an edition of the United Methodist Reporter THE MISSOURI CONFERENCE REVIEW


Leading congregations to lead people to actively follow Jesus Christ Status


God’s presence


Bishop discusses God in the midst of disaster. 2A


What can you post to get people talking? 3A


Giving


Auction provides water filters for Haiti. 6A


024000 l Volume 157 Number 48 l


April 1, 2011 Two Sections, Section A


Rev. Willis Johnson is shown here in the sanctuary of Wellspring in St. Louis.


Rev. Daniel Taylor is starting a church in St. Louis at a location that is to be determined later. Photo by Rachel Beise.


Church with


young-family focus in pioneer stage


The average age of the typi-


cal United Methodist congrega- tion is 57. The average age at Elevation United Methodist Church is 16. Then again,


the five people involved in the church at this point are all in the same family. Daniel Taylor is planting the new church in southwest St. Louis. He brings with him his wife, Gretchen, and three children, ranging in age from 2 months


to seven years old. It’s good that Taylor has that family, because he doesn’t have much else. “This is a pio-


neer plant – no building, no land, no people,” said Taylor. Taylor was


ordained elder at Annual Conference last year. He graduated from


Oklahoma City University with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and he holds a Masters of


See Elevation, pg. 5A


Pastor begins work on new beginning for church


Willis Johnson is senior pastor


of a large church. Wellspring is right on the corner of busy, active business district in downtown Ferguson. The all brick church looks very nice up on the hill, and has a footprint (about 60,000 square feet) that makes it as large


as some schools. Now all he needs are some members. Wellspring is a new church


start, and its home is the for- mer Ferguson United Methodist Church. Gateway Central District Superintendent Kurt Schuermann is excited about the future of Wellspring. “There’s a lot


of redevelopment in Ferguson, and Wellspring is well positioned


up on a hill on a busy street with new business opening on it,” Schuermann said. “We have a real passion for seeing a new church start in this part of the city.” According to MissionInsite, the


service the Missouri Conference uses for demographic data, 94,000 people live within three miles of Wellspring UMC. Of that popula- tion, 69 percent of the people are African American and 28 percent are white.


See Wellspring, pg. 4A


Call to Action to be discussed online The Bishops of the United


The Call to Action Steering


Methodist Church would like to have a talk, with everyone who is interested, about the Call to Action Report. This is going to happen on April 6, both online and in-person at locations all over the world.


The United Methodist Reporter (USPS 954-500) is published weekly by UMR Communications, 1221 Profi t, Dallas, TX 75247-3919. Periodicals Postage Paid at Dallas. Postmaster: Send address changes to The United Methodist Reporter, PO Box 660275, Dallas, TX 75266-0275.


Team was created by the Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table to guide the United Methodist response to the mission of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world; and to focus minis- try efforts around global health, ministry with the poor, growing congregations and developing


leaders. In Fall 2010, the team delivered a plan that will lead to the reordering of the life of the church. The task at hand now is to make the plan a catalyst of real change, rather than just a status report.


On Wednesday, April 6, the


Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table will sponsor a


See Call to Action, pg. 3A


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