Kairos prison ministry reaches inside walls and souls
Transcription
Kairos prison ministry reaches inside walls and souls
Inspiration for a changing congregation Two Sections – Section A Nov. 11, 2011 072000 Volume 158 Number 28 A Message From The Bisho p, W. Earl Bledsoe Kairos prison ministry reaches inside walls and souls I just got back from prison. No, I have not been arrested by law enforcement officials. I was arrested by the Holy Ghost to return to Kairos prison ministry. You see, 11 years ago I took part in the Kairos prison ministry at the Darrington maximum security prison in Rosharon, Texas. Since then, something always came up and prevented me from returning, but prison ministry is so vital that I had to get back. The overall theme of Kairos is “listen, listen, love, love.” And that was my experience serving as the spiritual advisor for Kairos #48 last week. Kairos operates with two teams, one outside and one inside. About 40 persons were on the outside team of volunteers, and they did the INSIDE supporters, 5A Darrington Unit praying, cooking and preparing agape, birthday cake or party before. I was part of a 50-member inside team, and we ministered such as cookies, handwritten letters directly to and with the inmates. of encouragement and even birthday We were an ecumenical group — some cake — some inmates have never had a The Clothesline Project at the Denton Wesley Foundation empowers survivors of intimate violence and their Steve Jobs’ four simple questions apply to The United Methodist Church, Lay Leader Richard Hearne says,4A Down syndrome child provided life lessons, Gene Stallings says Legendary coach speaks at East District Laity Celebration By JOE DAN BOYD Special Contributor When Coach Gene Stallings of Powderly was named keynote speaker for the annual East District Laity Celebration at First UMC Sulphur Springs last month, you might have assumed the legendary football mentor was either a practicing Methodist or a sports recruiter for a UMC-associated college or university. While neither assumption would have been correct, this former gridiron See STALLINGS, Page 5A were Catholics, Baptists or Church of Christ. Some were from Bible churches, and some were from nondenominational churches. Many were laity, six were clergy, and most were retired, but not all. The days were long, beginning at 5 a.m. and finishing our work around 9:30 each night. We began on Thursday afternoon and finished around 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Not surprisingly, a lot is the same since I was Kairos volunteers there last. The only difference (Bishop W. Earl I noticed was that the faces Bledsoe is at far of the inmates seem to be a lot younger, and there seem left, seated on floor) and inmates to be many more of them. I at the Darrington was happy to reunite with prison practiced many of the same inside team volunteers whom I met 11 “listen, listen, years ago. They were still love, love.” Imthere, faithfully living out ages of banners offering encour- their calling to reach out and agement overlay share God’s love with those behind prison walls. the photo. There are two questions we are not allowed to ask: What are you in prison for? And how much time are you serving? The warden advised us that after three days See KAIROS, Page 5A MUST READING Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe wants clergy and laity to read Back to Zero: The Search to Rediscover the Methodist Movement. It’s about making the United Methodist Church a movement again by focusing on the mission and purpose of the church. Get it online at Cokesbury (www.cokesbury.com) or other online booksellers. Clergy retreat combats burnout with time to relax By SHERON C. PATTERSON Editor About 120 North Texas clergy took time for restoration, renewal and mental stimulation at their annual retreat Oct. 1719 at the Tanglewood Retreat Center in Pottsboro. The wooded lakeside scenery was ideal for unwinding and regenerating. Clergy burnout and fatigue are at high levels nationally, but NTC clergy combatted those statistics at the retreat. They chose from four restorative options: golf, fishing, horseback riding or spa time. In the evening, awards were presented to See RETREAT, Page 8A NTC circuit 4A Go on a Christmas journey, including from grief to joy By SHERON C. PATTERSON Editor The Rev. Dr. Justin Tull retired from active ministry in June 2006 after serving nine United Methodist churches, ranging from 274 to 2,200 members, in the North Texas area for 37 years. Since then, he has served as interim senior pastor at Suncreek UMC in Allen and Vista Ridge UMC in Lewisville. Currently, he is pursuing becoming a lead trainer for interim ministry in The United Methodist Church. He also teaches preaching to ministers taking the course of study for preachers in this jurisdiction. Dr. Tull graduated from Hendrix College with a major in literature and philosophy. He received two master’s degrees and a doctorate of ministry in preaching from Perkins School of Theology. In addition to Christmas Journeys, Dr. Tull is the author of Wrestlings, Wonders and Wanderers and Why, God, Why? Sermons on the Problem of Pain. He sat down with the UMR to discuss Christmas Journeys. What are the Christmas journeys that are mentioned in your book title? In Christmas Journeys, each pivotal character is passionately involved in a pilgrimage marked by poignancy and a sense of urgency. In the first half of the book, “Ancient Journeys,” I feature the people of the nativity, specifically Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the wise men. The second half of the book features journeys of three of our contemporaries, those who face similar problems to ours as they navigate through the hectic days prior to Christmas. They know too well the tenacity of guilt, the emptiness of having too much, the fear spawned by poverty and unemployment, and the painful void from the death of a loved one. Is joy always a possibility at Christmas time? In the introduction to the book I share my own Christmas journey after the death of my wife of 34 years. In less than two months, I had to travel from the realms of grief into the unwelcoming place of Christmas cheer. My extended family would gather for the first time since the memorial service wondering whether death would rob us of all Christmas joy. To my surprise, a simple gesture of love made Christmas joy much more possible, perhaps even probable. My introduction ends with a statement of faith: “I have come to believe that unless we reward grief with guaranteed reserved seating, it will always, at the nudging of faith, scoot over and make room for joy.” Will this book help those who are blue at Christmas? Yes. At one time or another, everyone has trouble making it through the Christmas season. Maybe the ghosts of Christmas past simply dampen our spirits or maybe the monumental lists of things to do become daunting or depressing. Or maybe we feel guilty for having so much yet feeling so little. Perhaps we never realize our inner resentments or selfpreoccupations are preventing us from becoming a joyful participant of the season. But one group evokes my greatest concern — those who have lost loved ones, those who believe a “merry” Christmas is far beyond their reach. Hopefully, even these will be able to experience Christmas joy. Christmas Journeys is available through Amazon.com (paperback and Kindle) and local retailers. You may visit justintull.com for other writings and a list of book signings and seminars in the area. From Bogata to Burkburnett Steve Jobs’ four simple questions apply to the church as well I receive a monthly newsletter in their approach, and the results from my good friend and fellow church are bearing fruit. We need our member Greg Bustin of Bustin & Co., pastors, especially the best and the whose brightest. company Who am I? We all need to consults know our wants and our needs with small — what makes us truly happy. and midsize For some, it is money, others businesses to recognition, but for Christians it improve their should be Christian servanthood. performance. Somewhere on the list of the many I thought ministries of your local church this month’s there is a place for you. Find it, and A throng of Apple workers attended the company’s newsletter you will discover peace of mind by Richard Hearne was especially eulogy for founder Steve Jobs on Oct. 19. Photos by Apple and a sense of purpose. applicable to what we are trying to do in Four simple questions, but the the church. from your church when they first come to answers are difficult. Good luck on your “why is our church here?” It is about the genius of Steve Jobs visit? They may be lifelong church folks Are we here to provide a place for journey. and his work with Apple. When Jobs or people who have never been inside all people to come to learn about the love Richard Hearne is Lay Leader of the died last month, I was taken aback by and grace of Jesus Christ? Or are we here a sanctuary, but they, for the most part, North Texas Conference, which stretches the number of Facebook postings and the share one thing: to provide a nice, safe, comfortable place from just this side of Bogata to just effect he had on so many people. They want to be part of a loving to come to each week to make ourselves that side of Burkburnett. E-mail him at His bio tells how he started Apple, community that will shepherd them on feel good? [email protected]. lost control in 1985 and returned in 1997 this spiritual journey called life. The Are we here to make disciples of to rebuild Apple to great success, worth formality of worship and music is not Jesus Christ for the transformation of the North Texas Conference $170 billion when he died. important. It is the loving touch of another world or to gain more members so we United Methodist Reporter Here are the four questions Jobs human saying, “We care.” have someone to help us pay the bills? asked as he rebuilt Apple. They might be How do we attract and retain Communications Team Would the community miss our church if helpful to us in the UMC. top talent? Are you aware that many it just disappeared? Sheron C. Patterson, editor Why are we here? Jobs says that What do people want from us? So of the young pastors of rapidly growing Linda Johnson, associate editor he “stayed the course” because he really churches are former United Methodist many of us march around preaching to loved what he was doing. students or pastors? people about why they should become a 972-526-5000 800-969-8201 This allowed him, I believe, to They leave because of the member of our church/denomination that www.ntcumc.org really promote Apple products with great bureaucracy of the institution of the we never listen to them. enthusiasm. Do you ever ask yourself UMC. They are more entrepreneurial What do you think people want The Bishop Kairos prison ministry reaches inside walls and souls with encouragement Photos by Ariel Huang Survivors of intimate violence and their supporters decorated T-shirts for the Clothesline Project, sponsored by the Denton Wesley Foundation. Right: The Rev. Cammy Gaston (from left), Lexie Vriend and Lindsay Holifield helped out. NTC circuit 5A Continued from Page 1 of sharing and being with them, they will most likely tell everything. Once the inmates got over the shock of having a United Methodist bishop sitting in their midst, they relished the moment. I met several inmates whose University and North Central parents and grandparents were Texas College. members of United Methodist The Clothesline Project began churches in the area. There was with a display of 31 T-shirts in no animosity toward the church, 1990 in Hyannis, Mass., as a only grateful appreciation of part of the Take Back the Night our willingness to reach outside march and rally. Throughout the the walls of the church to share day, more women came forward God’s love. Many inmates of to decorate shirts with words the Catholic tradition spent time or artwork and add them to the with me confessing their faults clothesline on the village green. and sins. Being a Protestant, this The movement has since gone was different for me; however, worldwide, with one project as far I understood the need for them away as Tanzania. to tell me things they had kept Denton Wesley group hosts Clothesline Project By BRITTANY BURROWS Special Contributor The Denton Wesley Foundation at the University of North Texas hosted the Clothesline Project, an event honoring survivors and victims of intimate violence. Each day, students on campus were invited to come to the United Methodist Student Center to decorate shirts and tell their own stories or to remember a woman who had been hurt by violence. The Clothesline Project, which ended Oct. 28, sought to be a source of empowerment and healing. The event aimed to reach not only members of the United Methodist Student Center, but also the entire UNT campus. The Denton Wesley Foundation regularly offers free lunch, worship, small groups, fellowship, mission opportunities and music programs for students at UNT, Texas Woman’s deep inside for a long time in fear of reprisals or punishment. Much of my time was spent listening and praying for the inmates. We sang together, laughed together, studied together, prayed together and cried together, letting the 42 chosen inmates for the week know that God loved them and showing them in tangible ways the love of the church. What a wonderful testimony to Christian unity! My hope and prayer is that we will not forget people behind prison walls, remembering that Jesus himself was a prisoner. I believe God is at work in prisons and calls us to join in the work of redemption and reconciliation. To learn more, see www. kairosprisonministry.org. Stallings tells East District laity of gifts from his Down syndrome son Stallings said. His other saddest day was in star at Texas A&M and former 2008, when that son died, at age coach for his Aggie alma mater 46, without ever learning to count and the 1992 national champion to 10 and without ever using, or Crimson Tide of Alabama — even learning, a single word of not to mention 14 seasons with profanity. the Dallas Stallings painted word Cowboys and a stint pictures for the district as head congregation about the rich, coach of the if limited, life of his Down St. Louis/ syndrome son who loved people, Phoenix loved going to church and was, Cardinals — in turn, himself so loved by did make a others that sports equipment convincing facilities, football fields, case for playgrounds, buildings, streets Gene Stallings “church and scholarships were named in people” as his honor. lights of the world, ambassadors “One university even of appreciation and relentless reinforcements for random acts of included the name John Mark Stallings in a special list of only kindness. Stallings learned most of his five people who have changed life lessons the hard way, through the world,” said his father, who received more than 1,500 letters sometimes painful experience, of condolence and appreciation some of which he shared in his after John Mark’s death. Two 1997 book, Another Season, governors sent police cars to lead subtitled “A Coach’s Story of Raising an Exceptional Son.” his funeral procession. In it, he recalls the two “It did not matter to Johnny saddest days of his life, one in whether you were a CEO or a 1962 when his son John Mark janitor if he was your friend,” Stallings was born: “They told said Stallings. “He treated me at the hospital that he was everyone with the same full a ‘mongoloid,’ a word that is, measure of respect, and from thankfully, no longer used,” that attitude, I think, many Continued from Page 1 GENE STALLINGS’ LIFE LESSONS Among the life lessons that Gene Stallings emphasized for teaching our children: Happiness may be the byword for much of today’s society, but it’s holiness that will permit us to see God. Love of money is the root of all evil. Evil companions corrupt good morals. Choose friends wisely. All things work for good to those who love the Lord. Conduct yourself in a worthy manner. the East District congregation of the 10 million-plus alcoholics in the U.S. today and the countless young people addicted to drugs, all of whom need the church’s help desperately. were in turn motivated to show “Yet the average dad today appreciation for others in their works 40 hours a week, but lives and were reminded not to spends only 2 1/2 minutes a day pass up chances for expressing with each of his children,” said genuine appreciation and Stallings. performing random acts of love “But we as parents must set and kindness.” the example for our children and There are two basic types of allow them to see Christianity in people in this world, Stallings action,” Stallings said. “One way said: Those who need help and we can do that is by letting our those who help those who need children know those people we help, a point that reminded him consider the greatest among us, of a long-ago declaration by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes: ordinary people who care enough to do their jobs well and to help We really need each other! others in need. This is actually “It’s even more true today than it was when it was adopted,” a biblical lesson from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, said Stallings, who reminded which tells us that we can do no better in this life than to enjoy our work — a radical lesson in this era when many choose occupations and jobs based entirely on salary and prestige.” Finally, Stallings offered this advice for any new parent with a baby with Down syndrome: “You have given birth to a child who will spend eternity in the presence of God. Can it get any better than that? “Let’s never forget that it’s often easier to recognize the right thing to do than it is to have the courage to do the right thing, but that’s what we are all called to do. “One way to deal with that dilemma is to remember this one thing: We really do need each other!” NTC circuit 8A Retreat gives clergy time for restoration Continued from Page 1 those who had the best golf game and caught the largest fish. In addition to restoration, the clergy also had their minds stimulated by presentations from noted teacher, preacher and evangelist Dr. Dana L. Robert, a Boston University professor. Dr. Robert, an author of several books, also wrote Joy to the World: Mission in the Age of Global Christianity, used by the 2010-2011 summer schools of Christian Mission of the UMC. “I want the pastors to feel empowered to see missions as a part of what they do in ministry and provide leadership to the laity who are in the midst of discovering mission,” Dr. Robert said. “The pastor can bring the theological understanding.” “Pastors are overworked,” she said. “Mission work is exhausting. We need to integrate mission work into who we are as Christians. We need a theological center from which missions flow. Otherwise, we exhaust ourselves with lots of programs. We United Methodists are activists. Don’t tell us to be involved — we already are.” The Rev. Cheryl Jones, associate pastor of discipleship and evangelism at Tyler Street UMC and pastor of Arcadia Park The Rev. Frank Rahm, senior pastor of the FaithBridge Church in the Rockwall area, caught the big fish at the clergy retreat on Lake Texoma. Other activities were golf, horseback riding and a spa session. UMC in Dallas, was inspired. “Dr. Robert’s remarks gave me a solid foundation, starting with Bible study. My church already has a great Bible study, but now we can be more directed toward the spiritual formation of mission,” she said. The Rev. Pete Adrian, pastor of First UMC Sulphur Springs, said, “It is hard to pick out one point from her talk because it was all so powerful, whether it was evangelism as the heart of mission or the New Testament as a missionary document or the growth of United Methodism worldwide.” But as a former banker, he said his favorite was “The Balanced Portfolio Effect.” Celebration to honor Ravert for 50 years in ministry A celebration honoring the Rev. Larry D. Ravert for 50 years of ministry will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, in the Fellowship Hall of University Park UMC. Since completing seminary, Rev. Ravert has had 11 appointments: Victoria Methodist, Victoria; White Rock Methodist, Lakewood UMC, First UMC and University Park UMC in Dallas; Axe Memorial UMC in Garland; Wesley UMC in Greenville; First UMC Duncanville; First UMC Heath; and Poetry UMC in Poetry. He also was director of Church Extension and Development for the NTC. Rev. Ravert and his wife, Carol Ann, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Jan. 30, 2009, and renewed their vows at University Park UMC. They have traveled to China, Europe, Hawaii, Alaska, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Greece and the Caribbean. The Raverts enjoy spending time with family, including their children and their families: Susan and Bill Bryan, Brittany and Brandon; Russell and April Ravert, Alex and Blaine; and Lisa and Dalen Wintermute, Preston and Lauren. Larry’s three grandsons all share his middle name, Douglas. The Raverts like relaxing at Charity, the family getaway in Poetry. Rev. Ravert’s hobbies include woodworking, fixing The Rev. Larry D. Ravert and his wife, Carol Ann, married in 1959 and celebrated their anniversary 50 years later by renewing their vows. He has had 11 appointments during his career. things, camping in the Raverts’ RV and driving Sparky, his 1930 Model A Ford. Celebration organizers The Rev. Lee Alvin Bedford Jr., ordained minister for 60 years, dies The Rev. Lee Alvin Bedford Jr., 83, an ordained Methodist minister for 60 years, died Sept. 30. Services were held Oct. 4 at First UMC Bedford. Rev. Bedford served numerous churches in the North and Central Texas Conferences. His pastorates included Walnut Hill UMC and White Rock UMC in Dallas, First UMC Garland and First UMC Bedford. He formed the Casa Linda UMC, which grew to 1,800 members under his ministry. For several years, he was the director of evangelism for the North Texas Conference, as well as chaplain for the Texas Air National Guard and the Dallas Police Department. He made evangelistic trips to Pakistan and Korea, as well as trips to India with World Vision International, one of the largest relief agencies in the world. He was a man of diverse interests. While attending seminary, he was a professional square dance caller, signing with RCA Records and holding the top-selling record in Texas at the time. He also enjoyed camping and woodworking and was a model train enthusiast. He was preceded in death by a grandchild, Jennifer Michelle Grubbs. He is survived by his wife, Anne Lorene Bedford; children David Bedford and wife Patti, Tom Bedford and wife Becky, Leslie Grubbs and husband Randy, Teresa Granberry and husband Samuel, John Bedford and wife Jan, and Cheryl Devoto and husband Khris; brothers Robert, Lance and Tom Bedford; 21 grandchildren and 11 greatgrandchildren. ask that there be no gifts but messages, stories and photos about how his ministry has touched lives are welcome. BIRTH The Rev. Sharon and Patrick O’Connor of Trenton UMC are the proud grandparents of Bristyl Alanna Huggins, who was born Oct. 10. Bristyl weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. Bristyl is the O’Connors’ ninth grandchild, with No. 10 due in March. Notes of congratulations may be sent to the O’Connors at 105 Pecan Circle, Trenton, Tx. 75490. DEATH Services for Elizabeth Howell, motherin-law of the Rev. Bart Smith, associate pastor of Christ UMC Plano, were Nov. 3 in Dallas. Cards may be sent to Bart and Ann Smith, 2685 Clear Springs, Richardson, Texas 75082.