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BY RICK VANCE
UMCONNECTION CORRESPONDENT

Several men from the Baltimore-Washington Conference recently took conference training sessions to learn how to pray, to be closer to God and to be effective spiritual leaders. One of those men, Richard Campbell, is also learning how to grow men?s ministry in local churches.

'Churches have struggled for years to get men to be active in ministries of the church,' said Campbell, the vice-president for the Annapolis District United Methodist Men. Campbell suggested that men are intimidated by the limited way Christ is portrayed and do not relate well to that portrayal.

'Christ was a man?s man, a carpenter who reached out to the working class,' he said.

The Rev. Helen Fleming is coordinating the men?s training sessions. '(She) is bringing together men, letting them see and touch and hear that they don?t have to be 'sissified' but can be manly about the things of God, that it?s okay to have compassion and express forgiveness,' Campbell said.

'She tells how Christ has changed her life. God has blessed us by putting her in our life,' Campbell said.

Sherman Harris, conference president of United Methodist Men, tells of Fleming confronting them as men, saying things like, You?ve tried all kinds of programs. You?ve cajoled, schemed and you?ve lied to get men to do God?s works. Get in touch with God and everything will work itself out.'

Fleming explained, 'If you?re not serious about praying for other men, go home. Prayer is simply communicating with God. It involves talking to God and listening to God.'

'It?s important men recognize their call to ministry,' she continues, 'not just sit in a pew. All men have a ministry.'

Fleming practices what she teaches. 'Prayer is the bottom basement of my life. Prayer has been my primary resource,' she said. 'I believe strongly that prayer changes things.'

Sherman Harris talks about the emphasis on prayer in the sessions, 'I?m supporting prayer because you?re being led from the heart and not the head. The head always gives you an alternative, but if you?re working from the heart, the Master leads and the confusion level is down.'

The Rev. Rod Miller, conference director of Connectional Ministries and recent contributor to one of the sessions, puts it this way: 'I think we as men tend to look at what will work. This ministry causes us to think of who we are related to, why we are doing this, what our ministry is really about.

'In a lot of places what we do as men has been about giving a talk or a speech. Let?s get behind that and support each other spiritually and not just with discussion. It?s grabbing, guys. It?s exciting.'

All men are invited to attend a prayer session at 7 a.m., May 25, at annual conference, whether they are attending the conference or not.

SIDEBAR:

Invitation to prayer
All men are invited to attend a prayer session at 7 a.m., May 25, during annual conference, whether or not attending the conference.

PRAYER ADVOCATES, men and women, are always needed at the conference Prayer Center, 7178 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite D, in Columbia. Prayer advocates may volunteer anytime between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. There is a place for you to serve in this ministry. Call (800) 936-6893 or e-mail