If you would like to see photographs and artwork that go with each story, click on the link.
The Local Church in Mission
The July-August 1998 issue of New World Outlook presents articles about a variety of local churches in mission--in the United States and throughout the world. New church starts that develop out of intentional mission priorities, churches that experience revival through programs like the Holy Boldness Urban Plan or the Community of Shalom initiative, local churches that suddenly grow and become vital by turning to the needs of the people in their surrounding neighborhoods--these are the stories we tell in the July-August issue.
Holy Boldness Sweeps the Nation
Exsousia--the first new United Methodist church to open in downtown Detroit, Michigan, in over 30 years--celebrated its first worship service in its new church building on Easter Sunday earlier this year. The Rev. Bernardine Wormley-Daniels explains how small "Life Groups" meeting together in prayer and study grew into a new church. Exsousia is part of the Detroit Conference's Holy Boldness planning. On the West Coast, the Portland United Methodist Association for Metro Ministries (PUMA) in Oregon is shaping up a Holy Boldness plan to energize the 45 congregations in the Portland-Vancouver area.
Together in Mission......Two Stories
Elliott Wright brings us two stories about hope and renewal. "Keeping Partnership Flexible: A Story of Shalom in Eau Claire" tells about the Community of Shalom in the Eau Claire section of Columbia, South Carolina. Two United Methodist congregations--Francis Burns and College Place--join with a Presbyterian church and two Baptist churches to build community. "From 'Sheep Stealing' to Joint Construction: The Story of Philadelphia's Nueva Esperanza," is the second article. It tells about how local churches got together to form a development corporation that demonstrates how churches can strengthen the political, social, economic, medical, and spiritual fabric of a community.
Seeking a Magic Formula for Church Growth? Read on....
The General Board of Global Ministries has a research office that can help local churches investigate the demographics of their own neighborhoods. You'll be surprised by the kinds of information the research office can get for your church. You can see some of the graphics and results by visiting the Research Office's homepage (http://gbgm-umc.org/research/). Or--you can see Doug Johnson's article in New World Outlook.
If you haven't seen ourNew World Outlook webpage, you'll get a chance to view its likeness on the printed page. We're producing a centerfold poster as a guide to our website to let readers know what they will find if they visit http://gbgm-umc.org/nwo/.
Winds of Change Bring Native American Church Full Circle
Patricia Schug from the Pacific-Northwest Conference writes about the Wilbur Memorial United Methodist Church in White Swan, Washington. The church, which stands on the Yakama Indian Reservation, has finally found its mission in serving the Native American population--the people it was founded to serve in 1937.
The Church Health Center of Memphis, Tennessee
One local church can do a lot on its own, but it can do even more when it partners with other churches in the area. George Wilson tells the story of the Church Health Center--from its humble beginnings as a project of St. John's United Methodist Church and of Dr. G. Scott Morris to the multimillion dollar operation it is today, providing affordable health care, dentistry, optometry, pastoral counseling, and health education to those who need these services in Memphis.
Five Methodist and United Methodist churches operating missions in Cambodia have joined their efforts to work toward one Methodist church in Cambodia. Ron Tompkins writes about the new Cambodia initiative and tells how United Methodists have gotten involved in the growing mission. Recent photos from the local pastors' training school--a joint effort of the five missions--show how much can be done when churches from all over the world converge in mission.
A new international organization has taken root in Bedford, Virginia. Roy A. Buchanan, former co-director of the Society of St. Andrew (sponsor of the Potato Project), has founded a new organization that provides direct food relief internationally to those in greatest need. Stop Hunger Now! Has already sent shipments of food to North Korea, Haiti, Armenia, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Sierra Leone.
Looking for Mission Stories to share with your congregation? Now you can copy them right out
of New World Outlook. We've made the bulletin form for you. Just copy the two pages, front and
back, fold your copy in half, and you've got a bulletin insert with four stories of mission from the
United States and around the world, compliments of New World Outlook and the General Board
of Global Ministries.
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Send comments and questions to nwo@gbgm-umc.org. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs are copyright © The General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church and courtesy, New World Outlook magazine.
