e-Review archive
August 2004
 

Church makes impact in Jamaica (Aug. 2, 2004)

JACKSONVILLE BEACH — Twenty-six students and nine adult leaders from Beach United Methodist Church here returned late last month from a 10-day mission trip to the mountains of central Jamaica that made an impact on both the team members and the Jamaican people they visited. full story

Small congregations (Aug. 3, 2004)

An e-Review Commentary: In 1978 Carl S. Dudley wrote a book titled "Making the Small Church Effective" (Abingdon, 1978). In this classic study of small churches Dudley observed that small churches constitute the majority of Protestant churches in America and are located everywhere, from isolated rural areas to affluent suburban neighborhoods. full story

Pastor overcomes life of drinking and drugs to proclaim words of Jesus Christ (Aug. 4, 2004)

MIAMI — The Rev. Jeffrey Ice is not a gambling man, but he beat the odds a life of crime and drugs would predict for any man or woman. full story

Church reaches out to community with annual event (Aug. 5, 2004)

NEWBERRY — Who says you can't go home? Jenny Rodgers did just that when she attended the Family Fun Day Event here last April at Ellzey United Methodist Church, a small church 45 miles west of Gainesville. full story

Computer lab takes Orlando church's outreach ministries to new level (Aug. 6, 2004)

ORLANDO — The Rev. Margaret Kartwe-Bradley said a church can't really be a church unless it's reaching out to the community, and that's what she intends to help members of Ebenezer United Methodist Church here do. full story

Conference begins process of putting transformation plan into action (Aug. 9, 2004)

LAKELAND — Florida Conference Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker said clergy and laity should look to district superintendents for leadership and guidance as the conference begins the transition from its current 14 districts to nine between now and July 2005. full story

Melba's Mission Journal: Father Nature (Aug. 10, 2004)

An e-Review Commentary: In July of 2002 I was traveling on a tour of some of the countries in the Southern Cone—Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. I was traveling with Tim [Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker], Bishop Leo Soriano from the Philippines and Dr. Doug Ruffle, our translator from the General Board of Global Ministries. On July 12, 2002, I met one of the most unforgettable persons in my life. full story

Trip to Bahamas was no vacation for Jacksonville church (Aug. 11, 2004)

JACKSONVILLE — The people of Inagua may be forgotten to the rest of the world, but not to United Methodists in the Jacksonville District. full story

Notices — Aug. 12, 2004 {136}

Igniting Ministry Open House Month features new way to celebrate, Spanish-language ad Research says 2001-2004 Igniting Ministry goals met or exceeded Foundation introduces new Web site with features for churches and individuals Agency provides free resources for men's ministry full story

Conference prepares for Hurricane Charley (Aug. 13, 2004)

ORLANDO — As the state’s local emergency response organizations brace for Hurricane Charley to hit the state, Florida Conference disaster response team members are making their own preparations. full story

Disaster response team determines next step after storm (Aug. 14, 2004)

ORLANDO — Members of the Florida Conference disaster response team had thought their efforts would be directed at the Tampa Bay area and northeastward, but after Hurricane Charley changed course and made landfall in the Port Charlotte area they’re switching gears to meet people’s needs from Fort Myers to Daytona Beach and along the I-4 corridor. full story

Life in Ft. Myers after Hurricane Charley ( Aug. 16, 2004)

An e-Review Commentary: It is a little after 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15, and this is the first time I've had the ability to send or receive e-mail. The phone lines and electricity are still off in most of Lee and Charlotte counties. full story

Clergy spouses identify ways of helping families cope (Aug. 17, 2004)

LAKELAND — A proactive effort to build coping strategies into a family's infrastructure is vital for dealing with the inevitable storms a clergy family faces, a new study demonstrates. full story

A Pastoral Letter About Hurricane Charley From Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker (Aug. 17, 2004)

An e-Review Feature: Dear United Methodists in Florida: All of us have been awed by the sublime power of nature as we witnessed Hurricane Charley cross our state leaving a swath of destruction from Punta Gorda to Daytona Beach. full story

Conference sets up storm recovery fund, operations center (Aug. 18, 2004)

ORLANDO — Days after Hurricane Charley made landfall in Florida, killing 16 people and causing billions of dollars in damage from Ft. Myers to Daytona Beach, the Florida Conference has established a special fund and operations center to help affected communities. full story

Rally for Christ lights spark in men (Aug. 18, 2004)

TALLAHASSEE — Hurricane Charley may have prevented some people from attending the United Methodist Men's Rally for Christ, but those who did received special blessings from several keynote speakers who strove to enlighten and inspire. full story

Churches respond in aftermath of hurricane (Aug. 19, 2004)

LAKELAND — Elaine Williams struggles to find the words to explain living through Hurricane Charley, but comes up empty as tears stream down her face. full story

Pastor says Ft. Ogden church will come back stronger (Aug. 19, 2004)

An e-Review Commentary: FORT OGDEN — The eye of Hurricane Charley came straight through Fort Ogden Friday, Aug. 13. Charley came ashore in Punta Gorda-Charlotte Harbor, eight miles south of Fort Ogden, as either a category 4 or 5 hurricane with winds around 140 miles per hour. It had obviously not lost much, if any, power before plastering Fort Ogden, apparently accompanied by tornado winds. Our beautiful, historic church sanctuary suffered severe destruction. full story

Districts act quickly, begin long-term hurricane recovery (Aug. 21, 2004)

LAKELAND — In the eight days since Hurricane Charley ripped through Florida, churches and districts have mobilized quickly to help people affected by the storm. It's also clear there's much more work to be done before people can fully recover. full story

Impressions of a disaster (Aug. 24, 2004)

An e-Review Commentary: PUNTA GORDA — (August 20, 2004) Approaching Punta Gorda I glanced at the sign of the Shell service station. The "S" had blown away, leaving only the name "hell." I was not disposed to argue because I had just driven through the devastation of Wauchula, Arcadia, Nocatee, Fort Ogden and Cleveland. full story

Beyond violence (Aug. 24, 2004)

An e-Review Commentary: Our need in the Western world to deal with the dangerous threat of terrorism is disclosing once more our bondage to the way of violence. full story

Bishop visits hard-hit areas (Aug. 25, 2004)

PUNTA GORDA — Florida Area Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker spent two days last week visiting churches, pastors and communities hardest hit by Hurricane Charley. full story

Some churches leap into political process, others avoid it (Aug. 27, 2004)

LAKELAND — While some Florida United Methodist pastors say politics and the pulpit don't mix, others disagree and find themselves, and their churches, in the thick of upcoming election activities. full story

Greeting card ministry benefits sister churches in Cuba (Aug. 27, 2004)

BOCA GRANDE — Ever since the Florida Conference began forging deep bonds with its Cuban brothers and sisters through the Cuba/Florida Covenant, creative, out-of-the-box ideas have emerged to support these dynamic churches flourishing in a Communist country. One of the latest opportunities for Florida Conference churches to grant tangible support to Cuban sister congregations is a greeting card ministry launched by members of Boca Grande Lighthouse United Methodist Church on Gasparilla Island. full story

United Methodist youth rally around Arcadia community (Aug. 31, 2004)

ARCADIA — Beneath sunny, blue skies and with the smell of hamburgers and hotdogs wafting off the grill, there was little talk of the widespread devastation left by Hurricane Charley one week earlier. Instead, there was talk of the future at a community barbecue held Aug. 21 at Trinity United Methodist Church here and provided by United Methodist youth in the conference. full story

September designated 'welcome your neighbors' month (Aug. 30, 2004)

NASHVILLE (UMNS) — Won't 'cha be my neighbor? Folks at Asbury United Methodist Church, Rochester, N.Y., are being downright neighborly—they are inviting 1,200 new residents in their community to a picnic. Around the country, United Methodist churches are collaborating with National Neighborhood Day to make Sept. 12 a day of getting to know and welcoming neighbors into the church. full story