A bimonthly e-mail letter
from agency officers and staff 
to leaders of United Methodist Men

October, 2016

Click here to view the full newsletter with expanded articles.

Bishop James E. Swanson Sr., president of the commission, notes that both James and Micah were more concerned with how we act than in what we say. The bishop asks four questions related to what we say we believe and how we act.

On a trip to New Hampshire, General Secretary Gil Hanke observed the stunted growth of trees that received no sunshine. He urges us to strive for the light of God and to not be satisfied with the light we received yesterday.

Steve Nailor, president of the National Association of Conference Presidents, tells about a meeting with the General Commission on UM Men and a jurisdictional gathering. He says NACP will provide training for conference, district and local church leaders.

Larry Coppock, director of scouting ministry, discusses the requirements for a local church to receive a “Shepherd Church Charter Recognition.” He invites UM Men leaders to present the award to churches with effective scouting ministries.

Rick Vance introduces himself as the new director of men’s ministry. A clergy member of the Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference, Rick tells about his early experiences with a men’s organization that allowed him to “learn and make mistakes.”

Mark Lubbock tells how he lost everything in the great Louisiana flood. “The response of UM Men was overwhelming,” says Lubbock. Volunteers showed up almost immediately, and they were supported by the annual conference and the UM Committee on Relief.

“Why did Jesus walk on water?” That’s a question Jim Boesch asks. His answer: “to build trust without borders.” Peter saw Jesus walk on the water and he struggled to do the same, but he lost his faith. Jesus saved him, and he will do the same for you.
 

Discipleship – The Contact Sport

 What does it mean to live a life of discipleship?

For years, men in ministry have been struggling to develop plans, models, strategies, or paradigms to answer this question. The General Commission on United Methodist Men has decided to approach this question in a different way!

At the 12^th National Gathering of United Methodist Men, men will be challenged to, become involved in combating domestic violence, be held accountable in small groups, be involved in church and community outreach and evangelism, and be engaged in developing new ways to care for their community, their church and themselves.

Featured preachers include: Mississippi Area Bishop James Swanson, president of the General Commission on United Methodist Men and South Carolina Area Bishop Jonathan Holston.

The plenary presenters are: Dr. Kevin Watson, assistant professor of Methodist and Wesleyan Studies at Candler School of Theology and author of The Class Meeting: Reclaiming a Forgotten (and Essential) Small Group Experience; and Shan Foster, national director of MEND (Ending Violence – Mending Communities), Middle Tennessee YWCA.

There are a few changes in the gathering this year. Two changes are in the workshops. First, we will be offering four distinctive training tracts that will offer contact experiences in the areas of: leadership, personal growth, spiritual development and basic United Methodist Men’s ministry development.

The leadership tract will help men develop and craft a vision for ministry and offer strategies for gathering and developing a team for ministry. A third session will offer an opportunity to discuss some of the problems facing men’s ministry.

The personal growth tract will offer training in men’s health and wellness as well as discussing stress and anger issues and offering faithful healthy ways to address these issues. Finally, this tract will look at a man’s need to leave a legacy, helping all men understand what it means to be spiritual grandfathers.

The spiritual development tract will address the ways men live out their discipleship connected to God through the work of the Holy Spirit. In this tract, men will discuss the joys and challenges of living life as Spirit empowered men in contact with their families, work and community. Prayer is an essential part of this process. Men will experience different ways to pray throughout a normal (or abnormal) day. Last, but not least, this tract will also help men discover how men are engaged with the daily work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

The basic United Methodist Men’s ministry development tract will address some of the emerging topics facing men ministry in the local church. How do we reach the missing and younger men in our church? How do we offer small-group accountability and support ministry to men whose schedules or health will not allow them to come together? These are two of the questions that will be answered. Finally, in this tract, winners of the “national contest for the most outstanding local church, district and conference ministries to men” will offer a panel discussion on “How We Did It.”

We now seek your input. In addition to the contact training tracts, we want to offer workshop that address your needs.

Over the next two weeks, Rick Vance will be collecting ideas from you. If you have suggestions of topics you would like us to address, please email him by October 28 (rvance@gcumm.org).

In addition to the amazing training opportunities, there will also be time for hands on mission involvement, great fellowship, great food and great fun. Our desire is that men will come to Indianapolis, encounter God, be changed and leave ready to be involved in the Contact Sport of Discipleship in their local church, community and the world.
 

Also, catch up on the latest news and opinions at the Facebook of UM Men.
 
Expand the ministries of Strength for Service by purchasing material from a Home Depot store. The General Council on Finance and Administration provides step-by-step instructions. Do not try to register your credit card at a store.