Online Archives

Project answers church's prayer

COCKEYSVILLE - The aging congregation of Texas UMC had tried for years to find a way for people to enter the church, accessible only to people who could climb the many stairs into the building. "We have a lot of steps to climb to enter the church," said Virginia Hannibal who has been in the church for 65 years. "People couldn't come, even for funerals."

A ramp was the answer, but they could never afford the costs of building, Hannibal said.

The Rev. Jan Leith's husband, affiliated with a local union in Cumberland, suggested they contact Baltimore District Carpenters' Union 101. The Union offered to build the ramp for free labor as part of their apprenticeship training as long as the church would provide the materials.

Buddy Poe, a member of the church, drew the plans and built the concrete footers and foundation. The union members did the rest.

"This made it possible to provide access to the sanctuary," Leith said. "It was a justice issue for us."

Church helps Sudanese women

LAVALE - A partnership between LaVale UMC's United Methodist Women, the church's Health Cabinet, and their Sunday School classes has resulted in raising $865 to purchase solar cookers for refugee women who have fled from the genocide in Darfur.

The cookers have been successfully used in two refugee camps, and now the camp at Oure Cassoni will also have them.

The cookers are not only a ready source of heat with which a woman can prepare a meal, but they also help protect the women and girls from sexual assault and violence, common when they have to walk miles to gather firewood for their families, reported Margaret Barkman.

Bishops honored at dedication

HAGERSTOWN - In October, Otterbein UMC dedicated its Bishops' Hall, a spacious new room, built into the courtyard between the sanctuary and education building.

The room was built in memory of Bishop Arthur H. Statton, who was pastor from 1897 to 1917, and in honor of retired Bishop Joseph H. Yeakel, who was at the dedication.

In the early 1950s when Yeakel served the church as an assistant pastor, it was St. Paul's Evangelical United Brethren in the Susquehanna Conference. With merger in 1968, it took the name of Otterbein UMC.

He has been an active participant in the church since his retirement. The new room is currently used for "refresh minutes" on Sunday morning and a place for families to gather for weddings and funerals.

Helping homeless part of discipleship

GLEN BURNIE - John Wesley UMC sponsored a rotating homeless shelter in the church the last week of October.

Sleeping in the church's downstairs were a dozen women and six men each night for the week. It was an especially busy week with charge conference, a three-night revival and "Family & Friends Day" on Sunday, said the Rev. Mamie A. Williams.

"It's a good feeling to give some assistance, as in these rough economic times but for God's grace and mercy, go I," she said

Christmas music from Tori Amos

COLUMBIA - Tori Amos, a well-known singer and daughter of retired Elder, the Rev. Edison Amos, has just released a new Christmas album. For more information, visit her Web site at www.toriamos.com.

IN THE NEWS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Wesley Ministry Network, a cutting-edge curriculum for small groups, will be online in January. CEUs will be provided for pastors. Courses include Journey Through the Psalms, Serious Answers to Hard Questions, Simply Christian, Women Speak of God, Devotion to Jesus and Religion and Science: Pathways to Truth. To learn more, visit www.beadisciple.com/wesleyministrynetwork.html.

MAPLEWOOD, N.J. - The United Methodist Church's advertising slogan - "Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors. The people of The United Methodist Church" - was selected as a best-in-class tagline in the 2009 Getting Attention Nonprofit Tagline Awards. To learn more, visit www.10thousanddoors.org.