August 2017 Beacon

Hurricane Harvey Appeal

Helping after Hurricane Harvey

Cleaning buckets and donations needed in wake of Harvey

Video Message

Click here to view a video from the Rev. Glenn Rowley, Virginia Conference director of Justice and Missional Excellence.

Donate through the United Methodist Committee on Relief 

Click here to make an online donation at the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) site. You can donate to either United States Disaster Response Advance #901670 or Material Resources Advance #901440.

Cleaning Bucket Regional Collection Point Information

Click here to download a list of Cleaning Bucket contents. Each district may designate a district drop off point but all buckets need to be delivered to the regional collection points (see list below) by the deadlines shown in order to make this effort go smoothly and timely. Of course, buckets may be dropped off at any of the three collections points regardless of your district affiliation. This is an emergent need and we must get the depots replenished ASAP as there are other hurricanes already in the Atlantic. The Virginia Conference United Methodist Men and Conference Disaster Response Team appreciate your cooperation and compassionate response!

Farmville, Danville, Roanoke, Lynchburg Districts

Evergreen UMC, 2466 Cedar Tree Rd, Appomattox, VA  24522 - Contact Stephanie Hunt at 804-337-3569. Drop off deadline is 4 p.m., Tues-day, September 19.

Alexandria, Arlington, Winchester, Rappahannock River, Richmond, Charlottesville, Staunton, Harrisonburg Districts

Virginia United Methodist Center, 10330 Staples Mill Rd, Glen Allen, VA 23060 - Contact Rev. Glenn Rowley at 804-521-1143. Drop off deadline is 4 p.m., Wednesday, September 20.

Elizabeth River, York River, James River, Eastern Shore Districts

St. Luke's UMC, 3396 Stoneshore Rd, Virginia Beach, VA  23452-4848 - Contact is Bob Pihlcrantz at 757-408-6653. Drop off deadline is 4 p.m., Thursday, September 21.

Early Response Team (ERT) Information

This information is provided by the Rev. Kirk Culpepper: Texas is in the process of seeking out teams that can respond to help with the cleanup from hurricane Harvey.

Please do not self- deploy, but follow the link below and register your teams with them. It is also recommended you plan on being completely self-sufficient and not plan on much more than space to sleep because of the scope of the disaster. In addition you must have a CURRENT ERT certification card.

This is going to be a long-term event so you have time to prepare and get your teams outfitted and ready.

Also, the Rev. Kirk Culpepper will be leading a Basic ERT class in the Elizabeth River District September 23. If your certification has expired you can renew through this class. Click here to download a flyer that includes registration information (pdf).

Here is the information on how to register your teams:

The Rio Texas Conference is asking for ERTs. Only currently certified ERT members are being accepted. Teams will base out of Corpus Christi and should register at https://riotexas.org/ert-volunteer-team-registration. ERT trained individuals/small groups not part of a team should register at https://riotexas.org/ert-individual-and-small-group-signup. Current needs include debris removal of down trees, and roof tarping. Many homes have water damage from damaged windows and roofs.

Information for Virginia Conference UMMen

Dillard named UMMen Cleaning Bucket Coordinator 

Scott Dillard, President, Harrisonburg District UMMen has agreed to coordinate statewide bucket logistics efforts with

Rev. Bob Pihlcrantz. Dillard can be reached at 540-810-0903 or

Scott@hbgelec.com.

The UMMen goal is 1,000 buckets, and the plan is to transport them by rental truck(s) to the North Carolina UMCOR warehouse. The ultimate destination is New Orleans and if we can get a volunteer qualified driver to volunteer, we may be making that trip, too. Pastor Bob has funding available for truck rental to transport cleaning buckets, so be sure to coordinate this need with Scott.

District presidents; please inform Scott ASAP who your district level coordinators are. This is an ideal assignment for a millennial that can be mentored and supported by those more experienced. Please carefully pray for, contact personally, and select a coordinator with this in mind. Younger guys want projects and responsibility. The metaphor is "give 'em a set of keys to the church," don't just loan them your set.

In addition to your District Coordinators, Scott Dillard will be using ClergyNet and LaityNet to remind churches of cleaning bucket requirements, due dates, locations of hubs, rental trucks, logistics, contacts and other vital information that becomes available. He will also pass along vital alerts to share with UMMen fellowships.

And men, if an opportunity presents itself, please take pictures of your efforts. We want to remind our communities that we are "doers and not just hearers of the word" (one of our core values) and demonstrate to younger men that we put our hearts into exciting, important service because He first loved us!

Continue praying for our neighbors displaced and devastated by floods, and ask, then act, on answering the question, "What can we do (as well as praying) to help?"

Credits: Virginia Conference Communications provided the Houston flood photo and first half of this article.

President's Message

"Which of all of these does not know..."

Over the last several weeks my family has been traveling, meeting with

family and friends, and making new friends. We have done so in a way that takes us past majestic mountains, canyons, lakes, rivers, meadows and valleys. We've passed clear expansive skies, lightning storms, and forest fires. We've been shaded by the largest trees and the tallest ones, seen the greatest natural wonder of the world and some of the smallest, all a part of God's Creation.  

In mid-July, we even visited the hottest (128°F), driest, and lowest (283' below sea level) place in America. Butterflies, elk, lizards, bison, hummingbirds, mountain goats, raptors, deer, marmot, cattle, chipmunk, bear, moose, magpie, and yes, even mosquitoes, have all crossed our path. The sight of wildflowers and cactus, geysers and fumaroles, petrified wood and the Painted Desert has blessed us - by now you all get the picture. There aren't sufficient adjectives to capture the splendor of God's Creation. The best writers can paint a picture with words while God made the natural world with just a few: "Let there be..." and it was good!

Naturalist John Muir once said, "I care to live only to entice people to look at nature's loveliness." John had memorized the entire Bible as a child. Job said, "But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind" (Job 12:7-10 NIV).

For me, God's Creation says, "I love you!" Like so much of God's grace, He places things in our path so we can better connect with Him and with each other. "When I in awesome wonder consider all the universe displays..." I never cease to be astounded, God, by how great You are!

Grace and Peace,

Andrew

Andrew Kissell

Andew.Kissell@aecom.com

Editor's Note: Although Andrew and his family have been on a much-deserved vacation that lasted about 45 days, he was not deterred from preparing the President's Message for this month's issue. And in reading his message you will quickly learn that this was not a typical sightseeing vacation, but instead it was to observe firsthand the Majesty of the Creation and to be witnesses for God's Good News along the way. 

United Methodist Men 2017 Spiritual Advance

Survey showed attendance down, but excitement ran high

The 2017 Spiritual Advance Participant Survey ended recently and the results revealed excitement and interest running high through the answers to seven questions covering 36 areas of activity. The  62 percent overall response rate is considered very high for religious organizations such as United Methodist Men.

For example, the leadoff question, "What went into your decision to be a part of the 2017 Spiritual Advance?" had three choices:

• Renew longtime relationships and make new acquaintances         (28% response)
• Take a break from today's rushed society (17% response)
• Participate in an uplifting weekend with likeminded men focusing on the authorityof Scripture (55% response)

Several questions sought replies to the level of satisfaction or agreement on each program element such as Randolph-Macon College's staff, lodging, food and meeting rooms, optional activities and cost of registration.

Answers to questions aimed at 2018 planning yielded information on the preferred time of year for the Spiritual Advance, and whether the men plan to attend. Sixty-seven percent answered, "I plan to be there."

Near the end at question six, men were asked to rate their overall satisfaction with their Spiritual Advance experience; their answer was a whopping 88 percent in the "satisfactory" to "very satisfied" range.

By the way, be sure to download your personal copy the 2017 Spiritual Advance Participant Survey report, that includes respondents' comments.

Following a 19-month interruption since the last gathering in Blackstone, the 2017 UMMen Spiritual Advance came about without any glitches. Although the low participation rate at this year's main event was not unexpected, 60 men did turn out determined to be among their brothers in Christ in prayer, rest and refilling of the Holy Spirit, joyful noise of music and singing and boundless fellowship. And as the survey revealed, they're looking forward to the UMMen 2018 main event.

Closed meetings find support, criticism

News from United Methodist News Service

The Commission on a Way Forward, charged with helping the denomination avoid schism amid divisions over homosexuality, continues to meet behind closed doors. Some in the church say that's needed for commissioners to build trust and candor. Others question whether the approach is wise or even permissible under church law. Sam Hodges reports. Read story

Commentary from Good News

By the Rev. Tom Lambrecht, Vice President, Good News

The Bishop's Commission on a Way Forward for the Church recently held its fourth face-to-face meeting. With nine total meetings scheduled, we are still not even halfway to the end of the process. We are aware that this process is taking more time and thought than some would like. It is not easy work.

Read Commentary: Closer to a Way Forward

2017 Dates to Remember

Opportunities in MENistry

OCT 7         UMMen Cabinet Meeting

                   More information to follow

NOV 10-12 Southeast Jurisdiction UMMen Meeting

                   St. Simon's Island, GA

DEC 9         UMMen Cabinet Meeting, 9:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

                   Virginia United Methodist Center, Glen Allen, VA

Words to Live By . . .

"I have been driven many times to my 

knees by the overwhelming conviction that 

I had nowhere else to go!"

- Abraham Lincoln