| Methodists provide significant endowment I was pleased with the article in the Sept. 18 UMConnection on the work of the Board of Child Care. This agency of our conference has been working professionally and lovingly with children for decades, and (as the article indicates) has recently expanded its program dramatically. It is something for our people to be proud of. I was concerned, however, that an impression might be conveyed that the Baltimore-Washington Conference has played only a small role in the life of the agency especially in its finances. True, outside sources do provide a large percentage of the boards operating budget, but the boards enormous endowment fund has made possible much of its growth and expansion. In fact, when combined with two related endowment funds, for the Strawbridge Home for Boys and the Kelso Home for Girls, the total endowment exceeds $130 million. This wonderful resource represents proceeds from Christmas offerings and from personal gifts and bequests from Methodist people over many years. As former chairman of the conference Board of Investments, I would point out that operating budgets are designed to meet current needs. Endowments often make possible dramatic growth. The income alone from $130 million should fund continued expansion of the boards work for years to come. Its amazing what many offering plates, in many churches, over many years, can accomplish. Rev. Bill Boyer
Oak Chapel UMC, Silver Spring UMs have responsibility to oppose gambling According to a local newspaper report, one of the Frederick District United Methodist churches was engaged in a raffle. In fact, it was a community group that wanted to do something to benefit the church. After consultation with my office, the raffle was cancelled and the money returned. Because that well-intended effort created some concern, I thought it appropriate to address the position of the United Methodist Church on the issue of gambling. The Book of Discipline states the position of the church in our Social Principles, 163G. It says in part: Gambling is a menace to society, deadly to the best interests of moral, social, economic, and spiritual life, and destructive of good government. As an act of faith and concern, Christians should abstain from gambling and should strive to minister to those victimized by the practice. It further says that the church should not resort to commercial gambling including public lotteries as a recreation, as an escape, or as a means of producing public revenue or funds for support of charities or government. I would encourage the reading of Resolution 193 in the Book of Resolutions as a means of gaining further insight into the churchs biblical and theological rationale for its opposition to gambling. There are many in our society, including state and local governments, who see no problem in supporting gambling. But we, as United Methodist Christians, have a responsibility to stand in opposition to gambling. Rev. Wayne DeHart
Frederick District superintendent | 
Login/Register to leave comment