Mission studies stress 'Living the Sacred'

 BY DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL
Special Correspondent

"Worship - Learning – Fellowship. A little controversy but all about mission."

Those were the words of participants describing the 36th Annual North Texas Conference United Methodist Women (UMW) School of Christian Mission (SOCM) and the Weekend Cooperative Mission Event.

Under the 2008 national theme, "Living the Sacred," weekday mission education courses were held at First UMC, Plano, July 28-31. A weekend event was cosponsored by UMW and NTC Global Ministries, Aug. 1-3, at Austin College in Sherman.

The studies and leaders were:
"I Believe in Jesus"–Rev. Ouida F. Lee, Church of the Disciple, DeSoto; Rev. Jackye Waiters-Lee, Lambuth and Crest-Moore-King UMCs, Dallas; and Marva Usher-Kerr, Executive Secretary for Mission Opportunities, Women’s Division, General Board of Global Ministries.

"Israel/Palestine" – Marilyn King, St. Stephen UMC, Mesquite; and Edna Davis, Eureka UMC, Corsicana.

"Giving Our Hearts Away: Native American Survival" – Peggy and Larry Larney, Tyler Street UMC, Dallas, and Della Walkingsky, Dallas Indian UMC. Barbara Weaver, Hamilton Park UMC, led the children in "Living the Faith," and Pamela Pinkerton-Davis, Grand-Prairie UMC, led the youth in "Walking in these White Man’s Shoes."

Breath of Fresh Air
Trining Yadav, Dean of the SOCM, said it was a "breath of fresh air for those who have been going to the schools for many years."

"We had 176 registered attendees. [Four were clergy.] Out of that number, there were 29 adult first timers. The three selected studies were educational, challenging and moved anyone to think and act on his or her own faith," said Yadav, Umphress Road UMC, Dallas.

Based the comments on 172 evaluations, the school was very successful. Attendees said "study leaders were excellent."

"Miracles happened before and during the SOCM because of our faith in God," said Yadav. "SOCM was awesome. I give the glory to God for He is worthy of our praise."

Planning committee members were: Linda Mooter, Assistant Dean, White Rock UMC, Dallas; Betty Vivien, Registrar, First UMC, Plano; and Phyllis Stanley, First UMC, Sulphur Springs, Business Manager.

The song leader was Jackie Payne, First UMC, Allen. Ann Kent, Oak Haven UMC, Irving, is Dean Emeritus. Holy Communion was served by Rev. Gary Mueller, First UMC,Plano.

Persons of all ages are welcomed during the annual mission school. Ninety-one year old Ruth Thomasson, First UMC, Richardson, said she has rarely missed a SOCM since becoming a member of the Women’s Society of Christian Service, a UMW predecessor organization, in 1951.

Timely Studies
"I am amazed how timely the mission studies are," said Ms. Thomasson. "You can use the studies like ‘I Believe in Jesus’ every day.

A former dean of a SOCM during the 1970s, Thomasson said she learned a great deal during the Native American mission study. "The people in power treated the Native Americans badly, and it saddens me to hear their story. The discussion of this situation was long time coming."

Ocie Hogan, UMW president at Church of the Disciple, DeSoto, said, "It was indeed a blessing and a joy to have attended NTC School of Christian Mission."

"My pastor, Dr Ouida Lee, did tell the women of the church about the school and encouraged us to attend if at all possible and that it would be a blessing," Hogan said. "There are not words enough to explain how I was blessed. This was my fi rst time to attend."

"When asked what each one of us expected to receive from the class, my answer was revival." Hogan continued, "After going through physical problems in my body, the spirit gets tired and worn. I can truly say my spirit was refreshed and I can go to the next stage."

"In the class ‘I Believe In Jesus,’ I was reminded that God is always with me, and that true leadership is not about where we plan to lead the church, but where Christ is leading us and about being faithful to his leadership as door keepers for Christ," Hogan said.

Betty Jane Ferguson, First UMC, Richardson, said she particularly enjoyed King’s class on Israeli-Palestinian issues, which included a Middle Eastern feast," Ferguson said.

"Mission study students volunteered to prepare and bring different food dishes suggested by Marilyn. These were tabouli, hummus, raita, pita and fl at bread, fresh fi gs, olives, tea from Israel, and various sweet treats featuring nuts, honey, and cheese."

Ferguson continued, "Marilyn, a Palestinian Christian, born in Jerusalem, who had her home, property, and citizenship taken away, led in a very unbiased and balanced treatment of the history, politics, religion, and reality of the area. She helped explain many of the issues from differing points of view."

"At first I found it difficult to defend a point of view so different from my own, but eventually I came to value the importance of walking in another’s shoes," said Ferguson. "I feel that this empathetic communication can be a start, if practiced by all parties, to resolve the situation."

Focus Groups
Speakers for the SOCM luncheon focus groups were: Stacy Welk, former Executive Director of Wesley-Rankin Community Center; Rev. Owen Ross, Christ’s Foundry UM Fellowship, who discussed immigration issues; Larry Cole, First UMC, Plano, on Native American issues; and King, Israel/Palestine.

During the Native American emphasis plenary, worship leaders and their tribes included Ramona Cole and Nina Red Cherries, Citizens of the Pottawatomie and Navajo Tribes, First UMC, Plano; Karen Onco, Heartland Church, Irving, Citizen of the Kiowa Nation; Madeline Seago, First UMC, Lewisville, of the Muscogee Creek Indian Nation; and the Larneys.

Weekend Event
The Weekend Mission Event was coordinated by Mae Alexander, Dean, Camp Wisdom UMC, Dallas; Ray Karrer, Calvary UMC, Paris, NTC Global Ministries Representative and Assistant Dean; Nancy Monroe, First UMC, Coppell, Registrar; and Jeannie Schaffer, Axe Memorial UMC, Business Manager.

A total of 90 persons registered for the weekend event, with 18 fi rst timers. Participants included fi ve men, three youth, and six children. Not a program for lay persons only, the clergy participants were the Rev. Nancy DeStefano, First Bells UMC: the Rev. Preston Weaver, Central Dallas Ministries; and the Rev. Bob Walker, First Bonham UMC, who served as elder for Holy Communion.

"It was interesting how the studies connected to each other and the way that the people embraced them," Ms. Alexander said. "I Believe in Jesus was a guide to how to deal with the other issues, Israel and Palestine and Native Americans."

"The Israel and Palestine study had the most controversy as class participants strived to come up with a peace plan for that region while trying to better understood how hard it really is for all those in power and all those living in that area today," added Ms. Monroe.

"Native American study class members had their eyes opened about some of our ‘hidden’ Americans - the diversity among them and the struggles they live with. And the ‘I Believe in Jesus’ class participants struggled with the idea of ‘who’ Jesus was and is - man, Holy Spirit, God - to fi rst century Christians; Christians throughout the ages and individuals today."

The NTC UMW members were excited they had both a Women’s Division staff person – Ms. Usher-Kerr - and a Women’s Division Director – Ms. Davis - as study leaders this year at the Weekend Event. Ed Darling, First UMC Coppell, lead the Saturday morning "Greet the Day". He shared some faith songs including "Prayer for Palestine," which he wrote after having the Israel & Palestine class last year. Mrs. Larney, who prefers to be called an American Indian, also presented a focus group. Amy Spaur of "Justice for Our Neighbors" did a focus group on immigration.

Drs. Roy and Virginia Dick, new members of First Methodist, Bridgeport, said they appreciated the Weekend Event. They enrolled in the study on Native Americans.

"Being teachers ourselves, we are used to going to various classes attended by both women and men," she said. "We especially enjoyed the study on Native Americans since we owned a farm near Native Americans in Oklahoma. That’s where we raised American Indian foster children."

Nikki Mitchell of Camp Wisdom United Methodist Church was another "first-timer" who said she "really learned a lot about John Wesley." She attended the class on "I Believe in Jesus."  taught by Ms. Usher-Kerr. She also enjoyed the focus groups.

"I wished there were more young people at the event, because there were only three youth there." She was at Austin College with her 13 year-old daughter, Chelsea Simpson. "We need to tell churches that youth will enjoy it too!"

Pastor Weaver, husband of Barbara, the children’s teacher, contends that local churches should also encourage males to participate in Global Ministries’ mission education programs. "Why don’t more men come to this?" he asked. "It’s so good!"

For more information on the annual School of Christian Mission and the NTC United Methodist Women’s organization, contact President Ruth Robinson, 214-341-6735, email:rrobin1@sbcglobal.net.

 PHOTOS BY DARLENE WILLIAMS

Dean Mae Alexander, left, and Registrar
Nancy Monroe at the altar arranged for the
Weekend Cooperative Event.

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