In a meeting with representatives of our Conference Committee on Young Adult Ministries, I spent a lot of time explaining how various communications channels work on different levels of the denomination.

Our Conference chair of Young Adult Ministries, Glen Simpson, responded “With the technology to help us connect today, there is really no excuse for us not to be able to make the systems more efficient and focus on ministry,” he said, as he smiled at what he was about to say next. “If Jesus came back today, he’d start his ministry on FaceBook.”

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

I was able to provide support for the article, and I got a call thanking me for the help. Before the individual hung up, he said “I have another item you may be able to help with…”

The UMNS FaceBook page had received a message from someone in Bullhead City, Ariz., who was in desperate need of help. I took down the contact information and sent out a simple email sharing the story with the local pastor and several people I felt could be of assistance. Before the week was out the family had their physical needs taken care of, and, perhaps more importantly, had found the spiritual support of a church family.

As United Methodists we take great pride in our Connectional System, and it is truly amazing to see it in action. However, helping this family and seeing all the pieces that led to providing that help, made it clear to me that we cannot become complacent. When we use technology and our Connectional System together we can achieve amazing things.

--Stephen J. Hustedt is the director of communications
for the Desert Southwest Conference

Please encourage your leaders and congregation to give 100% to the World Service Fund apportionment. To learn more about the connectional giving system of the denomination, click here.

God Is Still In Control!

Miss Lladale Carey
Web Producer
UMCGiving.org
United Methodist Communications
lcarey@umcom.org