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Past Issues

UMMA Update, November 12, 2003
  1. Pre-Stamford 2003 Report of the UMMA Chair, Norma Kehrberg
  2. Post-Stamford 2003 GBGM Meeting by Norma Kehrberg, Chair
  3. UMMA Gathering and GBGM Meeting Impressions by Jim Gulley
  4. UMMA's Recommendations to GBGM's General Secretary typed by Jim Gulley
  5. A Spiritual Nurture Note and Prayer Request by Carolyn Cowen
  6. Recent Honors to Our Missionaries by Gene Matthews and Pat Patterson
  7. Request for Language Interpreters for General Conference by Don Reasoner
  8. Data of UM Missionaries Desired by L. Dale Patterson, Archivist of UMC
  9. Missionary Reunions "Mark Your 2004 Calendar and Make Reservations Early"
  10. Announcements, Corrections and Repeats for Emphasis by Richard Schwenk, ed.
1. Pre-Stamford 2003 Report of the UMMA Chair, Norma Kehrberg

Using the imagery from baseball at this time of the World Series, I want to characterize mission and missionary concerns of the role of the United Methodist Church's mission agency. Michael Sivalee, a Presbyterian missionary used this analogy regarding a similar context for the June 2003 issue of Cross Culture, Newsletter of the Association of Presbyterians for Cross-Cultural Mission.

The World Series has opposing teams. In my analogy "failing God" in mission is our opponent. The team is made up of participants in missio dei, God's mission.

The bases are loaded. On third base is a theology of mission as envisioned by the "first disciples and the Apostle Paul in the scriptures they wrote and in the church they founded. They defined the character of mission for which they were sent as that which they witnessed in the teachings and in the works of Jesus. They believed they were to join in God's mission in the name of Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit to:

  1. witness to the good news of God's Reign (Lk. 4:43; 9:2)
  2. address the human hungers for health and wholeness (Jn. 10:10)
  3. challenge the structure of injustice of the powerful over the poor (Lk. 4:16-20)
  4. gather to praise and to pray. (Acts.2:42, 44-47)".*

Calling themselves the ecclecia, which means to go forth or to be sent, the early church did just that.

On second base are members of the UMC local churches who are committed to mission as a part of their Annual Conference and through the connectional system to GBGM - as the mission sending body. They too are in the game praying for, supporting and actively involved in missio dei.

On first base are the active and retired missionaries, called to a life time of service from "everywhere to anywhere," passionately advocating for full participation in the mission and missionary movement of our church.

GBGM is at bat. Is GBGM ready to swing?

Burdened by fiscal realities, organized and operating out of a non-participatory structure that does not, at least at present, invite, encourage, or allow input from all the contributors in mission, GBGM is at bat and the bases are loaded. The church international is in the stands and waiting to see if GBGM is ready to swing.

The Presbyterian Church faced and continues to face similar financial constraints. They have had cutbacks in mission personnel, but mission personnel-sending did not stop. Instead, in the midst of their financial stress, the United Presbyterian Church USA voted by an overwhelming 97% at their 2002 General Assembly to institute a $40 million campaign for a mission initiative. This is not an initiative to start denominational churches in some given country, but an initiative for mission. In the $40 million campaign, $21.5 million is designated to recruit, train, equip, send and support 54 longer-term, cross-cultural mission personnel, including those with expertise in the various regions of the world.

Should we not expect a similar strategy from the GBGM? It is a theological necessity for members of the UMC to be in mission. To be a church is to be a church in mission, to go forth! As advocates who are passionately involved in mission and clothed in our theological right, we must continue to advocate, prod, cajole and plead that the GBGM regain and reclaim its cutting edge as a mission organization.

The disciples did not rely on stock markets and bank accounts. They went out in faith. Fiscal realities cannot be ignored but we must expect that the GBGM plan for mission in the present and the future is faith. Retrenching alone will not lead to growth. Stepping out in faith leads to growth. Missionary movements have always relied on passionately-committed people. If the GBGM cannot send "72" why not "12" like the disciples of old?

There is pressure on the GBGM in this year before General Conference; however, the church in general continues to expect mission personnel to be identified, trained and sent. If the "will" is there, action will follow. We need to monitor how GBGM handles the upcoming ball that is about to be thrown.

One breath of fresh air can be seen in the changed atmosphere as evidenced at the GBGM meeting in Birmingham and in Stamford as well as in interactions at various staff levels. The new General Secretary has met with UMMA representatives on three occasions, including a meeting in St. Louis with other representatives of the deaconesses and Church and Community Workers. There were two directors at the meeting in St. Louis, including the Chair of MPU and the Chair of GBGM Personnel Committee.

However, in the year 2003 no new mission personnel were sent and the mission training center was officially closed. There have been more staff retrenchments, with numerous lay staff retiring at the end of June, 2003. Also in the year 2003, after repeated requests and two dialogues, there has still been no substantive discussion of the long standing concerns of mission personnel as identified by UMMA. Follow-up after the dialogues has been minimal.

Last year at this time, UMMA Gathering members heard during the Mission Personnel Unit meeting that there would be substantial cuts in mission personnel. Numbers were not fully clarified nor was any plan made known by GBGM to inform the church in general of this dire financial situation prior to the severe cutbacks they were making. Nor, was a plan identified to engage the church in saving GBGM's mission personnel.

UMMA issued a press release on October 28, 2002 concerning the reduction of cross-cultural, standard support missionaries. On November 9, 2002, the former General Secretary of GBGM released a statement regarding the reductions and Bishop Martinez, President of GBGM released a lengthy statement in late November. By then, churches and some Annual Conferences were involved in letter writing and consultations advocating on behalf of UMC-GBGM mission personnel.

In retrospect, one should analyze one's actions. If UMMA had not issued its press release, I continue to wonder when the word of the cutbacks would have been shared with the church. It is unfortunate that some difficulties were directed to already over-worked staff and some mission personnel, but it would have been more unfortunate if such cutbacks had been ignored.

A significant breakthrough came in April 2003 at the GBGM meeting in Birmingham during a luncheon meeting with staff of MPU, representatives of UMMA and Curtis Henderson, Chair of the MPU. Edith Gleaves, MPU Deputy General Secretary was not able to attend because of illness.

The subsequent April MPU meeting devoted significant time to discussing UMMA concerns and resulted in the formation of an ad hoc committee for dialogue. The ad hoc committee offers possibilities for hope and action.

  1. The ad hoc committee recommends a reactivation of the Global Mission Personnel Conference in such a way that may offer mission personnel an opportunity to give input to the decision making process of the Directors of GBGM. Unfortunately, it recommends that this avenue of face-to-face communication be initiated in the year 2005.
  2. The ad hoc committee report also recommends that selected directors related to MPU be participants in the Mission Personnel Association meetings of the deaconesses, the Church and Community Workers and UMMA.

Other suggestions include communication and contact through the Internet and discussions with the General Secretary and other Cabinet members during their travel to various parts of the world.

Although the long standing concerns of UMMA still remained unsolved, we should not become pessimistic. In order for the church to be the church, it must be involved in mission and send and receive missionaries from everywhere to anywhere. Christ told the disciples that their (our) mission is to share the good news and work with those in need.

The sending of missionaries will look different than in the past. Under the present GBGM structure, support of longer-term, cross-cultural missionaries has been weakened. This comes at a time when our church and its communities need more face-to-face mission emphasis and interchange with other cultures and religions to lessen misunderstanding. We remain hopeful and will be vigilant to ensure that GBGM regains its visionary thrust for mission and reclaims the role of longer term, cross-cultural missionaries as one avenue of mission service.

It is not too late. The bases are still loaded. It is my prayer that GBGM will step up to the plate, swing and connect.

*Theology of Mission, UMMA document, Challenge of Mission Leadership in the New Millennium, October 2001.

2. Post-Stamford 2003 GBGM Meeting by Norma Kehrberg, Chair

"You are going on a mission!"

Enthusiastically, General Secretary R. Randy Day alerted the Directors of GBGM that they are going on a mission using the reference in Acts 26, where St. Paul tells of his call to Christ on the Damascus Road. Paul was sent by Christ to go on a mission. Randy Day stated, "Paul did, indeed, go on a mission and the world was changed forever. So are we: you and I, and this agency, and our church--on a mission as servant and witness to what God has shown, and is showing, and will show us as we strive as Christians to increase the love of God and neighbor around the world."

Randy Day characterized the GBGM as undergoing transitions in personnel, finance and program. Citing GBGM as being in an organizational transition stage, Day identified six areas of relationship building that would characterize this new style of leadership; building relationships of openness, trust and common vision among directors; building a strong staff leadership team and building relationships with mission personnel and specialized constituencies, with annual conferences in the US and within the Central Conferences, with partner Churches around the world, and with other UMC boards and agencies.

The enthusiasm of the General Secretary's address was tempered by the fiscal reality given in a report by Roland Fernandes, interim General Treasurer replacing the recently resigned General Treasurer Steve Feerrar. Roland Fernandes indicated that the total operating income in 2002 was $27.1 million lower than in 2001. He also reported that the drastic action taken in 2002 regarding mission personnel resulted in an $8.8 million decrease in mission personnel expenses.

In the year 2003, there was a slight improvement in the stock market as compared to 2002 resulting in an increase of $6.5 million for the first eight months of 2003 as compared with a net depreciation of $12.2 million for the same period in 2002. Other increased income came from Collins Alamor Forest Fund which increased from $0.4 million in 2002 to $2.3 million in 2003 -- primarily due to the start of a new saw mill. Altogether, various factors resulted in an increase of 2.4% in the total 2003 operating revenue for GBGM as reported for August 2003 when compared to 2002 for the same period.

The report of the General Secretary and in recent years the report of the General Treasurer are key markers of the GBGM meeting. The General Secretary's report outlines the direction for the mission board, but in recent years it has been tempered by fiscal constraints.

Though lack of funds continues to be a major factor affecting mission programs, options are still available, priorities are set and choices are made. As chair of UMMA, I would like to see a bold "preferential option" instituted to identify, train, send, and support longer term, cross cultural mission personnel (standard support missionaries in the GBGM terminology). Adequate time and resources must be provided to mission personnel committed to entering deeply into other cultures which can lead to increased understanding among peoples, cultures and religions and is desperately needed in today's fractured world.

It appears that GBGM is taking a more cautious, even passive approach in regard to mission personnel. Paul Dirdak, representing the Board Cabinet at a meeting with UMMA representatives prior to the Board meeting stated the hope that "attrition of current mission personnel and the available resources for mission personnel may reach a point in 2005" when more longer term mission personnel can be sent. It was a somewhat hopeful sign though to learn that a new class of ten or twelve US2 mission personnel will be identified in the year 2004 and some deaconesses will be trained.

During the course of the various interactions, UMMA urged the GBGM to engage local churches to support mission personnel through a special appeal or a focused financial campaign. At present, GBGM's approach is to present a smorgasbord of mission opportunities from which the local church may choose rather than to focus on enlisting local churches in mission support. Regrettably, less than 15% of UMC churches are in a covenant relationship with missionaries i.e. providing sustained financial support. Although the financial vehicle is there through the Advance Special program, there is no evidence that GBGM has directly asked local churches for the urgent financial support needed for missionaries. It was also reported that one large church in the southeastern jurisdiction supports almost 60 missionaries, but only one is from GBGM.

Actions Related to UMMA The Mission Personnel Unit acted on a report generated by an ad hoc subcommittee of MPU set up in April 2003 for dialogue among mission personnel, staff and directors. Their report was received and approved by MPU and then forwarded to the Mission Development Committee for action, resulting in these decisions for Board Cabinet approval: The Mission Development Committee reviewed, affirmed and referred the following actions to the Board Cabinet.

  1. Reinstitute the Global Mission Personnel Conference for 2005;
  2. Assign three directors, one each from the Mission Development Committee, Mission Volunteers and Mission Personnel Committees to attend Missionary Association Meetings;
  3. Explore new avenues of internet communication; and
  4. Create talk back sessions at events where Cabinet members and/or directors are scheduled to attend.

Regrettably, the request to restart consultations between Mission Personnel and the Associations was not a part of the recommendation from the ad hoc sub committee. In the past, consultations were held to address some of the long standing concerns of UMMA such as the Collins Pension Plan, categories of missionaries and personnel issues. These consultations were cancelled and have not been restarted even after repeated requests.

UMMA welcomed the revision of the official mission personnel statistics. From October 2003, neither UMCOR/NGO personnel nor the Rural Chaplains will be counted as mission personnel. This corrects irregular recording and shows more realistic numbers of GBGM mission personnel. The official number of mission personnel of GBGM is now 1050.

The UMMA Gathering was held concurrently with the sessions of the GBGM Directors' meeting. UMMA participants attended various plenary sessions and selected committees related to mission personnel issues. It was evident that the atmosphere and environment was much more open to the presence of UMMA members.

Prior to the UMMA Gathering, letters of invitation were sent to Randy Day, General Secretary, Edith Gleaves, Deputy General Secretary of the Mission Personnel Unit (MPU) and Steve Goldstein, of the MPU to meet with the UMMA Gathering. Edith Gleaves responded stating that she would be very busy but would meet with representatives of UMMA before the official Board meeting began. Due to the illness of her mother, Edith did not attend the GBGM meeting but the luncheon meeting. Curtis Henderson, chair of the MPU, coordinated the meeting. At that meeting Paul Dirdak, Deputy General Secretary of Health and Welfare, represented the Board Cabinet and Steve Goldstein represented MPU.

Randy Day met with the UMMA Gathering on Wednesday, October 22, from 5:15 to 5:55 PM at the conclusion of the UMMA Gathering, the first opportunity he had to slip away from other business. Also, Rena Yocum, Special Assistant to Randy Day, and Steve Goldstein were present.

During that meeting, UMMA reiterated their appreciation for the changed, warmer atmosphere of the GBGM directors' meeting. Guest tags and mail boxes were provided for all UMMA participants and at one committee of GBGM directors, UMMA representatives were invited to sit at the table, introduce themselves and were asked to comment on one action being discussed.

UMMA presented the follow major issues to the General Secretary recommending:

  1. Mount a financial campaign for the support of missionaries to include:
    1. adoption of a Bishop's Emphasis/Appeal for support to fund missionaries through Covenant Relationships;
    2. utilization of former missionaries of GBGM to assist with interpretation and fund raising in local areas;
    3. provision of resource persons with interpretive materials and accurate costs of mission personnel.
  2. Implement a proposed strategy by which GBGM's own missionary community (active, retired and other) can provide input to staff and directors on mission policy and program development.
  3. Implement the recommendations of the ad hoc committee of Mission Personnel which have been affirmed and referred to the Board Cabinet.
  4. Guide staff and directors to agree on method, time and place for directors and GBGM staff to discuss long standing/critical issues identified by UMMA.

There is only one more meeting of the current Directors before General Conference and starting a new quadrennium. Therefore, during the recent October meeting, there was time spent on reviewing and evaluating various programs during the quadrennium as well as evaluating the board structure. Only the directors were involved in the evaluation and results of the past quadrennium evaluations relating to the board restructure were not made available. The board restructure has been a major disappointment to members of UMMA during the past eight years since there is no designated avenue of communication that allows mission personnel to give input into the board decision making process. Lack of communication has led to confusion and turmoil, among some of the GBGM's most ardent supporters. UMMA has shared this perspective in their official documents during the past years, but there is still no official designated avenue for such communication.

This has been articulated to the General Secretary. Randy Day has affirmed mission personnel and has been open to discussions. We will continue to look to him to take the decisive leadership steps needed for genuine communication.

Other Board Action

One evening of the Board meeting this year was devoted to the UMW Mission Study on the book of Exodus led by Dr. Carolyn Johnson, a former GBGM Director and past president of the Women's Division and Twick Morrison, also a former GBGM Director. A second event acknowledged the Russian Initiative program and honored Dr. Bruce Weaver, Coordinator who is retiring from that responsibility. Dr. Jarrell and Natalie Tyson, former missionaries in Russia are the new coordinators.

This brief report of the Board Meeting will be supplemented by the official UMMA Minutes. Please feel free to comment on any part of the report and to ask for further clarification on any issue in the report or other concerns.

It was a pleasure to represent UMMA at the October GBGM Board Meeting - a change from the first meeting attended on behalf of UMMA in April 2002. I remain hopeful that God is doing a new thing within the GBGM and I pray that the work we do on behalf of UMMA continues in a spirit of love as our commitment evolves through the efforts of each of us.

3. UMMA Gathering and GBGM Meeting Impressions by Jim Gulley

Theme: Moving On With the Spirit

Dear Colleagues in Mission, Minutes of the UMMA Gathering will be sent separately. Following is a personal perspective on highlights of the Gathering at Stamford.

A Cautious Beginning While hoping to "move on with the Spirit," the UMMA Gathering began with cautious hope, as reflected in a typical statement: "I'm not yet sure that there is a commitment by GBGM to sending long-term, crosscultural missionaries."

Our doubts - though not completely dispelled - met a public affirmation by GBGM leadership of the intention to be in good relationship with the missionary community:

"This administration is determined to strengthen and insure cordial and creative links with the several categories of mission personnel...." - General Secretary's Address, Oct. 20, 2003, p. 4.

By the end of the three days together, some of us said to ourselves: "It does appear that there is a new day at GBGM!" (No pun intended, of course!)

The new General Secretary (GS) of GBGM, Rev. R. Randy Day, appears to have pushed opened the door to dialogue with the missionary community more widely than we have seen in a week of years. The clearly cold, closed atmosphere of the recent past seems to have given way to a new spirit and official policy of "building relationships of openness, trust and common vision", even with mission personnel!

A Welcoming Spirit UMMA members present at Stamford experienced a new welcoming spirit that has begun, I believe, to break down the wall of hostility that had grown between GBGM and its mission personnel. Members left Stamford with a renewed spirit of optimism, highlighted by a closing session with Randy Day (GS), Rena Yocum (Special Assistant for Annual Conferences) and Stephen Goldstein.

Following are some of the concrete signs of the new spirit at GBGM:

Thanks be to God for visible signs of listening to the voices of the missionary community.

UMMA Discussions and Actions

Members present at the Gathering reiterated the issues of vital concern to the missionary community. The key issues put forward to the General Secretary included:

Active Engagement Is Essential

Beyond pressing the central question raised by Norma Kehrberg - "Will GBGM continue to be a sending agency for mission personnel in the years to come?" - UMMA and its partners must insist that GBGM incorporates formal processes by which the voices of mission personnel are heard at the tables of policy making and program development and implementation.

UMMA has clearly offered not only the voice of the missionary community but also its continued service beyond the bounds of professional missionary careers. Mission is a lifelong calling to all Christians. Why should professional missionaries be exceptions? In faith and action we continue the journey begun by our colleagues who had the vision and commitment to give life to UMMA! Thanks to them and thanks be to God in Jesus Christ! Jim Gulley, jngulley@earthlink.net.

4. UMMA's Recommendations to GBGM's General Secretary typed by Jim Gulley

I. Missionary Support

Immediately initiate a renewed Covenant Missionary Campaign utilizing all sectors currently available to GBGM through the connectional system.

Components would include:

  1. A Bishop's Emphasis / Appeal for support to fund missionaries through Covenant Relationships
  2. Utilize all relevant persons including former missionaries of GBGM to assist in interpretation and fund raising in local areas
  3. Provide resource persons with interpretive material, including the most accurate data regarding the costs of mission personnel
  4. Set up a joint task force including Missionaries-in-Residence, Missionary Personnel Unit and UMMA to implement MPU's Program Priority 9 (see "Utilization of Retired Missions in GBGM Promotional Work", submitted by Paul Perry to MPU/GBGM; revised October 2003).

II. Communication Channels

Implement the proposed mechanisms by which GBGM's own missionary community (active, retired and other) can provide staff and directors input on mission policy and program development, including:

  1. Global Mission Personnel Conferences
  2. Consultations between missionaries, staff and directors after conferences
  3. Directors attend missionary association meetings and report results to the Mission Personnel Unit
  4. Talkback sessions - participation by directors and missionaries in the area with early notification by GBGM 5 Listserver for exchange of information and ideas

Action item: Agree on time and place for directors and GBGM staff to discuss longstanding issues considered critical to UMMA:

  1. Collins Pension Plan concerns (UMMA to prepare paper)
  2. Equity of benefits for potential missionaries
  3. Theology of mission issues
  4. Missionary recruitment and orientation
  5. Contractual legalities in the Letters of Agreements

"Utilization of Retired Missions in GBGM Promotional Work" by Paul Perry; revised by UMMA October 2003, commissioned by GBGM under Mission Personnel Unit's Program Priority 9

Revised summary

  1. Utilize retired missionaries in promoting GBGM work
  2. Purpose: To share GBGM's missionary vision as widely as possible, focusing especially on missionary support through new Covenant Relationships.
  3. Key strategy:
    1. Mobilize key bishops in selected Episcopal areas through GBGM leaders.
    2. Key bishops and Cabinets set stage, open doors
    3. Missionaries (retired, re-treaded) are strategic interpreters
    4. Costs borne by Episcopal area (Bishop's Discretionary Fund, Conference fund)
  4. Other recommendations:
    1. Up-to-date list of all missionaries by location and conference affiliation (see Gil Bascom's UMMA Database).
    2. Enlarge Advance Special Program to include opportunities for individuals to be in a Covenant Relationship (as well as churches).
    3. Use resources to initiate new Covenant Relationships.
    4. Coordinate activities with GBGM Jurisdictional Representatives and Missionaries-in-Residence.
    5. Use reunions of missionaries as opportunities to promote UMMA and recruit missionaries as strategic interpreters.
    6. Promote the use of US missionaries as proxies to speak on behalf of missionaries posted outside the US.
    5. A Spiritual Nurture Note and Prayer Request by Carolyn Cowen

    Hi, I may have mentioned to you previously that a muscle disease changed my missionary status in a matter of months - from a Type A personality to a hermitess-sort of person whose physical stamina is about as much as a feather. God's guidance placed me in a setting where I help moderate a web forum of Carthusian thinkers. That means a lot less talk and a whole lot of listening, meditating, and being silent before God. One member of the forum is an emergency room doctor in the artic area. Peter has dealt with a tumor in his throat for months. We all prayed for him in our different cultures and settings. Then a long time passed and we never heard anything. I'm sure most of us were wondering if someone would notify the group when he finished this life. Well, last week he posted a note of thanksgiving for the prayers of so many.

    Yes, we all have been there - thanking folks for being so kind and loving. The point I took from his posting was this, and it is what I hope you can take from this reading to help you today. In his remote area he feels the infinity of God's creation which is just a small reflection of the Creator himself. As missionaries we can understand remoteness. He goes on to say, "... there are direct and indirect affects of prayer. In some cases God affects a miracle which I seldom see by all the sick people who die. But, in some cases the immune system reacts positively on knowing that several strong spirited people pray for you - it encourages you and affects the nervous system and endocrine system to the effect of not blocking the immune system which is the primary defense line against all tumors arising in the body almost every day."

    I think of Roxanne and the strength God has gifted her with day in and day out. She has experienced getting to hold a new grandbaby. She has been there and back with Paul as they share a missionary life together. I got to meet Roxanne and Paul in a Missionary Consultation in Georgia years ago. They had just come in from a very trying experience their first time out. They were exhausted. But that did not stop them. They went out again and again and again. Just like the Scriptures teach us. With pumped up immune systems we all strive to deal with pain and look beyond to the calling for which we each are faithful. I pray for you daily, Carolyn

    Roxanne needs prayers for comfort and healing as she struggles on during radiation therapy. Let's continue to prayerfully support the Webster family and others whose prognosis is short term. Their corrected contact: pwebster@wisconsinumc.org, 711 W. Roesler Avenue, Ladysmith, Wisconsin 54848

    We offer thanksgiving for: Lorinne Reinoehl turned 100 earlier this year and continues to live in a retirement community in Claremont, CA. Lionel Muthiah reports that she is the only living pre-WW2 missionary to Malaysia and Singapore that I am aware of. Letters to her are read to her!!! Pilgrim Place Health Care Services, K721 Harrison Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711

    6. Recent Honors to Our Missionaries by Gene Matthews and Pat Patterson

    The whole trip to Korea is beginning to feel more and more like a marvelous dream... Suddenly I was back sitting down to lunch with dear friends I had not seen for over six years.

    All of us who attended were given by the Korea Democracy Foundation an elegantly inscribed tablet that read in both Korean and English, "On behalf of the Korean people, we present this Tablet in recognition 12 of your effort and contribution towards advancing democracy in Korea." I was chosen as the one to symbolically receive the plaque on behalf of everybody.

    Other UMC personnel honored were Ed and Genell Poitras, Pat Patterson, and Louise Morris (who served in both Japan and, later Korea - she was married to Walter (Butch) Durst at the time). Bill and Jean Bassinger are now members of a UMC in Des Moines but were in Korea as Presbyterian Missionaries.

    To me, the real honor was being there and meeting people who had suffered so dearly for the human rights struggle in Korea. We were taken to various scenes of the struggle during the one week tour. These included the former K.C.I.A. headquarters where many friends were tortured. We were actually taken down into the basement rooms where the tortures took place and met the parents of two young students who were killed during torture. We visited the site of the former West Gate Prison where, in 1975, eight innocent men we had been working with were executed by the government. The trip to the crude execution room was fraught with emotion, especially when two of the widows of those men showed up and had a tearful reunion with me.

    Other highlights of the trip include a journey to a new depot on the just recently opened train line between North and South Korea. No trains yet cross the line but the feeling of optimism was remarkable. We had a trip to the Blue House (Korea's equivalent of the White House) and had tea with the President. A select few of us also were privileged to meet with the former president who is now in frail health.

    A two day trip to Kwangju, a provincial capital in southwest Korea was especially moving. This is the town where citizens staged an uprising in 1980 against the takeover of the government by Chun Do Whan. The uprising was brutally put down by armed soldiers and several hundred citizens, many of them students, were killed. We were especially honored to be able to visit the new cemetery where these brave people are buried. - Gene Matthews

    Ruth M. Harris, missionary in China from 1947 to 1951 and longtime GBGM staff was honored for her work with peace and justice on November 1 in New York City. The Passion for Justice event, sponsored by the World Student Christian Federation Trustees in the US and a number of friends, was attended by 110 people and was held at the St. Paul and St. Andrew United Methodist Church. On this ecumenical occasion, the book Journeys That Opened Up the World: Women, Student Christian Movements, and Social Justice, 1955-1975 was launched. Edited by Sara M. Evans and published by Rutgers University Press, it contains the brief memoirs of 16 women who were involved as staff, campus ministers and students in this exciting period of history. Ruth has written a chapter, and the book was dedicated to her. Ruth has been a strong supporter of the Mission Intern and US 2 programs, some of the cutting edge young adult mission programs. She was also active in Agricultural Missions, Church Coalition on Human Rights in the Philippines, World Student Christian Federation, and NCCCUSA. - Pat Patterson

    7. Request for Language Interpreters for General Conference by Don Reasoner

    Volunteers are needed to assist with language interpretation for the delegates to the General Conferencein Pittsburgh, PA, USA from April 27 to May 7, 2004. Interested persons need to have proficient command of English, plus one or more of the following languages: French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swahili and Sign Language. Different levels of proficiency are needed for tasks such as: simultaneous interpretation during legislative committee meetings, conversational interpretation for accompanying delegates as they negotiate airline reservations, hotel accommodations, lost luggage, etc. Volunteers will have travel expenses, and room and board covered. If interested, please contact Don Reasoner at the GBGM: (Tel.) +212.870.3713 or DReasone@gbgm-umc.org.

    8. Data of UM Missionaries Desired by L. Dale Patterson, Archivist of UMC

    Greetings, I am the Archivist at the General Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church, our denomination's official archives. I am writing this to ask you to consider donating your papers and records which document your missionary activity. The work you have done is significant and it also has significant historical value. In the future, researchers, historians and even theologians will want to know how we were involved in mission. Your papers, records, photographs tell part of that Story. ...Thank you for considering this. L. Dale Patterson (dpatterson@gcah.org) Archivist, Tel: 973.408.3195, Fax: 973.408.3909. United Methodist Church Archives, Madison, NJ 07940

    [I enjoyed visiting the web site and found this factoid: The letters, clippings, journals, sermons, books, photos, etc. donated by missionaries varied from less than one cubic foot to 19.5 cu. ft. by Roy Smyres, prolific missionary writer and photographer. -ed.]

    9. Missionary Reunions "Mark Your 2004 Calendar and Make Reservations"

    Congo Reunion 2004

    July 9 (Friday dinner) to July 11 (Sunday lunch) at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. Contact: ltryder1@earthlink.net, 404.303.0467, Liz and Tom Ryder, P.O. Box 1256, Kings Beach, CA 96143.

    Bolivia Reunion VI

    July 16-18, 2004 at C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center, Little Rock, Arkansas. Contact: Grace Hamilton, Registrar, 3661A Liermann Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116, Self_actualizer@msn.com, 314.353.4672.

    The Servants of Sierra Leone

    July 30 to August 1, 2004 for a reunion at the Radisson South Hotel in Bloomington, Minnesota. Program plans have not yet been finalized, but those interested may contact Jim Malcolm, President, jimf7@charter.net, Servants of Sierra Leone, 314 Floral Avenue, Mankato, MN 56001-4009, 507.625.9019.

    Philippine Missionary Reunion 2004

    August 6 (Friday evening) to August 9 (Monday a.m.) at Alton L. Collins Retreat Center outside Portland, Oregon. Elderhostel offered August 1-6 for those who register this November. Contact: Pat Williams, plwilliams62@hotmail.com, 503.295.7879, Pat Williams, 1000 SW Vista Avenue, Apt. 724, Portland, OR 9705-1137.

    Chilean Gathering

    August 26-29, 2004 at the LaSalle Manor Retreat Center, overlooking the Fox River in Pano, Illinois. Contact: Stan and Beryl Moore, Berylstan@aol.com.

    10. Corrections and Repeats for Emphasis by Richard Schwenk - ed.

    Corrections

    In the thought-provoking email by Charles Germany in the last issue, UU 19, the third paragraph should read: "Perhaps it is not too late to shape the intermediating ministry with Islam into an operational plan. What about UMMA's doing some poking around in the sensitive area of a ministry to the United States of America at this critical time? Sensitive in the sense that America doesn't really like to be 'ministered unto.'..." The last sentence of his email should read. "Well, what started as a word of appreciation to each of you has grown into a burden. Charles" [Thanks Charles, we are used to "burdens." - ed.]

    A reunion of UMC missionaries and nationals of Malaysia/Singapore/Indonesia took place last June 2003 at Scarritt College in Nashville with 96 attending. Of these about 46 are UMMA members or wish to become members according to Lionel Muthiah, chief organizer of the event. Many others were nationals or missionary kids. We hope other missionary reunions will promote UMMA membership and report those present.

    For those and other GBGM mission workers (active, inactive and retired), a few complimentary copies of UMMA UpDate are being sent to those interested in UMMA membership. To join us in solidarity and become full member, please make your check payable to "UMMA" and send to: Gilbert Bascom, 6229-B, N. Park Way, Tacoma, WA 98407. ($50 for couples and $25 for a single person per year). Please do it now and note. "Dues for 2004 calendar year." Some are even paying for two years in advance. Please send your updated email and postal address and give the country where you served longest. May the Holy Spirit guide us into a better future.

    Last Modified: 26 November 2003
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