How much do you know about the Bible? Find out with this week's Bible Quiz and Crossword Puzzle."
With whom did God tell Abraham that he would establish his everlasting covenant?Find out the correct answer to this week's Bible Quiz!
Do you know a seven-letter word for the "first book in the New Testament"? What about a four-letter name for "Adam’s son"?Show off on this week's Bible Crossword Puzzle!
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Bible Quiz
How much do you know about the Bible? Visit us every Monday to find out. We’ll have a new question waiting for you below the fold. If you can't wait a week for more, check out the Bible Quiz Archive.
This week's question...
With whom did God tell Abraham that he would establish his everlasting covenant?
- All of Abraham's offspring
- Isaac and his descendents
- Ishmael and his descendents
- We are not told
"New at FLUMC.org: Back from the birthplace of Christianity" of The Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church of Lakeland, Florida, United States for Friday, 26 February 2016
They walked where Jesus walked, renewed their baptismal vows where He is believed to have made His, and visited other sites where Bible stories unfolded.
And then they brought the excitement of the Holy Land back to their flocks in Florida.
“I think what I left with was such an excitement to come back and read scripture again,” said Rev. Susan Gray. “They [Bible stories] just come to life – seeing the sites where Mary went to get water and Jesus must have tagged along as a small boy. … It’s almost like seeing it in 3-D.”
Gray is one of 31 recently ordained clergy members and spouses that returned early this month from a 10-day trip to Israel led by Florida Bishop Ken Carter.
Read more of this story and other news at www.flumc.org. Check the website daily for videos, pictures and opportunities from around the Florida Conference.
"Back from the birthplace of Christianity" by Susan Green, FLUMC.org
They walked where Jesus walked, renewed their baptismal vows where He is believed to have made His, and visited other sites where Bible stories unfolded.
And then they brought the excitement of the Holy Land back to their flocks in Florida.
“I think what I left with was such an excitement to come back and read scripture again,” said Rev. Susan Gray, pastor of St. Mark’s UMC, Ocala. She is in her fourth year as a pastor and was ordained as an elder in full connection last year.
More than 30 newly ordained clergy members join Florida Bishop Ken Carter in front of the city of Jerusalem, one of the stops the group made in a Florida Conference-sponsored trip to the Holy Land. Photos from Rev. Josh Bell.“They [Bible stories] just come to life – seeing the sites where Mary went to get water and Jesus must have tagged along as a small boy. … It’s almost like seeing it in 3-D.”
Gray is one of 31 recently ordained clergy members and spouses that returned early this month from a 10-day trip to Israel led by Florida Bishop Ken Carter. For recent ordinands, the journey was sponsored by the Florida Conference. The bishop designated half of the 2015 Annual Conference offering to help fund the pilgrimage for clergy ordained in the past three years. In many cases, individual churches chipped in to help send the pastors’ spouses as well.
For Carter, the trip was his fifth pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but he still carries the memories of his first and subsequent visits with him into ministry.
“I have been blessed to see people and places that have stretched my imagination and deepened my theology,” the bishop said in an email. “I have crossed tribal boundaries, listened to ancient voices, stepped in the waters of baptism, enjoyed the heaven that is Shabbat [day of rest], been overwhelmed by diverse languages, seen my neat political categories crumble and become more grateful for my heritage.”
He said he was glad to share the experience with ordinands at the outset of their ministries.
“I can only imagine how this will shape preaching, teaching and ministry across their lifetimes. I’m grateful to the Florida Conference’s generosity that has made this pilgrimage possible.”
Carter noted that newly ordained clergy tend to be repaying education debts, raising families and settling into new communities where they have been sent to shepherd congregations while hoping that their spouses will also find employment. Without Florida Conference funding, most new clergy members would not be able to experience a Holy Land trip, he said.
Gray and Rev. Josh Bell, pastor of Spring of Life UMC, Orlando, said the gift meant a lot.
Rev. Tony Fotsch, pastor of River of Life UMC, Jacksonville, who was ordained as an elder in 2014, renews his baptismal vows at the River Jordan, with Rev. Dr. Wayne Wiatt and Florida Bishop Ken Carter administering the sacrament.
Rev. Susan Gray, pastor of St. Mark's UMC, Ocala, and 2015 ordinand, sees a longtime dream fulfilled when Rev. Dr. Wayne Wiatt, left, and Florida Bishop Ken Carter immerse her in the River Jordan as a renewal of her baptismal vows.“The fact that the conference was willing to take us on this trip was such a blessing,” Bell said, adding that he is grateful that his church Staff-Parish Relations Committee was willing to fund the trip for his wife, Katie, as well. Bell was ordained in June 2014 and began serving Spring of Life the following month.
For Bell and Gray, this year’s Holy Land pilgrimage was their first visit to Israel.
“I feel spiritually refreshed and inspired from being there in these holy places,” said Bell, adding that the experience has helped shape the Lenten series he prepared for his congregation.
“I’m bringing my experience in Israel right back to the pulpit for the next several weeks.”
Like Gray, Bell said setting foot in the land of Abraham has enhanced his understanding of the Bible.
“It just gives me a deeper perspective on the places being talked about,” he said. “It makes it more tangible.”
Gray said she had long wanted to visit the Holy Land and was set to go a couple of years ago when a death in the family changed her plans.
“When I found out the bishop and the conference were going to send us to the Holy Land, I was so moved and excited,” Gray said. “It exceeded my expectations.”
She said she brought back a little water from the River Jordan, where she was immersed as a sign of recommitment to Christ, to share with her congregation.
Another meaningful spot on the tour was the border between Israel and Palestine, where Gray found herself between an Israeli guard and his Palestinian counterpart in a part of the world known for high tension.
“There was such a surreal sense of peace,” Gray said. “I felt very safe the entire time.”
Rev. Dr. Wayne Wiatt, Clergy Excellence director for the Florida Conference, also went on the trip.
“Many of our moments were deeply spiritual,” he said, noting that he was especially moved by a visit to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, built over the spot believed to be Jesus’ birthplace. Visitors climb down under the church to view the site, he said.
“It’s been preserved and protected,” Wiatt said. “It’s survived wars and conflicts.”
He said he most enjoyed watching relationships grow among young clergy.
“It was a wonderful way to bring together folks who had the common experience of ordination to begin forging lifelong friendships.”[Susan Green is the Florida Conference managing editor.]
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"New at FLUMC.org: Florida delegates host listening session on General Conference" Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church of Lakeland, Florida, United States for Friday, 19 February 2016
With General Conference 2016 less than three months away, delegates are preparing to grapple with proposals that could dramatically reshape the global church.
In Florida, 18 elected delegates – nine clergy and nine lay members – are studying and praying for guidance as they look forward to the 10-day gathering of the global church that occurs every four years. Alternates and jurisdictional delegates also are boning up on issues expected to come before them.
Saturday, the delegation invited United Methodists from across the Florida Conference to share what’s on their hearts and minds. Ten speakers from various parts of the state responded to the invitation, and more than 70 people attended the delegation’s General Conference Listening Session at First UMC, Lakeland.
Visit www.flumc.org for coverage of the listening session, as well as other news, opportunities, videos and pictures from around the Florida Conference.
"Delegates hear from church members on global issues" by Susan Green, FLUMC.org
Editor's note: This article was updated Feb. 23, 2016, to include additional comments.
LAKELAND – With General Conference 2016 less than three months away, delegates are preparing to grapple with proposals that could dramatically reshape the global church.
In Florida, 18 elected delegates – nine clergy and nine lay members – are studying and praying for guidance as they look forward to the 10-day gathering of the global church that occurs every four years. Alternates and jurisdictional delegates also are boning up on issues expected to come before them.
Florida United Methodists who attended a General Conference listening session pass around a prayer bead medallion intended to help church members pray for delegates and others involved in the 2016 event. Photos by Susan Green.Saturday, the delegation invited United Methodists from across the Florida Conference to share what’s on their hearts and minds. Ten speakers from various parts of the state responded to the invitation, and more than 70 people attended the delegation’s General Conference Listening Session at First UMC, Lakeland.
More than half the speakers addressed the United Methodist position on same-sex marriage and the eligibility of homosexual individuals for ordination.
Divestiture of United Methodist pension funds in companies or locales that don’t follow the church’s social justice principles – particularly the recent investments in companies doing business in Israeli-occupied Palestine – was the second most often discussed topic for speakers at the listening session.
Before inviting speakers to step forward, Rev. Debbie McLeod, pastor of Mandarin UMC, Jacksonville, and co-convener of the Florida Conference Connectional Table, let the audience know that delegates would listen but not respond to remarks or discuss their positions on topics expected to come to a vote at General Conference.
Rev. Sue Haupert-Johnson, North Central District superintendent and first-elected Florida clergy delegate, encouraged the crowd to follow legislative action with the anticipated live-streaming of the event May 10-20 in Portland, Oregon.
Currently, the denomination’s governing document, The Book of Discipline, describes the practice of homosexuality as “incompatible with Christian teaching,” and clergy, from pastors to bishops, vow to uphold church policies outlined in the discipline. Practicing homosexuals are not eligible for ordination, and clergy are prohibited from officiating at same-sex weddings.
The six speakers who addressed same-sex marriage were evenly split on whether that provision of the discipline should remain unchanged, and at least one speaker on each side of the issue told an impassioned story about a friend or relative who was gay and how that shaped their views.
Retired pastor Brent Byerman spoke in favor of more uniform ways of holding clergy accountable for upholding The Book of Discipline, saying he favors proposed legislation that would set forth mandatory penalties for violations and establish a global panel of jurors to hear complaints against bishops.
Margie Yansura, a member of United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches, said her grown children in their 20s and 30s are accustomed to a community that accepts lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) individuals in “all facets of life.”
“Let us open our hearts and love all God’s children,” she said.
Rev. Dawn Liphart read a statement written by Rev. Clare Chance, pastor of Avondale UMC, Jacksonville, who had signed up to speak but was unable to attend the session. The statement called for legislation that would “allow for geographical and cultural flexibility,” so that conferences and individual congregations could set their own policies for clergy responding to LGBT individuals.
Rev. Tamara Isidore of Friendship UMC, Clearwater, speaking to a crowd at the Florida delegation's Listening Session, expresses confidence that delegates will discern God's will for the church during General Conference 2016. Retired pastor Guy Weatherly of Brandon suggested that whether the Discipline stands as is or is changed on the issue of homosexuality, some proponents will win and others lose, and the issue will continue to interfere with the church’s mission of making disciples of Christ.
“How do we silence debate and go on about the business of making disciples of Jesus?” he asked. “Stop the war and … find a peaceful way to divide.”
Susanne Hoder of Punta Gorda, a co-chairperson of United Methodist Kairos Response, was one of two speakers who asked delegates to support a resolution calling for increased screening by the church pension board of companies doing business in the Israeli-occupied West Bank outside of Israel’s internationally recognized borders.
Kairos Response, described by Hoder as a global organization 2,500 strong, wants the church to stop investing in companies believed to be profiting from Israeli-backed housing starts in the occupied territory, where human rights violations have been reported.
Hoder noted that the church has in years past called on other entities to boycott businesses profiting from Israeli expansion in the West Bank. The church’s General Board of Pension and Health Benefits blocked and divested from some investments in January, but overall the number of companies selected for the board’s portfolio that are doing business in the identified territory has “skyrocketed,” Hoder contended.
“Our group feels it is time for this church to look in the mirror and say, ‘Are we really doing all we personally can do to hasten an end to this occupation?’”
Dr. Judith Pierre-Okerson, Miramar United Methodist Church, advocated for eight resolutions regarding social responsibility, including:
Provision of guidelines for measuring whether an industry’s presence will benefit a community in a just and sustainable way;
“It is a trick of the enemy to keep us trapped in one subject,” she said. “It is my prayer that … God will find room in our hearts and minds to speak God’s truth.”
Christ will guide His church, Isidore added.
“I am not scared, and I am not going to let anything scare me,” she said. “He will have the last say in the end, and His word is revealed to us every day and He will continue to do so.”[Susan Green is the Florida Conference managing editor.]
"New at FLUMC.org: Florida delegates host listening session on General Conference" Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church of Lakeland, Florida, United States for Friday, 19 February 2016
With General Conference 2016 less than three months away, delegates are preparing to grapple with proposals that could dramatically reshape the global church.
In Florida, 18 elected delegates – nine clergy and nine lay members – are studying and praying for guidance as they look forward to the 10-day gathering of the global church that occurs every four years. Alternates and jurisdictional delegates also are boning up on issues expected to come before them.
Saturday, the delegation invited United Methodists from across the Florida Conference to share what’s on their hearts and minds. Ten speakers from various parts of the state responded to the invitation, and more than 70 people attended the delegation’s General Conference Listening Session at First UMC, Lakeland.
Visit www.flumc.org for coverage of the listening session, as well as other news, opportunities, videos and pictures from around the Florida Conference.
"Delegates hear from church members on global issues" by Susan Green, FLUMC.org
Editor's note: This article was updated Feb. 23, 2016, to include additional comments.
LAKELAND – With General Conference 2016 less than three months away, delegates are preparing to grapple with proposals that could dramatically reshape the global church.
In Florida, 18 elected delegates – nine clergy and nine lay members – are studying and praying for guidance as they look forward to the 10-day gathering of the global church that occurs every four years. Alternates and jurisdictional delegates also are boning up on issues expected to come before them.
Florida United Methodists who attended a General Conference listening session pass around a prayer bead medallion intended to help church members pray for delegates and others involved in the 2016 event. Photos by Susan Green.Saturday, the delegation invited United Methodists from across the Florida Conference to share what’s on their hearts and minds. Ten speakers from various parts of the state responded to the invitation, and more than 70 people attended the delegation’s General Conference Listening Session at First UMC, Lakeland.
More than half the speakers addressed the United Methodist position on same-sex marriage and the eligibility of homosexual individuals for ordination.
Divestiture of United Methodist pension funds in companies or locales that don’t follow the church’s social justice principles – particularly the recent investments in companies doing business in Israeli-occupied Palestine – was the second most often discussed topic for speakers at the listening session.
Before inviting speakers to step forward, Rev. Debbie McLeod, pastor of Mandarin UMC, Jacksonville, and co-convener of the Florida Conference Connectional Table, let the audience know that delegates would listen but not respond to remarks or discuss their positions on topics expected to come to a vote at General Conference.
Rev. Sue Haupert-Johnson, North Central District superintendent and first-elected Florida clergy delegate, encouraged the crowd to follow legislative action with the anticipated live-streaming of the event May 10-20 in Portland, Oregon.
Currently, the denomination’s governing document, The Book of Discipline, describes the practice of homosexuality as “incompatible with Christian teaching,” and clergy, from pastors to bishops, vow to uphold church policies outlined in the discipline. Practicing homosexuals are not eligible for ordination, and clergy are prohibited from officiating at same-sex weddings.
The six speakers who addressed same-sex marriage were evenly split on whether that provision of the discipline should remain unchanged, and at least one speaker on each side of the issue told an impassioned story about a friend or relative who was gay and how that shaped their views.
Retired pastor Brent Byerman spoke in favor of more uniform ways of holding clergy accountable for upholding The Book of Discipline, saying he favors proposed legislation that would set forth mandatory penalties for violations and establish a global panel of jurors to hear complaints against bishops.
Margie Yansura, a member of United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches, said her grown children in their 20s and 30s are accustomed to a community that accepts lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) individuals in “all facets of life.”
“Let us open our hearts and love all God’s children,” she said.
Rev. Dawn Liphart read a statement written by Rev. Clare Chance, pastor of Avondale UMC, Jacksonville, who had signed up to speak but was unable to attend the session. The statement called for legislation that would “allow for geographical and cultural flexibility,” so that conferences and individual congregations could set their own policies for clergy responding to LGBT individuals.
Rev. Tamara Isidore of Friendship UMC, Clearwater, speaking to a crowd at the Florida delegation's Listening Session, expresses confidence that delegates will discern God's will for the church during General Conference 2016. Retired pastor Guy Weatherly of Brandon suggested that whether the Discipline stands as is or is changed on the issue of homosexuality, some proponents will win and others lose, and the issue will continue to interfere with the church’s mission of making disciples of Christ.
“How do we silence debate and go on about the business of making disciples of Jesus?” he asked. “Stop the war and … find a peaceful way to divide.”
Susanne Hoder of Punta Gorda, a co-chairperson of United Methodist Kairos Response, was one of two speakers who asked delegates to support a resolution calling for increased screening by the church pension board of companies doing business in the Israeli-occupied West Bank outside of Israel’s internationally recognized borders.
Kairos Response, described by Hoder as a global organization 2,500 strong, wants the church to stop investing in companies believed to be profiting from Israeli-backed housing starts in the occupied territory, where human rights violations have been reported.
Hoder noted that the church has in years past called on other entities to boycott businesses profiting from Israeli expansion in the West Bank. The church’s General Board of Pension and Health Benefits blocked and divested from some investments in January, but overall the number of companies selected for the board’s portfolio that are doing business in the identified territory has “skyrocketed,” Hoder contended.
“Our group feels it is time for this church to look in the mirror and say, ‘Are we really doing all we personally can do to hasten an end to this occupation?’”
Dr. Judith Pierre-Okerson, Miramar United Methodist Church, advocated for eight resolutions regarding social responsibility, including:
Provision of guidelines for measuring whether an industry’s presence will benefit a community in a just and sustainable way;
- A new resolution, “The Criminalization of Communities of Color in the United States,” which calls on the church to actively work to dismantle systems of institutional racism, and
- “A rather lengthy resolution” that brings forth important background information on environmental health issues, which Pierre-Okerson believes can be used as a teaching tool for the church.
“It is a trick of the enemy to keep us trapped in one subject,” she said. “It is my prayer that … God will find room in our hearts and minds to speak God’s truth.”
Christ will guide His church, Isidore added.
“I am not scared, and I am not going to let anything scare me,” she said. “He will have the last say in the end, and His word is revealed to us every day and He will continue to do so.”[Susan Green is the Florida Conference managing editor.]
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"New at FLUMC.org: Civility ministry spawns pilot program that works" Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church of Lakeland, Florida, United States for Friday, 5 February 2016
Something remarkable is happening at Scott Lake Elementary School.
A young boy known for aggressive behavior recently picked up a classmate’s dropped lunch tray. He didn't walk over and kick it out of reach as he once might have.
A fifth-grader with autism received an invitation from her fellow safety patrol members to join them for birthday celebrations and lunch in the cafeteria, even though she spends her school day in a separate classroom.
These random acts of kindness are believed to be fostered by a pilot learning program known as Operation Hedgehog, created by the American Civility Association. The nonprofit organization got its inspiration from a faith-based program taught by Southside UMC, Jacksonville, about four years ago.
Today, the program is in public schools in three Florida counties and is being tracked for results by the University of Central Florida.
Visit www.flumc.org to read this story and see more news, opportunities, pictures and videos from around the Florida Conference.
"Church civility ministry spawns pilot program that works" by Kathy Steele, FLUMC.org
Something remarkable is happening at Scott Lake Elementary School in Lakeland.
A young boy known for aggressive behavior recently picked up a classmate’s dropped lunch tray. He didn't walk over and kick it out of reach as he once might have.
![]()
Schoolteachers assemble kits and learn about a new civility curriculum at a recent public school training program. Photos from American Civility Association.A fifth-grader with autism received an invitation from her fellow safety patrol members to join them for birthday celebrations and lunch in the cafeteria, even though she spends her school day in a separate classroom.
And a student asked a teacher if he could have a cup of coffee as a kindness for his own teacher.
"He just didn't have the money [for the coffee]," said Diedre Skaggs, district guidance specialist in Polk County. The teacher said yes and walked with him as he carried the coffee to his classroom. "His little heart was beaming because he could do that."
These random acts of kindness are believed to be fostered by a pilot learning program known as Operation Hedgehog, created by the American Civility Association. The nonprofit organization got its inspiration from a faith-based program taught by Southside UMC, Jacksonville, about four years ago.
The goal is to make schools healthier and safer by nurturing a culture of civility. Since 2011, schools in Polk, Clay and St. Johns counties, including St. Johns Technical High School in Jacksonville, have introduced the civility curriculum to their students.
"They became a kindness campus," said Amy Barnett, the association's founder and a Southside UMC member. "Civility begins with gratitude. Kindness, goodness and respect will follow. It will happen. They embrace it."
In 2014-15, the percentage of student referrals for behavior problems at Scott Lake decreased by 80 percent. Suspension days declined from 164 to 107, a 35 percent decrease. Incidents of stealing fell from eight to four, a 50 percent decrease. Class disruptions, aggressive behaviors and insubordination also saw declines. And absences from school fell by 35 percent.
Pilot programs for Operation Hedgehog aimed at teenagers at St. Johns Technical High School, which has middle and high school students, saw similar results from 2011 to 2013.
Southside UMC student ministries director Steve Dickson, right, and students pack candy for an "Operation Hedgehog" civility training in public schools.The candy will be part of a training about positive responses. Scott Lake guidance counselor Candace Shim said students would start each day discussing what they were grateful for.
It was a positive spin that seemed to be more effective against bad behaviors, including bullying, than designated anti-bullying programs.
“If you’re being kind, you can’t be a bully at the same time,” Shim said. “I think it’s more preventative.”
Barnett hopes to confirm that soon with results of an independent study examining the program’s effectiveness.
Even in this endeavor, faith is playing a role.
The University of Central Florida (UCF) is completing an independent study focused on eight schools in Polk County.
Tom Owens, UCF’s director of the Center for Educational Research and Development, is volunteering his time to compile the data.
Owens and Barnett recently learned they are both Methodists. Owens attends a church in Winter Haven.
Even before realizing that, though, Owens said, “We both were acutely aware we were people of faith.”
The study will make comparisons between schools that use the program and those that don’t. Schools employing Operation Hedgehog will be studied for behavior and attendance before, during and after the program’s completion.
The association will hire a statistician to crunch the numbers.
"We want to see if we can tie behavior to the curriculum and see if there is a residual effect after they have taken the course," Owens said.
While this study won’t address links between civility and improving test scores, Owens said there are studies that support that potential.
The nonprofit is secular, but Barnett credits longtime church volunteer Libby Lee, 96, with planting the seed for what became Operation Hedgehog and its “Precious NOT Prickly” (like a porcupine) theme.
![]()
Amy Barnett, left, founder of the nonprofit American Civility Association, looks over civility curriculum materials with "Miss Libby" Lee, whom she credits with starting a civility ministry at Southside UMC, Jacksonville.Lee told Southside members she worried that children weren't learning the manners and etiquette she remembered growing up as a child.
Church volunteers responded with a six-week course in civility that began with 15 children during Lenten season. By the second week, 30 children were participating.
"They were very good children," Barnett said. But “Miss Libby” was right, she said. There were some gaps in social graces. The program began with lessons from scripture but also taught such simple gestures as holding a door open or pulling out a chair to help someone sit down.
Stories from Chinese proverbs and other children’s stories also were part of teaching “pay it forward” examples of kindness.
For Barnett, those Lenten lessons were a catalyst to finding a way to reach a broader audience.
“You’re seeing the shootings and violence,” she said. “It gives people a sense of helplessness. They think it’s too late, but it’s not too late.”
Barnett hopes eventually to spread the association's civility message "in business, life and school" nationwide. Her focus for now is introducing Operation Hedgehog to schools in Florida and establishing the data to show the program works.
The association produces educational materials for students and educators in prekindergarten through 12th grade. Volunteers provide training in how to introduce the curriculum into the classrooms.
Southside still plays a role. On a recent Saturday, about 15 teenagers and adults at the church collated and boxed up materials that would be used to train teachers at five schools in Polk.
In nearly four years, more than 1,000 educators in Polk, Clay and St. Johns have been trained, according to the association. More than 7,000 students have participated.
Duval County now is piloting the program at seven alternative schools, as well as in its elementary schools.
Barnett is betting on Operation Hedgehog to be part of the solution for restoring kindness and gratitude to the world. She is starting with the children.
“When you see the problem and wish somebody would do something,” she said, “then often it is your calling."
Click here to read more about the American Civility Association.[Kathy Steele is a freelance writer based in Tampa.]
"New at FLUMC.org: Civility ministry spawns pilot program that works" Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church of Lakeland, Florida, United States for Friday, 5 February 2016
Something remarkable is happening at Scott Lake Elementary School.
A young boy known for aggressive behavior recently picked up a classmate’s dropped lunch tray. He didn't walk over and kick it out of reach as he once might have.
A fifth-grader with autism received an invitation from her fellow safety patrol members to join them for birthday celebrations and lunch in the cafeteria, even though she spends her school day in a separate classroom.
These random acts of kindness are believed to be fostered by a pilot learning program known as Operation Hedgehog, created by the American Civility Association. The nonprofit organization got its inspiration from a faith-based program taught by Southside UMC, Jacksonville, about four years ago.
Today, the program is in public schools in three Florida counties and is being tracked for results by the University of Central Florida.
Visit www.flumc.org to read this story and see more news, opportunities, pictures and videos from around the Florida Conference.
"Church civility ministry spawns pilot program that works" by Kathy Steele, FLUMC.org
Something remarkable is happening at Scott Lake Elementary School in Lakeland.
A young boy known for aggressive behavior recently picked up a classmate’s dropped lunch tray. He didn't walk over and kick it out of reach as he once might have.
Schoolteachers assemble kits and learn about a new civility curriculum at a recent public school training program. Photos from American Civility Association.A fifth-grader with autism received an invitation from her fellow safety patrol members to join them for birthday celebrations and lunch in the cafeteria, even though she spends her school day in a separate classroom.
And a student asked a teacher if he could have a cup of coffee as a kindness for his own teacher.
"He just didn't have the money [for the coffee]," said Diedre Skaggs, district guidance specialist in Polk County. The teacher said yes and walked with him as he carried the coffee to his classroom. "His little heart was beaming because he could do that."
These random acts of kindness are believed to be fostered by a pilot learning program known as Operation Hedgehog, created by the American Civility Association. The nonprofit organization got its inspiration from a faith-based program taught by Southside UMC, Jacksonville, about four years ago.
The goal is to make schools healthier and safer by nurturing a culture of civility. Since 2011, schools in Polk, Clay and St. Johns counties, including St. Johns Technical High School in Jacksonville, have introduced the civility curriculum to their students.
"They became a kindness campus," said Amy Barnett, the association's founder and a Southside UMC member. "Civility begins with gratitude. Kindness, goodness and respect will follow. It will happen. They embrace it."
In 2014-15, the percentage of student referrals for behavior problems at Scott Lake decreased by 80 percent. Suspension days declined from 164 to 107, a 35 percent decrease. Incidents of stealing fell from eight to four, a 50 percent decrease. Class disruptions, aggressive behaviors and insubordination also saw declines. And absences from school fell by 35 percent.
Pilot programs for Operation Hedgehog aimed at teenagers at St. Johns Technical High School, which has middle and high school students, saw similar results from 2011 to 2013.
Southside UMC student ministries director Steve Dickson, right, and students pack candy for an "Operation Hedgehog" civility training in public schools.The candy will be part of a training about positive responses. Scott Lake guidance counselor Candace Shim said students would start each day discussing what they were grateful for.
It was a positive spin that seemed to be more effective against bad behaviors, including bullying, than designated anti-bullying programs.
“If you’re being kind, you can’t be a bully at the same time,” Shim said. “I think it’s more preventative.”
Barnett hopes to confirm that soon with results of an independent study examining the program’s effectiveness.
Even in this endeavor, faith is playing a role.
The University of Central Florida (UCF) is completing an independent study focused on eight schools in Polk County.
Tom Owens, UCF’s director of the Center for Educational Research and Development, is volunteering his time to compile the data.
Owens and Barnett recently learned they are both Methodists. Owens attends a church in Winter Haven.
Even before realizing that, though, Owens said, “We both were acutely aware we were people of faith.”
The study will make comparisons between schools that use the program and those that don’t. Schools employing Operation Hedgehog will be studied for behavior and attendance before, during and after the program’s completion.
The association will hire a statistician to crunch the numbers.
"We want to see if we can tie behavior to the curriculum and see if there is a residual effect after they have taken the course," Owens said.
While this study won’t address links between civility and improving test scores, Owens said there are studies that support that potential.
The nonprofit is secular, but Barnett credits longtime church volunteer Libby Lee, 96, with planting the seed for what became Operation Hedgehog and its “Precious NOT Prickly” (like a porcupine) theme.
Amy Barnett, left, founder of the nonprofit American Civility Association, looks over civility curriculum materials with "Miss Libby" Lee, whom she credits with starting a civility ministry at Southside UMC, Jacksonville.Lee told Southside members she worried that children weren't learning the manners and etiquette she remembered growing up as a child.
Church volunteers responded with a six-week course in civility that began with 15 children during Lenten season. By the second week, 30 children were participating.
"They were very good children," Barnett said. But “Miss Libby” was right, she said. There were some gaps in social graces. The program began with lessons from scripture but also taught such simple gestures as holding a door open or pulling out a chair to help someone sit down.
Stories from Chinese proverbs and other children’s stories also were part of teaching “pay it forward” examples of kindness.
For Barnett, those Lenten lessons were a catalyst to finding a way to reach a broader audience.
“You’re seeing the shootings and violence,” she said. “It gives people a sense of helplessness. They think it’s too late, but it’s not too late.”
Barnett hopes eventually to spread the association's civility message "in business, life and school" nationwide. Her focus for now is introducing Operation Hedgehog to schools in Florida and establishing the data to show the program works.
The association produces educational materials for students and educators in prekindergarten through 12th grade. Volunteers provide training in how to introduce the curriculum into the classrooms.
Southside still plays a role. On a recent Saturday, about 15 teenagers and adults at the church collated and boxed up materials that would be used to train teachers at five schools in Polk.
In nearly four years, more than 1,000 educators in Polk, Clay and St. Johns have been trained, according to the association. More than 7,000 students have participated.
Duval County now is piloting the program at seven alternative schools, as well as in its elementary schools.
Barnett is betting on Operation Hedgehog to be part of the solution for restoring kindness and gratitude to the world. She is starting with the children.
“When you see the problem and wish somebody would do something,” she said, “then often it is your calling."
Click here to read more about the American Civility Association.[Kathy Steele is a freelance writer based in Tampa.]
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"New at FLUMC.org: Celebrate Jesus model goes international" Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church of Lakeland, Florida, United States for Friday, 29 February 2016
The Celebrate Jesus ministry founded 16 years ago in Florida has ceased operations after helping hundreds of churches connect with and introduce Jesus to their surrounding communities. But the model continues to make new disciples through missions abroad.
Recent examples include a Florida Conference team of Spanish-speaking members to La Hoya, a rural community in the Dominican Republic, and a mission trip to East Angola, Africa. Both employed Celebrate Jesus techniques in different ways.
“It was an amazing experience,” said Alexia Valle Velez, who was on the mission team to La Hoya. “I would definitely go again if I could.”
Read this story and connect to Bishop Ken Carter’s first of a series of podcasts at www.flumc.org. Check the website daily for updated news, opportunities, videos and pictures from around the Florida Conference.
"Celebrate Jesus model goes international" by Susan Green, FLUMC.org
Rev. Connie DiLeo, a missionary and church pastor in La Hoya, Dominican Republic, enjoys mingling with neighbors during a 2015 Celebrate Jesus mission. Photos from Icel Rodriguez.The Celebrate Jesus ministry founded 16 years ago in Florida has ceased operations after helping hundreds of churches connect with and introduce Jesus to their surrounding communities. But the model continues to make new disciples through missions abroad.
Recent examples include a Florida Conference team of Spanish-speaking members to La Hoya, a rural community in the Dominican Republic, and a mission trip to East Angola, Africa. Both employed Celebrate Jesus techniques in different ways.
Icel Rodriguez, Global Missions director for the Florida Conference, said those experiences strengthened her conviction that evangelistic outreach should be tailored to specific mission destinations and incorporated into the work that team members do there. She currently is making plans for a Celebrate Jesus-style mission to Costa Rica in April.
Her experience mixing the Celebrate Jesus concept with missions abroad dates to 2006, when a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission team combined evangelistic outreach with a construction project in Quisgualagua, Honduras.
Last fall, a team partnered with members of a Methodist congregation in La Hoya pastored by Rev. Connie DiLeo, a Florida Conference deacon and Global Ministries missionary.
Though tailored to fit the needs of the impoverished neighborhoods around the church, the weeklong experience included a hallmark of the Celebrate Jesus tradition: personal invitations to prayer and worship.
“We spread out and visited every single house,” recalled Rodriguez, who led the mission team.
“What was amazing was the welcoming spirit of the people,” she said. “Everybody opened their doors and invited us in. So we went in and prayed. Several people surrendered their life to Christ.”
A Celebrate Jesus mission team comprising members from Florida and the Dominican Republic prepares to introduce surrounding residents to Christ.
Celebrate Jesus mission team members wash the feet of people they met and worked with during a 2015 visit to La Hoya in the Dominican Republic.All residents were invited to a children’s party at a neighborhood park at the end of the week. The event included face-painting, games, refreshments and a worship service.
In December, DiLeo reported to Rodriguez that the church was preparing for seven baptisms, some of which stemmed from the Celebrate Jesus event.
Alexia Valle Velez, 20, of Orlando, was on the mission team to La Hoya. She said the experience was quite different from a Celebrate Jesus mission she participated in as a girl in Miami, when she attended Coral Way UMC.
In Miami, team members split up and went to homes to offer prayer and invite people to church, she said. She remembered taking slips of paper printed with the invitation.
“In Miami, they said, ‘No, I don’t need prayers,’” Valle Velez recalled. “In La Hoya, they said, 'Yes, I need these prayers.' They didn’t deny it at all. They were very welcoming.”
The visitors from Florida paired with members from the Methodist Church in La Hoya and went door to door to speak to residents and offer small gifts of towels and toiletries, Valle Velez said. The experience not only served as a Christian witness but created bonds between the already practicing disciples who hailed from two vastly different cultures, she said.
One obstacle that did not exist was a language barrier. Having a mission team fluent in Spanish put La Hoya congregation members and residents at ease, Valle Velez said.
“The first night we were at the church, a lot of people didn’t come up to us,” she recalled. “Then Pastor Connie said, ‘Hey, guys, they speak Spanish.’ … And they felt more comfortable coming up to us. They probably felt we were able to connect, especially spiritually.”
The high point of the experience came near the end of the visit, when she and another team member had a nearly simultaneous thought that they should wash the feet of two women from the La Hoya church who had been working with them. The women agreed, and the Florida visitors washed their feet, as well as the feet of a little girl who happened to be at the church when the volunteers returned.
“It was very overwhelming in a positive way to see the way the Holy Spirit broke out,” Valle Velez said. The following day at worship, the girl responded to a call for everyone who wanted to receive God to step forward.
“I had the privilege of washing her feet and praying for her when she accepted God,” Valle Velez said.
“It was an amazing experience,” she said. “I would definitely go again if I could.”
That’s encouraging to Rodriguez, who said she hopes that positive experiences will lead to more mission participation among Hispanic Methodists.
The team to the Dominican Republic included members from three different congregations, who have been encouraged to share their experiences with others from their home churches, Rodriguez said.
Celebrate Jesus Inc., which had conducted missions in Georgia as well as Florida, ceased operations at the end of August, citing a declining number of participating churches and dwindling funds, according to an announcement on the organization’s website.
“We encourage organizations, groups or individuals to continue the ministry of Celebrate Jesus through other avenues,” the announcement says. “We will keep our CJ website and Facebook page open through summer of 2016 to provide an avenue for sharing glory stories and allow folks to download our training materials.”
A Celebrate Jesus reunion is planned for Florida’s Annual Conference 2016, scheduled for June in Orlando. Details will be announced on the Celebrate Jesus Facebook page.[Susan Green is the Florida Conference managing editor.]
"New at FLUMC.org: Celebrate Jesus model goes international" Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church of Lakeland, Florida, United States for Friday, 29 February 2016
The Celebrate Jesus ministry founded 16 years ago in Florida has ceased operations after helping hundreds of churches connect with and introduce Jesus to their surrounding communities. But the model continues to make new disciples through missions abroad.
Recent examples include a Florida Conference team of Spanish-speaking members to La Hoya, a rural community in the Dominican Republic, and a mission trip to East Angola, Africa. Both employed Celebrate Jesus techniques in different ways.
“It was an amazing experience,” said Alexia Valle Velez, who was on the mission team to La Hoya. “I would definitely go again if I could.”
Read this story and connect to Bishop Ken Carter’s first of a series of podcasts at www.flumc.org. Check the website daily for updated news, opportunities, videos and pictures from around the Florida Conference.
"Celebrate Jesus model goes international" by Susan Green, FLUMC.org
Rev. Connie DiLeo, a missionary and church pastor in La Hoya, Dominican Republic, enjoys mingling with neighbors during a 2015 Celebrate Jesus mission. Photos from Icel Rodriguez.The Celebrate Jesus ministry founded 16 years ago in Florida has ceased operations after helping hundreds of churches connect with and introduce Jesus to their surrounding communities. But the model continues to make new disciples through missions abroad.
Recent examples include a Florida Conference team of Spanish-speaking members to La Hoya, a rural community in the Dominican Republic, and a mission trip to East Angola, Africa. Both employed Celebrate Jesus techniques in different ways.
Icel Rodriguez, Global Missions director for the Florida Conference, said those experiences strengthened her conviction that evangelistic outreach should be tailored to specific mission destinations and incorporated into the work that team members do there. She currently is making plans for a Celebrate Jesus-style mission to Costa Rica in April.
Her experience mixing the Celebrate Jesus concept with missions abroad dates to 2006, when a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission team combined evangelistic outreach with a construction project in Quisgualagua, Honduras.
Last fall, a team partnered with members of a Methodist congregation in La Hoya pastored by Rev. Connie DiLeo, a Florida Conference deacon and Global Ministries missionary.
Though tailored to fit the needs of the impoverished neighborhoods around the church, the weeklong experience included a hallmark of the Celebrate Jesus tradition: personal invitations to prayer and worship.
“We spread out and visited every single house,” recalled Rodriguez, who led the mission team.
“What was amazing was the welcoming spirit of the people,” she said. “Everybody opened their doors and invited us in. So we went in and prayed. Several people surrendered their life to Christ.”
A Celebrate Jesus mission team comprising members from Florida and the Dominican Republic prepares to introduce surrounding residents to Christ.
Celebrate Jesus mission team members wash the feet of people they met and worked with during a 2015 visit to La Hoya in the Dominican Republic.All residents were invited to a children’s party at a neighborhood park at the end of the week. The event included face-painting, games, refreshments and a worship service.
In December, DiLeo reported to Rodriguez that the church was preparing for seven baptisms, some of which stemmed from the Celebrate Jesus event.
Alexia Valle Velez, 20, of Orlando, was on the mission team to La Hoya. She said the experience was quite different from a Celebrate Jesus mission she participated in as a girl in Miami, when she attended Coral Way UMC.
In Miami, team members split up and went to homes to offer prayer and invite people to church, she said. She remembered taking slips of paper printed with the invitation.
“In Miami, they said, ‘No, I don’t need prayers,’” Valle Velez recalled. “In La Hoya, they said, 'Yes, I need these prayers.' They didn’t deny it at all. They were very welcoming.”
The visitors from Florida paired with members from the Methodist Church in La Hoya and went door to door to speak to residents and offer small gifts of towels and toiletries, Valle Velez said. The experience not only served as a Christian witness but created bonds between the already practicing disciples who hailed from two vastly different cultures, she said.
One obstacle that did not exist was a language barrier. Having a mission team fluent in Spanish put La Hoya congregation members and residents at ease, Valle Velez said.
“The first night we were at the church, a lot of people didn’t come up to us,” she recalled. “Then Pastor Connie said, ‘Hey, guys, they speak Spanish.’ … And they felt more comfortable coming up to us. They probably felt we were able to connect, especially spiritually.”
The high point of the experience came near the end of the visit, when she and another team member had a nearly simultaneous thought that they should wash the feet of two women from the La Hoya church who had been working with them. The women agreed, and the Florida visitors washed their feet, as well as the feet of a little girl who happened to be at the church when the volunteers returned.
“It was very overwhelming in a positive way to see the way the Holy Spirit broke out,” Valle Velez said. The following day at worship, the girl responded to a call for everyone who wanted to receive God to step forward.
“I had the privilege of washing her feet and praying for her when she accepted God,” Valle Velez said.
“It was an amazing experience,” she said. “I would definitely go again if I could.”
That’s encouraging to Rodriguez, who said she hopes that positive experiences will lead to more mission participation among Hispanic Methodists.
The team to the Dominican Republic included members from three different congregations, who have been encouraged to share their experiences with others from their home churches, Rodriguez said.
Celebrate Jesus Inc., which had conducted missions in Georgia as well as Florida, ceased operations at the end of August, citing a declining number of participating churches and dwindling funds, according to an announcement on the organization’s website.
“We encourage organizations, groups or individuals to continue the ministry of Celebrate Jesus through other avenues,” the announcement says. “We will keep our CJ website and Facebook page open through summer of 2016 to provide an avenue for sharing glory stories and allow folks to download our training materials.”
A Celebrate Jesus reunion is planned for Florida’s Annual Conference 2016, scheduled for June in Orlando. Details will be announced on the Celebrate Jesus Facebook page.[Susan Green is the Florida Conference managing editor.]
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