An Edition of the United Methodist Reporter
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an edition of the United Methodist Reporter A Publication of The Arkansas Conference of The United Methodist Church Eco-Friendly July 2, 2010 Three Sections, Section A Volume 157 Issue 09 Recycled Paper | Soy Ink 017000 IN THIS ISSUE Bishop Urges Deep Change HEATHER HAHN are in a land we know not, a culture “Th e wilderness is a diffi cult “We have been called to change For the Arkansas United Methodist that is rapidly changing, a world for place to live. It’s uncomfortable. But people’s lives.” Five to represent which we in the church were not the wilderness is also where God At Annual Conference, the Arkansas at HOT SPRINGS — Th e fi rst prepared to engage, nor for which reforms God’s people,” said Rendle, bishop asked that representatives morning session of the 2010 Annual most of us were trained.” an ordained United Methodist elder. from every Arkansas United Global Meeting Conference opened with the gospel But the wilderness experience “Th e question is: What would Methodist congregation turn in according to Bob—Bob Dylan, that is necessary, he said, to reverse the Israelites have been like if they’d responses about what changes their is. the denomination’s decades-long had a bus service, taken the turnpike churches suggest for the future. Before his Episcopal address, decline in membership and truly and arrived at the Promised Land But in examining how the 3A discern where God wants to lead the in a week and half including rest Arkansas Conference might better Bishop Charles Crutchfi eld showed a fi lm of Dylan singing his famous church. stops? Th ey would have arrived as carry out the gospel mission, the anthem “Th e Times Th ey Are Since last August, the bishop unchanged people.” bishop and the Imagine Ministry A Changin’.” Th e song’s lyrics has worked with the Imagine Th e ancient Israelites needed Team don’t want to lose sight of the 2010 Episcopal Address resonated with listeners in this age Ministry Team, a group of clergy their time in the wilderness to conference’s strengths. of Twitter as they did back in the age and laity, to examine how the overcome their slave mentality, So Annual Conference this year of “Flower Power.” Arkansas Conference does church. he said. Likewise, Christians also included breakout sessions Th roughout Annual Conference Th e process of rethinking how the throughout the northern for people to discuss when the 5A conference and individual churches hemisphere need time in the conference is at its best and the on June 6–9, the bishop and other church leaders challenged the should carry out their mission is still wilderness to rediscover the people values that make the conference roughly 1,200 United Methodists in its early stages. Th e conference God wants them to be. work well. “When we morph into present to imagine how the church won’t take up any proposed formal Rendle said United Methodists something new, we’ll make sure Congolese Bishop’s Goal: can best adapt to—and take a lead changes until at least next year’s need to move beyond eff orts to just these values will be there,” said 100 wells in 100 villages in—changing times. Th e theme this annual meeting. add members and start thinking Kurt Boggan, the Imagine Ministry year was “Imagine: Transforming In the mean time, Gil Rendle—a about what needs to happen to make team’s project manager and the World Together.” longtime church consultant who has disciples. Northeast District superintendent. “We share the wilderness been helping with the process—also “Disciples are people whose lives About 120 groups of 10 7A experience of the Children of Israel,” stressed to Annual Conference have been changed, and because participated in the breakout Crutchfi eld said in his address. members the importance of their lives have been changed, their sessions. “Th e Church, the United Methodist spending time in an uncertain relationships at home, work and Sue Howe, senior pastor of Faith Church and our Church in Arkansas wilderness. community also change,” he said. [See BISHOP page 8A] Scenes from Annual Confernece Wilson was ‘heart of the church,’ says pastor HEATHER HAHN sanctuary that afternoon. 9A–10A United Methodist News Service Investigators with the sheriff’s offi ce in Cross County were still HOT SPRINGS—Few searching June 8 for two suspects places were as meaningful to in Wilson’s death. Her pastor, 2010–11 Arkansas Lillian Wilson as Central United Dixon Platt, said authorities Methodist Church just outside believe the murder weapon was Conference Wynne. the cross the church kept on its Appointments She was baptized and communion table. married there. She made sure Platt went to check on Wilson the communion elements were when she didn’t show up for always prepared each month worship Sunday at nearby Ellis 11A–14A and recently started teaching Chapel United Methodist Church. Sunday school to help out while The congregation of about 20 the church’s longtime teacher alternates worship each Sunday recovered from a stroke. between Ellis Chapel and Central Coming Up And on Sunday morning, Church. June 6, the 80-year-old retired The pastor discovered & nurse was in the church to fi nish Wilson’s body about 12:30 p.m. Transforming the World assembling disaster relief buckets June 6 beneath an overturned and health kits for collection at pew. Her purse and car were the denomination’s Arkansas missing. Annual Conference meeting, Wilson died doing what she 15A which started that night. loved to do, Platt said, and that It was her last act of was serving God. servanthood. She was found “Lil—everyone called her Lil A United Methodist News Service file photo by Mary Anne Cruthirds Church member Lillian Wilson, 80, was found beaten to death inside Central beaten to death in the church [See WILSON page 8A] United Methodist Church near Wynne. 2A July 2, 2010 Churches help four-legged friends Being in the Wilderness HEATHER HAHN For the Arkansas United Methodist DEENA MARIE HAMILTON much like her at that age. Special contributor When I was in the Traveling down an isolated country road wilderness, I developed toward her mobile home, 75-year-old Katherine I was getting kind of restless one night, a personal relationship Furqueron can count on being eagerly greeted so I decided to hang out with my “brother with God that was like no Deena Marie other. Being separated by a companion at the front door. from another mother,” Conrad. I like Hamilton Dixie, a tall, fl oppy-eared pooch with big hanging out with him because he has all from what you know brown eyes, cannot wait to welcome Furqueron these cool little philosophical tidbits that can be challenging in the home, licking her hands and fl opping down I always learn from and end up putting beginning but eventually we’ll fi nd peace beside her on the rug next to the couch in the in some of my sermons. When I need through adaptation. small, neatly decorated living room. inspiration of any kind, he’s pretty much It seems that many of patriarchs of the “She thinks I can’t do any wrong,” my go-to guy. Bible experienced a wilderness moment in Furqueron said, patting Dixie on the head He was helping me do some research their lives. Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and rubbing the fur behind her ears. “She for the next book that I’m writing. What I the children of Israel, Elijah, David, John appreciates the things that you do for her.” don’t like is the Ward Cleaver lecture that the Baptist, and Paul all went through the goes along with the help that he gives me. wilderness. Th is is an experience from Still, she acknowledges that taking care of UMNS photos by Heather Hahn her faithful companion, along with herself and Katherine Furqueron pats her pooch, Dixie, in He’s 50-years-old, so of course, he feels that which no one was exempt, not even our an ailing son, on what she receives from Social her home in Little Rock, Ark. he needs impart that Bill Harvin wisdom Savior. Security can be a challenge. to me, which I entertain because I loved his In the fourth chapter of Matthew’s Th at is where Quapaw Quarter United more than 450 households have signed up for dad tremendously, and he’s no longer with Gospel, Jesus is in the wilderness and being Methodist Church in Little Rock, she said, has pet food. Dorton estimates that she gives out us. tempted by the enemy. Each and every been a godsend—and a dog blessing. Once a about 75 bags of dog food, 35 bags of cat food We both went to the same college, but time he is confronted, he does something month, church volunteers distribute bags of and six to eight bags of puppy and kitten chow our experiences were diff erent. He’s white that we should always do when we’re in the dog and cat food along with groceries for low- each month. She also distributes fl iers about and I’m black. One day he went to one of “wilderness.” He used the word of God for income families. monthly free animal spay/neutering that a local his professors, who was white, yearning to supplication and survival. Quapaw Quarter is one of a growing pet rescue group off ers for low-income pet get a better understanding of being a white Whether it is four days or forty days, it number of United Methodist churches across owners.