Florida United Methodist Review Online

Bishop teaches, learns during district visits

     Bishop Timothy W. and Melba Whitaker say they have a better connection with the people of the Florida Conference after spending last fall visiting clergy and laity.
     The freshman bishop visited each of the Florida Conference's 14 districts for a series of teaching and learning sessions while Melba met with each district's clergy spouses. The bishop also attended the seven Common Table listening sessions and other meetings with clergy and leadership on the district level. Full Story

New team commits to caring for clergy families

     Melba Whitaker, wife of Florida Conference Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker, knows the life of a clergy spouse is a "difficult and different lifestyle," full of joys and struggles. That is one reason she is spearheading an effort to provide healing ministries to the Florida Conference's clergy and their spouses and families.
     Whitaker is working with a team of Florida Conference lay people, clergy and cabinet members to open a healing house or houses in the Florida Conference. Healing houses are furnished houses where clergy and families could go for a retreat in times of crisis. Full Story

United Methodists lead in peace effort

Approximately 500 people from throughout Central Florida gathered Jan. 6 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel Ballroom in Orlando for the first Interfaith Call to Prayer for Peace and Harmony. Native Americans, Hindus, Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Sikhs, members of the New Thought Movement, Catholics, Protestants and non-denominational Christians prayed to God for peace and harmony and presented music from their religious traditions. Full Story

Pastor encourages laity to change

     The Rev. Dr. John Ed Mathison, pastor of 7,000-member Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church in Montgomery, Ala., told a group of clergy and laity in Lakeland that some things about Christianity don't change and others need to change.
     Jesus, the man, his message and mission never change, Mathison said. The things that need to change are the mindset of lay people, their methodology of doing ministry and the ministries they do.   Full Story

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