News Briefs
La Vernia UMs to honor military veterans Sunday
115 UM congregations pay ’07 apportionments in full
Elgin congregation renews welcoming status Oct. 10
Americans believe many stories in Bible literally
Bishop Christopher plans to retire next September
Africa University leader to leave school post Dec. 31
Advance adopts new look before 60th anniversary
La Vernia UMs to honor military veterans Sunday
La Vernia UMs are to hear a roll call Sunday of church members who have served in the military to mark Veterans Day.
The Rev. Harry G. Kahl, senior pastor of the 664-member congregation, is to invite veterans to the altar for prayer and a special blessing.
Joyce Fields, widow of veteran Ron Fields—who died Feb. 25—is to receive a U.S. flag folded in the traditional triangular mode of honor from one active-duty church member and several veterans.
La Vernia UMC installed a Wall of Honor this summer to mark the military service of church members. The wall currently displays pictures of nine active-duty troops and 51 veterans from the congregation.
115 UM congregations pay ’07 apportionments in full
One-hundred-fifteen—or one-third—of the 348 Southwest Texas congregations had paid their 2007 apportionments in full as of Oct. 31.
Skidmore UMC led the list. The 52-member congregation in the Corpus Christi District had paid 104.3 percent of its share of expenses for connectional ministries across the state, nation and world.
Bruni UMC in the McAllen District and Richardson Chapel UMC, Hallettsville, in the Victoria District had paid 101 percent of their apportionments. First UMC, Menard, in the San Angelo District had sent in 100.8 percent of its asking.
The count of “100 percent” congregations by district was Austin, 18; Corpus Christi, 12; Kerrville, 27; McAllen, 9; San Angelo, 15; San Antonio, 9; Victoria, 25.
Elgin congregation renews welcoming status Oct. 10
First UMC, Elgin, renewed its welcoming-congregation status Oct. 10.
The 664-member congregation in the Austin District is one of 142 Southwest Texas churches that have been certified as welcoming by the General Commission on Communication. Certification must be renewed annually.
Welcoming congregations have systematically evaluated their hospitality and intentionally embraced a lifestyle of welcoming newcomers.
The certification program is part of the denominationwide Igniting Ministry campaign. The goal is to help congregations do a better job of relating to visitors and encouraging them to return.
Americans believe many stories in Bible literally
VENTURA, Calif.—Americans take many biblical stories at face value. That’s the finding of a nationwide survey conducted by The Barna Group.
Responses showed that two of three U.S. adults accepted six well-known Bible stories as literally true.
Jesus rising from the dead was the most widely embraced. Three out of four adults (75 percent) said they interpreted that narrative literally. One out of five (19 percent) said they didn’t take that story literally.
Among mainline Protestants—including UMs—83 percent took the resurrection literally. Among non-mainline Protestants, 95 percent accepted the resurrection as fact.
Two-thirds of respondents literally believed that Daniel survived in the lion’s dean (65 percent), that Moses parted the Red Sea (64 percent) and that David killed Goliath with stones and a slingshot (63 percent).
Bishop Christopher plans to retire next September
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—Bishop Sharon Brown Christopher has announced she will retire when her third term as leader of the Illinois Area ends Sept. 1.
Christopher, who grew up in First UMC, Corpus Christi, notified the president of the Council of Bishops that she would conclude a 20-year career as bishop. She served in Minnesota before going to Illinois.
Christopher, 63, could have been assigned to another episcopal area for four years before reaching mandatory retirement age.
Africa University leader to leave school post Dec. 31
OLD MUTARE, Zimbabwe—The chief executive of UM-related Africa University is stepping down Dec. 31.
Rukudzo Murapa, vice chancellor, told the executive committee of the university board of directors of his plans Oct. 10. He has led the UM-related school for 10 years.
His retirement becomes effective Feb. 29, when his contract expires. He will be on leave of absence during January and February.
The board is to present an interim plan for the governance and operations of the 1,300-student university this month.
Advance adopts new look before 60th anniversary
NEW YORK —The Advance for Christ and His Church, the UMC’s designated mission giving program, has a new structure and staff for its 60th birthday.
The Advance is the “second-mile” giving channel for mission. That means it raises funds beyond the mission support that comes from congregational apportionments.
Advance causes include disaster-relief efforts through the UM Committee on Relief, supplementary support for missionaries, and ministries in evangelism, church development and human services around the world.
