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January 6, 2012


Arkansas Conference selected for pilot program on improving health, well-being


T e Center for Health (CFH), a


dedicated team at the General Board of Pension and Health Benefi ts of T e United Methodist Church, has begun collaborating with the Arkansas Conference on a pilot program to improve the health and well-being of clergy and lay workers and their families. T e CFH seeks to improve


multiple dimensions of health and well-being—physical, emotional, spiritual, social and fi nancial. T e Arkansas Conference, along with the Mississippi Conference and the Pacifi c Northwest Conference, will serve as pioneers for this new program. “We have met with Center for


Health representatives for an orientation to the process,” said


Mona Williams, benefi ts offi cer for the Arkansas Conference. “We hope that as our own clergy and lay workers continue to learn what works best for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, our results will benefi t other conferences that enter the program behind us.” A Population Health


Consultation in collaboration with the participating conference is the fi rst step in developing a custom, multi-year strategic plan for prioritizing health and wellness in the annual conference. Arkansas Conference leaders have begun working with CFH staff , which includes health and wellness experts. T e next steps will include


fi nding a way to incorporate clergy and lay health and well-being as part


of the conference structure, including designating a leader for wellness in the conference—an Arkansas Wellness Navigator—and district Wellness Ambassadors. Navigators and Ambassadors


will help promote wellness resources and programs that support individual clergy and laity in taking advantage of wellness off erings. T ey also will report to the conference and CFH on engagement and progress toward wellness goals of local clergy and laity. T e CFH plans to connect the Navigators across the denomination so conferences can work together and learn from each others’ wellness successes. A program already introduced


by the Holy Healthy UMC team of the Arkansas Conference will stay in


place as part of the CFH initiative: Clergy and lay workers on the Conference health plan will remain eligible for the HealthMiles physical activity program. HealthMiles participants wear pedometers and upload their activity to a website, earning rewards for being physically active. “We invited Arkansas to join the


pilot following Bishop Crutchfi eld’s participation in an interview with the CFH discussing what health improvement eff orts would help the conference and what the CFH plans to off er conferences in the future,” said Kelly Wittich, the CFH’s health and wellness program manager. “Additionally, because Arkansas


was moving toward implementing a new ministry strategy initiative—


TRANSFORMING THE WORLD


Dierks kids surpass goal of Advent service project, topping $800 T e Dierks UMC children’s Sunday school class took on a service project for the Advent season: raising $500 to


purchase toys for patients at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. “T is was a decision made only by the children, not the adults,” said the Rev. Robert Lyons, the church’s pastor, who


noted that the kids surpassed their goal by far, raising $816. Pictured, from leſt : teacher Malinda Noel, Delaney Eckert, Chloe Billings, Macy Eckert and Aubree Abernathy. Front:


John Patrick Cothren.


Cornerstone’s Glorious Giving Market raises more than $8,500 for missions Members and friends of Cornerstone UMC Jonesboro got a head start on Christmas shopping—with a twist—at the


church’s sixth annual Glorious Giving Market on Saturday, Nov. 19. T e special event, which provided opportunities to give out-of-the-ordinary giſt s while supporting a number of missions, raised more than $8,500 to benefi t eight diff erent causes. Each mission had a booth in the multi-purpose building that serves as the Cornerstone sanctuary. Shoppers who


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T e Arkansas Conference Commission on Archives and History is seeking a part-time archivist to work on the Hendrix campus. Applicants should preferably be United Methodist, have a love of history, be knowledgeable of the Arkansas Conference clergy and churches, be user-friendly with computers and basic offi ce equipment, and live in Conway or be willing to commute. Contact chairman Tyler T ompson at tylersq@comcast.net or 501-664-3788.


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Arkansas United Methodist


supported the various missions received cards to send to friends or relatives indicating that in lieu of other Christmas presents, giſt s have been given in their honor to particular missions. “It is a wonderful way to celebrate Christ’s birth in a spirit of love for those we hold dear, while at the same time giving


hope to God’s children who are in need,” says Patricia Harlan, who leads the church’s Glorious Giving Market ministry. Christmas 2011 missions included Heifer International; Crescendo in Santiago, Chile, which is directed by Arkansas missionary the Rev. Shana Harrison; Imagine No Malaria in Africa; One Book Foundation in Bunda, Tanzania, where Arkansans the Rev. Charles and Karen Wiggins are in ministry; the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR); Methodist Family Health; Arkansas Rice Depot; and Angel House Orphanage in Tarime, Tanzania. In addition to the mission booths, a


number of other activities were available, including snacks from a café and goods from a bakery booth. Entertainment included songs presented by Cornerstone children, as well as live guitar music. As shoppers purchased mission giſt s


Children of Cornerstone UMC Jonesboro provided music at the church’s sixth annual Glorious Giving Market.


COURTESY PHOTO www.arumc.org


throughout the day, ornaments were added to a Christmas tree to provide a visual representation of each giſt ’s impact.


Imagine Ministry—the timing for CFH involvement was perfect, since prioritizing and promoting the health of clergy and church leaders has been shown to be an important component of ministry.” Future plans for the CFH


initiative include connecting Parish Nurses and Health Advocates across the UMC to take advantage of these leaders’ giſt s and graces to improve clergy and congregational health; off ering more wellness programs like HealthMiles; continuing the strategic partnership with Arkansas and other conferences for years to come; raising consciousness of clergy health issues among seminary students; and enhancing the CFH’s website content, including the addition of webinars to support healthful practices.


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