Wednesday's Daily Call
A report of the events which occurred on Tuesday, June 11th
Missions Fest: "In the name of Christ, I thank you"
Holston members received special edition New Testaments and gave to three offerings during Tuesday’s session of Annual Conference.
Well-attended by clergy and lay representatives, a late-morning Missions Festival followed presentations by campus ministry groups and the Board of Pensions.
"The Faith-Sharing New Testament" was distributed to every audience member shortly after noon. The audience was asked to stand and join hands as Bishop Ray Chamberlain blessed the New Testaments with prayer.
At 2:30 p.m., an evangelism workshop showed participants how to use the publication. The special editions include a letter from Bishop Ray Chamberlain and essential faith-sharing questions and answers.
The Rev. Eddie Fox, World Director of Evangelism for the World Methodist Council. and George Morris, also of the World Methodist Council, led the afternoon workshop, attended by an estimated 1,000 church leaders.
Fox likened the faith-sharing experience to placing an adjective in front of a noun. "When you put the word ÔChristian' in front of Ôfaith,' it modi- fi es it and makes it mean something specifi c," he told workshop participants. Also during yesterday's session, the conference sent two truckloads of supplies to Zimbabwe and Liberia with the blast of horns from the parking lot. The hands-on missions kits, combined with shipping costs, were valued at $161,035.
"In the name of Christ, I thank you for each kit," the Rev. Jerry Russell told representatives of Holston churches. Russell is conference Missions Secretary and senior pastor at Fairview UMC, Maryville District.
Conference members also heard an emotional presentation by physicians operating Crossroads Mobile Medical Mission, based out of State Street UMC, Bristol, Va. The audience stood to applaud Paul Derden and colleagues Rex Boggs and Tim Schwob after hearing how the partners had given up their salaries to care for the medically under served in Southwest Virginia and upper East Tennessee.
Delayed during air travel, Bill and Maria Humbane of Ishe Anesu mission in Zimbabwe arrived shortly before the festival's conclusion. Bill Humbane announced that the school built with funds from the 2001 Annual Conference offering is nearly complete. Maria Humbane thanked the conference for last year's and this year's hands-on mission kits, providing food, school supplies and clothing for Zimbabwe children.
"The kids look beautiful," she said to applause. "They dress well. They have satchels. They have stationery to write on É Without your help there wouldn't have been any Ishe Anesu at all." Totals for Tuesday's missions offerings will be announced at 9:30 a.m. today. Change for Children offerings benefi t needy children in Holston Conference and Africa. The 2002 Annual Conference missions offering will benefi t seven in-conference missions, including Bethlehem Center in Chattanooga and Project Crossroads in Marion, Va. A third offering, collected during last night's service, will go to cover the cost of Annual Conference. Other happenings during yesterday's session:
- Following questions from the audience, the conference voted to approve the Board of Pensions' 2002 report. Calling the escalating cost of health insurance "a real dinosaur," Chair William Lawson explained its impact on Holston's future fi nancial status. "We're working to do what we can to keep the plan fi nancially sound and provide ultimate benefi ts to you." Lawson emphasized that pledges from the Legacy of Commitment campaign must be received in order to have a fully funded plan for pre-1982 pensions.
- The Francis Asbury Award was presented to Lu Ellsworth, vice chancellor and dean at Appalachian School of Law and member of Appalachian Prayer Fellowship in Big Stone Gap District. Ellsworth received the award "for fostering United Methodist Ministries in Higher Education."
- The conference voted to approve "statement of relationship" covenants between Holston Conference and Tennessee Wesleyan College, Hiwassee College, Emory & Henry College, Holston Home for Children, and Asbury Centers. The covenants, as explained by Asbury Centers Director Bernie Bowman, are "written understandings that we have no legal or financial obligation to each other, but we're very happily affiliated."
- During introductions to campus ministry leaders, Hiwassee Interim President James Murrell announced the college has accomplished 80 percent of a fi nancial goal to prevent accreditation loss. "We raised $328,000 in two months," he said. "That's a real accomplishment Émore than we usually raise in a year."
- Ray Buchanan of Stop Hunger Now presented Bishop Ray Chamberlain with a leadership award for "rapid response" to the Afghanistan crisis. At Chamberlain's request, Holston Conference collected 100,000 pairs of shoes last December for Afghan refugees.
- Referring to Acts 2:42, Bishop Richard Wilke urged listeners to practice evangelism through Bible studies and fellowship in their own homes. "People are lonely," he said. "When you invite them to church, they won't come. It's too big a jolt for them É When somebody knows you and trusts you, they will come to your home."
- The Harry Denman Evangelism Award was presented to lay members Linda Comer and Howard Smith of Bookwalter UMC, Knoxville District. The clergy Denman Award was presented to the Rev. Stephen Burkhart, pastor at Grant's Chapel/George Street UMC, Morristown District.
- Evelyn Laycock, well-known Holston layperson and Bible teacher, was presented the 2002 Philip Award by the National Association of United Methodist Evangelists.
- Membership stands at 169,339, down 1,507 from the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 76,148, up 2,130 over the previous year. ¥ Annual Conference participants are requested to drop their nametags in recycling bins at conclusion of today's Sending Forth Service.
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