Holston celebrates ministry
On laidback day
By Annette Bender
Holston members sailed through the second-day agenda of Annual Conference at a leisurely pace without a speck of controversy, raising $96,464 for India and celebrating Discipleship Team ministries. After an initial announcement that Sunday night's offering had reaped only $79,878 for India's Hope for Today, checks poured into the treasurer's office, amounting to a total closer to the $125,000 goal by nightfall.
In other missions-related news, church leaders learned that the hands-on mission project exceeded goals for food, clothing, school and medical supplies destined for missions in Zimbabwe and Liberia. Holston churches collected 1,222 food buckets (goal: 600), 2,594 medical kits (goal: 1,450), and 1,229 school kits (goal: 800), among other provisions.
Led by Chairwoman Jean Henderson, the Discipleship Team dominated the day's agenda with good news from several ministries.
The Rev. Judith Anna read poems from a frequent participant in Strength for the Journey camp for HIV victims: “Too weak now for church hopping and knocking … Aren't I, too, a candidate for God's grace and mercy? … We came wounded and found a safe place.”
Jana Martin, spouse to the Rev. Steve Martin of First Oak Ridge UMC, gave a testimony on tithing: “People ask me, ‘How can you afford to tithe when you're married to a pastor and have four children?' I answer, ‘With all the blessings I've been given, how can I afford not to?'”
Heather Rowland, member of Abingdon UMC and president of Radford University Wesley Foundation, spoke in favor of campus ministry. She referred to the U.S. educational policy, “Leave no child behind” when she said, “In the United Methodist Church, the Wesley Foundation offers the same assurance, that no college student will be left behind.”
Other Monday highlights:
- Mai Bell Hurley, Council on Finance & Administration (CFA) chair, announced that the originally proposed 2005 budget of $14.88 million could be reduced to $14.83, because General Conference-set apportionment increases were below projections.
The Rev. Karen Albers, chair of the Board of Higher Education, made a motion to restore the $54,114 difference in the 2005 proposed budget to bene¨– t Holston's four Wesley Foundations.
Hurley agreed to take the motion to the CFA and return Wednesday with the modi¨– ed budget for conference approval.
- The Annual Conference voted to accept recommendations of task forces for Hispanic/Latino ministries, prison ministries, and Wesley Foundations, indicating a stronger conference emphasis on those ministries.
- The extended cabinet presented 40 new hymnals to the Rev. Paul Grif¨– th, prison chaplain at Keen Mountain Correctional Center in Tazewell District. The cabinet's gift was inspired by a recent visit to the prison, where inmates used hymnals from the 1960s.
- Reporting a disappointing response to a recent marriage and family survey (“We had only 30 responses,” said the Rev. Caryl Grif¨– n), the Marriage and Family Task Force asked to continue their work for another year. “If we as clergy don't model healthy marriages, who else will?” said the Rev. David Graves, task force member.
- The Annual Conference voted to form a task force to reevaluate the conference camping and retreat ministries structure, two years after a new structure was approved and implemented.
- The Rev. Carol Ferguson, pastor at Mosheim UMC, Morristown District, received the Harry Denman Evangelism Award for clergy. Ronnie Collins, lay member at First Hillsville UMC, Wytheville UMC, received the Denman Award for laity. “Both exemplify a heart for the harvest,” said presenter Rev. Sandra Johnson.
- The Francis Asbury Award for higher education was presented to Fred Kellogg, professor at Emory & Henry College.
- In a humorous moment, Bishop Ray Chamberlain presented the “Harry Asbury Award” to the Rev. Jim Whedbee, senior pastor at Fountain City UMC, Knoxville District. The ¨– ctitious award was apparently inspired when Whedbee misspoke at a previous Annual Conference, merging the titles of two awards into one.
- A Change for Children offering totaled $33,348. Seventeen Holston groups – including an after-school ministry at Otterbein UMC, Johnson City District, and a women's prison ministry at Trenton UMC, Chattanooga District – received Change for Children grants ranging from $4,000 to $1,000.
- From United Methodist Publishing House, Chamberlain accepted a $13,743 check for clergy pensions.
- According to the Wesley Institute, 720 members participated in afternoon workshops and chat rooms. Ninety¨– ve attended “Interrelationship of Lay Leaders and Lay Members of Annual Conference” led by Bob Lockaby, 90 attended “Impact of General Conference on the Local Church” led by Jean Henderson, and 85 attended “The Middle East, a Con§ icted Land” led by the Rev. Charles Lippse.
- Bill Lawson, chair of the Board of Pensions, recommended a 2005 past service retirement rate of $425 per year of pre-1982 ministerial service, an increase of 3.25 percent over the previous year. The Annual Conference will have the opportunity to approve the recommendation Wednesday after 9 a.m.
- In Monday night worship, Bishop Jonathan Keaton told Service of Ordination participants, “Class of 2004, tonight is a time to rejoice. God's call is upon you ... Go forth to serve the one who makes a way out of no way.”
- The first-aid clinic reported a Monday log of more than 25 visitors at 6 p.m. Complaints included headaches, backaches, bee stings, and blisters. Some members came into have their blood pressure checked.
- By Monday evening, church members had heard or sung the Annual Conference theme, “Amazing Grace,” six times, including an acappella version with Bishop Keaton.
Correction: Tony Sizemore was incorrectly identified in Monday's newspaper. Sizemore is a lay representative of Liberty Hill UMC, Morristown District.
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