United Methodist Missionary Association

UMMA Update, November 21, 2006 (pdf version)

Evanston 2007 Mission Forum and Gathering by Norma Kehrberg
Response to a pastor in Wisconsin by James Dwyer, UMMA chair
Our Readers Write
Thanksgiving Blessings
Missionary Milestones
Coordinator's Corner: "In Sight" by Fred Price

1. Evanston 2007 Mission Forum and Gathering by Norma Kehrberg

Registration is open for the Mission Forum and Gathering scheduled from August 5-8, 2007 at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. Reserve a place now. Please fill out the Registration Form (pdf), calculate the costs as outlined and make out your check to Trinity UMC and send to Richard Vreeland, Registrar. More speakers, program, and various reunion details will be forthcoming.

2. Response to a pastor in Wisconsin by James Dwyer, UMMA chair

Dear Marianne and others who may wonder,
Thanks for asking about the origin of our Statement of Concern appearing in our last issue of UMMA UpDate. The Statement itself arose from the group of a dozen missionaries who had gathered in Stamford, Connecticut at their own expense to make our general and specific concerns about the role of missionaries known to directors and staff of the General Board of Global Ministries during their annual meeting.

We have been gathering each year since the World Division was disbanded in 1995 and the annual Global Mission Personnel Conference (formerly World Division "Missionary Conference and Consultation") indefinitely cancelled a few years later for lack of funding. (A new GMPC is being planned for 2007).

When we meet, we often discover that we have common perceptions of world developments, despite serving in widely distant points of assignment under wildly varying circumstances. These perceptions often seem difficult to communicate back to United Methodists in the U.S. This year, it seemed that all those in attendance had brought explicit common concerns with them related to their divers service in the Pacific Rim (Philippines and Malaysia), Europe (Germany and Latvia), various countries of Africa (Kenya, Congo/Zaire), Asia (Japan, Korea and Nepal), or Latin America (Nicaragua), the Middle East, as well as Alaska. Since our perceptions were so alike, we felt it was time to release a statement of concern. I think many of us felt a special need to speak at this moment because of the manner in which fellow United Methodists were disregarding high principles of our church in their exercise of high office in the United States.

Unfortunately, we failed to offer much opportunity for feedback in the original release of the Statement. Fortunately, you found us! Later copies included my name and e-mail address as well as a reference to our web site.

Thanks again for letting us know you found the statement helpful. I hope it may find a wide readership and offer encouragement for concrete responses from folks around the church. Wishing you and your work an abundance of God's own grace, peace, love, and joy, Jim

A reply from Marianne Cotter, UMC pastor: Dear James, Thank you for the background of the Statement of Concern. Five UMC pastors in the Madison area sent a letter to our local papers affirming your statement. It was published in The Capital Times of Madison, WI on November 11. Thanks for your service and witness. Love in Christ, Marianne

3. Our Readers Write

Dear Richard, Thanks. Congratulations to the Statement of Concern. Make it known widely. Rainer Zachmann, Germany

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Hi Richard, Thanks for keeping me in the loop. I enjoyed reading the UMMA UpDate. I will look at your back issues on your website. It was our pleasure to provide the hospitality for your UMMA Gathering. Many blessings to you and UMMA. Rev. Douglas McArthur, First United Methodist Church Stamford, CT

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Thanks for an excellent UMMA UpDate. I just finished printing all the material. Shalom, Ruth Ann Caulfield, Bolivia

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Dear Richard, Thank you so much for your update especially the Statement of Concern. May we continue to keep the mission in the world in prayers and in actions. It is so easy for Christians to lose Christ's compassion. Peace, Yu Chin Cheak, Singapore

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Dear Fred and Ric, Could you inform your readers about my new web site, The Peace Writings. It is a site for persons concerned about the war in Iraq. The site has a discussion guide that includes action ideas, topics and questions for discussion, a worship service of confession and repentance, and links for further information. Included is a compilation of my writings over the years on issues of peace with justice, and incorporate statements on the war by United Methodist Bishops, UMC agencies and other writers. Philip E. Beal, retired missionary, serving in Singapore and Korea

Editor's note: Philip's website is a treasure trove of materials, e.g. In 22, The term "charade" is used to describe worship without confession and repentance. "I pray that the charade of our solemn (worship) assemblies would be replaced by soul-searching confrontation with the evil of this war." And: "I pray for the day when our UMC will call us all to confession and to repentance for our country's sin and our complicity in supporting it. That will be worship."

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Hi, Ric! We do appreciate receiving all the UpDates you send out regularly. We were sorry we could not attend the reunion at Junaluska. Emma Ruth is not able to travel any more. It is always great to learn about what is going on, and we are happy to learn of how UMMA has gradually grown and has gained recognition and even a significant voice. The names of missionaries are new to us, since we left the Philippines in 1992. Our best wishes to you and Caring. If you ever get near this way, stop in at Otterbein, Lebanon, OH - a wonderful place to close out our lives. Shalom, Noel D. Osborn

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Dear Ric, Thanks for the very fine UMMA UpDate with the report of the recent meeting. You are doing an excellent job. I was deeply moved by Ron Ray's letter re: being a missionary in Africa and also dealing with the return to the USA and how Christ's expectations can be acknowledged. I visited the Rays when they were teaching in Nigeria and noted some of the difficulties there firsthand. Also thank you for the simple but eloquent obit of Mary Zambrano Clasper. We here at Pilgrim Place attended her and Paul's joyful and beautiful wedding in February; tomorrow we will attend her memorial service, also in Decker Hall here, and remember this lovely, dedicated woman as she goes to be with Jesus. She showed us how a Christian meets death, going to her heavenly home. Vivian Woodyard, Pilgrim Place, Claremont, CA

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Dear Richard: I'm sincerely interested in UMMA UpDate and the stands taken by UMMA. My first membership was in FOR in the Philippines in about 1952. Hope you'll keep our e-address in your list. I "do" the local Peace and Justice list, sizeable enough, but minus the fervor we had in the '80's over the Nuclear Weapons Freeze. Peace, Prayers, Hope - Earlene (Hammel) Hawley, a former Short-termer in the Philippines

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Dear Ric: Greetings from Korea with my thanks for all your dedicated work in preparing and sending out the latest UMMA UpDate. ...The North Korean nuclear test has greatly affected the whole world, not the least being South Korea and the USA. Although not every issue could be lifted up in a brief UMMA statement, surely the urgent situation in Korea should have received some mention. It seems to many here and to us personally that the biggest stumbling block to the solution of the division of Korea and the nuclear problem connected to it is the stance of the U.S., headed by Bush, Rumsfeld and Rice. Now is the time for renewed and strong leadership worldwide for reconciliation, understanding and peace. Hopefully UMMA can speak out strongly to political and church leaders. Sincerely, Sonia Strawn [A follow-up email reads:] Please read, Nicholas Kristof's Oct. 22 column in The International Herald Tribune. It really says it all. In short, war and threats of various kinds (as from the U.S.) are NOT the way to proceed. As Jimmy Carter so well said it a few weeks ago, the wisest way is to talk with one's enemies rather than isolating them. I totally agree, and I think many folks here do too. The U.S. should be following the lead of So. Korea rather than dictating to them what to do, or refusing to understand the feelings here. Thanks for reading my clarification and for keeping this peninsula in your prayers for peace. - Sonia Strawn, Korea

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Friends, Saudacoes Cristas. After reading the sermons in the last two UMMA Updates I feel a duty to write and give my opinion and observation. Membership in the Methodist Church in the USA falls. Foreign missionaries are almost 1/3 foreigners, workers at the Board office show many nationalities. Membership overseas is up - good. This shows that USA Methodists have worked, but something now is lacking at home. What is the Christian message to the people and situation - and needs of the XXI century? Can the UMMA help find this message? We have age and experiences and time to think, pray, and receive God's direction. I'm retired for 10 years and at 86 have felt the need for a new approach to people. This is the communications age which is as great as the industrial revolution in John Wesley's day. Is this the "second calling" for retired missionaries? I suggest we re-examine the Bible for a new interpretation. It is a showing of God's progressive revelations to the Hebrew people. What is he revealing to us through the Holy Spirit? The worship service doesn't seem to satisfy - where else? Could we get together suggestions from every side, especially experiences that are helping and meeting our present needs? Make a bible Vol. II? Our Bible was assembled thus. "Mission" is a broad word. I suggest to read Stanley Fry's book, A New Vision of God for the 21st Century. Stanley was and is a missionary. God bless, Arthur Peterson, Brazil

4. Thanksgiving Blessings

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week.

If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.

If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.

If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.

If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

If you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder, you are blessed because you can offer God's healing touch.

If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.

5. Missionary Milestones

Congratulations to Howard R. Heiner, our former UMMA chair. At a recent gathering of 1500 participants of the Society of American Foresters (SAF) in Philadelphia, Howard received the Sir William Schlich Memorial Award, consisting of an engraved medallion and a cash honorarium of $500. The award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of forestry with emphasis on policy and national or international activities. Nominees for the Award must demonstrate work that enhances the effects of forestry throughout the world, primarily in the field of policy.

Heiner began his international forestry career with the United Methodist Church as a forestry consultant in La Paz, Bolivia in 1969. He was transferred to Chile in 1973 where he taught Forestry at technical and university levels.

He was next assigned as field director of the Ali Matan Refugee Camp in Somalia, East Africa, a camp of 20,000 refugees. During this time he also directed a plantation project to grow firewood for the women of the camp. He continued his international forestry work by going to Nicaragua as a forestry consultant working on agroforestry and fire protection projects for the Nicaraguan government, CARE, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and the Council of Protestant Churches of Nicaragua. For his contribution of seven years of service to the Nicaraguan people, he was awarded a Meritorious Citation by the Nicaraguan President.

After returning to the U.S., Heiner remained active with international forestry. His leadership led to the complete restructuring of the organization, which greatly enhanced the dialogue on international forest policy and other issues affecting forestry. Later, he served as a forestry advisor for the US State Department on the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development, forestry advisor for the Forest Stewardship Council, and as a member of the US Delegation to the 10th World Forest Congress in Paris.

Through his encouragement and support, SAF became the first and only professional society to be part of the United Nations Forum on Forests and a non-governmental organization delegate at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. As a result, he was able to put a face on SAF�s international efforts, something that would have been impossible without his commitment and dedication to both the Society and international forestry. Heiner joined SAF in 1951 and was elected Fellow in 1995.

In receiving the Schlick Award, Heiner closed with words of encouragement and affection from his granddaughter, Jessica: "I would remind us that goals of youth tend to expand into a broader vision as we mature with age. How we live our deepest values are mirrors for those about us, even though we may not be aware of this. My twelve-year old granddaughter surprised me with a letter just three weeks ago. In it, she said, "I love you so much for what you've done with your life...a forester, a missionary all over Central and South America, Somalia and the United States. I do not know anyone who works so hard to make our world a better place." I knew at that moment, living the values I cherish had been worth it. May your lives, also, be filled with joy and the satisfaction of creating a just and peaceful planet that is beautiful for our coming generations of children. Thank you for the honor of this Award."

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Javan Corl died on November 1, at Otterbein Retirement Living Community in Lebanon, Ohio where he and Neva had been living in retirement. His parents who were both ordained clergy in the United Brethern Church. He and his wife Neva were sent to Japan as a missionary couple. He was assigned as a district evangelist and church planter. Excelling in Japanese he loved preaching and working with these congregations and was a highly esteemed pastor in the Japanese church. He published three books of sermons in Japanese: Pain to Glory; The Cross and Contemporary Man; and Following the Road to Bethlehem. He and Neva have two sons, one who is teaching in a Christian school in Japan, and three daughters. You may write Neva at Otterbein Retirement Living Community, 585 North State Route 741, Lebanon, OH 465036.

6. Coordinator's Corner: "In Sight" by Fred Price

Recently, driving through the mountains at night, I glimpsed deer and bear just off the road, but in sight. It is a bit similar with UMMA's membership. Off to the side of our lights are potential members who would bring our total to 400. So close! Our actual membership as of this writing is 387. If you have not as yet sent in your dues for 2006, please, do so now. We will give you credit for both 2006 and 2007. Let's bring 400 UMMA members fully into sight. Editorial note: Make your check to "UMMA" for $25.00 and mail to: Rev. Fred Price, 165 Grandview Ave, Pitman, NJ 08071.

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