News Briefs

Holmes to speak Saturday at Huston-Tillotson event
25 UM congregations pay ’06 apportionments in full
Southwest Texas woman attends meeting in Europe
Souper Bowl efforts raise $4.6 million for charities
Connectional giving runs $300,000 ahead of ’05 totals
3 sessions to discuss ways to care for aging parents
Austin seminary, university offer dual degree program
UM Center shifts in June to summer operating hours
Church in Corpus Christi plans arts camp for kids
Bishops foresees more talk after church court move
‘Churched,’ ‘unchurched’ found to share qualities
Arkansas treasurer fired for misusing UM funds
UM Men want families to observe June 6 fast

Holmes to speak Saturday at Huston-Tillotson event
The host of Disciple I video Bible lessons is to deliver the keynote commencement address at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin May 13.
The Rev. Zan W. Holmes, a San Angelo native and retired North Texas Conference pastor, is to speak during the 9 a.m. ceremony at the UM-related school.
Holmes, who preached at the 2002 Southwest Texas Annual Conference session, was part of the first class to graduate from newly merged Huston-Tillotson College in 1956. He is also to attend the 50-year class reunion.


25 UM congregations pay ’06 apportionments in full
Twenty-five of the 346 Southwest Texas congregations had paid their 2006 apportionments in full as of April 30.
The count of “100 percent” congregations by district was Austin, 7; Corpus Christi, 4; Kerrville, 1; McAllen, 1; San Angelo, 4; San Antonio, 2; and Victoria, 6. Apportioned amounts represent a con-gregation’s share of expenses for ministries across the state, nation and world.


Southwest Texas woman attends meeting in Europe
A Southwest Texas Conference laywoman represented a denominational agency last month in Europe.
Barbara Ford Young, St. Paul UMC, San Antonio, attended the March 1-6 international consultation on the UM Social Principles in Vienna, Austria.
Young, an elected member of the General Board of Church and Society, met with more than 100 UM representatives from 15 European nations. The goal was to gather input on the relevance of the Social Principles to UMs outside the United States.
The 2008 General Conference in Fort Worth is to consider changes to the Social Principles designed to make them more useful to UMs worldwide.


Souper Bowl efforts raise $4.6 million for charities
UMs helped the Souper Bowl of Caring raise a record $4.6 million for local charities Feb. 5—Super Bowl Sunday.
In Texas 138 UM congregations—including at least 17 in the Southwest Texas Conference—took part in the collection. More than 11,500 youth groups participated nationwide.
Bishop Joel N. Martinez had encouraged Southwest Texas youth leaders to participate in the anti-hunger effort.


Connectional giving runs $300,000 ahead of ’05 totals
Southwest Texas congregations gave $300,000 more to connectional causes through April than they did during the first four months of 2005.
Contributions to apportioned funds totaled $2.78 million. That’s 28.53 percent of the $9.7 million asking for the year. The remittance rate is up 1.63 percent from April last year.
The San Angelo District had paid the highest percentage of apportionments through April—35.33.
Other district percentages were Kerrville, 34.13; Victoria, 30.99; McAllen, 30.72; Austin, 27.07; San Antonio, 26.27; Corpus Christi, 24.94.


3 sessions to discuss ways to care for aging parents
UM-related Morningside Ministries is sponsoring three free presentations this month on caring for aging parents.
Terry Hargrave, a licensed marriage and family therapist, is to speak May 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Morningside Ministries at Menger Springs in Boerne, May 19 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Morningside Meadows in San Antonio; and May 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Alamo Heights UMC, San Antonio.


Austin seminary, university offer dual degree program
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work plan to offer a dual degree program in the fall.
Students are to receive a master of divinity degree from the seminary and a master of social work degree from the university. Coursework may be completed in four years of full-time study.
The program is designed to assist social work students who would like a deeper understanding of religion in the lives of their clients and help church leaders gain competencies as social workers.


UM Center shifts in June to summer operating hours
The UM Center in San Antonio is adjusting its operating hours next month for the summer.
Starting June 12, the center is to be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to noon Friday.
UM Center operating hours return to 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Aug. 14.


Church in Corpus Christi plans arts camp for kids
First UMC, Corpus Christi, is offering a music, art and drama camp next month for elementary-age students.
The camp, directed by Jane Kisner, associate director of music and fine arts, is to run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. June 13 to 16. It is to conclude with a talent show at noon June 16.
Fee is $15 per child. Registration deadline is June 11. For more information call the church music office at (361) 884-0391.

Bishops foresees more talk after church court move
HOUSTON—The Council of Bishops president reacted cautiously last week to the Judicial Council’s decision not to reconsider two controversial decisions.
Bishop Janice Riggle Huie of Houston said she was disappointed the church court didn’t review rulings involving the Rev. Ed Johnson (see related story on this page).
The council had strongly disagreed with the October decisions concerning pastoral authority to determine church membership.
“I agree that this larger issue belongs to the church,” Huie said, “and the proper place for the debate to continue is in our church, specifically at the 2008 General Conference.”

‘Churched,’ ‘unchurched’ found to share qualities
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—“Churched” and “unchurched” people are more alike than people may think.
That’s the conclusion of a recent study by the General Board of Discipleship and General Commission on Communication.
The Rev. Dan Dick, research manager at the discipleship agency, said people both inside and outside the church desire connection, feel something missing in their lives, contemplate a “higher power” and want their lives to have meaning and purpose.
“There are fewer differences between ‘churched’ and ‘unchurched’ people than we are often led to believe,” he said.
The study looked at needs, preferences, motivations and behaviors of “spiritual seekers” in two age groups: 21 to 40 and 41 to 60.

Arkansas treasurer fired for misusing UM funds
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.—The Arkansas Conference treasurer has been fired after admitting he diverted church funds for personal use.
Joe D. Eason, treasurer since 1988, was suspended May 1 by Bishop Charles Crutchfield after admitting he had used conference funds for personal expenses. The discrepancies were discovered during an annual audit conducted by an independent auditing firm.
Eason was terminated May 3 after a meeting with the bishop, conference finance officers, members of the cabinet, the conference lay leader and legal advisers.
Crutchfield didn’t say how much money was involved. A final audit is to determine the exact amount. Eason has promised to make full restitution.

UM Men want families to observe June 6 fast
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—The General Commission on UM Men and the Virginia-based Society of St. Andrew are asking families to observe National Hunger Awareness Day June 6.
The men’s agency is encouraging families to fast for one meal and give the amount that would have been spent on food to feed the hungry.