News Brief

Special Sunday offering supports peace, justice
San Antonio church plays host to Broadway revue
5 Southwest Texans serve on Perkins executive board
Hispanic ministry program planned for lay leaders
5 UM churches play host to chamber music concerts
Disaster-response training set in San Antonio, Kingsville
Agency takes steps to aid survivors of Java quake
Relief committee responds to New England flooding
UMs elect Ugandan pastor as new bishop in E. Africa
Bishop Leroy Hodapp dies at hospital in Indianapolis
Bimonthly teen magazine celebrates 10th anniversary

Special Sunday offering supports peace, justice
Southwest Texans can join UMs around the globe June 11 in collecting a special offering for peace with justice ministries. The offering is one of six on the UMC calendar each year.
Half the Peace with Justice offering supports initiatives in Southwest Texas sponsored by the Board of Church and Society. Those include Social Principles workshops, restorative justice training and efforts to promote a culture of peace.
The other half of the money supports initiatives of the General Board of Church and Society. Those include work with homeless populations, youths at risk and college students.


San Antonio church plays host to Broadway revue
Travis Park UMC, San Antonio, is playing host to a Broadway revue June 16 and 17.
Called “Broadway Tonight,” the 7:30 p.m. programs are to feature hit songs from current, recent and upcoming seasons on the Great White Way.
The $8 per person ticket price for adults—$5 for children 5 to 12—includes an Italian dinner at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds benefit a summer youth training and immersion-education experience in the District of Columbia. The experience involves direct relief of hunger, homelessness and health problems.
For tickets call (210) 226-8341, or contact Byrd Bonner at byrdbonner@aol.com.


5 Southwest Texans serve on Perkins executive board
Five Southwest Texas Conference representatives are serving this year on the executive board of Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology.
Members from Southwest Texas are the Rev. Austin Frederick Jr. of San Antonio, the Rev. J. Michael Lowry of San Antonio, Raquel M. Martinez of San Antonio, the Rev. James L. Mayfield of Austin and James E. Thaxton of Corpus Christi.
Executive board members advise the school of theology dean, connect the school to the church, help recruit students and faculty members, monitor school performance, and represent Perkins in the community.


Hispanic ministry program planned for lay leaders
Southwest Texas lay leaders can learn how to build relationships, share ideas and develop ministries with Latinos this month in Arkansas.
A Lay Leader Workshop on “Hispanic Ministries: The New Frontier” is planned June 20-21 at Mount Sequoyah in Fayetteville, Ark. Mount Sequoyah is the South Central Jurisdiction’s conference and retreat center.
The Rev. Eduardo Rivers, pastor of St. Paul’s UMC, El Paso, is to lead the sessions.
The laity sessions are scheduled in conjunction with Bishop’s Week June 22-24 at Mount Sequoyah. Sponsored by the jurisdiction’s College of Bishops, the annual program is open to clergy and laity.
For information or registration call (800) 760-8126, or check www.mountsequoyah.org.


5 UM churches play host to chamber music concerts
Five UM congregations are playing host to Cactus Pear Music Festival concerts during July. The 10th annual festival is to feature performances by 19 chamber music artists of national and international reputation.
Travis Park UMC, San Antonio, is the site for performances July 6, 8 and 15 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 per person for adults, $10 for students and senior citizens.
Fredericksburg UMC is playing host to a July 7 guitar, string and flute concert at 7 p.m. Suggested donation for admission is $22 per adult.
First UMC, Boerne, is welcoming musicians July 9 at 2 p.m. and July 12 at 7 p.m. Suggested donation for admission is $22 per adult.
First UMC, Kerrville, is the place for a July 14 program at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $20 per person for adults, $10 for students and senior citizens.
First UMC, Georgetown, is handling the July 16 concert at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $20 per person for adults, $10 for students.
For program details check www.cpmf.us.


Disaster-response training set in San Antonio, Kingsville
Volunteers who want to join early UM disaster-response teams can receive training next month in San Antonio and Kingsville.
Barbara Trip, a UM Committee on Relief trainer, is to lead the two seven-hour sessions. One runs July 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Laurel Heights UMC, San Antonio. The other is scheduled for July 16 from 1 to 8 p.m. at First UMC, Kingsville.
In the first few days following a natural disaster, only trained, self-contained recovery teams can respond for the UMC, said Susan Hellums, Southwest Texas Conference Volunteers in Mission coordinator.
The training orients volunteers to special needs and situations common after most natural disasters, she said.
Fee is $30 per person. Registration deadline is July 10.
For information contact Hellums at (956) 648-8509 or shellums@mcfirst.com.



Agency takes steps to aid survivors of Java quake
NEW YORK—The UM Committee on Relief is working with partners in Asia to aid survivors of the May 27 earthquake on the Indonesian island of Java.
Indonesian government figures released Monday put the death toll at about 5,800.
Already working in Indonesia since the Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami, the UM relief agency plans to focus on both immediate assistance and long-term relief for earthquake survivors.
Contributions to the Indonesia relief efforts can be placed into local church offering plates. Designate checks for UMCOR Advance No. 217400, “Indonesia Emergency.”


Relief committee responds to New England flooding
NEW YORK—The cleanup continues in New England after recent record-breaking rains caused flooding in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire.
The UM Committee on Relief has sent an emergency grant to the New England Conference to help with the initial recovery and continues to provide assistance as needed.
Donations can be made to “Domestic Disaster Response,” Advance No. 901670, and put into local church offering plates.


UMs elect Ugandan pastor as new bishop in E. Africa
MUTARE, Zimbabwe—The Rev. Daniel Wandabula, 41, pastor and former dean of superintendents in the Uganda/Sudan District of the East Africa Annual Conference, was elected a bishop May 27.
The election came during the Africa Central Conference in Mutare, Zimbabwe.
Wandabula replaces the late Bishop J. Alfred Ndoricimpa, who died last July, as resident bishop for East Africa, which includes Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.


Bishop Leroy Hodapp dies at hospital in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS—Bishop Leroy C. Ho-dapp, 82, described by his peers as a steady, consistent and faithful leader, died May 26 at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
He served the Indiana Episcopal Area from 1984 to 1992 and the Illinois Episcopal Area from 1976 to 1984. He retired in 1992.


Bimonthly teen magazine celebrates 10th anniversary
NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Devo’Zine, the 64-page, full-color magazine published bimonthly by Upper Room Ministries, is celebrating its 10th anniversary with the May/June 2006 issue.
The publication is “designed to help youths 12 to 18 develop a lifelong practice of spending time with God and of reflecting on what God is doing in their lives.”
Beginning next January, the magazine is to have a new look, extra pages and many new features to help readers deepen their faith.