Firelands District UMC

Judy — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 23:45:46 +0000

UMC Call to Action: Foster and Sustain Congregational Vitality

Judy — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 22:45:52 +0000

For the UMC to maintain status quo is “toxic and unsustainable.” Fostering and sustaining congregational vitality is the priority. Accountable leadership is the strategy.

Check out the article by Heather Hahn at UMC.org, linked in East Ohio Conference E-News, Nov 1, 2010 edition. (As soon as Betty and I learn how to post a link, we will do so!)

From the report, here are “assumptions (my term) with which the Steering Team began:
• The reassurance that the people called Methodists “are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives” (Ephesians 2:10).

•A confession that as a Church we have pursued self-interests and allowed institutional inertia to bind us in ways that constrain our witness and dilute our mission. We have been preoccupied more with defending treasured assumptions and theories, protecting our respective turf and prerogatives, and maintaining the status quo for beloved institutions.

• An unflinching recognition of decades of decline in membership and attendance, less engagement and influence in communities than desired, aging constituencies and leaders, and financial strains.

• An emphasis that any “reordering” should be predicated upon sound and accurate understandings of how to best direct leadership, time, talent, and money to cultivate more vital congregations.

• A commitment to work from a foundation of facts rather than opinions by commissioning research based on extensive data-mining and objective methods for identifying relevant trends, behaviors, and issues.

Did the Bishops’ Call to Action Team nail the issue? I think so. Here we go, brothers and sisters, God being our Help!

Our Ministry With Combat Veterans and Families

Judy — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:01:03 +0000

Rev. Bruce Kent gave me permission to reprint his 9/23/2010 commmunication to me, urging our continued care and ministry with combat veterans.

In the past 1 1/2 years, Bellevue has had three acts of needless violence. 1 1/2 years ago, a man named Buck Weaver shot his wife to death and then himself. Buck was a brother to a member of Flat Rock UMC. Also, he was a Nam vet and a past commander of the VFW I belong to.

A couple of months ago, Cliff Beach was arrested for allegedly beating his wife to death with a gardening tool, cutting her with kitchen knives and cutting himself, too. He is awaiting trial. Cliff is a past commander of my VFW. I served as his Adjutant and Quartermaster. Cliff is a Korean and Nam vet.

Last Night (September 22, 2010), Jim David was shot eight times by Bellevue police after pointing a pistol at them. Jim was just three days younger than I. He was an officer and trustee of my VFW and a Nam vet. Seeing a pattern?

Nine years ago, I warned clergy friends to be alert to changes in any combat vets they might have in their congregations because the 9/11 attack could trigger memories – it did for me. The parallels between the Afghan/Iraq wars and Nam are too numerous to list here. I believe that many vets are feeling a high level of stress – I know I am. It might not be a bad idea to once again advise clergy to be sensitive to any combat vets in their congregations.

Thanks
Bruce Kent

Kelley’s Island Insite

Judy — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:23:22 +0000

I won’t say it as well as he did, but Warren Campbell-Gaston (currently appointed with Beth McKee to serve Zion UM Church on Kelley’s Island) says he’s learned that an island church is not the same as a mainland church surrounded on all sides by water. Yesterday for the second year I felt stupidly conspicuous in my DS duds as I rode the ferry from Marblehead for Zion’s Charge Conference. (At least I stowed the pumps and wore my tennis shoes on board.) I left the island later that day, brimming with encouragement from the church’s fresh initiatives in vacation-land ministries. Some highlights: There was a fire on the island a few weeks ago, which heavily damaged several of the local businesses. The following Sunday morning, Rev. Beth McKee led the congregation from the church service to the site of the fire and the faith community concluded worship there in prayer. On Kelley’s Island, summer is the season when children are present. Two teachers have stepped forward to teach Sunday School in June, July and August in 2011. Visitors and residents on the Island come from all denominations and faith traditions. On a recent retreat led by Revs. McKee and Campbell-Gaston, Warren says he was one of only three United Methodists among the participants. Zion shares with St Michael’s Catholic Church in Bible studies, retreats and holiday worship services. A brightly colored “OPEN” banner now flies by the entrance when the church will be open for prayer. An island community can be insular. Hands-on mission involvement beyond the island is a key goal of Zion UMC. Members are preparing to partner with Lakeside UMC in a work trip to Red Bird Mission in Kentucky this October. Some who are no longer able to provide physical labor are making quilts to distribute at Nehemiah Mission, Flat Rock Homes and Red Bird. Byron, One of Zion’s Lutheran “members” showed me the model of a 10 foot walnut Cross with a victorious Christus figure that he and UM member, Charlie, are constructing for the sanctuary. A young woman approached me after the worship service. She had come to the island for a wedding the day before. She was in tears. She has been wondering how to recognize God’s call. She doesn’t hear voices, she said. At Zion Church yesterday she felt the stirring of compassion, deep in her heart. In it she found her call to discipleship.

Thank God for Zion UMC, Kelley’s Island, making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Along the Way

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 23:09:13 +0000

Someone remarked to me, “Doesn’t look like there is going to be much happening at this year’s Annual Conference.” The week’s agenda looked relatively sparse. Good going, God! The slim agenda allowed for more unified focus on the much-needed messages of Hope and Healing. Worship services, preachers, Bishop Hopkins’ addresses and committee reports all lifted this theme for the week. Feedback I heard was very positive. Some of God’s ignited ministries in Firelands District were highlighted in reports: Lorain Lighthouse and Cornerstone UMC vital mergers and Renacer (Reborn) the United Methodist Ministry with Hispanic Communities in Willard, were some of those.

Additional Firelands District highlights included the following: Karen Hollingsworth (Lorain Faith), Luigi Perez, the Hispanic ministries in Willard, Renacer (Reborn), and Tina Siroki (Brighton /Rochester) were presented as Licensing School graduates, Jane-Ann Clarke, Bob Hooker, Barbara Stephens-Rich and Barbara SilverSmith were honored in retirement, Christine Bell (formerly Brighton/Rochester) and Jeff Lanzer (Belden) were ordained as Elders and Gary Glasscock (formerly Sycamore) was received as an Associate Member.