| Thanking God for evangelism award I give thanks to my Father in heaven and the people of the Baltimore-Washington Conference for the honor of receiving the Denman Evangelism Award. It reminds me of the old gospel song, Let the work I do speak for me. As the conferences Hesed Ministries chairwoman my goal is to serve people of addiction and bring glory to God. Hesed is a Hebrew word for tenacious, steadfast love. As ministers and evangelists our goal is to love as Jesus loves us. A person in love is willing to give their all to the person they love. As Hesed ministers, we ask, What would Jesus do? Then we set out to do his will. I accept this award on behalf of every person, be they clergy or laity, who feeds the hungry and helps the addicted as they journey into the world of evangelism seeking to do Gods will. Charlene Williams
Hesed Ministries chairwoman
Baltimore-Washington Conference
Good or bad news evangelicals I guess Im one of those so-called evangelicals that my colleague the Rev. Cliff Harrison wrote about in the last UMConnection. At one point, earlier in my ministry, I was advised not to use labels for myself or others because it divides us. But I guess I never really learned that lesson very well. Now Im trying to figure out if Im a good news or bad news evangelical. I always thought it was good news that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am the (second) worst of all, next to the Apostle Paul who claimed top billing. As God has shown me mercy, so I want to show mercy to others. So now Im confused. Is it good news that God wants to take all manner of sinners liars, cheaters, stealers, adulterers and murderers, clergy and laity, homosexuals and heterosexuals, vegetarians and hamburger eaters save them, clean them up and by Gods grace have them go on to perfection? Or is that bad news? I guess good news can be bad news if you dont want to change. Maybe if I got a more modern version of the Bible I might begin to understand. Rev. Stan Cardwell
St. Pauls UMC, Leonardtown
Biblical literalism not at fault I was fascinated to read the Rev. Cliff Harrisons letter in the July 9 UMConnection. We who are defending the Good News attempt to alert our fellow Christians to the bad news of modern interpretations, and biblical literalism are called into question. If we are wrong, there needs to be a publication that delivers new truths. Will the today Jesus (Love) loll in a San Francisco bathhouse with Sophia (Wisdom) as their supplicants touch his towel in faith to abort a fetal mass. Will he be inhaling medicinal marijuana to ease the pain from those nail and sword wounds? Will Sophia rail against the Father who would allow his son to endure torture and death? If modern love and wisdom accept anything and everything, it is wrong. It is sinful. The people leaving our beloved United Methodist Church are leaving because of modernism, not biblical literalism. They are not flocking to modernist churches. Three million have gone to evangelical churches. Larry Lutz
Lexington Park UMC | 
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