Yearning for Beloved Community

I wandered through the consignment store, looking for treasures. It is amazing what you can find in such places for pocket change. As I paid for a couple of picture frames, I saw the cashier's face change from a smile to a frown.

"Don"t let her eat that in here!" The words came out of her mouth in a rush. The child in a stroller was opening a lollipop. This was hardly a place where candy on the floor would be a crisis.

I reached for the little Spanish I know. "Ella est muy linda," I offered her parents, embarrassed by the harsh words of rejection. The child was very beautiful, undeserving of rebuke.

Her parents seemed to recover. As their eyes met mine, there was deep connection and mutual gratitude for shared space. The cashier turned away.

This was not a heroic moment. It was a tragic moment, one that bothers me deeply.

Why are we harsh with one another? What mars our souls so deeply that we cannot welcome one another? What are our children learning from us? How are they shaped by our unexamined biases?Beloved community can break through, anytime, anyplace. It cannot erase harsh words and violent acts. It can be a means of God's redemption of our weaknesses and our mistakes.

This Lent, let us pay attention to what disturbs us, particularly if it seems to bother no one else. It is in that place that the next work of reconciliation is likely to be done.

-- Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, Residing Bishop in the Mississippi United Methodist Conference.

Prayer: Disturb us, loving God, and work within that disturbance to soften our hearts and strengthen our vision for the reconciliation you intend for all people, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Wisconsin Stewardship Stories

The following story is one of many stewardship stories that we will share from individuals throughout the Wisconsin Annual Conference. If you have a stewardship story or idea to share, please send it to us today. All items submitted are done so with the understanding that permission is granted by the author to the Wisconsin United Methodist Foundation for the purpose of sharing items in this forum with other United Methodist churches.

SHOULD I GIVE LESS WHEN I RETIRE?

Yes, my income is less; yes, I need to tighten my belt; but, please hear the experience of a couple from First UMC in West Allis when they reached retirement.

Introducing Sheridan and “Lou” Ellsworth. Sheridan retired from a long career of teaching and as a Principal in the West Allis School System. “Lou” was a homemaker and a very talented artist. They loved this church! When retirement came they pondered “must we reduce our giving to match our reduced income?”

After much thought and prayer the answer was, “Heavens, no!” They discovered that when not holding a regular job their expenses were much less, and so in retirement they actually increased their giving!

You cannot love something and not offer your best – especially to your church, your family, your friends, and your Lord … “for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also!”

--Rev. Earl F. Lindsay, Retired

To learn more about the connectional giving system of the United Methodist Church click here.

Please continue to encourage your leaders and members to give 100% to the World Service Fund apportionment. Many live will be touched by your gifts of love.

God is Still In Control!

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

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

One of things that I get to do several times a month is teach a Christian based recovery principles program to women prisoners. On Tuesday evenings, if time seems to be getting away from me at work, I will tell my colleagues, “I need to leave. Tonight I go to prison.” If there is a someone around who does not understand the volunteer work that I do at the prison, I usually get a strange stare to which I might respond “when I am here, I am on work release.” I have fun seeing the look on people’s faces when I make that statement. However for me volunteering at the Tennessee Prison for Women is most rewarding. I get to help women chart a path to a new life for when they leave prison. I see the role that I play as a very important one that changes the lives of many women but it does and should not stop there.

Rehabilitation is a process with several components to a renewed life. The United Methodist church is doing all it can to help youth offenders (male and female) experience rehabilitation through the Human Relations Day Youth Offender Rehabilitation program. One of six Special Sundays observed by The United Methodist Church, the Human Relations Day offering supports Community Developers, United Methodist Voluntary Service and the Youth Offender Rehabilitation Programs. These efforts aim to heal injustice in the United States and Puerto Rico by encouraging social justice and work with at-risk youth.

The church wants these young people to return to society and become contributing members. To that end, it receives offerings that offer grants for these ministries. Stan Basler, director of UM Criminal Justice and Mercy Ministries for the Oklahoma Annual Conference, is an advocate of restorative justice in the state of Oklahoma. He emphasizes that restorative justice is community-centered justice and that restorative justice in practice includes victim-offender mediation programs and drug courts.

If you are wondering why I am writing about Human Relations Day after January 17, my answer is this. January 17 is the official designated Sunday to take up offerings but you may celebrate/observe and receive your offering any time during the year. This year’s giving might have been preempted by the Haiti earthquake giving but as Bishop Gregory Palmer so wisely urged churches not to let the giving to these causes compete, I ask you to do the same. I would say that you should give all through the year. Local church members can give at their local churches by making their checks payable to their local church noting that it is an offering for Human Relations Day. They can also give online. Your local church will be credited as long as you make that selection. While we say Human Relations “Day,” the needs are here all year long and you can give at anytime.

You can learn about other ministries that your giving to Human Relations Day supports here.

Elsie Cunnigham is the director of Connectional Giving at United Methodist Communications

God is Still In Control!

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

Black student leaders hopeful for Haiti's recovery

If New Orleans can recover from Hurricane Katrina, there is hope the people of Haiti will find new life after the massive earthquake that struck Jan. 12.

“I feel hope for those people,” said Charlie Coleman, a student leader at Dillard University in New Orleans.

“I know that those people in Haiti right now are feeling like there’s lost hope and there’s nothing that can be done because it was a natural disaster,” said Coleman, a freshman. “If New Orleans can overcome the obstacle with the help of the United States and with other countries and everybody working together, Haiti can rebuild, as well.”

Coleman and 23 other young leaders who are enrolled in or have graduated from the 11 United Methodist-related historically black colleges and universities gathered in Nashville for an orientation to The Black College Fund’s Lina H. McCord ambassador program.

The young leaders were happy to see communities coming together to support the people of Haiti in their immediate recovery, especially seeing the success of social networking efforts reaching young audiences.

“I ’m impressed with the response,” said Courtneika Hudson, a senior at Paine College in Augusta, Ga. “I know there is a lot of stigma in society about young people not really caring a lot about what’s going on in the world. So just to see the outreach that we have … it was actually quite rewarding to see that.”

The student leaders have helped to coordinate relief efforts on their campuses, like conducting clothing and food drives and holding fundraising events for Haiti.

Recognizing Haiti’s long history of poverty, the students also hope that the efforts will continue past the immediate relief.

“I want people to realize that it has to be a continued effort in helping a country, a city, even a state rebuild and become what it once was,” Coleman said.


Please encourage your congregation and members to support The Black College Fund apportionment at 100%. Please help these and other future leaders make a difference in the lives of our brothers and sisters.


God Is Still In Control!

Miss Lladale Carey
Web Producer
UMCGiving.org
lcarey@umcom.org

DON'T FORGET:

Human Relations Day Sunday, January 17, 2010

NURTURE. ADVOCATE. GIVE.

Maudine Holloway, executive director of Community Enabler Developer Inc., Anniston, Ala., is deeply involved in the self-improvement activities of the people she serves. Distributing everything from beans to baby formula, Maudine makes sure her struggling neighbors have a meal, a change of clothes, assistance paying a utility bill, medicine and a safe after-school place for children. “These are critical times for the church to be alive in the community,” she asserts. “We are trying to help people see Jesus.”

Because of your offering on Human Relations Day, caring ministries continue—providing childcare, after-school tutoring, gang intervention, work with at-risk teens, outreach with current and former prison inmates, homeless services, emergency aid, jobs training and more.

Sadly, gifts to the 2009 Human Relations Day offering lagged behind contributions for the same period in 2008—by more than 20%. Yet, the needs have not gone away. In fact, they are increasing as Maudine Holloway’s neighbors, at-risk youth in Oklahoma and hurting people across the United States continue to suffer.

Please give your congregation an opportunity to “give themselves unreservedly to God” through
Human Relations Day. To order 2010 resources, go online to umcgiving.org/HRD or call toll free (888) 346-3862.

For stories of how United Methodists share Christ’s love through Human Relations Day,
click here.

“THEY HAD FIRST GIVEN THEMSELVES UNRESERVEDLY TO GOD AND TO US. THE OTHER GIVING SIMPLY FLOWED OUT OF THE PURPOSES OF GOD WORKING IN THEIR LIVES.” --2 CORINTHIANS 8:5B, THE MESSAGE

DONATE NOW!!

GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL!

Miss Lladale Carey

Web Producer

UMCGiving.org

United Methodist Communications

Alaskans express thanks for United Methodist scholarships

“This year,” says Kate Simeon, Chugiak [Alaska] United Methodist Church, “I am continuing my studies in international political economy with a minor in economics. With this degree, I plan on working with small non-governmental organizations internationally to promote alternative forms of development at the community level. Next year I hope to be working in a five-month internship in Uganda. I also row on the women’s varsity crew them, and this semester I participated in the university’s dance program.”

Mark Chase, Seward Memorial UMC, adds, “There's a reason the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry's Scholarship is called the Gift of Hope. There are no fiery hoops to jump through and no 2,000-word essays. Instead, it rewards and encourages faithful participation in The United Methodist Church. It truly is a gift, but not just a monetary one. I'm thankful this scholarship supports education and faith, for [they] go hand in hand. This scholarship is a gift; education is a chance to equip ourselves to carry out God’s will in ourselves and in our world.”

“I always have been blessed to have church support in my life,” notes Elizabeth Perry, also of Seward Memorial Church. “I am especially blessed and extremely grateful to have received the Gift of Hope scholarship. The encouragement of the United Methodist community will go with me as I experience a new culture in Denmark through Boston University's study-abroad program—and apply my experiences to my ever-adapting faith. Every little bit helps.”

Did you know that even in these tough economic times, there are still scholarships available to United Methodist students through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and other United Methodist institutions? Generous gifts on United Methodist Student Day—the last Sunday in November—ease the college journey through scholarships and loans. Thank you!-

--Adapted from e-Aurora (a weekly news update) from The Alaska United Methodist Conference, Dec. 22, 2009

To learn more about United Methodist Student Day click here.
To give to United Methodist Student Day or any other Special Sundays click here.

Miss Lladale Carey
Web Producer
UMCGiving.org
United Methodist Communications