Worship defines 2004 AC

 

By Cathy Farmer

 

Worship, Christian conferencing, budget, clergy insurance costs, and an expanded Safe Sanctuary policy filled the agenda of the Memphis Annual Conference which met June 6-9 in Jackson, Tenn.

The theme, “Lost in Wonder, Love and Praise,” undergirded the Bible studies by Dr. Maxie Dunnam, president of Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Ky., the sermons by Dr. George Mathison, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in Auburn, AL, and the times of Christian conferencing on worship and Holy Communion led by Dr. L. Edward Phillips, assistant professor at Garrett Evangelical Seminary.

 

‘A Methodist anywhere...’

The Rev. Darrell Coleman, pastor of Mother Liberty CME, the mother church of the Christian Methodist Episcopal denomination, greeted the conference and thanked its members for the outpouring of United Methodist volunteers and money that are helping to rebuild the church which was devastated by the tornado that struck Jackson on May 4, 2003.

“A Methodist anywhere is a Methodist everywhere,” Coleman said to thunderous applause.

An afternoon of workshops on worship were filled to overflowing while conference youth spent the afternoon hours canvassing Jackson neighborhoods for non-perishable food items which were then trucked to local food banks.

Dr. R. Fred Zuker, the new president of Lambuth University, a United Methodist-related institution, was introduced to the conference along with Nancy Hardin, the first lay missioner for Hispanic Ministries.

Several motions were passed. (See story “Legislation enacted during 2004 session will impact the life of the Annual Conference.” Among those motions were ones dealing with:

• a call for the Memphis Conference jurisdictional delegation to be open to inclusive leadership in determining the assignment of a bishop for the Nashville Area;

• the creation of a task force under the direction of the bishop to study conference finances in light of the lowest apportionment payout in conference history;

• and a change in the conference priority to “Equipping Churches for Effective Stewardship”. 

 

Methodist Healthcare weighs in on clergy insurance debate

An expected heated discussion concerning an increase in clergy health insurance costs was averted when Gary Shorb, CEO of Methodist Hospitals, stepped forward to offer deep discounts to clergy for outpatient and inpatient costs as well as a decrease in prescription costs.

Methodist Healthcare was responding to the urging of the bishops of the three annual conferences (Mississippi, Arkansas and Memphis) that were originally involved in the creation of the hospital system. Further negotiations will be taking place with eventual implementation scheduled for October 1, 2004.

Conference leaders expect to save $400,000 to $500,000 per year through the Methodist Healthcare plan.

Two candidates were once again endorsed for the episcopacy by the annual conference: Dr. Harry Durbin, senior pastor of Collierville UMC, and the Rev. Liana Perez-Felix, Program Ministry Associate for Hispanic Ministries.

Several churches were closed: Greer’s Chapel, Ralston UMC, New Life UMC, Salem UMC, McRae’s Chapel, and Grace Chapel. Pastors and members of the churches were recognized.

 

The beginning and the ending

At the Memorial Service preached by Dr. Paul Clayton on Sunday afternoon, family and friends remembered those saints among the clergy and their spouses who departed this past year. The congregation stood as the following names were read: Erda M. Goforth, Donna Murphy, Lloyd Weldon Ramer, Laurance S. Russ Jr., Halla Mae Shemwell Stanley, Shelby Thompson, Kenneth Z. Turner, Archie Clifton Morrison Jr., Rebecca Porterfield, Evelyn Gibson Redmond, Luther E. Shaffer, Margaret Hamilton Thomas, Clara Agnes Turner, and Janice Threadgill Watlington.

 While some were leaving, others were just beginning their ministry. Two deacons, Sandra LeBlanc and Dietrich Kirk, and three elders, Jolinne Balentine, Lonnie Royal Sr., and David Weatherly, were ordained. Five probationary members, Elizabeth Gwynne May, Charles Erb Overton, Timothy Thomas Prather, Ben Stilwell-Hernandez, Sammy Tillman Jr., and Nancy Johnston Varden, were commissioned and three local pastors, Lee Pinkston, Ronal Rivas and Steve Ingram, were recognized.

Retiring after years of dedicated service as clergy in the Memphis Conference were Calvin Keith Clark, Richard Harry Flick, Donnie Ray Harden, Phillip W. McClure, Joseph R. Thornton, Glenn Allen Elliott, Jerry Lance Harber, Richard B. King and Bobby Dale Mills.

 

Special offerings

The offerings taken at the three annual conference worship services were designated for special funds. The Sunday evening offering of $6,835.49 went to the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The Monday Ordination Service offering was designated for the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska, NC. And the $10,019.51 received during the Tuesday evening worship was dedicated to a scholarship at Bennett College in honor of Bishop William and Mary Morris who will be retiring this year.

 

2005 budget less than 2004

The conference passed a 2005 budget of $9,864,022 which is less than the conference budget of $9,957,758 which was approved for 2004.

Though church school enrollment in the Memphis Conference is up by 970 from the previous year, membership stands at 89,920, down 1,178 from the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 36,038, down 493.

 

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Glorifying God by giving themselves to others

 

 

Finally! After years of study, work, and prayer, Elders and Deacons were ordained during a Monday evening service at Jackson, Tenn.’s First United Methodist Church. Family and friends packed the pews to watch as Bishop William Morris laid hands upon the Elders and told them to preach the Word of God and administer the Holy Sacraments. The Deacons were authorized to proclaim the Word of God and to lead God’s people to serve the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Legislation enacted during 2004 session will impact the life of the Annual Conference

 

Motions made and accepted during Annual Conference 2004 will affect the Memphis Conference in many different ways. They are:

• “Equipping Churches for Effective Stewardship” became the new four-year priority of the Memphis Annual Conference. The motion, made by the Rev. Rick Kirchoff of Germantown UMC, directs the Program Ministry Team to deploy well-trained stewards to assist churches in the following areas: teaching and preaching stewardship, guiding churches to become tithing churches, developing and carrying out an annual stewardship campaign, and interpreting Annual Conference and General Church Benevolences.

•The Memphis Conference Jurisdictional Delegation was directed to be open to “inclusive leadership in regards to race, age or gender in their good faith work determining the assignment of a bishop for the Nashville Area...” The motion was  made by the Rev. Tim Carpenter, pastor of Bolivar (Tenn.) First UMC.

• In a motion made by the Rev. Mark Matheny, McKendree District Superintendent, effective January 1, 2005, the responsibility for Church Extension funding and grants will be remanded to the seven Memphis Conference Districts. The Conference Committee on New Church Development and Church Extension will become the Conference Committee on New Church Development. Conference apportioned funds for Church Extension which were generated in 2004 will be distributed in seven equal portions to the districts. The districts will then use the guidelines already developed by the Program Ministries Team to make grants. The motion added “It is also understood that the proposed 2005 apportioned amount of the conference budget be reduced by the sum of $245,000...  And it is understood that each district is free to resource Church Extension through district askings, proceeds from sale of properties, special gifts and other sources.”

• The Task Force appointed by the Council on Finance and Administration to review conference finances is now a Task Force of the Memphis Conference and as such will report both to CFA and to the Conference. The motion was made by the Rev. Bradley Gabriel. An amendment by Dr. Ben Boone, Jackson District Superintendent, added that the Task Force will “be expanded at the appointment of the Bishop.”

• The Rev. David Garrett, pastor of Arcadia UMC, moved that a form be included annually in the Charge Conference reports for pastors to report on “the disciplines and habits they practice to promote and maintain their health and physical fitness...” Included on the form will be questions about habits, weight gain/loss, participation in the Pastors’ Clinic, and plans for personal health.

• An amendment was approved concerning the timing of the annual meeting of the Order of Deacons, Order of Elders, and Fellowship of Local Pastors. The original proposal was amended to say that “The Orders and Fellowship will gather on the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning after Annual Conference concludes.” The motion was made by Rev. Richard Cook.

• The conference authorized James Finger to endorse the 2004 check from the United Methodist Publishing House of just over $6,000 back to the General Board of Pensions for use in the Global Pensions Initiative.

Reception for Zuker

Lambuth University invites alumni, friends and the Jackson business community to a reception welcoming Dr. R. Fred Zuker, Lambuth’s 7th President. The reception will be held in the Wisdom Parlor of Varnell~Jones Hall from 4:00  to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 29.