THE MISSOURI CONFERENCE REVIEW an edition of the United Methodist Reporter Leading congregations to lead people to actively follow Jesus Christ Tapped Out Service Ramped Up l Living Word takes 024000 Volume 160 Maple syrup raises Churches work Number 4 l May 24, 2013 money for CCYM. mission work local together to meet a 2A with GO! 5A need. 5A Two Sections, Section A Missouri, Mozambique Conferences forge new relationship The Missouri Conference the MI. Some of these projects ments regarding the future of this Leadership Team, including included safe water wells drilled partnership in ministry. With Bishop Robert Schnase, returned at United Methodist churches, the changes in the MI leadership from Mozambique at the end of micro-finance projects supporting team and the new coordinator in April after a significant and fruit- the ministry of these local church- Missouri, there were many ele- ful mission supporting the work es, the Carolyn Belshe Orphanage, ments of this ministry that were of the Mozambique Initiative and our seminary student part- in need of renewal. Together, (MI). During their ten days tour- ners at the Cambine Seminary. the teams from Missouri and ing the country, the team, led by In addition to touring the Mozambique shared in their Yvi Martin and Sarah Bollinger, major project sites, the leader- vision for the future and planned visited many partner churches ship team, with key leaders from the best ways to move forward in across Mozambique and saw both Missouri and Mozambique, this new chapter. Bishop Schnase Missouri Bishop Robert Schnase and Mozambique Bishop some of the major projects run by spent time drawing up new agree- Joaquina Filipe Nhanala sign an agreement of understand- See Mozambique, pg. 4A ing regarding how the two Conferences will work together. Hispanic ministry reorients to reach broader base When the first Hispanic min- tions. The lat- istry effort started in the Missouri ter includes Conference in the mid 1990s, third- the target population were recent generation immigrants who speak only Americans Spanish, have Hispanic cultural who only practices and identify with their speak English home country more than the and who United States. Hispanic pastors maintain few fitting the same description were Hispanic cul- Geovanna appointed to begin several new tural practices. Huffmann- ministries. “The past year Chavez The Missouri Conference now has been a has a much broader approach year of learning and growth,” said and is working toward developing Missouri Conference Hispanic Hispanic ministries that appeal Ministry Coordinator Geovanna to all categories of people, from Chavez-Huffman. recent immigrants to Hispanics In the Carthage area, Ymbar who have been living in the Polanco has been working with Oakton United Methodist Church. When A group from La Trinidad in St. Louis meets in a home. he began he was only com- plant that offers multiple worship their evangelistic approach. Their tinue to worship and attend small fortable speak- services and programs in both aim is to reach a multicultural groups in Spanish. ing Spanish, English and Spanish in Carthage, audience in the Southwest area In Kansas City, starting this but he has since Lamar, and other adjacent areas. of St. Louis. The first step will fall Humberto Gonzales will be become bilin- In the fall of 2012, this initiative involve combining their children launching a new Hispanic church gual. The effort became known as the Oakton and youth programs into one in partnership with Revolution that began as South/Plenitud campus of Oakton ministry that is offered in English. UMC. This new church will target a Hispanic UMC. Jose Chacon, the lead pastor of the booming Hispanic popula- church plant in In St. Louis, La Trinidad is now La Trinidad feels confident that tion of midtown Kansas City and the Carthage located at Concord Trinity UMC. through this initial effort they will other key adjacent areas close to area has Much like the Oakton UMC ini- reach Hispanic youth that primar- Kansas City, Kansas. “This will be become a mul- tiative, La Trinidad and Concord ily speak English and that grew another example of how we’re no up in the St. Louis area. These longer just trying to reach new new efforts will happen without The United Methodist Reporter (USPS 954-500) is published weekly by UMR Communications, 1221 Profi t, Dallas, TX 75247-3919. Periodicals See Hispanic Ministry, pg. 5A Postage Paid at Dallas. Postmaster: Send address changes to The United Methodist Reporter, PO Box 660275, Dallas, TX 75266-0275. neglecting the needs of Hispanic people who have recently arrived United States for many genera- ticultural and multi-site church Trinity are partnering to broaden to St. Louis area and who will con- immigrants, but trying to develop 2A Opinions and Insights May 24, 2013 Founders of Missouri Conference Hispanic ministry still at work By. Rev. Mark Mildren reach ministry to the Hispanic First UMC West Plains population began in 1993 when I spent last night and this we first noticed how many Spanish morning with Fausto and Alma speaking people were in our town Villagrana here in West Plains, overnight , it seemed. Recognizing trying to help us get a Hispanic they were our new neighbors, ministry up and going. I first met who came from a different part of them when I was the pastor of the world, a different culture and the 1st UMC in Monett, Mo. in who were struggling in Monett 1996. They had been serving the prompted the church to offer our North Carolina Conference when help. Bishop Sherer worked to get them Never having done such a to come to Missouri and begin the ministry, we learned by the seat first Spanish speaking church in of our pants. One thing we did Missouri. know was our need for someone They are such kind and hum- who could speak the language, Fausto Villagrana ble servants, and understand the culture. The who have Villagranas were a God-send. Not They were pioneers in the United truly served only did they win the hearts of Methodist Church in doing the needs of the Mexicans, Guatemalans and Hispanic ministry. As the Latino the Spanish Hondurans, but they won the population in the U.S. continues speaking hearts of the Anglo people of 1st to grow our denomination needs population of UMC. I commend the spirit of 1st to increase its outreach to this Monett and UMC who opened their hearts demographic segment of our in Barry and and their church to these new- national population. It is not easy, Lawrence comers. as we are discovering here in West counties. Those first years were difficult. Plains which has fewer numbers Both of them The first immigrants didn’t stay of Spanish speaking citizens. had been Mark Mildren long, but moved to other jobs that Such a ministry could be criti- professional paid better, or which was a more cal in restoring the health of our Trees tapped for people in Mexico before feeling pleasant kind of work. The result denomination, and to ignore this the call of God to minister to fel- was that it was difficult to build a segment would be shortsighted homemade fundraiser low Mexicans migrating to the congregation when so many were indeed. United States. Two nicer people moving so frequently. I’m sure it Alma and Fausto were my first By Beth DiCocco grown up on a farm in Vermont. would be hard to find anywhere. had to be frustrating to work so Mexican friends, and I hold them High school freshman Caleb “It was something different,” They worked tirelessly to help hard and wonder about the results. in a special place in my heart. Smith tapped into family tradition Rev. Smith said. “There’s not a lot a pretty transient population in But the Villagranas persevered. I Their humility and kindness have and turned it into a fundraiser. of people in Latham making their Monett, most of whom worked know that the number of people been an inspiration to me, and I Smith, 14, and his family pro- own syrup in their yard.” at the local Tyson’s Poultry who came through the church for count myself blessed to have them duced maple syrup, which he sold Caleb and his brothers – Sam, Processing Plant. Their first year short or long stays numbered in as friends. Our United Methodist to raise money for the Conference 12, and Jonathan, 9 – did a lot of they worked seven days a week as the thousands. Today, more immi- Church in Missouri owes them Council on Youth Ministries the sap collecting themselves, Rev. the needs of the Hispanic people grants have found other occupa- our gratitude as well for their (CCYM) Youth Service Fund. Smith said. were great. I remember when they tions, and many are putting down untiring service. Too often true The family made a little over Two gallons of syrup may not returned from a much needed roots and settling into Monett as servants fall under the radar two gallons of syrup total; Caleb seem like a lot, until you consider vacation only to find their entire their new American home. screen in our church. We need to raised $100 with the syrup they that it takes about 40 gallons of yard filled with people waiting for Alma and Fausto have per- recognize such service for what it sold. sap to make a gallon of syrup; the them to return so as to get help severed, and the results reflect is….real ministry in the name of “We had been making syrup family collected about 100 gallons from them. They had little time that.