| A call from National UMRF for advocacy for keeping positions at the General Board of Discipleship and the General Board of Global Ministries that are designed to strengthen the ministry in small membership churches in the United Methodist Church. |
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To: Town & Country/Small Membership Church Advocates
RE: Call to Action Open Positions at GBOD (Director of Small Church & Shared Ministries) GBGM (Executive Secretary Town & Country Ministries)
From: Rev. Roger Grace, President, United Methodist Rural Fellowship Rev. Ron Williams, Editor of UMRF Bulletin
The GBOD position has been eradicated and is no longer there to be filled, and the GBGM position is held open, but some are doubtful if it will be filled again.
One of the problems is that rural folks do not protest much, and we need to do some of that, a bit loud, and a bit strong. Listed below are sound points which could be used among others items to bring to the attention of the two boards. We would hope you would do two things.
1. Write some letters of concern yourself. Don’t just email - call, send letters on church letterhead.
2. Encourage others to do the same among your own email network.
Here are the items for discussion. Ø Just months after a wonderful celebration of the rural Church at General Conference the General Boards have emptied or left unfilled both of the staff positions regarding the rural church. Ø This means that 25,000 congregations and 2.5+ million members are suddenly left unstaffed (maybe deserted) where there has been capable leadership in the general level for many years back to the days of Campbell and Felker. Ø The General Conference passed Resolution #3397 (Page 494-495 in the Book of Resolutions which is entitled “Accessible and Affordable Leadership Training". The actions of the General Boards seem to be contrary to this resolution. Personally, I am led to wonder how seriously General Agencies take the G.C. resolutions. Ø We have spent 4 years working on the Comprehensive Plan, and now when the implementation tools are complete, the leadership to carry out the implementation will not be there to carry it out, and apparently it is in no one’s portfolio to carry out. Ø To complete that last thought, it seems that rural ministry is in no one's portfolio, and I find it odd that at the time the announcement was made that the positions were empty there was no mention as to who to go to at these General Boards for guidance and resourcing. Ø If there is a real budget crunch, I would suggest teaming the positions into one person serving both boards. Ø If you have people in your conferences on these boards, don’t forget to lobby them. We cannot allow this to be a thing to celebrate grandly and then abandon.
General Board of
Discipleship
Karen Greenwaldt Nashville, TN 37203-0003
Telephone: 615-340-7021
General Board of Global Ministries
Rev. Edward W. Paup, General Secretary – GBGM 212-870-3606
Bishop Bruce Ough – GBGM 32 Wesley Blvd. Worthington, Ohio 43085-3585 614-844-6200
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A New Book of Interest Spaces, Small Places: A Hopeful Future for the Small Membership Church by Bill Kemp. In this book, he offers a very creative approach to small-membership congregations, addressing questions about the future ministry of these churches with a positive assessment. For more information or to purchase call 800-972-0433.or click below http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/description.asp?item_id=228457
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Because of the small membership churches in your Conference, you and/or other Conference leaders might be interested in the newly published Holy Spaces, Small Places: A Hopeful Future for the Small Membership Church by Bill Kemp. In this book, he offers a very creative approach to small-membership congregations, addressing questions about the future ministry of these churches with a positive assessment. For more information or to purchase, go to http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/description.asp?item_id=228457 or call 800-972-0433.
Click here to read the Missouri Conference UMRF By-Laws