4A “St. Louis as a whole is per-


ceived to be an important mar- ketplace, and we need to be part of this developing and expanding demographic,” Johnson said. “Our denomination speaks to wanting to have younger, more diverse congregations, and Wellspring can be part of that movement.” Johnson grew up in Kansas


City, attending Centennial UMC as a child, and then St. James UMC in his teens. He earned a degree in secondary education from Butler in Indianapolis, with a minor in journalism. He was on the track team in college as a sprinter. Following college he was a fellow with the Governor’s office in Indianapolis, and worked as a fundraiser and in community development. Johnson acknowl- edged his call to ministry in 2000, and started serving as an assistant pastor in First Baptist Church in Indianapolis. He attended Christian Theological Seminary. He then served as pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church, an historic church in Greensboro, North Carolina. Johnson is now excited about what is before him in Missouri. “There’s a lot of growth poten-


tial here,” he said. “We need churches that can attract and maintain African American con- gregants.” The location and building


gives Wellspring a head start as a new church. Bob Farr, Missouri Conference director of the Center fo Congregational Excellence, said Ferguson UMC served as a legacy church in this case. “The congregation that was


there came to terms with the real- ity that they no longer needed a


Missouri Conference News Wellspring continued from page 1A


facility of this scale, they would have difficulty maintaining it, and they were not likely to grow back into their former scale in a neighborhood that had gone through transitions,” Farr said. “They wanted this building to be used to continue to make dis- ciples for Christ, so they opted to close, their members moved on to another United Methodist church in the area, and they gave the building as fertile ground for something new to be planted.” The all brick sanctuary and it’s


two massive educational wings that are now home to Wellspring would cost millions to build if they were new. They’re not new, though. Although the overall condition of the structure is good, some areas of the church are quite dated, and it’s has an old-church musty smell from being shut up for awhile. The temptation is to throw


open the doors and start having church now. But Johnson is trying to make sure he doesn’t launch too early so he can get a strong start. “You only get one chance to be


new,” he said. “It’s like people try- ing a new restaurant, if the food isn’t good, they aren’t coming back.” If getting a big church ready


for a new debut sounds like a daunting task for a pastor without a congregation, at least Johnson isn’t working completely solo. Wellspring will be getting some help from a big friend. Manchester UMC, one of the largest churches in the Missouri Conference, asked Schuermann and Bob Farr how they could be of help in their area. The church has decided to enter


April 1, 2011


Rev. Willis Johnson stands on the front steps of Wellspring.


a missional partnership with the new church start. “We’ve made a covenant to use


some of our resources to help get this church up and running,” said Rev. Greg Weeks. “We see this as part of our emphasis to make a difference for Christ.” Rev. Beth Elders, an ordained


deacon, is director of mission and outreach for Manchester UMC. She has been coordinat- ing the support. Wellspring is one of five core local ministries that Manchester UMC has chosen to support in order to get the congre- gation more involved in mission in a hands-on way. She meets with Johnson once a week to work on ways Manchester can be of help. When the church has its Faith In Action Day on May 1, it will be sending a team of 75 people


to Wellspring to do cleaning and painting. Johnson preached with Weeks


at all the worship services at Manchester one Sunday to get to know the congregation. The rela- tionship Manchester has forged with Wellspring was approved by a unanimous vote of the church council. In addition to having a line item in the church’s budget, small groups are also working individu- ally to raise money for Wellspring. “Our youth are hosting a Night


at the Bistro, or a fancy dinner as they call, in which they’ll charge $25 a plate for dinner, and the money will go toward supporting Wellspring,” Elders said. “We’re encouraging all of our ministry areas to find ways to give, both financially and in service.” Johnson hopes to have the


facility in shape by May, and to launch the church in mid to late summer. As for who will be part of that church, Johnson is being deliberate and intentional about trying to find Christ-centered people in the community who are ready to give of themselves to start something new. “I need to reorient the commu-


nity to this place, and brand it in a way that is attractive and acces- sible to them,” he said. This new church start is


being funded by the Missouri Conference Congregational Developement Team. More infor- mation on Wellspring will soon be available on the church’s web- site at www.wellspringchurchstl. org. Johnson can be contacted at fwjohnson@wellspringchurchstl. org.


HealthFlex insurance premiums to stay the same for 2012 A healthy 2010 means no


premium increase for United Methodist clergy and staff on the Healthflex insurance plan in 2012. The insurance premium rate is


determined by looking at the ratio of claims going out compared to insurance premiums coming into the program. In 2010 for all of the United Methodist Conferences on HealthFlex, claims only equaled 97 percent of the premiums paid in, so no raise was necessary for 2012. The Missouri Conference did even better, with claims only equaling 88 percent of the total premiums paid. “When people watch their diet


and exercise, they stay healthier and it keeps claims down, which will hopefully help reduce pre- mium increases,” said Trudy McManus, clergy relations and benefits administrator for the Missouri Conference. Missouri Conference Director


of Financial and Administrative Ministries Kendall Waller agrees that although it is hard to quan- tify, when people take a proactive approach to their health care it has a financial benefit for everyone on the plan. “The HealthMiles walking


program has probably helped, and perhaps even more impor-


tant than that has been the health screenings,” Waller said. “Each time we do the screenings a couple people usually detect a potentially serious condition in the early stages, before it becomes a big problem.” The coverage on the 2012


HealthFlex plan will remain the same for 2012, with the excep- tion of three adjustments to deductibles. The deductible for prescriptions purchased at a retail pharmacy (rather than mail order) will increase from $50 to $100. The deductible for emergency room visits is increasing from $50 to $200, and the deductible


for urgent care visits is increasing from $50 to $100. “This involves the individual


in taking responsibility for these healthcare decisions,” Waller said. “When someone is isolated from the cost of care, that person may choose to go to an emergency room for convenience when it is not necessary, and those expensive cost are passed on to everyone else in the plan. On the other hand, we do want to be sure that everyone is comfortable seeking the emer- gency care that they need, and do not hesitate when it is important to get medical assistance right away.


HealthFlex offers 24-hour help-


line for people to call to assist them with making the determi- nation of whether a visit to the emergency room is necessary. The number is 800-475-7923. The United Methodist General


Board of Pensions and Health Benefits has been closely monitor- ing changes in health care from the federal government to analyze what implications it may have on insurance coverage and premiums, but most of this is yet to be deter- mined.


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  |  Page 16