Discipleship agency invites Methodists to ‘turn aside and see’ if God is calling

NASHVILLE, Tenn., January 22, 2008/GBOD/ --The United Methodist General Board of Discipleship is sponsoring “Turn Aside and See: Is God Calling?” Mar. 8, 2008, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., in Tempe, Ariz.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Brentwood, Tenn.; and Dallas, Texas.

The agency is harnessing the power of the Exodus story of Moses and the burning bush to help churches discern God’s call and strive to make disciples of Jesus Christ.
“The church is in such a time of change. We need space and opportunity for reflection and discernment around God’s call to us — who we are as disciples and what are we called to do in this place,” said Carol Krau, GBOD team leader, Congregational Leaders Team.

“Turn Aside and See” (www.gbod.org/turnaside) invites participants to hear God’s call through a free one-day study and discussion of Exodus 3 and 4. Moses’ encounter with the “Burning Bush” is the inspiration for the event’s theme and title of the core curriculum for Discipleship University, GBOD’s groundbreaking new initiative that addresses the denomination’s leadership needs.

Pastors, laity, church staff, individuals or teams from churches may attend the event being offered simultaneously in the following locations.

• Western USA: First United Methodist Church, Tempe, Ariz.
• North Central USA: St. Luke United Methodist Church, Indianapolis, Ind.
• Northeastern USA: Tindley Temple United Methodist Church, Philadelphia, Penn.
• Southeastern USA: Brentwood United Methodist Church, Brentwood, Tenn.
• South Central USA: St. Luke’s Community United Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas.

“This event is a preview of the Discipleship University Core Curriculum. It will assist local churches in becoming places of disciple making through focusing on discipleship systems,” said the Rev. Vance P. Ross, top executive for GBOD’s Leadership Ministries.

In addition to a deep Scripture study and reflection, participants will receive help in discovering God’s call, naming excuses that prevent congregations from answering God’s call, and identifying ways to answer God’s call despite the current reality.
Attendees will also receive resource materials to lead a study in their own congregation and an introduction to other opportunities for training local church leaders.

A copy of the Bible study and lunch will be provided. Travel and lodging will be at the expense of participants. For more information, contact Mary McDonald, mmcdonald@gbod.org, or call toll-free 877-899-2780, ext. 1760.

Fort Worth hotel changes challenge General Conference

A UMNS Report
By Marta W. Aldrich*

With just over three months until The United Methodist Church convenes its worldwide assembly in Fort Worth, Texas, the city's changing downtown hotel landscape is forcing organizers to scramble for rooms to accommodate delegates, church leaders and staff.

"It has been a perfect storm," said the Rev. Alan J. Morrison, business manager for the 2008 General Conference. "The hotel industry in Fort Worth is in total flux."
Despite the challenges, Morrison is confident the housing issues will be settled adequately with the assistance of the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Together, they are booking rooms in outlying hotels to accommodate any overflow from downtown Fort Worth.

"Instead of having five or six hotels downtown with large blocks of rooms as we had hoped, we'll meet our needs with a list of about 20 hotels, including some that aren't downtown and with much smaller blocks of 20, 30 and 40 rooms," Morrison said. "We may have people housed as far as 16 miles away, but we're looking to the next tier down in terms of level of service to try to accommodate people closer."

General Conference is the church's top legislative assembly, held once every four years to set policy for the 11.5 million-member denomination. The 2008 gathering is scheduled for April 23-May 2.

Initially, organizers expected to book 1,500 rooms downtown and within walking distance of the Fort Worth Convention Center, where the assembly is being held. In addition to accommodating the 1,000 delegates, they anticipated housing hundreds of others downtown, including reserve delegates, bishops and staff members for General Conference and church agencies.

Many others involved in the gathering--from choirs to marshals and pages--make their own reservations and are dealing with the same issues. The assembly also draws thousands of United Methodists and other Christians from throughout the world over the course of the 10-day event.

"We expect to see probably 5,000 to 7,000 people easily coming through the Fort Worth Convention Center," said Morrison. "At the 2004 General Conference in Pittsburgh, the bleachers seated 4,000 and they were filled to capacity during the opening worship service."

Taking reservations
The housing bureau for General Conference, which is operated by the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau, begins taking reservations from delegates on Jan. 22 via phone, the Internet, fax or mail. Downtown reservations will be booked on a first-come, first serve basis, but priority will be given to international delegates as a matter of hospitality.

"In all, roughly two-thirds of the delegates will be downtown, including all the international delegates and half of the U.S. delegates," said Morrison.

Members of the Council of Bishops, the highest ordained leaders in the church, will be housed in the downtown Renaissance Hotel, where they will hold their biannual meeting prior to General Conference. Church agency staff booked through the housing bureau will be placed in outlying hotels.

"People have been very gracious in this whole process," said Morrison, who has sent several e-mails to delegation leaders to keep them abreast of the housing issues. "We've received a number of e-mails thanking us for the work we're doing on their behalf. They are holding us up in prayer as we deal with all of these issues."

'A perfect storm'
The Commission on General Conference, which oversees the assembly planning, initially identified a need for 1,200 rooms in Fort Worth based on its peak needs at the Pittsburgh assembly in 2004.

Because a number of delegations and other groups chose to make their own reservations in Pittsburgh, the commission had booked more rooms than needed there and ended up having to pay a $100,000 contract penalty to one hotel. "But all those who went out of our block last time sought to go in the block this time, and that bumped up the number of rooms needed in Fort Worth to 1,500," said Morrison.

The commission chose Fort Worth in 2002 for the 2008 gathering and, at the time, the outlook for accommodations was rosy. There were already six downtown hotels with more than 1,500 rooms, and another hotel (now the 600-room Omni Hotel project), adjacent to the convention center, was in the planning stages.

Little by little, however, surprises and delays chipped away at the room inventory.
The Omni project hit numerous delays and is now expected to open in late 2008. The Hilton, formerly the Radisson, closed one of its two towers and went from 500 rooms to 296 in 2006. The former Clarion Hotel became Embassy Suites and went from 300 rooms to 156 suites.

Most disappointing, perhaps, was the Fort Worth Plaza, which shut down for renovation in 2006 to reopen as the Sheraton on Feb. 1 of this year. General Conference staff contracted for 375 rooms there but learned just before Christmas that the 435-room Sheraton would not reopen until mid-2008.

"Just in the two and a half years I've been in this position, I've had three hotels that have changed flags and changed the inventory of their rooms available--all of them decreasing," said Morrison. Only the Courtyard by Marriott and the Renaissance Hotel have stayed under contract with General Conference with no changes.

Transportation needs
Because of the hotel adjustments, the Commission on General Conference will provide bus transportation from the outlying hotels to the convention center each morning and then back again each evening. This will add an additional expense to the projected $6.6 million cost of the event, which includes $1.4 million for housing and food.

Representatives of the Fort Worth Convention and Visitors Bureau said they are working closely with conference organizers to work out the kinks related to housing.

"The main thing is that this is not going to have a hugely negative impact on the delegates," said Heather Huhn, convention services manager. "In a convention, a hotel room is used just for a few hours, then you're back in the heart of downtown. When they're downtown, they're going to experience true Fort Worth hospitality."

Huhn said her bureau has been working with other convention planners addressing the same challenges this year in Fort Worth. The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, with 4,500 attendees and 1,500 rooms on peak, is scrambling for rooms as well for its April 6-12 event.

"We keep joking that this is not our first rodeo," said Huhn. "We are experiencing growing pains right now in Fort Worth, and we're making adjustments. But speaking with meeting planners, I think they come out smiling on the other end. It may not be quite the perfect picture expected initially, but I think the planners we've been working with end up feeling very pleased about the level of hospitality received."

The United Methodist assembly is considered a large citywide convention, she said, but is unique because of its 10-day duration. Its total projected economic impact on Fort Worth is about $12.4 million, according to the bureau.

While the hotel issue has been challenging, Morrison said other logistical arrangements for General Conference are progressing on schedule.

"General Conference is still going to happen in Fort Worth, and I believe the Holy Spirit will be present and moving amongst the body as we conduct the work of the church," he said.

*Aldrich is news editor of United Methodist News Service.

UMC, ELCA conclude dialogue, look toward votes

United Methodist Bishop William Oden receives communion during a worship service at the 2005 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Assembly in Orlando, Fla. A UMNS Web-only file photo courtesy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

A UMNS Report

By Linda Bloom*

Over the next two years, both The United Methodist Church and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will ask its members to approve "full communion" between the two bodies.

That step follows an interim agreement and the conclusion, in December, of the last round of dialogue between the two denominations. The vote will take place this spring for United Methodists and in 2009 for Lutherans.

According to the Rev. W. Douglas Mills, an executive with the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, full communion essentially means "acknowledging one another's ministries as valid," as well as wanting to be involved in mutual decision-making.

Being in full communion is a visible step toward full unity, he said, but added, "We don't know what full unity is or can look like."

Over the last three decades, ELCA-UMC dialogue teams have explored the sacrament of baptism (1977-79) and issues of episcopacy (1985-87). The third round of dialogue, from 2001 to 2007, explored the two churches' understandings of Eucharist and resulted in the 2004 recommendation for an interim agreement.

In 2005, an interim "Eucharistic sharing" agreement was approved by the United Methodist Council of Bishops in May and by ELCA representatives at a churchwide assembly in August.

The terms of the agreement encouraged "mutual prayer and mutual support, study together of the Holy Scriptures as well as the histories and theological traditions of both churches, and joint programs of theological discussion, evangelical outreach and social ministry endeavors." Looking toward full communion, the agreement also encouraged joint services of Holy Communion following guidelines established by both churches.

Confessing Our Faith Together
"Confessing Our Faith Together: A Statement Toward Full Communion by the ELCA-UMC Bilateral Dialogue" was completed in 2005 and distributed for feedback and comment.
In its introduction to the study guide, the joint dialogue team noted the ties that Lutherans and United Methodists already share:

"Lutherans and United Methodists have been well acquainted with one another. Our relationship, locally and nationally, has been forged through friendships, family ties, congregations, ecumenical councils, colleges and seminaries. We are, in countless places, partners in ministry."

In December, during the final session of the 2001-2007 dialogue, team members considered responses to the statement, looked at timelines for each denomination's legislative process and discussed what documents, events or activities might be helpful if full communion is approved.

The United Methodist Church sought responses to "Confessing Our Faith Together" from local churches either already in a relationship with an ELCA congregation or able to establish one in order to do the study together, according to Mills. The Lutherans focused on responses from their seminaries. A few individuals also responded to the report.

"What we got back was, by and large, very positive," Mills said.

Expect further responses
The Rev. Michael Trice, the ELCA's director of ecumenical formation and interreligious relations, said his office expects further responses to "Confessing Our Faith Together" from his denomination's eight seminaries later this spring.

"There was consistent and wide consensus in congregational evaluations of (the document) that encouraged a relationship of full communion, recognizing that these two churches already live in proximity and thrive in numerous communities of cooperation throughout the ELCA and the UMC," Trice told United Methodist News Service.

That viewpoint was reinforced in a survey of ELCA congregations last year. "Of the over 8,000 responses to the survey, ELCA congregations revealed that UMC churches were a consistent and enduring partner in local congregations throughout both of these communions," he said.

All bilateral dialogues have third-party observers, according to Mills, and the Episcopal Church fulfilled that role for the UMC-ELCA dialogue. An interim agreement for sharing the Eucharist with the Episcopal Church also was approved by the United Methodist Council of Bishops in 2005.

The Episcopal Church has its own full communion agreement with the ELCA and the red-flag issues raised between those two denominations-such as the nature of the episcopacy-"were not dividing issues for United Methodists and Lutherans," he said.

The Episcopal Church response to "Confessing Our Faith Together" did help the United Methodist-Lutheran dialogue team "focus on where the continuing work needs to be," Mills added. "Declaring full communion might be easy in relation to actually implementing full communion."

Exploring full communion
Overall, most of the concerns expressed were related to the actual implementation of full communion. "That's the part we have to live into," he added. "Now we need to explore what difference this makes for our congregations."

Delegates to the United Methodist General Conference, which meets April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas, will receive the dialogue statement, along with two pieces of legislation. Votes will be taken on a resolution from the Council of Bishops supporting full communion and a proposal for the needed change to the Book of Discipline. Members of the dialogue team also will be available to resource legislative committees.

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson will preach at General Conference on April 29, the day the vote is set for the full communion agreement.

If approved, the ELCA Church Council will recommend a resolution for a vote on full communion with The United Methodist Church, Trice said. That vote would occur at the ELCA's 11th Biennial Churchwide Assembly, Aug. 17-23, 2009, in Minneapolis.

The study and discussion guide for Confessing Our Faith Together, which includes the statement, can be found at http://www.gccuic-umc.org/web/um_elca_statement.htm on the Christian Unity Web site.

*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.

Pastors, laity receive tools to help revitalize church

The Rev. Tyrone Gordon addresses the "Thunder in the Desert" symposium in Nashville, Tenn. The Jan. 3-5 event was sponsored by the United Methodist Board of Discipleship. A UMNS photo by Linda Green.

by Linda Green*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) -- "The African-American church in the Florida Annual Conference is dying," said a United Methodist pastor who brought a 26-member delegation to a churchwide symposium focusing on building ministry partnerships in black churches.

"African-American churches in my mind have been neglected," said the Rev. Geraldine McClellan, district superintendent for the North Central District of the Florida Conference.

Her delegation, representing 11 congregations, was among about 200 congregational leaders who attended the Jan. 3-5 "Thunder in the Desert: Symposium for Partnerships in African-American churches."

The event was designed to provide church leaders with resources to strengthen and energize their African-American churches. It was sponsored by the United Methodist Board of Discipleship to help churches plan and implement effective ministry partnerships between laity and clergy leaders.

The symposium was among the agency's ongoing efforts to address leadership development within the church--one of four areas of focus set by the denomination for the 2009-2012 period.

Thunder and rain
With the words "thunder and rain" as the backdrop, speakers spoke of ministry in dry places and of the need for refreshing and revitalizing water to strengthen those ministries.

"Thunder means movement; it means action," said McClellan. "Whenever you hear thunder, you expect something to happen" and change. "Sometimes God has to come through and clean out that which has been lying dormant and start a new thing."

For the black church, the thunder is God cleaning out the old and allowing it to become a restorative church where lives are transformed and people can feel the presence of God in worship, according to the speakers.

Many black churches have their lost identity and culture in worship, the speakers said, and became so "caucausianized" that they have forgotten God's work and miracles in their lives.

"What this symposium has done is helped us recognize that we have our own culture, and God has given us a style of worship that is unique and we don't have to be ashamed of that," said McClellan. "We have become so ashamed of what God has done for us and because of that our churches are dying."

Tool for preparation
The Rev. Tyrone Gordon called the symposium a tool to prepare for the coming rain and to help the church become what God is calling it to be.

"It is all right to be black and Methodist at the same time," said Gordon, pastor of St. Luke "Community" United Methodist Church in Dallas. Some believe that being Methodist means assuming the identity of the majority and acting like what the black church is not, he told the gathering.

"Our gift to United Methodism is our spirituality," Gordon said. "Our gift to United Methodism is an understanding that there is not a separation between our spiritual relationship with God and our social activism in the world. … We know how to praise God and we know how to stand up for righteousness."

God is not through with either The United Methodist Church or the black church in America, he said. "The rain of renewal, growth and vitality is on the way. This event gives us tools to prepare for the coming rain."

Participants said they came to the symposium in search of resources and ideas to revitalize their congregations.

Betty Johnson, lay leader for White Memorial United Methodist Church, Little Rock, Ark., said the church needs strong and knowledgeable black leadership. "We have to be strengthened … and as we become strengthened, we can strengthen others," she said.

Partnering with others
Emphasis on partnering and collaboration was a centerpiece of the symposium's message.

"In the 21st century, partnerships are critical to the point of life and death of African-American churches in United Methodism," said the Rev. Julius Trimble, Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Warrensville Heights, Ohio.

"We cannot exist as islands unto ourselves, whether we are successful or not. Collaboration with one another is important to enable the church to make disciples for the transformation of the world."

Managing money and creating assets is one way to strengthen African-American churches and support their ministry and mission, said Joshua I. Smith, chairman and managing partner of Joshua Smith Coaching, LLC.

"You are a capitalist because you function in a capitalistic system," said Smith, a member of the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference. "You've got to know the rules. The church is the most capitalistic institution in the world. If you don't know the rules of the game, you will suffer."

Smith reminded the gathering that "God has a bottom line" and "expects a return on his investment."

*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.

Nigerian United Methodist Bishop Mavula dies

A UMNS Report

By Linda Green*

United Methodist Bishop Kefas K. Mavula of Nigeria died Jan. 11 of an undetermined illness, less than a year after his election as bishop. He was 40.

Bishop Kefas K. Mavula

Mavula died at the ECWA Evangel Hospital in Jos City, Plateau State, Nigeria. He was taken to the hospital Jan. 8 after complaining of stomach pains and vomiting blood.

An autopsy will be performed, according to Mavula's administrative assistant, the Rev. James Besau Vocks.

Mavula is survived by his wife, Jessica, and six sons between the ages of 4 and 19. Funeral arrangements are to be made during a Jan. 14 meeting with his cabinet staff.

He had just presided over the Jan. 2-6 annual conference gathering of the Pero Provisional Conference and attended a function at Junior Seminary, a secondary school, located a mile from the episcopal office, according to Dauda Marafa, a United Methodist communicator in Nigeria.

According to Vocks, Mavula took medication on Jan. 4 for a fever and awoke Jan. 7 with a body rash and stomach pains. After he was hospitalized in Jalingo, Nigeria, it was determined that the bishop would receive better medical care at Jos City, an eight-hour trip by car, but mechanical problems with the bishop's automobile delayed his arrival and treatment.

The bishop's condition improved after being treated at the hospital, but he died Jan. 11 after a setback.

Condolences shared
Houston Bishop Janice Riggle Huie expressed sadness in behalf of the Council of Bishops. "He was so full of life, the love of the Gospel and of Jesus Christ, and was passionate about spreading the Gospel in Nigeria," said Huie, president of the council.

Elected bishop on March 3, 2007-his 40th birthday-Mavula "quickly garnered the love and respect" of the people of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria, she said. "He had already earned a reputation for fairness, for spiritual depth and for his deep commitment to The United Methodist Church."

Mavula succeeded Done Peter Dabale, who died of cancer and was elected the first United Methodist bishop of Nigeria in 1992. The church in Nigeria has more than 400,000 members.
Iowa Bishop Gregory Palmer, who presided at Mavula's election as bishop and has had Mavula as a guest in his home, called Mavula "a man of genuine Christian piety" who possessed all of the tools needed for effective episcopal leadership: "personal piety, love for the church, administrative ability and capacity to build relationships."

After his election, one of the first things Mavula did "was to fall to his knees in submission to God in acknowledging that he had been called. It was so genuine and assuming. He just exuded humility and grace," said Palmer, president-designate of the Council of Bishops.

"We had great hopes for Bishop Mavula," said Peggy Sewell of the episcopal services office at the United Methodist Council on Finance and Administration. "We had a really good relationship with him, and his death is a tremendous loss for the church."

Ethel Johnson, a retired professor of church administration at the Methodist Theological School in (Delaware) Ohio, had known Mavula since her travels to Nigeria in 1985.

"I trained him to be an administrative assistant (to the bishop) so that he would be equipped to do his job," she said, offering thanks for his life. "I give praise and thanks that he served as a bishop for 10 months because he was a man of deep faith, had a willing spirit and an ability to reach out to everybody. He had a kind, loving spirit."

Bishop Felton May described Mavula as "a man of compassion, energy and wisdom, with an exhibited and unshakable faith in God."

May, interim top executive with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, said Mavula's "life's journey from home to the episocpal office reflected a spirit of Christ-like radiance. We will remember his beloved family in our prayers and we pledge our continued spiritual and financial support."

Growth and training
Mavula was born March 3, 1967, in the village of Nyaja in Taraba State, Nigeria. He became a Christian in 1976 and was baptized June 27, 1977, by the Rev. Jonah B. Matindi.

He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in theology from the Theological College of Northern Nigeria. He was ordained a deacon in the Nigeria Annual Conference in 1993 and an elder in 1995.

Mavula served as teacher, vice principal and principal at Kakulu Bible Institute in Taraba State. He was principal of Didanga Bible School from 1992 to 1995, then administrative assistant to Bishop Dabale from 1995 to 2003. Until his election, Mavula was principal at the UMCN (United Methodist Church in Nigeria) Junior Seminary.

Among other responsibilities, Mavula served as a member of the Board of Governing Council, Theological College of Northern Nigeria, from 1993 to 1995. He also was a member of the Africa University board of directors and chairman of the Peace Committee of Lau, Taraba State.

*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.

Zimbabwe economic crisis cripples mission station

Children attend school at the Old Mutare Mission operated by The United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe. The country's economic crisis is causing severe hardships at the mission, which includes a hospital, children's home and church. UMNS photos by Kami Rice.

By Kami Rice*

MUTARE, Zimbabwe (UMNS)--The sewage system is overloaded, buildings are decaying, electricity is unreliable, and economic turmoil in Zimbabwe make operating two schools, a hospital, a children's home and church nearly impossible.

Yet Old Mutare Mission, a ministry of The United Methodist Church for 110 years, is determined to continue its ministry to the people of Zimbabwe, its leaders say.

"Our sewage system is so overloaded that ZINWA (Zimbabwe National Water Authority) is now giving a fine to the mission every quarter," said the Rev. Solomon Mudonhi, mission chairman. "We are trying to do what we can, but it's challenging in the current economic situation."

Located down the road from United Methodist-related Africa University, the mission is supported primarily by student fees from its 1,000-student primary school and 1,050-student high school. However, the school fees are now set by the Zimbabwe government, so the mission is no longer able to charge realistic amounts to satisfy its budget.

The schools operate farms that provide milk, eggs, vegetables and pork, but other commodities are scarce and expensive. The school has broken ground for homes for additional teachers, but the buildings can't progress because the school can't get cement.

Electricity is also undependable, making it difficult for boarding students to study at night. Five former students donated a generator to help, but it's difficult to get fuel to power it.

Although the schools are run by The United Methodist Church, all of the teachers are civil servants paid by the government. Salaries have not kept pace with prices. For example, the government housing allowance is Z$800,000 per month, but a decent accommodation in Mutare costs Z$20 million each month--more than a teacher's annual salary.

Teachers and staff members are basically donating their services and must supplement their salaries. One teacher makes cakes to sell during the staff tea time. Other teachers are resigning and moving to places like South Africa where the pay is better and the economy is more stable.

"Once we touch the ground, we will bounce back," says the Rev. Solomon Mudonhi, chairman of the mission station.

In spite of the difficulties, school staff members are friendly and kind to visitors. School children smile and play.

"Zimbabweans are very prayerful," said Mudonhi. "They are Christians so it appears they get their perseverance from God. If this had happened somewhere else, there would have been riots and war."

Low-cost hospital fees
While the needs for health services are great, many people served by the Old Mutare Hospital are either unemployed or low-paid farm workers.

"We are not able to charge fees that are high and help offset our expenses," said Mudonhi. "Some patients aren't able to pay at all, but the hospital won't deny them treatment."

The number of patients treated in the 70-bed hospital's four sections-a dental clinic, outpatient and inpatient treatment, a maternity ward and a voluntary counseling and testing unit--continues to grow, so the hospital needs more nurses and personnel. It now has one doctor and 12 nurses, 25 nurse aids and 10 support staff.

In order to attract more nurses, the hospital needs to build more housing, which it's unable to afford now. Nurses have joined teachers in seeking higher salaries outside Zimbabwe.

Mission buildings show signs of decay, and there is no money for repairs.

Mudonhi expressed appreciation for United Methodist Volunteers in Mission teams. A team from South Carolina pooled their money to help paint hospital walls and purchase new mattresses, and a South Carolina congregation is supporting a water project.

"We are struggling, but we are making it through, and we are surviving," said Mudonhi. "We are dealing with necessities only." He pointed to the cracks in his office wall and explained that fixing them is now a luxury. Then he asked, "So where are we heading to? People are bleeding inside, but outside it appears things are going on well."

Asked if he has hope, Mudonhi bounced a soccer ball on the cement floor and said, "This is what gives me hope. Once we touch the ground, we will bounce back. I don't know how, though."

Mission needs
Mudonhi said the mission needs help with the following projects:

.General Mission--Infrastructure and building expansion and repairs, sewage system improvements, laptop computer;
.Hartzell Central Primary School--Computers, woodworking tools, scholarships for children of local farm workers unable to pay school fees;
.Hartzell High School--Math and science teachers are needed, along with housing for teachers;
.Fairfield Children's Home--A vocational training center to provide training for "graduates" of the home who don't qualify for college;
.Old Mutare Hospital--Accommodations for additional staff, revitalization of the existing hospital, an ambulance and an outreach vehicle, office equipment, hospital equipment, medical supplies.

Contact Mudonhi by e-mail at mudonhis@africau.ac.zw.


*Rice is a freelance writer based in Nashville, Tenn.

United Methodists provide relief, prayers for Kenya

A UMNS report By Linda Bloom*

United Methodists were responding to emergency relief needs in Kenya following post-election violence that displaced up to a quarter of a million people.

The violence, which also left hundreds of people dead, occurred after the Dec. 27 re-election of President Mwai Kibaki--a vote disputed by the supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga.

On Jan. 10, The Associated Press reported that former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan will lead a panel to mediate between the two political leaders in Kenya. Ghanaian President John Kufuor, president of the African Union, said the rivals also agreed to end the violence.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief was assisting with relief efforts for displaced people. Through the denomination's East Africa Conference, UMCOR was providing food and shelter to Kenyans who have fled to Uganda. Schools, churches and other structures were being used as shelters both in Kenya and Uganda.

East African Bishop Daniel Wandabula highlighted the need for assistance. "As a church we empathize with all the people that have suffered from this injustice, violence, loss of lives/property, and the overall disruption of daily lives," he wrote in an open letter sent Jan. 7. "We pray for the return of peace to Kenya, and a more lasting settlement of the conflict."

East African United Methodist churches joined churches throughout Kenya in offering prayers for peace and reconciliation during Jan. 6 worship services. The National Council of Churches of Kenya sponsored a peace march the day before.

Daily needs
UMCOR was working to bring food, water and other necessities directly to the Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology in Karen where many people sought refuge.

John Makokha, a United Methodist communicator who lives on the campus, helped to provide food and water to those being sheltered as UMCOR dispatched a truckload of supplies there.

Makokha said the violence had prompted hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes.

"Hundreds have camped in churches, police stations and provincial administration centers," he wrote.

UMCOR also was in contact with the Methodist Church of Kenya and anticipated assisting Action by Churches Together partners in their response. "We continue to monitor the situation and are working diligently to bring relief and assistance to our sisters and brothers in Kenya," said the Rev. Sam Dixon, UMCOR's chief executive.

While the streets of the capital "are again quiet and peaceful during the day," intercity transport within Kenya was disrupted, increasing the shortages of supplies, according to a Jan. 7 report from the Rev. John Calhoun, a United Methodist missionary based in Nairobi who coordinates humanitarian relief and church development for the Methodist Church of Kenya.

Calhoun, a clergy member of the New York Annual (regional) Conference, is one of seven United Methodist missionaries assigned to Kenya. His wife, Noel Calhoun, works with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Kenya, which was among organizations aiding internally displaced persons and those who have fled to neighboring Uganda.

Methodist congregations in western Kenya also were trying to provide humanitarian assistance, according to Calhoun. Western Kenya, and in the east along the Kenyan coast, suffered the most violence because Odinga has his strongest support there.

'Signs of hope'
The Rev. Samuel Kobia, a Kenyan Methodist and chief executive of the World Council of Churches, said in a Jan. 9 statement that "while the situation continues to be critical, some signs of hope can be seen."

The council welcomed the decision of Odinga, the opposition leader, to call off public rallies and of Kibaki to invite Odinga and religious leaders to a Jan. 11 meeting.

"Peace efforts should be supported by the government, the opposition and the whole civil society," the statement said. "We call on the political leaders, especially President Kibaki and Hon. Raila Odinga, to refrain from taking decisions that might frustrate the process towards dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

"At the same time we want to recognize and applaud how the churches of Kenya are doing their part in pursuing the common good of their communities and country. There is an urgent need to put an end to the mayhem of violence, and the churches of Kenya know they have a leading role to play in the process of peace, reconciliation and healing."

The Rev. Michael Kinnamon, chief executive of the U.S. National Council of Churches, offered support to the churches of Kenya in a Jan. 8 letter to the Rev. Mvume Dandala, chief executive, All Africa Conference of Churches.

"As you know, the U.S. National Council of Churches condemns violence as a repudiation of God's love and grace, and we know this view is held by the vast majority of Christians and persons of faith in Kenya and throughout Africa," he said. "We are praying for you and all those who have the courage to proclaim God's command to live in justice, peace and love with one another."

Dandala, a South African Methodist who is based in Nairobi, had arranged for Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Nobel peace laureate, to visit Kenya on Jan. 4 and initiate dialogue between the government and the opposition.

Donations to assist UMCOR's response in Kenya can be dropped in local church collection plates or mailed to UMCOR, P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087. Write "UMCOR Advance #982450, International Disaster Response-Kenya" on the memo line of the check. For credit card donations, visit UMCOR's website at www.umcor.org for online giving information or call (800) 554-8583 to give over the telephone.

*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York. Michelle Scott, John Calhoun and John Makokha contributed to this report.

Pastor's hobby raises $85,000 for Moscow seminary

By John Gordon*

The Rev. Sam Duree, a retired United Methodist pastor, sets up a display of his hand-crafted birdhouses at a rose festival in Independence, Texas. UMNS photos by John Gordon.

BRENHAM, Texas (UMNS) -The Rev. Sam Duree could be enjoying his golden years in an easy chair. Instead, the retired United Methodist pastor came up with an idea that took wing: building birdhouses to support a Moscow seminary.

"I build about 35 different kinds," says Duree, 77. "I wake up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep, so I design birdhouses."

Duree spends about four hours a day planning, sawing, sanding, drilling, gluing and nailing cedar fence pickets in a workshop in the garage at his home. Then he takes to the road, selling the birdhouses at festivals, farmers' markets and craft shows.

Over the past six years, Duree estimates he has built about 3,000 birdhouses, raising $85,000 for Russia United Methodist Theological Seminary to train pastors in Russia and other nations in the former Soviet Union.

"In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, there were no Methodist churches in Russia; now there are 120-plus, and they all have pastors," he says.

"We don't start a new church until we have a trained Russian pastor. And so that meant we needed some place to train them."

Variety of styles
Duree builds birdhouses in a variety of church styles - Gothic, country, Russian Orthodox and chalet churches. He daubs paint on the "windows" to make them look like stained glass. Other favorite designs include a Noah's ark, a bed and breakfast, and a log house.

Many of his customers are collectors who never put the birdhouses outside.

"I had one man that called up after he'd bought a birdhouse and said, 'I want to complain; there are no birds in my birdhouse,'" Duree says. "Before I could say anything, he said, 'Do you think it's because it's sitting on my mantle?'"

Duree started preaching in 1951 and served churches throughout Texas. He was also one of the founders of the Houston International Seaman's Center, a ministry at the Port of Houston.

Later, Duree became a district superintendent in the Houston area before retiring and moving to Brenham in 1996. He saw the need for the Moscow seminary during 14 mission trips to Russia and Siberia.

The beginning
His birdhouse business began with a hobby of restoring antique furniture. Duree saw the collectors' interest in birdhouses at an antiques auction and started designing and building them.

Duree puts the finishing touches on a birdhouse at his workshop in Brenham, Texas.

"I built a few and put them on a little parking lot sale up at the church and made a little money," he explains. "And, I thought if I do this, I'm going to have to get a tax number and keep records, and I don't want to do that."

His wife, Beverly, suggested giving the money to the seminary. And Duree is quick to explain the importance of the project everywhere he goes to sell his birdhouses.

"We have to realize we're a part of a global community and we have a global ministry," he says.

"Isolationism is something that not only was out of step in World War II, it's even more out of step now. Somebody in the Middle East does something, and suddenly my car is more expensive to run. It's all intertwined."

Gloria Alvarado of Deer Park, Texas, bought two birdhouses at a rose festival. "I think they're beautiful. They're going to make wonderful gifts," Alvarado says. "And the fact that it's going to a ministry, it's like a double gift."

Duree says he will probably not make any more physically taxing trips to the former Soviet Union, but he figures he can keep building birdhouses for a decade or more, and the money will make a difference for the Russian seminary.

"I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to do," he says. "The good Lord has plans for us, and I'm doing what I can to carry them out."

*Gordon is a freelance writer and producer in Marshall, Texas.

Christian unity week marks 100th anniversary, January 18-25

Artist John Mittelstadt designed "Onward in Prayer" for the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. A UMNS Web-only illustration courtesy of Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute.

NEW YORK (UMNS) - "Pray Without Ceasing" is the theme of the 100th anniversary of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which United Methodists and others around the world will observe this month.

The week will be observed Jan. 18-25, and its theme is taken from 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

The Rev. W. Douglas Mills, an executive with the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, noted that the prayer of Jesus was that "we might become one."

"We, as United Methodists, are genuinely interested in unity, because unity is a gift from God," he said.

The observation got its start in January, 1908, when the "Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity" was celebrated in a remote chapel some 50 miles from New York City. It was an eight-day observance of prayers, sermons and conferences set between the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, then on Jan. 18, and the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul on Jan. 25.

Father Paul Watson and Sister Lurana White, U.S. Episcopalians and co-founders of the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Atonement, started the movement to pray for Christian unity "without ceasing." The sisters and friars entered the Roman Catholic Church in 1909, and the Octave gained support throughout the church.

Methodists became involved in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity soon after it started, according to Mills.

Other movements for Christian unity were promoted by both Protestants and Catholics in the first half of the 20th century. In 1967, representatives of the Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox churches agreed to a joint observation. Since 1968, the World Council of Churches and the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity have worked together each year to select themes and resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Since 1975, the theme and text have been chosen annually by Christian churches and communities of a particular country, with approval by an international commission.

While the observance seeks "unity in diversity," it also focuses on the wish "that all may be one," according to the will of Christ.

'Onward in Prayer'
John Mittelstadt of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., was the winner of an illustration competition for the 100th anniversary. His "Onward in Prayer" art adorns posters, prayer cards and other resources developed by Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute for the observance.

A number of Christian student and youth organizations, including the World Student Christian Federation, are participating in the week. "We strongly encourage all our members at the local, national and continental levels to organize common actions during the week with other Christian student and youth organizations," their common statement said.

"These actions could include ecumenical prayer services, social action activities (such as an environmental cleanup), Bible studies or seminars. We hope that this week will be an occasion for our groups to get to know each other better and to work together to proclaim the Good News of Jesus in our world today through word, prayer and action."

More information and downloadable resources for the week can be found at http://www.geii.org/wpcu_resources.htm.

March is Women’s History Month

United lay, clergywomen together for study, prayer, action!

(From THE FLYER, January-March, 2008, newsletter of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women in The United Methodist Church)

In recent years, resources to help churches and other groups mark Women’s History Month have been offered by such United Methodist groups as GCRW and the General Board of Discipleship.

For the 2008 celebration, the women’s commission will again offer free bulletin inserts, invailable for download at www.gcrw.org, starting Jan. 15. And both the commission and the Discipleship agency (www.gbod.org) will also offer worship resources that incorporate the history, gifts and perspectives of women in worship for March and beyond.

In addition, the commission has created a six-part study, “Women Called to Ministry” (also available for free download at www.gcsrw.org), which traces the history of women prophets, preachers and teachers from the Old Testament through modern-day Christianity.

Beyond celebrating women’s history, however, March is also an ideal time to bring together women in your church or conference group for a time of study, prayer, worship and planning for advocacy and support. Consider bringing together clergywomen and laywomen to:
· Evaluate the worship and Christian education in your church in terms of their relevance to women and girls;
· Mentor teenagers and college-age women about church vocations;
· Plan a portion of weekly worship for each Sunday in March celebrating women;
· Honor “mothers” of the church or conference who have pioneered women’s leadership in your area;
· Pray for, support and listen to the concerns of clergywomen and laywomen employed by (or in leadership in) the annual conference;
· Engage in Bible study or a class meeting;
· Discuss issues of particular challenge to women in your church or conference and create a strategy for addressing them.

The following resources can help you plan for your Women’s History Month observances—all available from Cokesbury, www.cokesbury.com, 800-672-1989;
· Sisters: Bible Study for Women, produced by Abingdon Press.
· Reflect, Rekindle, Renew; Meditations Shared by Deaconnesses of The United Methodist Church, published by the General Board of Global Ministries.
· The Sacred Selves of Adolescent Girls: Hard Stories of Race, Class, and Gender, Evelyn L. Parker, editor, The Pilgrim Press, 2006.
· Preaching the Women of the Bible, by Lisa Wilson Davidson, Challis Press, 2006 .

As you plan for Women’s History Month and beyond, remember that women around the world of all ages, nationalities and circumstances offer their gifts and ministry to the church as mission workers, administrators, counselors, care-givers, musicians, deaconesses, ordained ministers and lay employees of church agencies, teachers and domestic workers. Include their voices and their perspectives in your celebration.

More refugees crowd into South African church

Children gather at the preschool and child care ministry of Central Methodist Mission in Johannesburg, South Africa. They are among the thousands of refugees who have fled Zimbabwe and are being served by the church's "Ray of Hope" ministry. A UMNS file photo by Faye Richardson.

By Linda Bloom*

NEW YORK (UMNS) - Twelve hundred refugees sleep each night at Central Methodist Mission in Johannesburg, South Africa.

That number is up from 900 during the first few months of 2007. Another 500 to 800 refugees can be found in the street immediately outside the building, according to Bishop Paul Verryn, who leads the staff there.

Verryn, who visited the New York headquarters of the United Methodist Committee on Relief on Jan. 3, noted that most of the refugees are from Zimbabwe.

To date, UMCOR has provided $75,000 to assist Central Methodist Mission in its work with the refugees, which includes providing shelter, food, clothing, child care, counseling and employment assistance. UMCOR also has helped support infrastructure costs for the building to allow the work to continue.

"There are all sorts of amazing partnerships beginning in the building," Verryn told the UMCOR staff. "But it's getting worse in that … the number of refugees coming through has not abated. In fact, just before Christmas, there was another surge of people coming through."

Bishop Paul Verryn heads the Johannesburg church that is a major provider of social services in the city. A UMNS photo by Michelle Scott.

The steady stream of refugees is a result of economic instability and the political climate in Zimbabwe. Because the South African government has not recognized Zimbabweans as official refugees, those who try to apply for political asylum face many bureaucratic hurdles.

Providing health care
One positive development is a clinic opened recently in the church's old bookshop by Doctors Without Borders. The clinic, available to the public, serves 40 to 50 people a day. In addition, a home-based care service provides assistance for sensitive cases, such as patients with HIV or tuberculosis.

Through the "Ray of Hope" project, the mission has managed to provide temporary and safe accommodations for homeless asylum seekers, refugees and displaced people; offer one substantial meal each day for temporary residents; and provide food and supplies for infants whose mothers have no financial support.

Also housed within the six-story church are a preschool and extended child care, a small legal aid clinic and literacy, numeracy and English language programs. Additional activities range from a chess club to gospel choir, and worship services are held each night.

"The first rule of the building is you have to be involved in education," Verryn said. "You either teach or you study … or you do both."

Just about every inch of floor space is used for sleeping each night, including the stairs. The project ensures clean facilities for temporary residents and access to clean water for drinking and washing.

Harnessing teachers' skills
A number of the refugees are professionals, and Verryn is finding ways to both assist them and harness their skills. For example, 140 to 200 teachers live at the mission at any one time, and the staff is both circulating their names nationally for possible jobs and working with the proper agency to have their qualifications to teach in South Africa evaluated.

Verryn said he hopes the church can employ some of the teachers to teach math and science in an after-school program or even by starting a new school.

Last year's strike by teachers in Zimbabwe meant "the teaching profession as a whole became suspect" in political terms, according to Verryn, and many teachers simply do not earn enough there to support their families.

But he's distressed over the large number of teachers leaving the country. "They are amongst the best teachers in Africa," he said. "Zimbabwe, until recently, has had the highest rate of literacy in Africa."

Central Methodist Mission has been "exceptionally blessed" by people from the community who bring in food and clothing for the refugees. Verryn also has been pleased by the improved attitude of local police, who often will bring refugees to the church.

While the current numbers are staggering, the mission is the same that it's always been. "For more than 20 years, the church has had a reasonably open policy toward homeless people," he noted.

Donations to the Ray of Hope project can be made through UMCOR Advance No. 199456, Zimbabwe Emergency, and dropped in local church collection plates or mailed directly to UMCOR at P.O. Box 9068, New York, NY 10087-9068. Credit-card donations can be made online at http://secure.gbgm-umc.org/donations/advance/donate.cfm?code=982540&id=3019059 or by calling (800) 554-8583.

*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.

Mission leader voices concern on Kenya

NEW YORK (UMNS) - The interim leader of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries is asking all groups in Kenya "to put peace and reconciliation ahead of personal or party gains."

In a statement released Jan. 4, Bishop Felton E. May stressed that "Africa and the world cannot afford a civil war in Kenya, which has for years been a place of stability and economic prosperity in the volatile East Africa region."

The outbreak of violence following the re-election of Kenya's president has resulted in an estimated 300 deaths and calls for an independent investigation into the election.

Citing concerns for the welfare of Kenya and its people, as well as United Methodists and Methodists there, May reported that all missionaries and other denominational representatives were safe.

"I commend United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his quick attention to the situation, and I join with him and with the Rev. Samuel Kobia, a Kenyan who is general secretary of the World Council of Churches, in their calls for a negotiated settlement to the issues separating the opposing groups," the bishop said.

"I have a long personal association with Kenya and its strong Methodist heritage, and I have an enormous place in my heart for its people, especially the youth and children."

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu arrived in Kenya on Jan. 3 after a call from Mvume Dandala, a former leader of South Africa's Methodist Church and now chief executive of the Nairobi-based All Africa Conference of Churches.

He told Ecumenical News International that "the faith community is engaged here, and that is positive in a way." The National Council of Churches of Kenya reported that four churches - two in Nairobi, one in Eldoret and one in Kapsabet - had been burned down.

"There is nothing as distressing as reading about people being burned in a church," Tutu said.

"We have been there and we know how bad our sisters and brothers in Kenya are feeling."
Tutu told CNN that people are "incensed" over the corruption in Kenya and that he was still hopeful for a diplomatic solution to end the violence.

May's full statement reads as follows:

Bishop Felton E. May

The General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church and I, as its interim general secretary, are greatly concerned about the political chaos and violence that erupted in Kenya at the start of the New Year. Our concern and our prayers incorporate the welfare of the country and its people, the churches, and the Methodist and United Methodist congregations, pastors, missionaries, mission volunteers, other church personnel, and church related institutions.

Let me quickly report that as of January 4, all United Methodist missionaries assigned to Kenya and other denominational representatives in the country were safe. This includes a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) team from the Troy Annual Conference.

We remember with compassion the families of the more than 300 persons who were killed in the days immediately after the violence began on December 30, 2007. Our thoughts and our offers of assistance are with the some 100,000 persons who fled their homes, some becoming refugees in Rwanda, to escape violence that broke out following the disputed reelection of President Mwai Kibaki.

We, as a Christian organization as followers of the Prince of Peace, appeal to all parties to the political and ethnic disagreements to put peace and reconciliation ahead of personal or party gains. Africa and the world cannot afford a civil war in Kenya, which has for years been a place of stability and economic prosperity in the volatile East Africa region.

I commend United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his quick attention to the situation, and I join with him and with the Rev. Samuel Kobia, a Kenyan who is general secretary of the World Council of Churches, in their calls for a negotiated settlement to the issues separating the opposing groups. I have a long personal association with Kenya and its strong Methodist heritage, and I have an enormous place in my heart for its people, especially the youth and children.

Five of our missionaries in Kenya were out of the country at the time that the conflict started. The Rev. Chung Suk Song and his wife, Hyung Ran Song, assigned to Mombasa, were safe in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, where they had gone to take their children to boarding school.

Missionary John Calhoun and his wife, Noel, who works for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Nairobi, and their young sons were scheduled to return from Atlanta, Georgia, to Kenya in early January. Yema and Lahi Luhahi, a nurse and teacher respectively, were also due to return in the same time period after concluding mission itineration in the United States.
William and Jerri Savuto, who serve at the Maua Methodist Hospital in Maua, were in the US for a Christmas visit, with plans to return to Kenya later in January. While travel delays may result, all missionaries are expected to resume their work in Kenya.

We were pleased to receive news that a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) team, which left for Kenya on December 28, 2007, is safe in Nairobi. This team, led by Gregory Forrester, UMVIM coordinator for the Northeastern Jurisdiction, was due to remain in Kenya until January 11, 2008. We also understand that a Cursillo team from the Mississippi Annual Conference was safe at Kabarak University, near the city of Nakuru, and had completed its program, called a pilgrimage.

Methodism has been in Kenya for some 145 years, arriving with British missionaries. The Methodist Church of Kenya grew through support from both Great Britain and the United States. That church, which became autonomous in 1967, is a long-time mission partner of the General Board of Global Ministries and today has 500,000 members. The Rev. Dr. Stephen Kanyaru M'Impwii is presiding bishop of the Methodist Church of Kenya.

The United Methodist Church and the Global Ministries are also represented in Kenya by a United Methodist community, established in the latter years of the 20th century by refugees from other parts of East Africa. Those congregations and ministries are part of the East Africa Annual Conference led by Bishop Daniel Wandabula, who is based in Kampala, Uganda.

Over its long history, the Methodist Church of Kenya has started many social, health, and educational institutions that serve the entire society. Violent confrontations always threaten the operation of these valuable ministries. Institutions of mercy and education are much in our prayers for peace.

Its strategic location and recent political stability makes Kenya a natural gateway for church supplies and services moving into East Africa. For example, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) depends upon Kenyan facilities for receiving and transporting relief supplies into Sudan and other countries of East Africa. Regrettably, the pent up party and tribal competition expressed in post-election violence threatens more than Kenya alone.

UMCOR will initially respond to the humanitarian crisis in Kenya in collaboration with the ecumenical Action by Churches Together (ACT). Information will be supplied separately on ways to support this ministry.

As I told Bishop Wandabula in an email message and said to missionary John Calhoun in a telephone conversation on January 3, we want to help care for those who are hurting and we also want to call Methodists and United Methodists to be "peacemakers above all" in the name of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Felton E. May

Interim General Secretary

General Board of Global Ministries

United Methodists revive summer mission internship

College student Sarah Bakersman sorts groceries at a food pantry during the Student Forum held at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash., in May. The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries is resuming a summer intern program that places young adults in mission settings in the United States. A UMNS file photo by Vicki Brown.

By Elliott Wright*

NEW YORK (UMNS) - The mission agency of The United Methodist Church is resuming a program that places young adults in mission settings in the United States for 10 weeks of summer service and education.

A dozen people ages 18 to 25 will be selected for 2008 as the program is reintroduced after nearly a decade of inactivity. The sponsor is the mission personnel program area of the denomination's Board of Global Ministries.

The young people selected to take part will receive a $1,000 stipend, travel to and from their place of assignment, and room and board.

"I am so pleased that we are reviving the summer internship," said the Rev. Edith Gleaves, who leads the mission personnel unit. "In the past, this program served as a strong introduction to mission service for young adults, and some participants went on from there into the longer-term young adult missionary programs and to other professional roles in the church."

Gleaves noted a particular interest in internships among ethnic and minority students in the past.

New emphasis
The revival of the summer program is part of a renewal of emphasis on short-term young adult mission service at the mission board. The Rev. Suzanne Field-Rabb is the newly named executive secretary for youth and young adult ministries.

The 2008 summer interns will be placed with United Methodist institutions and churches across the United States.

"Working in new, often unfamiliar environments offers young people opportunities to experience firsthand how mission functions in a world of diversity," Field-Rabb explained. "Each placement involves some element of social justice, which allows interns to become engaged with the church in action in eradication of injustice."

Successful applicants must be able to dedicate a full 10 weeks to the program. Orientation begins in New York City on June 1. Service gets under way June 8 and ends Aug. 2, followed by a week of debriefing, again in New York. Participants must have completed at least one year of higher education. An online application form is at http://new.gbgm-umc.org/connections/youth/.

The deadline for applications is Feb. 1. Phone interviews will be in March. Notifications of acceptance will come in March or April, and the placements will be announced in May.

The summer internship was popular in the 1980s and 1990s, with 26 placements in 1996. The program went dormant in 2000 when the mission board shifted funding to several multiple-year mission opportunities designed to appeal to young adults. Those programs were themselves allowed to run their courses when a financial crisis hit the organization a few years ago.

*Wright is the public information officer for the Board of Global Ministries