Holston Annual Conference is just around the corner, June 14-17

Under the theme, “Offer Them Christ,” leaders of 906 churches in Holston Conference are preparing for their annual meeting, to be held June 14-17 in Lake Junaluska, N.C.

The theme is a follow-up to last year’s Annual Conference, which introduced churches to the Wesleyan and Gospel emphases behind the “Offer Them Christ” charge. This year’s Annual Conference program will feature ministry successes since the 2008 conference.

Also for the second year in a row, Annual Conference members will take an offering for the United Methodist Church of Yei, Sudan. The goal is $125,000. In addition, churches are gearing up the annual collection of supplies for missions in Liberia and Zimbabwe.

Jesus in a Cheeto

You can’t make these things up. There is now a woman in Dallas who says she has found Jesus in a Cheeto. You read that right, here is the link to the story.

http://silencedmajority.blogs.com/silenced_majority_portal/2009/05/cheesus-in-the-newspaper.html

Amazing that people can find Jesus in something like a Cheeto and yet we don’t know what Jesus looks like. That may be due to the church for so many years depicting Jesus in a certain way???

Ronnie

Judah is Two Weeks Old Today

Your 2-week-old

How your baby’s growing:

Your womb was a warm and cozy environment, and it takes time for your baby to adjust to the various sights, sounds, and sensations of life outside your body. You may not be able to detect much of a personality just yet as your baby spends his time moving in and out of several different states of sleepiness, quiet alertness, and active alertness.

The only way your baby knows to communicate is by crying, but you can communicate with him through your voice and your touch. (He can now recognize your voice and pick it out among others.)

Your baby probably loves to be held, caressed, kissed, stroked, massaged, and carried. He may even make an “ah” sound when he hears your voice or sees your face, and he’ll be eager to find you in a crowd.

• Learn more fascinating facts about your 2-week-old’s development.

http://www.babycenter.com

Prophetic Evangelist: Harry Denman

Celebrating Harry Denman’s Legacy as Prophetic Evangelist.

I was honored with the Denman Evangelism Award in 2004 by The Holston Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. This year I am honored to be the one presenting this award as the Chair of The Holston Conference Witness Team. The awards will be presented this year on Tuesday June 16th between 2 and 3pm.

In this post you see the book “Prophetic Evangelist”. When I received the award in 2004 I wanted to get my hands on everything that I could find that Harry Denman had done. I was able to acquire this book from The Foundation for Evangelism. Here are a few pieces of information from the book about the ministry and person of Harry Denman.

“He was an ecclesiastical statesman. His spiritual vision was always bifocal. He was at his best when telling the story of Jesus and salvation to an individual, something he managed to do every day of his mature life. Yet he always kept in mind and heart the needs and opportunities of the whole church in its wider mission. Harry Denman’s vision grew out of his conviction that it was possible, in God’s time, for the whole world to turn to our Lord. He believed that his job was to do what he could to bring that about, one person at a time”.

When Harry Denman Died

“Closing his estate was no big task, for he gave all his material possessions away throughout his life.”

“He preached to large crowds in churches, auditoriums, stadiums, and camp meetings, but he would pour out his      heart and soul with equal fervor to the few gathered in a remote village or at a storefront church.”

Harry Denman copied the entire Bible in handwriting at least once in his lifetime. He said this discipline led him to new insights into the scriptures.

Dr. Denman arose about 12:30am each morning, studied the scriptures by copying them, and prayed during the night.

“Harry would agree with Dwight L. Moody, who told one of his critics:”  “I like the way I an doing evangelism better than the way you are not doing it!”

Harry Denman had a view of evangelism that was anything but narrow. “While he subscribed to most of the traditional methods of evangelism – including revivals and personal witness – he was open to many other methods, some new and experimental.”

“He set the churches on fire, and we had the greatest years in evangelism in the history of modern Methodism.”

“Harry’s real genius was his ability to sell evangelism to the whole church. The lay visitation movement was never done before and has never been done on a church-wide basis since. Every Bishop was in on it.”

“I remember being so impressed to learn that most of his worldly possessions consisted of what he was wearing on his back! He had no need for material gifts.”

” A friend of ours tells about meeting Dr. Denman at the airport in Ashville. His plane was very late getting to Asheville. He was scheduled to speak at a certain time at Junaluska, so she was driving a little fast to get there. He told her he would rather be Harry Denman late than the late Harry Denman, so slow down.”

When all is said and done, Harry Denman really was a man with only one message, and that was the validity and vitality of evangelism as the sharing of the good news of the new life in Jesus Christ and a call to all persons to follow Christ as Lord and Savior.

These are just a few of the quotes from the book. Harry Denman was a man of prayer and evangelism. He shared with everyone he met about the love of Jesus Christ and he always asked for a commitment to Follow Jesus.

I am honored to be a recipient of the Denman Evangelism Award and I am again honored to be able to present the same award to 3 people this year at Annual Conference.

Ronnie

Harry Denman was a noted Methodism lay leader and evangelist within the United Methodist Church who emphasized the life taught by Jesus at the Sermon on the Mount. Denman strongly challenged modern materialism and prejudice, by exemplifying and teaching a simple life, and by personally relating to all people, regardless of race, gender, or economic means. His personal property was very limited; for example he usually had only one pair of shoes to his name. Articles that were given to him were generally given away to the needy. He was a close friend of another well-known evangelist, Billy Graham who called Denman “one of the great mentors for evangelism.”^[1]

He was born September 26, 1893 in Birmingham, Alabama of Hattie Leonard and William Harry Denman, who immigrated from Gloucestershire, England. He earned a bachelors degree from Birmingham-Southern College in 1921, and a masters degree in social work in 1930. In 1936 he received an honorary doctorate from Athens State University in Alabama. In 1915, Denman became secretary of the Birmingham Sunday School Association, a post which he held until 1919, when he became church manager of the First Methodist Church in Birmingham.

In 1939 he was elected General Secretary of the Commission on Evangelism, later known as the Board of Evangelism, of the newly formed The Methodist Church ^[2] which had united three branches of Methodism. As the general secretary, he also had responsibility for the publication of The Upper Room, a devotional publication. He was also a member of the Jurisdictional Conferences in 1940, 1944, 1948, and 1952.

On January 31, 1949 Denman incorporated The Foundation for Evangelism. The founders included Denman, the General Secretary of The General Board of Evangelism and a dedicated group of elected members of the General Board who wanted to directly support evangelism ministries within the Methodist denomination. Created as a non-profit entity, the Foundation for Evangelism is most notable as the home to the Harry Denman Evangelism Awards given to those clergy and lay persons for outstanding service in evangelism. It is also home to the E. Stanley Jones Professors of Evangelism which supports 15 professorships at various colleges and seminaries around the world, funded by the “Christian Art” initiative. The Foundation sponsors various groups and organizations like youth ministries and established the “Web Empowered Church” website which offers open-source software created specifically for local churches, free of charge.

In 1965, Denman retired from the Foundation and with his final salary turned around and donated it back to the organization. He then traveled extensively in the United States and throughout the world to preach and conduct evangelistic meetings. He died November 8, 1976 in Birmingham, Alabama at the age of 83.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Denman

Foundation for Evangelism: http://foundationforevangelism.org/about_us/history/

A Post from a New Friend

Evangelisn’t

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=83311969507&h=sy39X&u=K_t_B&ref=mf

Dan R. Dick

Faith sharing and evangelism have fallen on hard times in The United Methodist Church.  For the most part, we don’t do them — except with people who already believe what we do.  As part of our research on spiritual practices, we asked 922 United Methodist lay people to share their evangelism attitudes and practices with us.  The responses we received fell into five broad, basic categories:

1. faith sharing with others in their congregation, or other churches (316, or 34%)
2. those who define evangelism as something their church does for them (287, or 31%)
3. those who weren’t clear what evangelism is (164, or 18%)
4. those who define evangelism as the way they behave, but don’t talk about their faith (and generally don’t let others know that their faith is their primary motivation to behave the way they do) (128, or 14%)
5. those who have spoken with a non-Christian about making a faith commitment within the past 12 months (27, or 3%)

Additionally, almost one-third display Christian symbols (jewelry, bumper stickers, flags/banners, magnets, etc.) and feel that is a public witness to their faith.

The more traditional and historic definition of evangelism — sharing the “good news” of Jesus Christ with non-believers and extending to them the invitation to accept Christ into their lives — seems to have given way to two modern expressions: representational evangelism and passive evangelism.  Representational evangelism shifts the responsibility for faith sharing from the members of the community of faith onto the structure of the congregation.  Leaders, and in some cases a small representative body (such as an ‘evangelism committee’), do evangelism for the whole congregation.  In such cases, evangelism as an expression of Christian witness in the world is de-emphasized, and often not taught or encouraged at all.  Occasionally, congregations will promote an emphasis or campaign (Invite a Friend to Church!), but generally as an event or program, not an integrated practice of life together as the community of faith.  Over two-thirds of the respondents in this survey (638, or 69%) report that they have no memory of ever having been encouraged to share faith or ‘evangelize’ outside of the church.  A very similar number (644, or 70%) say that the only times they talk about their faith are in church or at home with family.  One-third (316, or 34%) claim that the only time they share their faith is at church.

Passive evangelism is defined as non-interactive displays of faith and invitations — usually to come to church, not to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ.  The messages are all one-way, with virtually no opportunity for dialogue, discussion, or personal disclosure.  On a personal level, people are proud of the fish symbols and bumper stickers they put on their cars, the cross necklaces and What Would Jesus Do? (W.W.J.D?) bracelets they wear, and lawn decorations they put out for holidays.  (However, 4-out-of-5 (767, or 83%) also display lawn decorations for non-Christian observances such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, and flag-related holidays.)  People commonly explain that these symbols are a clear witness to the world about what they believe.

On a congregational level, passive evangelism most usually takes the form of newspaper ads, websites, billboards, radio and TV spots, and outdoor signage.  Church members are generally aware of the ways their church self-promotes, and include these efforts in their definition of faith-sharing and evangelism.  A vast majority of the laity in the sample (785, or 85%) do not differentiate between “inviting people to church” from “inviting people into relationship with Jesus Christ.”  They see an invitation to church as a pathway to a relationship with Jesus Christ, even though 38% (346) shared that they became Christian first, which motivated them to begin attending church.

Just under 20% (179) of the participants in the study started going to church because someone they liked and/or respected invited them.  Having such an experience in ones own personal history apparently has no influence on their own likelihood of inviting someone to come to church with them — only 1-in-19 (9, or 5% of the 179) have ever invited someone other than a family member to join them at church.

The reasons people give for not sharing faith are simple, and fall into four areas:

1. embarrassment/fear of being made fun of  (359, or 39%)
2. feeling ill-equipped, unprepared, or lacking enough knowledge (321, or 35%)
3. not wanting to force personal beliefs or faith on other people (194, or 21%)
4. indifference or feeling it isn’t necessary (48, or 5%)

The good news is that 95% of the reasons given can be dealt with by training, teaching, encouragement and support.  Not everyone wants to share their faith, and not everyone is equally gifted, but there is obviously great room for improvement in the ways we help people learn to talk about their faith with others.

Representational and passive evangelism are simple and easy and non-threatening.  However, they tend to generate the kind of results you might expect.  Many different surveys and studies indicate that far-and-away, the best form of evangelism is personal, relational evangelism.  There needs to be a basic level of trust.  There needs to be an opportunity to ask questions.  The most powerful witnesses to the greatness of God and the love of Christ are personal stories.  Also powerful are the willingness to pray for and with others, and openness to listen to people and their life challenges.  This can’t be done with a television ad or a billboard.  It doesn’t happen because of decals and bumper stickers.

A brief digression:

Year’s ago, I followed a car with a “Honk If You Love Jesus” bumper sticker.  Feeling in a playful mood, I pulled up behind the car at a stop light and tooted my horn.  The man driving the car looked in the rear-view mirror, didn’t recognize me, so he ignored me.  We drove a couple blocks, pulled to a stop, and I tooted again.  He looked intently in his mirror, then gunned his car across the intersection.  I did this about three more times, and the driver got more agitated.  Finally, at the last stop sign, he jumped out of his car and offered me a less-than-Christian outward and visible sign of his fury, saluting me with a single finger.  He drove away and I figured he was driving his wife’s car.

If our good news is really good news we need to learn to share it.  There are friendly, open, non-agressive, non-obnoxious ways to let people know about the love of God.  And if people don’t learn them at church, where are they likely to learn them?

This shouldn’t be reduced to inviting people to church.  Evangelism isn’t about filling sanctuaries on Sunday mornings.  It is about introducing people to the most awesome, grand, glorious, and loving relationship they might ever have in their entire life.  Done well, many will want to join us in our faith communities.  We say we want to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  This isn’t likely to happen if no one is willing to talk about their faith.  This brief study, as small as the sample is, still raises a challenge for our church today — to send our people out into the world ready, willing and able to offer Christ to anyone and everyone we meet when the opportunity arises.

Camp Dickenson 2009 Camp Season

Last week our camp staff gathered with the staffs of the other conference camps at Wesley Woods for staff training. This week they are at camp for more training. Our theme this summer is “No Greater Love – What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” For a successful and safe summer it is important that we begin in prayer and continue to undergird the ministry in prayer. Please remember our staff this week and each day of the summer. Thank you.

Is He Your King?

This is my all time favorite band. Is Jesus Our King?

Free Battery Exchange for US Cellular Customers

A great Tip for my friends. I am a US Cellular Customer and I just recently found they now will exchange your old worn out batter for a new one, FREE of CHARGE!

Here is the message from US Cellular and the link.

http://www.uscellular.com/uscellular/SilverStream/Pages/x_page.html?p=batteryswap

Battery Swap, only from U.S. Cellular^®, makes it easy to always have a charged phone. Has your battery lost its charge? Just stop into any
U.S. Cellular retail store and swap out your dead battery for a fully charged one for FREE. It’s that easy.

Battery Swap is available on most handsets, Click the link below to find out if your phone is eligible.

Ronnie

Praying for our son Michael this morning

I started our prayer time at “Out of the Box” this morning. My plan is to have the place open each Tuesday morning at 8:15 so that anyone “anyone” who would like can come, have coffee, bring a laptop, and just spend time in prayer.

This morning our son Michael joined me for the time of prayer. There is no agenda, we just pray as God leads us to pray. We don’t pray together necessarily but we can when God has us do that. I pray often by sending notes online to the people that I am praying for. I might even pray through a blog, like this one. Join us when you can. No one will judge you for how you talk to and communicate with God.

This morning I am especially praying for our son Michael. Michael is a hard working awesome young man. Michael knows that God has a special Call on his life and he is searching for what exactly that Call is. Help me to pray that Michael will know without a doubt what he is supposed to do. I know this morning was a big step. He is here praying and God hears our prayers.

I would love nothing more than to one day see Michael in pastoral ministry. However, God has to guide that decision for Mike. I just ask that you pray for Mike and his awesome family. Christopher wanted to come and be with daddy and Pupa this morning and I know that God has big plans for Christopher and Victoria some day also.

I wait with excited anticipation to see what God does.

Ronnie

It’s a Block Party

Join a Running Club

 

The Mount Airy Road Runners is a non-profit organization and running club dedicated to promoting running, fitness, good health and responding to community needs in the Mount Airy, North Carolina area.  Our members are a cross section of the community representing runners and walkers of all abilities.

An individual membership includes entitles a member to club shirt, all privileges of membership,  including quarterly newsletter, discounts at participating sponsors, the right to purchase club clothing, compete under club name, hold offices and participate in club functions.

A couple memberships is for 2 family members. (One newsletter per household).

A family membership is for families with 3 or more family members. (One newsletter per household).

Go to the web site to download an application.

 

How often is the newsletter published?

Included in annual dues, members will receive “The Mileage Report” published quarterly four times per year. The Mileage Report keeps our members up to date on upcoming events, training tips, past results and additional information. Also there will be a profile on a member each quarter.

 

Can I volunteer for the Running Club?

Volunteers are essential to any organizations success. Without them there would be no races, social runs, and no running clubs. If anyone is interested in volunteering please see Darren or Timmesa.

 

http://www.mtairyroadrunners.com/index.html

Check us out on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=57840147507

Ethan’s 1st Birthday Party

Ethan is the 3rd son of Dustin and Yolanda. Dustin is the youngest son of my sister Judy and he is like a son to me. My sister, Dustin’s mom was killed tragically in 1989 and I along with my mom and dad helped to raise Dustin and his brother Kevin. Their children, Alex, Seth, and Ethan are like grandchildren to Misty and I.

Ronnie

 

 

Block Party @ Out Of The Box This Friday 8pm to Midnight

Blessings to Share: Mary Damron & Operation Christmas Child

I went to church tonight expecting to hear a good word about Operation Christmas Child but I never dreamed that I would be blessed in so many ways. The gentleman in this picture is a long time friend in ministry Bob Poff. Bob and his wife own a business in Virginia and Bob served on the Board at a Christian Children’s Home where I served as the Director for about five years. Bob has taught me more about cheerful, no strings attached, sacrificial giving than anyone that I know. I will add this pertains to his wife Annette as well. Bob and Annette have volunteered at Operation Christmas Child in either Boone or Charlotte NC for six years, the entire month of November. That is a commitment and a sacrifice. I pray for God’s continued blessing on their life of giving and also that others will follow their example.

The lady in this picture is Mary Damron, National Spokesperson for Operation Christmas Child. Mary was our speaker for Sunday Night Live tonight. I don’t know if Mary considers her message tonight as a sermon but it was one of the best sermons I have been blessed to experience. It was so well delivered and from the heart. My wife commented that you could sense in the message that Mary spends time at the feet of Jesus, just soaking up His Presence.

Here are tweets that I put out about the message tonight.

Mary Damron, national spokesperson for Operation Christmas Child, you should have her in your church. You will be blessed!about 2 hours ago from TwitterBerry 

Shoe boxes, spend less on a box and do 5 or 6 boxes. Its not about what you spend.about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

     

 

Sell out to God! Do it now! Do what God has told you to do, no matter what anybody thinks. Mary Damron about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

      

 

Ecclesiastes 11 what a timely message for today! Go read it, wow!about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

      

 

Shoe boxes, put your picture in the box because it is important to the children.about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

    

 

The shoe boxes don’t take kids out of the garbage dump but it let’s a child know they are cared about, they are loved by God.about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

    

 

We have heard the gospel so much yet many have never heard.about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

     

 

There r still children n this world who starved to death last night, those who froze to death last night. Mary Damron about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

     

 

Wow Ecclesiastes 11 has a great message for us in these economic times!about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

     

 

Ecclesiastes 11:2 Cast your bread on the water, spiritual bread.about 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

     

 

Blessed 2 spend time w/ a husband & wife team who gives the entire month of Nov for 6 years now in Charlotte NC w/ Operation Christmas Childabout 4 hours ago from TwitterBerry

 

Here is what I plan to do about what I learned tonight.

#1 I will never forget the Spirit that I felt emanating from Mary as she spoke.

#2 I will cast my Spiritual Bread on the water.

#3 I will fill several shoe boxes this year for OCC.

#4 I am making the trip to work in Charlotte for a day Top Priority in 2009.

#5 I will place family pictures in each box we fill.

#6 I will place a gift in the box that a child could bless someone else with.

#7 I am sold out to God, no matter what anyone else thinks!

Liberia-District Superintendent on the Amendments to UMC Constitution

The Constitutional Amendments of the UMC

Some are asking this question. Is There a Conspiracy Of Silence About The Constitutional Amendments?

By Dr. Bill Bouknight

What can you do?

1. Every local church has at least two representatives who will attend your annual conference: your pastor and a layperson. Discuss these amendments with these persons. Urge them to vote for # XIX (19), giving provisional members and local pastors the right to vote. If in doubt about the rest of the amendments, vote against them!

2. There is an active committee at work in almost every annual conference, informing annual conference delegates about the real issues behind these Constitutional amendments. Please assist these committees in distributing this information.

3. Your Confessing Movement is communicating almost daily with United Methodists across the world, promoting biblical authority and the orthodox Christian faith. Our work costs money. 

4. Above all, pray for God to protect and renew our beloved

United Methodist Church.•

 

Just imagine if 32 changes were being proposed in the U.S. Constitution. The newspapers and TV talk-shows would be dominated by the proposed amendments.

Well, we United Methodists are being asked to change our Church Constitution in 32 specific ways. But the official Church media is amazingly silent about it all. I see no articles pro or con in the UM Report, Circuit Rider, or the UM News Service.

Some of the African annual conferences that met in February or March did not even receive the official copies of the amendments–translated into their languages– until just a few weeks or even days before their conferences began. How odd that brothers and sisters in our worldwide connection are being allowed so little time to review, digest, and debate a number of amendments that will purportedly make us a more “worldwide” Church!

Is there a conspiracy of silence? Do some United Methodist leaders hope that many members of annual conferences will just rubber-stamp what General Conference did in passing these amendments?

I have a report from one U.S. annual conference that the amendments have been scheduled for the last day of conference (when many participants will have already departed) and that a total of 45 minutes has been planned for discussion and action on all 32 of them!

One amendment that deserves our support is # XIX (19) which would give most provisional members and local pastors the right to vote for clergy delegates to General and Jurisdictional conferences. If all the other 31 amendments were to fail, the Church would not suffer for it.

The most dangerous amendments are in two categories:

1. Amendment # I, if approved, would give the Judicial Council ample reason to strip from local clergy their historic responsibility to help prospective church members determine whether they are ready to receive the membership vows. Furthermore, if this amendment is approved, gay advocacy groups will argue before the Judicial Council that Paragraph 4 guarantees a self-avowed, practicing homosexual the right not only to church membership but also to all other levels of service in the Church.

2. The second dangerous category includes a package of 23 separate amendments under the general title “Worldwide Nature-UMC.” These amendments would create regional conferences across the entire Church. In the U.S., this would add another layer of bureaucracy between the General and Jurisdictional conferences. Each of these regional conferences would have some power to adapt the Book of Discipline as it so chooses. Evidently, some UM leaders want to segregate the U.S. Church from overseas United Methodists, almost 90 percent of whom live in Africa. The African portion of our Church is growing very rapidly and is predominantly conservative in theology.

Most African United Methodists believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God and is “the true rule and guide for faith and practice.” (Book of Discipline) Therefore, most Africans do not approve of liberalizing the Church’s position on the practice of homosexuality. That one issue has dominated the United Methodist Church in America for at least 25 years. But underneath that issue is a more fundamental one—the authority of Scripture.

These amendments can be defeated! It only takes 33.67 percent of all the voting delegates in all the annual conferences around the world to vote against them. Every vote counts!

Annual Conference UMC Amendments

Interesting information for those attending Annual Conference in June @ Lake Junaluska. Please be in prayer for Our United Methodist Church and take action when possible. Please be familiar with the issues and vote the way you are convicted.

Ronnie

Here is another view of Amendment #1 to be voted on at Annual Conference in June. I add it here because I believe that everyone has the right to be heard.

Here are a couple of thoughts as you watch all of these video’s and then decide what Scripture teaches.

#1 It is obvious that amendment 1 is in reference to Our United Methodist Book of Discipline and the stance against ordination of practicing homosexuals.

#2 The wording seems mis-leading in this first video: In the church that I am a part of, no one is excluded from attending the services. Everyone is welcome. However, I would never vote to ordain anyone who is living in a continual sin. Be that adultery, homosexual practice, cheating, stealing, gossip, etc.

#3 We must deal with what the Bible says and not what the culture dictates.

#4 Everyone has the right and responsibility to know what the issues are and to vote what is biblically correct.

#5 Watch all of the videos. read your Scripture and Pray for Discernment.

Ronnie

Here is information on the oficial United Methodist Church Stance

HomosexualityWho sets policy for the United Methodist Church? Only the General Conference can speak officially for the United Methodist Church. Every four years, delegates at each conference revise the Book of Discipline and Book of Resolutions. The Social Principles, in both books, are described as a “prayerful and thoughtful effort on the part of the General Conference to speak to the human issues in the contemporary world from a sound biblical and theological foundation as historically demonstrated in United Methodist traditions.” The Book of Resolutions is not legally binding but serves as a guide for the church for reference, encouragement, study and support.

Homosexuality
(Updated 6/01)

Controversy during the United Methodist Church’s 1997-2000 quadrennium swirled around a prohibition placed in the Social Principles by the 1996 General Conference. The Judicial Council ruled Aug. 11, 1998, that the following statement does have the force of church law: “Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches.” Clergy violating this prohibition can, according to the Judicial Council, be charged with violating the order and discipline of the church. They can be tried in a church court, and penalties upon conviction can include loss of ministerial credentials. The 2000 General Conference moved the statement from the Social Principles to a section of law and procedures dealing with ordained clergy, where it appears in a list of “unauthorized conduct.”

An outline of the church’s current statements on homosexuality appears below, followed immediately by a historical outline of the controversy within the denomination. Relevant proposals rejected by the 2000 General Conference are also summarized.

The positions of The United Methodist Church on matters related to homosexuality are found in several sections of the current 2000 Book of Discipline and 2000 Book of Resolutions.

1. Regarding inclusiveness

Underlying all other positions of the denomination is the constitutional principle of “Inclusiveness of the Church,” stated in Paragraph 4 of the Book of Discipline: “The United Methodist Church is a part of the church universal, which is one Body in Christ. Therefore all persons shall be eligible to attend its worship services, to participate in its programs, and, when they take the appropriate vows, to be admitted into its membership in any local church in the connection.”

2. Regarding the practice of homosexuality
(Part of a larger statement on “Human Sexuality” appearing in “The Nurturing Community,” a section of the church’s Social Principles. Paragraph 161G. The 2000 General Conference added the sentence in boldface to this paragraph.)
“Homosexual persons no less than heterosexual persons are individuals of sacred worth. All persons need the ministry and guidance of the church in their struggles for human fulfillment, as well as the spiritual and emotional care of a fellowship that enables reconciling relationships with God, with others, and with self. Although we do not condone the practice of homosexuality and consider this practice incompatible with Christian teaching, we affirm that God’s grace is available to all. We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn their lesbian and gay members and friends. We commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons.”

3. Regarding equal rights
(Section H, Paragraph 162, of the Social Principles under “III. The Social Community.”)
“Equal Rights Regardless of Sexual Orientation — Certain basic human rights and civil liberties are due all persons. We are committed to supporting those rights and liberties for homosexual persons. We see a clear issue of simple justice in protecting their rightful claims where they have shared material resources, pensions, guardian relationships, mutual powers of attorney, and other such lawful claims typically attendant to contractual relationships that involve shared contributions, responsibilities, and liabilities, and equal protection before the law. Moreover, we support efforts to stop violence and other forms of coercion against gays and lesbians. We also commit ourselves to social witness against the coercion and marginalization of former homosexuals.”

4. Regarding ordination
(From the Book of Discipline section dealing with the ordained ministry, Paragraph 304.3)
“While persons set apart by the Church for ordained ministry are subject to all the frailties of the human condition and the pressures of society, they are required to maintain the highest standards of holy living in the world. Since the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching, self-avowed practicing homosexuals* are not to be accepted as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.”
*Footnote — ” ‘Self-avowed practicing homosexual’ is understood to mean that a person openly acknowledges to a bishop, district superintendent, district committee of ordained ministry, board of ordained ministry, or clergy session that the person is a practicing homosexual.”

5. Regarding homosexual unions
As noted earlier, the sentence “Ceremonies that celebrate homosexual unions shall not be conducted by our ministers and shall not be conducted in our churches” was moved from the Social Principles section on marriage to a part of the Book of Discipline dealing with the behavior of ordained clergy.
While the sentence on same-sex unions was located in the Social Principles during the last quadrennium, it resulted in three clergy trials, a controversial investigation and a special session of the Judicial Council, the church’s equivalent of the Supreme Court.
The Rev. Jimmy Creech, a clergy member of the Nebraska Annual Conference, performed a union ceremony for two women at First United Methodist Church in Omaha Sept. 14, 1997. At the conclusion of a three-day church trial in Nebraska in March 1998, Creech was acquitted of violating the order and discipline of the church. He was again taken to trial in Nebraska in November 1999 after he performed a union ceremony for two men in North Carolina in April 1999. Between the trials, the church’s Judicial Council ruled Aug. 11, 1998, that the disciplinary sentence against same-sex unions is law and that clergy who violate the prohibition could be charged with disobeying the order and discipline of the church and could lose their ministerial credentials. That is what happened at Creech’s second trial. He is no longer a United Methodist clergyman.
Another United Methodist pastor, the Rev. Gregory Dell, a member of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference, performed a union ceremony for two men Sept. 19, 1998, at Broadway United Methodist Church in Chicago and was taken to trial March 25-26, 1999. There he was suspended from his ministerial duties. That suspension was lifted in summer 2000. Dell had been elected a delegate to the church’s 2000 General Conference from the Northern Illinois Annual Conference but was not seated because of the suspension.
Charges were filed against 69 United Methodist ministers who gathered Jan. 16, 1999, in a public building in Sacramento, Calif., to bless the union of two women. An investigation committee of the annual conference reviewed the charges and announced Feb. 11, 2000, that it would not place the clergy on trial and was dismissing the case. That decision, applauded by some and condemned by others, sparked a major debate across the church during the months before General Conference in Cleveland, May 2-12.

6. Regarding use of church money
(From the Book of Discipline section on “Administrative Order,” dealing with the responsibilities of the churchwide “Council on Finance and Administration,” Paragraph 806.9.)
“[The council] shall be responsible for ensuring that no board, agency, committee, commission, or council shall give United Methodist funds to any gay caucus or group, or otherwise use such funds to promote the acceptance of homosexuality. The council shall have the right to stop such expenditures.* This restriction shall not limit the church’s ministry in response to the HIV epidemic.”
* A footnote refers to Judicial Council Decision No. 491, which authorized the right of an annual conference to use funds to study homophobia, and No. 592, which gave the General Conference the right to create and fund a study of homosexuality.

7. Regarding homosexuals in the military
(A resolution passed by the 1996 General Conference. Found on Page 160 in the 2000 Book of Resolutions).
Homosexuals in the Military
“Basis: The United States of America, a nation built on equal rights, has denied the right of homosexuals to actively serve their country while being honest about who they are. Meanwhile, The United Methodist Church is moving toward accepting all people for who they are. The United Methodist Church needs to be an advocate for equal civil rights for all marginalized groups, including homosexuals.
“Conclusion: The U.S. military should not exclude persons from service solely on the basis of sexual orientation.”

Annual Conferences have started to meet this week

Here are two views on the Amendment on Church Membership that will be voted on at Annual Conference. Below is Scripture for you to read and ponder. You decide!

Ronnie

]

I Corinthians 5 New Living Translation

 ¹ I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you—something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. ² You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship. ³ Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man ⁴ in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus. ⁵ Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns.

 ⁶ Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? ⁷ Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. ⁸ So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.

 ⁹ When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. ¹⁰ But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. ¹¹ I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.

 ¹² It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. ¹³ God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”

Before you vote

Bishop Scott Jones and the Rev. Eddie Fox offer opposing views on constitutional amendments to be considered by Annual Conferences this summer. (Interpreter Magazine)

The Worldwide Methodist Movement

By the Rev. H. Eddie Fox

 

The church is global. In the miracle of Pentecost, people heard the good news in their own language. From the beginning, the church, which was born in a multicultural, multireligious society, had a world vision to “the ends of the earth.”

Today the Methodist movement is worldwide in more than 130 countries with more than 70 million constituents. The United Methodist Church is approximately 30 percent of this global community of the “people called Methodists.” The global Methodist family with roots in Britain and the United States of America is linked together in the World Methodist Council. One of our core values is the connection of our people.

It is appropriate and important for The United Methodist Church to study what it means to be a global church in today’s world. How can we be more effective in spreading the good news of Christ Jesus in the world? The General Conference approved that such a study should be made, and a committee has been appointed to study the worldwide nature of The United Methodist Church.

At the same time this study was proposed, the General Conference approved amendments for changes in the Constitution of The United Methodist Church, which are related to the worldwide nature of our church. These amendments will have to be approved by two-thirds of all the delegates to all the annual conferences in order to change the Constitution. When the proposal to change the Constitution came to the Connectional Table, of which I am a member, I stated that the study should be done first and then make changes as needed based upon the clear vision for our church. In the Appalachian Mountains where I grew up, we did not “open the gate” until we knew what would be coming through the gate. Some of the constitutional amendments simply change the name “central” to “regional.”

However, there are amendments, which if approved by the annual conferences would have a major impact on the distinctive nature of our church. The result would be a regional conference in the United States. I am convinced that this will have a dramatic negative impact on our church, and these particular constitutional amendments should be defeated. Why would we change the Constitution as our first action before we do the study?

The rationale has been given that the General Conference is focused on U.S. issues and therefore, the regional conference in the U.S. is needed in order to focus on “national issues.” The General Conference is a global conference, and today most issues are international in scope. When the proposal was presented to the Connectional Table, I asked why we would change this now when we have become more global in our membership. In 1968, 92 percent of the membership of our church was in the U.S.A. However, in 2008, 64 percent of the membership is in the U.S.A. When we meet in 2012, the ratio could be close to 50 percent. Why take this action now, when the growth of our church outside the United States has a positive, needed impact upon our life together? An African leader said to me, “I want to be present when decisions are made which impact my church.” The current proposal about changes to the Constitution did not originate in Central Conferences in Africa. We need the presence of a global community to engage in conferencing when decisions are made which do impact the mission and ministry of our church.

In our preparation for and during the process of the General Conference, we need to work even more diligently so that Central Conference delegates are enfranchised. These amendments that will constitute a national regional conference in the U.S.A. move us away from the core values of the connection and toward a national church. We already see divisive consequences of such a national identity in other world communions. Of course, we do not know all that may transpire, but I am convinced that this sets us on a path that will have a negative impact on our “connection.”

The result will be another layer in our church in the United States, which would continue to have jurisdictional conferences. In the 2008 Discipline the functions of the Jurisdictional Conference and the Central Conference are essentially the same. Another level with its financial cost and added bureaucracy will negatively impact our focus and worldwide ministry and mission.

There is nothing in the current proposed changes to the Constitution that states that the General Conference will continue to decide matters relating to ministry, doctrine or Social Principles. We are being asked to change the Constitution without knowing the impact of such a change. There is no clarity as to what belongs to a regional conference and what belongs to the General Conference. One can only imagine the debates in the future as to what belongs in each level of conferences for decisions regarding the covenant and ministry of our church. If the U.S.A. is a regional conference, we can assume that it will edit, adapt or alter the Discipline as central conferences currently do.

I hope that the delegates to the annual conferences in The United Methodist Church will vote “no” on these constitutional amendments, which will result in the creation of a regional (central) conference in the USA. To date there is no specific plan that has been presented, debated or agreed upon for restructuring of The United Methodist Church into regional conferences. To Change the constitution requires a “super majority” two-thirds vote. This is serious. If this is approved now it means that whenever changes are proposed from the study, even major ones, they may be implemented at another General Conference with only a simple majority.

Let us continue the study and then we shall hear the proposed changes with full disclosure and clarity. With such a study, the changes can be presented and, if reasonable and good for the movement, they will pass with the two-thirds majority, and we will follow the process of appropriately changing our Constitution. Therefore, I will vote “no” on these particular constitutional amendments, which will create a central conference in the U.S.A. Let’s study, discuss, pray together and bring a vision with clarity to the next General Conference. At that time, let us take the appropriate action including any change in the Constitution.

 

–The Rev. H. Eddie Fox, Holston Conference, delegate to the General Conference
and World Director of Evangelism, World Methodist Council

Here is the opposing view of Bishop Scott Jones

Why I Support Amendments Referring
to the Worldwide Nature of The United Methodist Church

By Bishop Scott Jones

 

 

I believe the Christian movement needs a united, worldwide Protestant church to serve God’s mission for the world. United Methodism is one of very few churches to be united in its doctrine, mission and discipline while worshipping and serving on four continents. We have a special calling in a world that is increasingly globalized and beset with major problems and challenges. God3s evangelizing, discipling and justice ministries are best served by a church that is globally connected and yet locally diverse.

The number of United Methodists outside the United States is increasing and may soon be 40 percent. Unfortunately, we are still structured as a U.S. church with a few foreign outposts. This is offensive to many of our African, European and Asian sisters and brothers. It is significant that when the Central Conference bishops were asked to consider the task force proposal in the spring of 2007, they voted unanimously in favor of it. We are seeking a shape of The United Methodist Church that provides for greater equality of status while retaining our principle of proportional representation in the General Conference.

The vision behind the constitutional amendments  suggests a shape of The United Methodist Church for the 21st century. It addresses two fundamental questions: What aspects of our church are so essential to our global mission and witness that they must be the same everywhere for United Methodists? Conversely, what aspects are so contextually dependent that they should be adapted to local situations?

The General Conference would retain authority over all matters distinctly connectional as it says in Paragraph 16 of the Constitution. The bishops and Connectional Table have proposed that all matters related to doctrine, Social Principles and ordination standards would continue to be decided by the General Conference and applied worldwide. I have argued in my book Staying at the Table  that the unity of our worldwide church depends upon the General Conference deciding matters of doctrine, discipline and mission for all. These are the things that bind us together!

For example, one part of the church cannot decide in principle not to ordain women. No United Methodist entity can decide to abolish episcopacy. Our basic ministerial orders of local pastors, deacons and elders apply everywhere. All of the Social Principles are truly worldwide in scope. Because of their controversial nature (think of homosexuality, abortion, racism and sexism), they must continue to be decided at the worldwide level by General Conference or else our church will split.

At the same time, other decisions should be decided by jurisdictions, annual conferences, districts or local churches. The General Conference does not determine how many districts an annual conference should have nor does it set the salaries of pastors. In recent times, greater structural flexibility has been appropriately given to annual conferences and local churches.

The work of the Study Committee on the Worldwide Nature of the Church will help work out the details of this basic vision.

Central to the vision is that, while the most important and unifying decisions are made by the General Conference, some decisions should be made regionally. The legislation proposes that there be a regional conference grouping together every annual conference. This would mean that the General Conference (which decides how many central or regional conferences there are and sets their boundaries) would create one or more regional conferences in the United States. This would be of great help for U.S. churches to discuss issues like the hymnal, new church planting, seminaries, the Black College Fund and other issues that are unique to us. Similar regional issues should be discussed at regional meetings in Africa, Europe and Asia. At present, there is no clarity about what belongs to the region to decide and what belongs solely to the General Conference. There is also no purely U.S.-centered forum where these issues are discussed. They happen either at the jurisdictional level or at the worldwide (general) level.

The plan envisions that the General Conference would meet first, and in the succeeding months of that year the regional conferences would meet.

So far, I have not addressed the name change from central to regional. The word “central” was applied to this level of Methodist conferencing in the 19th century to allow annual conferences in India to work together without reference to the U.S.-dominated General Conference. In addition, the word “central” has connotations of racism, because of its use by the church for the Central Jurisdiction in the United States between 1939 and 1968. The shift to “regional” better expresses what these conferences do: address issues unique to the mission and ministry of conferences in that region.

–Bishop Scott Jones, Kansas Area, is chair of
the Study Committee on the Worldwide Nature of the Church.

 

 

 

 

Have you spent time with God today?

This morning I have been reading 1 Peter and along with this book of the Bible I have been reading a book called “Love is an Orientation”. The focus of the book is conversation between the church (Christianity) and those of homosexual orientation. I am reading the book due to an invitation to a facebook book club by www.youthspecialties.com

Below I have made some notes about what I see in 1 Peter 1 regarding life in general. This has nothing to do with any specific sin, I think we have ostracized the sin of homosexuality way too much. All sin is sin!

#1 We have been chosen to be obedient to our savior, Jesus Christ.

#2 Everyone in this life will suffer trials, my trials may be different from yours. addictions ect…

#3 These trials are part of a plan to make us who we are to be.

#4 We are to prepare ahead of the trials.

#5 We are to control our desires, not give in to them if they are wrong.

#6 Remember that we have the hope of Jesus death and resurrection which gives us Eternal Life.

#7 Do not give in to your wrong desires. (preaching to me)

#8 Live Holy Lives (this is a never ending process) (sin, repentance,……but with sincerity to change)

#9 This World is not our home! Stop living as if this is it! Keep Eternity in view and live for that end or beginning!

#10 A life of sin is an empty life, it never satisfies for very long.

#11 The only hope we have is God.

#12 We are to genuinely love each other. ALL of us!

#13 Our lives on earth are so very brief (a breath) don’t change God’s Word for any reason, it stands as it is forever.

Ronnie

P.S. I will look at the rest of 1 Peter in tomorrow’s quiet time.

P.S.S.

Lets have our own conversation. I will be a safe place if you ever need to talk. You can say what you think and feel without fear of rejection, without fear of anger, without fear of anything. You have my word that your thoughts and concerns are safe with me. Consider it a safe place.

Ronnie

 

Here is the link to the facebook book club if you are interested in purchasing the book and getting involved in the conversation:  http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=8804&post=48870&uid=101942530933#/group.php?gid=101942530933

1 Peter 1

 ¹Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
      To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, ²who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
      Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Praise to God for a Living Hope

 ³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, ⁵who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

 ¹⁰Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, ¹¹trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. ¹²It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.

Be Holy

 ¹³Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. ¹⁴As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

 ¹⁷Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. ¹⁸For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, ¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. ²⁰He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. ²¹Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

 ²²Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. ²³For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴For,
   “All men are like grass,
      and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
   the grass withers and the flowers fall,
    ²⁵but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you.

Kris Allen – God of This City

Wow, after blogging my last post Mike @ Cornerstone twittered a link to Kris Allen singing the same song that I listed. I am not an Idol watcher for a couple of reasons. #1 I never liked the concept of “Idol” but most of all I only get NBC at home. I thought this was certainly worth letting you see.

Ronnie

American Idol delivered a surprise Wednesday as voters chose Kris Allen for the title over Adam Lambert, who had been considered the favorite for much of the show’s eighth season.

Greater Things Are Still To Come

We have just spent 2 days with Terry Teykl and heard him talk about prayer and it’s benefits. Benefits not just concerning what we get through prayer but what God accomplishes through our prayers. It was an outstanding time and if you missed it, lets talk.

I have been seeking God in recent weeks and even months about what His work for us to do in Hillsville might be. I have prayed and kept my ears open and tried to be sensitive to what it is He wants us to do.

I finally heard from Him this morning. I remember back to when we went to Macon last year and we were so impacted by the folks at Christ Chapel that we came back with the vision for Out Of The Box. It was obviously a vision that God gave us, we have stayed busy working with this new ministry for the past 8 months. I remember many things about the church there that impacted me but one of the strongest was their call to prayer during the week. One or more days a week they would come to Christ Chapel and have a prayer time as staff and anyone who wished to come. I was impacted by that because that God hears our prayer and He answers.

This morning my friend Dan Waits from Christ Chapel sent out a facebook message about their prayer time and where God was leading in his life and it hit me right between the spiritual eyes. I literally said, “what is wrong with me”?

What is wrong with me? One of the greatest impacts in Macon with Christ Chapel was their intentional “Call to Prayer”. Why didn’t I see that sooner? Why have we not been gathering at OOTB and praying for our Youth in Carroll, Galax, and Grayson? It took a lot of seeking and a lot of wondering if we were supposed to be doing one thing or another and nothing felt right.

This feels right. There Are Greater Things Still To Come! We have a calling, right here in downtown Hillsville. We are called to impact the lives of youth. We have to first make a Call to Prayer a priority.

Here is what I am going to do. I will be at Out Of The Box on Tuesday Mornings at 8:15 until about 9:15 or 9:30, starting next week, Tuesday May 26th. I invite anyone who desires to come. There is no agenda except to pray for Youth in this area, our individual ministries, and other needs concerning the impact that God wants us to have on youth. The coffee is free, you can bring your laptop to journal or send notes to others and let them know that you are praying for them. Whatever your desire, just come and help us pray.

Greater Things are still to be Done in Carroll County, Galax and Grayson. Let’s make a difference.

Thank you Christ Chapel

Thank you Dan Waits

Thank you First Hillsville

But, Thank you most of all, Jesus Christ — You are why we are here!

Ronnie 

Judah is One Week old Today

Your 1-week-old

 

How your baby’s growing:

Your baby’s eyesight is still pretty fuzzy. Babies are born nearsighted and can see things best when they’re about 8 to 15 inches away, so she can see your face clearly only when you’re holding her close.

Don’t worry if your baby doesn’t look you right in the eye from the start: Newborns tend to look at your eyebrows, your hairline, or your moving mouth. As she gets to know you in the first month, she’ll become more interested in having eye-to-eye exchanges. Studies show that newborns prefer human faces to all other patterns or colors. (Objects that are bright, moving, high-contrast, or black-and-white are next in line.)

• Learn more fascinating facts about your 1-week-old’s development.

I include this section because Judah is Jaundice as was Samuel when he was a week old.

Ronnie

3 questions about: Jaundice

What is jaundice?
Jaundice is a condition that causes a yellowish discoloration of the skin and the whites of the eyes. If you press your finger against the nose or chest of a fair-skinned baby with jaundice, you can see this yellow tinge. If your baby has dark skin, you can see the yellowness in the whites of the eyes or in the gums. The most common type of jaundice develops on the second or third day of life — about when the baby is being discharged from the hospital — which is why it’s important to know about it and keep an eye out for it. Most of these cases, called physiologic jaundice, disappear on their own in two weeks.

What causes jaundice?
A newborn has more red blood cells than her body needs, and often, when a baby’s immature liver can’t process them quickly enough, a yellow pigment called bilirubin (a byproduct of the red blood cells) builds up in the blood. Much of this bilirubin leaves the body in the baby’s stool, but about half of babies develop some degree of jaundice during the first two weeks of life. Preemies and babies with genetic diseases or infections are especially vulnerable. Some breastfeeding babies develop jaundice if they don’t get enough breast milk, because the bilirubin isn’t able to exit the body through body waste. Breastfeeding jaundice usually shows up in the first two weeks of life. When jaundice is detected within the first 24 hours, it may be due to a blood-group incompatibility with the mother (the mother is Rh-negative and the baby is Rh-positive), infection, or an underlying liver problem.

Should I worry?
Most newborn cases of jaundice are harmless and require no treatment. The doctor may order blood tests to measure your baby’s bilirubin levels, which usually involve taking a small amount of blood from your baby’s heel. In moderate cases of jaundice, the doctor may prescribe phototherapy (light therapy), which involves placing the baby naked under special blue lights that help her body break down the bilirubin so that it can be excreted. This can be done in the hospital or at home with a portable unit. A special kind of fiber-optic blanket, called a bili blanket, has a similar effect. In addition to phototherapy, it’s important to keep your baby well hydrated and to identify and treat any underlying medical issues. Your doctor may recommend breastfeeding more often or supplementing with formula to give your baby more fluids and help her pass more bilirubin in her stools. The goal of treatment is to lower the bilirubin level to prevent the buildup of toxic levels in the baby’s brain (a disease called kernicterus). With monitoring and treatment, the risk of kernicterus or other complications drops to almost none.

www.babycenter.com

Out Of The Box

What follows is the story of the First United Methodist Hillsville Youth Group. Their mission trip to Macon Georgia. The vision of a storefront Youth Ministry Site in order to take the church to the people and the results.

Ronnie

We have been open for about 6 months now and hundreds of people have come through the doors at Out Of The Box. There have been events with 150 people in attendance and Safe Halloween brought several hundred through our doors in one afternoon. Youth are finding a place where they love coming and many adults are getting acquainted with the main church through OOTB.

Attention Campers

Misty’s Dad and Mom are campers and they have one to sale. The following is a description of the camper and I can tell you that it looks new inside and out. If you or someone that you know has an interest in camping, give me a call and I will put you in touch with Wayne. I don’t think you will beat his price.

Ronnie

2002 Cedar Creek Custom 36ft. 5th. wheel. New toppers on all 3 slides, Oak hardwood flooring, washer/dryer, power jacks (front and rear), factory water filter system, queen bed w/heated mattress, tires are 1 year old, Sony flat screen TV, lots of cabinet space,  lots of storage space outside and electric fireplace.

Newborn: Judah Collins

Your newborn How your baby’s growing: Because he was curled up inside your uterus until recently, your newborn baby will probably look scrunched up for a while, with his arms and legs not fully extended. He may even appear bowlegged.

Don’t worry: Your baby will stretch out, little by little, and by the time he reaches 6 months, he’ll be fully unfurled! In the meantime, as he adjusts to life outside the warm, safe confines of your womb, he may enjoy being swaddled in a light blanket. • Learn more fascinating facts about your newborn’s development.

Your life: You’re a parent! This week, reality sets in — you have a baby! He’s all yours, he’s home with you, and he’s dependent on you for love, care, and feeding. No doubt you’ve been reading up on what to do and how to do it. We have plenty of articles and tools to refresh your memory and teach you new tips, but here’s our best advice this week: Don’t try to master the art of caring for a baby all at once.

Take it easy, take it slow. Your newborn is more durable than you might think. He’s getting used to you as much as you and your partner are getting used to him. Like all good relationships, this one will take some time.

www.babycenter.com

Liberia-District Superintendent on the Amendments to UMC Constitution

SouledOut: Praise Band @ First UMC Hillsville

We are blessed to have one of the best Praise Bands in the area and in the Church as far as I am concerned. SouledOut not only plays great music, they actually lead us in Worship of our Father, God. We have learned a lot this week in revival with Terry Teykl about being  in the Presence of God and not just being a hard working church. Both should go together.

On these videos the sound quality is good but as you know they are not studio recordings. Come hear them in person and you will be blessed.

I am including this blog for your sheer listening enjoyment and also that you might have a worshipful time as you listen.

Ronnie

Bring The Rain

My Savior,My God

Trading My Sorrows

Because of Your Love

I Am Free

I Will Go

Because Of Your Love

Holy, Holy, Holy

Membership Amendment United Methodist Church

I started blogging about the 32 Amendments that will be voted on at Annual Conferences this year and in the beginning I said that I will let you see both sides of the argument and that is what I am doing  here. Let me say that I do not endorse the views of this video in any way shape of form. This video absolutely leaves no room for people to wonder if the membership amendment is about practicing homosexual people becoming members of the United Methodist Church. However, you have to read Scripture and make your own conclusions.

Ronnie 

Here is an opposing view.

National Spokesperson for OPC Speaking @ 1st Hillsville UMC May 24th

Mary Damron to speak at Hillsville’s First United Methodist Church.

                       

The National Spokesperson for Operation Christmas Child will be speaking during the evening service on May 24^th.

 

HILLSVILLE, VA, May 11, 2009— Operation Christmas Child National Spokesperson, Mary Damron, will be speaking at Hillsville’s First United Methodist Church on Sunday evening, May 24^th at 6:30 p.m.  The public is invited to hear Mary share her powerful story of love and dedication to the children served through Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse. 

Damron first heard about Operation Christmas Child in 1994 on a television show airing an invitation from Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, to participate in the project by packing shoe box gifts for needy children worldwide. Her heart already burdened from African refugees and Bosnian war victims, Damron took up Graham’s invitation and called for her neighbors to do the same.  Mary was driven to collect some 1,200 shoe box gifts that she hand-delivered on Thanksgiving Day in her twenty-ton truck from rural West Virginia to the Samaritan’s Purse headquarters in Boone, N.C.

Struck by her deep faith and undaunted spirit, Graham invited Damron to travel with him on a box distribution trip to Europe.  “Giving a shoe box doesn’t take the children off of the garbage dumps, out of the orphanages, or off of the streets, but it changes how they feel about themselves,” said Mary. “It tells them they are special! They have human value and a Creator who loves them. I watched a filthy, smelly, five-year-old girl with matted hair who was living on a garbage dump pretend to be a princess, blowing kisses after she put on the jewelry she found in her shoe box gift.”  Since that first trip, Damron has helped distribute boxes around the world.

Mary was born and raised in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia and has experienced poverty first-hand during her humble beginnings where she was left to care for seven siblings in her teen years. God has used her experiences to ignite her heart for needy children around the world. Mary’s mission with Operation Christmas Child has taken her from the devastated streets of Sarajevo to the filthy living conditions in a Kosovo refugee camp, to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, and to the White House Oval Office.

Mary has been married for 36 years and continues to reside in the small town of Ike’s Fork, West Virginia, where she is the mother of three and grandmother of five. Known as mother, grandmother, Mama Gump, and Operation Christmas Child Spokesperson, Mary Damron travels nationwide sharing the excitement of bringing the Good News of God’s love to millions of hurting children living in some of the most desperate places around the world. 

For more information on the talk or to learn how to participate in Operation Christmas Child, call 540-382-4479 or visit www.samaritanspurse.org.