Response: May 2016
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may 2016 the magazine of women in mission A Good Foundation Sexuality a gift Women delegates from God at General Conference 32 34 response | july/august response in this issue response is the official magazine of United Methodist Women. Its think goals are to educate for mission, to 3 | From the Editor interpret the Purpose of United Tara Barnes Methodist Women and to strength 4 | Message From the President: en the organization. All for One and One for All Yvette Kim Richards May 2016, Volume 48, No. 5 5 | Responsively Yours: EDITOR: Becoming Whole Persons Tara Barnes Through Jesus Christ INTERIM MANAGING EDITOR: Harriett Jane Olson features Mary Beth Coudal 6 | How To Use This Issue 28 | In the Image of God SPANISH EDITOR: Mary Beth Coudal Amanda Mountain Nilda Ferrari 6 | the r list 32 | You Are That Temple KOREAN EDITOR: Stephanie Greiner Yun Nam (Kate) Kang SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: learn 34 | U.S. Women Delegates Paul Jeffrey 8 | Bible Study: The Word of God ... to General Conference MAGAZINE DESIGNER: and Words About the Word Tanya Krawciw M. Garlinda Burton listen KOREAN PAGE DESIGNER: 38 | Racial Justice Mandates for Kevin S. Kang live General Conference response (ISSN0034-5725) 14 | Bright Lights: “Jesus Love Me” Janis Rosheuvel Published monthly (bimonthly July-August) by United Methodist Women, 475 Riverside Baby Shower in Kentucky 40 | Ending Mass Incarceration Drive #1501, New York, NY 10115. ❏ Pe Jennifer Armstrong Lissette Castillo and r iodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y., and 16 | They Were Here: Janis Rosheuvel other mailing offices. The response magazine subscription price in the United States and pos Helping Tiny Lives Endure 42 | sessions (payable in advance): $24 a year. Sin Kathy Steele gle copy: $2.75, call 1-800-305-9857. Special two-year rate: $45. All other countries: $30. 18 | Finding Happiness in God 43 | 150 Años Audio subscriptions are $24 a year. POST Tupou Seini Kelemeni MASTER: Send address changes to response at [email protected] or to response, act P.O. Box 395, Congers, NY 10920 rather than give to Post Office. A request for change of address 44 | Celebrate All Who Mother must reach us at least 30 days before the date 20 | The Treasure of a Good of issue with which it is to take effect. Duplicate Foundation copies cannot be sent to replace those unde Paul Jeffrey pray liverable through failure to send advance no tice. With your new address, be sure to send 46 | Mary’s Song of Praise us the old one, enclosing, if possible, your ad dress label from a recent copy. ❏ Names of sub scribers and all money should be sent to re sponse, P.O. Box 395, Congers, NY 10920. ❏ All Bible verses herein are from the New Re vised Standard Version unless otherwise noted. ❏ All items for publication should be direct member support | Throughout every issue of response, this ed to Tara Barnes, Editor, response, 475 Riverside Drive, Room 1501, New York, NY symbol indicates that you are reading about a program and/or 10115. person supported by United Methodist Women’s Mission Giving. E-mail: [email protected] on the cover | A girl plays outside at Wesley Community Centers in Savannah, Geor- gia, a United Methodist Women-supported national mission institution. She is part of Copyright 2016 by United Methodist Women the center’s child care program. Photo by Paul Jeffrey. 2 response | may 2016 think FROM THE EDITOR | As you read this, delegates from around the world are arriving or have already arrived in Portland, Oregon, for the 2016 General Conference of The United Methodist Church. I will be there, reporting on the important conference and gathering stories for a special issue of response dedicated to the event. Other United Methodist Women colleagues will be there, as staff, visitors and voting delegates. Your prayers are needed and felt. General Conference is the top policymaking body of The United Methodist Church, which meets once every four years. The conference can revise church law as well as adopt resolutions on current moral, social, public policy and economic issues. It also approves plans and budgets for churchwide programs. Our Church, with United Methodist Women an important part of it, is a great force for justice and love when we allow the Holy Spirit to move us and not dig in our heels. At some point in our lives we’ve all likely ignored a nudge from the Spirit, or outright fought it, but we’ve confessed ourselves people of faith, followers of Jesus, and have thus promised to believe in God’s abundance and God’s trust. All are worthy in God’s eyes. We are capable of Beloved Community. I hope this issue reminds you of all we can accomplish when we put faith, hope and love into action— together. Tara Barnes | [email protected] think Message From the President All for One and One for All It is important to live by the words of Micah 6:8: “and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” We are the vessels of God’s work here on earth. As I prepare for this General Conference I am in my last weeks of my first semester at United Theological Seminary working toward my master’s degree in Christian ministries. I will see if I can put into practice some of the teachings I’ve already learned to discern if Mike DuBose DuBose Mike we are really working on building God’s kin-dom Yvette Richards addresses the final gathering or on personal agendas. I pray that the Holy Spir of the 2013-2016 United Methodist Women Program Advisory Group at Scarrit Bennett it will stay high and surrounding all of us for the Center in Nashville, Tennessee, in March 2016. two weeks we are together (and then after). Mark on your calendars for Monday, May Anyone who wants to serve me must follow 16, at 3:53 (PDT) to watch the United me, because my servants must be where I am. Methodist Women 150th celebration report on And God will honor anyone who serves me. the floor of General Conference. I am burst I am bursting with —John 12:26 (NLT) ing with pride to honor the women who laid pride to honor the this awesome and amazing foundation for us women who laid Excitement is in the air as we begin the General to carry forth into the 21st century and beyond. this awesome Conference of The United Methodist Church this I hope you will also tune into the commis and amazing month. United Methodist Women is at Gener sioning of our deaconesses and home missioners foundation for us al Conference in Portland, Oregon. I am delighted that same Monday at 8 a.m. (PDT). We are tru to carry forth into to be a part of our delegation, participating in the ly blessed to be United Methodist Women the 21st century pre-conference with women Central Conference members witnessing God’s blessings firsthand. and beyond. delegates—it’s a pleasure and joy to be with pow I want to thank everyone who participated erful, God-loving women from around the in the making of finger labyrinths for Gener world. I will also be there as the first alternate for al Conference, from sharing the information, the magnificent Missouri Conference delegation. purchasing fabric or sewing, as we accomplished Packing for these two weeks has proven in our finger labyrinth goal back in March! We teresting. I will take one large suitcase for know they have been prayed over. Now say clothes, and I’ll need my carry-on for all of the some extra prayers for travel mercies along with General Conference literature! I will not forget the two weeks we will be in Portland. my warm wrap and comfortable shoes. I am ex Thank you, awesome and amazing United cited for all the extra walking points I will get Methodist Women members, as you turn on my Fitbit. faith, hope and love into action for women, chil More than 1,000 General Conference reso dren and youth around the world. Glory to God lutions and petitions are in for deliberation, and as we are prepared to Make It Happen! we have been reading, highlighting, tabbing in our efforts to ensure women, children and youth YVETTE KIM RICHARDS President are protected and supported. We will have dif United Methodist Women ficult decisions to make. [email protected] 4 response | may 2016 think Responsively Yours Becoming Whole Persons Through Jesus Christ Why would United Methodist Women un As we initially discussed the importance of dertake a study on the Bible and human sex this study, I remembered some of the conver uality at this time when there is so much con sations with our young women of Limitless. flict in the church and world about matters con They shared that they were in phases of their nected to sexuality? One response might be: lives when matters related to sexuality and re When would such a study be more important? lationships can be confusing and challenging Our study is not to create or extend controversy and that they would value trusted relationships but to help us to delve more deeply into the with God-following women with whom they ways our thoughts and feelings on sexuality are could talk. shaped and to help us look at what the Bible They are not the only ones experiencing con says and how we understand it. fusion and challenge as well as pain and joy.