an edition of the United Methodist Reporter


November 4, 2011


A Publication of The Arkansas Conference of The United Methodist Church Two Sections, Section A


IN THIS ISSUE Providing the presence of prayer 2A Post-tornado


recovery project needs your help


5A Jurisdiction’s fi rst


Vietnamese church breaks ground


6A


Mitto: new mission experience for youth


9A Hope m


Lay chaplains answer call to care


BY AMY FORBUS Editor


Each September, a new evening


class gathers at Little Rock’s St. James United Methodist Church. T ough not a Bible study, it relies heavily upon biblical teachings. It equips laypersons to be the church by caring for one another. Community of Hope (COH) is a


chaplaincy program designed for laypersons who feel called to become spiritual caregivers. COH chaplains visit people in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes, prisons and other places where people can benefi t from pastoral care. COH traces its origins back to


St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston, Texas. In 1994, aſt er a patient at the hospital realized the impact that spiritual care had on his process of healing, the Rev. Helen Appelberg, then the assistant


Gayle Fiser, right, a Community of Hope lay chaplain and member of Quapaw Quarter UMC Little Rock, visits with Orleen McKuin, a member of First UMC Morrilton who lives in a cottage at Little Rock’s Presbyterian Village retirement center.


PHOTO BY PAUL FISER


director of pastoral care for that hospital, began developing curriculum to teach laypersons how to provide care for each other. But COH’s infl uences go back


further than the 20th century. In addition to the obvious foundation of Christ’s teachings, COH participants are strongly encouraged to follow the Rule of St. Benedict. On Sept. 7, at the fi rst meeting


of the St. James UMC 2011-2012 COH class, each of the 20 participants received a copy of T e


Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century. It provides daily readings from St. Benedict as well as refl ections from author Joan Chittister, a Benedictine herself. “T e intent is to help you be a balanced person,” said Ann Baskette, one of the class leaders. “T e rules that [Benedict]


brings forth can be rules for our daily activities, even today, 1,500 years later,” said Susan Hiller, who introduced participants to the book that will serve as a guide in their


new ministry. COH reached Arkansas in 2000,


and St. James UMC Little Rock in 2003. Since then, more than 100 lay chaplains have received training and continuing education through St. James’ COH ministry. Hiller and Jenny Smith were both part of the fi rst class commissioned at the church, and Baskette was their instructor. Smith, who now serves as


director of congregational care for [See HOPE, page 5A]


Budget approved, updates received at called session


BY AMY FORBUS Editor


HOT SPRINGS—T e Oct. 29 Called Session of the Arkansas Annual


Conference resulted in an approved budget for 2012. Budgetary decisions at the June gathering had been referred to this


special session because the adoption of the Imagine Ministry team’s proposals aff ected the Conference budget. At that time, Bishop Charles Crutchfi eld set the Called Session for Oct. 29 to allow the Council on Finance and Administration (CFA) adequate time to consider the fi nancial implications of Imagine Ministry. Aſt er questions and comments from the fl oor of the Conference, a voice


vote was taken, followed by a show of hands that confi rmed the budget’s approval by a wide margin. T e morning began with worship, including a message from the Rev. Vic


Nixon drawing upon 2 Corinthians 5:6-21, in which Paul encourages the church at Corinth to get on with reinventing themselves. Translated into common vernacular, “Paul’s second letter to the emergent church at Corinth is a ‘git-r-dun’ message,” Nixon said. “I believe that God constantly inspires the church to change,” he said,


adding that we live in a time that calls for bravery and boldness.


Budget T e fi rst action item related to the Conference budget involved a motion


made at Annual Conference in June by the Rev. Bennie Harmon. T e motion, which would have set district superintendent salaries at 120 percent of the average Elder’s salary, had been referred to the Called Session to allow for further study. It failed to pass. T e Rev. Brittany Richardson Watson, a member of the transition team’s


budget task force, presented the 2012 budget, explaining that the most signifi cant changes refl ected the transition from nine districts to fi ve; the elimination of Parish and Community Development grants to allocate those funds to the Network of Discipleship and Mission; and the redirecting of the Connected in Christ budget to fall under the new Center for Clergy and Laity Excellence in Leadership. Many line items for the second half of 2012 remain fl uid because the work


of the transition team continues. Voting members approved a motion by the Rev. Todd-Paul Taulbee to correct the cost of district superintendent insurance


[See SESSION, page 12A]


Volume 158 Issue 27 Hope multiplilied


Eco-Friendly Recycled Paper | Soy Ink


017000


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