Florida United Methodist Review Online

Youth, young adult ministries revamp

The Florida Conference Youth and Young Adult ministry teams have decided to discontinue two key ministry events, while looking for ways to build a new community among the conference’s diverse young adult population.
Mike Standifer, director of the Florida Conference Council on Ministries’ (CCOM) Youth and Young Adult ministries office, said the changes are a result of listening to local churches and praying for a new direction for the conference’s ministry to young people. Full Story

Giving rises despite hard times
      The Florida Conference has given $234,559 more in general church apportionments through three quarters of 2001 than over the same period last year, a larger increase than any other conference in the United States.
      “I think it is something to be proud of,” said Dr. Randy Casey-Rutland, the conference’s treasurer, adding the increased giving is more significant because “the Florida Conference has the largest [general church] apportionment in the connection by a wide margin.” Full Story

Youth experience homelessness

     Experience often shatters stereotypes, and the youth of Oak Crest United Methodist Church here learned that firsthand recently when they tackled the pressing issue of homelessness.
     Todd and Kristen Johnson serve as part-time youth directors at the church, which is located on the west side of Jacksonville in a suburban area near two Navy bases. About 20 to 30 youth are active in the church and are challenged to complete a monthly service project inspired by the slogan “What Would Jesus Do?”   Full Story

Ministry convinces woman story is true
     Tonya Roberts, a lay member at Grace United Methodist Church here, leads a ministry her pastor says accounts for “most of the frontline evangelism” that is happening in the church. It’s called Celebrate Recovery, and Roberts says her leadership is born out of her experience overcoming addiction and a desire to help others realize the truth of Jesus Christ.
     Roberts has been an addict in recovery for 11 years, participating in a number of 12-step programs. For more than half that time, she says she avoided the spiritual aspects of those programs, focusing instead on “secular recovery” because she wanted to avoid anything like the religious experience of her childhood. Full Story

Conference settles lawsuit
     The Florida Conference and a “Jane Doe” from Seminole County, Fla., reached a settlement Oct. 10 in a lawsuit filed June 18 by the unnamed woman.
     The Florida Conference agreed to an undisclosed settlement, according to the Rev. Paul B. Butler, the conference’s legal adviser. The terms of that settlement require that details about the amount remain confidential. Full Story

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