether the shifts and passion and zeal are going to be harnessed and embraced, or will they be viewed as a fad and pushed to the fringe?” He goes on to say that this may be the biggest decision for churches to make in the next 10 to 20 years and an entire generation is watching and waiting to see where this goes. Since this generation is interested in missions, it is vital to offer opportunities for them to serve. There are plenty of places in and around our conference to plug-in to mission work. A group does not have to travel far to work with those in need. If resources are available and teens and young adults get the chance to see the need in other areas, their lives can be changed. Mission trips can have an impact like no other experience. Teens will take time out of their busy sched“Mission Work” continued on page 6
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young adults
bridging the gap
Campus ministry leads student back to Christ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. ~ Matthew 4:18-20 By Andrew Wilsterman
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ules to go and be the hands and feet of Jesus. College students are taking mission trips over their spring breaks. They come away from these experiences with a growth in their faith and an appreciation for their blessings. I once had a youth pastor say to me, “My group isn’t ready to go on a mission trip, they just aren’t there yet.” If you wait for them to arrive at a spiritual maturity before doing missions, you might lose them. This generation continues to pull away from religion and The Church, but imagine what would happen if each district would offer a mission trip for teens and young adults. This would be a direct link from The Church to these young people. Programming could be developed around those trips, such as training in small groups. After the mission work a celebratory worship service and multiple connections with the younger generation in real, authentic, practical ways could happen. Now - we are back to the basics of Methodism. Technology has created a generation gap. But it has also brought the world closer to home. Why are teens and young adults so compassionate? Why do they care more for their environment, the orphans and the widows? Could it be that all of this information is made more available, so they are more aware? Whatever the reason, this missional mindset is taking root in this generation and The Church needs to pay attention. Do no harm, do good and stay in love with Jesus were Wesley’s simple rules, ironically they still speak strongly to today’s generation.
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grew up in rural East Central Ohio. It’s not quite Galilee but it is where God has blessed the buckeye state with rolling tree-covered hills and the same wacky weather everyone has come to love or lament. My name is Andrew, not Simon or the one called Peter. I’ve thrown a line in the water a time or two but that doesn’t make me a fisherman, yet I have learned to throw down my nets and follow whenever Jesus calls. My mother and father raised my brother and me like so many do. At age 8 I knew the golden rule, although it didn’t always apply to my relationship with my brother. I could recite the Lord’s Prayer and rattle off any number of Bible stories I had learned in Sunday school or VBS at our local United Methodist Church. When I was about 9 or so my family simply stopped attending church. My Bible became more like a decoration on my nightstand than the sword of truth I have come to cherish. My belief in God remained throughout my youth and would continue to grow as I got older. On the other hand, I also remember having the kind of prayer life that only showed up five minutes before a high school math test. At this point it was safe to say the seed of faith had been planted, just not nurtured very well. I did not yet know my Savior or have a firm concept of who Jesus really was. Before I knew it college was knocking on my door. I remember starting to pray more often. I was uncertain and even scared about the future finding it a good way to cope. In the fall after high school I found myself in my freshman year of college at a
local regional campus, finding my place to fit in. Among the new atmosphere and classes, I was without a major and had a general lack of direction that only added to my uncertainty. Apparently God had been listening to my “good way to cope” and sent some help in the form of a group Bible study on campus. I had been asked to go a few times and finally decided to check it out. Something sparked and I knew that I wanted more. I found other people who prayed and people I could pray with. I was starting to figure out what I had been missing. After attending Bible study regularly I became good friends with the campus minister that led the study. We talked about my background and we got to know each other, so it was no surprise when he asked me to go to lunch off campus one day. We went to a local burger place and struck up a conversation that eventually came down to what I had been missing. In our studies we had been talking about Jesus and who he is, the conversation in the restaurant was who Jesus was to me. I found out. We talked about salvation, God’s great gift of his Son and finally prayed together to accept Jesus as Christ and open my heart to salvation. So many students leave the church and lose sight of Jesus, I have the amazing perspective of entering the Church and having a breath-taking relationship with my Savior. By opening up to Christ I have been led down a path that constantly adjusts but leads to the same end. With faith I have found courage to do so many things. I have cast down my nets to do ministry as a summer camp counselor and later on leadership staff at Camp Aldersgate. I lost 110 pounds to pursue a career in the United States Army Reserve. And now I am on the verge of college graduation ready again to follow whenever Jesus calls. Wilsterman is serving as a Camps and Retreat Ministries intern. He attends Kent State University. and currently serves as a specialist in the Army with Psychological Operations.
Young adults make real connections at Mayfield By Sue Zakovec
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alk into Mayfield Church on any given Sunday and the large number of young people engaging in 9:30 a.m. worship – teens, 20-year-olds and 30-somethings – is striking. So, what’s the key to making such a service “work” in a time when the average age of United Methodists in the pews is 57? “Reaching new generations has always been a main focus for Mayfield Church (Western Reserve District) and is part of its strategic plan,” lead pastor, Rev. Dr. Scott Wilson said. “When I was appointed to Mayfield, just over a year ago, the young adult ministry was the fastest growing ministry at Mayfield and it still is. The 9:30 Sunday modern worship (one of three services) is our largest service.” Mayfield’s young adult ministry started five years ago, when Rev. Bruce Becker, youth pastor, had been at the church only a short time. He had gotten to know many of the college and recently graduated college students who attended Mayfield. “As we talked, they said that they had begun searching for a ministry of their own,” Becker said. “They enjoyed working as youth leaders, but they needed to further their faith journey and did not feel the older adult classes were the place for them.” “I did not want to lose these great young people so within two weeks, along with eight to 12 young adults, we began to bridge the gap with a Bible study in my basement,” he said. The goal for the group was to give them a solid start and then let them take over. There were great leaders in the group that had been active and leading ministries at their colleges. Within a number of months they began to take the lead. After a year the group had outgrown Becker’s house and began to meet at the church, and Becker soon stepped away from weekly leadership. The group, named REAL Faith, was empowered by independence that evolved into the strategic focus for all 20- and 30somethings within the church. Today, REAL Faith (18- to 25-year-olds) numbers anywhere from 25 to 30 (depending on who is home from college). “We are working with the group alternate leadership and plan focused steps to invite and connect new people into the group,” Becker said. ”Our 9:30 modern worship service is a great time for these young adults to worship together and reach out to new visitors, which they do on a weekly basis.” The majority of young adults who attend Mayfield
Church have come because they were invited. Many times they come into the group through special events such as an annual volleyball tournament. “Young adults are looking for a place where they can feel welcome and feel like they are part of a larger community of like-minded peers. They want to grow in their walk with God, which is why studying the Bible and other Christian literature is a big focus,” said Brian Otte, Mayfield’s worship director and himself a 20-something. “If a person leaves feeling like they have grown closer to God and spent their time among people who care about them, then they will be excited to come back again and again. It’s what we are called to be as the church.” Mayfield Church has extra emphasis on the new generation’s strategic plan to encourage youth and young adults to go out into the mission field each year. “We want young people to see the world – hands-on. We want them to meet Jesus in the streets where their work with the poor illustrates how God works through them,” Wilson said. “It is an investment that the church will make and it will impact the world.” REAL Faith creates its own mission projects, often church service events such as working with the seniors’ ministry, lawn care or staffing pancake breakfasts. Young adults also partner with other ministries for larger mission opportunities. This summer several members of the group traveled with a larger team to Guatemala. Efforts continue to bring young people to Mayfield Church in leadership
and staff roles as well. Katie Ging, 22, was added to the staff in 2010 as chancel choir director. She has studied vocal music performance at Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music and is a music education major at Baldwin-Wallace College. Ging said she thinks it is important to establish a sense that people of all ages have something to bring to the table despite what some may view as a lack of experience. “I am most supported by the open communication between pastors and staff. The constant flow of information and feedback from both allows me to efficiently provide the best music ministry for the congregation,” she said. “Like it or not, I am the old guy around here,” said Wilson. “As I give responsibility to younger leadership, my responsibility as the senior staff member is to protect them publicly, affirm them and give them continual support.” Mayfield recognizes the importance of successful ministries that target every generation. Mayfield has a foundation of three principles for ALL members, that they be engaged in worship, spiritual growth, and mission. Wilson said, “We (as the church) need to reach new generations and in the past we have ignored it. Each church must make reaching new generations a part of its strategic plan,” Wilson, quoting Erwin McManus of Mosaic Church in Los Angeles, emphasized, “Which do we love more, our traditions or our children? ― We had better get it right.”
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community bridging the gap
“Please don’t talk. Look out the window. When we arrive at the church, we will share what we have seen.” - Valerie Stultz
The NEW Akron Plan - the future hope 1Akron First 2Centenary 3Christ 4Family of Faith 5Firestone Park 6Goodyear Heights 7Heart 4 the City 8Holy Trinity 9Hope 10North Hill 11Park 12Redeemer 13South Arlington 14Wedgewood 15Woodland 16+supporting churches
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ouring neighborhood after neighborhood and stopping at the 16 United Methodist churches in urban Akron, the list of what the pastors and lay leaders of the Akron congregations saw grew. Many had no idea of the vast diversity, the tremendous resources or the multitude of challenges. The streets where people of all ages, races and nations walked were the streets of our United Methodist churches. The neighborhoods where children went hungry, unemployment was rampant, and homelessness was a nagging threat were the neighborhoods of our congregations. The communities where God called us in Christ’s name were our mission fields. We looked and saw. We shared and prayed. That Saturday morning the NEW Akron Plan was birthed by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. We would no longer look and not see the ministry zones outside our doors. We would no longer have ears to hear and not hear the voice of God calling. Six centuries before the birth of Christ God’s people were living in one city while very much missing another city. Formerly citizens of Jerusalem, the people of Israel were living in captivity in Babylon. God’s prophet, Jeremiah, wrote from the ashes of the Holy City of Jerusalem to those who pined for their former home:
neighbors would be welcomed and disciples would be deployed. In order for this to happen, however, the embellished visions of the past would have to be replaced with 21st Century vital ministries. We listed our assets: excellent facilities in strategic locations, money in the bank, committed human resources. We had everything we needed and more. How could we have forgotten that God supplies everything we need and more? Our task was two-fold. First we had to become re-acquainted with our mission field. Then we had to organize, strategize and mobilize in order to reach it. We gathered, we consulted, we assessed, we trained and we prayed. Sometimes heated discussions brought tears of frustration. It became clear that somewhere along the line the concept of United Methodism as a connectional system had been lost. We would have to reclaim the connection if we were to engage in fruitful ministry. We also began to understand that if we kept on doing ministry as we had been, the results would be the same. Our congregations would continue to shrink. This meant that within a decade or two the United Methodist voice in the Article by Rev. Valerie Stultz city of Akron might be lost. Canal District Superintendent Two years after the bus tour our challenge continues. Letting go of the way things were in order to reinvest in future ministry is grueling work. Preaching and re-teaching the concept of our connectional mandate to reclaim the incredible resource of mutual “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ministry often meets blank stares and Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give folded arms. The jury is still out on the NEW Akron Plan. your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply Though Jeremiah’s words have there and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent inspired our pledge not to abandon you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will the mission God has given us, fear of find your welfare.” our neighbors threatens to paralyze ~ Jeremiah 29:5-7 NRSV progress. Years of locked doors and growing suspicion continue to plague our ability Years ago our churches had been planted in to connect with one another and our neighbors. Akron, and it was here that God continued to call Like the Israelites we will have to stop pining us to be. The United Methodist connection would for the past and live in the present. In this present aid and empower as we sought to collectively offer reality our 16 congregations are bound by the one one message of God’s grace to the city through desire to share the grace of Jesus Christ to find the saving love of Christ. Recommitting to the not only our present welfare, but our future hope. neighborhoods of our United Methodist faith communities would open 16 doors through which Akron Photo courtesy of www.urbanohio.com
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One16 one city. one church.16 locations.
Working as one has its own set of challenges
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By Sue Zakovec
fter the first year of ongoing discussion the NEW Akron Plan began to take on its own life. Plan members began to meet every month to pray, vision and plan. “We began to find our one voice,” said Rev. Max Beery, pastor of Firestone Park UMC and chair of the NEW Akron Plan. “We began to see more trust among ourselves and began to think in terms of how do we best serve the plan instead of our own individual agenda.” Ron Shultz, pastor of Family of Faith, believes there are three major challenges facing the NEW Akron plan churches: the plan represents a new approach that includes all the churches in the urban area working together; secondly, the urban churches have never attempted to promote the United Methodist church on a citywide scale before; and lastly, the world has evolved to a point where people are conditioned to expect immediate results for most everything. “A major challenge will be in sustaining the NEW Akron Plan over an extended period of time even if results aren’t immediately recognizable and allowing ourselves to work on God’s time, not ours,” Shultz said. Most NEW Akron Plan churches have been in transition from a neighborhood church to an urban missional church. The neighborhoods have evolved into places of vast cultural diversity. “We, the church, have not addressed this issue,” Beery said. There are multitudes of resources in the churches such as music programs, Sunday school, food pantries and more, but Beery asked, “Are they geared for the 21st century?” Of the Akron Plan churches, few have a contemporary mission that reflects those who reside in their neighborhoods. The goal of the connection is to pool resources along with support from greater Akron churches to create a comprehensive program aimed at elevating the recognition
of The United Methodist Church in the urban Akron area. While working to develop opportunities that will give The United Methodist Church a more recognized presence in the community, Akron churches will work together to develop ways to educate their congregations on how to engage people in the community. Through the brainstorming/visioning process of the past two years The NEW Akron plan has taken on a new name, One.16 - one city, one church, 16 doors. “I’m excited about One.16 because I believe it offers a fresh approach to being ‘connectional.’ Perhaps the most positive aspect so far has been the way both clergy and laity have come together in a spirit of cooperation to try and develop a program aimed at building up all of our congregations,” Shultz said. The most recent cooperative effort was spurred by a lay member of One.16, Judy Clifford, who was able to obtain 5,000 tickets to an August Akron Aeros game. Each church received approximately 300 tickets which, in turn, were then given away to residents in the community. For example, Firestone Park UMC gave away 50 tickets to the local Boy Scout troop that meets in the church while the remaining 250 tickets were passed out door-to-door. The tickets were given freely with one request ― that each ticket holder bring a canned good item to the game for donation to the Akron Food Bank. The ticket giveaway generated more than seven barrels of food for the food bank, entertained many and brought members of One.16 closer together as they move forward to bridge gaps between the community and the connection. Visit http//:one16. wordpress.org,the collaborative One.16 web site and blog.
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community bridging the gap
“The fields are ripe :” e 10 2 Luk
A plan to take East Ohio Conference congregations into their mission field
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By Rev. Kurt Landerholm Tuscarawas District Superintendent
he landscape of Christianity is changing in America. While the nation’s population grows, church involvement fades. No longer does the church influence culture. Culture influences
the church. Many mainline churches are becoming narrowly focused while they distance themselves from the growing, multi-faceted people outside the church. Those in the church look much different from those in the community the church is called to serve. So often our congregations become insulated from the world outside our doors, but we are called to connect with others. We have a call to reach our communities with the Good News and share the love of God. Some have said that North America is the greatest mission field. Yes, the fields are ripe for harvest. But our insulation is heavy, and we need help stripping back the layers to capture a vision of who we can reach, and how we can reach them. Earlier this spring a plan was introduced to help each congregation in the East Ohio annual conference come up with a strategy to reach its mission field. This fall, during charge conferences, each church will be asked to report its plan to reach new people for Christ. Strategies to reach the world for Christ are not new. Jesus gave a strategy when he declared, “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) The next 27 chapters of the book of Acts reveal how the plan was carried out. And Paul had a strategy as he followed the plan to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. He concentrated on population centers and started out in each community by visiting the synagogue where those who chose to follow Christ were taught as disciples and organized into a church. Centuries later John Wesley, with his genius for organization, put together a program of societies, classes and circuits. Circuit riders used this plan, traveling with
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the westward expansion across America as the Methodist movement grew at an extraordinary rate. The East Ohio plan invites each congregation to live into the call to be fishers of others. Our mission is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ” as we live out the commission of Matthew 28:19. The motivation is to do what all Christians are called to do, to step out of church insulation and to connect with those outside the church. The call is to do kingdom work. Through our conference’s shared ministry apportionments, each congregation has access to a powerful tool called MissionInsite. To catch fish, you have to know what fish are available. Who’s in the pond? MissionInsite, a demography-driven resource, helps each church to understand the people that live in their mission field and a target group to reach. With the target group in mind, each church develops
a strategy to reach out in a realistic, yet a stretching, innovative way. The goal is to find ways for the congregation to move into the harvest field and connect with people. Through charge conference reports, compass groups and the district superintendent, encouragement and accountability will be offered. Insulation is a good thing if you don’t want to experience the environment. But it is not a good thing if it cuts us off from the world we are commanded to reach. If the nearly 800 mission outposts of the East Ohio annual conference take intentional steps to reach new people for Christ, heaven only knows the impact there might be.
By John Booth
Dueber UMC takes seriously its commitment to "Love thy nei ghbor”
Not all gaps to be bridged are measured in distance
a deeper impact, three years ago the idea was out to the children in their nei hatched to send some of ghborhood,” the neighborhood said For too long in many eyes, Camp Wanake director Juli chil dren to week-long summe Dueber UMC e Lautt, who r programs at works stood in its neighborhood with similarly with a coalition of out being a true Camp Wanake, Miller said. The church rais Cleveland ed churches and Nas par t of its neighborhood, me hville UMC in the Three mber Shari Miller funds to send 11 kids – her class me mbers Rivers Distric observes. and their siblings – and it pro t. ved to be a new However, during the past thre The camp has also provide way to bridge that gap between Due e years, a d things like ber and its sleeping new effort by Dueber’s Hop bags and flashlights and swe e Ministries for neighbors. atshirts children has begun to change for the kids. “We had to work with parent that. s to do the “We’re eve “Hope Ministries have been n starting a mentoring going on for paperwork and make those arrangements ,” program,” Miller many years,” said Miller, Hop Mill er said. “And we started said. “We don’t have a e’s co-director developing name for and a teacher in the progra it yet, but families in the m. “It started as relationships with those parents. That ope church ned have offered to a Wednesday evening progra connect with families in the m for kids in the a door, and parents started to call us when neighborhood church, and then morphed whose kids are involved with into a program for they needed something – not just money, Hope.” the kids around the church but someone to go to court with , who live in the them, or area.” During the school year, the someone to talk to. And the 50-volunteer y started visiting Hop Over that time, there has e Ministries continues its also been a the church.” Wednesday shift in the church’s congre night get-togethers, with gation: Located She also credits the work of about 75 kids Cha r in an economically depres attending for meals and sm sed area, Dueber Messenger, who started working at all-group classes. Dueber UMC saw its membership Ms. Miller says the connec last yea r, and “really helped us ma become one tion between ke the Dueber and more likely to live in the its neighborhood is growin Canton suburbs changes in the program that made it g fam ily- stronger bit by bit. than in the immediate sur Some nearby families have roundings, which friendly.” led to something of a disc begun attending the church onnect between Last summer, Hope Ministries , she said, and raised in one drama the churchgoers and the fun tic case, a local boy who ds all yea residents of the r which, coupled with confere had nce attended the Hop community where they worship funding which covers half e programs for several years . the cos t, sen t 47 finally got his mo It was about a decade ago ther to visit the church and by Miller’s neighborhood kids to camp, prompting even estimation that neighb turn her life around. mo re involvement with local par orhood children ents. This “If we began attending the Wedne can tell them about Jesus sday night Hope year, the number grew to 76 – and and for the reach their par programs, which offered a me ents and form relationships al, playtime and first time included a mix of neighborhood … kids that’s an eterna small group learning. plus children of families who l difference,” Miller said. “An atte d nd Due ber “That grew and grew, but that makes every hour we spe we were only regularly. Campers attended not only Wanak nd wor th it.” e working with the kids,” she said. “It was going but also Aldersgate and CYF camp at Malone strong, but we weren’t making a difference in University. the community; we weren’t “We’d love to work with mo having anything to re churches do with their families.” in that way, with churches who wan t to reach After praying for guidance on how to make
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community bridging the gap
ol l Love Out Loud
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Hispanic focus unites multiple congregations By John Booth
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ithin the East Ohio Conference’s river- and Great Lake-enriched Firelands District, crucial bridges are being built that have nothing to do with water. In Willard, First UMC and Grace UMC have teamed with Lakeside UMC in a significant and growing ministry to serve the region’s increasing Hispanic population. “It started about five years ago,” the Rev. Jerry Phelps of Lakeside said. “Ken Gifford and Jim Ellis (then pastors of the Willard churches) came together with the inception of it. They realized in their community that they have a large amount of Hispanics. They saw that there was a growing need.” According to the latest available U.S. Census estimates, in 2009 there were 37,624 Hispanics living in Erie, Huron, Lorain, Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca counties, which compose most of the Firelands District. Nearly two-thirds of that population (23,539) could be found in Lorain County alone. What began as an outreach in teaching English has expanded to include field ministry, legal consulting, regular Hispanic worship services and Willard’s recently opened Starting Point Outreach Center, which Phelps describes as “a referral service that people can use … for providing encouragement, assistance and hope to deal with life changes and difficulties.” In 2009, Cuban-born Methodist Luigi Pérez – a member of Smithville UMC who had expressed a desire to enter the ministry and serve in the Hispanic community – moved from Wooster to Willard after meeting with Phelps and others in the Firelands District.
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“The Hispanic population around the nation is in big need of hope, love and someone that really cares for their spiritual and physical needs, and in my personal opinion we have what they need,” Pérez said. “We believe and live in Jesus but we also believe in social justice, piety and compassion.” Pérez visits area farms to meet with workers and also oversees a Sunday worship service and Wednesday Bible study at Grace UMC in Willard. “Our average attendance is about 15 people in worship,” he said. “Our growth is in progress: not as fast as we want, but we can witness that God is working in lives and people have been touched through our ministry.” The Hispanic ministry also holds an annual day-long gathering at Lakeside that attracts between 40 and 60 attendees. “We want to integrate the Hispanics to the whole community, and in order to accomplish that we have done several things,” Pérez said. “We have shared meals and time in fellowship just to build up the bridge to connect our cultures.” The churches have held combined services and a traditional Hispanic Three Kings celebration of Epiphany, for instance, and Hispanic children join the main church program for Sunday school. Lakeside’s Phelps is particularly encouraged to note that while Lakeside UMC has no Hispanic members, that hasn’t stopped the congregation from supporting this ministry wholeheartedly. “We’re finding more people coming together because it works also within their community,” Phelps said. “It’s a blending of services and people. You don’t have to have Hispanics in your community to work with the Hispanic community.”
By Lois Speelman
very generation tends to look at the next with some degree of skepticism. Will they become responsible citizens? Will they understand the needs of the church? Will they understand the importance of helping others? For the past two summers the Millersburg United Methodist Church (Three Rivers District) has answered the question with a resounding: “Yes. They will!” Youth from Millersburg and the surrounding community gather for Love Out Loud (lol), the Holmes County Summer Youth Project. “The original focus of Love Out Loud was to provide assistance for elderly and physically challenged residents in Holmes County,” said Joe Edinger. “It quickly became apparent that God was at work using this ministry to create connections in the community. What started as a Millersburg United Methodist youth project has exploded into a project that last year involved 17 churches and almost 200 volunteers. “The work camp is structured primarily as a one-week project, but the connections, resources and service projects have already grown to expand well beyond the limitations of the week,” Edinger said. The participating campers spend time on a variety of local mission projects. Deck and ramp repair along with construction of handicapaccessible ramps, retaining walls, painting, cleaning of gutters, carpet removal and weeding take place at as many as 20 different work sites. “Love Out Loud has triggered community partnerships with churches, businesses and individuals that have vowed to assist each other and families throughout the year,” Edinger said. “Camp organizers are quick to acknowledge how they have enjoyed watching God use this ministry as hearts and homes are being renovated in Holmes County. This is visible from things as small as new friendships that students are taking back to school to knowing that residents are able to remain in their homes with their families because of the renovations that were made and funded by Love Out Loud.” This year younger children were included after the organizer learned that one of the residents requested someone to help put puzzles together while the crew was repairing her home. Participants report that the
poverty bridging the gap
Congregation comes together to open door to opportunity through education, guidance
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relationships they made with each other and residents are extended beyond camp through e-mail, re-visits and in several cases there have been reunions and summer picnics at the resident’s home. Participants also report that once they start working at homes, neighbors, friends and family members are curious to see what is happening and then inspired to join in service. “These are wonderful examples of how God can take love and multiple it and use the fruits to connect his children,” Edinger said.
By John Booth
ocial, cultural and geographic divides can be difficult to overcome. But few subjects are as uncomfortable as the economic gaps, which have become especially prevalent during recent years. Park United Methodist Church in Akron is working to close that gap by starting a local Bridges Out of Poverty ministry developed from a model promoted by poverty-focused author and educator Ruby K. Payne. “Our congregation is already a multi-economic-level congregation,” said Park UMC Pastor Linda Somerville. “We have people right now who are living in poverty, and we have people here who are extremely comfortable.” And, she noted, the church’s home in the Kenmore neighborhood is one that has suffered economically, so on a regular basis, “we see a great deal of poverty and crisis situations.” Park UMC’s implementation of the Bridges Out of Poverty program will consist of several pieces, ranging from educating people in the middle class and wealthy class to understand the dynamics of poverty to a program – “Getting Ahead in a Just-Getting-By World” – for those struggling with poverty to learn the thinking and behaviors of middle class America. “As a result of that, they set their own goals to work their way out of poverty,” Somerville said. A third component will partner graduates of the “Getting Ahead” class with volunteers who will encourage and support them for 18 to 24 months as they work their way out of poverty. They’ll offer guidance and assistance in helping program participants to seek full-time employment, get permanent housing or further their education. “The dynamic of this class means that instead of it being something done to people living in poverty, they are the ones who set their own goals, make their own time frame and make their own decisions in achieving something they have not been able to do,” Somerville said. Park UMC kicked off the program last fall through meetings with church leaders and in January hosted a seminar where residents of the surrounding community and nearby churches were invited to come and learn the different mindsets of economic classes. “Those groups do think very differently,” Somerville said. “Their aspirations are different, and the number of resources they have is very different.” The church is in the process of launching its first “Getting Ahead” course and is training its first mentors. More than 30 church members have volunteered to help with some aspect of the program. “Our hope is that as we move into the community, that (new participants) will make a relationship with Jesus Christ also a goal,” Somerville said. “We will be emphasizing the need for spiritual development as well as economic development and educational development.”
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special needs
bridging the gap
Equine ministry provides a unique outreach By Janet Muffett, director of God’s Equine Ministry
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n the fall of 2007, some friends at Kennonsburg United Methodist Church (Southern Hills District) formed God’s Equine Ministry (GEM). The new ministry provided an avenue for people who love horses to get together informally to ride and enjoy horses and horse activities. The program offered instruction in care of horses and therapeutic riding, driving and association with horses for disabled people. It became a mission outreach for youth and adults by offering an opportunity for those who love horses to volunteer in ministry to others through horse activities by recognizing and confirming God’s blessings for us through these beautiful animals. Since then, GEM has served hundreds of people through horse activities. Members of the group
offer themselves, their farm, arena and horses free of charge. GEM members volunteer as side-walkers, horse leaders and friends, when those with special needs come to ride and play with the horses. Kind and generous neighboring farmers and land owners in this rural community offer woodland paths and flowerstrewn meadows for trail rides and campouts. Riders are excited to participate in GEM’s spring and fall “Ex-Scream Cowgirl-Cowboy Race and Trail Ride,” followed by a chuck
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wagon dinner and campfire. A weekly adult trail riding group meets every Wednesday for a long ride and picnic. Last fall, when Bishop and Mrs. Hopkins visited, they enjoyed the scenic beauty of Noble County aboard horseback as guests of GEM members. The ministry also organizes outings to Equine Affaire and Quarter Horse Congress, participation in local fairs, and hosts horse shows. Through generous donors, GEM has been able to purchase a pony cart, riding helmets and other equipment, as well as sponsor activities free of charge. The healing, joy, peace and recovery that have come to those whom the ministry has reached is testimony of God’s hand in this work. As one rider said, “We have all become more whole because of this.”
Church bridges the gap by reducing physical barriers By Stephanie Lee, pastor of Akron Centenary UMC, Canal District
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hile serving in my last appointment, an aging congregation, I began to realize that as members became beset by mobility issues, the tendency was to no longer attend church, thereby isolating themselves from the very community that gave them life! Their reasons for staying home were dual: First, it was embarrassing to be seen as somehow “defective” and needing others to go out of their way to make arrangements or concessions for them. And second, our churches are not designed to welcome those who have disabilities. Many sanctuaries, including the one in Akron Centenary UMC, (Canal District) have pews with narrow passage, making it difficult for even able-bodied people to squeeze through let alone those who use canes or walkers. Some side aisles are too narrow for wheelchairs and many sanctuaries have no space for a wheelchair save out in the center aisle. Disturbed at how these difficulties affected people who really desired to continue their fellowship and spiritual life among the body of Christ, I went to the Board of Trustees and asked if we could begin to address this issue. To my pleasant surprise, they agreed. But it was some weeks later that one of our members, a choir member who had been very ill and was now on oxygen, summoned all the strength and resolve she had within her and came back to church. With no wheelchair, she walked up the center aisle. Actually, I should say, she struggled mightily to walk up the center aisle to a seat about two-thirds of the way to the front of the sanctuary. Most of us were moved beyond measure to see her struggle just to be in the House of the Lord. I decided then that we had to do something. We are a church and people should be able to come and worship God regardless of how mobile they are.
by
Centenary UMC At the 2010 Annual Conference, Rev. Al Herzog called the conference to become more aware of people with disabilities. With the blessing of the trustees, I went before the congregation and laid out what we wanted to do and the congregation agreed and applauded. In July, Dr. Martha Banks, a clinical neuropsychologist who is an advocate for those with disabilities, spoke to the congreDr. Martha Banks gation. Banks, who has written considerably about people with disabilities and traumatic brain injury, is a member of Centenary UMC and former president of Division 35 (Women’s Division) of the American Psychological Association. She recommended what changes would enable the congregation to welcome people with mobility issues. We then decided to remove the center pew on each side of the sanctuary to allow room for users of walkers and canes, plus people with longer legs. The trustees moved quickly with the
size
renovation work because God blessed us with youth workers from the Akron Urban League to provide much needed labor. Two long pews were replaced with two shorter pews to allow spaces for wheelchairs, accessible from the center aisle. When the renovation was done, I went back to the church member who had struggled to come to church. She is now wheelchair-bound, and as I gave her the good news, tears came to her eyes. When her son wheeled her in, he at first took her to the space where the pew had been removed. But she then pointed out the space that had been created especially for wheel chairs, and she was heard to say to him, “That’s my seat up there!” Along with the moving of the pews to create space for those with mobility issues, we also added amplification devices for those with hearing loss. We intend to pave a walkway to the street so members being picked up by our church van can exit the van on sure footing. We also hope to have video equipment installed to allow those with visual impairment to better participate in worship.
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books
resources bridging the gap
When Christians Get it Wrong By Adam Hamilton
When young adults talk about the problems they have with Christianity and the church, they often name certain attitudes and behaviors they believe are practiced too often by Christians: judging others, condemning people of other faiths, rejecting science, injecting politics into faith, and being anti-homosexual. With his familiar style, Hamilton tackles these issues and addresses the how’s and why’s of Christians getting it right when it comes to being Christ in the world.
blogs
What Every Church Member Should Know about Poverty By Bill Ehlig and Ruby Payne
“Two phrases are often cited as the last words of a dying church: ‘We never did it that way’ and ‘We tried that once but it didn’t work.’ I’ve come to realize there should be more to the latter phrase. It should be: “We tried that once but it didn’t work, … because we didn’t know what we were doing and didn’t bother to learn how to do it.” This book is one cure for that problem!” - Sandra Lutz, member of North Canton Grace UMC. Read Lutz’s book review on page 17 in this issue of Joining Hands Magazine Online.
http://blog.genxrising.com Andrew Thompson’s award-winning column in the United Methodist Reporter inspired this blog of the same name.Thompson’s blog focuses on issues of faith, community, and the church, particularly as they relate to Generation X’ers (those born between 1961 and 1981).
Souls in Transition: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults By Christian Smith
National Study of Youth and Religion sturdy young people’s faith as they begin the transition into adulthood. Smith’s research challenges much conventional wisdom about 18-23 year olds and finds that throughout young people’s religious lives what continues to be the massive importance of parents and congregations.
dvd series - in the media center The Present Future: Six Tough Questions For The Church
Explore this ten-session DVD curriculum with best-selling author Reggie McNeal and his studio audience the six most important realities that church leaders must face as they move to a more authentic and missional Christian faith. By changing the questions church leaders ask themselves about their congregations and their mission, they can reshape the Christian movement in North America, acknowledge generational shifts, and provide stimulating new ways of thinking.
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http://faithandleadership.com/blog Call and Response blog found on Duke Divinity’s Faith and Leadership web site is a place where Christian leaders reflect. connect and learn. Contributors inform your journey and spark your imagination.
online articles Shane Claiborne: Fusing faith and practice In 1998 at the age of 21, self-described “ordinary radical” Shane Claiborne co-founded a small monastic community, The Simple Way, in a row house in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Philadelphia. In an Interpreter Magazine interview, Claiborne shares his thoughts on what draws people to monasticism, how young people are changing the church and what “a wild guy” John Wesley was. You can read Claiborne’s interview in the September/October issue at www.interpretermagazine.org.
book review
From poverty to success: How congregations can speak the language of the poor A review of:
What Every Church Member Should Know about Poverty by Bill Ehlig and Ruby K. Payne Two phrases are often cited as the last words of a dying church: “We never did it that way” and “We tried that once but it didn’t work.” I’ve come to realize there should be more to the latter phrase. It should be: “We tried that once but it didn’t work, … because we didn’t know what we were doing and didn’t bother to learn how to do it.” This book is one cure for that problem! This is a second edition of the authors’ congregational application of the ideas presented in A Framework for Understanding Poverty. While they see its primary use as an individual resource, they do suggest its use with groups. My sense is that it would be particularly helpful for 1) Churches planning to begin more significant mission work with people in poverty through an already established mission program or by initiating a program of their own, and 2) Churches wanting to do evangelical outreach to people in poverty intending to include them in the life of the church. This book is especially helpful in setting a knowledge-based context for such efforts. Each chapter begins with passages from scripture/Ecclesiastics. These set the stage (they don’t feel like an afterthought!) and are followed by a story or two that give the reader real-life context. These serve as introduction to data, theory, and explanation that move the reader to solid sociological understanding. All of this is followed by several questions, helpful for either individual contemplation or group discussion. I found the discussion of “hidden rules” of the middle class, poverty and wealth most
thought-provoking. It was uncomfortable to find myself in the middle class so easily! But it was helpful to see the poverty “rules” particularly because I had spent a week coordinating and teaching a vacation Bible school segment at Calvary Mission in innercity Canton. There were those children! And then in a later chapter the authors led me into new insights about what “rules” are dysfunctional and how they can be modified to move those children out of poverty into success. This means not simply substituting middle class “rules” for those of poverty. Instead, it means recognizing the costs to individuals and ways to minimize negative aspects that change brings. A review of chapter titles gives a quick overview of where this small but powerful book will take you: Language patterns and cognition; violence/conflict resolution; family structure and marital relationships; money, stewardship, and spending; church participation; who do we help and how much; transitioning the poor into membership; systemic issues in church organizations and finally, assessing resources. People well versed in sociological study may find little new in the research and theory presented but the authors’ ways of connecting these data with a local congregation are clear and compelling. A careful reading of this book could well save you and your congregation from that “we tried that once and it didn’t work” trap. Try it again — with sound study beforehand! - Sandra Lutz, member of North Canton Grace UMC, Tuscarawas District
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p a g
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UMW Sunday bulletin cover by Hannah and Abbie Bullock Faith UMC, North Canton
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UMW finding ways to bridge between generations
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he United Methodist Women (UMW) of Faith UMC, North Canton, Tuscarawas district have taken literal steps to bridge the generational gap. May 2010 the women hosted the “Sisters in Stilettos” All Daughter’s Banquet with four generations of women represented. Although most attendees did not wear stilettos, the program was focused on shoes. A new sister in Christ was introduced whose SOLE was hurting. She wanted to be sure she was wearing the SHOES that Jesus would want her to wear. The shoe fashion “We will help to HEEL your troubled SOUL” followed. The younger girls modeled their bright and crazy socks. They were asked how our lives are like shoes. We are all different but with things in common such as a tongue, eyes and a sole (soul). Salvation flip flops were decorated by all and donations of gently used or new shoes and socks were collected. For UMW Sunday two teenage sisters, Hannah and Abbie Bullock created the bulletin cover (pictured on the left) used to illustrate the theme of “Who Is at The Table?” The mother-daughter team of Revs. Valerie Stultz and Cara Stultz Costello shared the sermon presentation. Betsy Douce, a member of the United Methodist Women shared her thoughts. “ If the mission of our church is to make and mature disciple of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, shouldn’t we be making the effort to reach all ages? Part of the purpose of UMW is to develop a creative, supportive fellowship and to expand concepts of mission. We are trying to do this through all ages of women. For many of us change is difficult, but we are finding that if we are going to be successful in our mission we have to be willing to try doing some things differently. “
Fun Fest
C, Mahoning rlin Center UM August 2010 Be er Fun Fest sted its first ev Valley district ho community th a bridge to e te ea cr to y wa as a e church. surrounding th er 300 people attended by ov The event was l those that t success for al ing time for and was a grea as a great bond ll we as ed at ip partic and old. e church young members of th ach neighbors s an effort to re wa h It ac tre ou e Th ening manner. t in a non threat e th at wh for Jesus Chris ow sh rlin Center UMC also helped Be t. ou church is all ab d participants us giveaways an rio w va re we e er Th ose cards are no fill out cards. Th nd te ex d an t were asked to ac nt a follow up to co being used as ed us. in jo o wh e os th an invitation to ation booth, a church inform so al s wa e er Th candy and es, food, cotton along with gam ything was free. ggest plus ever popcorn, the bi
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young clergy
bridging the gap
Firebrand scholarships reach out to new generation of clergy The East Ohio United Methodist Foundation has awarded its first two scholarships. Firebrand is designed to identify and encourage outstanding young seminary students who have a passion for local church ministry. Daniel Baer is the pastor at Mogadore United Methodist Church and is a second-year seminary student at Ashland Theological Seminary. He completed his undergraduate studies at Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, graduating magna cum laude. He was awarded the full Firebrand Scholarship, which includes tuition for his remaining two years at Ashland. Derek Hickman was awarded a “venture capital” scholarship, a renewable one-year award that will cover his tuition costs for his first year of study at United Theological Seminary in Dayton. He is a part-time local pastor serving Christ United Methodist Church in Newcomerstown, his home church and is a graduate of Kent State University. The Firebrand Society is a joint project of the East Ohio United Methodist Foundation and the East Ohio Conference. The initial funds have been provided through the generosity of members of the United Methodist Church of Wooster.
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The goal of the society is to provide scholarship and financial assistance to outstanding seminary students who are on track to be ordained as full elders by age 35 and have the skills to serve as transformational leaders in the East Ohio Conference. The awards are based not only upon academic proficiency, but also creativity, initiative and leadership ability. “Both of these men show great promise for the future of our Conference,” said Brian Sheetz, Executive Director of the Foundation. “We knew that in this first year we wanted to set the bar high and we are thrilled to have found two candidates who exemplify the kind of leadership and vision that will be so important to the future of our denomination.” This effort is in response to a troubling trend in the Conference and across United Methodism where the average age of a pastor is 54. Last year in East Ohio 19 clergy retired and only four ministers under age 35 were ordained. “If we are truly committed to reaching a new generation of Christians, we need to strengthen the new generation of clergy who will do that work,” he said. It is not unusual for young ministers to graduate from seminary with as much
as $50,000 in student debt, nearly double their starting salary. As a result parsonage families are under significant financial pressure. According to the Board of Higher Education half of all new ministers leave the pulpit in the first five years and the mostoften cited reason is this financial pressure. The Foundation has two models for future funding future scholarships. The first is for a local church to fully support a candidate through seminary and helping to retire any student debt. While this cost will vary for each student it is expected to be between $35,000 and $50,000. This can be paid through a three-year pledge period if necessary. Individuals can also participate by making gifts to the general Firebrand fund directly through the Foundation with a gift of $1,000 through ten annual gifts of $100 each. Additional more substantial gifts are anticipated as well. More information about applying for a Firebrand Scholarship or supporting this effort can be found at EastOhioUnitedMethodistFoundation.org or by calling the Foundation Office at 800-831-3972 ext. 152.