by Carol Gaston, Virginia Conference
Contestants (as in "How to Be a Millionaire") come on stage with posters in hand.
Emcee walks on stage and asks, "Who wants to be a Mission Today unit?"
Person with " APPLAUSE" sign comes out and encourages group to applaud.
Emcee asks panel if they are ready to play and introduces each one on the panel. She explains that each contestant has three life lines: they can phone a friend, they can ask the audience, or they can double their odds by requesting that two of the four possible answers be eliminated.
Three contestants from different districts are introduced.
Emcee asks the first question to see who will qualify as the first contestant.
Q: Every unit will add (4), (2), (6), or (1) new members to its roll. Contestants pretend to write answers on pads and turn them over. Contestant A answers correctly. Emcee gives the correct answer and Contestant A is selected.
Small talk between Emcee and Contestant A: Is this your first time to an annual meeting? How long have you been involved in mission, etc.
First question for A: 1. One of the criteria for being a Mission Today unit is to use programs from the Program Book. How many program must the unit use each year? (All), (6), (4), (2)
" A " answers correctly.
Emcee asks, "Is that your final answer?" Confident? You 're right! ! !
2. Another criteria asks that some unit members subscribe to Response magazine. How many must subscribe? (All members), (7), (2), (1)
"A" answers incorrectly and Emcee tells the audience the answer is "2"
" A " leaves the hot seat.
Emcee asks another question to see who will qualify as the next contestant:
At each general meeting, the unit will pray for persons in mission. Their names are to be selected from: (1) National Enquirer, (2) New World Outlook, (3) The Prayer Calendar, (4) Program Book.
Again, contestants pretend to write answers on a pad. Emcee gives the correct answer and Contestant B is selected and comes to the hot seat. More small talk between Emcee and "B."
How long have you been a member of United Methodist Women? What offices have you held? Etc.
Question for "B"
For your unit to become a Mission Today unit, you may select a mission project and gather together health kits or school kits, toys, art supplies, things like that. From what resource do you select the mission project? (1) Material Resources for Mission Catalog, (2) Service Center Catalog, (3) Sears Roebuck Catalog, (4) The Book of Discipline. (Ham this up!!)
"B" isn't sure and hems and haws. She asks to use lifeline to take away two of the wrong answers. Emcee says "Alright, we've taken away two answers. The two remaining answers are: (1) Material Resources for Mission Catalog and (2) Service Center Catalog.
"B" says she's never heard of the first one and chooses (2), the Service Center Catalog.
Emcee: Oh, I'm so sorry .The correct answer is the Material Resources for Mission. Emcee shows a copy of the catalog to the audience and encourages them to buy one at the Program Resources room.
Only Contestant "C" is left. But she has to qualify first.
Her question is: To be a Mission Today Unit the unit must do this: (1) Have at least 10 active members, (2) Provide child care at unit meetings, (3) Make and meet its Pledge to Mission, (4) Read through the Bible once each year.
"C" thinks about each one and decides it's #3, Make and meet its Pledge to Mission.
Emcee says, You 're absolutely right!
Small talk between Emcee and "C"
First question for "C": Since social action is an important part of mission, one of the criteria for the Mission Today unit deals with which of these issues: (1) Refusing to use styrofoam cups at UMW meeting, (2) participating in prayer vigils for peace, (3) writing post cards to legislators at each School of Christian Mission, (4) implementing the Charter for Racial Justice Policies.
"C" is unsure. She admits she's not as strong in the area of social action as she should be. She asks to call her mission coordinator for social action (gives that name). Emcee asks the operator to call the person. The phone rings off stage and Emcee tells her that "C" is in the hot seat and needs help with a social action question. "C" repeats the question for her friend and the friend tells her that although the others are good answers, she feels 95% sure that it's (4) implementing the Charter for Racial Justice Policies.
"C" goes with that and the Emcee congratulates her for being right.
Next question for "C" is: If a unit wants to be a Mission Today unit, it will be involved in a mission study.
How many mission studies does the unit or circle need to do each year? (1), (2) or (3).
"C" answers correctly, "1."
Emcee notes that this is the final question for "C" and if she answers correctly, she will win a prize of enormous value.
The question is: At each unit or circle, there will be a "mission minute" and the materials will come from (1) The web page of the General Board of Global Ministries, (2) New World Outlook, or (3) Response magazine.
"C" is concerned. She thinks all of these are good sources for "mission minutes." And she doesn't want to guess wrong because she wants that prize of enormous value. So she goes for a lifeline and asks the audience.
The Emcee asks the audience to raise their hands (since there's no computer pad to punch). Hopefully the great majority will vote for Response magazine.
Finally, "C" answers correctly.
Emcee is ecstatic. The "applaud" sign comes on and the audience cheers. "C" gets her prize of enormous value, a copy of the Prayer Calendar. Emcee points out the criteria for the Mission Today Unit in their packet and urges everyone to be in Mission Today! The End