PDF Version - North Texas Conference

December 2014
Metro District
displays art by
Edwin Zarate
Message From The Bishop
Michael McKee
Will you receive
The Metro District Christmas
Celebration will include an exhibit of artwork by the Rev. Edwin
Zarate, pastor at St. Marks, and
his story of discovering faith in
the Philippines, Page 5
God’s gift?
In those days a decree went
out from Caesar Augustus that
all the world should be enrolled. Luke 2:1
The first to hear these words
from the Gospel of Luke knew
what the
world was
like. Immediately, there
was a context
for the story.
While their
view of the
world was
limited, they knew that the Roman emperor was considered a
god, that there was a tax levied
at a particular time and that their
lives were hard. Perhaps some
experienced good news, but
given the difficulties of daily
life and the oppression by the
Romans, the story of the birth of
Jesus was either unbelievable or
welcomed news.
Our view of the world and
the knowledge of what happens daily in distant places is
much vaster than it was for the
first hearers of the Gospel. At
times, one can feel overwhelmed
about the onslaught of news of a
particular crisis here and another
one there. But are there more
crises today, or are we simply
aware of more because of our
access to the news of the day? I
See REMEMBER, Page 8
Vol. 2 No. 7
ALSO INSIDE
Dallas Methodists host the
National Prison Summit on
Incarceration, Page 3
Christ’s Foundry holds a watch
party to closely follow immigration developments, Page 10
Save the date
CLERGY COVENANT DAY
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 22
Stonebridge UMC,
McKinney
You’re invited to the party
Christmas site welcomes blogs, recipes, reflections, more
This year, the North Texas
Conference is inviting Methodists and non-Methodists to join in
the Party 4 a King website. It is
designed as a place where people
can give ideas for celebrating
Christmas, reflect on Christmas’
meaning, share memories or even
tips on relieving the stress of the
season. Please take a look and
contribute to Party4aKing.com.
Here is an entry from Lynn
Parsons, director of the ZIP Code
Connection, on the family card.
well-documented child.
When my first Christmas
rolled around, it was a natural
I grew up as the child of
for Dad to make a Christmas
a professional photographer.
card with my picture. Note that
Al Studebaker was a farmer’s
Mom’s inscription says the photo
son from Slippery Rock,
was taken on December 21, an
Pennsylvania, who discovered
early harbinger of last-minute
photography and never looked
preparations!
back.
The single card of 1947 was
His early courting of my
upgraded in 1948 to a four-fold
mother, Olive, included taking
story board: “Dreamin’ Writin’
pictures of her. After they
and Waitin’ for Santa.” I was a
married, I came along in February star!
1947, and I was an exceptionally See PHOTOGRAPHER’S, Page 9
A PHOTOGRAPHER’S
CHILD AT CHRISTMAS
NTC 2
Russian bishop urges aid to Moscow seminary
By SHERON C. PATTERSON
North Texas Connection Editor
with 375 students attending classes in Moscow and 555 in 11 learning centers across
Bishop Eduard Khegay of the Eurasia
Russia. Moscow Theological Seminary also
Episcopal Area was in North Texas recently offers certificate programs in areas such as
to visit with Bishop Michael McKee and
church-state relations, rehabilitation minisspread the word about the Moscow Theotry, social work, youth ministry and church
logical Seminary.
administration. More than 100 pastors and
The seminary has over 900 students,
lay preachers have been trained there.
“God is doing amazing
things,” said Bishop Khegay,
whose episcopal area covers the
most territory in the denomination.
But the seminary needs more
scholarships and “more indigenous
Russian professors.”
Bishop McKee and Bishop
Khegay were elected to their posts
the same year and have bonded
since then. At 44, Bishop Khegay
is the youngest bishop in United
Methodism. He is married and has
two young daughters.
The Eurasia Episcopal Area
includes Russia, Belarus, Ukraine,
Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan
and Uzbekistan. It has 120
congregations in 12 districts and
five annual conferences. One annual
Bishops Eduard Khegay, left, and Michael McKee conference runs the same distance
bonded after taking their posts the same year.
as from New York to Los Angeles.
“The distance is challenging,” he said.
But, he said, “I am blessed. I am walking
in the steps of John Wesley in uncharted
waters.”
Bishop Khegay’s story of his conversion
to Christianity is quite remarkable.
“I was born and grew up in Alma-Ata,
Kazakhstan, Soviet Union. I was reared in a
typical Russian family, all atheists; we never
discussed religion and were Communists.
I went to college for nuclear missiles
and weaponry. I have a master’s degree
in hydraulic engineering from Bauman
Moscow State Technical University.”
He was on track, noted retired clergy
Bruce Weaver, to become a Russian
submarine commander.
“We studied U.S. weapons,” Bishop
Khegay said. “My school taught us to build
weapons. I grew up with a war against the
U.S. mentality.”
Through the missionary work of United
Methodist Pastor Jonathan Park, Bishop
Khegay became a Christian during his
student years in Moscow.
“At 21 years of age, I felt emptiness,” he
explained. “I wondered, what is the meaning
of life? Then I went to a Korean Methodist
Church’s young people’s retreat. They were
welcoming and friendly. I accepted Christ
LEARN MORE
For information on Moscow Theological Seminary, go to
moscowseminary.ru (click “English” at
the top for translation).
To reach the seminary’s president,
email [email protected]
To donate, go to umcmission.org/
Give-to-Mission/Search-for-Projects/
Projects/12174A.
into my life. God has so much power to
transform our hearts. I realized that I had
been brainwashed. All my stereotypes have
been transformed.”
Bishop Khegay went on to earn a master
of divinity degree from Candler School of
Theology, Emory University in 2001 and
a doctor of ministry degree from Wesley
Seminary in Washington, D.C., in 2010.
“There is still a danger of the Cold War
coming back,” Bishop Khegay warned. “The
church must define how we talk with each
other” because so many people get their
political news from TV.
“We need to get the word out about the
churches and their cooperation in ministry.”
Hello North Texas: Voices of NTC Laity
Aldersgate’s Giving Garden honors veterans
over 5,500 pounds of produce.
Because of the temperate North
Texas climate, the garden is able to
remain in production nearly yearround.
The fenced garden contains
32 4-by-20-foot planting beds,
two blackberry gardens, a produce
washing stand, a composting
area, a native plant bed, a tool
shed, a solar-powered lighted flag
pole, and the brand new Veterans
Memorial Garden and Pergola.
Perhaps the most important
aspect of the garden is its ability
to bring together people of all
Terri Barrett is organizer
and board member of the Giving
Garden. Blanche Farnam is lay
leader of Aldersgate UMC in
Carrollton. They co-wrote this
month’s column.
On Nov. 15, the Giving Garden
of Carrollton dedicated its newly
developed Veterans Memorial
Garden and Pergola to the honor
and memory of veterans.
Five years ago, Pastor Woody
Weilage of Aldersgate UMC gazed
out the sanctuary windows and
relayed a vision for a community
garden on little used church
property. The idea was embraced
by several church members,
who formed a seed committee to
develop the concept.
The committee soon learned
that it shared objectives with Keep
Carrollton Beautiful and merged
its efforts with the nonprofit
group. Community members and
organizations also backed the
cause, and the garden was planned,
built, grew and prospered with
great enthusiasm and expertise.
The organic garden, located
behind Aldersgate UMC at 3926
Old Denton Road in Carrollton,
donates half its harvest to local
food pantries to serve the needs
of those who do not have enough
The new Veterans Memorial Garden and Pergola was dedicated
Nov. 15 in a ceremony at the Giving Garden in Carrollton.
to eat. The garden also promotes
education and recreation, social
interaction, organic gardening
practices, conservation, exercise
and therapy, green space,
intergenerational and cross-cultural
connections, and neighborhood and
community development.
The garden could not have
flourished as it has without the
tireless dedication of its many
volunteers.
Gardeners have overcome the
challenges of funding, frozen water
pipes, the blazing August heat,
the relentless Bermuda grass, and
hungry rabbits and other rodents.
Gardeners and volunteers built
fences, tended beds and pulled
weeds, and shoveled bark mulch
and compost.
The fruits of their labor have
netted over 1,000 pounds per year
of organic produce, which has been
donated to the church’s Food Share
program and Christian Community
Action of Lewisville. Since its
inception, the garden has donated
North Texas Conference
Connection
Communications Team
Sheron C. Patterson, editor
Linda Johnson, associate editor
Duane VanGiesen, assistant
editor
ages and ethnic backgrounds and
from many different organizations,
including high schools, Boy
Scouts, Girl Scouts and
corporations. Volunteers work side
by side toward the common goal of
helping their neighbors.
For more information
about the Giving Garden, visit
givinggardenofcarrollton.org.
Linda Parks, North Texas
Conference lay leader, coordinates
the column. Contact her at
[email protected] or ntclayleader@
ntcumc.org.
972-526-5000 800-9698201
www.northtexasumc.org
Published Monthly
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972-526-5013
[email protected]
The North Texas Conference
of The United Methodist
Church
Submissions to The Connec500 Maplelawn Drive, Plano, tion are welcome. Send conTx 75075
tact name and email or phone
along with ideas to
972-526-5000 or
972-526-5000 800-969-8201
[email protected]
www.northtexasumc.org
NTC 3
BREAKING
THE
PRISON
CHAIN
North Texas and
Hamilton Park host
national summit on
effect on minorities
By SHERON C. PATTERSON
North Texas Connection Editor
According to statistics
presented at the National Prison
Summit on Incarceration last
month in Dallas, more than 60
percent of the people in prison
are racial and ethnic minorities.
That fact and the underlying
causes spurred the search for
solutions at the two-day summit,
hosted by Bishop Michael
McKee and the North Texas
Conference, along with Hamilton
Park UMC in Dallas.
The event focused on
“next-level prison ministry and
building healthy communities,”
and included an ecumenical
display of highly successful
prison ministries, programs
and practices. Strengthening
the Black Church for the 21st
Century, or SBC21, a United
Methodist-related group,
sponsored the event, which
attracted over 250 people from
across the U.S., including
members of United Methodist
general boards and agencies.
Dr. Fred Allen, director
of SBC21, voiced his deep
appreciation to Bishop McKee
and the NTC for hosting the
conference. “Now our task is
to put flesh around the bones
presented here. I pray that
there are actions and words to
make an impact to reverse the
mass incarceration of men and
women of color. This has been
a movement of God. We are
As an attorney, Audrey
Moorehead, left,
with Toska
Medlock
Lee (sister
of Leonard Medlock), has
dealt with
children as
young as 10
in the court
system.
“More people need to know
that school discipline is one way to
send a child into a trajectory that
can end in prison.” Audrey Moorehead
Photos by Sheron C. Patterson
Leonard “Rusty” Medlock, a featured artist at the National Prison Summit, talks with Gilbert Hanke, general
secretary of the General Commission on United Methodist Men. Medlock lost a promising career as a professional athlete to drugs and spent 12 years in prison. Over that time, God worked in him to hone his skills in
painting, leading to a successful career as an artist.
responding to the move of the Holy
Ghost.”
Many of the North Texas United
Methodists who
attended were already
working toward
solutions.
Attorney
Audrey Moorehead
of Community
UMC said she
came “because
I work in the
area of law with
children, and
I want to stop
the prison
pipeline. Let’s
talk about
prevention.
“Attorneys get
involved
in a child’s situation
when it is too late, after the child is
already in the system. I have seen
10-year-olds in the courts,” she said.
“More people need to know that
school discipline is one way to send
a child into a trajectory that can end
in prison.”
Dale Long of Hamilton Park
UMC has been working toward
solutions for 40 years as a mentor
with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Over
that time, he has mentored seven
boys.
“Get kids on the bright side,” he
said. “Get to them before they fall
into crime and negative influences.
We need folk to volunteer.”
communicating with children when
Summit keynoters Joyce
their parents are in prison. Her exAnn Brown and Pastor Renee
Hornbuckle described their personal husband, Bishop Terry Hornbuckle,
was convicted of assault and sent
journeys with the prison system.
to prison. She has stressed open
Brown, founder of
communication with their three
Mothers
children.
(Fathers)
That session resonated with
Against Social
Dr. David Tyson of Hamilton Park
Systems, was
UMC, and he came away with a
convicted and
sentenced to life vital lesson. Dr. Tyson’s former sonin prison in 1980 in-law went to prison years after a
divorce from his daughter.
for the robbery
“There was an impact on their
and murder of a
children,” he said. “I heard Dr.
Dallas fur store
Hornbuckle say that communication
owner. After nine
with the children about what is
years, five months
going on is vital.”
and 24 days, she
was freed and
another woman
with a strong
resemblance to
her was convicted.
That story
touched Aaron
Black Jr., lay member of St. Paul
UMC, who said that he is in the
midst of a legal battle.
“This conference has been
very inspiring. It has eased my
pain,” he said. “I talked to Joyce
Ann Brown and others who have
been incarcerated. My question
is: What are we doing to keep
from being incarcerated?”
Dr. Hornbuckle, pastor
of Destiny Pointe Christian
Center and author of Suffering
in Silence on her journey
in domestic violence, told
Dale Long has served as Big Brother to
the group the importance of
seven boys.
“I pray that there are actions and words
to make an impact to reverse the mass
incarceration of men and women of color. This
has been a movement of God.” Fred Allen
“Get kids on the bright side.
Get to them before they fall into
crime and negative influences. We
need folk to volunteer.” Dale Long
NTC 4
Leonard church revs up
RV to provide relief
In 2013, an anonymous donor
approached Pastor Adam Spore of First
UMC Leonard with a unique opportunity
for mission and ministry: a “toy hauler”
recreational vehicle that could be used to
support volunteer firefighters and rural
residents in Fannin County in the midst of
tragedy.
This vision cast with the donation
became contagious and has set the
congregation at First UMC Leonard on a
path to utilize the vehicle for a much needed
ministry in rural North Texas.
Rural communities organize volunteer
fire departments to respond to emergencies
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Sometimes these volunteers spend hours at
the scene. While the fire departments work
to contain and extinguish a fire or aid in a
disaster, residents of the property are left to
watch.
So the ministry that is being put in place
through this donation provides a way for
members of First UMC Leonard to care for
and love those impacted by the disaster and
EAST DISTRICT
the volunteers who put their lives on the
line.
After acquiring the RV at the end of
2013, the pastor and United Methodist Men
at First UMC Leonard equipped themselves
for the ministry by hosting Fannin County
Community Emergency Response Team
(CERT) training at the church.
The nine-week course covered
everything from house fires to chemical
spills to weather disasters. The First UMC
Leonard team is now equipped to serve and
be mobilized with the Fannin County CERT First UMC Leonard will use an RV to aid Fannin County residents in emergencies.
organization under Darrell Brewer, Fannin
by a disaster.
County emergency management coordinator. walk through, the possibilities for how we
“Our responsibility as the church is to
will use this for ministry seem endless.”
At the Community Fall Festival that
minister to those who serve as well as those
The inside of the RV’s living space has
First UMC Leonard hosted in November,
who are hurting,” said Rev. Spore. “This
a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, seating
the RV made its debut complete with new
new ministry will enable us to share the
and storage. The storage space in back
decals. Congregants and members of the
love of Christ in a time when residents and
community were invited to walk through the of the RV — designed to hold ATVs, dirt
volunteers alike need it most.”
bikes or camping gear — will be retrofitted
RV and think of the possibilities it has for
The team is developing guidelines
with a small food prep area, shelving and
ministry.
and procedures for the congregation’s new
additional storage to allow congregation
“It was much bigger than I expected it
ministry and expects to be ready to deploy
to be when I first saw it in person,” said Rev. members to offer food, water, shade and
the RV by the beginning of 2015.
seating to firefighters and families affected
Spore. “But now that I’ve had a chance to
NORTH CENTRAL
‘Pumpkin
church’
pumps up
food
donations
One of the things that Trinity UMC is
known for in Denton is being the “pumpkin
church.”
All during October, we sell pumpkins.
But Trinity is also known throughout the
city for being a church in mission.
This year we sold $24,000 worth of
pumpkins. We get to keep a third of the
proceeds, which means $8,000 for youth
missions.
So much more grows out of the pumpkin
patch, including:
The Pantry Dash, featuring a 1-mile
walk and 5-K run to raise money and collect
food for local food pantries. Every $1
translates into 5 pounds of food. Our goal
this year was 50,000 pounds of food. We
exceeded our goal by nearly 20,000 pounds
of food. All of the food was distributed to
the city’s food pantries.
The Pantry Bash was new this year.
We had an amazing live band, a Corvette
show, flower sales, Denton food trucks,
and children were treated to It’s the Great
Pumpkin, Charlie Brown on a large screen in
the pumpkin patch.
Trunk or Treat, an exciting event for
families with children, topped off the month.
Nearly 300 people attended the free event,
with our United Methodist Men serving
food.
What a joy to feed God’s sheep!
Above: Maggie and
Michael Dickens,
their kids and a
friend enjoy Trunk
or Treat at Trinity
UMC in Denton,
part of the church’s
October of events
benefiting food
banks and mission.
Far left: A family seizes a photo
opportunity among
the pumpkins.
Left: Daylin
Kirschner helped
out as the church
exceeded its goal
for food collections
by nearly 20,000
pounds.
NTC 5
METRO
Pastor’s artwork to be shown at clergy
Christmas event celebrating cultures
By STEPHANIE ZAJCHOWSKI
Metro District
The Rev. Edwin Zarate is known for his art.
Metro District Superintendent
Cammy Gaston will feature the Rev.
Edwin Zarate’s artwork and story at
the Metro District clergy Christmas
celebration, hosted by Korean Central
UMC.
Rev. Zarate, pastor of St. Marks
UMC, was born in the Philippines and is
one of the many multicultural ministers
within the Metro District. Clergy from all
over the world are ministering in Dallas.
This unique ministry has clergy
from Korea, Mexico, Brazil, Africa and
many other nations. Their insights offer a
distinctive perspective on ministry.
Rev. Zarate’s story, offered through
his own cultural lens, starts with him
being hospitalized after an accident in the
Philippines.
A group of United Methodist Women
came to pray for him while he was in
great pain.
“They told me that Jesus loves me.
I felt a spark in me as they prayed!” he
recalled. “I began to see hope, and I
experienced God through their presence
and their loving care.”
After being released from the
hospital, he connected with these women
and joined their church.
“They nurtured me in faith,” Rev.
Zarate said. “Then later on I decided to
enter the ministry.”
In 2006, Rev. Zarate moved to the
United States, and he carried the faithful
love of these women with him.
“The image of a compassionate
Christ is so vivid every time I look back
to the ministry in the Philippines” he said,
and he has poured this compassion into
his painting.
“The ministry of caring and
compassion is a powerful witness
that transcends cultural differences,”
the pastor said. “It is a profound
manifestation about the love of God in us.
Christ our Lord called us to be one with
him and continue the ministry of caring.”
To this end, in this season of caring
and compassion, the Metro District clergy
will gather to celebrate these vibrant
cultures.
NORTHWEST
Bridgeport fills plates and spirits
Now in its 49th year, the dinner has become a community tradition
Wednesday evening Nov. 12, the
congregation of First UMC Bridgeport
had a few people over for dinner at the
high school. Over 1,600 people.
This 49-year tradition has grown
annually. Now it is a community legend and an August-through-November
unifying mission for the congregation.
The event provides Thanksgiving
dinner to the community and rallies the
cooperative effort of children, youth
and adults across the congregation. The
prayers, plans, preparation and participation in the serving and cleanup phases unite about 200 people. With recipes
that have been passed down over a
couple of generations, the consistent
heartiness of the dinner has developed
a loyal following in Wise County.
The tradition of Jesus and his disciples feeding the crowds — mentioned
six times in the gospels — provide
some imagery for this event.
Many of the tickets are given
away before the event. Some
are given away in the serving
lines to people digging for
change to buy dinner.
Some of the dinners
and desserts are carried out,
while hundreds of folks
stay and eat in the school
cafeteria.
Some who finish their
dinners volunteer to help,
including one little girl
this year who wiped tables
she could barely reach —
prompting her mom to say,
“I wish she would work this
outdoor ovens on the
church property.
A dozen or so,
including Pastor Sam
Caldwell, stayed up
drinking coffee and
supervising the baking of the 76 turkeys,
500 pounds of sweet
potatoes and huge pans of dressing.
hard at home!” Even District SuperBilly and Leanna Brewer served the
intendent Marvin Guier and his wife,
overnight shift a breakfast cooked off
Kathy, worked in the serving line.
Coordinator Peggy Johnson admits the side of their camper.
Next year will be the golden
she could always use more disciples to
anniversary of the dinner. Those 50
help. She and her husband, Bill, and
Pat Trail have coordinated the event for years span almost half the life of the
congregation, which welcomed its first
decades. This year’s other coordinaappointed pastor in 1896.
tors — Lisa and Dale Davis, Beverly
As Rev. Caldwell greeted people
and John Crisp, Laurey and Adney
Stowe, and Nancy and Billy Eaton — in the lines, several told him that this
have many stories to tell. Among them: event “starts the holiday season in
cooking all night at the specially built Bridgeport!”
What does it take for First UMC Bridgeport to
put on its annual Thanksgiving dinner for 1,600
of its closest friends? It takes a lot of potato
peeling (top), cooks willing to stay up all night to
bake turkeys in a bank of outdoor ovens (above
and inset), and plenty of volunteers to dish up
servings to lines of people at the high school
cafeteria.
NTC 6
Connecting with iKids
Book explores families and church in digital era
By SHERON C. PATTERSON
North Texas Connection Editor
Children, parents, and
grandparents live in the midst of
a cultural generation gap fueled
by kids’ access to digital media
on iPads, smartphones and game
systems that are shaping their
beliefs and values, and Dr. Craig
Kennet Miller wants you to be
prepared for it.
Dr. Miller is the author of
iKids: Parenting in the Digital Age
(Discipleship Resources 2014).
He was in North Texas
recently to talk about the new
book, kids, technology and the
future of the church. The word
iKids refers to those born since
2000. There are 65.5 million of
them in the U.S.
The rapid pace of
technology pushed Dr. Miller to
study this generation.
“There is a major shift in
understanding culture and how
we live together,” he said. “We
are in a great experiment. No one
knows how the use of tech gear
and digital media is affecting the
mental and social development of
kids. Today’s companies want to
sell your child a whole lifestyle
that puts their brand on everything
that they own, even down to their
underwear.”
Dr. Miller appeared before
a room full of North Texas
Conference youth and children’s
pastors. They were eager to hear
his message and converse about
their local church concerns.
Chris Boyle, youth director
of Christ UMC Farmers Branch,
talked about the ubiquity of teens
and their cellphones.
“I do not take the phones from
them. It is a part of who they are.
For some, it is a security blanket.
Rather I want to teach them to live
in a healthy way with the phones,
he said.
Kim Spratly of First UMC
Mesquite called it “enlightening to
see how fast the world is traveling
and how stopping to take a breath
enables us to see that technology is
not an obstacle but a tool for kids.”
Dr. Miller is the director of
pastoral leadership for the General
Board of Discipleship and author
of 12 resources on the generations
Craig Kennet Miller, with First UMC Mesquite youth director Kim
Spratly, spoke to NTC youth and children’s pastors. In addition to
being an author, Dr. Miller is director of pastoral leadership for the
General Board of Discipleship.
and their relationships with the
church.
He suggests that children
and youth Sunday school classes
go back to using books instead
of screens: “They get screens at
school and at home. Go back to the
future and use books.”
He also recommends an
occasional family digital detox.
“It is not a bad idea to turn
everything off one day a week
and talk to each other. Consider a
digital fast for a day,” he said.
Dr. Miller practices what he
preaches.
His 8-year-old son does not
have a phone, and Dr. Miller gets
involved with his son’s video
games, pointing out the spiritual
values in the games. He urges other
parents to do the same.
For more information, please
visit iKidsgen.com. There you
will find free study guides and
resources.
Essays get down to nitty-gritty Old Testament
Collection honoring SMU’s Holbert shows sinners, not saints, grappling with real-life troubles
By SHERON C. PATTERSON
North Texas Connection Editor
courses and many workshops. I have been
inspired by John’s commitment to the teaching of preaching and to the growth of his
Dr. Charles L. Aaron Jr. and Dr. Alyce
students in their vocations through the years.
M. McKenzie have teamed on Parental
His energy and passion both for the Hebrew
Guidance Advised: Adult Preaching From
scriptures and for preaching continue to be
the Old Testament. A collection of essays
that honors the work of Dr. John C. Holbert, an energizing example.
He and I were the co-editors of the
the book depicts the Old Testament
journal Homiletic, the
not as scenes of saints in action but
official journal of the
rather as real-life stories of sinners
North
American Academy
who somehow become protagonists
of
Homiletics.
We colin God’s plot of salvation.
laborated
in
authoring
the
A retired member of the Central
textbook
What
Not
to
Say:
Texas Conference, Dr. Holbert is
Avoiding the Common MisProfessor Emeritus of Homiletics
takes
That Can Sink Your
at Southern Methodist University’s
Sermon
in 2011.
Perkins School of Theology, where
Dr.
Aaron:
I took two
he taught for 33 years.
classes
under
him
during my
Dr. Aaron is pastor of First
time
at
Perkins.
His
teaching
UMC Terrell, and Dr. McKenzie
influenced
my
decision
is the Le Van Professor of Preachto pursue a Ph.D. in Old
ing and Worship, Altshuler Distinguished
Testament.
He
kept up with me during my
Teaching Professor and director of the Centime
in
graduate
school and after I graduated
ter for Preaching Excellence at Perkins.
and
did
some
teaching.
I have always been
They co-edited the book in honor of Dr.
committed
in
the
parish
to preaching and
Holbert’s contributions to the study of Heteaching
from
the
Old
Testament.
brew scriptures and his impact on preaching
What sets Dr. Holbert apart?
in local congregations over the years.
Dr.
Aaron: Dr. Holbert had a talent
How did Dr. Holbert influence/inspire
for
making
the Old Testament exciting
you?
and
dramatic,
as it was meant to be. Old
Dr. McKenzie: John welcomed me
Testament
scholarship
of a generation
to Perkins when I came in 2000. Through
ago
concentrated
on
the
world behind the
the years we collaborated and team-taught
Dr. Alyce McKenzie and Dr.
Charles Aaron
Jr. teamed up on
the book of essays honoring Dr.
John Holbert,
Professor Emeitus of Homiletics
at Perkins School
of Theology.
text itself. Scholars asked questions about
when the texts were written, how they
were written and why they were written.
Dr. Holbert was an important part of the
generation of scholars who focused on the
text itself.
What will the readers get from the
book?
Dr. McKenzie: This book presents
provocative treatments of various themes
from the Old Testament like the body,
maturity and human sexuality. One of
the key features of the book that makes it
so helpful for preachers is that there are
sermons ideas and connections to lectionary
texts included at the end of each chapter.
Should children read this book?
Dr. Aaron: We gave the book this
title to convey the earthiness of the Old
Testament. Although children should read
the Bible, we all know that many of the
stories are not appropriate for children. The
Old Testament reveals God in the midst
of the gritty problems of real life: war,
betrayal, failure, and unfaithfulness. We
wanted a book and a title that communicated
that grittiness. The church often cleans the
stories up for children. We sing with them
about Noah and the “arky, arky,” even
though it is a very dark story. We wanted to
present an Old Testament that was more than
Vacation Bible School and cutout figures to
paste on the wall.
Is the book for laity, too?
Dr. McKenzie: Yes, I think that laity
will certainly find this book helpful. Many
people think that the Old Testament God is a
God of wrath and judgment only. This book
will help laity and clergy alike see the many
sides of the God of the Old Testament.
NTC 7
Detroit urban churches get creative to grow
McKee part of
bishops cohort
visiting innovative,
thriving ministries
planners for the cohort city tour.
“It’s a fresh start and we can try
anything,” she said.
Cass Community
By MARK DOYAL
Michigan Area Director
of Communication
In the 1940s, Metropolitan
United Methodist Church on
Woodward Avenue in Detroit
was the largest United Methodist
congregation in the world. Each
Sunday, over 7,000 members filled
the enormous sanctuary.
Today, Metropolitan has about
400 members and about 240 in attendance, but that is good news for
the church. Attendance is up about
15 percent this year. For those
pouring themselves out to care for
the needs of a recovering city, it is
a sign that The United Methodist
Church is growing once again in
Detroit.
On a recent Friday, Michigan
Area Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey invited a group of U.S. urban
bishops, including Bishop Michael
McKee of North Texas, and their
staffs to talk about new life in the
church and visit entrepreneurial
Detroit ministries.
The tour is part of a multiyear effort by five bishops who
are seeking how to best lead the
church in urban ministry.
With the encouragement of
the Residential Bishop’s Learning
Forum, this learning cohort formed
two years ago to explore effective
urban ministry. The bishops have
sought out ministries trying new
Mark Doyal
Bishop Michael McKee, left, and Bishop Sally Dyck get details
about the Detroit Renaissance District’s work to revitalize its urban
churches from the Rev. Benton Heisler, director of Western Michigan Connectional Ministries.
styles of worship, that engage in
sustainable community economic
development and embrace all, including the poor, those in recovery,
former inmates and people with
developmental issues.
In addition to Bishop McKee
and Bishop Kiesey, others in the
cohort are Bishops Sally Dyck of
Northern Illinois, Gregory Palmer
of West Ohio and John Schol of
Greater New Jersey. They have
visited two major cities each year.
Bishop Martin McLee of the New
York Area also took part in the
cohort until his death in September. His delegation continues to
participate.
After decades of decline,
Detroit is working to recover. The
city bottomed out in 2013, when it
became the largest municipality in
U.S. history to declare bankruptcy.
For more than half a century,
Detroit experienced millions fleeing the city for the suburbs. United
Methodist membership mirrored
that decline. Since 1959, 60 local
churches have closed their doors.
Today, 16 Detroit churches remain;
only nine support full-time pastors.
Renaissance
Still, like Lazarus coming back
from the dead, there is a spirit of
determination and creativity that
has taken over in the aptly named
Detroit Renaissance District of
United Methodist churches.
“When all things are falling
down, you have the opportunity
to be incredibly creative,” said
the Rev. Dr. Melanie Lee Carey,
superintendent of the Detroit
Renaissance District and one of the
The cohort visited about a halfdozen ministries in Detroit including Cass Community UMC, where
the Rev. Faith Fowler and her
mission ministry staff have brought
sensible solutions to the spiritual
and human needs of the area.
“They didn’t need handouts,”
Fowler explained. “They needed
jobs.”
Cass Community Social Services, founded by the church, now
employs over 100 people, most of
whom would otherwise struggle to
find jobs with living wages. Cass
has accomplished this by capitalizing on the traits most employers
would consider weaknesses.
To help employ those with
developmental disabilities, Cass
started a document-shredding company, hiring those who cannot read
the confidential legal and medical
documents they destroy. In addition, Cass operates medical clinics,
a series of homeless shelters and
other service programs to support
the community.
Realizing area neighborhoods
were filled with thousands of abandoned tires, the church collected
them and recycled them into mud
mats and stylish sandals called
Detroit Treads, which are sold
through a website.
The impact has been incredible
and, in turn, has helped keep the
church vibrant. On Friday evening,
in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Detroit, the bishops took
part in a standing-room-only wor-
ship service in the Cass warehouse.
El Buen
In 2012, when the Rev.
Patricia Gandarilla arrived at her
new church, El Buen on Detroit’s
southeast side, there was no heat
and more mice than members.
She told the cohort how she went
door-to-door to meet families and
build trust in the mostly Hispanic
neighborhood. “I knew if we put
our hands in with the people, it
would be possible,” she said.
Many in the neighborhood had
felt that mainline churches had
abandoned them over the years.
Her embracing ministry led to
a core group of families attending. Soon, they were able to raise
$50,000 to repair the church.
A Facebook page created a
tight-knit community of hundreds
of unchurched members who
gather to celebrate and worship.
The church has built a community soccer field and developed
out-of-the-box partnerships with
area businesses. In two years, the
ministry has grown from 10 people
to hundreds attending their events.
What links Detroit’s thriving
ministries and those across the
country is creativity, local relevance, permission-giving, inclusivity, diversity, encouragement of
new and self-differentiated leaders,
and a focus on outreach.
The bishops cohort plans to
visit more cities in 2015, including Dallas in March, and report
on their findings. The group urges
prayer for our cities and commitments from annual conferences to
invest in collaboration and new
models of urban ministry.
C.C. Young dedicates park
Senior center’s green space is a gift from Hunts
By TOM CHRISTIAN
Special Contributor
Wally Chappell and Patsy Brundige. Rev.
Benton serves as chaplain to the campus
C.C. Young Memorial Home, a senior
and chairs the Foundation for Body, Mind
living center in Dallas, has dedicated its new and Spirit. There are three campus worship
Central Park — with the United Methodist
services each Sunday.
cross and flame prominently displayed — in
C.C. Young is considered a continuous
the central section of the 20-acre campus.
care retirement community, or CCRC.
The park, a gift from Nancy Ann and
That means a resident can move among the
Ray Hunt, provides a friendly place for
various levels of housing and care as their
gatherings and celebrations for residents
needs require, from independent living to
and visitors. The Rev. Clayton Oliphint, the skilled nursing.
Hunts’ pastor and chair of the C.C. Young
This past year, I have had the privilege
board, expressed gratitude for the gift of the to work with C.C. Young as a local church
park and the Hunts’ continuing support for
liaison to United Methodist churches in the
the center.
Dallas area.
Numerous United Methodist North
Numerous churches have scheduled
Texas clergy call C.C. Young home,
outings to the campus to learn more about
including the Revs. Don Benton, Bruce
the recent changes and additions to the
Weaver, Robert O. Cooper, Ken McIntosh,
accommodations and services.
Russell Crews, C.C. Young president,
says the vision for the campus is to become
a premier senior living center in the Dallas
area and, with the recent additions, it is
on target to meet that vision. C.C. Young
has a long history in Dallas, starting in
Oak Cliff in 1922, when it was founded by
C.C. Young, senior pastor of Tyler Street
Methodist Church.
People interested in visiting or
scheduling an outing to C.C. Young can
contact me at [email protected] or
call 972-814-5656. I am also available to
visit with church groups or Sunday school
classes about the exciting ministry going on
at C.C. Young.
NTC 8
Excerpts from
Party4aKing.com
Here is a taste from items you’ll
JOHN THORNBURG, Texas Methodist
find on Party4aKing.com. See fresh
Foundation:
content daily and please add yours.
WHILE SHEPHERDS
REV. KEVIN STREMPKE, First
To these we-know-nots,
UMC DeSoto: So, have you started
these hillside non-descripts,
worrying about the war on Christmas
God sent an angel.
yet?
Alas, no details here,
Look at a passage of scripture that’s
except that things were bright;
not normally associated with Christmas:
the shepherds’ eyes
Matthew 6:31, 33, “Do not worry, saywere wide with terror.
ing, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will
we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ . . .
The angel spoke as angels do.
Strive first for the kingdom of God and
“Fear not.”
his righteousness, and all these things
It’s in the angel script.
will be given to you as well.”
“Do not worry.” Now THERE’S a
The angel’s word,
scripture for the American Christmas!
a tale of birth and bands of cloth,
I give you permission right now
of lordship and signs,
NOT to worry about the “war on Christtook the terror from their eyes
mas,” the yearly worry that some people
and in its place
in the U.S. seem to have that “Christ is
being taken out of Christmas.”
left energy to undertake a trip.
JULIE YARBOROUGH, author and grief
expert: Three years after my husband died
I went to New York for a few days before
Christmas. I wanted to see the sights, enjoy
the lights, and smell the smells. Really, I was
seeking. In my heart I was
looking for some real, lasting
relief from the persistent
grief of my soul and spirit.
After being there just a day I
had a small epiphany. I realized that just because I was
grieving, I wasn’t required to
ignore the festivities. There
are no seasonal “grief rules.”
I could participate.
And so I mixed it up with the crowds
and took in the noise, all the while watching and listening for sights and sounds that
might awaken my sad spirit. I heard a solo
trombone on the sidewalk play “O Come, O
Come, Emmanuel.” I thought of the meaning
of Emmanuel, “God is with us.”.As I waited
for a cab I heard another street musician
play a jaunty version of “Angels We Have
Heard on High.” In a moment of quiet joy, I
remembered — this is my favorite Christmas
carol. I felt a smile, the first in a very long
while.
REV. DR. GREGORY NEAL, First UMC Commerce: I have a confession to make: Christmas
has become almost a burden to me. I have begun
to dread the decorations, the music, the functions
and the many expectations that are placed upon
me at this time of the year.
But, more than anything else,
I dread no, I actively dislike, the
mall walking and traffic fighting
that makes up the agony called
shopping!
And so, I can think of nothing
more important than being reminded that Advent was not created to
be a season of commercial insanity.
The Holy Spirit did not buy Jesus
Christ at J.C. Penney’s and bring
Him to Mary and Joseph wrapped up in paper
with a bow stuck on His head. Our Lord was
born. And, as any mother will tell you, there is
much to do in preparation for the birth of a baby.
What does scripture tell us to do?
A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare
the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a
highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted
up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the
uneven ground shall become level, and the rough
places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be
revealed, and all people shall see it together, for
the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 40:3-5
PIG OUT
ON HAM
Hams cool after being
smoked for 12 hours at Oak
Haven UMC in Irving. For over
50 years, Oak Haven UMC
has smoked hams — and
more recently added turkeys
— for the Thanksgiving and
Christmas holidays. The
proceeds of the sales fund
apportionments and other
ministries of the church. If
you are interested in buying a
ham or turkey for Christmas,
email your address to
[email protected] to
be included in the mailing.
The Bishop
Remember that Christmas is about the gift God gave us
Continued from Page 1
imagine that I would have felt more hopeless 2,000 years ago than I would today.
For that reason, knowing that people
whose lives were much harder would eagerly respond to a glorious story beginning
with “In those days a decree went out ...”
inspires me.
We have begun the preparations for the
celebration of Christmas. Many claim that
this is the season of sharing and caring, and
I would not dispute those expressions that
abound at this time of year.
Calling this time a season of giving is
ignoring that our giving is an expression
of our receiving the gift of a Savior. We
celebrate not what we do but what God has
done: that in a challenging world, people
recognized a baby born in Bethlehem was
the one for whom Israel had waited for thousands of years.
My prayer for you is that the birth of
Jesus not be a historical event but a time of
receiving the divine gift of God’s unconditional love.
To you is born this day in the city of
David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the
Lord. Luke 2:11
May you experience that glorious joy of
this act of God!
Bishop plans NTC-wide Bible study for 2015
Bishop Michael McKee
plans a 2015 conferencewide online Bible study of
the books of Luke and Acts.
Both books combine to offer 52 weeks of material for
the yearlong initiative.
Lay members and clergy across the North Texas
Conference have been selected to write meditations
on the chapters, with one or
two featured each week.
“We will study and
learn one chapter per week
together,” Bishop McKee
said. “This study will reflect the good news of Jesus
and get us grounded and
rooted in Christ to become
a missional people.
“Everything will be
digital,” he said. “Readers
can respond to the medi-
tations and discuss what
was presented on the Web
page.”
The Bishop’s Bible
Study Web page will launch
Jan. 1. The weekly devotionals can be emailed to
you directly. If you are not
receiving Bishop McKee’s
email, please sign up on the
home page of the ntcumc.
org website.
NTC 9
Photographer’s family were
naturals for Christmas cards
Continued from Page 1
In 1949, I had to begin sharing
star billing with my new sister,
Judy, and by 1951 Dad’s creativity was in full swing — a card
printed front and back with the two
(seemingly) loving sisters: “Any
way you look at it . . . it’s a Merry
Christmas.”
In 1953, the family grew again,
with my brother Daryl born in
September. Dad had to hunt for the
Studebaker car silhouettes (probably violating several copyrights!)
but he got all our pictures positioned correctly — and this time,
he and Mom were part of the act.
By 1954, we were active members in a new church start (Presbyterian, not Methodist), and the card
took a more religious turn with
Dad’s first attempt at “Photoshopping” — way before computers:
“For a very merry Christmas, keep
Christ in Christmas.”
In 1955 and 1956, it was back
to the children only — and this
is when I really remember the
last-minute rush to get the pictures
taken, printed and in the mail. Photographers in business did everyone else’s projects before they did
their own.
This was also the beginning
of our clash of wills: “Smile! Not
that way, like you mean it! You’re
a photographer’s child, don’t you
know how to pose? No, we have
to do it again — that one wasn’t
perfect. Stop crying!”
We were “lined up” in 1955,
and puppet masters in 1956.
1957 was the last big production: Dad’s story board was more
complicated, and try as he could,
he couldn’t get everyone to cooperate simultaneously (especially
Taffy, the dog who had joined
the family). So in order to get us
all into “the act to wish you the
season’s greetings,” he had to pose
each of us separately and compose
the picture — again, Photoshopping before it had been invented.
Looking back on my glasses,
chopped haircut, and saddle shoes,
and remembering the last-minute
traumas of the photo shoot, I see
that it was high time to end the
series.
By 1965, we just had a family
portrait — the last one, if I remem-
ber. We were all turning into our
adult selves — even Mom and Dad
were looking cool!
Now in the age of Facebook
and camera phones and selfies,
family Christmas photos aren’t so
special anymore. We see each other
all the time as we go about our
daily lives.
But as a photographer’s child, I
remember …
NTC 10
Plan brings immigrants out of shadow
High-level
Methodists
praise changes
that touch
families
At Christ’s
Foundry,
‘prayers
answered’
By SAM HODGES
United Methodist News Service
By KATHY L. GILBERT
United Methodist News Service
President Barack Obama’s
immigration plan offers “a
word of mercy and a measure of
justice,” said United Methodist
Bishop Minerva Carcaño, cochair of the denomination’s
interagency task force
on immigration reform.
The plan means
undocumented immigrants
who have lived in the U.S.
for more than five years and
have children who are U.S.
citizens or residents “can now
come out of the shadows,”
said Carcaño, episcopal leader
for the California-Pacific
Conference.
The United Methodist
Council of Bishops has
long supported immigration
reform and encouraged local
communities “to participate in
ministries of mercy and justice,”
said Bishop Julius C. Trimble,
co-chair of the interagency task
force on immigration reform
and episcopal leader of the Iowa
Conference.
Trimble said critics have
attacked the president’s action
After Obama’s
speech, members of the
Christ Foundry
congregation
joined hands
and sang “We
Shall Overcome.” They
broke into applause at several points during Obama’s
speech.
Photos by Sam Hodges
Before President Barack Obama’s address on immigration, volunteers took the names and addresses
of those attending the watch party at Christ’s Foundry, a Hispanic mission in Dallas, hoping to help
with their application for legal status. Undocumented immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for
more than five years and have children who are U.S. citizens or residents “can now come out of the
shadows,” said Bishop Minerva Carcaño, episcopal leader for the California-Pacific Conference.
before, saying reform is the
responsibility of Congress.
“Nevertheless, the question
remains unanswered as to why
the House of Representatives
will not act on a Senate-approved
bill,” he said.
The United Methodist Board
of Church and Society’s top
executive, the Rev. Susan HenryCrowe, has written a letter to
Obama commending him on
extending deferred status to more
than 5 million undocumented
immigrants. But she emphasizes
that this is just “a critical first
step.”
The letter thanks the
president for shutting down
the Secure Communities
program that has “increased
racial profiling” and increased
an atmosphere of fear among
immigrants.
Obama said the immigration
system has been broken for
decades, and he challenged
Congress to pass his plan or
“pass a bill.”
Carcaño urged United
Methodists to call and send
letters to their congressional
leaders supporting the
president’s plan.
She also called on United
Methodists to contribute
to the cost of legalization
processes for immigrant
families.
“Immigrants are some of
the hardest-working people
See IMMIGRATION, Page 11
At Christ’s Foundry United
Methodist Church, a Hispanic
congregation in Dallas, about
200 people gathered at a watch
party for Obama’s address.
They applauded at times and
afterward held hands and sang
“We Shall Overcome.”
The Rev. Owen Ross, who
leads the church and was a
Peace Corps worker in Ecuador,
praised Obama’s actions.
“A lot of our prayers were
answered tonight,” he said. “It’s a
great first step and a great night
for America.”
Ross pointed to an
undocumented woman in his
congregation named Rosa, a
single mother whose young
daughter does have legal status.
“She is who the president is
doing this for,” he said, noting
that she shares a room with her
daughter in another family’s
house and has had trouble
keeping a job because of her lack
of legal status.
Rosa, speaking through an
interpreter, said she’s looking
forward to being able to move
about without fear of deportation.
“My sister died last year in
Mexico, and I was not able to go,”
she said. “So many families have
been separated.”
Ross said he was
disappointed that Obama’s
order did not cover the parents
of undocumented immigrants
who came to the United States
as children and who, through
a 2012 executive order, got
temporary relief from deportation
and work permits.
“That would be another large
group,” Ross said.
But he repeated his
appreciation for the president’s
new actions. And he said Christ’s
Foundry United Methodist would
help Rosa and others fill out the
paperwork necessary to gain
legal status.
Sam Hodges is a Dallasbased writer for UMNS.
NTC 11
Latino ministry
workshop builds on
biblical foundation
By PHILIP WINGEIER-RAYO
Perkins School of Theology
Christ’s Foundry UMC
hosted a training workshop
on “Worship, Liturgy and
Sacraments” on Nov. 14-16 in
conjunction with the Mexican
American and Hispanic-Latino/A
Church Ministries Program at
Perkins School of Theology.
The Rev. Dr. Irving
Cotto, superintendent of the
Northeast District of the Eastern
Pennsylvania Conference, and
the Rev. Gary Garay, retired
clergy of the Florida Annual
Conference, led 28 participants
from as far as Idaho, California,
and Tennessee.
The participants studied the
biblical foundations of liturgy,
the liturgical seasons of the
year, musical styles, Wesleyan
sacramental theology, as well
as signs, symbols, rites and
rituals. The training involved
participation in small group Bible
study, skits and pantomimes.
Participants included several
young people under 20 who were
seeking greater participation in
worship, particularly in music
and liturgical dance.
In fact, one of the hotbutton issues was seeking a
balance between traditional and
contemporary worship styles
while maintaining a Wesleyan
ethos.
“I learned everything I
need to help me with this new
[Hispanic] ministry,” said
one church planter. Another
participant found the workshop
“very well-prepared and very
practical and understandable for
simple people.”
The weekend culminated
with the participants leading
Sunday morning worship at
Christ’s Foundry, one of the
largest Hispanic UM churches
in the connection, where all the
participants received a certificate
Musical styles
were part
of the study
sessions at the
workshop held
at Christ’s
Foundry. The
Rev. Gary
Garay (left)
and Dr. Irving
Cotto, at the
keyboard, the
leaders of the
workshop, put
those lessons
to work, with
help from
Erick Salazar
and Daisy
Moreno.
of completion with the seal of
Perkins School of Theology.
The module was made
possible by the support of the
National Plan for Latino/Hispanic
Ministries and the Mexican
American and Hispanic-Latino/A
Church Ministries Program at
Perkins School of Theology,
Southern Methodist University.
Philip Wingeier-Rayo is
director of the Mexican American
From left: Christian Salazar, Erick Salazar (hidden), Senon Salazar,
and Hispanic-Latino/A Church
Diego Salazar, Aaron Perez and Roberto Perez sit down for a meal
Ministries Program at Perkins
break during the seminar. All are members of First UMC Denton.
School of Theology.
Immigration plan brings relief, but there are big ifs
Continued from Page 10
in this country yet they are also among
the lowest-paid,” she said. “Immigration
application fees must be set within their
economic reach. We have seen this need
as we have encouraged young people to
apply for DACA [Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals].
“Many qualify but have not applied
because they cannot afford the application
cost.”
Eligible immigrants will need a
“massive level of assistance” in the
months that follow, said Rob RutandBrown, director of United Methodist
National Justice for Our Neighbors.
“These vulnerable immigrants will be
targeted by unscrupulous people eager to
take their money,” he said.
Brown said the national organization,
which offers free legal assistance to
immigrants, will be stepping up its efforts.
“We will strengthen our partnerships
— both within The United Methodist
Church and beyond — throughout the
cities we serve,” he said.
The executive order is a cause for
celebration, but there are still more than
The Rev.
Owen Ross,
pastor of
Christ’s
Foundry,
called
Obama’s
plan “a great
first step,”
with the
speech marking “a great
night for
America.”
7 million left out of the plan, said Carol
Barton of the United Methodist Women.
She coordinates the Immigrant & Civil
Rights Initiative.
Barton said that includes the Central
American women and children who
arrived during the summer fleeing
violence, only to be detained, forced to
wear electronic ankle bracelets, or served
pending deportation papers.
“That includes the parents of
DREAM students, who have risked
so much for this day only to be
disappointed. That includes those who
have committed non-violent crimes in the
past, have paid their debt to society, are
important members of our families, yet
face deportation. As Christians we believe
in forgiveness and restorative justice, not
perpetual punishment,” Barton said.
The executive action is also partial
and temporary, Barton said.
“It does not guarantee permanent
status, nor health care and social welfare
benefits. It can be revoked at any time.
Thus, as we work to assist all those
eligible for deferred status, we will also
continue to advocate for just immigration
reform that includes all currently in
the U.S. and addresses future flows of
migration.
“And we will continue to accompany
those facing more intense criminalization,
detention and deportation, until they, too,
can celebrate,” she said.
Kathy L. Gilbert is a multimedia
news reporter for United Methodist News
Service.
NTC 12