Florida Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson is scheduled to receive a third round of chemotherapy in mid April as treatment for multiple myeloma, according to acting Bishop J. Lloyd Knox. Henderson was diagnosed with the cancer of the immune system last February while being treated for kidney failure.

Knox, who has been in close contact with Henderson’s family, said doctors will assess whether the cancer has been beaten or if another round of chemotherapy is needed after the mid-April therapy. Henderson is still receiving dialysis treatments three times a week, but doctors hope his kidneys will resume functioning once the cancer has been successfully treated.

Henderson has been reacting well to his treatments because of his faith and positive attitude, Knox says. “He’s very, very upbeat,” he said. “He feels good about what’s been happening, and so does Dorothye.”

Henderson said he plans to attend the Council of Bishops meeting April 30-May 7 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Florida woman receives national recognition

June Johns, co-chairwoman of the Florida Conference’s Health and Wholeness Task Force, was recognized as the 1999 Annual Conference Unit Leader of the Year by the United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries (UMA) at its Annual Awards Ceremony April 8 in Baltimore. Johns was recognized for her work establishing the Wesley Group Home Ministries, an independent living facility for developmentally disabled adults in Hallendale.

In a March 13 letter to Johns, Dean W. Pulliam, president and CEO of UMA, said, “This honor reflects highly on your professional commitment to and personal leadership in…the development of a working relationship between this ministry and the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.”

The United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries is a national association of United Methodist related ministries and individual professionals concerned about quality health care in a church-related setting.

Cubans elect new bishop

At its annual conference event last March, the Cuban United Methodist Conference elected the Rev. Ricardo Pereira as its new bishop, according to Lakeland District Superintendent Aldo Martin, a native of Cuba who visited the island for the annual conference event. Pereira is replacing Bishop Francisco Gustavo Cruz Diaz, who withdrew from this year’s election for health-related reasons.

At the time of his election, Pereira was pastor of the second largest Methodist congregation in Cuba and district superintendent of Pinar del Rio in the western part of the country, according to Larry Rankin, the Florida Conference Council on Ministries Missions ministry director. The new bishop “has led the church in the great evangelistic and spiritual revival that has taken place in the last decade,” he said.

Florida bishop appeals to state policymakers on social issues

The Florida Conference’s acting bishop, J. Lloyd Knox, recently joined other religious leaders from across the state in urging legislators to enact reform of the state’s title loan industry. Signers of the letter, including leaders from the Evangelical Lutheran, Baptist, Episcopal and Presbyterian churches, said the “exorbitant rates charged by many title loan companies are nothing less than a moral outrage.”

“As people of faith, we cannot allow an industry to exploit with impunity our poorest neighbors,” the letter said.

Knox also wrote a letter to Florida Governor Jeb Bush urging him to “oppose any extensions of legalized gambling.” In the March 22 letter, Knox asked the governor to use his powers to block legislation that would allow video slot machines in pari-mutuel establishments and local options on gambling.

“Our United Methodist denomination and our Florida Annual Conference clearly believe gambling is destructive to our society,” Knox wrote. “We…ask that you continue to use your powers to prevent this extension of gambling in our state.”

Verna Echols, Florida’s coordinator for the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, is urging all Florida United Methodists to write their legislators asking them to vote against House Bill #1453 and Senate Bill #2176, both of which deal with video slot machines. She is also urging people to contact Bush and ask him to veto all gambling expansion bills.

Counselors considered for Counseling Network

Linda A. Johnston, LMHC, Orlando, and James P. Noble, LMHC, Seminole, are being considered for inclusion in the Florida Conference Counseling Network. Anyone with concerns regarding these persons’ skills or character making such action inappropriate should write to the Rev. Leslie M. Avchin, Chair, 2900 John Anderson Drive, Ormond Beach, FL 32776, or Mrs. Jean J. Vanderslice, Coordinator, 6527 Forestwood Drive, W., Lakeland, FL 33811 within 30 days of the publication of this notice.

All counselors are licensed by the state of Florida with the exception of pastoral counselors. The Conference Counseling Network Committee endeavors to find the most highly qualified people for inclusion.