$2 October 2010 Season of Kingdomtide Campus funds frozen Prayer shawls at Ministers ‘shocked’ Ashland UMC Page 11 as program money slashed effective immediately By Jessica Connor A surprise fund freeze is sending S.C. campus ministers scurrying for new ways to support their programs New compass for this fall. Camps & Retreat On Aug. 28, the Conference Board Page 3 of Higher Education and Campus Ministry voted to stop funding cam - RAPTUROUS REVERENCE – Praise singers Angelita Honeycutt, left, and Alison Miller, pus ministry programs for the remain - of Solid Rock Ministries, lift their voices to the Lord during Wednesday night worship at der of 2010. the Bishop’s School of Ministry, held at Springmaid Beach Sept. 7-9. With arms raised and hands clapping, the crowd of about 200 pastors and their spouses gathered for wor - While the conference will continue ship led by the Rev. Susan Leonard-Ray. For more on the School of Ministry, see pages to pay compensation for the pastors 12-13. (Photo by Jessica Connor) See “Campus Funds,” Page 24 New structure takes first steps By Jessica Connor summer, held their initial meeting Sept. meets the standards of the Book of 21 to begin “putting flesh on the bones of Discipline and judicial rulings. It will Bethlehem Center A new structure for Connectional the new structure,” said the Rev. Willie also review standing rules and bring to celebrates Ministries now heads to the next stage, Teague, director of Connectional the 2011 Annual Conference a list of 80 years of service with progress on two fronts. Page 2 Ministries for the S.C. Conference. those rules that need to be amended. First, members of the new Committee The transition team will work through - Teague hopes the team will have its on Transition, who were appointed in late out the fall to ensure the new structure See “Structure,” Page 17 Lowcountry church World Communion Sunday, Oct. 3 greets Hispanic influx with new ministry By Jessica Connor Ebony Randolph NORTH CHARLESTON – As the Hispanic popula - (left) and Michaela Jones tion surges in the Lowcountry, onr United Methodist perform a praise church is opening its arms. dance during Midland Park UMC is giving space to a Hispanic opening worship nonprofit, Nuevos Caminos (translation: new way), at the Summit on which is a mission of hope promoting self-sufficiency, the Black Church, held in Columbia success of the family and shared community solutions Sept. 23-25. For through outreach, education and advocacy. more photos, see Midland Park is also letting a Hispanic non-denomi - page 14. (Photo national church offer a bilingual service there. by Jessica Connor) See “Lowcountry,” Page 17 4 Opinion 18 Calendar 19 Obituaries 22 District News Issue Index: 5-7 Commentary 18 Classifieds 21 Resource Center 23 IBS Lessons Page 2, October 2010 The South Carolina United Methodist Advocate 80 years of refuge Spartanburg’s Bethlehem Center struggles to survive while helping neighbors By Jessica Connor Bill Steller, Bethlehem board mem - ber who has volunteered there for SPARTANBURG – Like a fortress of close to 20 years, called the center a refuge, the Bethlehem Center has beacon of light in the darkness: “It’s stood sentry in a poor, troubled com - always there: a safe place for children munity in southwest Spartanburg. to be. It’s a Christian organization, and Graceful shade trees embrace the it is desperately needed.” sturdy concrete building that has wel - Owens said the center also distrib - comed children and adults for 80 years utes loaves, donated by Panera Bread, – struggling souls who consider the to the community each week. center a sanctuary amid the poverty, “For some, that might be the only drugs and crime that run rampant. bread that gets them through a week or “It’s the hardest job I’ve ever had,” until the next paycheck,” Owens said. said Paula Wiggs, Bethlehem execu - “If that community did not have that tive director for the past 12 years. opportunity within walking distance, Pointing toward her office window, it’d be a sad situation.” Wiggs explains the neighborhood sur - The center takes pride in people it rounding the center: a median income has helped – like “Lewis,” a good- of $10,375 as of the last census, mostly natured young man who Wiggs said renters, drug and alcohol addiction, often “teetered on the edge” with a shootings, domestic violence. Some Many area children rely on the Bethlehem Center’s after-school program. rough crowd, but who stood out as residents are working a minimum someone who might prevail. The cen - wage job but have four or five kids to ter wouldn’t let Lewis slip through the support. Some have never worked – cracks: they gave him school supplies they smoke crack and support them - and encouraged him. He ultimately selves with welfare and disability went to Job Corps; now he’s on the checks or deal drugs. path to success. They come to the Bethlehem Center It’s helped people like “Mr. H,” an seeking many things, but mostly a safe “I’m like a poor alcoholic who had high blood pressure. mama who jug - place for children and adults to spend gles things to He wouldn’t take his blood pressure time and improve their lives. keep the lights pills because he couldn’t drink while Since 1930, the Bethlehem Center on,” says on them, so he would often wind up in has existed to improve conditions in Paula Wiggs, the emergency room, Wiggs said. The the community and meet the needs of Bethlehem center’s administrative assistant executive community members. It offers Bible director. befriended him and took him to Wal- study, line dancing, sewing and crafts, Mart to refill his prescriptions. Mr. H an after-school program, a summer or a soda.” responded to the extra care, and now camp and two thrift stores. There is a Sue Owens, UMW liaison to the he’s achieving, bit-by-bit. He recently food pantry every four months, and center, hopes UMW members will got his own apartment. Narcotics Anonymous groups and give an additional dollar that month. “We chew him out when he’s not medical technician classes use the She hopes all United Methodists will OK, and we tell him he looks OK space for outreach and assistance. “step up to the plate” and help. when he does,” Wiggs said. “There’s nothing else in the commu - “Since so few of us are willing to The youth, who Wiggs calls “my nity except the drug dealers waiting push up our sleeves and step into the kids,” are especially important to them. outside,” Wiggs said. “We’re like the trenches ourselves, we need to support Staff work hard to teach them school is safe haven.” those who do work in the missions, important, and to help them build char - But instead of thriving at 80 years such as at the Bethlehem Center, and acter and learn to get along. For many, The poverty-stricken community relies are the hands and feet,” Owens said. old, they are struggling. Budget on the center’s food pantry. the quickest way to resolve a problem expenses are about $26,000 a month, “Without increasing support, I don’t is to hit, so Bethlehem staffers teach and that’s if the air conditioning which made about $12,000 at the know (how the center will survive).” that there is another way to get along. doesn’t go out or another emergency United Methodist Women Quadrennial Meanwhile, Wiggs and the rest of Wiggs remembers a young boy this doesn’t arise. The week the Advocate in St. Louis this spring. (Pin sales the Bethlehem team are doing all they summer whose toe was sticking out an visited, the center had to close to get made the center debt-free.) can to get by while serving their com - inch beyond his sneakers. They got caught up on bills. They are an The center raised $3,000 from a no- munity. Closing is not an option – not him shoes the next day. Advance Special Ministry, so they get show barbecue this summer, and this with all these people around them who The Bethlehem Center logo symbol - some funds from the S.C. United fall, they’ll get help from some events: are suffering and who need help. izes rays of hope: everlasting, vibrant, Methodist Conference, along with pri - the Oct. 8 Auction for a Cause at They know they make a difference. what the center really could be with vate donations, General Board money Spartanburg Auditorium, Nov. 12-13 Sundra Rice, who today is a proper funding. And that’s what Wiggs and grants. But it’s tough. Holiday Marketplace at St. Paul UMC, Bethlehem Center board member, and the rest of the Bethlehem team are “We’re like a rubber band about to and Dec. 7-10 Designs By Lucinda pin grew up relying on the center. hoping to achieve. snap,” Wiggs said. “I’m like a poor sale at the Bethlehem Center from 10 “I was raised at the Bethlehem “We’ll get past this, but coupled mama who juggles things to keep the a.m. to 6 p.m. They are also planning a Center – every day after school I’d go with the economy, it’s a struggle,” lights on. It’s been 80 years, but it’s dinner at the Marriott May 20, 2011. there,” Rice said. “My mother was a Wiggs said. “But we’ll get past this.” been 80 years of struggle. We’re just Still, it’s not enough. Wiggs hopes single parent who worked a lot.