Wesley Study Group takes hymn to Rev. 'Bill' Stephenson

BY REV. KATHRYN RANSDELL
St. Andrew UMC, Plano

"It's time for your Wesley Study Group," Alyce Stephenson announced to her husband, Rev. "Bill" Stephenson, NTC retired, as present and former members of the Wesley Study Group entered his hospital room at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 4.

"I'm so glad to see you," Bill said to the group members who had changed their Wednesday morning meeting venue to Baylor Hospital so that they could surprise him with a hymn the group commissioned in his honor.

The Wesley Study Group, composed of 16 retired and active members of The North Texas Annual Conference, commissioned a hymn in January 2007 to honor founding group member William T. "Bill" Stephenson. The group chose this special way to honor him as his health began to decline following a long struggle with cancer. Bill has served as the Convenor/Secretary of the group since the 1990s when his predecessor, Dr. Lamar Cooper, retired from the position.

The four-verse hymn is titled, "There is No Human Quality." Rev. John Thornburg, who attended the presentation, wrote the words for the hymn and Jane Marshall composed the lyrics. The hymn's themes include Christ’s love and loyalty, the habits of the heart and covenant loyalty, and asking God to make all of us heirs to the foundations that have been laid for us.

"We wanted to do something special for you," Rev. Katherine Glaze Lyle said to Bill as the group gathered around his hospital bed. "And we're here to give this to you and sing it to you, which may be a little scary," Katherine said making everyone in the room, including Bill, laugh.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart," Bill said to the group. "This group has always meant a great deal to me and always will - either here or there."

"We thank you, Bill," one member replied to him.

Following Wesley's direction to sing with good courage, members of the group spoke the verses of the hymn, then, the group sang the entire hymn. Bill listened with tears in his eyes as his wife held his hand.

"You did a good job, John," Bill said to the hymn writer and former group member, Rev. Thornburg.

Rev. Don Barnes offered a prayer, and, as the group began to leave the room, Bill, ever the administrator, reminded them, "If you haven't chosen someone to take over the group yet, you will need to get someone."

Rev. Thornburg said he receives requests throughout the year to commission a hymn to honor or memorialize someone. In an average year, he might write 10 hymns in special tribute. It took Rev. Thornburg and Jane Marshall a little less than one month to write the words and music for this special tribute. The Wesley Study Group meets on Wednesday mornings from 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. at University Park UMC, Dallas, for book study and breakfast.

The group, which has been in existence since April 1965, chooses books from all disciplines and viewpoints.

Founding members were Revs. Lee Bedford Jr., Gordon D. Casad (deceased), Jack Gibson, Earl Harvey Jr. (deceased), Kenneth B. McIntosh, Bob Middlebrooks (deceased) and Bill Stephenson.

According to founding member Rev. McIntosh, the group first met at Henry's Restaurant, across from SMU on Hillcrest Blvd. Seven ministers began the group and adopted its name. The group had no chairperson, only a convener/secretary and treasurer.

The group met at Henry's for a number of times. Then, as the ministers literally built new churches in the Conference, they rotated among them for meetings. The group then met at the Umphrey Lee Student Center. When Dr. Lamar Cooper retired from Perkins, he joined the group, and as a staff person at University Park UMC, invited the group to meet there. Current members of Wesley Study Group include: Revs. Stephenson, John Taylor (Treasurer), Wallace Chappell, Bill Crouch, Katherine Glaze Lyle, Vic Casad, Ken McIntosh, Bill Bryan, De Forrest Wiksten, Bruce Weaver, Diane Presley, Joan LaBarr, Kathryn Ransdell, Monk Bryan and Charles Neal.

Former members of Wesley Study Group include Revs. Fred Kandeler, Albert Outler (deceased), Walter Underwood (deceased), Ira Galloway, Thomas Q. Robbins, Donna Whitehead, Lamar Cooper (deceased), Walker Railey, Bert Jarvis (deceased), James Garrett, Pete Robertson, Ray Branton, Ann Cardwell, John Thornburg, Brian McPherson, Debra Hobbs Mason, Paul Escamilla, Don Barnes, Pat Beghtel-Mahle, Jerry Overton, Stanley Menking, Charles Denman, and Robin Lovin.

Bill's daughter, Jill Stephenson, also attended the presentation. A friend of Jill's used her camcorder to capture the presentation so that the rest of the family could share this special memory.

Bill was honored at Annual Conference in June 2006 for being part of his 61st annual conference.