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THE MISSOURI CONFERENCE REVIEW an edition of the United Methodist Reporter Leading congregations to lead people to actively follow Jesus Christ God in School Congo Growing l Missouri mission- 024000 Volume 159 Adam Hamilton addresses Events, attendance Number 38 l January 18, 2013 call for “Putting God back aries settle in at and members get big- in schools.” 2A the Congo. 4A ger in Sikeston. 6A Two Sections, Section A First UMC Webster Groves This vacant lot east of the Conference Center is the site of the proposed building addition. Christmas giving Bringing it all Together goes international Many churches in the Missouri church leadership decided to give Missouri Conference purchases property, looks Conference have made Christmas that offering away. They used the giving a time of mission. These two $3,056.44 received to purchase to move OCM offices to Conference Center stories are the first in a two-part clean water filtration systems for The Missouri Conference has intention of building an addi- Creative Ministries leases a build- series about Christmas offerings families in Haiti. At $100/filtra- taken the first steps toward bring- tion on the Missouri Conference ing at 3009 David Drive, about going for international aid. tion system and an average of five ing all Conference operations Center to house the Office of one mile west of the Conference persons per family, there will be together in one location. Property Creative Ministries. The Missouri Center. The Office of Creative First UMC Webster safe, clean water for 150 people adjacent to the Conference office United Methodist Foundation is Ministries Center encompasses Groves for the next 10 years. has been purchased, contingent also considering moving into the Volunteers In Missions, Disaster This year First United “For a church averaging about upon approval of building plans new facility. Response, the Festival of Sharing, Methodist Church in Webster 125 in worship, it is an exciting by the city of Columbia, with the Currently the Office of See Building Plans, pg. 5A Groves conspired to steal and concrete opportunity to be Christmas back from a celebra- part of Christ’s continuing trans- tion of gross consumption and formation in the world,” said Rev. New online system checks vitals to return it to a celebration Sharon Kichline. The new year offers a new way 477 Missouri Conference churches attendee, and professions of faith. of extraordinary transformation. of looking at church statistics invited to be entering their vital The initial implementation The church typically relies on Living Word UMC (like worship attendance and giv- signs into the system. One advan- has been easily adopted by most its annual March to the Manger Living Word Church in ing). All churches in the Missouri tage of the new system is that the churches. GCFA received about to make budget, but this year See International, 5A Conference are now receiving a website displays the data entered 20 questions from Missouri weekly e-mail prompting them in easy to read charts and all Conference churches, most of to enter weekly reports with the information is downloadable. which were related to the defini- General Council on Finance and “The dashboard can be printed tion of terms. Administration. out to be used at meetings, and is The previous reporting system, The e-mail is sent out every in a format that is easy for every- Signs of Fruitfulness, was discon- Sunday evening at 11 p.m. one to understand,” said Mid-State tinued at the end of 2012. Churches are asked to report seven District Superintendent Lynn Churches are also being different numbers for the week, Dyke. encouraged to use the Vital and are given an opportunity to In addition to local churches Congregations website for share stories. Any church that has being able to review the data, the goal setting. Many District not received the e-mail should con- information can also be looked at Superintendents are using the tact their district administrator. for a district, or the Conference, Vital Congregations website Some churches started using on a whole, ranking numbers like (www.umvitalcongregations.org) the Vital Signs reporting system participation in small groups, as part of the pastor evaluation in 2012. On January 3, there were average amount of giving per process. The United Methodist Reporter (USPS 954-500) is published weekly by UMR Communications, 1221 Profi t, Dallas, TX 75247-3919. Periodicals Postage Paid at Dallas. Postmaster: Send address changes to The United Methodist Reporter, PO Box 660275, Dallas, TX 75266-0275. Ghanaian children in Sakoti, Ghana. 2A Opinions and Insights January 18, 2013 Should we put God back in schools? By Rev. Adam Hamilton to teachers, this would mean that Church of the Resurrection one in five teachers may be Hindu One reaction to the tragedy at or Muslim, Jewish or Buddhist, Lay Leader Sandy Hook Elementary School atheist or agnostic. Few of the Column has been a call to “put God back folks calling for “putting God back By Brian hammons in the schools.” I even heard one in schools” seem to be okay with person suggest that the violence people outside of the Christian that happened in the school was faith teaching their children about because “we took God out of pub- God. lic schools.” As a pastor I have a The religious neutrality in our Rev. Adam Hamilton You’re a Lay Leader! deep desire to lead people to God schools is, I would argue, one of and encourage people to pray, our strengths. Teachers cannot playgrounds for these schools . Now What? read the Bible, and carry their inhibit or deride religion. But this and paint and rehab their build- faith into every part of their lives. does not mean that we’ve taken ings. We fund literacy efforts and But I’ve got a few questions about God out of public schools. I’m provide free books. We ensure When I served as Lay Leader -- just click on it! You’ll find the “putting God back in the schools.” reminded of the book of Esther that each child has a winter coat, of my local congregation, occa- Job Description if you click the In America our public schools in the Bible. God is not explicitly gloves and hat, and school sup- sionally I was asked “what does “Lay Leader” sub-tab, plus contact are intended to be religiously neu- mentioned in the book, but that plies, and we provide funds for a Lay Leader do?” I tried to information for your district lay tral. Our teachers and schools are did not mean that God was not at special programs the schools respond as best I could, but it leaders (Lay Ministry Team), and neither to endorse nor to inhibit work in the story. otherwise could not afford. We probably sounded a lot like “what- a reading list of helpful books. religion. I believe this is a very Christians believe that God is also have tutoring programs with ever the pastor asks me to do.” Other helpful items under good thing. When my kids were everywhere and is involved in our hundreds of volunteers who read If you’re a lay leader in your the main “Laity Leadership” growing up I wanted their teach- lives at every moment, whether to children and otherwise help the congregation, you may be won- tab are sections on Lay Servant ers to teach them science, reading, we publicly acknowledge God or teachers and support their work. dering the same thing – “just what Ministries, Lay Leadership math, and history. I also wanted not. Most of the teachers I’ve met Every Friday we send backpacks am I supposed to do in this posi- Development (LLD), and a “blog” them to care about my kids. But I in public schools are people of with nutritious snacks home with tion?” If you have a clear under- with my articles and a place to did not want my children’s public faith. For many, their faith shapes 1,400 children who are at risk of standing of that, then may God share your own comments. You’ll school teachers teaching them how they approach their work as being hungry on the weekends. bless you and make your work want to check out this section religion. That was my job as a teachers. It strengthens, informs, We also distribute beds for chil- fruitful! If not, read on – maybe every now and then for updates parent, and the job of our church, and inspires them to love their dren who we discover are sleeping something the Lay Ministry Team – and use it along with the Sunday school, and youth group. students and to pursue their work on the floor in their homes. Our has developed will help you. entire conference site as a handy If we’re going to put God with excellence. As in the book people are motivated by their faith Yes, all of us laity who are resource. It’s a great way to stay back in schools, which God are of Esther, they may not explicitly to do these things. They don’t talk called to positions of leadership connected with ideas and resourc- we talking about? Within the mention God, but God works about their faith, but it is clearly should work with the pastor, sup- es for your leadership work in Christian family alone there are through them nonetheless. seen in their actions. porting his / her leadership in your congregation. often dramatically different ways Students also bring their faith I’m convinced many of ministry. And the Lay Leader One other resource I’d encour- of talking about God: fundamen- into the schools.