Intern Jeremy Page of First UMC Lewisville worked with children at Chapel Hill UMC.

By SHERON C. PATTERSON
Editor

Project Transformation is gearing up for another strong summer in North Texas.

Since its founding in 1998, the ministry embraces three groups at once: churches, college students and children in low-income areas.

About 100 college-age interns plan and implement free summer day camps and after-school programs for roughly 1,000 children and teens in underserved neighborhoods, Project Transformation says. The interns see first-hand the uphill battle facing children and families in impoverished neighborhoods. The interns also meet each week with church and nonprofit leaders, exploring a vocational call to service and ministry.

The programs are held at United Methodist churches in the heart of low-income neighborhoods and help those churches connect in meaningful ways with their neighborhoods.

Estephania Iracheta with children from Pleasant Mound-Urban Park UMC.

"The connectional nature of The United Methodist Church truly comes to life when we witness hundreds of volunteers giving their time to help children improve their reading skills or encouraging our young adults in their service and ministry exploration," said Eric Lindh, executive director of Project Transformation.

Summer is a time when academics can slip for children, so Project Transformation works with them on reading and math skills. Lindh said 96 percent of the campers maintain or improve their reading and 86 percent maintain or increase their math skills.

This year, Project Transformation iis expanding its Leaders in Training Experience, or LITE, program and expects at least 75 former campers to return to work with its elementary school children as well as develop their leadership skills.

"How incredible it is to see an increasing number of former child participants return to serve as LITE participants and even work as college interns!" Lindh said.

"I am so grateful to the churches and volunteers who continue to support this ministry," he said.

"This investment over the years has yielded results beyond our expectations."

Photos by Sheron C. Patterson

St. Luke "Community" UMC observed its 80th anniversary April 28, 2013. And its pastor, the Rev. Dr. Henry Masters, right, used the occasion to celebrate the birth of another congregation — The Village UMC, a daughter church that recently got its own charter. "There are not many who can boast of having a baby at 80!" he said. "St. Luke is very proud to be able to say our present and our future are as strong and glorious as our past. If you can still have babies at 80, you gotta be strong. Thus, our theme Continuing Strong in the Lord."

The choir was clapping and members were showing off their commemorative Bibles at the 80th anniversary celebration of St. Luke "Community" UMC on April 28, 2013. Even the Texas Legislature got into the act, declaring March 19, 2013 as St. Luke Day.

An acolyte and brightly dressed ushers stood ready to collect the offering. St. Luke has come a long way since it began as a mission in the Great Depression. It added "Community" to its name under the legendary Rev. Dr. Zan W. Holmes Jr.

On April 25, 2013, a historic day that rose above politics, the Rev. Mark Craig, senior pastor of Highland Park UMC, gave the invocation at the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the Southern Methodist University campus. The day was notable for the presence of the five living men who have served as U.S. president – Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter.

Here is the invocation that the Rev. Mark Craig, senior pastor of Highland Park UMC, gave for the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Center on the Southern Methodist University campus. It was a historic day as all five living U.S. presidents, including current President Barack Obama, attended the dedication.

We have gathered here today, O God, to offer thanks for the life and legacy of President and Mrs. George W. Bush. We thank you for their distinguished leadership to our nation. Moreover, we are grateful for their moral courage and commitment to public service.

O God, today we honor a man who genuinely believes in your quest of freedom for all. We ask that President Bush and his family continue to feel the prayers and support of people all over the world who recognize his past and continued work for the expansion of freedom.

We ask your blessing upon the George W. Bush Presidential Center and all those who will walk through its doors. We pray that it will serve as a beacon of hope and freedom throughout the world. We pray that it will remind us all of our nation's heroic past and generate noble insights for future leaders of our country.

Grant that each of us will rededicate our lives to the values of this great institution. As we continue to learn the lesson of history, help us to live out the words of the prophet Micah "to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God."

We pray all these things in thy name.

Amen

Back to School Bash

September 8, 2013
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Northaven United Methodist Church
11211 Preston Road
Dallas, TX 75230

The Metro District Council on Youth Ministry has planned a Back to School Bash to be held on September 8, 2013 at Northaven. We will give out school supplies and have a good time with others around the area. This will be a great event so come out and have fun!

Metro District Conference

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Time: 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Oak Lawn UMC

3014 Oak Lawn Ave.
Dallas, TX 75219

Bishop appoints Henderson, Gaston and Casad, effective in July

By SHERON C. PATTERSON
Editor

The Rev. Cammy Gaston
Metro District

“I can see so many possibilities for our future. As I look at the names and faces that make up the Metro District, I see faithful people. I pray that I will lead faithfully as well.”

The Rev. Vic Casad
East District

“I was born in Paris, toddled in Roxton and grew up in Greenville. In some sense, it is a return to my roots and to the great heritage the East District bestows upon not only the North Texas Conference, but upon all of Texas Methodism.”

Dr. Ron Henderson
North Central District

“As a superintendent before, I loved being an advocate for pastors, churches and those entering the process of ordained ministry. I embrace this opportunity to serve the church and conference to make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

Bishop Michael McKee, episcopal leader of the North Texas Annual Conference, has announced changes to his Appointive Cabinet. Effective July 1, Dr. Ron Henderson will become North Central District superintendent, the Rev. Cammy Gaston will become Metro District superintendent, and the Rev. Vic Casad will become East District superintendent.

“As I made these appointments, two things were vital,” Bishop McKee said. “First of all, I thought it was important to have people who knew the North Texas Conference well. By that, I mean knowing the laity, the clergy, the churches and the mission field. As we look at the three people I appointed, they each have a long record of service in the annual conference. They share that particular gift of knowing the conference, and that’s helpful.

“Secondly, each one of them represents something different and unique,” he said.

Henderson, currently senior pastor of Custer Road UMC in Plano, “has served as a district superintendent before,” the bishop said.

“He is a leader. He has been a delegate to General Conference. He knows the North Texas Conference, he knows the general church, and he knows the structure,” Bishop McKee said. “Ron has been a pastor of large churches and small churches. He is somebody who knows this work, so he brings experience that the team needs.”

Bishop McKee knows Rev. Gaston, director of the Denton Wesley Foundation on the University of North Texas campus, through the Perkins interm program, in which they supervised interns.

She “has been mentoring students through the process for candidacy or ordination. She has worked in our residency program with people who are seeking ordination. She has great skills in networking with young people and mentoring them,” Bishop McKee said.

“I became aware of how effectively she was able to supervise and mentor persons coming through the process. As we look for younger persons for ministry or for people to be involved in the church, Cammy has great experience,” he said.

Casad, senior pastor at Stonebridge UMC in McKinney, “has been pastoring churches in this conference for a number of years. He is a preacher’s kid. He knows the DNA of many of these churches,” Bishop McKee said.

“Vic has unique perspectives. He has a very good analytical mind. He will be able to help us analyze the mission field and how the churches are responding,” the bishop said.

“He will help us look for new strategies and opportunities, particularly in the East District, and other areas as well. He will help us engage in the process of sustaining and creating healthy, vibrant congregations,” he said.

June 2 - 4, 2013

First UMC Richardson

The Apostle Paul once said that God, working through our lives, “is able to accomplish abundantly far more than we can ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20-21”)

Can you imagine the church God is calling us to be? Can you dream about being a part of the world God imagines? Our 2013 North Texas Annual Conference theme, Imagine, invites us to such dreams.

Let’s join together for this time of inspiration, fellowship, 

worship, learning, serving and imagination.

2013 Highlights:

A new venue: First UMC Richardson
Meals available for purchase on the site at FUMC Richardson
Toolbox Sessions led by Clergy and Laity across the NTC
Keynote Speaker Kenda Creasy Dean
Worship let by Josh Wilson and choirs from 10 NTC congregations
Powerful videos of programs imagined across the conference

Registration, Conference Workbook download and more information can be found at:

Please Note: All conference attendees will register online this year (including clergy, laity, spouses, family members and other guests).