C-Mail
On April 24th, my husband and I attended a conference in Morristown, Tenn., where South African Methodist Bishop Peter Storey spoke, giving inaccurate and misleading statements about what Jesus really meant about war. Space doesn't permit all that was said and implied to convince us of his views.
The organizers were clearly in favor of Peter Storey's views or the "variety of viewpoints" from other speakers, as stated in the Holston Conference Peace With Justice Newsletter (Vol.14 No. 1 Spring 2003), would have been given equal time. We were unprepared for such a biased conference. With the enormous amount of time given to Peter Storey to hammer home his views, I came out feeling that my mind had been sabotaged, my soul raped.
It is inconceivable to me that someone who is not even an American citizen was invited to a church conference in America to air views that are so obviously inconsistent with the majority of Americans. His distorted statements against war "seemed" so palatable to the unsuspecting and "sounded" like THE truth. Not so.
God led Joshua into battle and into victory, (Joshua 8:1-2). God also revealed why Joshua lost the battle of Ai. In 1 Samuel 30:8, David inquired of the Lord as to whether he should go to war and the Lord said, "Yes." Many scriptures confirm God's approval and leading of war.
Thankfully, few were mesmerized by such propaganda and the majority of American Christians joined together to pray, as 1 Timothy 2:1-3 instructs. It's a tactic of the enemy to divide and undermine authority. UNITED WE STAND.
Thomas Jefferson said, "The tree of liberty must be watered by the blood of every generation." All of us, even those who dissent, live in freedom because of others' sacrifice and blood.
Flo Charles
Bradbury UMC
Oak Ridge District
Having listened to numerous comments regarding the proposed health insurance package, this letter comes from me and no one else. It comes with considerable cynicism that the response will be, "It's him again."
Let me join those who feel that the current BC/BS Health Insurance Plan has done well. To quote one: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
I, also, unite with those who trust and have confidence in the Conference Board of Pensions and Conference Insurance Committee.
Likewise, I join the many in seeing a need to bring income and expenses closer together – commonly known as balancing the budget. I am grateful to a retiree who cites the following obvious reductions to be found in Budgeted Allocations for Institutional Renewal. See pages 202-205 of the “Conference Journal 2002.” There is concern regarding the following for 2003: a low of 72.17 percent Staff Resources to a high of 97.04 percent for Communications Team; 202.38 percent Board of Ordained Ministry; 481.75 percent General Administration/Staff Resources and Support; 430.32 percent for Personnel Resources.
There is a minus 7.45 percent for the 25 percent clergy health Insurance.
(1) One spoke for just about every retiree and spouse when he said: "We are not pleading for what we want, but what we NEED." (2) It appears that the Design Team (whoever they are) and CCFA (not having sought retiree input) are balancing the budget at the expense (vernacular would be "on the backs of") of the retirees and spouses.
Instead, there SHOULD be across the board adjustments in the conference budget to free funds for this "horrific" need.
There are unknowns that have been mentioned more than once. (1) We have been given no real facts between having been told what the plan will encompass and the 2005 cost. (2) One closely related to the Board of Pensions explained that money from the Legacy of Commitment, expected to be held in escrow, had been moved in such a way that the value of the reserves had been diminished. (I have long time financial adviser friend who saw this coming five years ago, and his clients benefited from his advice!)
I am not making accusations or assuming anything, but based on my limited knowledge the proposal is basely unfair and if approved will create a financial hardship on those who can least afford it. It raises serious questions of JUSTICE and FAIRNESS and MORALITY. To say nothing of our unique Methodist heritage. In view of this, the "endless line of splendor" is (I leave it to you to fill in the blanks.)
John Bardsley
Retired Pastor
Kingsport District
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