United Methodist Missionary Association

2012 Issues: March | May | July | August | December

2001 Issues: August | September | October | November | December

UMMA Update, April 2013 (pdf version), No. 88

In this issue

2013 Dues Now Payable

About this Issue and UMMA's Publication Efforts
Dates for Forum Now Set: January 3-5, 2014
Applications for Missionary in Residence Sought
Welcome New Steering Committee Members
UMMA-GBGM Luncheon
New Personnel at Global Ministries
"VEV" Fellowships for Seminarians
Notes from Our Readers
Passings Noted
The Last Word

2013 Dues Now Payable!

Send a check now for 2013 dues! Just go to membership page to link to our PayPal account to pay your dues, where you will also find our treasuerer Dick Vreeland's address (). Individual dues are currently $30, while couples pay $50. Ask about lifeIme and affiliate memberships.

1. About This Issue

As this issue comes your way, we celebrate that Erica Oliveira, a mission intern in L'viv (Ukraine), has accepted the role of "manager" on our UMMA Facebook page. Many may already have noticed a flurry of new activity there. Thanks, Erica and friends! Your feedback and suggestions are welcome.

2. Dates for Forum Now Set: January 3-5, 2014

The dates for UMMA's next Forum on Bearing Witness to Christian Faith in an Interfaith World is scheduled for the first weekend in January 2014. Watch this space for further details. Please share any suggestions you have for speakers and workshops or if you have organizational or logistical skills you would like to volunteer.

3. Applications for Missionary in Residence Sought

Cathy Whitlatch will soon be ending her time as Missionary in Residence as she becomes the Global Ministries Executive responsible for Training and Continuing Education. As a result Missionary Services is seeking a qualified missionary to assume the role of Missionary in Residence (MIR). The following comes from Judy Chung's announcement of the opening:
"The position of Missionary-in-Residence (MIR) provides an avenue of input for the whole missionary community.

"Ideal candidate for the Missionary-in-Residence should have extensive experience as a missionary serving in more than one setting; possess great communication skills being able to relate to people of diverse culture, language, generation, and background; be experienced in conflict mediation; enjoy working in team environment; be self-motivated and self-initiator; and understand the challenges of working in a complex organization.

"The primary role of the MIR is to be a liaison for information and concerns between the Global Ministries and the mission personnel community.

"The Missionary-in-Residence will report directly to the General Secretary but be located physically within the Mission and Evangelism unit. The Mission and Evangelism Leadership Team (MELT) will be a major place for participation of the MIR.

"The position is generally a three-year assignment. Under exceptional circumstances the term may be adjusted.

"The Missionary-in-Residence will be located in New York, NY. Some travel is required.
"If you are interested in serving in this capacity, please send a leaer of interest and your resume to Dan Randall (), Executive Secretary for Missionary Selection and Accompaniment. The starting date will be negotiated, but will begin prior to June 7, 2013."

Applications are still being actively sought, although April 10 was the nominal deadline. Couples will also be considered.

4. Welcome New Steering Committee Members

In keeping with recent UMMA practice, each newly commissioned class of international and young adult missionaries has been offered the chance to nominate one or two of their own for a two-year term as member of the UMMA Steering Committee, the regionally diverse group which advises the Association's officers and assists in making policy decisions for UMMA. We welcome the following four newest members of the Steering Committee representing new missionary classes: Mary Escobar, Albert Otshudi Longe, Erica Oliveira, Hillary Taylor. They will serve from 2012 to 2014.

Additionally, all new missionaries are given one year of UMMA membership free of charge. You can learn more about each by going here and inputting a name to see their missionary biographies and photos. You can reach each via email with FirstInitialLastName@umcmission.org.

Mary Escobar is an international missionary serving as director of a daycare center for young children in a poor neighborhood of Asunción, Paraguay. She was commissioned in October 2012. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she lived more recently in Dallas, Texas.

Albert Otshudi Longe is initially serving with the Kapatiran-Kaunlaran Foundation, Inc., a community-development agency in Manila, Philippines. He is from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Albert is a graduate in environmental studies and history from Africa University where he served as the social welfare officer of the student union.

Erica Oliveira is initially serving with the "Youth to Jesus" ministry of The United Methodist Church in L'viv, Ukraine.

Hillary Taylor is initially serving at Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

Erica and Hillary are both from South Carolina. Albert, Erica, and Hillary were commissioned in August 2012 to the last three-year class of Mission Interns, who are scheduled to serve roughly 18 months in an international assignment before returning to their home countries for a second 18-month assignment.

5. New Personnel at Global Ministries

Jennifer "Jenn" Bryant () has recently assumed the responsibilities as Executive Secretary of Intineration and Missionary Support. Rachel Scully () will be the Program Associate of Itineration. Lily Charles will be serving temporarily as the Program Assistant for "Place Of Assignment" funds (). Missionaries will have received the following information from Cathy Whitlatch, our MIR, about itineration units.

Jenn Bryant is originally from Clarksville, Tennessee. She graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with a Master of Arts in World Mission and Evangelism. Jenn has been in the ministry for 13 years. She has served in United Methodist Churches as the Director of Mission and Outreach, leading congregations in mission initiatives, domestically and internationally. Most recently, she has been working at United Methodist Volunteers in Mission of the Southeastern Jurisdiction, as the Director of Development.

Rachel Scully began working with the place of assignment budgets at General Board of Global Ministries in March of 2012.

George Howard, Deputy General Secretary in Mission and Evangelism, has announced the appointment of Reverend Joseph Washington () as a new Executive Secretary for the Africa Office, joining Mande Muyombo () and Caroline Njuki (). An elder in the New York Annual Conference, Joseph has pastored local congregations, founded a public charter school, served as the Executive Director of a non-profit health care agency, and served as the director of the speakers bureau of Oxfam America, leading training in a number of countries across Africa and Central America.

Gregory A. Forrester (Greg) will become Assistant General Secretary for Disaster Response in the US, Central America and the Caribbean for UMCOR on May 1. A member of the Upper New York Annual Conference, he was most recently Northeast Jurisdictional Coordinator for United Methodist Volunteers in Mission. Greg will replace Tom Hazelwood who has accepted the assignment as Director of Connectional Ministries for the Memphis Annual Conference.

6. UMMA-GBGM Luncheon

Following recent tradition, representatives from UMMA, GBGM staff and GBGM directors will meet to share concerns and exchange information prior to the Directors' spring meeting on April 11. Some matters likely to be discussed include staff efforts to frame a plan for appropriate salary and pension needs of persons coming from various countries, some with social- security-like programs, some without, as well as missionaries from the U.S. - in short, missionaries "from everywhere to everywhere" - in consultation with the missionary community; plans to revise the program of Young Adult Missionary Service to allow more accessible opportunities for international service and service in one's home country; implementation of the guiding principles for future missionary service which grew out of last year's roundtable; as well as development of a grievance policy appropriate to the new governance structure.

7. "VEV" Fellowships for Seminarians

Global Ministries Young Adult Missionaries and alums under 35 are eligible to apply for "Volunteers Exploring Vocation" Fellowships to seminary of $10,000 over three years. While the application deadline for 2013-2014 has passed, it is not too early to begin to anticipate the 2014-2015 process. Contact Alejandra Padillo () for information.

8. Notes from Our Readers

On behalf of Pauline Ingold, who lost her home to the Estes Park fires during the summer of 2012, Robin Ball is looking for a copy of a video entitled "Love in Action" promoting the Ingolds' work in Indonesia. Know of a copy? Contact Robin (Chair Conference Rocky Mountain Conference Board of Global Ministries) at .

9. Passings Noted

The Rev. Glenn S. Fuller died on Sunday, October 28, 2012. His wife, Kay Fuller; three children, Megan Fuller and Cathi Fuller of San Rafael and Mary Hagen of San Francisco; and six grandchildren survive him. Both Glenn and Kay were born to missionary parents in China. In addiFon to serving churches in the California-Nevada Conference, Glenn and Kay served as missionaries in India Korea and Vienna, Austria. Obituary.

The Rev. Keith Eugene Hamilton died at Franklin (Indiana) United Methodist Community on January 14, 2013, at age 89. He had joined the Air Force during World War II but under the influence of E. Stanley Jones and Georgia Harkness he became dedicated to follow the Prince of Peace and renounced his commission and Air Force benefits. Keith and wife Marilynn served as missionaries in Montevideo, Uruguay; Bolivia; and Huancayo, Peru. Keith authored the book, Church Growth in the High Andes, (1961) and with Marilynn produced Spanish-language materials for Marriage Enrichment seminars widely used across Latin America by Youth with a Mission (YWAM) and elsewhere in translation into 20 or more languages. Survivors are his wife, Marilynn, 4 children, 8 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Obituary.

Frances Norine Hutchinson Bray died January 23, 2013, aged 97, at Pilgrim Place in Claremont, California. She is survived by children Jim, Maggie and Tom, 6 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Frances was a PK from Ohio. She was an early proponent of a more prominent role for women, beginning with her MRE from Oberlin Graduate School of Theology. Frances and spouse William lived out a marriage of 59 years (1944-2003) in military, mission and ministerial assignments. For 28 years they were missionaries in Japan. They retired to Claremont in 1982. In 2005 she was invited back to Japan to give a talk at the 150th anniversary of Kwansei Gakuin about the school's founder, Bishop Lambuth.

Lucy Rhea Gist, Deaconess, died December 28, 2012 at Brooks-Howell Home, Ashville, NC, at age 89. As a Deaconess in The United Methodist Church, Lucy dedicated her life in ministry primarily through Community Centers, with a focus on women, youth, and children. She served both in the USA and Korea. Her legacy includes the Lucy Gist Head Start at Bethlehem Center in Charlotte, NC. Lucy was a "PK" and herself a certified Rural Chaplain. She is survived by a sister and a brother and several nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, all in California. Obituary.

Dean S. Gilliland died February 17, 2013, at Pilgrim Place, Claremont, CA, at 84 years of age. Dean and Lois had served 22 years, first with the former E.U.B. Church's mission board and then under Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church, before he joined the faculty at Fuller Theological Seminary as professor and as a leader of the "missiology" movement in 1977, seeking to bring respect and understanding of cultural diversity to global missionary work. He was also founder of the West African Association of Theological Studies and spent several years ministering to Muslims in Africa before coming to Fuller. Gilliland, who retired from Fuller in 2001, graduated from Houghton College (related to the Wesleyan Church) in New York state and Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville, IL. Lois, his wife of 61 years, and children Dean, David, Dale, Barbara Jo, and Douglas; and four grandchildren survive him. Obituary.

David McLaurin, 63, died February 27, 2013, in Dallas, TX. His passing is a great loss to Global Ministries' "In Mission Together" program. David had only recently assumed coordination for church partnerships between the Eurasia Area and U.S. United Methodists. Thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Kathleen and their family. Obituary.

Ruth M. Harris, 92, died April 7, 2013, at Pilgrim Place, Claremont, CA., as this issue was being completed. Look for more on her life in the next UpDate.

10. The Last Word[s] (Sojourners "Voice and Verse" 04/04/2013)

"Mary represents the 'rebel consciousness' that is essential to Jesus' gospel. Wherever the gospel is preached, we must remember that its good news will make you crazy. Jesus will put you at odds with the economic and political systems of our world. This gospel will force you to act, interrupting the world as it is in ways that make even pious people indignant." - Emmanuel Katongole

"Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love."

"Linking mission workers worldwide and moving forward"

We welcome your comments: