Task force
sends proposal to board
The Florida Conference is asking the General Board of Global Ministries
to fund $2.5 million of a total $3.7 million ministry program to reach people in urban and
urban-like areas in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa. If the board accepts the
conference's proposal, churches in the four cities will begin implementing the plan next
June. Full Story
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Something Old,
Something New
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Photo by Michel D’Annecy |
LEESBURG — The labyrinth is an
ancient prayer tool used by Christians as early as A.D. 350. A new one being built at the
conference’s Life Enrichment (LEC) Center in Leesburg will allow people to use this
tool
well into the 21st Century.
It will be located to the southwest of the main office building
and, when completed, will include a granite entrance, fountain and landscaped garden.
The labyrinth will be the centerpiece of the conference’s
“Festival of Light” New Year’s Eve Celebration Dec. 31. Florida United
Methodists will dedicate the 120-foot round, granite and brick structure and surround it
at midnight to ring in the new millennium.
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The Urban Anglo church comes
back
 The Rev. Thomas "Jack" Jackson, associate pastor at First United
Methodist Church, Orlando, recently completed a one-year study of successful church
starts. The study was funded by a grant from the Louisville Institute's Study Grants for
Religious Leaders Program.
Jackson observed that over the past several years, mainline
denominations have focused on starting new, culturally-diverse congregations, while older,
Anglo congregations have continued to age and lose their energy. That trend, he said, is
now reversing as churches find new ways of reaching young, unchurched Anglos. Full Story
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Board begins search for lay
leader
A new Florida Annual Conference lay leader will be elected at the Dare
to Share Jesus 2000 Florida Annual Conference Event, May 30-June 2 in Lakeland. The Board
of Lay ministry is now accepting names of those who want to be considered for that office.
Full Story
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Story Time At The
Pumpkin Patch
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Photo courtesy of Gary
Shepard, youth pastor at Mariner United Methodist Church |
SPRING HILL — Grandma Pumpkin, Scarecrow and
Miss Pumpkin entertain children from a local day-care center during a Pumpkin Patch held
by “The Rock” youth ministry at Mariner United Methodist Church here.
The youth took in $14,012 during the month-long pumpkin sale and
earned $4,600. They also reached out to children in schools and day-care centers
throughout the community with stories and games led by the three costumed volunteers. The
trio took their program and a load of pumpkins one day to a class of disabled children who
were unable to travel to the Patch.
The youth gave 10 percent of their profits to the church to help
buy a new bus, and the rest will help fund mission trips, a drama team, a signing choir
and a new puppet ministry. |
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