June 26, 2009 Missouri Conference News

7A
Covenant continued from page 1A
As a part of the mingle,
participants had a time
Offering Totals
of fellowship revolving Ordination Service: Carolyn Belshe
around a meal and dessert. Orphanage in Mozambique: $4,018
There were also stations
throughout the ballroom Memorial Service: Central
where people could expe- Conference Pension Initiative: $9,510
rience elements of life in
Mozambique. Sunday Morning “Bring it Forward”
Bishop Joaquina Nhanala Offering: Completion of Unfinished
of Mozambique was hon- Churches in Mozambique: $83,386
ored by Bishop Schnase for
her leadership in Mozambique and not have capacity to receive new
was presented with a cherry bowl children. The church still has work
and vase. She was also presented to do,” she said.
with an Episcopal stole to celebrate Bishop Nhanala announced
Mozambique mission volunteers led a song while the offering was being collected.
her election as the first female some new focuses for mission.
Bishop in Africa. “We are now going to build move from our Jerusalem to our this covenant to the next level and enants needed, including student
Bishop Nhanala also presented a house for displaced widows, Samaria or Mozambique—which beyond. covenants.
several gifts to Bishop Schnase, his women sent away by relatives is like the end of the world. An Bishop Schnase stated that Kreamer pointed to the
wife Esther and Conference Lay and chased away from homes as explosion of evangelism is taking it was difficult to explain how windows that look into the ple-
Leader Brian Hammons. widows or women abandoned by place because of the covenant. We the covenant has affected the nary. They contained drawings
In a message of gratitude and husbands,” she said. have seen people leaving what they congregations in Missouri and of churches of that have received
hope, Bishop Nhanala thanked the Ezekiel Nhantumbo was hon- believe and being transformed Mozambique. He looked at $25,000 in donations and can be
conference for the official ten-year ored with a plaque for his new through words, moving from the Brenda Cook, with whom he completed. When La Croix UMC
covenant and for all of the unoffi- home for his work in Mozambique abstract to concrete, seeing faith went to Mozambique four years fully funded the cost of a church
cial connections that existed prior as a messenger throughout the and seeing love.” ago, teaching and leading us at building, the participants in that
to the creation of the covenant. nation and for his leadership in Bishop Nhanala said she has had the Mingle about Mozambique. worship doubled because of the
She described the covenant as the Maputo office. an opportunity while in Missouri This Covenant grabbed her and building. In Mozambique, they
a collaboration in which there are Carol Kreamer was then to see how the covenant has given has taken her to experiences she sing this song while the offering is
not givers or receivers, but that we honored for her leadership in both conferences an opportunity in couldn’t have expected, and she is being given:
are brothers and sisters together. establishing and continuing the practical ways to be one body even just one of many. Naz-mu-ra-nza, Naz-mu-ra-
She said that the covenant has covenant partner relationships though we are many. She has also “This covenant has a way of nza, Naz-mu-ra-nza
brought leadership development between the Missouri Conference seen, in these past ten years, how pulling us out of ourselves, of a-nga-ko-na wa-ku-fa-nha-na
to clergy, has taken churches from and Mozambique, and her 10 years we are a global church. The gifts engaging us in a meaningful direct na-ye (repeat)
gathering under trees to worship- of service to the Mozambique that are brought from Missouri way, and causing us to reflect in An-nga-kona wa-ku-fa-na-nba
ing in buildings, which provides, Initiative. in material ways have allowed her different ways,” he said. “When we Je-su
“...better conditions to worship Youth Delegate Michael to see the relationship move from experience worship differently, it an-nga-ko-na wa-ku-fa-na-na
God.” Sweeney of the Mid-State District people who give and people who causes us to look at our own wor- na-ye (repeat)
She expressed appreciation said: “I did not know that our receive, to a relationship that has ship differently.” Hal-le-lu-jah, hall-le-lu-jah,
for those who have traveled to ministry in Mozambique was so become deeper and more heart People and lives are changed hal-le-lu-jah (raise hands when
Mozambique. “You have been a strong. I have been inspired now to heart, and moving from just because of the covenant. He saying hallelujah)
part of the spreading of the gos- to become involved and I hope to the physical to the spiritual. The appreciates the changes that a-nga-ko-na wa-ku-fa-na-na
pel through coming,” she said. go for myself.” Mingle was very revealing to her, have come, Carol Kreamer led an-ye (Repeat)
She stated that the support of The covenant celebration she met people of three genera- the Mozambique offering; she These words translate to: I wor-
volunteers and financial support- continued on Sunday morn- tions that have been involved in the invited anyone who has been to ship Christ, there is no one who
ers brought hope to the people of ing. Bishop Joaquina Nhanala covenant. This husband, son-in- Mozambique, or is going this year will be like Jesus.
Mozambique through help during came to the podium and told the law, and grandchild who went to or next year to come to the front Kreamer explained that after
floods and droughts. Conference what the covenant Mozambique, gave her a different row to sing in the offering. Last the offering in Mozambique
Bishop Nhanala stated that the means to her. perspective that this covenant will year at Conference, our member- is completed, it is given to the
covenant has many tasks ahead “As I look back over the past 10 not end. There was an agreement ship was challenged to provide treasurer, who with a calcula-
and that God is not done with his year I see what the difference with among the previous bishops to pray insecticide treated nets, to help tor figures out the amount given
plans for Mozambique. the covenant between our two for each other, but this agreement prevent malaria and because before the end of the service and
“We still have diseases, we still conferences has made,” she said. has moved to being involved more of this covenant 15,000 people announces how much was collect-
have poverty. There are still pas- “We need to be the church that fully in the covenant. She believes now are covered with insecticide ed so that they know every week
tors who are not trained. We do God expects us to be, seeing us that our grandchildren will take treated nets. There are still cov- where they stand in their budget.
Cleaver continued from page 1
that blew the money on a party. something and failing. He consid- on a new car, and if you park it Cleaver said people sometimes everything to that goes on in
He still had it, he just hid it away ered others who had done noth- and never touch it, in a year it would come to his church, and church, if he’s not, it’s not a
out of fear of losing it. ing, like the people who passed by won’t start. If I house sits empty, then later tell him they expected church, it’s a club,” Cleaver said.
“I thought the Lord over react- the crime victim on the road to it begins to fall apart. Cleaver him to say something about poli- “Jesus told us the necessary for-
ed,” Cleaver said. “Jesus went too Samaria, or Pontius Pilot. urged those present to do some- tics. He tells them if they want to mula for church growth: If I am
far when he inserted the incendi- “Now, as usual, I must come thing. hear him talk about politics, they lifted up, I’ll bring men, women
ary word ‘wicked’ into the story. into agreement with Jesus. Doing “You can’t fall off the floor,” had better watch C-Span. He and children to me. You’ve got to
He shouldn’t have done that.” nothing is wicked,” Cleaver said. he said. “What wouldn’t you try sometimes goes to other churches, lift him up. He doesn’t belong to
Then he considered how doing If you do nothing after knee if you really believed that God and ends up hoping that someone another denomination. At the turn
nothing is a sin, and Jesus thought surgery, rather than doing physi- would help you? If God will help says something about Jesus before of the century we were known as
doing nothing was ultimately cal therapy, the knee won’t work, you, why aren’t you doing some- the benediction. shouting Methodists. We were the
much worse than trying to do he said. You can spend $70,000 thing.” “Jesus has got to be part of evangelicals.”
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15