November/ December 2008 Contents
FEATURESMeeting People Where They Live
Boyce Bowdon offers a tour of one of America’s
robust Methodist churches.
Hot Metal Offers Dramatically Different Worship James Melchiorre travels to see a Pittsburgh church in action.
Mercy Ministries: Healing HospitalityFounder Nancy Alcorn describes the crises of today’s young women.
God’s Call to Ministry Chris Bounds presents the mystery — and marks — of the call.
Notes on Spiritual Warfare: Bulletin from the Front Lines David Campbell shares lessons learned as a chaplain in Iraq.
The New Abolitionists: Call + Response Catherina Hurlburt pursues the mission behind a compelling new film.
The Church’s Need for Godly Administration John Grenfell urges ordained ministers to know their rights.
COLUMNS
Editorial Appreciation for a Remarkable Ministry
RENEW Women’s Network A Bittersweet Goodbye
The Great Commission The Headlines We Never See
From the Heart Alpha and Omega
DEPARTMENTS
Straight Talk
Bonhoeffer achieves
martyr status
African bishops issue renewed call
against poverty
Wisdom through the written word
Culture in View
Spiritual formation and imagination:
Q & A with Sarah Arthur
Worth Reading: volumes of value
“Has the Women’s Division changed the scope and program of United Methodist Women until it no longer resembles the organization held in the hearts of the women of the church?” That’s a question Mrs. L. Faye Short, the president of Good News’ Renew Network for women, has asked often during her two decades of leadership.
On pages 30-31 of this issue, you will find Faye’s final column, in which she shares highlights of her faithful and fruitful leadership journey. She began by heading up the Evangelical Coalition for United Methodist Women (in 1989) which, in 1993, became the Renew Network. This was also the year she began her regular column in Good News magazine.
Faye feels the Lord has released her from her leadership post with Renew, even as she and the network’s Steering Committee have been casting a new vision for Renew and women’s ministry. At the first of the year, Mrs. Elizabeth (Liza) Kittle of Augusta, Georgia, will become the new president of Renew.
Why does this women’s ministry exist? In Faye’s own words, “The Renew Network is a support network for evangelical, orthodox women within our church, providing a voice for their concerns and providing supplemental resources for their program needs. We also exist to promote renewal and accountability within the organization of UMW.” As I have visited Faye’s past columns and Renew’s website recently, I have been impressed at how she has maintained a balance in fulfilling those two ministry goals.
Faye came to this ministry as a former local, district, and conference United Methodist Women (UMW) officer. Thus, she understands well the organizational dynamics of the Women’s Division and the marginalization of those who raise tough questions or refuse quiet conformity. She also understands the local church as her husband, Dennis, serves effectively as a member of the North Georgia Annual Conference.
Faye is joined by many others in the church who believe that while there are many good and faithful UMW units in our local churches, the agenda of the Women’s Division nationally is seriously out of touch with most women in our United Methodist churches. Through regular monitoring of the Women’s Division’s spring and fall board meetings, Faye and her Renew representatives have made a compelling case that the Women’s Division is left-leaning in its political advocacy, supportive of unrestricted abortion (reflected in its continued membership in the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice), is affirming of homosexual behavior, is supportive of radical feminism and religious pluralism, and sadly, reflects a virtual neglect of evangelism. No, “this is not your mother’s organization,” as Faye has written, and she is right.
The UMW is also “not your mother’s organization” in terms of membership, with 2006 numbers showing UMW membership has dropped to 666,984 from 1.3 million at one time. Only 15 percent of women in our UM Churches are members of United Methodist Women, meaning that a whopping 85 percent are not involved! This explains why Renew has petitioned the last two General Conferences to allow for other recognized women’s ministries in the local church. Many are already doing non-UMW women’s ministries and others would if they had the vision and resources.
I have been impressed anew at how impressively Faye and the network has made the case for their concerns. Visit the Renew website (www.renewnetwork.org) and you will find quality program books, well-documented reports of Women’s Division meetings, thoughtful Mission Study Reviews, the Call for Reform Packet, and Financial Files I through IV—providing in-depth analysis of the Women’s Division’s finances.
This spring, Faye and Mrs. Katy Kiser, a laywoman from Carrollton, Texas, teamed up to publish an outstanding book, Reclaiming the Wesleyan Social Witness: Offering Christ (Providence House Publishers, 2008). The book has jacket blurbs from two of our bishops (Lindsey Davis and Will Willimon), which attests to the book’s importance.
It has been a joy to share in ministry with Faye. Her visionary leadership and gifted writing have always been scripturally grounded, theologically sound, and bathed in prayer. She has touched more lives than she will ever know. We give thanks to God for her two decades of leadership in our midst.
A further word of appreciation. With this issue, our wonderful and gifted “From the Heart” columnist concludes her ministry with the magazine. Marilyn Anderes wrote her first column in the January/February 1993 issue. We are indebted to George (and Carol) Anderson, Marilyn’s former pastor and our former board member, for introducing her to Jesus and later to Good News. Her final column is a splendid example of her rich, devotional writing. Thank you, Marilyn. We shall miss your inspiring columns.
Click here to send your response plus the title of this article to us at Good News.