Save these Dates for Volunteers in Missions

• February 8

Memphis Conference VIM Rally

First UMC, Jackson, TN

9:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Lunch  $5.00/person

• April 4 - 5

Friends of Estonia

Dunwoody UMC

Dunwoody, Georgia

• April 10 - 13

Global Gathering

GBGM International Mission Festival

Birmingham, Alabama

• July 3 - 6

SEJ UMVIM Rally

Lake Junaluska, NC

For registration and/or information, contact: Nancy Eubanks, Memphis Conference Volunteers in Missions Coordinator, 426 Eubanks Road, Brownsville, TN 38012. Phone (731) 772-0458. E-mail: nteub@pchnet.com.

Single Adult Ministry     to meet January 27

McSam (Memphis Conference Single Adult Ministry) will meet January 27 at 6:30 PM at Fulton First UMC, Fulton, Ky. All persons interested in helping plan the final details of the Spring Retreat and other upcoming events are welcome. Call (270) 472-3514 for directions. Information? Call Jeff Carr at (731) 855-4505.

Older Adult Design Team needs help on February 5

The Older Adult Design Team will meet Feb. 5, 10 AM - noon, at the Conference Center, 24 Corporate Blvd., Jackson. Anyone interested in helping plan training events, newsletters or simply in becoming more connected to the program may attend. Call (731) 664-8480 for directions. For information, call Lula Bingham at (731) 668-8747.

Society of St. Andrew (Potato Project) fields record breaking number of Gleaning volunteers

2002 was the Society of St. Andrew’s second best year ever. As with most nonprofit organizations nationwide, SOSA experienced a drop-off in donations. Despite this difficult situation, SoSA salvaged more than 32 million pounds of food to provide 96.7 million servings to America’s hungry families. Making this possible were 39,415 volunteers – more than in any other year. SoSA is now at a total of 409.1 million pounds of fresh produce saved and distributed, providing 1.227 billion servings of food.

Spiritual Growth Retreat for clergy set Feb. 25-27

“Repentance and Reconciliation: A Bridge Over Troubled Waters” is the theme of the 2003 Spiritual Growth Retreat at Kenlake State Park. The retreat, set for Feb. 25-27, is aimed at helping clergy assess their own individual brokenness and the corporate brokenness of the church as they seek ways to improve their effectiveness as spiritual leaders. Retreat leader will be the Rev. Susan Henry Crowe, Dean of the Chapel and Religious Life at Emory University. The retreat preacher will be the Rev. Renita Thomas, pastor of Cedar Grove UMC in Conley, GA. Bishop William Morris will lead the opening worship service. The goal of the retreat is for all participants to leave with a “profound sense of what it truly means to proclaim “A Church For All God’s People.” Registration is $40 per person. Mail your check, payable to the Memphis Conference, to Spiritual Growth Retreat, 24 Corporate Blvd., Jackson, TN 38305. Include your name, address, phone number, church and district. For housing reservations, call Kenlake by February 3.

Destination Known: 2003 Winter Youth Retreats

• Jr. High and Sr. High Retreat, Feb. 14-16 (ages 11-18); Leaders: Troy Taylor, Chris and Candy Brock.

• Junior High Retreat, Feb. 28-March 2 (ages 11-14), Leaders: Russell Dyer, Lora Jean Gowan, Jerome Scales Jr.

• Senior High Retreat, March 14-16 (ages 14-18), Leaders: Wade Cox, James Hamilton

• The 30-Hour Famine, Feb. 21-23 (ages 11-18), Leaders: Steve Stone Jr., Brad Mills, Lindsey Smith.

For more information, call the Rev. Gary Lawson at (731) 584-6102.

Wesley Senior Ministries Foundation has new prez

new president of wesley senior ministries foundation: Selena Henson says she’s thrilled to be back in ministry with people.

By Cathy Farmer

Being in ministry with 2400 men and women living in 28 Wesley senior communities spread out over seven Memphis Conference districts sounds more like a punishment than a privilege. But for Selena Henson, it’s the answer to a prayer.

The new president of the Wesley Senior Ministries Foundation slid behind her desk for the first time on Monday, January 6; by Wednesday, she had already visited the Brownsville District and the Memphis-Asbury District to talk about the upcoming March 2 Golden Cross Offering.

“I’m thrilled to have a job that gets me back in ministry with people. That’s what I love,” Henson said with her customary enthusiasm. “I want people to understand that, by giving to the Golden Cross offering, they will be helping us to assist our senior residents.

“Regretfully, these are people who are often forgotten.”

As newly-minted president of the foundation, Henson’s goals include communicating the needs of Wesley community residents to Memphis Conference congregations.

“Our foundation helps with their needs,” she explained, “whether it’s paying for emergency medical care or money to purchase Bible study resources or organizing activities to enrich their lives.”

 The stroke that tried To steal Christmas

One resident signed up for the 2002 Holiday Field Trip led by Bob Laman. Afterwards, she penned the following note:

“My sincere thanks for making my first Christmas on my own since my stroke a memorable one with all the special activities that were planned,” she wrote.

Making Christmas memorable despite difficult circumstances is only one of the ways the foundation helps Wesley residents.

• Money contributed by United Methodists has also underwritten Lakeshore summer camp scholarships for children living at Wesley Harrison Meadows in Paris, Tenn.

• Hymnals and worship materials have been purchased for the chapels at several of the residences.

• Wellness programs offering mammograms and flu shots and diabetes monitoring are provided.

• New Hoyer Lifts have been installed at Wesley Highland Manor and Wesley at Dyersburg Nursing Care. These mechanical devices allow staffers to move and safely lift heavier residents without fear of dropping them or putting undue strain on the attendant’s back.

• And for those residents who are saddled with enormous medical bills, the foundation quietly helps pay the rent.

“These are just some of the ways the foundation enriches the lives of our seniors,” Henson said.

 All donated funds used for seniors, not operating budget

None of the money donated to the Golden Cross Offering is used to underwrite operational expenses, according to Michelle Redick, program director.

“All the money given to the foundation goes directly to services for residents,” she said. “Sometimes, people mistakenly believe that their donations are used for our operating budget.”

Henson said the operating budget, including salaries, is completely underwritten by the foundation’s board of directors. “They donate the funds personally,” she said.

 Retirement communities in all seven conference districts

In addition to promoting the Golden Cross Offering, Henson also hopes to build the relationship between the United Methodist Church and the 28 retirement communities.

A quick look at a map noting the locations of the residences confirms that they’re scattered throughout the Memphis Conference. There are three in the Paducah District, six in the Dyersburg District, two in the Brownsville District, three in the Jackson District, six in the Memphis-McKendree District, four in the Memphis-Asbury District, and four in the Paris District.

 Contributions derived from several sources

“Per year, we raise approximately $25,000 through the Golden Cross Offering,” Redick said. “Overall, counting grants from the H. W. Durham Foundation, the J. R. Hyde Jr. Foundation, the Assisi Foundation, the money from our Annual Golf Benefit, and individual contributions, we generally raise between $150,00 to $300,000 for the foundation.”

Henson said she’s going to work hard to increase conference participation.

“Our endowment now stands at approximately $320,000,” she said. “Our goal is to build it to $500,000.” Once the goal is met, the interest could be used to provide services for seniors.

“Working with the Wesley Senior Ministries Foundation will allow me to get to know the people,” Henson said. “It’s the answer to a prayer.”

Caring for Kamina nothing new

 By H. Gregory Waldrop

St. Luke-Aldersgate-Paducah Mission Society

 The relationship established between the Memphis Annual Conference and Kamina in the Congo is an extension of a connection begun much earlier this century by one revered in our conference.

Just after he was elected bishop, Walter Russell Lambuth, the man for whom Lambuth University is named, in 1911 and 1913 made two of the earliest missionary visits to what was then called the Belgian Congo.

Retracing some of the steps taken by Henry Stanley in search of the famous British missionary David Livingstone, Bishop Lambuth proceeded further into unexplored areas and established the earliest outposts in the great Congo Basin.

From the considerable evidence of Bishop Lambuth’s life and work, one of his biographers, W. W. Pinson from the Louisville Conference, surmised: “Bishop Lambuth believed that missions were fundamental to the vitality and spirituality of the Church...” Such a life continues to be instructive.

The earliest trips to the Congo missions were notably more difficult than the journey we now undertake. In Bishop Lambuth’s own words: “...I have traveled on foot and by hammock 400 miles and have 350 more to go before we can reach a boat, and then in turn must steam 1500 miles before we can get in touch with the railway from Stanley Pool to Matadi, then about 300 miles by train and boat to ... the seat of government and administration, where application must finally be made for a concession of land for a mission compound.” His meals included dried ants, palm worms, fried caterpillars, African goat, and monkey. His reward was his faithfulness to the call of Christ.

Lambuth rarely traveled alone. His trusted companion on the first journey was Professor John Wesley Gilbert, a skilled linguist and pastor from the C.M.E. Church. Leaving a position at Paine College, Gilbert made the first trip with Lambuth and shared both the difficulties and joy of the work. The mission to the Congo was both an interracial and ecumenical effort when few valued either. It continues to serve as a model for our best mission efforts today.

Thus our Memphis Conference caring for Kamina began almost 100 years ago. Bishop Lambuth led us to the Congo in an earlier season of visionary mission involvement while our former bishop, Ken Carder, along with Bishop Ntambo helped us establish an orphanage. Our current bishop, William Morris, and his wife Mary have helped us see the very faces of those with whom God has connected us for almost a century. 

How often do I hear the words: “On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took the bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: ‘Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’”

My reflections on these words vary. I sometimes think of those who don’t know what the Lord’s Supper is about, and even if they do know what it’s about, don’t have the means to celebrate it.

Looking beyond my own daily existence, I pick up a newspaper or surf the internet to find information about those that Jesus is sending us “to make disciples of…”

Information jumps out at me: More than 800 million people in the world are going hungry. In developing countries, six million children die each year, mostly from hunger-related causes. In the United States, 12 million children live in households where people have to skip meals or eat less to make ends meet. That means one in ten households in the U.S. are living with hunger or are at risk of hunger.

I admit to a bit of disbelief and skepticism about these numbers. Surely they’re exaggerated. There can’t be that many hungry, starving people.

But a look at the evening news makes it all too clear. Human sin continues its march of terror. Every night you see military aggression, lust for power and control over the masses, and killing in the name of religion. The oppressed are abused and ignored. Yes, hunger really does exist in the world of 2003.

Famine and wars cause just 10% of hunger deaths, although these tend to be the ones we hear about most often. The majority of hunger deaths are caused by extreme poverty, by malnutrition. Families simply cannot get enough to eat.

More than 840 million people in the world are malnourished – 799 million of them from the developing world. More than 153 million of them are under the age of five. Of the 6.2 billion people in the world today, 1.2 billion of them live on less than $1 per day. The richest five percent of the world’s people make 114 times that of the poorest five percent.

Malnutrition can severely affect a child’s intellectual development. Children who have stunted growth due to malnutrition score significantly lower on math and language achievement tests. Besides death, chronic malnutrition also causes impaired vision, listlessness, and greatly increased susceptibility to disease. Severely malnourished people are unable to function at even a basic level.

God calls us to make a difference. Christ’s ministry to the oppressed is our example to feed the hungry: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.” We cannot make disciples of dead people. We can, however, share the love Christ has shown us with the poor.

The United Methodist Church helps to share the bread of life by giving us the opportunity to contribute to the World Hunger Fund. This fund supports: Reelfoot Rural Ministries, Memphis Neighborhood Centers, world hunger projects, the Potato Project, Heifer Project International, Hunger in Appalachia, area food banks, Wesley Madison Tower senior residents, and more.

When your local church asks you to donate to the World Hunger Fund on April 20, please think of sharing with others the bread given to you– so that all may come to know the Bread of Life.