Personalia — May 2, 2007 May 2, 2007    News media contact: Tita Parham*  800-282-8011   tparham@flumc.org    Orlando {0668} NOTE: A headshot of Booth is available at http://www.flumc.info/photo_gallery2.shtml. An e-Review News Item Conference immigration lawyer among newly commissioned United Methodists By United Methodist News Service**  Andrew Booth STAMFORD, Conn. — Nine new missionaries have been commissioned by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. All nine are church and community workers, a mission category devoted to uplifting the poor and disenfranchised in rural and urban areas of the United States. The April 24 service also included the commissioning of 10 deaconesses and a home missioner. Three of the new missionaries are assigned to Justice for Our Neighbors, church-based legal clinics for immigrants related to the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The others will serve ministries with women and children, housing and economic development, community services and Native Americans. Commissioned as church and community workers were Andrew Booth, assigned to the Justice for Our Neighbors offices in Orlando and Tampa, Fla.; the Rev. Stephen Copley, who will serve as an immigration attorney for Justice for Our Neighbors in Monticello and Little Rock, Ark.; and Debbie Keeney, outreach coordinator of the Justice for Our Neighbors office in Omaha, Neb. Others missionaries commissioned were the Rev. Kathleen Masters, assigned to Mary’s Cradle, a center for mothers and children in Bluefield, W.Va.; the Rev. Linda and Mark Stransky, Project Crossroads in Marion, Va.; Gail Strickler and Mary Ward, both assigned to the Community Outreach Program within the Virginia Annual Conference; and Diane Wood, a deaconess assigned to the Choctaw Mission, Philadelphia, Miss. ### *Parham is managing editor of e-Review Florida United Methodist News Service. **United Methodist News Service is a ministry of United Methodist Communications based in Nashville, Tenn. Printer Friendly Version