www.umc.org l Michigan Area of The United Methodist Church News and Information l Jan 2014

REV. KAY DEMOSSSenior Editor/Writer MIConnect

As we stand at the “gate of the year” it’s not too early to look ahead to Annual Conference. This year the Detroit and West Michigan Conferences are preparing to experience the theme, “Gather Us In.”

Marsha McFee, is the special teaching guest at both Annual Conferences. Marcia left a career in the performing arts to become a pastor and teacher

in worship design. She says of her life: “My number one purpose is to support ministry professionals and volunteers in such a way that you can have more ease, more joy and more time for creativity and depth in everything you do!”

Some details are still being worked through by the respective Conference Program Committees, but here’s a broad brush stroke that will enable Conference members to fix some significant activities on the calendar.

Annual Conference 2014 “Gathers Us In” across Michigan

Traditionally, cooking pancakes uses up the items in pantry and frig that are forbidden fare during the Lenten season. This winter in Michigan, a new pancake activity will take

United Methodists forward to Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent begins. Pancake Breakfasts intend to take a bite out of malaria.

How can eating a $10 plate of pancakes in Caledonia or Cass City save a life in the Congo? Through a global effort called Imagine No Malaria (INM). In the Michigan Area alone, the hope is to save 150,000 lives by raising $1.5 million.Churches are encouraged to invite members of the congregation and community to Pancake fund raisers the six weeks leading up to Lent (January 15 to March 4). Awareness

about malaria—a treatable and beatable disease—will be served along with the meal.

Molly Turner, the campaign field coordinator, says of her visits across the state: “Everyplace I’ve been the response has been very good. People are instantly generous because they want to be part of saving lives. Everyone likes to know that all funds they contribute are being used to make a huge difference.”

Pancakes Take a Bite Out of Malaria

continued on page 3/Annual Conference

Marcia McFee will help with worship leadership and teaching at both Annual Conferences.

continued on page 10/No Malaria

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Celebrate New Life Springing Forth in SaganingREV. KAY DEMOSSSenior Editor/Writer MIConnect

Over 100 years ago God initiated a Methodist presence in Standish and the Saganing Indian Mission was born. A congregation grew. Children were baptized and tribal elders were buried in the cemetery grounds.

Recently the congregation disband-ed and the Detroit Conference Cor-porate Session deemed the church discontinued from abandonment. But The United Methodist Church continues to hold the deed to the property.

After conversations between the Michigan Indian Workers Confer-ence and the Detroit Conference Committee on Native American Ministries (CONAM) and Bish-op Kiesey, it was decided that the property would not be sold or the ministry surrendered.

Spirit movesCONAM met and prayed. AmyAlberts, chair of Detroit Conference CONAM and member of Oscoda

Indian Church, arranged conver-sations with Saginaw Bay District Superintendent, Jeff Maxwell, and Jerome (Jerry) DeVine, Director of Connectional Ministries. CONAM would assist God in making some-thing new at Saganing...

The Committee on Native American Ministry has begun implementing a vision for the Saganing Indian Church site that includes plans that will offer growth opportunities, historical perspectives, and activities that are culturally significant to the whole community, but especially those of Native ancestry and Christianfellowship.

The new initiative is a ministry with the Saginaw-Chippewa tribe. Funding has been made available from the Native American Ministries Sunday offering.

First some repairs were needed. A request for help was made to the Joy Southfield Development Corporation. Rod Gasaway brought a team from Livonia Newburg that was joined by most of CONAM.

They worked on the building Nov. 8-9. In addition to repairs using shingles and plaster, relationships also are mending. “It will take a while to restore relationships, build trust and reach out to new people,” DeVine says.

“We walked back through the sanctuary where they had worshipped in the past,” Jerry reports, and “It was good. It was a beginning step toward building a future.” There’s still some

uncertainty about the shape of the emerging ministry. But Jerry affirms, “To see children playing on floor of fellowship hall made it a good day!”

Next stepsAmy Alberts has talked with the North Central Jurisdiction CONAM about hosting the regional Lay Servants School and Native American Course of Study extension School in Standish. Dreams are for a multi-use facility with particular focus on local community but also opening it as a resource center.

Kathy Smith, a member of Detroit Conference CONAM, is excited about possibilities for new ministry in the building. “We’re looking to offer a meeting place, both for the community and for the conference,” she says. “We could host seminars for non-native pastors interested in native culture and practices. Children could learn the crafts of their people. And we already have someone to teach the Chippewa language to those interested in learning.”

Rod Gassaway (l) reviews project developments with Jerry DeVine. ~photo courtesy of Kathy Smith

Up on the housetop! ~photo courtesy of Kathy Smith

Detroit ConferenceAdrian College, Adrian MI Thursday, May 15 – Sunday, May 18, 2014

Highlights Thursday, May 15 include: 10am Clergy and Laity Sessions; 1:30 pm Opening Worship/Memorial with Bishop Deb preaching

Highlights Friday, May 16: 4:30 pm Ministry Focus Groups (Marcia McFee); 7 pm Celebrating the Laity; 8:30 pm United Methodist Children’s Home Social

Saturday, May 17 involves:4:30 pm Ministry Focus Groups (Marcia McFee); 7 pm Celebration of Ministry

Sunday, May 18 concludes with:2 p.m. - Service of Commissioning and Ordination with Bishop Deb preaching.

Rev. Marsha Woolley comments on behalf of the Program Committee: “Some of the out of the ordinary things this year include an ingathering for Imagine No Malaria that will take place during worship. Our former Ministry Fair has been reimagined as panel discussions focused on opportunities for Mission and Ministry. Marsha is most enthusiastic about a new wrapping for the Sunday program that will be organized around exploring the path to ordained ministry. “Churches will be asked to bring ministry candidates to Conference on Sunday,” she explains.

West Michigan ConferenceCalvin College, Fine Arts Center Wednesday, June 11 – Saturday, June 14, 2014

Highlights Wednesday, June 11 are: 1:30 pm Clergy Session and Laity Orientation; 7 pm Opening Worship with Bishop Deb preaching

Thursday, June 12: 10 am Marcia McFee teaching; 1:30 pm Balloting for General/Jurisdictional delegates begins; 7:30 pm Marking Sacred Time; 9 pm Strawberry Social

Friday, June 13 features 10:30 am Ministry Fair in the Field House; 4:30 pm Marcia McFee teaching

Saturday, June 14: 9 am Marcia McFee teaching; 1:30 pm Ordination Service with Bishop Deb preaching

Program Committee Chair, Nichea VerVeer Guy, notes: “Through business, worship, legislation and community, we explore the may facets of who we are and who we are to become. Now that is exciting! I cannot plan that into the agenda. It has to come from the inner will of all of those gathered.” Nichea can personally testify to how Annual Conference can change lives. She says, “Spirit Journey at the Northport Indian Mission was just a dream shared a year ago at Annual Conference. Now it is growing its children’s program, educating a community and developing solid footing for ministry to Native children and youth. That is what it is about!”

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Annual Conference/from page 1

~MIConnect photo/Mark Doyal

Ordination and Commissioning is always a highlight at Annual Conference. MIConnect photo/Jeremy Africa

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Great Lakes Freighters HaveLessons for Faithful Living WAYNE BANKLay Leader, Detroit Conference

One cannot live in Michigan without being drawn to one of the Great Lakes and then to watching the boats – pleasure boats in all sizes, tall ships, an occasional cruise ship and of course the many long freighters. Every freighter is headed to a destination to empty their cargo and then move to be filled and on to another destination. As I watched the freighters I wondered if there were lessons we as Christians could learn from the movement of the freighters.

Freighters come in to their dock full to unload. Do we come to church “full” to unload: full of concerns we need to leave at the altar or full of worry needing forgiveness? Often our services have a time of confession to help us unload.Having emptied ourselves, are we prepared to be filled with inspiration as we worship, to be filled with a scripture to carry us through the next week, to be filled with encouragement from the pastor’s message, or to be filled with love and the need to serve others? Having been filled at church, are we ready to move out into the community to empty ourselves in service? Some visit the sick, some volunteer in the community, some send encouraging notes. Some will listen to and pray with others who didn’t think anyone cared. Some may be challenged to change their own life. And most importantly, some

will share the life changing message of Jesus Christ and share what Christ means and has done for them. Consistent Delivery for ships is made possible by the behind the scenes repairs, dry dock time and fuel. I see a connection to Christianity in those shipping terms as well. As Christians we need to take time to rest and restore our souls. Opportunities to do this include our daily devotions and prayers, Bible study, or joining a small group. Longer options include the Lay servant studies offered in our districts, special weekend events sponsored by our Conference such as Emmaus and spiritual retreats. All will help one to fuel one’s faith and spirit to a greater level.Freighters have been made for a particular purpose – to be on

the move. We as Christians have also been designed for specific purposes. Bishop Rueben Job, in his book “Three Simple Rules,” would summarize the purpose as: “Do No Harm, Do Good, and Stay in Love With God.” He expands “Stay in Love With God” with these words: “We must find a way of living and practicing our faith that will keep us in love with God - practices that will keep us positioned in such a way that we may hear and be responsive to God’s slightest whisper of direction and receive God’s promised presence and power every day and in every situation.” In this New Year, may we be on the move to share with others after being emptied and filled with the living spirit of Christ.

“Freighters have been made for a particular purpose,” says Wayne Bank. “We as Christians have also been designed for a specific purpose.” ~photo courtesy flikr/Creative Commons/James Marvin Phelps

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Thanks to the generosity of United Methodists around the world, more than 880 projects and missionaries received a financial boost on Dec. 3. The first ever Giving Tuesday generated a record-breaking $6.5 million online in 24 hours. Nearly 11,000 donors from 34 countries gave over 16,300 gifts through The Advance.

Thomas Kemper, head of the Board of Global Ministries, stated, ”We were overwhelmed by this giving that went far beyond our dreams. The people called Methodists once again have exceeded themselves in love and solidarity.”

Yes, years come and years go and Methodists just keep on creating ways to motivate mission giving. Today, a computer mouse … yesterday a wooden jug.

Rev. Lynn DeMoss tells this story … “My great-grandmother, Mary Langsdon Veneman, was a committed Methodist. One of her possessions came to me, a small wooden bank in the shape of a jug. It bears the inscription: Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them. W.H.M.S.

“Great grandmother’s Women’s Home Missionary Society coin bank now sits on my dresser. I regularly drop quarters into this bank and give them to a mission cause in honor of all the strong Methodist Women of my family who helped shape my own faith.”

The most recent accumulation of coins went to the United Methodist Community House in Grand Rapids. It is the only institution in Michigan that is wholly owned by the UMW,

a direct descendent of the Women’s Home Missionary Society. “In a sense Mary Veneman’s mission bank, like the widow’s jug of 1 Kings 17, never runs dry. It is the little jug that keeps on giving,” Lynn concludes. That’s United Methodists for you! Over the generations and over the miles, always ready to “exceed themselves in love and solidarity.”

A Mouse and a Jug Facilitate Giving

Exploration 2013 was a gathering of 429 young adults from throughout United Methodism, Nov. 15-17.

Both the Detroit and the West Michigan annual conferences sent delegations of students who participated in worship, small groups, workshops, and fellowship. Speakers from around the Connection inspired the gathering with their personal perspectives. Between opening and close, holy time and space was made for young

adults to listen to God, explore ordained ministry, or other specific vocations in the church.

Mentored in MichiganChris Momany, Chaplain at Adrian College, reports that the Detroit Annual Conference team included ten students from Adrian College and Michelle King from the University of Michigan. “The Adrian College group was the largest from any single ministry site in the Connection. There is a reason for that.”

Chris goes on to explain, “Adrian College features an established vocational discernment and ministry preparation community that dates to 1869. It represents one of ten different spiritual life groups at the College. The Adrian pre-seminary program combines co-curricular support and a formal relationship with the Philosophy/Religion Department,” Chris teaches part-time there.

Exploration 2013 Touches Lives of Michigan Young People

continued on page 6/Exploration

Page 6 MIConnect

Eye on Mission 2014Both the West Michigan and the Detroit conferences provide tools that help local congregations act as disciples, transforming the world.

The Six Lanes of the Advance for 2014 can be found on the West Michigan Conference website.

The Spotlight Church Guide is available on the Detroit Conference website.

These two booklets provide • lists of missionaries for prayer and salary support• In-state Ministry and Mission projects• General Advance Specials in the U.S. and world-wide• Ways to support country covenants with Haiti and Liberia• Opportunities to partner with UMCOR and Hunger relief efforts

Download and print these great resources to guide your mission goals in the new year.

Lisa Batten, Campus Pastor at Western Michigan University, shares that eight students from West Michigan went to Denver to explore their call to ministry. They were accompanied by Charlie Farnum, Wesley Director at Central Michigan. Funding came through the West Michigan Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. Lisa notes, “All but one of these young adults came out of Wesley Foundations. The Wesley experience is creating new leaders.!”

Bishop Witnesses“This is not your momma and daddy’s church. We have to be about making disciples, not members,” Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey told those attending Exploration 2013. Harvey, the episcopal leader of the Louisiana Conference, asked the diverse group—27 percent of young adults were racial-ethnic—what would happen if “we stopped worrying about saving the church and focused on saving souls?”

“I want you to be unleashed by the Spirit to listen to where God might be calling you. I’d love to see you all discern a call to ordained ministry, but I know discerning a call to lay ministry is equally important,” Harvey said during her sermon at Saturday night’s commitment service.“

Follow JesusThe Rev. Jorge Acevedo, lead pastor of Grace Church in southwest Florida, warned young adults that family and friends will question the choice to go into ministry. “They’ll tell you that you won’t make any money. They’ll tell you ministry is hard, and God won’t take care of you. But I’m telling you, that for every heartache, God will give you 10 explosions of joy. . . If God has called you into ministry, you will be miserable until you say yes,” Acevedo said. He told the group that Jesus’ favorite word was go. “If you follow Jesus, you are supposed to teach and make disciples. It doesn’t matter how many your church seats; it matters how many you send,” he said.

The Rev. Beth LaRocca-Pitts, senior pastor at Saint Mark UMC in Atlanta, Ga., told of watching a priest serve Mass in her father’s Catholic church. She suddenly realized “that I wanted no other life, but I’m a girl.” That meant she could not become a Catholic priest, she got up and walked two blocks to her mother’s church, Athens First United Methodist. “Don’t spend your life currency on anything less than what God has called you to do. Don’t just go work; answer the call,” LaRocca-Pitts said.

~Vicki Brown, GBHEM, contributed to this report.

Exploration/from page 5

The Detroit Conference group was the largest group from any single ministry site to attend Exploration 2013. ~photo courtesy GBHEM

A clergy person who wanted to know: “What gift could we give the Bishop that would make her life easier in the Michigan Area?” Well, there are several Magi-like gifts which would delight our Bishop, and definitely make her life easier. The first gift we could bring is the gift of being able to say, and mean, “I’m sorry!” It seems like this should be a simple gift to bring, but there is evidence to suggest that this is very difficult to achieve for many of us. Suppose that a pastor commits a simple but embarrassing faux-pas and “forgets a funeral.”

There are three possible responses: first, the pastor can just ignore the problem and act like nothing happened, saying, “they will get over it!” Of course, this would be the worst possible response, but it gets done all the time when people are hurt by our forgetfulness or tendency to overbook our time.

The second possible response is to justify our actions, to make excuses or try to divert the blame. “I forgot, but I have several excellent excuses!” And our excuses may be valid reasons for our error. We may very well have had a flat tire on the way to the cemetery. However, our reasons do not make the persons who were wounded by our mistake feel better. We messed up and we need to be able to say “I’m sorry! “ and really mean it. But the healing begins when we can express our repentance and sorrow for the pain we have caused. Malpractice attorneys tell us that most lawsuits could be avoided if physicians and hospitals could just take responsibility for their mistakes and be able to apologize to the wounded parties. But fear of litigation and judgments often keep people mum when silence is the worst thing they could do. And clergy and lay leaders in our churches are no different. Even when we feel we have excellent reasons for our actions, be the first to express our sorrow and willingness to do what we can to repair the damage.

You cannot imagine howmany letters of complaint or concern that arrive in our office are initiated because someone could not or did not say “I’m really sorry!” Learning to speak those words would make Bishop Deb’s life much easier. And learning to say “I forgive you” would complete the gift. A second gift which would bless the bishop and the whole Church would be the gift of embracing change and being future focused. I am well into my sixties and love my memories of how the church used to be “in the good old days.” But that is how the church used to be in the world that used to be and neither one – the church that I remember or the world as I knew it – will be returning in my lifetime. And my clinging to memories and resisting change will not bless anyone – even me! I know that our United Methodist Church does not make change easily and takes forever to change direction. But, if we can become open to new possibilities, we can eliminate many of the complaints about pastors who want to “change everything” or laity who don’t want to change anything. Finally, a gift that would make the Bishop’s life easier is if we could learn to concentrate on what really matters: making disciples and transforming our world. These are the things we can do. I know that we all have things that are important to us, positions we think that others should embrace or actions we believe everyone should do. But many of those things are the very things which divide us and build walls to isolate us from one another. And, even though we have been quarrelling about these things for 20, 30, even 40 years, we have not changed anyone’s mind or, for that matter, impressed the world with our witness to the love of Christ made manifest in the world. But, when United Methodist Christians lay aside their differences and focus on making disciples for Jesus Christ and transforming the world, we do grow the kingdom. Let’s give Bishop Deb our commitment to focus on our mission as United Methodists. Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect on Burning Questions this year. I look forward to sharing many more of them in the New Year ahead.

Blessings … Bill

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Three Magi-gifts for the New YearREV. DR. WILLIAM DOBBS, Administrative Assistant to the Bishop

This Month’sBurning

Question

Page 8 MIConnect

2013...a Year of United Methodist Church Growth and ProgressSAM HODGESUnited Methodist News Service Key developments in 2013 indicate vigorous responses to the chal-lenges facing The United Methodist Church. At the end of the year the General Council on Finance and Administration reports that world-wide professing membership in The United Methodist Church reached a record high of 12.5 million at the end of 2012.

“The primary source for growth in membership is in the Global South. That’s both Africa and the Philip-pines,” said Scott Brewer, associate general secretary for connectional relations. In the U. S. membership continues its slow steady decline, with GCFA

reporting 7,390,691 members at the end of 2012, down from 7,481,383 the year before. That decline of a little more than 1 percent is repre-sentative of recent trends Both globally and in the U.S., the denomination saw better-than-pro-jected growth in church starts.

The UM Board of Global Ministries reported the start of 574 worship-ping communities in Southeast Asia, Eurasia, Africa and Latin America, beating the original goal of 400 church starts for 2008-2012. They announced a goal of 600 starts for the next quadrennium.

Meanwhile, Path1, the church starting initiative of the United Methodist Board of Discipleship,

said it has heard from 37 U.S. conferences, reporting a total of 91 church plants in 2013. The Western Jurisdiction doubled its 2012 total.

“While we often hear about the innovative ‘out of the box’ plant, the majority of new plants are traditional and reaching many new people,” said the Rev. Douglas Ruffle, a director of Path 1. Signs of vitalityThe official ethnic caucuses of the church, such as Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans, worked toward strategic plans. A MARCHA

continued on page 9/Year in Review

~Photo courtesy of UMNS

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Hearing God’s Voice in 2014SHANE RAYNORMinistry Matters, editor

Depending on what news sources we use—conservative, progressive, “impartial”, or a conspiracy theory tabloid site—we can pretty much find the news and perspectives that we want to hear. That concerns me greatly, because we’ve essentially become a culture of multiple realities. And most of these realities aren’t telling the complete story.

If something outrageous happens that should get our attention, chances are it’s going to get lost in the noise, be written off as partisan propaganda, or not taken seriously because of who reported it. That’s how fragmented everything has become. The church isn’t much different. Tribalism rules the day. That’s not a totally bad thing—like-minded people can accomplish a lot for the

Kingdom together. But the downside is that we can become unbalanced

meeting in August highlighted the growing Hispanic presence in the United States and the need for the church to respond to that reality.

The six national plans for ethnic ministries pushed on as well. For example, Strengthening the Black

Church for the 21st Century released a November report touting its im-proved financial situation, a new collaborative coaching network and the sustaining of 17 congregation resource centers. Another encouraging sign came in October when The United Methodist Board of Pension and Health Benefits announced crossing an important threshold in providing pensions for clergy and clergy spouses around the world. The Central Conference Pension Initiative reached its $25 million fundraising goal with a$217,000 contribution from theUnited Methodist Board of Disciple-ship directors. The money will provide a foundation for the long-term security for clergy in Africa, Asia and parts of Europe. Toward PortlandFinally, any assessment of the state of the church would be incomplete without a reference to General Conference, the quadrennial church law-making gathering. Plans for General Conference 2016, in

Portland, Ore., began this year to gear up in earnest.

The Commission on the General Conference set a target of 850 delegates. That’s about 15 percent fewer than participated at General Conference 2012 in Tampa, Fla., a change that should help rein in expenses. With the shifting demographics of the church, the United States will see a modest decline in its percentage of delegates from 2012, while the percentage from Africa will rise, again modestly. Detroit Conference delegate count dropped from eight to six; West Michigan’s from six to two.The Council of Bishops got in on the planning, choosing West Ohio Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, a former council president, to deliver the episcopal address in Portland. Looking even farther out, the Commission on the General Conference in November chose Minneapolis as the site for the 2020 General Conference.

Year in Review/ from page 8

continued on page 10/God’s Voice

A MARCHAmeeting in August

highlighted the growing Hispanic

presence in the United States and

the need for the church to respond to

that reality.

Page 10 MIConnect

and miss something important if there’s no one there to challenge us and keep us out of our doctrinal complacency. The fact is, it’s comfortable finding churches, pastors, books, and blogs that reinforce the opinions we already have. So that’s what we do. But in our zeal to keep the heretics at bay, we’re probably squelching more than a few prophets along the way. It happens. Paul said some-thing to Timothy about people who will “collect teachers who say what they want to hear because they are self-centered. (2 Timothy 4:3)” Are we guilty of doing that? How does God speak in this type of environment? How does truth get recognized? What is the Spirit saying to the churches? How can we hear God more clearly? What major events are going to go down in 2014 that will be opportunities for us to be salt and light? I’m making it my business to hear God better this year. That means taking Bible study to another level. It means

making prayer a bigger priority. It means listening more and talking less when I pray. And it means learning to pray more effectively. I heard someone say once that prayer is a spiritual technology. If that’s true, how many of us have hit a prayer plateau because we’re using the spiritual equivalent of a 1970’s rotary phone when we could be using a Samsung Galaxy S4? (Speaking of technology, I’m finding that on most days I have to get away from computers, tablets, and smartphones for few minutes if I’m going to get a word from God. Apparently God isn’t too keen on texting.) Finally there’s fasting—a discipline I like to think of as the nuclear weapon of prayer. I don’t enjoy fasting at all, but I can’t get away from the fact that whenever I fast, stuff happens. Fasting brings breakthrough, and it helps me tune in to God’s voice in a way that prayer alone doesn’t. Hearing God’s voice is dangerous, because we become accountable for what we hear. But I believe not hearing his voice is even more dangerous. What are you going to do to hear God’s voice better in 2014?

God’s Voice/from page 9

No Malaria/from page 1

A tragic reality is that every 60 seconds, in Africa a child under the age of five dies from this disease. All proceeds from the event will go towards a comprehensive on-the-ground battle to fight malaria through prevention, education, communications, and treatment.

Paul Perez, the Imagine No Malaria Liaison for the Detroit Conference, explains that District INM Coordinators will be contacting churches by email and phone to facilitate the hosting of the breakfasts. Breakfasts may be hosted by an individual church or a cluster of churches. This effort will spread the net beyond United Methodists to other interested persons. A Pancake Breakfast Tool Kit is available on conference websites.

Now it’s time for congregations to set goals, starting with scheduling and registering a Pancake Breakfast date. Registration is done online. “People ask if they have to serve pancakes,” Turner says. “No. The aim is community outreach and raising awareness, not pancakes.”

For information about attending a breakfast near you or to learn more about Imagine No Malaria contact the Rev. Molly C Turner, 517 214-6308 or mollycturner@gmail.com. Also visit MInoMalaria.org.

Monies raised in the state will be joined with funds contributed around the world to fulfill a $75 million goal set in 2008. To date the campaign is nearing $60 million.

A Pancake Breakfast Tool Kit can be found online at MInomalaria.org. ~photo courtesy of Imagine No Malaria.

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LINDA BLOOMUMConnections Throughout his life, Nelson Mandela had connections to Methodism. A graduate of a Methodist boarding school where many future African leaders were educated, the anti-apartheid champion was mentored by Methodist preachers and edu-cators and formed a bond with a Methodist chaplain while in prison. As president of South Africa, he worked with church leaders in shaping a new nation and event-ually married Graça Machel, a United Methodist, widow of the

former president ofMozambique and an advocate for women’s and children’s rights. When that couple made a surpriseappearance before theUnited Methodist Council of Bishops during a 2006 meeting in Maputo, Mozambique, Bishop Janice Huie, then the council’s president, declared the group was “blessed” to have them in their presence. “We have been in the company of the saints and we know it, and we are grateful,” she said.

The World Methodist Council recognized Mandela as a “symbol of freedom, justice and peace” when presenting him with its 2000 peace award. “As a national and world leader his name is synonymous with rec-onciliation,” said Frances Alguire, the council’s chairperson, when the award was announced. “As a person he is remarkably free of bitterness. His life reflects the qualities of the World Methodist Peace Award.” Early Methodist roots Mandela was born July 18, 1918, at Mvezo in the Eastern Cape and graduated from Healdtown, a boarding school started by Methodist missionaries in 1845. The Rev. Seth Mokitimi was the school’s chaplain.

A renowned Methodist educator who in 1964 became the first black person elected to lead a major denomination in South Africa, he had a powerful influence on Mandela. As a leader in a campaign against the apartheid system, Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island in 1963. The Rev. Peter Storey, a Methodist pastor, served as chaplain to Mandela and other prisoners. Storey, a former president of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, also became a close associate of Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu in the church’s anti-apartheid struggles. Freed from prison on Feb. 11, 1990, Mandela was elected South Africa’s president in 1994. He appointed Storey to help form South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was established in 1995 and received world attention as a model of how to seek national healing and forgiveness.

Nelson Mandela’s Methodist Roots

~photo Chris Black/World Council of Churches

Jan 2014 Published Monthly

Welcome to MIConnect, a printable edition of the top news from the online MIConnect Weekly, serving the Detroit and West Michigan Conferences.

MIConnect is the official news of the Michigan Area of The United Methodist Church.

Bishop Deborah L. KieseyPublisher Mark DoyalEditor M. Kay DeMoss

Find the “rest of the story” online here:www.detroitconference.org

www.westmichiganconference.orgwww.umc.org

Direct comments and stories to Mark Doyal, mark@miareaumc.org.

Read the Gospel … Be the Gospel.

Page 12 MIConnect

Women Now 1 in 4 Clergy in the U.S.Despite a slight decline in the number of United Methodist clergy in the U.S., the percentage of women is growing. As of 2011, the most recent figures available, women were 25 percent of U.S. UMC clergy. Some of the local percentages were much higher — in ten of the 56 annual conferences studied, women were at least a third of all clergy, according to an analysis by the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women. The Michigan Area fell in the upper-middle range of all conferences:• New England 38% (highest)• Detroit 28%• West Michigan 27%• Kentucky 11% (lowest) A complete report, including each annual conference’s numbers, can be found in “Women by the Numbers” on the GCSRW website. Some bishops have joined the conversation as the GCSRW con-tinues to assess how the church

is meeting its mandate for full inclusion of women in all areas of church life. The agency hosted the latest in its series of listening sessions at the Council of Bishops in October. GCSRW Secretary, Dawn Wiggins Hare, said the bishops gave good feedback on the perception of GCSRW in their conferences, the push for inclusive and expansive language, and GCSRW’s monitoring

of meetings. The need for GC-SRW programs in the Central Confer-ences was a big topic of conversation, Haresaid, yet, the bishops noted differences inthe types of pro-gramming needed inside and outside the United States. For example, while

bishops were encouraging GCSRW to continue working on inclusive and expansive English language research, one Central Conference bishop noted that God was neither masculine nor feminine in his language. Hare said some of the bishops took printed copies of a GCSRW-pro-duced Bible study, “Women Called to Ministry,” and expressed interest in recommending it to churches or other groups wanting to study wom-en’s roles in the UMC, including why the church ordains women. The six-session study is available in English and Spanish and can be downloaded at no charge.

Again participants indicated that while the church has made strides toward “full and equal responsibility and participation of women,” much work still lies ahead before women are “sharing fully in the power and in the policy-making of all levels of the Church’s life,” as called for in the Book of Discipline (¶2102).

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