News Briefs

San Angelo church plans Saturday party for neighbors
South Bluff honors founder at 91st birthday observance
San Antonio church breaks ground for large addition
World Communion gifts support educational grants
11 UMs begin fall classes at Austin theological school
Reconciling Ministry exec to lead seminar in Austin
Art UMC to mark 150 years of ministry at Oct. 22 event
Registration deadline nears for family system retreat
New York firefighters join in rebuilding Indiana church
Online survey to assess ‘state of church’ for UMs
Women’s Division to close Service Center, cut 25 jobs

San Angelo church plans Saturday party for neighbors
Lakeview UMC, San Angelo, is inviting neighbors to a fiesta Saturday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Attractions include food, games for children, a puppet show and live music by the praise band from First UMC, San Angelo, and Miss Cindy from Children for a Peaceful World.
The fiesta is one of Lakeview’s Open House Month special events.


South Bluff honors founder at 91st birthday observance
South Bluff UMC, Corpus Christi, honored its founding pastor, the Rev. E.E. Boone, Sept. 16 during a 91st anniversary celebration.
During a 6:30 p.m. service, members of Boone’s family officially dedicated his rebound Bible to service at South Bluff. An open house preceded the event.


San Antonio church breaks ground for large addition
Members of University UMC, San Antonio, broke ground Sept. 10 for an 86,000-square-foot addition.
The building, across DeZavala Road from the current campus, is to include a double gymnasium, classrooms, a large meeting space, a café lounge, a game room and staff offices. An enclosed sky bridge across DeZavala is to connect the new building to existing facilities.


World Communion gifts support educational grants
Southwest Texans can join Oct. 1 in a worldwide expression of Christian fellowship. Followers of Christ around the globe are to celebrate Holy Communion that day—World Communion Sunday.
A denominationwide special offering—one of six on the UM calendar each year—is to be collected as part of the special day. Gifts support Crusade Scholarships for international and U.S. ethnic-minority graduate students, ethnic scholarships for undergraduates and scholarships for ethnic-minority people seeking vocational training.


11 UMs begin fall classes at Austin theological school
The 40-member incoming class at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary includes 11 UMs. Nine are enrolled in the master of divinity degree program. Two are seeking master of arts degrees in theological studies.
The fall semester began Sept. 5 on the Austin campus with an opening convocation service. The Rev. David Jensen, associate professor of constructive theology, delivered the convocation address.
The 11 UMs constitute the second biggest denominational group in the new class after 25 Presbyterians.
Thirty-three of the 40 new students are seeking master of divinity degrees. Six are in the master of arts program. One is an international exchange student from Zambia.


Reconciling Ministry exec to lead seminar in Austin
The executive director of the UM Reconciling Ministry Network is leading a seminar Sept. 29-30 at First UMC, Austin.
The Rev. Troy Plummer is to discuss ways UM congregations can bring gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people into full participation.
In addition, Expand the Circle, a coalition of Southwest Texas UMs, is sponsoring workshop sessions on “Open Support, “Open Education” and “Open Inclusion.”
For information contact the Rev. Bob Parsons at (512) 252-4528 or expandthecircle@ yahoo.com.


Art UMC to mark 150 years of ministry at Oct. 22 event
Members of Art UMC are to celebrate 150 years of ministry Oct. 22.
A 10:30 a.m. worship service is to begin the festivities with special music by the choir from First UMC, Uvalde. Pastor Mark Krause and members of the planning committee are gathering pictures, videos and other materials for a presentation on the Mason County congregation’s history.
A chuck wagon lunch on the church grounds is to follow morning worship.
For information—or to reserve a place at the $7.50-per-plate meal—contact bckrause1957@ yahoo.com, or call (325) 347-5816.


Registration deadline nears for family system retreat
Oct. 9 is the registration deadline for a Family Systems and Church Workers Retreat next month in Kerrville.
The Rev. Gina Gilland Campbell is leading the Oct. 23-25 session at Mount Wesley Conference Center. Presentations are to explore the complex web of relationships common to a congregation.
Fee for registrations received before Oct. 1 is $150 per person. Fee after that date is $175 per person. The cost includes room and board at Mount Wesley.
For registration information call Adrian Gonzales at (210) 408-4527 or (888) 349-4191.


New York firefighters join in rebuilding Indiana church
DEGONIA SPRINGS, Ind.—Remembering their fallen comrades who died Sept. 11 five years ago, 20 New York City firefighters joined other volunteers in framing the new building of Baker Chapel UMC.
The Sept. 8-10 effort was part of an annual campaign by the New York Says Thank You Foundation. It was organized in 2003 to repay the kindness shown to New York in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
The century-old Baker Chapel building was destroyed by a Nov. 6 tornado that claimed the lives of 25 area residents.


UMs aid secondary victims of 9/11 attacks in New York
NEW YORK—Some victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York never made the news.
Some were left unemployed when factories in Chinatown closed in the aftermath of the attacks. Others were simply unable to find a job after the economic downturn.
Using donations from church members, the UM Committee on Relief was able to assist these secondary victims as well as some of those directly affected by the 2001 attacks. From May 7, 2002, through April 29, 2005, the relief committee estimated that 5,346 individuals and their families—a total of some 26,000 people—received direct assistance through the UM New York 9/11 Program.


Online survey to assess ‘state of church’ for UMs
NEW YORK—UMs are encouraged to participate in an online survey for the denomination’s “State of the Church” project.
The project is sponsored by the Connectional Table, created by the 2004 General Conference to guide mission and ministries. The survey can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=242972529614 or by going to www.umc.org.
Group, a research firm based in Chicago, is collecting information for the State of the Church project. The firm is interviewing bishops, pastors, district superintendents, annual conference treasurers and administrative service directors, connectional ministries directors, and designated lay leaders.


Women’s Division to close Service Center, cut 25 jobs
NEW YORK—The Women’s Division of the UM mission board is closing its Cincinnati Service Center by the end of the year and eliminating the 25 jobs there.
Functions handled by the center are being moved to a new Missions Resource Center in Dallas run by UMR Communications. The division said it was “deeply grateful to all those who have faithfully staffed the Service Center,” which was established in 1940.
The current facility at 7820 Reading Road in Cincinnati was built in 1951.