e-Review archive
Global Connection
April 2008
 

Florida Conference expands e-Learning program

April 6, 2008   News media contact: Tita Parham* 800-282-8011   tparham@flumc.org  Orlando {0826} An e-Review Feature By Steven Skelley** Internet World Usage Statistics reports 71 percent of the North American population uses the Internet. With so many people accessing Web sites for information, the Florida Conference is increasing its Web presence and has added classes for lay leaders and members to its online e-Learning resources. full story

Church rescues children in displaced persons' camp

April 1, 2008      United Methodist News Service GULU, Uganda — Dorothy Lakol walks a few steps outside her family's hut to her mother's gravesite. Lakol's mother, Betty Amon, died two years ago of AIDS at Layibi, one of the internally displaced persons' camps established by the Ugandan government during the country's 20-year civil war. Dorothy's father, Solomon Ochen, her brother, Regarha, 12, and her sister, Phoebe, 6, all have the same deadly disease. Only Dorothy, 10, has escaped the sickness that will soon take the rest of her family away from her. She is one of 23 children rescued and recruited by the Uganda Conference of the United Methodist Church to become part of the Hope for Africa Children's Choir. full story

Choir opens world to children with 'hard lives'

April 1, 2008      United Methodist News Service NASUTI, Uganda — A slender young woman stands behind the audience — well out of the limelight. Twenty-three pairs of little eyes watch her every move. She smiles, they smile. She enunciates each word; they pay close attention. She sways. She directs. She cradles the children in her capable hands. "Auntie Lydia" is the conductor and manager for the Hope for Africa Children's Choir and Academy. The 23 children live together night and day and are preparing for their "first ever international tour." The highlight of the tour will be two performances at the 2008 United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, on April 28 and 29. After their performance in Texas, the children will tour and sing at United Methodist churches in Arkansas, Georgia, Wisconsin, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee until the end of July. full story

Zimbabwe's economy adds to retirees' misery

April 4, 2008      United Methodist News Service HARARE, Zimbabwe — Selling little yellow balls of "Cockroach Kill" used to help the Rev. Kenneth Shamu put food on the table. Now even income from that small business is gone because the soaring inflation rate in Zimbabwe has made it impossible to buy the ingredients — sugar, eggs and Borax. Creative solutions have helped the Shamus survive since his retirement as a United Methodist pastor in 1995. Shamu stopped receiving any pension funds from the church in 2004. Even before they stopped, he was not receiving enough to live on, he said. Zimbabwe's political and economic situation only adds to the misery. full story

Unconditional guarantee? Petitions would tweak clergy ‘job security’

April 4, 2008 United Methodist Reporter One of the things every newly ordained United Methodist clergy member knows is that he or she will have a place to serve. It’s seen as a fair tradeoff for enduring a rigorous process of ordination and an itinerate system that requires clergy to serve wherever a bishop places them. In some ways, it’s a sweet deal: Churches don’t ever have to go without a pastor, and a pastor never goes without a setting for ministry. But some bishops and other church leaders argue that such “job security” also enables ineffective pastors to stay in ministry even though they fail to help congregations grow spiritually. full story

WESLEYAN WISDOM: GC 2008: Outsource study on itineracy

April 4, 2008 United Methodist Reporter In his Wesleyan Wisdom column, Donald Haynes says The United Methodist Church would benefit from an independent study on the itinerate system with recommendations for change. full story

GEN-X RISING: It takes a village ...

April 4, 2008 United Methodist Reporter Why are so few young people answering the call to ministry? Perhaps their faith communities aren't helping them learn to hear it. Hence the shortage of young clergy. full story

Commentary: A look inside the black church

April 4, 2008      United Methodist News Service The YouTube explosion of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's sermon clips and the continuous loop being played to millions on CNN, Fox News and other media outlets reminds Christians that, in our worship and living experiences, we still face the daunting challenges of racial division. We've realized anew that there is much we do not know about each other across racial and class lines. The debate over the inflammatory nature of some of Wright's sermon statements raises questions about black liberation theology, the prophetic role of Christianity in challenging U.S. policies and the role of class in the African-American community. And even though Trinity is not a United Methodist congregation, the debate offers an opportunity for United Methodists to grapple with the significance of our own racial and class divisions. full story

Commentary: Race speech models holy conferencing

April 4, 2008      United Methodist News Service U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's recent speech on race in America was a powerful and electrifying moment in recent oratorical history. Whatever it does for his 2008 presidential campaign, it stimulated conversation about race in hallways, at dinner tables, and even on late-night television shows, superseding topics like gubernatorial resignations and affairs. I hope that we can keep these conversations going in the future, whether or not we agree with his perspective. But I also wonder if the example of talking about a sensitive and often divisive topic might have something to teach us as we gather for the United Methodist General Conference. full story

Survey results for new hymnal are in

April 5, 2008     News media contact:   Dean McIntyre * 877-899-2780, ext 7073 *  Nashville General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church More than 19,091 people participated in the General Board of Discipleship's recent hymnal and music surveys. Dean McIntyre, director of worship resources for the general agency, says musicians, pastors and members will find the reports of those surveys provide interesting discussions at choir rehearsal, church meetings and Sunday school classes. full story

UMW study on Middle East provides context for mission

April 7, 2008     News media contact:   Linda  Bloom * (646) 3693759*  New York {156} United Methodist News Service NEW YORK — For more than 75 years, United Methodist Women has sponsored "Schools of Christian Mission" as a means of informing and educating its members. But complaints have arisen about the geographic study on Israel-Palestine that was used in 2007 and will be used again this year. The complaints call into question the study's depiction of the issues between Israelis and Palestinians. full story

United Methodists reflect on the costs of Iraq war

April 7, 2008     News media contact:   Kathy  Gilbert * (615) 7425470*  Nashville {155} United Methodist News Service As the Iraq war enters its sixth year, the costs extend far beyond the more than 4,000 U.S. soldiers and 600,000 Iraqis who have died in the violence. Thousands have been left wounded in their bodies, minds and souls--and face a lifetime of struggles related to the experience, says a United Methodist chaplain who has seen those wounds up close. "I am deeply concerned about the returning troops and the mental and physical wounds they have sustained," said the Rev. Laura Bender, a Navy chaplain who served in a field hospital in Iraq. "This all-volunteer force has borne the full weight of this war through multiple, back-to-back deployments and has done so at great cost." Bender was among United Methodists who reflected on the effects of the war on the five-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. full story

Filipino mother seeks justice for missing son

April 8, 2008      United Methodist News Service WASHINGTON — "Sometimes I wonder if he has a blanket or a pillow, or if he is being fed," said Edith Burgos, her calm voice belying the anguish that only a mother whose son is missing could know. "I wonder if he is being tortured right now even as I speak." Burgos, widow of maverick Filipino journalist Jose Burgos, continued: "I feel like the widow before the unjust judge (Luke 18). She persisted until she received justice. I speak out to keep the issue alive." An educator and a consultant on biotechnology, Burgos spoke during Ecumenical Advocacy Days held March 7-10 in Washington. The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries supports this yearly event and participates in the Asia Pacific Forum of Church World Service. full story

Online game delivers virtual nets, saves real lives

April 8, 2008      United Methodist News Service Throughout April, visitors to the Nothing But Nets Web site, http://www.NothingButNets.net, can play an interactive game to deliver virtual sleeping nets to Africa and, in the process, raise money to buy real insecticide-treated nets through the malaria prevention campaign. It's all part of a renewed push for the United Methodist-supported Nets campaign leading up to World Malaria Day on April 25. The "Deliver the Net" game challenges players to deliver as many virtual nets as possible before the sun goes down and malaria-carrying mosquitoes come out to bite. Each time someone plays and signs up at http://www.NothingButNets.net during April, an anonymous sponsor will donate $10 for a life-saving net. full story

Ruth's Place provides sanctuary for homeless women

April 8, 2008       United Methodist News Service WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — People generally don't make eye contact with strangers along a city sidewalk, but it's more obvious when they walk past Erica Winterling. Folks find reasons to glance the other way. It's not that Winterling is obviously homeless. Her clothes are not frayed; her long gray hair is not matted. She's just not dressed like more purposeful workers and shoppers in downtown Wilkes-Barre. And there's something subtly different about her countenance that conveys a sense of deep resignation. "I'm 56 years old, and I shouldn't be here," she says with more dismay than anger. She found herself on the street when a landlord sold the house she was living in and she had no money to get another place. In this twilight hour, she would have been contemplating another night under a bridge or in an abandoned building until, a few months ago, she found Ruth's Place. The only shelter for women in northeast Pennsylvania, Ruth's Place operates out of First United Methodist Church and is supported entirely by private donations. full story

United Methodists score $3.35 million for Nothing But Nets

April 9, 2008     News media contact:   Diane Denton * (615) 742-5406*   Nashville United Methodist Communications Office of Public Information   NASHVILLE — The people of The United Methodist Church have raised more than $3.35 million for the Nothing But Nets malaria prevention campaign since its launch in November 2006 — enough to cover the cost of 335,000 nets. Every $10 raised pays for the purchase and distribution of a long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito net to a child under the age of 5 in Africa — one of whom dies every 30 seconds from malaria. full story

Report urges stronger ties with Latin America

April 9, 2008      United Methodist News Service United Methodists should officially reconnect with their Methodist brothers and sisters in Latin America and the Caribbean. That's the conclusion of a report for the United Methodist General Conference, which meets April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. A study commission will present its findings to the delegates April 26. The study panel was authorized by the 2004 General Conference to consider the relationship between The United Methodist Church and autonomous Methodist Churches of Latin America and the Caribbean. Three recommendations awaiting General Conference consideration come from a 2007 consultation in Panama City with delegations of bishops, presidents and other leaders from each of the Methodist churches of Latin America and the Caribbean. The purpose of the recommendations, according to United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carcaño of the Phoenix Area, is to strengthen a relationship that already has existed for more than 165 years. full story

United Methodist video examines 'white privilege'

April 9, 2008      United Methodist News Service In a church fellowship hall, a long line of people are beginning to realize that many of them live with "an invisible, unearned advantage" based on the color of their skin. They listen and respond as the Rev. Marion Miller, pastor at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, reads a list of commands in an exercise on "white privilege" in the United States. By the end of the exercise, all of the white participants are steps ahead of the people of color in the line. "Sensitizing white people to an invisible system of advantage is a healthy beginning in the journey," said Blenda Smith, conference lay leader of the Wyoming Annual (regional) Conference and a white board member of the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns. To help people in the journey, a DVD called "Truth and Wholeness: Replacing White Privilege With God's Promise" has been developed by the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race and the denomination's Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns. full story

Q&A: Missing the sermon for sound bites

April 11, 2008 United Methodist Reporter When Sen. Barack Obama responded recently to controversial comments made by his former pastor, Robin Russell checked with a United Methodist professor of preaching to see if the Rev. Jeremiah Wright was out-of-step with the preaching tradition in the black church. full story

Q&A: A biblical view on paying taxes

April 11, 2008 United Methodist Reporter Does God have an opinion on tax law? Tax law professor Susan Pace Hamill says the Bible has a lot to say about matters relating to taxation, and that for the most part, biblical principles are ignored by American tax codes, particularly at the state and local level. In her latest book, As Certain as Death (Carolina Academic Press, 2007), she argues that most state tax laws do more to burden the poor and relieve the rich than vice versa. She cites the worst states (she calls them the “sinful six”) as Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, South Dakota and Texas. full story

COMMENTARY: Looking for love in all the wrong places

April 11, 2008 United Methodist Reporter The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued in March a series of public health announcements: At least one in four American teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease. Among those who are “sexually active,” the infection rate is as high as 40 percent. According to subsequent news reports, “Doctors said the numbers might be a reflection of both abstinence-only sex education and teens’ own sense of invulnerability.”  These statistics and analyses constitute an urgent call for the United Methodist Church. Our failure to offer truth or transformation to youth is literally killing them — and us. full story

AGING WELL: Caregivers need some TLC, too

April 11, 2008 United Methodist Reporter Caregiving is rewarding, but it's draining, too, says Missy Buchanan. So, practicing self-care is crucial for any caregiver's well-being. full story

Where are the young adults?

April 11, 2008     News media contact:   Dean McIntyre * 877-899-2780, ext 7073 *  Nashville General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church In a recent article that, in part, relies on the book After the Baby Boomers by Robert Wuthnow (Princeton University Press, 2007), Ann Michel of Wesley Theological Seminary provides some interesting information on the presence and absence of young adults in the church and what this may mean for the future. This article looks at some of those points for United Methodists to consider about the present and future of our church. full story

Commentary: Avoiding sexuality issue is not true peace

April 11, 2008      United Methodist News Service Many voices from across The United Methodist Church are suggesting there is no way forward in the 36-year-long dialogue about the role and status of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the church. Declaring an impasse, these voices call for an end to this dialogue in the name of peace and unity. But the United Methodist Church cannot enjoy true peace and unity while it engages in injustice and spiritual violence against some of its members. Biblical peace does not refer to the apparent absence of conflict, and still less to the suppression of dialogue. In the Bible, "peace" ("shalom" in Hebrew) is a holistic concept that includes justice and total well-being. full story

Commentary: It's time for a new set of priorities

April 11, 2008     United Methodist News Service The four areas of focus being presented to the upcoming 2008 General Conference may very well serve as the springboard for a new beginning for The United Methodist Church. Starting and renewing churches, developing future leaders, addressing global poverty and world health are challenges that are worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our life's work as his church. As a second-time delegate to General Conference, I have been struck by the interest these focus areas have engendered in those who often are weary and even cynical of quadrennial themes and top-down mandates in The United Methodist Church. The curtain may be rising on a new act in our story as a Christian movement-unless forces of the past conspire to jam it shut. full story

Distance learning center launched in Mozambique

April 14, 2008     United Methodist News Service MAPUTO, Mozambique — A newly launched distance learning center will help train future leaders of The United Methodist Church and connect its Mozambique Annual Conference to the rest of the world. After three years of planning, the Africa Training and Learning Center was dedicated March 31 as a satellite campus of Africa University, a United Methodist-related school in Zimbabwe. The center is housed in the church's Mozambique conference offices in Maputo. full story

Shifting paradigm: Global church hears Africa’s voice

April 15, 2008     United Methodist News Service United Methodists are contemplating what being a global church means as membership and leadership numbers grow beyond the United States. Traditionally, the denomination's agency offices and the majority of its members and leadership have been based in the United States. The denomination often has viewed the rest of the world as a mission field ripe for evangelism, church growth and ministry. Such a mission appears to be a success as United Methodist numbers globally increase. The impact of the shift will be reflected at the General Conference, which sets church policy and officially speaks for the denomination, when the assembly meets April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. The delegates will see a stronger presence from the church's regions in Africa, Europe and Asia, and they will hear about the emphasis of the general church's agencies in those parts of the world. full story

Texas church builds on eco-friendly foundation

April 15, 2008  United Methodist News Service CEDAR PARK, Texas — At The Rock United Methodist Church, people are not only interested in saving souls, but nurturing God's green earth. "This congregation sees our neighbors not just as the people who live across the street from us, but also the deer that live on this property," says the Rev. Kristina Carter, the church's pastor. With a degree in engineering chemistry and a Ph.D. in applied chemistry, Carter is not your typical pastor. She worked 10 years in environmental remediation and even wrote parts of a 1997 mercury report to the U.S. Congress. full story

Commentary: Developing a new hymnal in harmony

April 16, 2008     United Methodist News Service What might a new United Methodist hymnal look like in the United States? Which hymns will be included? Will we sing or speak the psalms? What worship services will be included? Will we call God mother or father — or both? Will a new hymnal include more contemporary praise and worship songs and choruses? How about some rap, responsories, revival songs or reciting tones? Will it have more newly composed hymns in traditional style? Will we lose or gain Wesley hymns? The directors of both the United Methodist Board of Discipleship and the United Methodist Publishing House have proposed to the 2008 General Conference that now is the time to begin production of a new United Methodist hymnal for the United States. They also have proposed a four-year study into the need for and possible publication of an official United Methodist hymnal for African-American and Africana congregations. full story

United Methodist project develops clergywomen

April 16, 2008     United Methodist News Service A new United Methodist project aims to support clergywomen who lead churches with more than 1,000 members, research their leadership styles and establish a mentoring program for women who have the potential to serve such churches. "After having a great celebration of 50 years of full clergy rights of women in Methodism in 2006, I believe that now is the time to reflect on something new and creative," said the Rev. HiRho Park, director of continuing formation for ministry at the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry. Of the 44,091 clergy in The United Methodist Church, 9,749 are women, and 64 have been identified as serving churches with membership of more than 1,000. A retreat for lead women pastors of large churches will be held Sept. 14-16 in Nashville, Tenn. full story

General Conference: a good investment?

April 18, 2008 United Methodist Reporter What does the United Methodist Church get from General Conference? And are the sacrifices that delegates make to attend worth it? full story

GEN-X RISING: Gen-X’ers looking for ‘A Future with Hope’

April 18, 2008 United Methodist Reporter Andrew Thompson takes a look at General Conference issues that could affect how young adults discern and follow a call to ministry. full story

WESLEYAN WISDOM: Hopes, fears rest on General Conference

April 18, 2008 United Methodist Reporter Donald Haynes shares a history of best and worst General Conference moments, as well as his prayer for this year’s assembly. full story

Korean-American caucus challenged to grow church

April 14, 2008    United Methodist News Service ATLANTA — The new president of the Korean-American caucus of The United Methodist Church has challenged pastors and lay leaders to launch 500 Korean-American churches in five years. The Rev. James Chongho Kim, elected president by the National Association of Korean American United Methodist Churches, issued the challenge during the national caucus meeting March 30-April 3. full story

Africa University to blanket continent against malaria

April 14, 2008     United Methodist News Service JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Africa University is partnering with a U.S.-based manufacturer to blanket the continent with specialized blankets that ward off disease-carrying mosquitoes and pests. The Africa University board of directors, during its March 24-28 meeting, applauded the university's collaboration with the United Converting Co. LLC of Silver Spring, Md., to distribute Insect Shield blankets to regions of Africa in the fight against malaria and other insect-borne illnesses. full story

Church can be key to fighting AIDS crisis, speakers say

April 23, 2008                                                                                                 United Methodist News Service FORT WORTH, Texas — When it comes to solving the global AIDS/HIV crisis it is time to “pray and pay,” said the Rev. Donald Messer, author of Breaking the Conspiracy of Silence — Christian Churches and the Global AIDS Crisis. Messer shared the sobering statistics of the virus during the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund Committee’s “Lighten the Burden II” event at First United Methodist Church, Fort Worth, April 22. On the eve of the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination has only raised $2.5 million of an $8 million commitment made in 2004 to help put a stop to the world’s greatest health crisis, according to the executive director of an ecumenical global AIDS action network. full story

Daily wrap-up: United Methodists begin legislative marathon

April 23, 2008                                                                                                 United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Meeting once every four years, 992 delegates from United Methodist churches in the United States, Africa, Asia and Europe, opened their 10-day legislative sessions with the singing of “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” and “Are We Yet Alive.” Some 5,500 visitors, conference officials and choir members observed the pageantry from the galleries of the Fort Worth Convention Center. full story

United Methodist delegates receive message of hope

April 24, 2008                                                                                     United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — The 992 delegates and visitors attending the legislative assembly of The United Methodist Church were provided with a message of hope, reconciliation and a blueprint for Christian life. In a prayer for the church and the rest of the world, Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher of the Illinois Great Rivers Annual (regional) Conference said people "in God's human family" hunger for hope. Hope was the theme of the Episcopal Address, delivered on behalf of United Methodist bishops to the 2008 United Methodist General Conference. That address, the Laity Address, along with a first-ever Young People's Address, are highlights of this April 23-May 2 meeting, which brought delegates and visitors from around the world together to discuss and handle matters for the denomination. full story

Pathways can lead to transformation

April 24, 2008                                                                                                 United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Offering examples of positive ministries, Ohio West Area Bishop Bruce Ough told General Conference 2008 delegates how clergy and lay members are helping cast a vision for the people of The United Methodist Church. “Early in this quadrennium, (the Council of Bishops) looked across the landscape of United Methodism to seek out the best qualities of who we are and the most fruitful practices of our discipleship,” Ough said. full story

Church focuses on poverty, health, people, leaders

April 24, 2008                                                                                                 United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Do United Methodists really want to welcome the poor and downtrodden into their midst? Or do they prefer those sitting in the pews to “look just like us?” That question was posed by Bishop Felton May to delegates at General Conference during a May 24 presentation on four areas of focus that will guide the future work of the denomination’s general agencies. “Somehow, in our 40 years, poverty became acceptable to us,” he told the legislative gathering. “We permitted ourselves to join the rest of the world in complacency. But here, at our 40-year anniversary, for the love of God, the United Methodist Church declares, no more!” full story

‘Join us in choosing hope,’ church leaders urge

April 24, 2008                                                                         United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — When Katherine Commale learned at age 5 that — somewhere in the world — a child dies from mosquito-borne malaria every 30 seconds, she said, “Mom, we need to send them bed nets right away.” Her mother, Lynda, agreed. Now age 7, Katherine has collected more than $40,000 to send insecticide-treated sleeping nets to Africa as part of the Nothing But Nets campaign, supported by the people of The United Methodist Church. In a convention center arena filled with thousands of delegates and guests, Katherine told the 2008 United Methodist General Conference that she wants “everyone who needs one to have a bed net.” full story

Finance report emphasizes abundance over scarcity

April 24, 2008                                                                         United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — In a world that has embraced the “myth of scarcity” amidst a “culture of consumption,” God offers abundant life through Jesus Christ — a spiritual truth that the church must live out and reflect in managing its own finances. Speaking on behalf of the finance agency of The United Methodist Church, Los Angeles Area Bishop Mary Ann Swenson delivered that message April 24 to the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, the church’s top legislative session held once every four years. “The idea that ‘more is better’ … is an American idea that has spread around the globe, and it has become toxic,” said Swenson, president of the board for the General Council on Finance and Administration. “It is a turbulent, muddy river that has flooded and polluted our ability to see the abundance of what God has already given to us.” The 992 delegates are scheduled to vote on a churchwide budget on May 2, the closing day of the 10-day gathering. The proposed $642 million spending plan would fund denominational ministries during the four-year period beginning in January 2009. full story

Young people call church to action now

April 24, 2008                                                                                                United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Six young people stood before United Methodists from around the world and challenged the church to listen, be bold and believe the church’s future is in good hands. At times, delegates to the 2008 United Methodist General Conference cheered and clapped in response to the multimedia presentation, which included videos, photos, drumming and singing. At the end of the presentation, the young people were given a standing ovation. full story

Invitation, personal ministry make disciples, laity told

April 24, 2008                                                                                                  United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — If the laity of The United Methodist Church want to reclaim the Methodist heritage of winning communities for Christ, they have to invite people to church, carry the name of Christ with them and claim a personal ministry. That is the advice Lyn Powell, lay leader of the North Georgia Annual (regional) Conference, gave to the 992 delegates attending the 2008 United Methodist General Conference. full story

Transgender United Methodists share stories

April 24, 2008                                                                                   United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — For three decades, United Methodists have debated at General Conference gatherings whether gay Christians can participate fully in the denomination, including being ordained as clergy. This year, persons who have changed their gender are adding a new angle to that debate. full story

Daily wrap-up: Legislative work begins, follows day of speeches

April 24, 2008 United Methodist News Service FORT WORTH, Texas — Delegates to the United Methodist General Conference began to sink their teeth into some 1,500 petitions during the evening of April 24. The 992 delegates gathered in 13 legislative committees following a day of speeches, presentations and reports. full story

Q&A: Liturgy can enhance deeper Christian walk

April 25, 2008 United Methodist Reporter Christians who once dismissed traditional liturgy as outdated are now re-discovering it, says Mark Galli, senior managing editor of Christianity Today and author of a new book, Beyond Smells and Bells: The Wonder and Power of Christian Liturgy (Paraclete Press). He spoke recently with staff writer Mary Jacobs. full story

GEN-X RISING: What GC 2008 can and can’t do

April 25, 2008 United Methodist Reporter General Conference offers quite a bit of excitement when it rolls around once every four years. There’s something for everyone: a chance to think about ourselves as a truly global Church, to debate constructive proposals designed to strengthen the church’s witness, and, of course, always a little bit of culture-war controversy. There is always the tendency to pin our hopes for the church on what the General Conference can accomplish while it is in session. But that’s a tall order, and it might be helpful for us to look realistically at what the conference can and cannot do for the church. full story

COMMENTARY: Can UMC restore community?

April 25, 2008 United Methodist Reporter United Methodism has done well at building up an institution over the years, but an institution is no substitute for a sense of community, says Dick Turner. full story

$5 million grant boosts Global Health Initiative

April 25, 2008 United Methodist News Service FORT WORTH, Texas — To fight malaria and other diseases of poverty, The United Methodist Church will receive a $5 million grant from the United Nations Foundation with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bishop Thomas Bickerton has announced. Bickerton made the announcement on World Malaria Day, April 25, during proceedings of General Conference, the church’s top policy-making body. “With the affirmation of this General Conference, we hope to use this $5 million to support a fund-raising and educational campaign to help prevent deaths related to malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis,” said Bickerton, president of the United Methodist Commission on Communication. “The goal is to raise $100 million over the next several years for malaria programs in Africa and the Global AIDS Fund.” full story

Church leaders support sanctuary for immigrants

April 25, 2008 United Methodist News Service FORT WORTH, Texas  — The plight of immigrants is a “humanitarian crisis, a moral outrage and an affront to God,” said a United Methodist pastor during a press conference on providing sanctuary for immigrants. That’s what the Rev. David Farley, pastor of Echo Park United Methodist Church in Los Angeles told an April 25 press conference. He was joined by the Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor of Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago. Both pastors are on the frontlines of the sanctuary movement. The press conference was organized by the United Methodist Task Force on Immigration and moderated by San Antonio Area Bishop Joel Martinez. Panel members called attention to resolutions going before the 2008 General Conference, the denomination’s top lawmaking body, meeting April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth. United Methodist bishops, agency executives and an immigration lawyer were part of the briefing held at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). full story

Doubts arise following gifts of cell phones

April 25, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Delegates and church officials attending General Conference are wondering if democratic processes have been compromised because a renewal group provided some African and Filipino delegates with cell phones. The Renewal and Reform Coalition created myriad conversations among delegates, church leaders and visitors after they learned that the Confessing Movement, Good News/Renew, Transforming Congregations, and UMAction provided free cell phones to more than 150 African delegates to use during the General Conference. Some delegates and officials expressed concern that the coalition is trying to sway the votes of African delegates who are typically more conservative than their U.S. counterparts. They fear the coalition might use the phones to offer suggestions on how to vote on particular issues. full story

Delegates seek General Conference ethics panel

April 26, 2008                                                                                     United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Delegates to the 2008 United Methodist General Conference have called for the establishment of an ethics committee after hearing concerns about gifts given to central conference delegates. On April 26, a motion from Ralph R. Oduor, a lay member of the New England Annual (regional) Conference and retired attorney, asked the Commission on General Conference to establish a General Conference ethics committee to address those concerns. The 992 delegates overwhelming approved the motion, asking the current commission to propose to the 2012 General Conference guidelines for such a committee, including its composition, scope and authority. full story

Rally urges inclusion regardless of sexual identity

April 26, 2008 United Methodist News Service “Change is coming,” says one young adult leader who says The United Methodist Church is getting closer to welcoming everyone regardless of their sexual identity. “Don’t worry; it will happen because nothing can stop the force of this generation,” said Rachel Birkhahn-Rommelfanger, chairperson of the United Methodist Student Movement. Birkhahn-Rommelfanger was among speakers who addressed more than 200 people gathered for a noon rally on April 26 to support inclusion of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons in the denomination. full story

Pension Initiative needs millions for retired pastors

April 26, 2008                                                            United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — For many retired United Methodist pastors serving in Africa, the Philippines and Eastern Europe, retirement often becomes “a transition to homelessness,” said Barbara A. Boigegrain, chief executive of the church’s Board of Pension and Health Benefits. Boigegrain made that statement in a video during an April 26 report from the Central Conference Pension Initiative to the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, the church’s top legislative body that meets once every four years. Bishop Benjamin Chamness, Fort Worth Area, told delegates the initiative has raised $7.8 million but needs $20 million to fully fund pensions for retired pastors in areas outside of the United States. He challenged delegates to contribute to the fund while at General Conference. full story

United Methodists look to Latin America

April 26, 2008                                                           United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Tracing a “shared journey of faith,” a United Methodist committee is calling on the denomination to more fully embrace the church’s counterparts in Latin America and the Caribbean. The request came during an April 26 presentation by the General Conference Study Committee on the Relationship between The United Methodist Church and the Autonomous Methodist Churches in Latin America and the Caribbean. Delegates will vote on the committee’s report and recommendations. full story

Gallup poll gives Methodists highest positive ratings

April 27, 2008     News media contact:   Diane Denton * (615) 742-5406*   Nashville United Methodist Communications Office of Public Information Methodists have the highest positive ratings of religious and spiritual groups in the United States, new research by the Gallup Panel shows. full story

Leaders remember Central Jurisdiction’s dissolution

April 27, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — General Conference 2008 honored men and women who worked 40 years ago for the end of a separate Central Jurisdiction for black Methodists and who sacrificed to integrate The United Methodist Church. “We honor you today for your life witness and your stand as an ambassador of justice and reconciliation in the church,” said Erin Hawkins, chief executive of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race. Hawkins led the April 27 celebration of the dissolution of the Central Jurisdiction, which was formed in 1939 as a segregated place for black Methodists in the merger of the Methodist Protestant Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. It was dissolved in 1968 as part of the union of The Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren Church that established The United Methodist Church and formed the five current geographic jurisdictions in the United States. full story

Delegates extend plan strengthen the black church

April 27, 2008                                                 United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — The transformational power of the initiative that empowers African-American churches with a renewed sense of ministry was approved by the delegates to the 2008 General Conference. The 12-year-old initiative, known as Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century  (SBC-21), has helped hundreds of struggling black churches connect with successful ones to gain insights and encouragement for their ministries. The General Conference delegates, in a vote of 739 to 15, approved the initiative that is "taking revitalization from the pew to the pavement,” said the Rev. Dorothy Watson Tatem, a member of the project's coordinating committee and delegate from the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual (regional) Conference. Delegates approved a budget of $1.4 million for 2009-2012, which will not become final until a total budget is presented by the denomination's Council of Finance and Administration and approved by the 2008 General Conference. full story

Church task force to examine global warming

April 27, 2008 United Methodist News Service The top lawmaking body of The United Methodist Church has directed United Methodist agencies and organizations to look for ways to care for the earth and reduce global warming. A task force will report to the 2012 General Conference on a plan for evaluating how the denomination’s churches, institutions and staff contribute to global warming. Specific recommendations are sought to guide the church “in reducing our carbon impact and ecological footprint upon creation and finding alternative renewable energy resources to use in carrying out our call to care for the earth as part of Christian discipleship.” full story

More support for Katrina relief needed, bishops say

April 28, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — United Methodists have been generous in their response to Hurricane Katrina relief — but more is needed. During a “Katrina Report” on April 28 to delegates of the church’s General Conference, Bishop William Oden of Dallas thanked church members for the $3 million raised so far for the Katrina Church Recovery Appeal, but he noted that “Katrina fatigue has set in.” He called for a recommitment to the rebuilding and reconstruction of the U.S. Gulf Coast. full story

Sixty years later, the Advance still offers hope

April 28, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Justa Mamani came from her home in Bolivia to deliver a message of thanks to delegates at the 2008 United Methodist General Conference. “I want you to know that the donations you give to The Advance are what sustain my community today,” she said, during an April 28 presentation on the denomination’s voluntary giving program at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Sixty years ago, as a response to the devastation and humanitarian toll of World War II, the "worldwide Advance" was created as both a ministry of relief and message of the gospel. Since then, more than $1.3 billion has been channeled through The Advance for Christ and His Church as a “second-mile” giving program. full story

United Methodists formally admit Côte d’Ivoire

April 27, 2008                                                                        United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas —The United Methodist Church in Côte d’Ivoire, the largest regional conference of the worldwide denomination with almost 700,000 members, has received its full rights and responsibilities. The action came April 27 at the 2008 General Conference, which meets every four years to conduct the business of the church. As a result, United Methodists in the West African country, which has only two delegates at this General Conference, will receive significantly greater representation at future assemblies. Expenses related to its bishop will now be covered by the United Methodist Episcopal Fund instead of by its own conference. full story

Uganda children’s choir awes General Conference

April 28, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service FORT WORTH, Texas — “I was just praying to God in my heart that I would perform well,” said Solomon Mutende, 10, of Uganda. Thousands of teary-eyed United Methodists know God answered that prayer after watching Solomon and the Hope for Africa Children’s Choir perform before a worldwide gathering of United Methodists. The energetic performance on April 28 was one of the most blessed moments of the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, the church’s legislative assembly meeting through May 2 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. The appreciative crowd gave the youngsters an impromptu standing ovation after the children sang and danced to one song during a planned “celebration moment.” The audience even demanded an encore. full story

Cleaver: Social, economic problems hurt poor most

April 28, 2008                                                                         United Methodist News Service FORT WORTH, Texas — “We are walloping the poor” and blaming them for their problems, said U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II during a luncheon sponsored by the social action agency of The United Methodist Church. “Poor people are being blamed for being poor people,” said Cleaver, a United Methodist pastor, who was the keynote speaker at the United Methodist Board of Church and Society event. The April 28 luncheon was held at the start of the second week of the 2008 General Conference, the denomination’s top lawmaking assembly. full story

Assembly creates new study group on church structure

April 28, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service FORT WORTH, Texas — After lengthy debates lasting through the dinner hour, delegates to the 2008 General Conference took a hesitant step toward reorganizing the 11.5 million-member United Methodist Church so it does not appear to be a U.S. church with satellite communities in Africa, Asia and Europe. The last time the quadrennial legislative assembly met in 2004, nearly 1,000 delegates from around the world created a Task Force on the Global Nature of the Church. That six-member group proposed the possibility of making the United States a “central conference” similar to other conferences outside the United States. The task force submitted 23 petitions that would amend the constitution to allow for the creation of a regional conference for the United States and change the name “central conference” to “regional conference.” In response to the proposals, delegates asked the Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table to create a 20-member committee to consider recommendations of the study group and suggested that the six members of the early study be included in the new committee. The new group will also consider the financial implications of proposed changes in structure and report back to the 2012 General Conference. full story

Wrap up: Assembly tackles items with price tags

April 28, 2008                                                            United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Still recovering from a fun-filled Sunday Area Night  party and past-midnight sessions of legislative committees, weary delegates to the 2008 United Methodist General Conference assembled April 28 for a full day of legislation. The 992 delegates had even more reasons to be tired at the end of a day when they wrestled with all proposals dealing with financial matters. After proposals with price tags were approved, they were sent to the General Council on Finance and Administration and the Connectional Table for advice and final recommendations. These items are generally considered again on the final day of the 10-day gathering. Delegates created a new fund for theological schools in Africa and launched two new study groups. full story

United Methodists, Lutherans look toward cooperation

April 29, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Bishop Melvin Talbert felt “a song in my heart” when the United Methodist General Conference approved a full communion agreement with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). For Bishop William Oden, April 28 — the day the vote was taken — was a “banner day” for The United Methodist Church. Both bishops were instrumental in shepherding the denomination to the vote. Oden is the ecumenical officer of the United Methodist Council of Bishops and Talbert was co-chairman of the most recent United Methodist-ELCA dialogue team with ELCA Bishop Allan Bjornberg of Denver. The dialogue was facilitated by the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns. full story

Liberia President Sirleaf addresses United Methodists

April 29, 2008                                                                         United Methodist News Service FORT WORTH, Texas — Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told a worldwide gathering of United Methodists that her country and her church share a common commitment to eradicate poverty. Sirleaf, a member of the Monrovia (Liberia) United Methodist Church, greeted delegates to the denomination’s top lawmaking body as “fellow Christians and fellow Methodists” many times during her April 29 address to the 2008 General Conference. “This is a special honor for me,” she said. “I am the first African leader and the first female president to address the General Conference of The United Methodist Church.” full story

Delegates celebrate 100th anniversary of men’s ministry

April 30, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — General Conference delegates celebrated on April 30 the 100th anniversary of ministry to men in The United Methodist Church and its predecessor denominations. “This is huge,” said the Rev. David C. Adams, top executive of the Commission on United Methodist Men, in a six-minute video presentation. “Other men’s ministries over the years have come and gone. But United Methodist Men has been steadfast.” full story

Display of boots represents ‘human cost of war’

April 30, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Four United Methodist bishops and a top agency executive spoke passionately about the human cost of war April 29, calling for an end to the war in Iraq during a prayer service for the Eyes Wide Open exhibit. The temporary display, which remained in General Worth Park until 8 p.m., included a pair of combat boots for every service person from Texas who has died in Iraq and Afghanistan. About 200 pairs of civilian shoes were also on display, representing civilian casualties. General Worth Park is across from the Fort Worth Convention Center, the site of General Conference 2008. “This bears witness to the cost of war,” said the Rev. Darryl Fairchild, a delegate from West Ohio, who helped organize the exhibit and service of prayer and witness. He is a board member of the American Friends Service Committee, which created the Eyes Wide Open Exhibit. full story

United Methodists uphold homosexuality stance

April 30, 2008                                                                         United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — Delegates to the 2008 General Conference on April 30 rejected changes to the United Methodist Social Principles that would have acknowledged that church members disagree on homosexuality. Delegates instead adopted a minority report that retained language in the denomination’s 2004 Book of Discipline describing homosexual practice as “incompatible with Christian teaching.” The adopted wording in Paragraph 161G also states that “all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God,” and that United Methodists are to be “welcoming, forgiving and loving one another, as Christ has loved and accepted us.” Delegates also approved a new resolution to oppose homophobia and heterosexism, saying the church opposes “all forms of violence or discrimination based on gender, gender identity, sexual practice or sexual orientation.” full story

Wrap up: Assembly retains stance on homosexuality

April 30, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service   FORT WORTH, Texas — After a long and emotional debate, the 2008 General Conference voted April 30 to retain statements in the Social Principles that the “United Methodist Church does not condone the practice of homosexuality and considers this practice incompatible with Christian teaching.” The final action replaced a “majority report” from a legislative committee, which called for recognition that “faithful and thoughtful people who have grappled with this issue deeply disagree with one another; yet all seek a faithful witness.” The assembly replaced the majority report by a 517-416 vote. full story

Four jurisdictions will each lose one bishop under new plan

April 30, 2008                                                             United Methodist News Service FORT WORTH, Texas — Delegates to the 2008 General Conference of The United Methodist Church approved a plan that will result in one less bishop in each of four of the five U.S. jurisdictions, beginning in 2012. In an April 29 legislative session, delegates agreed that savings from those reductions will be used to fund new episcopal areas outside the United States. Those new areas — each to be led by a bishop — will not be created until the 2012 General Conference. full story