News To Use -- Nov. 2001

Epworth Forest Conference Center is looking for directors for the summer 2002 elementary camps. Directors should be adults or college students with a passion to work with children grades one-six. Six director positions are available:

Mini Sports Camp #3, July 29-July 31; JC Crew Day Camp #1, June 24-29; JC Crew Day Camp #2, July 1-6; JC Crew Day Camp #3, July 8-13; JC Crew Day Camp #4, July 15-20; and JC Crew Day Camp #5, July 22-27.

The Mini Sports Camp is a 48-hour overnight camp. The JC Crew Day Camps are a week long, but they are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information, please contact Holly Sparks at 800/834-9873.

Upper Room launches young adult site

Upper Room Ministries has launched a new web site where young adults can come together and reflect about their faith on-line. www.methodx.net is a site "striving to be relevant to the spiritual needs of today," said MethodX editor Kathleen Stephens. "We want to help young adults tap into the wisdom of the ancients, the church, Christianity, and each other."

Why aren't there more patriotic songs in our hymnal?

A few people have sent messages to the General Board of Discipleship asking the above question and others, such as "Why isn't the national anthem in our hymnal?" According to Dean McIntyre, director of music resources at GBOD, more patriotic songs are included in the 1989 United Methodist Hymnal than in other mainline protestant denominational songbook. McIntyre notes the UM Hymnal includes "America," "America the Beautiful," "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," "God of the Ages (God of Our Fathers)," "Lift Every Voice and Sing," and "This is My Song."

Documentary to focus on HIV-positive Senegalese woman

An upcoming television documentary, "Ngone's Story: A Tale of Africa's Orphans," covers the struggle of an HIV-positive Senegalese woman and her two daughters. The mother is reluctant to tell the youngest daughter, 16-year-old Ngone, about her condition. The family is eking out a living in a society where people with HIV/AIDS are often ostracized. The documentary was produced by United Methodist Communications for the National Council of Churches, and is being distributed by the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission. NBC will send it by overnight feed to its affiliate stations Nov. 28-29, in time for World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. Call your NBC affiliate station for the local airtime.

Executive director position open at Asbury Towers

Indiana Asbury Towers United Methodist Home, Inc. is looking for an executive director. This position is responsible for the daily operation of all essential functions and long-term vision for this retirement community facility. Qualified candidates will possess prior management, marketing, financial and team concept leadership experience in a CCRC environment. In addition this person must hold a valid Health Facility Administrator license and have a degree in a related health care field. Send resume and salary history by e-mail to ecarter426@aol.com or fax the information to 317/873-0049.

Endowment seeks to attract young people to ministry

The Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. has set up a major initiative called "Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation" to attract bright young people into ministry. The endowment is inviting proposals from accredited, church-related, four-year liberal arts colleges in the country and expects to award grants totaling up to $50 million.

A recent issue of Congregations magazine showed the percentage of clergy 35 years old and under is at just 4 percent in the Episcopal Church and United Church of Christ, 6 percent in the Evangelical Lutheran Church and Roman Catholic Church, 7 percent in The United Methodist Church and Presbyterian Church (USA), and 11 percent in the Southern Baptist Convention.

For information contact Christopher Coble, Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation 2002, Lilly Endowment Inc., 2801 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN 46208-0068.

Discovering the Heart of God

This five-day Academy for Spiritual Formation at Lindenwood, Oct. 28-Nov. 2, is designed to provide an in-depth and comprehensive experience in spiritual formation for lay and clergy who are highly motivated in their own sense of call. It includes teaching, worship and personal sharing.

The Academy for Spiritual Formation is a program of The Upper Room, Nashville, Tenn. This academy is ecumenical and jointly sponsored by members of The United Church of Christ, The Presbyterian Church (USA), The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and The Reformed Church of America.

Scam hits UM conference

A scam artist has been calling pastors in the Oregon-Idaho Conference, claiming to be an organist at a church in Portland who is stranded in New Orleans and needs money to return home, according to Linda Sullivan, conference director of communications.

The scam is similar to others that have been perpetrated from time to time in various conferences. These scams usually are from a person claiming to be someone whose name is widely known in the conference, the stories are plausible and the calls are often made to people who know the person at least by name. The scams are often uncovered when a call is placed to someone who knows the person well and who realizes it to be a hoax.

In the scam in the Oregon-Idaho Conference, several pastors have wired the money, to find out too late that they have been scammed.

Anyone who receives such a call should not send money, but should try to get a phone number at which to call the person back. If the call seems suspicious, report it to your conference office.

www.IsGodCallingYou.org

Is God calling you? This important question is at the center of a new Web site launched by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. The site - www.IsGodCallingYou.org - originally conceived as an enlistment tool for youth, will be useful to anyone interested in exploring ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church. The site provides information and defines what it means to be in ordained ministry as a deacon, elder or as a chaplain. The site gives real-life examples of people who have answered God's call and have become ordained as deacons or elders.

New resources from the Board of Discipleship

Equipped for Every Good Work: Building a Gifts-Based Church, by Barbara Miller and Dan R. Dick

This book will help individuals better understand their gifts and graces for Christian service in the world. In addition, it will help strengthen faith communities by providing methods and tools for understanding the gifts and graces of the people of God in each congregation. 168 pages; $18.95.

The Heart's Journey; Christian Spiritual Formation in the Life of a Small Group, by Barb Nardi Kurtz

The Heart's Journey focuses on how the spiritual disciplines can be incorporated into the life of the small group so that each person experiences God, and lives are transformed. 80 pages; $13.95.

That's What My Mother Taught Me, and Other Ways Generous Givers Develop, by Herb Mather

Interviews with over 100 people from a variety of backgrounds, congregations, ethnic groups, ages and locations are woven together to describe how giving patterns develop. Designed for pastors and laity who are responsible for encouraging giving as part of the Christian faith journey, and for those responsible for the annual giving campaign. 128 pages; $17.95.

These resources are available from Cokesbury or from Discipleship Resources Distribution Center, P.O. Box 1616, Alpharetta, GA 30009.

Church's development fund has $30 million to lend

The United Methodist Development Fund (UMDF) is making available $30 million for loans to UM churches and church-related institutions seeking financing to construct new buildings or improve existing ones for mission and ministry.

Over the past six months, UMDF has been the beneficiary of large infusions of money for investments from individuals and church agencies, including the General Council on Finance and Administration, according to Fund President Bishop Jonathan Keaton. This enabled the Fund's Board of Directors to end a six-month moratorium on loans.

For loan information or applications contact the GBGM Office of Loan Administration at (212) 870-3865.

The Fund's website, gbgm-umc.org/units/evgrowth/umdf.html, also contains information, interest rates and stories from churches that have improved their facilities with the help of UMDF loans.

Epworth Forest needs camp directors