Florida United Methodist Review Online

Conference faces potential clergy shortage
   The Florida Conference may soon face a shortage of seminary-trained clergy as the number of young people responding to God's call into the ministry as ordained pastors continues to decrease.
    The Rev. Dr. Keith Ewing, the bishop's administrative assistant, said the Florida Conference had enough clergy to fill its appointments this year, but has had to transfer "five or six persons from other annual conferences" in previous years to fill the appointments.
    If the trend continues, the Florida Conference, like many other conferences and Protestant denominations, may be faced with empty pulpits.   Full Story

Delegates pass budget at annual event
The Rev. Dr. Kevin James, the Rev. Dr. Anne Burkholder, and Carlene Fogle-Miller take a break at annual conference Delegates to the Dare to Share Jesus 2001 Florida Annual Conference Event passed the 2002 conference budget 505-339 in one of the closest votes of the event. Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker called for a hand count to make sure the vote in favor of the amended $17 million budget was accurate.
Delegates amended the recommended budget twice, increasing it each time. Full Story

Church closure helps another thrive
    United Methodists in the Greenwood community of Clearwater are celebrating that the recent closure of Belmont Park United Methodist Church has coincided with the flourishing vitality of another congregation.
    About three years ago, Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation, and Belmont Park United Methodist Church, which is mostly Anglo in worship attendance, agreed to share Belmont's facilities.
    Now the Belmont Park church is closed, but Mt. Zion is thriving in its facility. Full Story

Orlando group helps computerize missions
Volunteer Scott Haselwood rebuilding a used computer

    With an average of about 20 volunteers at any one time and a suite of rooms in a building owned by First United Methodist Church here, the Missionary Computer Fellowship has supplied more than 10,000 new and refurbished computers to missionaries and ministries throughout the world.
    Among the missionaries who have received computers is Tim Sanders, a member of Sandy Hook United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ind. Sanders took 12 refurbished computers with him to Costa Rica to help adults there get jobs and get street kids "interested in tech stuff and…off the streets." Full Story

News at a Glance
    As the Florida Conference reached a settlement with a former district superintendent, it also was named in a lawsuit filed by an Orlando-area woman.
    Conference officials reached a settlement early last May with Dr. John Green, former superintendent of the Sarasota District, regarding his misuse of district and conference funds.
    The lawsuit filed last month alleges sexual misconduct against two former pastors and names five defendants, including the conference.
Full Story

I HAVE NEWS
Submit your stories, story ideas or photos to Florida United Methodist Communications.

Opportunities

Counseling network offers consultation training

Foundation offers low-cost student loans

Audio and video tapes from 2001 Florida Annual Conference available

Back Issues

Search THE REVIEW Archives

REVIEW SUBSCRIPTION FORM

Click Here for REVIEW Subscription forms

Communication
Helps

Get Free Email

Setup Your Own
Local Church
Web Site

Top of this page