For daily reports, photos and complete information from the 2013 Louisiana Annual Conference in Shreveport, visit the conference website and Facebook www.la-umc.org VOL. 14, NO. 7 BATON ROUGE, LA JUNE 7, 2013 2013 Louisiana Annual Conference Youth Strategist / 2 Mission ‘u’ / 2 The choir from Newman UMC in Alexandria provides music for the Memorial and Communion service held June 2 in the Gold Dome on Centenary’s Campus during the 2013 Annual Conference. Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey delivers her first Episcopal Address, right. Rev. Larry Get the App! / 5 Stafford preaches during Sunday night’s Memorial Service. 7 B 5 0 2 a t 8 7 o 0 N n 2 o - R 5 r ‘Blessings in the Wilderness’ is 2013 Conference theme o t 7 h u 0 g 0 B e l v More than 1,000 United Methodists ing of Annual Conference. ascribing to the five core values of , d L A . from around the state gathered at A total of $485,034 was pledged by Integrity, Accountability, Unrelenting Centenary College in Shreveport June 2-5 local churches, each turning in a financial Love for All People, Courage and Risk, for the 2013 Louisiana Annual and ministry commitment form for the and Holding Nothing Sacred But the Conference. “Bless the Children” initiative during Mission will assist the conference in “liv - Worship services and teaching ses - Monday night’s worship service. ing into its vision for a preferred future.” sions throughout the event were centered Commitments of money and service for The full address is posted online at on the conference theme, “Blessings in ministry impacting children were selected www.la-umc.org the Wilderness.” Exodus 34:10 served as by each local church. These pledges will Our continued concern for the elimi - this year’s inspirational scripture for the be expended either within their own com - nation of global diseases was woven theme. munities, or in a larger mission field, dur - throughout the conference, particularly as Guest teaching sessions were led by ing the 2013-2014 year. delegates celebrated the March 2 P U N E R . Bishop Gregory Palmer, Episcopal leader Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey deliv - Louisiana Skeeter Run, when more than O S P R O B . N M of the West Ohio Area of The United ered her Episcopal Address on Monday 2,500 volunteers, walkers and runners P A U A - O I T G P T Methodist Church. Bishop Palmer spoke morning, focusing on newly adopted participated in 10 runs throughout the O S I R E # D T O , N in the Gold Dome on June 3 during Core Values for the Louisiana Annual A L 5 F A G 7 evening worship and on Tuesday morn - Conference. Bishop Harvey said that I See Conference , page 4 T 5 E 2 Louisiana Conference Now! JUNE 7, 2013 Mission, Vision and Core Values of the Louisiana Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church Editor’s Note: The following information was introduced and discussed by Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey during her Episcopal Address, delivered the morning of June 3 during the 2013 Louisiana Annual Conference in Shreveport. MISSION The mission of the Louisiana Annual Conference is to make dis - ciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Conference seeks Youth Ministry Strategist VISION/PREFERRED FUTURE The Louisiana Annual Conference of on the conference website and may be Compelled by Christ’s love, we the people, lay and clergy lead - The United Methodist Church is seeking a linked to at http://www.la- ers of the Louisiana Annual Conference of The United Youth Ministry Strategist to serve as part of umc.org/news/detail/1040 the conference team. A detailed job The deadline for the submission of the Methodist Church are : description and a job application are posted application is no later than July 17, 2013. • Leading others into abundant life in Christ. • Engaging with our surrounding communities locally and globally in significant ways. 2013 “Mission u” slated July 17-20 • Learning, living and telling the gospel story to the Mission u: Learning Together for the leadership. The following study leaders nations. Transformation of the World , slated for have been lined up for this 2013 school: July 17-20 at The Wesley Center in Spiritual Growth: The Call: Living • Reaching out and drawing in people from all walks of Woodworth, is an opportunity to study cur - Sacramentally, Walking Justly life resulting in vibrant, alive and vital congregations. rent issues impacting society and to grow Rev. Francey Hooton, Academy for in understanding of Spiritual Leadership CORE VALUES the mission of the and pastor of Eros church in the current UMC and Rev. Tracy In order to live into our vision for our preferred future, we will world context. MacKenzie, pastor of live and lead with: Studies give particu - Horseshoe Drive lar attention to the UMC, Alexandria responsibilities of Geographic INTEGRITY women in the fulfill - Study: The Roma of • We will describe honestly what we see with grace and ment of mission Europe compassion. work of the church. Miok Fowler, Each “Mission u” Ed.D., Denver, • We will be guided and directed by missional purposes. event offers classes Colorado; Rev. • We will be forthright and transparent in all that we do. on topics covering Bernie Johnson, dea - three areas. All adult con, Baton Rouge; attendees participate Dr. Jack O’Dell, pas - ACCOUNTABILITY in the Spiritual tor of St. Luke • We will measure our actions and decisions by their Growth study and Simpson UMC in connection to our mission. then choose either Lake Charles; and • We will be accountable to each other for this connec - the Geographic or Rev. Inez Williams, Issue study. Each deacon, New Orleans tion to purpose. study is scheduled Issue Study: Poverty for a minimum of Rev. Willie UNRELENTING LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE eight hours of class Berman, GBGM time; a secretary takes roll at each session. missionary in Mexico • We will place the needs and interests of people before “Mission u” events are held every sum - For more information on Mission u and the needs and interests of the institution. mer, take place across every United to register go to: • We will prioritize transformative relationships over Methodist conference, and are organized http://www.la-umc.org/pages/detail/1728 by conference United Methodist Women sustaining buildings and budgets. COURAGE AND RISK Louisiana Conference Now! • We believe that new times call for new actions. • We are willing to trust ourselves and each other, and Cynthia Fierro Harvey Resident Bishop Don Cottrill Provost risk acting in new and courageous ways in order to Betty Backstrom Editor transform a dying institution into a vibrant movement of Louisiana Conference NOW! is the newspaper of the Louisiana Annual Conference of The faith and action. United Methodist Church and is published twice a month. Subscriptions are $20 for one year, $30 for two years. (Please make checks payable to Louisiana Annual Conference.) HOLDING NOTHING SACRED BUT THE MISSION Send subscriptions, news and information to: • We will be open to the creative movement of God’s Editor spirit, not institutional priorities, in order to serve the 527 North Boulevard Baton Rouge, LA 70802 mission. E-mail: [email protected] (888) 239-5286 ext. 227 JUNE 7, 2013 Louisiana Conference Now! 3 Five ordained 2013 Daughenbaugh - Matheny scholars honored and six commissioned Tuesday night A Commissioning and Ordination Service was held Tuesday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Shreveport. Robert Green Tamara Johnson Alexandra Hornsby Nicole Sanders Abigail Dillard Three persons were ordained elders in full connection with the conference. They are Betsy Bingham Eaves, John Raymond Kavanaugh, Jr. and Jared Roland Williams. Steve Norman London and Christopher Hartley McLain were ordained deacon in full connection with the conference. Colleen Allison Bookter, Albert Warren Clifton, Joy Lynn Comeaux, Bertrand Griffin II and Marissa Sue Teauseau were commissioned as provisional elders. Emily Elin Bankston was commis - sioned as a provisional deacon. Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey served as Micolette Jackson Victor James Robert Paige Pritchett Katelyn Briscoe Logan Settoon preacher for the service, using the sermon title “Choosing the Higher Road.” Immediately following the service, a reception for ordinands, those commis - sioned and retirees was held in Bain Hall at First UMC, Shreveport. Local pastors and lay ministers recognized June 4 Robin Chailland Jordan Johnson Amanda Price Cameron Brandao Alissa Brown The recognition of Local Pastors, those completing the License to Preach School and those receiving lay ministry certifica - tion was held June 4 in the Gold Dome during the afternoon session of conference. Ten people were recognized for com - pleting the License to Preach School. They are Charles Emerson Balthrop, Charlotte Ann Birdwell, Anthony John Bouligney, Joshua Roy Elder*, Samual J. Hubbard II*, Doris (Deanne) Hargis Johnson, Cynthia D. Kaupp, Roseanne Osborne, Janis Karen Seifert* and Sandra Nathaniel Dauphin Calvin Davis Ryan Elledge Benjamin Green Kaitlyn Squires Ann Williams. Those receiving their first Shreveport appointment are designated with an aster - isk (*). Linard Craig Davis, Anna Kate Rawls, Rachel H. McConnell Switzer and Stephen Michael Zuber completed the License to Preach School in previous years and received their first appointment this year. Edward Lee Cooper was appointed as a local pastor this past year ad-interim. Recognized as local pastor having com - pleted the Course of Study School is Richard Paul Varner. Recognized as certified lay ministers Emma Viskozki Abbie Woods Kristen Young are Charles Emerson Balthrop and Randall Wade Dailey. The recipients are listed below by the Settoon, Robin Chailland, Amanda Price, Dillard school each is attending: Cameron Brandao, Alissa Brown, Robert Green, Tamara Johnson, Centenary Nathaniel Daauphin, Calvin Davis, Ryan Micolette Jackson and Jordan Johnson.