NOTE: This is a digest of news features provided by United Methodist Communications for Jan. 26-30. It includes summaries of United Methodist News Service stories and additional briefs from around the United Methodist connection. Full versions of the stories with photographs and related features can be found at umc.org/news.
WASHINGTON (UMNS) — When the Rev. Gina Campbell presided over communion Sunday at Washington National Cathedral, it was a visible sign of Christian unity between the Episcopal and United Methodist churches. Melissa Lauber of the Baltimore-Washington Conference was there.
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A United Methodist 'first' at National CathedralWASHINGTON (UMNS) — When the Rev. Gina Campbell presided over communion Sunday at Washington National Cathedral, it was a visible sign of Christian unity between the Episcopal and United Methodist churches. Melissa Lauber of the Baltimore-Washington Conference was there.
Music minister steps out with Street Choir
This past Sunday morning, Jonathan Palant had his usual gig, serving as music minister for Kessler Park United Methodist Church here.
But on Sunday night he donned a tuxedo and conducted a stage full of instrumentalists and singers, ranging from a choir of homeless people to opera star Frederica von Stade, at Dallas City Performance Hall.
Much could have gone wrong, especially since they were doing the U.S. premier of a challenging new choral work on homelessness. But apart from a few members of Dallas Street Choir making a premature stage exit—and having to be summoned back by Palant—the program came off fine.
Indeed, the packed house gave a prolonged standing ovation.
Even a few hours before the show, with performance details still being worked out, Palant seemed at peace.
“Everybody has come together at the right time, in the right place, for the right message and the right cause,” he said.
The Sunday night concert, a benefit for a longtime Dallas homeless ministry called The Stewpot, represented the highest profile event yet in Palant’s quest to make choral music more socially relevant.
From his base at Kessler Park United Methodist, Palant started CREDO, an ecumenical choir with an emphasis on community service. The choir draws from churches around Dallas. Its Latin name translates to “I believe.”
CREDO has toured in Cuba, and does Christmas concerts at The Stewpot. The 2013 concert became a giant sing-along with homeless people and other clients there.
Brian Knopp was a new member of CREDO then, and remembers the thrill of that event.
“I’m 50 years old, and I’ve never had a Christmas like that,” said Knopp, who also sings with the Northaven United Methodist Church choir. “At that point I was hooked.”
Palant, 40, has more recently turned what had been the decidedly informal choir at The Stewpot into Dallas Street Choir, which rehearses regularly and offers incentives—such as bus passes—to those who show up and work hard.
“It’s not easy to get street folks to commit to something,” Palant said. “It’s become easier because they see what it feels like being in a choir community.”
Among the Dallas Street Choir members is Steven Bryant, who spends his nights at Union Gospel Mission. Bryant, who has battled alcohol addiction, sang in his high school choir in Louisiana, but believes he’s singing better than ever thanks to Palant.
“He’s an overall good guy, and on technical stuff he’s awesome,” Bryant said. “He lets us know the importance of singing soft or when to be loud. He tells us to push out from the stomach, so it sounds better, fuller.”
`We will remember’
For Sunday’s concert, Palant combined CREDO with Dallas Street Choir to perform “Street Requiem,” a 40-minute work by three composers from Australia who share his commitment to socially relevant music.
Andy Payne, one of the composers, said the piece was inspired by the deaths of people living on the streets in Melbourne, Australia.
“Often their names were unknown,” Payne said. “We wanted to write a piece for them, to say, `We will remember.’”
Palant summoned his nerve and asked von Stade — a mezzo-soprano known as “Flicka” to her many fans — if she would sing solos in the Dallas production of “Street Requiem.”
“I just loved the idea of it,” she said after Saturday’s rehearsal. “And once Jonathan sent me the piece, I thought it was beautiful. I work with a lot of kids in Oakland, and lot of them have been homeless at times, or slept in cars. There’s just a huge place in my heart for people who have so much to deal with every day.”
The Sunday night program included a video about The Stewpot, followed by a song medley by Dallas Street Choir, whose members wore bright orange t-shirts saying “Believe.”
Von Stade, wearing one of those shirts herself, joined the choir onstage, taking the lead in “Somewhere” from “West Side Story.”
After a brief intermission, the 80-plus members of CREDO came out. Von Stade reappared, wearing a long dress. Palant conducted the orchestra as she and CREDO sang through the early movements of “Street Requiem.”
Later the Dallas Street Choir members, by now dressed in donated tuxedos and long dresses, came back on stage and joined in the final movements. They drew applause not just from the audience but from their fellow musicians.
A day later, Dallas Street Choir member Kobi Maxwell was still glowing.
“It was awesome to see the finished product,” said Maxwell, who has found fulltime work and recently moved into an apartment. “It was inspiring to me to see the thing through to completion.”
Palant said he’s received strong support from Kessler Park United Methodist Church for his work with CREDO and Dallas Street Choir.
He’s all for choirs with a community service mission. But the focus must be right.
“It’s not the kind of community service where we do something to you or for you,” Palant said. “We are building bridges, and there are lessons to be learned all over the place.”
*Hodges, a United Methodist News Service writer, lives in Dallas. Contact him at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org
Campaign anticipates misuse of bed nets
Teresa Ad‹o Jo‹o (second from right) learns about proper use of a bed net from Ilda Nanjembe during a 2012 distribution by The United Methodist Church’s Imagine No Malaria campaign in Bom Jesus, Angola. UMNS photo by Mike DuBose.
Bed nets intended to prevent malaria are used in fishing communities in Zambia to fish for food, which is sold in the local market, according to a report in the New York Times. The nets also trap fingerlings necessary for future stock. This decimates stocks and causes environmental harm.
The issue highlights an unintended consequence of the global effort to combat malaria, an effort that has reduced the death toll by half in the past decade.
The net distributions I have seen by the Imagine No Malaria campaign anticipated the problem of net misuse.
Before a distribution, community health workers and volunteers were identified and trained. During a pre-distribution education period, they learned how to prevent malaria, request permission to enter homes to hang nets, and explain proper use and care of nets.
Media campaigns, community meetings, fliers and word-of-mouth alerted local people to the future distribution. Communities were prepared in advance to welcome health workers and volunteers into homes. The trained volunteers hung nets and demonstrated how to use them.
As followup, health workers were assigned for six months to sectors to monitor net use and record the use rate. This identified issues for future distributions and reinforced behavior change practices that are critical for regular net usage. For 9 to 12 months after a net distribution, there are regular check-ups to ensure proper use and care of the nets.
In the Bo District of Sierra Leone, for example, health workers determined 98 percent of the nets were in use six months after installation. In addition, Imagine No Malaria nets were not distributed around fishing communities. The use of nets for fishing is likely localized to those communities.
In the past, nets distributed without such precautions sometimes appeared in local markets and were used for many unintended purposes. But net providers learned and adapted.
Underlying problems
Secondary uses of netting, as with many other items, are common in many communities lacking resources.
While this doesn’t mitigate the environmental harm, it does emphasize that people are using nets to get food and fish for sale. The root of the problem is food self-sufficiency and a healthy local economy.
It’s compounded by lack of awareness of the harm done to fish stocks.
The story also points to the need for alternatives to nets where practical and for more education.
A greater emphasis on screens and doors in living quarters is proposed. Due to construction practices and cost, this is more practical in some areas than others.
Indoor residual spraying is practical and safe, and it is used in some regions.
Responding to the challenge
Media campaigns can encourage proper use of nets and point out the harm done by this particular secondary use. Local leaders can speak against harmful fishing and build community support for prevention.
Addressing the diseases of poverty is a complex challenge. Solving one problem can lead to others. Unintended consequences reveal themselves.
Disease, poverty, education, food sufficiency and environmental stewardship are interrelated, complex human concerns. We are challenged by them to find life-enhancing solutions.
The story points to the need for thoughtful, comprehensive development to address these interrelated issues of life and death.
_____
This post was edited to remove a sentence that said the NY Times article did not refer to new nets. The article quotes a fisherman who says new nets are better because they don’t have holes.
6 questions with ‘Chuck Knows Church’ star
“Chuck Knows Church” began as a six-episode video series to help United Methodists know more about their church, but has since morphed into a 90-plus episode series seen by more than 50,000 people around the world.
Now United Methodist Discipleship Ministries has expanded the program to include “The Committee,” which debuted this month. In it, the fictitious Park Grove Community Church has lost its way, lost its pastor and will close its doors ... unless, despite itself, it can find a new way of doing church with the help of Chuck.
Josh Childs, the actor who brings Chuck to life, brings a lot of his own personality to the character. He answered questions about the show and his own Christian walk.
Josh Childs, as Chuck, explains the tradition of Palm Sunday. Video image courtesy of United Methodist Discipleship Ministries
Chuck has a lot of personality. As an actor, how did you discover the character and make him so likeable?
Nobody likes a “know-it-all,” right? I think one of the greatest aspects of Chuck’s personality is that he doesn’t come off as an expert so as much as someone who is just letting you in on a piece of information that he has just discovered himself.
We try to think of the best version of a person you would want to teach you. Imagine sensitive, fun, humble, human, and go from there. As a result, Chuck is mixture of the best versions of the writers, the director, the crew and even me.
I must confess that I have been referred to as the human version of a Labrador retriever: loyal, likable, and I don’t shed.
Do you have to do a lot of research into making Chuck such a wealth of knowledge about how things work and what things mean in The United Methodist Church?
There is a ton of research that goes into these episodes. And while any of the crew members (myself included) may be called upon to help in this regard, I have to give credit to the writers. They carry the initial and heaviest burden of research. That being said, for the “Church Pot Luck” episode, I did years of research on eating good food. And in true investigatory manner, my research on that subject may never be done.
Having a character like Chuck entertain people via video is a way to educate viewers about United Methodist church practices. Why do you think it’s important to have informed church members?
I played Little League soccer one summer when I was a kid. I had never played before, and I didn’t know the rules or the positions. All I knew was, if I could kick the ball, I should try, and I should try to get it into the other team’s goal.
When we practiced, my teammates all seemed to know the specifics of the game. The coach never explained this to me. But I was a kid, so I faked it. I crossed my fingers and hoped no one would kick the ball to me. Because I didn’t want anyone to know I didn’t understand it, I never asked how to actually play the game. As a result, I didn’t have much fun, but more importantly, I was never confident on the soccer field.
If you aren’t familiar with your world (your church), you’re not confident of your place in the world (the church).
This season of “Chuck Knows Church” has you on a church committee deliberating about whether a church needs to close its doors. With 4,000 churches in the U.S. dealing with that issue each year, what do you hope to inspire people on a committee such as this to think about?
This series is designed to spark conversation. It’s about questions. It’s about being bold enough to ask hard questions, open enough to hear questions that challenge you, learning to look at questions from a different prospective, so that you learn entirely new questions to ask. In some instances, asking the question is even more important than getting the answer, because, by asking, you’re opening yourself up to the possibility of having your mind changed.
You’re a professing Christian. Can you talk briefly about your walk with Christ?
Briefly? He’s everything. How’s that for brief?
My very existence is dependent on his love and forgiveness. Everything good about me, and around me is because of him. Every amazing opportunity is because of him. If I don’t get something right the first time, if I miss the mark on something important, he gives me another chance to become what he would have me become.
Finally, one last question. Is it true that in certain circles you’re called “the Christian George Clooney?”
Well, I did assemble an 11-member team to break into casino vault, but we didn’t keep the money. We donated it to charity. So yes, I’ll own it.
House is a freelance writer based in Nashville, Tenn.
News media contact: Heather Hahn, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
Mercy Junction Justice and Peace Center recently started managing a large church building with staff members, from left, co-director Beth Foster, building management staff Larry Fuqua, building manager Kara Tragesser, co-director Brian Merritt, and administrator Keely Gilliland. Photo by Kate Sheets
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A just resolution
in the matter of a formal complaint
filed against Rev. Dr. Larry Sonner.
Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church
January 28, 2015
As Conference Superintendents, we are an extension of the Office of the Bishop. With
humility, we affirm the General Rules of Order and the Discipline of The United Methodist
Church, and our responsibility to faithfully work with Dr. Sonner and Bishop Trimble for a
just resolution in this matter.
The Appointive Cabinet willingly entered into a process of discernment that is an adaption
of the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center’s Mediation Process.
This document is a product of our collective effort (Bishop Trimble, Conference
Superintendents, and Larry W. Sonner) to come to a just resolution that is not perfect but
one that we can live with while recognizing that there are challenges and disagreements
which are to be expected as the document attempts to meet the needs of all parties
involved.
Together we, the Appointive Cabinet and the Rev. Dr. Larry W. Sonner commit ourselves to
processes where persons can feel safe, valued, and heard. The following thoughts on a just
resolution come from this discernment and are offered prayerfully and hopefully.
To this end, we begin with three clarifications:
1) The Book of Discipline defines a just resolution in a specific manner:
A just resolution is one that focuses on repairing any harm to people and
communities, achieving real accountability by making things right in so far as
possible and bringing healing to all the parties.
¶363.1(c)
We read this to mean that any just resolution must address concerns which Dr. Sonner may
have caused to the church by officiating at the wedding ceremony of a same-gender couple.
In addition, and by the Discipline’s own definition, a just resolution must also address any
harm that may have been caused by the church’s stance on this matter.
2) We also affirm the reality that we are not of the same mind on the matter of human
sexuality. Even so, we also hold the truth expressed about our shared understanding of the
definition and nature of the church:
The church is a community of all true believers under the Lordship of Christ. It is the
redeeming fellowship in which the Word of God is preached by persons divinely
called, and the sacraments are duly administered according to Christ’s own
appointment. Under the discipline of the Holy Spirit the church seeks to provide for 2
the maintenance of worship, the edification of believers, and the redemption of the
world. The church of Jesus Christ exists in and for the world, and its very dividedness is
a hindrance to its mission in that world.
Preamble, Part 1 Constitution of the United Methodist Church, Italics Added
3) We also affirm what we have accepted as our shared Theological Task. This we share
with all persons of the United Methodist Church as well as the church universal:
While we acknowledge the primacy of Scripture in theological reflection, our
attempts to grasp its meaning always involve tradition, experience, and reason. Like
Scripture, these may become creative vehicles of the Holy Spirit as they function
within the Church. They quicken our faith, open our eyes to the wonder of God’s
love, and clarify our understanding.
The Wesleyan heritage, reflecting its origins in the catholic and reformed ethos of
Christianity, directs us to a self-conscious use of these three sources in interpreting
Scripture and in formulating faith statements based on the biblical witness. These
sources are, along with Scripture, indispensable to our theological task.
¶105. Section 4—Our Theological Task (page 82)
We affirm this task in light of our diversity and that we are not of the same mind on the
matter of human sexuality:
United Methodists as a diverse people continue to strive for consensus in
understanding the gospel. In our diversity, we are held together by a shared
inheritance and a common desire to participate in the creative and redemptive
activity of God.
¶105. Section 4—Our Theological Task (page 87)
Our task is to articulate our vision in a way that will draw us together as a people in
mission.
In the name of Jesus Christ we are called to work within our diversity while exercising
patience and forbearance with one another. [Italics added] Such patience stems
neither from indifference toward truth nor from an indulgent tolerance of error but
from an awareness that we know only in part and that none of us is able to search
the mysteries of God except by the Spirit of God. We proceed with our theological
task, trusting that the Spirit will grant us wisdom to continue our journey with the
whole people of God.
¶105. Section 4—Our Theological Task (page 87)
Rev. Dr. Larry W. Sonner has freely admitted to Bishop Julius C. Trimble that he did officiate
a wedding ceremony of a same-gender couple. The consequence of this action was the
filing of a formal complaint by the Appointive Cabinet against Rev. Dr. Larry Sonner on
November 11, 2014. Dr. Larry Sonner writes: “I believe the process for ordination as 3
United Methodist clergy instructs us to think and to act morally, ethically and theologically.
I believe it is morally/ethically/theologically wrong for me to say to LGBTQ persons that
their lives are incompatible with Christian teaching. I also believe that Biblical obedience
and loyalty to God and to the teachings of Jesus should have a higher priority than loyalty to
The United Methodist Book of Discipline.”
The Superintendents also affirm the vow at ordination to support and maintain the
discipline and polity of the United Methodist Church.
Therefore a Just Resolution will include the following:
1) Rev. Dr. Larry Sonner has been blessed to be a blessing throughout his long tenure as a
United Methodist pastor. The Appointive Cabinet recognizes that Rev. Sonner conducted a
same-gender wedding out of his moral, ethical, and theological convictions and that he
believes withholding marriage as part of the full ministry of the church is wrong. As an
Appointive Cabinet we continue to affirm Dr. Sonner as a beloved child of God;
2) Dr. Sonner has expressed his understanding of the harm that has been inflicted by the
church upon the LGBTQ community by not allowing the marriages of same-sex couples. Dr.
Sonner will be available for holy conversations with persons who are not in agreement
with his action of officiating at a same-gender wedding ceremony in order to understand
the feelings of those who do not hold his theological position on human sexuality.
3) As a result of these holy conversations Dr. Sonner will articulate in written form and in a
fair manner the hurt that was inflicted upon those who hold that the Book of Discipline
expresses a faithful reading of scripture when he officiated at a wedding of a same-gender
couple. This written form will include his own understanding of the harm that has been
inflicted by the church upon LGBTQ community by not allowing the marriages of same-sex
couples. The goal is the awareness that the grace of God in Jesus Christ can be faithfully
held in opposing beliefs on the matter of same-gender marriage.
4) The Appointive Cabinet will offer their time and presence to a group, such as Do No
Harm, who will facilitate safe ways for them to hear from out LGBTQ persons in general
and clergypersons in particular as to:
a) what it is like being a lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, or queer person;
b) how being such a person feels in the United Methodist Church and in this
Conference; and
c) how they experience harm from the Church.
The Appointive Cabinet is committed to having conversations with pastors who desire to
be in ministry with LGBTQ persons. Bishop Trimble will work with the Appointive Cabinet
to articulate ways to help such pastors be in ministry with LGBTQ persons without being in
violation of The Book of Discipline.4
5) The Appointive Cabinet encourages Dr. Sonner to join others who seek to change The
Book of Discipline by the method described in Our Theological Task, a method of faithful and
passionate patience and forbearance through our ways of amending and revising our
shared covenant as expressed in The Book of Discipline.
As an Appointive Cabinet we will work with individuals and/or groups who desire change
using methods supported by Our Theological Task.
6) Dr. Sonner agrees to meet on a regular basis with his Conference Superintendent
concerning his progress on the requests listed above.
Together we, the Appointive Cabinet of the Iowa Annual Conference and Rev. Dr. Larry
Sonner, commit ourselves to work together toward perfection in our study, leadership and
engagement on the issue of human sexuality.
This signed statement of understanding by Bishop Julius Calvin Trimble, the Appointive
Cabinet of the Iowa Annual Conference, and Rev. Dr. Larry Sonner acknowledges that
disciplinary process was initiated due to violation of The 2012 Book of Discipline of the
United Methodist Church ¶2702.1(b) & (d): performing same-sex wedding ceremonies.
Record of this complaint and the agreement to this just resolution shall be placed in Dr.
Sonner’s personnel record of the Iowa Conference. This is an agreed just resolution of the
complaint and no further action is necessary.
Rev. Terra Amundson Rev. Jackie Bradford Rev. Dr. Thomas Carver
Rev. David Crow Rev. Dr. Lilian Gallo-Seagren Rev. Harlan Gillespie
Rev. Paul Smith Rev. David Weesner
Rev. Dr. Larry W. Sonner Bishop Julius C. Trimble
January 28, 2015
 Daniel P. Finney, dafinney@dmreg.com
Sonner, 78, whom I first wrote about in December, faced punishment — including losing his pastoral credentials — for marrying a lesbian couple in October. The Methodist Book of Discipline, the rules for the Protestant church, forbid same-sex marriages and practicing gays and lesbians from being clergy.
Sonner went against the doctrine in an effort to open lines of communication about the church's treatment of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender and questioning people. And it appears he's gotten at least that. United Methodist Bishop Julius Trimble and a council of other church elders worked with Sonner to reach a "just resolution" in the case, Sonner told me Wednesday after the decision became final.
"I'm very happy with the discussions we had and the result we came to," Sonner said. "I am especially proud of our church for pledging to continue to talk about LGBTQ issues, including marriage and the clergy."
Methodist Pastor Larry Sonner married a lesbian couple He tells why he decided to perform the wedding as an act of civil disobedience within the church and what he hopes to accomplish for his faith.
United Methodists still offer Christian ministry to all people as church doctrine considers every soul sacred in the eyes of God. LGBTQ and same-sex marriage issues are highly controversial within the church. Many American conferences support same-sex marriage, but the growing portions of the church, particularly in Africa, remain largely opposed.
The issue is difficult for the church. During the United Methodist General Conference in 2012 — when the church leaders met to revise the Book of Discipline — a proposal to keep open the discussion of same-sex marriage failed to win approval.
But with the Iowa United Methodist Conference, at least, that dialogue is open thanks in part to Sonner and the open-mindedness of his superiors in the church. Bishop Trimble plans to make the full resolution, along with a pastoral note, public by the end of the week.
"I'm so proud that there's a document like this," Sonner said, "that keeps us talking. That's the very best I could hope for."
Bill Poland, assistant to Trimble, said the resolution was reached after many hours of thoughtful discussion in recent weeks.
"When it was finalized, there were hugs, everyone prayed together and there were even songs of unity," Poland said. "It really was something quite beautiful."
It's especially admirable considering how poor our public dialogues are relating to just about any issue today. Here you've got a veteran pastor questioning the laws of a church he has dedicated his life to serving and not a voice was raised, not a fist was shaken. Instead, there was thoughtful discussion, prayer and resolution.
Regardless of how one feels about the specific issue, there's a powerful lesson for peaceful negotiation in this story.
Other notes from around the capital city:
A fight broke out at the Iowa Energy game Tuesday night. Video shows two members of the Energy wrestling on the sidelines during a timeout. The question we didn't answer: Were there more Iowa Energy players involved in that fight than there were fans in the stands?
West Des Moines native Shawn Johnson, the gold medal-winning Olympic gymnast, is following up her tepid appearance on "Celebrity Apprentice" with a much more fun gig: She's a special correspondent covering the Super Bowl for "Inside Edition." She debuted on Wednesday and will be on the job through Sunday.
"I'm going to be the sidelines at the Super Bowl," Johnson told me after her "Celebrity Apprentice" run ended. "That's more in line with the kind of projects I want to do going forward."
The news from Decorah this week is the eagles, made famous by a webcam, arefighting for their nest against some great horned owls. Both have it better than a goldfinch that crossed the path of actor Rob Lowe as he golfed in Des Moines. Earlier this month on Conan O'Brien's television show earlier this month, Lowe recounted a tale of hitting a goldfinch — the Iowa state bird — with a shot at the PGA celebrity pro-am tournament back in 2007.
In a recent column about Cody Grimes, a police officer returned to duty after a series of misadventures, I mentioned that he likely will end up on airport duty. I described the duty as "a unit where supervisors station a lot of problem officers." Several officers, both current and retired, wrote that I unfairly painted all officers on airport patrol as troublemakers.
They're right. I unfairly generalized the duty. All officers work airport patrol at some point in their career, usually when they are rookies. New officers work overnight patrol, transport prisoners to jail and work airport security. Some veteran officers enjoy working at the airport, including Sgt. Bobby King, one of my favorite Des Moines cops, and my uncle Larry Rogers, a retired Des Moines officer who worked days at the airport for years.
But it's also true that officers who've gotten crosswise with bosses sometimes end up working nights at the airport as an unofficial punishment. Still, it isn't all — or even close to most — and I should have been more specific in my statement.
DANIEL P. FINNEY, the Register's Metro Voice columnist, is a Drake University alumnus who grew up in Winterset and east Des Moines. Reach him at 515-284-8144 or dafinney@dmreg.com. Twitter:@newsmanone.
RECOGNIZING, MAINTAINING, AND STRENGTHENING
EACH PERSON'S VALUE
Our church is committed to the idea that the rights and privileges a society bestows upon or withholds from its inhabitants indicate the relative respect in which that society holds particular persons and groups of persons. We affirm all persons as equally valuable in the sight of God and therefore work toward societies in which each person’s value is recognized, maintained, and strengthened.
THAT'S CHURCH.
  Leading prayer vigils, helping with cleanup, meeting with community leaders and comforting protesters. Answering the call to help a community in pain in Ferguson and other communities around the world.  Offering grants through the General Commission on Religion and Race and the General Board of Church and Society for innovative, bold, transformative initiatives and strengthen ethnic minority local churches through education, advocacy or leadership development as they engage in social justice.  The Global Mission Fellows provices a space where young adults are encouraged to engage with the local communities, connect the church in mission, and grow in personal and social holiness. This program allows for transformation and leadership development to take place while addressing roots of social injustices with other young people from around the world. "WE SHALL OVERCOME BECAUSE THE ARC OF THE MORAL UNIVERSE IS LONG, BUT IT BENDS TOWARD JUSTICE."BISHOP WOODIE WHITE: I STILL BELIEVE, MARTIN. WE SHALL OVERCOME!IF YOU'RE EAGER TO SUPPORT THE BASIC RIGHTS OF ALL PERSONS, WE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US.Recalling a groundbreaker in church communications
It was a radical idea for a church communications agency in the 1960s, but the motivation was just as groundbreaking: getting whites and blacks to talk to each other — over the airwaves — during a period of incredible racial tension in the United States.
The vehicle for that dialogue was “Night Call,” one of the first national radio call-in shows.
The creators were part of the Television, Radio and Film Commission of the Methodist Church, also known as TRAFCO, which eventually would evolve into United Methodist Communications.
Night Call’s innovative producer was Ben Logan, who retired from United Methodist Communications in 1986. Logan, 94, died Sept. 19 in Wisconsin, where he was known for his memoir, “The Land Remembers.”
Nelson Price, now retired from United Methodist Communications, was impressed by Logan’s writing when he interviewed him. Later, they would become close friends, and colleagues would grow to admire Logan’s ability to “paint pictures with words,” along with his knowledge, thoughtfulness, gentleness and dry wit.
“Ben really affected many, many lives,” Price said.
Night Call was one example of how he did so. By helping build understanding and reconciliation through conversation, the radio show “was a gift from the church to the nation,” said the Rev. Larry Hollon, the communication agency’s current top executive.
“As a producer, Ben brought his sensitivity and informed compassion to the program,” he noted. “It gave the entire nation an opportunity have a conversation about difficult differences and it provided an alternative to the angry, heated words that sometimes erupted into street violence.”
NIGHT CALL PROGRAMS
Many of the Night Call programs are available through the Sound Theologywebsite, which also includes a history of the program.
The website also allows you to search for specific guests and programs on Night Call or for other recordings about faith, preaching, and teaching.
A tumultuous time
Although an earlier version of Night Call aired in 1966-67, the show caught fire when it launched again in June 1968, the tumultuous period after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
“It was launched to create dialogue and to let the steam off and to avoid violence,” rememberedPrice, the show’s executive producer. “It was a very volatile, scary time.”
TRAFCO hired a sound engineer, Warren Braun, who designed equipment that would allow for a clear signal and such innovations as the ability to block objectionable language. At one point, the agency held 16 patents on the design.
When New York Telephone balked at hooking up the equipment in the Riverside Church radio station, afraid it would overload the system, Logan contacted two members of Congress who served on the show’s advisory committee. Within a few days, Price recalled, there was a response from the phone company. “We don’t know what’s going on but Washington has told us to put you on the air,” the producers were told.
Under the auspices of the National Council of Churches, the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops and the American Jewish Committee, Night Call aired five nights a week, from 11 p.m. to midnight Eastern Time, on 117 stations that donated the time as a public service.
Host Del Shields interacted with various guests in the studio or on the phone, with listeners calling in. The guests ranged from black activists Stokely Carmichael and Huey Newton to comedian Bill Cosby to Ralph Abernathy, who succeeded King as leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Council. Carmichael, who later took the name Kwame Ture, and Cosby generated tens of thousands of calls.
“There were people who called in who said they’d never talked to a black person before, never met a black person,” Price remembered.
At one point, protesting Union Seminary students threatened to shut down the Interchurch Center, which also would have shut the Night Call offices down. Instead, the producers offered the students the option of appearing on the program. “So that’s what they did,” he added. “It simply was an outlet where people could express their grievances and their protests.”
After 16 months, Night Call died for lack of funding. It won many awards, but was too controversial to attract advertisers, Price said.
Ben Logan. Photo courtesy of United Methodist Commission on Archives and History.
Other contributions
Night Call was only one of Logan’s contributions to the church. He edited “Television Awareness Training: The Viewer’s Guide for Family & Community,” published in 1979, and was executive editor of “Growing with Television: A Study of Biblical Values and the Television Experience.”
“We trained thousands of people to help Sunday school classes, schoolchildren and teachers to understand what the effect of television is on the behavior of children,” Price said.
Logan also helped set up the Media Action Research Center, for which he served as program director and worked with researchers in testing both the positive and negative effects of television on children.
“We weren’t trying to get people to boycott television, but be aware of what it was doing (to their lives),” said Shirley Struchen, who worked on both projects.
Outside of work, Price and Logan sailed — Price still owns a sailboat —and spent family time together. “Ben was very close to the land,” Price said. “He knew plants and the natural world.”
When he was living in New York, Logan bought and renovated an old farmhouse in Westchester County. After his retirement in 1986, he returned to his roots and bought his family’s farm on Seldom Seen Ridge, between Gays Mill and Mount Sterling in Wisconsin. Price, who kept in touch, visited him a few years ago and plans to attend an Oct. 26 memorial service in Gays Mill.
Logan reportedly was good at one-liners. If there is a one-liner that sums up memories of Logan during his time in New York, Jeff Weber, who worked with him as a producer and later became vice president of the Odyssey Cable Channel, has it.
“I remember a gentle man who loved to tell stories,” Weber said.
*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service multimedia reporter based in New York. Follow her athttp://twitter.com/umcscribe or contact her at (646) 369-3759 ornewsdesk@umcom.org. Additional information for this story came from “Keeping Up With a Revolution: The Story of United Methodist Communications, 1940-1990,” by Edwin H. Maynard.
Liberian church to start graduate school of theology
The United Methodist University plans to launch its graduate school of theology in March with the goal of ensuring clergy in Liberia have a place to earn a Master of Divinity.
“We have been granting diplomas and undergraduate degrees since the Gbarnga School of Theology was founded in 1959,” said the Rev. Yatta Young, dean of the new graduate school and former dean of the Gbarnga School of Theology, one of five colleges operated by the university.
The hope, she said, is that all United Methodist clergy in Liberia will have a minimum of a Master of Divinity. The graduate school will begin with the divinity program and move onto other fields, including peacebuilding.
Bishop John G. Innis said one of the Four Areas of Focus for the church is developing disciplined, effective United Methodist leaders. “Having a graduate school of theology will fulfill and strengthen that focus by educating well-disciplined, well-trained pastors,” he explained.
“Having an educated clergy and trained theologians is of paramount importance to the church,” Innis said.
Young said The United Methodist Church in Liberia has reached a point at which it needs to upgrade its scholarly ministry to the people of Liberia, including the more than 200,000 United Methodists in the country. “We have long provided primary, secondary, and college education,” she noted. “It is now time that we upgrade to graduate level.”
The university is prepared to run a graduate program with an array of faculty members, all of whom have their doctorates in several theological fields, Young said.
The Rev. Yatta R. Young is the new dean of the new graduate school of theology opening March 2015 with a divinity program. Young is the former dean of the Gbarnga School of Theology. Photo by Julu Swen, UMNS.
Textbooks needed
Educational authorities in Liberia raised the issue of textbooks during a consultation process for the graduate school, said Young, who explained that the university plans to ask the denomination’s Board of Higher Education and Ministry and Discipleship Ministries to provide some e-readers for the students.
The Rev. Stephen Bryant, Discipleship Ministries associate general secretary for Central Conference Relations and Resourcing, said the E-Reader Project is eager to work with Young and the new graduate theology program when the timing is right.
“Our first priority must be the 16 seminaries in Africa in the original plan, which includes Gbarnga where we piloted and started the e-reader program while Yatta was the dean. So Yatta is a great pioneer and we are eager to expand with her, as we are able," Bryant said.
Young said the university and the Ministry of Education – the government agency responsible for education matters – are working on resolving a few concerns before the United Methodist University Graduate School of Theology begins full operation.
The recruitment process is expected to start on Jan. 31, with an entrance exam in Monrovia and on the campus of the Gbarnga School of Theology for students outside of Monrovia.
“We will start with 50 students,” Young said, adding that classes will start in a College of West Africa building, a church property that is part of the United Methodist University campus. Eventually, it will move to the Gbarnga School of Theology campus.
The university plans to hold long overdue graduation ceremonies on April 28. Graduation was cancelled last year because of Ebola.
*Swen is editor and publisher of West African Writers, an online publication about United Methodist happenings in West Africa and assists the denomination in Liberia with coverage for United Methodist Communications.
News media contact: Vicki Brown, newsdesk@umcom.org or 615-742-5469.
National Bible Quiz winner plans to keep studying
The first-place winner in the senior division of the Ninth National Bible Quiz plans to keep studying the word of God.
“I am so blessed, really, and it will not end here, we will start in small groups,” Alexis John Caguingin said.
He emphasized the phrase “Don’t be afraid” in his verse exposition during the quiz. He noted later that the phrase is mentioned 365 times in the Bible.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of, so don't be afraid,” he said, adding that the message is “the Lord is with us.”
Caguingin was among 29 finalists from all over the Philippines who competed in junior and senior divisions in the Jan. 17, 2015, grand finals at the Philippine Bible Society Auditorium.
The four rounds of the competition include two rounds in which they answer questions about the Bible, and a third round in which contestant recite a Bible verse. In the fourth round, the top five in each round do verse expositions – comprehensively explaining and describing Bible verses.
The theme of the quiz, held every other year, was “Sharing God’s Word, Empowering the Poor, Transforming the Land.” The United Methodist Church Board of Christian Education and Discipleship sponsors the quiz in partnership with the Philippine Bible Society.
The national competition was started in 1997 as part of the build-up for the celebration of the centennial of Methodism in the Philippines in 1898-1999. It was the brainchild of Baguio Area Bishop Daniel Arichea Jr., who was then assigned to the Board of Christian Education and Communications and was also the chairperson of the Philippine Bible Society.
The partnership between The United Methodist Church and the Bible society has used the quiz to “generate support from the churches and develop interest in Bible reading and study, especially among the youth and children,” said Judge Benjamin Turgano, chairman of the quiz program.
He said the national quiz “aims to raise awareness of Biblical truth among the youth and strengthen the conviction that God’s Word is the basic foundation of a happy and peaceful life in this world.”
Nora Lucero, general secretary of the Bible society, expressed her joy and thanksgiving for the quiz. “By sustaining it consistently for 18 years, I believe we will be able to make it until God’s Kingdom comes,” Lucero said.
The Bible wizards
The winners at the junior level were:
The winners at the senior level were:
The Bible quiz provides great experience and opportunity, said contestant Jason Mark Dado from Visayas Philippines Annual Conference.
“We will encourage others, we will share our experiences, we will persuade other young people to help them develop their faith in God,” Dado said of his group, which included
Avegail Rose Montecillo and Devorah Grace Garcia, both from Mindanao.
The Coaches
The Rev. Teresita Takot, a coach from Mindanao, said the quiz was a great challenge that needed to be emphasized more.
“Our annual conference shall pay attention on this, not just for the church workers but for the young people,” Takot said.
Coach Rebecca Kathleen Vidal from Pangasinan said the quiz was empowering for the young people. “When we go back to our place, we will help revitalize the local church.”
Nina Arciga, the mother of Erica Aurelle, said her daughter was an accidental participant.
“She was a nanny to her younger cousins and other young people, but when a participant is missing, she took over,” she said.
Bishop Arichea thanked all those who have sustained and supported the program for 18 years.
“We can evaluate and improve this, and probably offer new ways of doing it. We are moving on to perfection,” Arichea said.
Mangiduyos is a correspondent for United Methodist News Service and chair of the United Methodist Church Board of Christian Education and Discipleship.
News media contact: Vicki Brown at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
Hodson builds Community in Lawton
By HOLLY McCRAY
During his 20s, Phil Hodson launched five businesses. That gained him great experience for his newest venture.
He’s planting a church in Lawton.
This entrepreneur didn’t plan to redirect his skills into career ministry. At age 28, he sold his fifth company and looked forward to golfing for pleasure.
Then "I woke up one day with nothing to do, and there was God, waiting," he said recently.
Newlyweds Phil and Joelle Hodson moved from Indiana to Dallas. In Fall 2010, he began study at Perkins seminary, Southern Methodist University. A fashion designer, she was able to transfer within her company.
Fast-forward to Annual Conference last May, when Lawton District Superintendent Chris Tiger introduced Rev. Hodson as Oklahoma’s newest church planter.
On Dec. 5 in Lawton, some 70 people attended a candlelight service, a preview worship event for Community United Methodist Church. A second service is set for Jan. 24.
As he nurtures this new community, Hodson holds dear his family’s long-time faith. He is a fifth-generation United Methodist. He was baptized and grew up in the Indiana church where his parents were married and his paternal grandfather was pastor.
He first felt God calling him at about age 16, Hodson admitted. As he prayed in his home church, "It was that voice. It was surreal, that feeling. I just knew."
Hodson sought advice, but even his grandpa told the teen to study "accounting or business, something practical," he recalled. "I took them at their word."
They said, "If God wants you, God will find you."
So he majored in selling and sales management. The sense of God’s call "just slipped away" — until that morning in his late 20s.
"It was like that feeling in the sanctuary." Hodson remembered thinking, "God has been really good to me. I’ve learned how to build a business, to manage people, to manage money."
He saw the dwindling membership in his home church as a microcosm of the denomination’s status. Perhaps his skills could be used to change that.
"And there was God."
After only six weeks of study at Perkins, Hodson wanted to work concurrently in the mission field. He saw a church job posting and met Guy Ames III, who was then Ardmore District superintendent. A week later, he received an appointment to Calera UMC.
The Hodsons had never crossed the Red River into Oklahoma.
"One month later, we were in a pulpit," he said. He’s also pastored the Hugo churches.
In Lawton, Hodson represents all UM churches as he knocks on doors and posts Facebook videos.
"Absolutely," said the church planter. "All churches benefit when a new church comes into a community and succeeds. We don’t start churches for existing (churchgoers). That’s sort of like shuffling chairs. That doesn’t accomplish anything.
"Kingdom work should be a win-win."
Rev. Tiger has been active in the Conference’s Department of Congregational Development for about 10 years. His commitment to that work is strong; he’s familiar with the Church’s research.
"One of the things we need to do as a denomination: We need to start new churches; they reach new people," the superintendent said.
A church plant is a key component of the District’s Strategic Plan.
Lawton seems underserved by The UMC, Tiger said. Statistics show 700-800 people attend UM churches there on Sundays, "but that’s less than 1 percent in a population of 100,000-plus," he said.
Churches in the district are helping establish the new congregation through intentional prayer, volunteer support, providing supplies, and special offerings. Lawton’s Centenary UMC volunteered office space even before Hodson was appointed.
Tiger encouraged the district’s church planter to connect with anyone who has started a church, to learn from them. Hodson had made 11 such visits when he talked with Contact.
He attended church-planting "boot camp" by consultant Jim Griffith, in Dallas, and a leadership institute at Church of the Resurrection, Greater Kansas City, Mo. He’s pored over demographics.
He pursues a media-heavy strategy, especially using Facebook. He has directed crowd-funding and church-naming social media campaigns.
And Hodson prays aloud as he drives around Lawton.
"You will not make a disciple in the office, ever. Jesus didn’t sit in the synagogue all day; he was out walking the streets," Hodson said.
The Hodson children help dad hand out Community UMC postcards.
Mom hosts a weekly gathering of 12-20 young mothers, with their children, at the parsonage.
That event gave Rev. Hodson affirmation of God’s presence in the Lawton ministry.
Working from home, he heard snippets of their talk about God "week after week." When one mother spoke of having her baby baptized, much conversation was sparked.
Hodson couldn’t resist. The pastor got a fresh cup of coffee and asked to join the group, "to offer a Methodist perspective."
"It was amazing to get to be a part of that group of people, so excited," he said. "Baptism is important to the women, and they wanted their babies baptized.
"People want to deal with the hard questions. They want someone who will take the time; they want a safe place to do that.
"God was in that moment."
He concluded, "If we want to share the good news today, we’ve got to speak it in a way that they’ll hear. What if we can create a space where people can wrestle with hard questions, with God? There’s a need."
Hodson is asking Oklahoma United Methodists to take a specific action to support the church plant. "Like" and "share" the Facebook page Community United Methodist Church.
"You never know who you might know who knows someone in Lawton. This is Kingdom work. Let’s go viral!"Joelle and Phil Hodson play with sons Xander and Xane.
 Joelle and Phil Hodson play with sons Xander and Xane.UMW: Let’s Intercept the Traffickers!
Members of Seattle's First United Methodist Church huddle together. Photo by Elizabeth Blanton.
By Elizabeth Blanton & Cary Lee | Seattle First United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Women (UMW) are huddling together to bring awareness to human trafficking in the two weeks leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, and they have asked United Methodist groups to participate virtually by submitting photos of Sunday School classes, congregations, and committees in huddles for a photo campaign called “Intercept the Traffickers.”
 This campaign is part of the UMW’s ongoing effort to stop labor and sex trafficking. Susie Johnson of the UMW Washington Office of Public Policy states that “human trafficking is a crime. United Methodist Women from across the nation have joined this sacred mission by taking a stand to prevent, protect and prosecute those impacted by this trade in human beings that occurs everywhere in the world.”
Our “Intercept The Traffickers” photos will be a powerful part of a virtual huddle around the University of Phoenix stadium on Super Bowl Sunday. First United Methodist Church of Seattle is throwing support behind the photo campaign. Will you join us?
Consider taking some time in worship, community groups, or committee meetings over the next two weeks to explain the cause and take a picture of members of your congregation huddled together to intercept human trafficking.
Information, bulletin inserts, and directions for making your photos part of the UMW virtual campaign can be found here.Summer Grove UMC blends services, hires worship leader
"Our church is slowly dying and in the last few years that death has come a little faster."
That's one reason Summer Grove United Methodist Church pastor Mark Bray said the church had no choice but to make changes.
"This church — when this part of Shreveport was a majority white neighborhood — thrived," Bray said. "My father-in-law was a pastor here about 25 years ago when it was thriving."
But with industries leaving and the neighborhood changing, Bray said the church started to die.
"We do not reflect the population of the neighborhood, which we learned ... is about 60 to 40, white to African-American. And we have one African-American who comes on Sundays," he said. "So that was a problem. We just need to be true to who our neighborhood is."
So, in addition to blending its contemporary and traditional worship services, the church also hired a black worship leader.
"Was it intentional that we hired him because he is African-American? Not really," Bray said. "I really contacted Nolan Budgewater to see if he knew anybody who could help us as a worship leader."
But Budgewater was interested in the position himself.
"Pastor Bray had called me a while back about it but I was really busy and involved at another church so I recommended a few people," Budgewater said. "But as we approached the new year he reached out to me again and I was available and free to take it on."
Budgewater, who teaches choir and drama at Youree Drive Middle AP Magnet School, said taking on the position at the church was a challenge.
"I was a little hesitant because it's a huge responsibility," he said. "I've been singing for a long time and I sing in church and have had opportunities to lead worship but not like a worship pastor where I'm leading every Sunday."
Bray said Budgewater was his daughter's choir director at Youree Drive Middle AP Magnet.
"He's extremely talented and he was Teacher of the Year at Youree Drive," Bray said. "And he's done some musical productions around town."
Budgewater officially took over as worship leader on the last Sunday in November.
"Everybody has been so supportive and very welcoming," he said. "I've had several people come up to me after service and say, 'We're so glad to have you here. You're just what we needed.' That really makes me smile internally, to know that I'm impacting them in such a way."
Since the church blended its services, Budgewater said he has to tread lightly.
"You had one service that only sang hymns and then you have this contemporary service so when you combine them both it is difficult for a member of the traditional service to come in and be eager about the contemporary service," he said. "I have to be careful in my music selection so it's not all new artists."
So to balance his music selection, Budgewater pulls out a hymn.
"I try to do a hymn or two every service to try to make this transition easy and comfortable for everybody," he said.
Bray said the contemporary service was added 10 years ago in an attempt to address some of the growth issues and it just never took off.
"Between these two services our attendance was probably in the 80s or low 90s, and now our average attendance is 110," he said. "So it's gone up about 10 percent. We've had some people who hadn't come in a while to start coming and people are coming on a more consistent basis."
Bray said the majority of the congregation is pleased with the blended service although there are some who attended the traditional service that feel like they've lost something in the change.
"We've taken out some of the parts they like, such as the affirmation of faith," he said. "We've changed the format."
Longtime member Janice Flannery said the changes have made a positive impact.
"It has brought a new energy level that we haven't had for a while," she said. "And of course, we have more people together and that makes a difference."
The church also is reaching out to the community through other efforts.
A free meal is offered to people in the neighborhood who use the church's food pantry and Mission Madness, a local mission project, is held the second Saturday of each month.
"I really have a love for the church and I don't want to see the church die," Bray said.
Twitter: @sshephardLIFE
If you go
What: Worship service.
When: 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Summer Grove United Methodist Church, 9119 Dean Road, Shreveport.
Information: 686-2514.
I just left the funeral for the church…
Young adult mission program accepting applications
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Some of the stories we tell about the church and its future, or lack thereof, remind me of those days. We speak of the church’s future demise as if we can predict how the story ends when in reality we can do no such thing; the future hasn’t been written. The church does have its own version of climate change deniers, but we also have the sky is falling sort whose lack of hope can torpedo any initiative to try and do something new.
I was the odd person out at my environmental college. I didn’t have an overwhelming concern or care for the environment. I didn’t hate nature, but I wasn’t really sure about the benefits of recycling, the dangers of overpopulation, the sources of global warming, etc. In short, I wasn’t a tree hugger (a term of affection there) and I wasn’t predisposed to care about spotted owls.
The gloom and doom predictions never impressed me and they certainly didn’t motivate me to change my behavior. Fear is one of the worst motivators there is, especially when the object of one’s fear is a vaguely, or poorly, defined set of future predictions. Every missed indicator becomes another reason to discount the entirety of said theory and an excuse to return to (or stay with) one’s past form of behavior. Sadly, despite mounting evidence, we continue to see this type of argumentation in responses to global warming today.
People have been discussing the decline of the church for quite a few years now. We’ve gotten used to the dire warnings and predictions of the end.This is also true for the church. People have been discussing the decline of the church for quite a few years now. We’ve gotten used to the dire warnings and predictions of the end. It is part of our collective story. Despite the fact that less people attend church regularly, or feel the need to do it at all, many congregations keep plodding forward without much change.
“Those young people will come back eventually; we did! Besides, the problem really isn’t us, it’s the world that changed.”
This tendency is also evidenced in how quickly we can forget that there is a problem when we see a small resurgence in Sunday morning worship attendance. Somehow, suddenly, our individual faith community is now impervious to those larger cultural issues, and internal discipleship issues, and we alone will persevere against the Goliath of mainline malaise.
People will refuse to accept a reality when the story it is packaged in is too bleak, dire, or simply boring.
While I question the effectiveness of scaring folks into doing the right thing, I believe there is a strong need to tell our story in a way that demands a future, without neglecting the present. Austrian philosopher and Catholic priest Ivan Illich said it this way:
“Neither revolution nor reformation can ultimately change a society, rather you must tell a new powerful tale, one so persuasive that it sweeps away the old myths and becomes the preferred story, one so inclusive that it gathers all the bits of our past and our present into a coherent whole, one that even shines some light into the future so that we can take the next step… If you want to change a society, then you have to tell an alternative story.”
While the church is committed to changing the world, let me suggest that we need to start by changing our story. The gains we have seen in environmental awareness and response have as much to do with changes in the way the story is told (talking about what preservation efforts give us) as they do with making change more practical and accessible. It certainly made a difference for me.
A future with hope is one we can build together intentionally, while the future of fear is one we can only run haphazardly from. The difference is the story we decide to tell.
So you want those millennials to start attending your church? Great! A funeral in progress may not be the strongest story we can tell. So let’s stop telling the tale about the death of the church and start writing the story about the future of the church. Our rewrite can’t ignore current realities, but it must refuse to be limited by them.
So what is the story the God of liberation, restoration and resurrection would have us tell?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below.
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