THE MISSOURI CONFERENCE REVIEW
an edition of the United Methodist Reporter
Leading congregations to lead people to actively follow Jesus Christ
Conferring
Support Sent Forth
Bishop Schnase Foundation helps A complete list of
024000 l Volume 156
Number 8 l June 26, 2009
reflects on Annual churches, clergy. Missouri appoint-
Conference ments. 3A-6A
Two Sections, Section A
. 2A 2A
Hearing
the call
Ordination is the culmina-
tion of years of preparation and
examination required before
someone becomes an ordained
minister in the United Methodist
Church. At the end of the ordi-
nation service, the Missouri
Conference traditionally has an
altar call, in which people who
are present who have experi-
enced a call to ministry come
Brian Hammons, Missouri Conference lay leader, receives
forward.
a sculpture of a church worshipping under a tree from
But how did those who are on
Ezekiel Nhantumbo, Mozambique Initiative representative.
stage, including those leading the
service, experience their call to
Ten years of covenant
ministry? Bishop Robert Schnase
began the service by quoting
partnerships celebrated
psychologist Carl Rogers, “What
is most personal is most uni- By Andrew Ponder Williams first ever Mozambique Mingle,
versal.” Then the three bishops and Cheryl Rowland held to acknowledge the tenth
present proceeded to tell their The first day of Annual anniversary of the Missouri
stories. Conference ended in joyous cel- Conference’s covenant with the
Mozambique Bishop Joaquina ebration. The conference gathered conferences of Mozambique.
Nhanala’s father was Catholic in the convention center for the
See Covenant, pg. 7A
and her mother was Methodist.
She attended both churches, but
preferred the Methodist church
Cleaver: Time to reclaim
because she spoke the language
there, and it had good youth
evangelical image
programs. She became engaged
to someone whom she met in This wasn’t an
youth fellowship. He told her Annual Conference
that he would like to go into Session you wanted to
ministry. leave early. On Monday
“I said, ‘I love you very much, morning, Bishop
but not as a pastor,” she said. She Robert Schnase intro-
had seen the struggles of pas- duced Rev. Emanuel
tors she had known, and didn’t Cleaver II as his new
want that to be part of her home assistant for African
life. She convinced her husband American leadership
that they could be very active, development.
Rev. Emanuel Cleaver II
supportive lay members, and he The position is
didn’t need to become a pastor. part-time. Cleaver will continue Missouri.”
It was ten years and four chil- to serve in the U.S. House of Cleaver read the parable of
dren later that she experienced Representatives, but Monday the five talents, which tells how
a call to ministry, while her hus- morning he was all preacher. the faithful servant put his talents
band was out of the country for “I’m thrilled at the prospect of to use and multiplied the value,
work. ripping and running across the while another servant acted out of
“When he came back, I said, state, dealing with colleagues in fear and hid his talent away.
‘Remember what we talked about ministry who are younger, who “Fear got him in trouble,” he
when you wanted to become a
Philip Dearing from Grace UMC in St. Louis carries the
share my attitude that we will take said. “Fear is the worst use of the
pastor?” she said. “Now I’m not Episcopal banner into ordination service. Following him are a back seat to no other denomi- imagination that God has given
only ready to become a pas- Bishop Joaquina Filipe Nhanala, Bishop Hope Morgan Ward nation,” Cleaver said. “To black us.”
See Ordination, pg. 8A
and Bishop Robert Schnase.
pastors, fasten your seatbelts, Cleaver noted that the servant
we’re going to do many things didn’t do anything wrong, he just
The United Methodist Reporter (USPS 954-500) is published weekly by UMR Communications, 1221 Profi t, Dallas, TX 75247-3919. Periodicals
we haven’t done before, and cre- did nothing. He wasn’t a prodigal,
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See Cleaver, pg. 7A
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