Conference News & Views

June 18 ceremony to celebrate new space and renovations made possible through a Tennessee State University grant

Nashville, Tenn. – Bethlehem Centers of Nashville, a social service agency promoting self-reliance and positive life choices for children, youths and adults in Middle Tennessee, will celebrate the grand re-opening of The Shopping Bag on Thursday, June 18 from 2 – 4 p.m. at 1417 Charlotte Avenue. The Shopping Bag is a unique secondhand store that sells gently used clothing items and accessories for men, women and children. The store closed in 2007 to move into an expanded, renovated location within the Bethlehem Centers facility.

The grand re-opening ceremony will feature a ribbon cutting, welcome reception and tour of the new store. Bethlehem Centers President and CEO Joyce Espy Searcy will speak, and several local community supporters and business leaders will also be on hand.

“We are thrilled to open the Bethlehem Centers’ new and improved Shopping Bag store, which provides affordable clothing to local families and helps fund vital community services at the Bethlehem Centers,” Searcy said. “Thanks to a generous grant through Tennessee State University, we have a beautiful, renovated store, and we welcome everyone to visit The Shopping Bag and find a great bargain.”

The renovations in The Shopping Bag’s new location, which include new windows, an attractive blue awning with the store’s logo and a larger space to sort and hang clothing, were made possible by a grant secured by Tennessee State University (TSU). In 2005, TSU’s Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement was awarded a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) grant program. This program is designed to assist HBCUs in expanding their role in effectively addressing community development needs in their localities, which includes neighborhood revitalization, housing, and economic development, principally for people of low- and moderate-income.

“I am delighted that TSU could support the good works of Bethlehem Centers of Nashville by creating an incredible retail space that will provide quality resale items for the community,” said Ginger Hausser Pepper, Assistant Director of the Center for Service Learning and Civic Engagement at TSU. “Not only have the grant funds created a great space, but our students, staff, and faculty have donated items, created marketing plans, provided interior design ideas, and volunteered to assist in the grand re-opening of the store.”

The Shopping Bag was founded in 1981 by a group of United Methodist Church women who began collecting donated clothing and household items in their homes. They made arrangements with Bethlehem Centers of Nashville to use the Centers’ basement as a resale shop, and The Shopping Bag was created. With its new space, the Shopping Bag is focused on reinvigorating sales and continuing to support the work and mission of the Bethlehem Centers of Nashville.

The Shopping Bag is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The store is in need of volunteers and gently used clothing, shoes and accessories for all ages. Clothing should be cleaned and on hangers. No other items will be accepted. Drop-off days are Monday and Wednesday. All donations should be delivered to 1417 Charlotte Avenue. For more information or to donate items or volunteer at The Shopping Bag, please call (615) 329-3386.

About Bethlehem Centers of Nashville
Bethlehem Centers of Nashville is a non-profit social service agency that promotes self-reliance and positive life choices for children, youths and adults in Middle Tennessee. Delivering and advocating quality programs and services since 1894, Bethlehem Centers is a National Mission Institution of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. Bethlehem Centers operates facilities in north, south and downtown Nashville. Its main campus is at 1417 Charlotte Avenue. For more information about Bethlehem Centers, visit www.bethlehemcenters.org or call 615-329-3386.

McKendree United Methodist Church to Host Nashville Praise Symphony Concert Benefiting Bethlehem Centers of Nashville

Donations at May 16 Concert Will Support Nonprofit’s Service Programs

Nashville, Tenn. – McKendree United Methodist Church and the Nashville Praise Symphony announced today that they will host a benefit concert on Saturday, May 16, to support the Bethlehem Centers of Nashville, a social service agency promoting self-reliance and positive life choices for children, youths and adults in Middle Tennessee. The concert will take place from 5-6 p.m. at McKendree United Methodist Church, 523 Church Street in downtown Nashville. Admission is free to the public, and donations for Bethlehem Centers are welcomed.

The Nashville Praise Symphony and Bethlehem Centers’ youth group will perform songs including contemporary orchestra arrangements of hymns and modern praise songs along with a few standard classical selections. McKendree United Methodist Church choir will not perform but will host the event. After the concert, Bethlehem Centers of Nashville will host a reception and provide facility tours at its main campus located at 1417 Charlotte Avenue.

Nashville Praise Symphony is an auditioned orchestra of 60-plus skilled musicians which includes woodwinds, brass, percussion, a rhythm section, and strings. The group performs benefit concerts for organizations in order to promote awareness and provide funding to assist local Nashville and Middle Tennessee area ministries. Kevin Sparkman, Executive Director of Nashville Praise Symphony, and Communications and Evangelism Coordinator for McKendree United Methodist Church, is helping organize the May 16 concert because of his concern for the programs of Bethlehem Centers and a desire to play a more active and creative role in supporting its community outreach programs.

"Our upcoming benefit concert is especially meaningful because it will promote the important community programs conducted by the Bethlehem Centers,” Sparkman said. “This event fits perfectly within Nashville Praise Symphony’s core objectives to support local ministries. We feel a special urgency to assist Bethlehem Centers during these difficult economic times, which adds to the opportunity and responsibility that members of McKendree United Methodist Church, friends and neighbors, and the city of Nashville have to support this vital social service organization."


About McKendree United Methodist Church
Strong Roots – New Life. Through over 220 years of ministry centered in downtown Nashville, TN, McKendree United Methodist Church draws upon a tradition of deep rooted faith in Christ and is poised to boldly tell future generations about a new life through Jesus to those in Music City and beyond. McKendree is the first United Methodist congregation in greater Middle Tennessee and the Tennessee UMC Conference. Currently they are offering worship services at their downtown location on Saturday evenings (Mosaic Downtown Fellowship, 5 p.m., call for dates), and Sunday mornings (New Wine Fellowship at 9 a.m. and Traditional worship at 11 a.m. weekly). McKendreeToday.com, 615.271.2600

About Nashville Praise Symphony
The Nashville Praise Symphony is a 60-plus piece symphony orchestra and is conducted by renowned composer, arranger, director and clinician Camp Kirkland. Kirkland founded the non-profit symphony in 2002 with its core mission of being available to provide support for other Nashville and Middle Tennessee area ministries.

The group is comprised of auditioned volunteer musicians and annually performs a benefit concert for The Nashville Rescue Mission, has been featured in various events at The Schermerhorn Center, and even traveled to Greece in 2008 to participate in a music missions project with the 1st Evangelical Church of Athens. The Nashville Praise Symphony has recorded three studio projects that are available for purchase at benefit events or their website: www.nashvillepraise.org. (The group will also be donating $2.00 per CD sold at this event to benefit the Bethlehem Centers of Nashville)

About Bethlehem Centers of Nashville
Bethlehem Centers of Nashville is a non-profit social service agency that promotes self-reliance and positive life choices for children, youths and adults in Middle Tennessee. Delivering and advocating quality programs and services since 1894, Bethlehem Centers is a National Mission Institution of the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. Bethlehem Centers operates facilities in north, south and downtown Nashville. Its main campus is at 1417 Charlotte Avenue. For more information about Bethlehem Centers, visit www.bethlehemcenters.org or call 615-329-3386.

The Reverend Thomas Laney, Jr. has been appointed, effective April 1, Associate Director of the Turner Center for Church Leadership and Congregational Development at Vanderbilt Divinity School. He will also be Associate Director of the Turner Leadership Scholars Program at the Divinity School.

Tom served as Senior Pastor of West End United Methodist Church in Nashville 1999-2007 and of Druid Hills UMC in Atlanta, 1990-1999. He has also served a country church in Lawrenceville, Georgia and a mid-sized church in Atlanta. He is a graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in American History and has a M.Div. from Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Tom was a member of the Tennessee Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, 2000-2007. He is a member of the Systems Centered Training Institute and has participated in the A.K. Rice Institute on Leadership and Group Life at Columbia University. At Vanderbilt Divinity School he has been a member of the Theology and Practice Teaching Team.

In addition to his administrative work in the Center Tom will employ his expertise in group dynamics, congregational life, and conflict resolution in working with pastors, congregations, and Districts of the Memphis and Tennessee Annual Conferences.

The Turner Center Director, Prof. M. Douglas Meeks, said, “I am excited about the many gifts of leadership Tom will bring to our common work in the Turner Center. He has faithfully and effectively served small, middle-sized, and large churches. He has great empathy for pastors and lay leaders in these challenging times for our churches.”

Continuing Education Personal Enrichment Courses Spring 2009 Schedule

AROUND THE HOUSE

Flower Arranging
Learn to create beautiful floral arrangements to decorate for the holidays and special events. Actual methods, designs, and skills are demonstrated in this course. Materials fees vary.
CEU 035 551; Tuesday, 6:00-8:30PM, April 28-May 19 (4 meetings) $45+ Supplies

ARTS

Calligraphy
This course provides an introduction to writing with pen & ink to create invitations, certificates, artwork. Instruction emphasizes mastery of one alphabet. Supply information is provided the first night.
CEU 109 551; Monday, 6:30-8:30PM, April 13-May 18 (6 meetings) $65+ Supplies

COMPUTER TRAINING

Cool, Free Web Tools
Join us as we explore several open source (free) tools available on the web for your use. These include productivity, photo editing, photo sharing, communication, and video. During the session, we will also use select tools to create a project using each of these items.
CEU 238T 551; Tuesday, 6:00-9:00PM, April 14 (1 meeting) $25

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Get Healthy! Stay Balanced – Part 1
This course is designed to coach you to better health and healing through nutrition, exercise, water, and rest – as you become more and more fit for daily living. Learn that healthy living is a lifestyle -- not a diet.
CEU 499T 551; Tuesday, 6:00-9:00PM, April 21 & 28 (2meetings) $85

Introduction to Reflexology I
When energy flows freely around your body, you are physically, mentally, and emotionally well, balanced, and in harmony with your environment. Reflexology can provide relief because the whole body is represented on the feet and hands through points that can be individually stimulated to produce a reaction in the corresponding body part. This is not a certification class.
CEU 457 551; Wednesday, 6:00-830PM, April 8-April 29 (4 meetings) $65

Beginning Yoga
This course is based on the tradition of Yoga, meditation in action, and will help promote strength, flexibility, and correct body alignment. Relaxation techniques are included.
CEU 389-051; Thursday, 11:00am-12:00pm, April 16-May 21 (6 meetings) $65


PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Writing/Telling Your Story
Tell your story. Tell them or to write them down for your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and the generations who will come after you. In years past, elderly family members got to share their stories because they were better connected to their families and lived nearby. Stories were a part of conversation in families. Today we are all spread out across states and countries and we’ve forgotten the importance of storytelling. This workshop will focus on getting started in the process of recording our stories and memories for our families. Patsy Hatfield Lawson is a professional storyteller and a college professor who works with seniors to help them tell their stories. The focus of the workshop will be: how to determine which stories are the most important; how to record or write them; whether or not to get a published version; ways to tell the stories to capture interest; how to tell your family that you have a story to share.
CEU 302T-051; Wednesday, 3:00-5:00PM, April 15 and 29 (2 meetings) $50

Magic with Cards and Balloons
Learn about the exciting and entertaining world of magic. A performing magician will teach you magical effects from sleight of hand and learn the secrets to large illusions and hands-on magic with balloon sculpting. Topics also include the history of magic arts and actual tricks you can do. Put some magic in your life as you learn to entertain others.
CEU 142 551; Monday, 6:00-8:00pm, April 13 and 20 (2 meetings) $30

To register for courses, students may print the registration form at http://www.volstate.edu/ContinuingEd/documents/VSCC-CEED-RegForm.pdf and mail it in to Volunteer State. You may also phone-in your registration at (615) 230-3358. Volunteer State handles all course registrations and there is a nominal fee associated with taking the courses. Class size is limited and there is a minimum expectation for participation for the classes to be held. We encourage you to contact friends and family to ask them to participate in these courses with you.

The Journal Committee is planning to dedicate the Conference Journal to two persons, one lay and one clergy, whose love for Christ and the United Methodist Church are examples for us all. We are asking for your help in identifying these persons.

There are many local church members and pastors active in the life of the Tennessee Annual Conference who are worthy of this honor. When considering your nomination, please remember to consider age, class, race, gender and physical ability as stated in the Conference Plan of Inclusiveness.

Please make your nomination on the form below. You may use both sides if necessary or attach your own typed nomination to this form.

Send this form to:
Eva M. Gebhart
4343 Lebanon Pike, Apt. T-1610
Hermitage, TN 37036-1254

The deadline is APRIL 27, 2008.

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Nominations for 2009 Journal Dedication

For Person Nominated Circle One:

Laity Clergy

Name­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________________________________________________________

Address­­­_______________________________________________________________________

Church_________________________________________District________________________

Person to contact to get this candidate to Annual Conference for the presentation

Name______________________________ Telephone __ _____________

Person making nomination:

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Nomination statement: (If the nominee is selected, this will be the statement published in the Journal.)
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NOTE: If your nominee is selected, you will be notified so you can submit a photograph for publication. Remember! Your nomination and the photograph will be published in the Journal as submitted.

NASHVILLE---A fun-filled evening of distinctive art, delicious Italian food and fine wine are all part of the annual Pasta & Promises Benefit for Miriam’s Promise set for 6:00 p.m., Friday, March 27 at The Factory in Franklin.

Celebrating its 25th year of service, Miriam’s Promise is a crisis pregnancy, family counseling and adoption services agency which uses the annual fundraiser to assist families throughout the Middle Tennessee area.

Amazing local artisans are making this evening spectacular says event chairman Nancy Chilton.

Nancy Chilton, Pasta & Promises chairman, is surrounded by beautiful artwork of artists participating in the annual art show benefit for Miriam’s Promise on March 27 at The Factory in Franklin.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (I Thessalonians 5:16-18).

The Tennessee Conference Committee on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns (CUIC) encourages your continual prayers for unity and your participation in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18-25, 2009.

Christians around the world will offer special prayers for unity during this week of prayer: “that they may be one in your hand” (Ezekiel 37:17). Ezekiel – the name meaning “God makes him strong” – was called by God to give the people hope in the desperate religious and political upheaval following the fall and occupation of Israel and the exile of many of the people. Ezekiel’s words give hope that God will gather God’s people again into one, calling them God’s own, and blessing them in order to make them a mighty people. In the reading of this text from the Old Testament, Christians may reflect on how to apply this passage in our own lives, particularly when there is strife and division. For God is the One who restores unity, reconciles people, and brings new life and hope into our midst.

Flowing from the central text taken from Ezekiel, our reflection during the “eight days” of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is designed to bring us to a deeper awareness of how the unity of the Church is in direct correlation with the renewal of the community. The week begins with an invitation for us to pray for the various situations in our world where reconciliation is so desperately needed.

On Day 2 we will pray for wisdom and guidance to overcome an end to war and violence.

Day 3 will offer a meditation in addressing the disparity between the rich and the poor.

The intention of Day 4 is for us to offer prayers in order to protect the gifts that God gives us in creation.

On Day 5 we will pray for the cessation of prejudice and discrimination that marks our societies today.

On Day 6 we will remember in prayer all those who suffer and those caregivers who serve and minister so faithfully.

Day 7 will address the area of pluralism as we pray for God’s will and guidance.

Our prayers will come full circle on Day 8 when we pray that the spirit of the Beatitudes will overcome the spirit of this strife-torn world.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity offers opportunities for us to meet and pray with other Christians of different denominations in each locality. We invite you to be creative in your observation of this powerful prayer time. The International Committee has developed several useful resources for promoting and participating in this time of spiritual renewal. Worship resources are available in electronic form via the CTBI website address(http://www.rootsontheweb.com/).

Another internet resource is (http://www.geii.org/). In addition the Tennessee Conference CUIC has developed a prayer vigil commitment sheet with different time slots as an instrument for congregations and communities to utilizeduring this week (see attachment).

The purpose of this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is for us to pray as Christ prayed “that they may be one” and to pray for the unity of all Christians as we share in Christ’s ministry.

On behalf of the Committee on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns (CUIC) it is our prayer that each experience during this week will stir up a commitment within each of us to continue offering our prayers for unity throughout the year.


The Rev. Kimi Brown, Chair
Tennessee Conference Committee on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns