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No. 2 y 2013

G E N E R A L B O A R D O F H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N & M I N I S T R Y

Prepar ing Global Leaders for a Global Church

GBHEM Discusses Young Clergy, TheologicalEducation, Shortage of Elders

PLANS FOR THE YOUNG CLERGY INITIATIVE,

the Central Conference Theological

Education Fund, a report on a coming

shortage of elders in the UMC, and the

state of theological education were con-

sidered by the General Board of Higher

Education and Ministry’s board of

directors at the August 7-9 meeting in

Nashville.

The Board also approved a $40.8

million budget for 2014, heard a report

from General Secretary Kim Cape, and

worshipped together.

Dr. Cape told the Board members

that she invited Don House—

who holds a Ph.D. in economics and

chairs the South Central Jurisdiction

episcopacy committee—to talk about

Economist Don House presented his research on a growth strategy for the UMC to Boardmembers and staff. He warned that a substantial shortage of ordained elders is looming.

VICKI BROWN

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Western N.C. BOM Gives $6,000 To E-Reader Project 7

Mentoring, Scholarship Program Has Six Graduates This Year 8

E-Book Features Women Pastors Breaking Through the Stained Glass Ceiling 10

Study Explores Changing Role of DSes 11

Collegiate Ministry Events Explore Common Strategies 12

Teachers Receive Top Award for Hitting Mark With Students 14

Martinez Is New Director of Specialized Theological Education 15

Ethnic In-Service Training Grants Help Prepare Leaders 16

Donn

ie Reed for G

BHEM

clergy supply and effectiveness because

GBHEM needs to ask the right ques-

tions. She said that was also the reason

for hearing about the state of seminary

education from Dan Aleshire, executive

director of ATS (the Association of Theo-

logical Schools in the U.S. and Canada).

“GBHEM needs to be on the cutting

edge of the discussion around clergy

supply, young clergy, and seminary

education. We are called to address the

big issues of our day, just as we have in

the past,” Cape said. She said GBHEM’s

legacy of rising to the challenges of the

past includes Africa University, the his-

torically Black colleges, and creating the

Educational Institutional Insurance

Association when the UM-related Black

colleges could not buy insurance from

commercial firms.

“This is our legacy. Our purpose is

to marshal the educational resources of

The United Methodist Church to

address the issues of our day. Some-

body has to do something. Now it is

our turn.”

Global Theological EducationThe Rev. Rena Yocom, GBHEM’s assis-

tant general secretary for Clergy Forma-

tion and Theological Education,

reported on plans for the $5 million

Central Conference Theological Educa-

tion Fund, as well as membership of

the commission that will meet in

Copenhagen to discuss ground rules for

use of the fund. Questions include

whether the funds will be administered

by grant application, or through some

basic distribution, and whether there

will be a formula for geographic distri-

bution.

“The center for Christianity is mov-

ing to the Southern hemisphere—for

the first time in 2000 years,” Yocom

said. She said that shift may have been

a factor in the selection by the Roman

Catholic Church of Pope Francis, an

Argentinian.

“There has been a lot of reflection

on the legacy of Nelson Mandela, no

doubt generated by his current frail

health,” Yocom said. She said when the

World Council of Churches met in

Africa, Mandela greeted the gathering

and gave a tribute to his early training

in a Methodist Mission school and

thanked them for instilling in him a

faith which nurtured him in those days

in prison on Robbin Island.

“My hope and my prayer is this—

that we understand that the Fund for

Central Conference Theological Educa-

tion is more than banking or distribut-

ing dollars. We are called to shape

future leaders out of our Wesleyan

2 COLLEAGUE x NO. 2 x 2013

“GBHEM needs to be on the cutting edge of the discussion around clergy supply, young clergy, and seminary education.”

Vicki Brown / G

BHEM

Ted Brown, Beth Downs, and Bishop Grant Hagiya at the opening worship service in the Upper Room Chapel during the August Board meeting.

tradition, who care about holiness of

heart and holiness of life. The question

then, is: How—as stewards of God’s

gifts and the church’s offerings—do we

invest in training the leaders that will

follow in the footsteps of those such as

Nelson Mandela and Pope Francis?”

Yocom asked.

Worshipping Together During the sermon at opening worship,

Demetrio Beach compared the

unknown future facing the UMC today

to that faced by the Israelites as they left

the slavery of Egypt for the possibility

of failure and death in a new land.

“We have been called and chal-

lenged to promote the connection of

Methodist higher education and theo-

logical education through international

networks, extend UMC ministries to a

broader range of young adults in their

colleges and communities, and increase

the number of young adults involved in

UMC activities and young-adult mem-

bership,” Beach said.

Also, he said GBHEM is called to

partner with annual conference leaders

to continue to nurture candidates for

ordained and licensed ministry to

develop and implement programs and

processes that result in discernible

growth and increased effectiveness.

“But, we are in the unknown,” he

added.

Beach said any person can carry you

where you’ve already been, but “we

can't make one step in the future with-

out the help of the Lord.”

A Shortage of EldersDon House, who has proposed a

growth strategy for the UMC based on

enlisting about 1,000 churches in

spending about $20 million annually

for growth, focused his presentation at

GBHEM’s Board meeting on the coming

shortage of elders. He warned a sub-

stantial shortage of United Methodist

ordained elders is looming. The short-

age is linked to the membership

decline. (See page 4 for additional report-

ing on Dr. House’s presentation to the

Board.)

Seminary EducationDan Aleshire addressed the Board

members and staff by web conferencing

via WebEx. He spoke about the effect of

declining church attendance and reli-

gious affiliation in the U.S. on the state

of theological education.

While overall enrollment in semi-

naries has declined since 1977, Dr.

Aleshire said that the percentage of

African Americans enrolled has

increased and is more reflective of the

population of the U.S. For instance, he

said 14 percent of students at ATS

schools are African American, and

about 14 percent of the U.S. population

is African American. For Hispanics, the

enrollment has increased from 1 per-

cent of students to 6 percent, but the

population of Hispanics in the U.S. is

16 percent. Asian or Asian-American

residents make up 8.5 percent of all

theological school students, but only 3

to 4 percent of the U.S. population.

He also said the age distribution of

seminary students has changed, with

the majority of students either under 30

or over 50.

More students graduate with more

debt, too, Aleshire said. In 1991, 47

percent of M.Div. students graduated

with debt—an average $11,043—com-

pared to 64 percent in 2011 with an

average of $38,526 of M.Div. debt.

In other actions, the Board:• Heard Bishop Grant Hagiya’s “Reflec-

tions on Our Board Functioning” and

discussed board / staff relationships

related to policy governance.

• Approved new directors for two

Course of Study schools and gave

provisional approval for revisions of

the basic curriculum for the five-year

Course of Study, pending approval by

the Course of Study Council of

Directors. The Course of Study is the

educational path for licensed local

pastors in the UMC.

3WWW.GBHEM.ORG

Demetrio Beach preached the opening worship sermon.

(continued on page 5)

Vicki Brown / G

BHEM

4 COLLEAGUE x NO. 2 x 2013

Pulpits filled with young, passionatepeople who are called to make disciplesfor Jesus Christ and in love with thedenomination are the key to saving TheUnited Methodist Church.

One economist has crunched thenumbers, and he says if a turnarounddoesn’t start soon the denomination willbe “toast” in 37 years.

The economist, Donald R. House, is adevoted lifelong United Methodist whoholds a Ph.D. in economics and chairsthe South Central Jurisdiction episco-pacy committee. He calls his plan, “AStrategic Plan for Growth in The UnitedMethodist Church.”

His plan depends on good leader-ship to inspire donors to invest money

above and beyond their current churchbudgets to build up membership.

It also depends on an ample supplyof elders. At this time, the denominationis facing a shortage, House said. Housedelivered his message to GBHEM’s boardof directors and staff. GBHEM is theagency charged with developing andeducating ordained leaders for thechurch. He spoke to the board of direc-tors during their August meeting.

“Somebody has to do somethingabout clergy supply and effectiveness.That somebody is GBHEM,” said the Rev.Kim Cape, top executive of the board.She made the remark during her state ofthe agency report saying House wasinvited to address the board on clergysupply “to help us ask the right ques-tions.”

Bishop Jim Dorff, president of theboard and episcopal leader of the San

Antonio Area, said House’s presentationwas “sobering but also filled with hope.”

House is making the rounds offeringa plan that he says needs to start now ifthe denomination’s membership declinein the U.S. has any hope of reversing.

His plan has the church growingenough by 2021 to reverse the denomi-nation’s decline in membership whichhas been slipping dramatically since the 1960s.

His research has also found thatyounger pastors equal faster growth.Investing scholarship money in youngpeople who then will go on to 30-plusyears as pastors means a greater returnon investment, he said.

“There needs to be growth in the

applicant pool and for that we need helpfrom local churches,” he said.

He warned a substantial shortage ofUnited Methodist ordained elders islooming. By 2020, the deficit will be 4,143clergy and 5,041 by 2030.

The shortage is linked to the mem-bership decline. It is time to start spend-ing money on growing the denomination,he said.

In order to attract “the best and thebrightest” they need to know the denom-ination they are investing in will still bearound by the time they are ready toretire. They also need to graduate with-out crushing debt, with a promise offinancial security, and with faith andsupport from their congregations fortheir entrepreneurial ideas.

House first unveiled his plan to lead-ers in the South Central Jurisdiction; he also plans to bring it to other

United Methodist agencies.House talked about a memorable

meeting with United Methodist bishopsin January 2010. At that meeting, heasked the question: What were the majormistakes made as a United Methodistdenomination that contributed to thedownturn in membership beginning inthe 1960s?

A retiring bishop, whom he did notname, said, “We have not been recruitingthe brightest and best.

“Many of our present clergy weredrawn from the middle and bottom ofour classes. We do not have sufficientnumbers of talented clergy. God is callingtalented leaders into the Christianchurch, but they are not choosing

United Methodism.”At least one young pastor on the

board was fired up by House’s plan andwants to bring it to his church.

The Rev. DJ del Rosario, pastor ofBothell United Methodist Church in aSeattle suburb, said even though healready has a church that is growing, hebelieves House’s plan would be wel-comed by his congregation.

Not everyone was so impressed.Forbes Matonga, conference secretary ofthe Zimbabwe West Conference, said theplan was “too focused on the dollar andnot on the making of disciples. First comethe disciples then the money will fol-low,” he said.

He also pointed out that the denomination is growing in Africa. “You cannot say if the church dies in the U.S. that it will be dead everywhere.”

Directors and Staff Hear Economist Don House

“House’s research has found that younger pastors equal faster growth.”

• Approved a resolution presented by

Bishop David Yemba from the Global

Education and Ministry Committee

that GBHEM begin to look at how

the whole UM connection can really

be global in nature—beginning with

education.

• Heard a report from the Racial and

Ethnic Concerns Committee. The

committee said the new Ethnic In-

Service Training Grant application is

now online and will remain open

until September 30 for applications.

Robin Starr Minthorn, committee

chair, said the committee has agreed

future applications will open on Jan-

uary 1 and remain open until June

30 to allow plenty of time for review.

• Received a report from Neil Blair,

GBHEM’s executive director of Insti-

tutional Advancement, on initial

plans to raise $10 million in funds

for United Methodist scholarships.

He told Board members that he has

some prospective large donors

and will be asking for Board mem-

bers’ help in exploring every option

possible.

• Discussed plans for the spring meet-

ing next March at Africa University,

which includes a one-day joint meet-

ing with the AU board of directors.

Brown is associate editor and writer,Office of Interpretation.

5WWW.GBHEM.ORG

Kim Cape delivered her Report of the General Secretary to Board members, staff, and guests.

Upcoming Events

World Communion SundayOctober 6, 2013

Ministry Study Commission October 28-31, 2013

Durham, N.C.

Exploration November 15-17, 2013

Denver, Colo.

Student Day SundayNovember 24, 2013

Africa University Board of Directors December 4-6, 2013Mutare, Zimbabwe

GBHEM Spring MeetingMarch 17-18, 2014Mutare, Zimbabwe

Joint AU / GBHEM Board MeetingMarch 19, 2014

Mutare, Zimbabwe

For information on the SpecialSundays with offerings and to order

resources and make an onlinedonation, visit www.umcgiving.org.

Donn

ie Reed for G

BHEM

A delegation from Soochow University in Taiwan brought greetings to Board members andstaff during the August meeting in Nashville.

Vicki Brown / G

BHEM

6 COLLEAGUE x NO. 2 x 2013

Categories for distributing funds fromthe Young Clergy Initiative will befleshed out and fine tuned by the DreamTeam, a group of 12 young clergy, cam-pus ministers, pastors, youth ministers,and annual conference and seminarystaff with expertise in various areasrelating to discernment and young clergyissues.

GBHEM’s board of directors will thenevaluate and give input for the plan,which focuses on leveraging the fundsby giving grants to people who havesome kind of track record of successacross The United Methodist Church.

The $7 million Young Clergy Initiativewas created to encourage young adultsin the U.S. who wish to respond to God’scall to ordained ministry and wasapproved at the 2012 General Confer-ence, with the funds to come from

money previously budgeted for generalchurch agencies. The Rev. Trip Lowery,GBHEM’s director of Young Adult Min-istry Discernment and Enlistment, notedthat the actual funds available aredependent on apportionment fund col-lections and is more likely to about $5.2million.

“We are looking for ideas of imagina-tion, not just trying to fix a static prob-lem,” said the Rev. Bridgette Young Ross,GBHEM’s assistant general secretary forCollegiate Ministry. “We are trying to takea mid-twentieth century church into thetwenty-second century.”

During the August Board meeting,elected members and staff discussed thesix categories proposed for grantrequests, and decided those and other

plans should be refined by the DreamTeam, which will meet in September inNashville.

“There’s no silver bullet to the youngclergy crisis. The various cultures andcontexts of the church’s ministry arenearly beyond comprehension. The

places and ways we identify, affirm, andassist those whom God is calling intoordained leadership should be just asvaried,” Lowery said.

Jodi Cataldo, director of LeadershipDevelopment for the Dakotas AnnualConference, said the six proposed cate-gories look too structured and institu-tional. She and other directors proposedthat the Dream Team come up withbroader concepts that could spark theimagination.

Barrie M. Tritle, senior pastor of IowaCity First United Methodist Church, saidhe liked the broader concept of “imagi-nation grants,” while other board mem-bers suggested only having threecategories.

One suggestion was call, recruitment,

and formation.“The beauty in the way we are think-

ing about spending this money is thatbishops, district superintendents, andannual conferences can apply formoney,” said Bishop Jim Dorff, GBHEM’spresident.

The Rev. Beth Ludlum, GBHEM’sdirector of Student Faith and LeadershipFormation, said the staff task force thathas been working on how to use thefunds was trying to dig in and figure outwhat is actually transferable. “It’s easy toshare best practices, but those may notwork in another context,” she said.

“There isn’t a single way to fix this;we are creating a different culture,” Lud-lum said. “We don’t want to do what’sbeen done elsewhere. We cannot replicate $20 million and $70 million programs.”

The Rev. Meg Lassiat, GBHEM’s direc-tor of Candidacy Mentoring and Confer-ence Relations, noted that the legislationcalled the initiative “a three-quadrenniaeffort.”

Another part of the overall youngclergy effort is the Seminary Indebted-ness Task Force, charged with creating adenominational plan to reduce andeliminate seminary debt for certifiedcandidates for ordained ministry. A finalreport on seminary debt is to be pre-sented to the Council of Bishops andConnectional Table in 2015 and submit-ted to the 2016 General Conference.

Further details, including a timeline and membership of the Dream Team, can be found atwww.explorecalling.org/yci.

Board Approves Framework for Young Clergy Initiative

“There isn’t a single way to fix this; we are creating a different culture.”

Trip Lowery addresses board members and staff via Skype.

Western N.C. BOM Gives $6,000 to E-Reader ProjectA check for $6,000 from the Western

North Carolina Annual Conference

Board of Ordained Ministry was pre-

sented to the E-reader project for theo-

logical schools in Africa, bringing the

total collected for the project to

$47,725.

The Rev. Kim Ingram, director of

Ministerial Services and Conference

Secretary for the Western North

Carolina Conference and a member of

GBHEM’s board of directors presented

the check to Bishop David Yemba, a

Board member himself and chancellor

of Africa University, during the August

meeting in Nashville.

Ingram said she was impressed with

the pilot project to raise $30,000 for E-

readers and theological texts for the

Gbarnga School of Theology in Liberia,

and asked the members of the confer-

ence Board of Ordained Ministry to

support the project financially. Mem-

bers of GBHEM’s board had heard a

presentation about the project during

their spring meeting.

“The amount raised represents one

E-reader and text for each of the 20

people being ordained as deacons and

elders this year in Western North Car-

olina, given by the members of the

Board of Ordained Ministry and the

churches they represent,” Ingram said.

The donation was made in honor of

those newly ordained clergy.

The joint project of GBHEM and the

GBOD has since been expanded to raise

money for E-readers for other seminar-

ies in Africa as well.

Amos Nascimento, GBHEM’s special

assistant to the general secretary for

Global Education and New Initiatives,

said $41,725 had been raised prior to

the check Ingram presented. The total

includes a $25,000 challenge grant.

The project began as an effort to

raise $30,000 to buy 100 electronic

books and the texts the students need

for the seminary in Gbarnga, which was

occupied by rebel forces and badly

damaged by soldiers during Liberia’s

civil war.

The two United Methodist general

agencies funded the pilot project initial-

ly, and the donations will be used to

offset the costs and expand the program

to other seminaries in Africa.

The United Methodist Publishing

House is providing a significant num-

ber of titles at no cost as part of their

commitment to Central Conferences.

The major cost of the project is the

content—books on subjects including

Hebrew and Greek, systematic theology,

pastoral care, psychology, research,

leadership, reference books, even math

and physical science, and military sci-

ence. The cost of the content is around

$1,200 retail, but discounts from ven-

dors have reduced that to a little more

than $200 per E-reader for the texts

and content. So texts worth $200, plus

$69 for the E-reader and a small

amount for on-site management of the

project averages out to about $300 per

electronic book.

— Vicki Brown

7WWW.GBHEM.ORG

Learn more about this project or donate online at www.gbhem.org or www.gbod.org/ereaderproject.

Kim Ingram presented a $6,000 check for the E-reader project for theological schools in Africato Bishop David Yemba.

Donn

ie Reed for G

BHEM

Mentoring, ScholarshipProgram Has Six Graduates This YearHELEN NEINAST

Six seminary students involved in a

scholarship and mentoring program for

racial-ethnic students who plan to be

ordained as deacons or elders in The

United Methodist Church are receiving

their M.Div. degree this year. That

brings the total of graduates who took

part in the Journey Toward Ordained

Ministry program to 19 since it began

in 2004.

Students say they learn a great deal

at the retreats and from mentors, in

addition to the financial support of a

$5,000 scholarship each year. Analisa

Barrington of Perkins School of

Theology credited the program with

enabling her to interact with people

from many different ethnic and eco-

nomic backgrounds.

“One of the greatest things I learned

is that no matter what your back-

ground, when your identity is centered

in Christ, you have so much more in

common that you ever realized.” Bar-

rington graduated this year from

Perkins in Dallas, where she also serves

as youth pastor at Highland Park Unit-

ed Methodist.

The Journey Toward Ordained Min-

istry program, sponsored by GBHEM,

combines much-needed scholarship

support with ongoing mentoring by

committed United Methodist clergy.

Additionally, scholars, mentors, and

GBHEM staff spend time in retreat

together for reflection and discernment.

As important as this support is for

seminary students, it’s not just the stu-

dents who benefit. The United

Methodist Church itself, in great need

of racial-ethnic clergy, is experiencing

the value and benefit of committing

time and resources to these seminari-

ans. According to 2011 statistics from

GCFA, 11.4 percent of UM clergy are

racial ethnic.

“Diversity is and has always been an

important value of The United

Methodist Church, and diversity in the

pulpit is an extremely important piece

of living out that value. The Journey

Toward Ordained Ministry is a pivotal

program for our church,” said the Rev.

Trip Lowery, Director of Young Adult

Ministry Discernment and Enlistment.

Lowery said statistics on the num-

ber of racial-ethnic clergy and candi-

dates for ordination who indicate that

identifying, supporting, and nurturing

racial-ethnic young adults toward

ordained ministry is critical.

Candidacy figures show that about

30 percent of candidates for ordination

in the UMC are under 30, and about 18

percent of that 30 percent are racial

ethnic, Lowery said.

“To meet the leadership needs of the

church in the coming years, we have to

be intentional and committed to these

seminarians and their training. Assign-

ing mentors, bringing students and

mentors together, giving these students

the best support we can—this is key to

our future,” says Lowery.

Allyson Collinsworth, executive

director of GBHEM’s Office of Loans

and Scholarships, said the $5,000

awarded to each JTOM recipient is con-

sidered a significant amount when

8 COLLEAGUE x NO. 2 x 2013

Six seminary students involved in the Journey Toward Ordained Ministry program are receiving their M.Div. degrees this year.

compared to the average awards from

other scholarship programs through

GBHEM, but said the mentoring com-

ponent is also invaluable.

“The students are able to form their

own community that is safe and specifi-

cally helpful in dealing with realities

within the context of ministry within

their ethnic communities,” Collins-

worth said.

The six 2013 graduates come from a

broad range of racial-ethnic back-

grounds.

John Wang, a graduate of The Divin-

ity School, Duke University, begins serv-

ing this summer as a licensed local pas-

tor at Highland Park United Methodist

Church in Spokane, Wash.

“My mentor stressed the need for a

disciplined and healthy prayer life

through prayer and Scripture. She also

advised me to develop a support net-

work of close relationships with local

pastors in my area,” Wang said. “My

mentor helped me to see . . . the impor-

tance of rest and care for myself to

avoid physical and emotional burnout.”

Tariq Cummings, a graduate of

Gammon Theological Seminary in

Atlanta summed up his experience in

the JTOM program this way: “Through

the time spent with my sisters and

brothers, I have learned to always be

open to the power and presence of

God’s grace. From my mentors, I have

learned that God will definitely give

you the grace for the journey. Through

the time spent in retreat, I have

acquired skills in leadership that are

sure to help me in the days to come.”

Cummings will be appointed in the

North Georgia Annual Conference to

Allgood Road United Methodist Church

in Stone Mountain, Ga. He also plans to

continue his candidacy toward elder’s

orders in The United Methodist

Church.

Perkins School of Theology gradu-

ate Paul Trejo will be working over the

summer with Southwest Texas Confer-

ence staff for youth and college min-

istries.

The other two graduates this year

are Tabitha Mock-Scott, Gammon The-

ological Seminary, and Ji Hun Yoo of

Boston University School of Theology.

Funding for this program comes

from local church offerings on World

Communion Sunday, held the first Sun-

day in October (October 6 this year).

The receipts allocated to GBHEM are

earmarked for scholarships for racial-

ethnic students.

Neinast is a UM elder and freelance writerwho lives in Lakemont, Ga.

9WWW.GBHEM.ORG

How You Can HelpTo learn more about supportingracial-ethnic seminarians, visit

www.umcgiving.org/wcs. You candonate online, order resources toobserve the World CommunionSunday offering, or read inspiringstories of students who benefited.

“It’s not just the students who benefit. Giving these students the best support we can—

this is key to our future.”

E-Book FeaturesWomen Pastors Breaking Through theStained Glass CeilingRENEE ELDER

In Breaking Through the Stained Glass

Ceiling: Women Pastoring Large Churches,

editors HiRho Park and Susan Will-

hauck bring together a series of essays

that offer a rare glimpse into the daily

lives and spiritual journeys of trailblaz-

ing clergywomen.

Published by GBHEM, the book’s

contributors all have served as lead

pastors in congregations with 1,000 or

more members.

“These trailblazers’ stories are

intriguing and full of wisdom, passion,

and grace as they strive to perform top-

level executive leadership while at the

same time juggling spirituality, work,

family, and their personal life,” the Rev.

HiRho Park said. “I hope their experi-

ences will shed light on a new para-

digm of ministry leadership and inform

the future pedagogical practice of theo-

logical education.”

A frank assessment of the opportu-

nities and obstacles in church leader-

ship for women, the essays are

accompanied by study data from the

Lead Women Pastors Project, carried

out by Park, GBHEM’s director of Cler-

gy Lifelong Learning, and Willhauck,

associate professor of Pastoral Theology

at Atlantic School of Theology.

Among the study’s intriguing find-

ings: the denomination’s 100 largest

churches are still led by male clergy

with one exception—Glide Memorial

UMC; women clergy serve more pre-

liminary appointments than men before

leading a large congregation; and large

churches led by women report higher

membership numbers and worship

attendance.

The Rev. Susan Willhauck said the

essay collection is an extension of the

work begun by the Lead Women Pas-

tors Project in 2008.

“Through interviews, a survey,

retreats, and online dialogues, we

learned how women are leading big

churches in increasing numbers with

grace and aplomb, setting an example

for pastoral leadership in The United

Methodist Church, indeed shattering

the glass ceiling,” Willhauck said.

Bishop Violet L. Fisher (retired)

praised the book’s use of qualitative

research to support the insights of the

essayists.

“There are many books on leader-

ship, but few address it from the lead

women pastor experience or as simply

and critically,” Fisher said. “This work is

the beginning of needed conversations.”

One of those conversations should

be about diversity among lead women

pastors. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza,

the leading feminist biblical scholar

who wrote the foreword for the book,

pointed out that only one racial-ethnic

clergywoman served a large United

Methodist church. “The ‘glass’ ceiling

metaphor is best understood as a ‘class’

ceiling which in society and church

allows breakthroughs for highly edu-

cated white and upperclass women but

not for the majority of women. Why

does the ceiling still hold in society and

church, despite the many successful

attempts at cracking it?” she said.

The Rev. Robin Crews Wilson, co-

senior pastor of Dauphine Way United

Methodist Church in Mobile, Ala.,

described the writers’ voices as full of

“honesty, humor, and wisdom.”

“These lead women pastors call us

to confront our own preconceived

notions of what it means for women to

be created in the image of God and

gifted to lead large congregations,”

Wilson said.

Laceye Warner, executive vice dean

and associate professor of the Practice

of Evangelism and Methodist Studies at

Duke University, the Divinity School,

called the work “rare and valuable.”

“The editors and contributors speak

honestly with wisdom and candor,

offering encouragement and insight to

their sisters—and brothers—in Christ

as we serve God’s church in the twenty-

first century,” Dr. Warner said.

The editors and essayists together

make a convincing case that sharing

stories and supporting one another’s

pastoral leadership roles through edu-

cational and coaching resources can

help empower women working in large

churches.

“I believe this project will help the

church raise up a new generation of

women leaders for such a time as this,”

Willhauck said.

Breaking Through the Stained Glass

Ceiling: Women Pastoring Large Churches,

available as an E-book only, can be

ordered online through Cokesbury,

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iTunes

at http://bit.ly/17BgWiS.

Elder is a freelance writer andjournalist in Raleigh, N.C.

10 COLLEAGUE x NO. 2 x 2013

Study Explores Changing Role of DSesBILL FENTUM

The job of a district superintendent in

The United Methodist Church has

changed dramatically—changes

dictated by social, cultural, and eco-

nomic shifts. While the work is multi-

faceted and often tiring, most DSes say

it’s a worthwhile appointment.

That’s one of the findings in a study

of district superintendents released by

GBHEM and based on 2010 interviews

with 159 of the 456 district superin-

tendents then serving across the

denomination, plus two former DSes.

The Rev. Myron Wingfield,

GBHEM’s assistant general secretary for

Clergy Life, said the findings from the

study were used in revising the training

offered at an annual event for new dis-

trict superintendents and directors of

connectional ministries at Lake Junalus-

ka, N.C.

“The study identified a high degree

of ambiguity about the role of a DS, and

then General Conference 2012 made

changes in the specific responsibilities

of DSes in The Book of Discipline,” Wing-

field said. “So we focused the August

2013 new DS/DCM orientation and

training event on the question: What

does it mean to be the ‘chief missional

strategist’ of the district?”

He said the changes made by Gen-

eral Conference suggest that “chief mis-

sional strategist” is now the most

important role, taking priority over

supervision and all other duties.

The vast majority of DSes said they

and their annual conference viewed

their primary role as supervising clergy.

The study found that the number of

clergy supervised by a DS ranged from

32 to 210, but the average was 69

clergy at 75 churches in 47 charges.

Other highlights include:

• DSes said they were viewed as hav-

ing a variety of roles in addition to

supervision. About 60 percent also

said they were seen as someone

“representing the clergy in your dis-

trict to the bishop.” Just 39.4 per-

cent felt their annual conference

greatly perceived the DS as a “sup-

porter of local congregations”—

although 52.5 percent believed this

was true to a “moderate extent.” In

general, the expectations they held

for themselves were consistent with

the role expectations they cited for

their conferences.

• DSes spent an average of 15.35 days

per month traveling their district

(though time on the road varied

from two days to 28 days). Many

described heavier workloads than in

the past, especially those responsi-

ble for more than one district. They

report adapting by setting priorities

and delegating, and creating oppor-

tunities for group meetings instead

of one-on-one time.

• Many said the focus of their job had

shifted from bureaucracy toward

mission, vision, and strategic plan-

ning on the congregational level.

Overwhelmingly, they saw the job

of a DS as “hands-on,” relational,

and teamwork oriented; a coach

and mentor to clergy versus the dis-

tant, authoritarian model of the

past.

The 2008 Book of Discipline (which

was used for this study) lists five task

areas for a DS—spiritual and pastoral

leadership, supervision, personnel

management, administration, and pro-

grammatic oversight—and outlines

those over five pages.

By contrast, the 2012 Book of Disci-

pline states that “the district superin-

tendent shall oversee the total ministry

of the clergy and of the churches in the

communities of the district.” It further

states that this oversight “requires the

superintendent to use his or her gifts

and skills related to spiritual and pas-

toral leadership, personnel leadership,

administration, and program. . . .” A

two-page outline of the specifics

emphasizes the role of “chief missional

strategist.”

11WWW.GBHEM.ORG

At the August 2013 New DS/DCM Orientation Event, DSes and DCMs joined in ringing the 1913bell at Lake Junalusaka Assembly to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Martin LutherKing Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

Vicki Brown / G

BHEM

The DSes surveyed said the biggest

part of their time—an average of 26

percent—was spent on supervising

clergy, which they also identified as

their primary role expectation. Some,

though, reported spending as little as

10 percent in this area. “Supervision

may be a priority,” the researchers state,

“but there may not be enough time

available for supervision.”

The study concluded that district

superintendents are pulled in multiple

directions and appear to have more

work to do than time allows. “Coming

to consensus on the role expectations

for the DS would enhance their ability

to meet expectations and will allow

them to focus their energies. Ensuring

that DSes have time for spiritual growth

and renewal leave is important to the

health of the DS and the health of the

office,” the study found.

Ironically, although they “experience

exhaustion on average once to several

times per month,” most of the DSes

indicated feeling clarity about their role

and a sense of being effective and satis-

fied in their appointments.

That’s encouraging and shows DSes

aren’t focusing on the overwhelming

volume of work, said Michelle Peder-

son, a religion sociologist who led the

study when she served as GBHEM’s

director of research.

“If you consider the nature of that

work—they are interceding in situa-

tions of crisis, providing resources or

support for whatever is needed. . . . So

the value of their work is important and

gives them a sense of making a differ-

ence in the church,” she said.

Wingfield served as a district super-

intendent in the California-Pacific

Annual Conference from 2006 through

2012, during a time when the confer-

ence’s eight districts were merged into

five larger districts.

He helped subdivide Cal-Pac’s new

South District into 12 “mission areas”

where local churches work together

closely on outreach in their commun-

ity—their shared “mission area.”

Instead of spreading his ministry

among 90 churches, he could then

hold group meetings with the pastors

in each mission area “and get a sense of

what they were doing in individual

churches, but more important . . . what

they were doing together, and how they

were supporting one another.”

That’s part of what makes the job of

a DS a good one despite its challenges,

Wingfield said.

“I found that the opportunities for

churches to grow and to be more effec-

tive were many. And that some of the

most rewarding times were often in lit-

tle ways of just making connections or

putting two clergy in conversation with

one another, to share resources or

insights and inspirations. . . . You start

to see direct benefits of your ministry,

not for your own sake, but the sake of

what you are called to do—serve the

churches and help them be more fruit-

ful.”

Read the full study at

http://bit.ly/12pnRNK.

Fentum is a freelance writer and copy editor in the Dallas area.

12 COLLEAGUE x NO. 2 x 2013

“What does it mean to be the ‘chief missional strategist’ of the district?”

Collegiate MinistryEvents Explore Common Strategies“You are not in this alone.” That’s the

message of two training events for new

campus ministers and chaplains this

summer, says the pastor of a United

Methodist church that grew out of a

campus ministry.

Amanda Garber, pastor of Rise

Community of Faith in Harrisonburg,

Va., was a mentor-in-residence at

Prepare, the United Methodist collegiate

ministry gathering that was part of a

larger ecumenical four-day Shared

Space event in Chicago this summer.

These events brought together campus

ministers and chaplains from five main-

line denominations to explore common

strategies for working in the increas-

ingly diverse and pluralistic atmosphere

of the college campus.

Garber’s congregation grew out of a

United Methodist Campus Ministry at

James Madison University. “The creativ-

ity of working with young adults who

are passionate about their faith” led to

this hybrid church/campus ministry

and its vitality in both the community

and on campus, Garber said.

Garber was just one of almost 350

campus ministers and chaplains who

took advantage of a variety of leadership

training opportunities this year. In addi-

tion to the Chicago events, the United

Methodist Campus Ministry Association

hosted Awaken, a gathering for United

Methodist-related campus ministers and

a united methodist campus ministry training event

chaplains, at Iliff School of Theology in

Denver. Additionally, the University

Church Network, in partnership with

GBHEM and GBOD, hosted its second

annual gathering of local church leaders

who serve churches on or near college

campuses.

“We tried very hard to do two

things,” noted the Rev. Michael

McCord, GBHEM’s collegiate ministry

resource and training staff person.

“First, we wanted to give new campus

ministers and chaplains an overview of

all that’s offered to them through our

denomination—conferences, websites,

people, materials, networking commu-

nities. Then, we tried to give them as

many opportunities as possible to inter-

act with one another, and with campus

ministry professionals from other

denominations. Both those things are

critical to training and supporting those

who minister in higher education.”

Drew Young, UM campus minister

at Savannah State University in Georgia,

said that he most appreciated the work-

shops offered at Prepare. “The sessions

on knowing your campus and strategic

planning were especially helpful to

me,” Young said.

Karen Urbanski, campus minister at

Penn State and associate pastor at St.

Paul’s United Methodist Church found

the workshop about size of university

particularly helpful. “Different cultures

and areas of the country make a differ-

ence in campus ministry, but the size of

a university also matters. The leaders

here understood the dynamics of what I

deal with on a campus of 55,000 stu-

dents,” she said.

These were three of 10 workshops

offered in a new cutting-edge format—

the “flipped classroom.” Based on a

teaching model pioneered in 2007 by

two Colorado teachers, the flipped

classroom experience starts before par-

ticipants gather on site.

“We posted online 10-minute

videos by each of our workshop lead-

ers. Participants watched these prior to

coming to Chicago. This way, each par-

ticipant got an introduction to the

workshop along with its most impor-

tant content,” McCord said.

“When they arrived at Prepare, they

chose the workshops they wanted and

instead of being lectures, the work-

shops became a time of rich interaction

and collaborative learning. They really

seemed to appreciate this approach.

Many said it was the most valuable part

of the conference,” McCord noted. All

of the videos are available online.

13WWW.GBHEM.ORG

“In many ways, being in campus ministry is like goingthrough a new church plant every year.”

“We envision a church that passion-ately loves college students as much as God does, and offers God’s trans-forming love to every student, on everycampus, in every generation, says Narcie Jeter, co-chairperson of the United Methodist Campus MinistryAssociation.

“We are here to support campusministers and chaplains, to advocate forthe importance of ministry on campus,and to connect clergy and laity whowork with college students, staff, andadministrators,” said Jeter, the UM cam-pus minister at the University of Floridaand Santa Fe College.

UMCMA hosted its biennial gather-ing in Denver this summer. Campusministers were offered training throughworkshops, by engaging in conversa-tion with provocative speakers, and byspending time exchanging ideas withcolleagues in ministry.

“The three keynoters brought verydifferent personalities to the gathering,but each one had something important

to say to us,” Jeter said. Nadia Bolz-Weber, a Lutheran pastor who foundeda church community called A House forAll Saints and Sinners, shared her con-viction that ministry has to be rooted in tradition in order to be creative withintegrity.

For Enuma Okoro, a communica-tions consultant and award-winningauthor of three books on spiritual life,work with students and other faith-seekers is rooted in story—the biblicalstory and the stories of those who gather on campus.

Leonard Sweet, the third of theevent’s speakers and a theologian, his-torian, pastor, and prolific author, toldparticipants that—no matter what hadbeen done in the past—campus minis-ters are called to “move on to what isnew,” and to “keep going to meet thefuture.”

UMCMA’s website offers an array ofresources for collegiate ministry. Thesite also links to regional representa-tives who are available for conversationand to provide help to local campusministers. To access this resource, go towww.umcma.org.

UMCMA Envisions Church That PassionatelyLoves College Students

Keynote speakers were also focal

points for discussion and interaction.

Diana Butler Bass, author of the best-

selling Christianity After Religion, pre-

sented data about 18-to-25 year olds

that initiated wide-ranging conversa-

tions about how best to engage stu-

dents in the faith and in the

transformation of the church.

Olu Brown, pastor of Impact

Church in Atlanta, challenged the

group by saying, “Always be creative

and risky . . . but have your administra-

tive life in good order.” Many partici-

pants resonated with his message,

noting their own attempts both to be

out “on the edge” of ministry and to be

a vital part of the church that supports

their work.

Urbanski summed up the impor-

tance of the training events and

resources: “In many ways, being in

campus ministry is like going through a

new church plant every year, perhaps

even every semester. The ‘congregation’

is so fluid that something so simple and

yet so important as knowing students’

names can be a challenge. This ministry

requires a great amount of stamina and

creativity.”

McCord agrees: “We are focused on

the continued renewal of campus min-

istry leadership—for the good of the

university, the church, and the world.

That’s why training events and

resources like these are so important.”

For more information, contact

Michael McCord at 615-340-7404 or

mmccord@gbhem.org. To see the

workshops videos, go to

vimeo.com/channels/prepare2013. In

addition, like the University Church

Network’s Facebook page to follow this

UM network of pastors and leaders of

churches nearby or linked to college

campuses.

— Helen Neinast

14 COLLEAGUE x NO. 2 x 2013

Teachers Receive Top Award for HittingMark With StudentsTITA PARHAM

Although he doesn’t have a specific phi-

losophy about teaching, Professor Bill

Wallace says he does want to “listen

carefully, to think about the kinds of

challenges and opportunities that I am

engaged in with students, and to

encourage them to see and realize their

own potential.”

He says most of his job is to provide

opportunities, a little advice, and “then

literally get out of the way.”

It’s a teaching method his students

seem to appreciate. Several nominated

him for the 2012-2013 Exemplary

Teacher Award given by GBHEM’s Divi-

sion of Higher Education.

Wallace is a professor and chair of

the theatre arts and communication

studies departments at Hamline Univer-

sity in St. Paul, Minn.

He is one of 62 faculty members at

United Methodist-related colleges and

universities nominated and selected by

their institutions to receive the award

for exemplary teaching, service to stu-

dents beyond the classroom, and com-

mitment to values-centered education.

Wallace teaches courses in stage-

craft; scene, lighting, and makeup

design; theatre for children; and

methods of teaching theatre and dance.

He also offers a study-abroad course

titled “Theatre in Britain.” His students

are mostly undergraduates.

“I am fortunate, working in the arts,

to have students who come in the door

already motivated and interested,”

he said.

What he enjoys most about teach-

ing, Wallace said, is the moment when

a student “gets it” and then takes off

with a project, design, or idea with “the

self-confidence and courage to see it to

completion.”

“Once that happens, when the stu-

dent sees how to solve problems, then

all the rest is easy,” he said.

Wallace says he was quite surprised

to have won the award.

“I have some very generous students

who nominated me for this award,” he

said. “Many, many of my colleagues

here at Hamline are much more

talented and deserving, so this award

was an unexpected honor.”

Not Just a JobDr. Tracy Andrus says he felt equally

honored to receive the award.

“I was all smiles,” he said of learning

about the recognition. “I gave God a

‘fist bump’ and thanked the faculty

members for the recommendation.

Winning this award has reinvigorated

my energy and commitment to strive to

be the best teacher I can be.”

Andrus is an assistant professor and

director of the Lee P. Brown Criminal

Justice Institute at Wiley College in

Marshall, Tex. He teaches four classes

on criminal justice, mostly to younger

undergraduates.

Andrus says he teaches because he

loves it. “I do not consider teaching to

be a job. To me, teaching is a hobby,” he

said. “I love to present my students

with dilemmas and gather their

thoughts about how they would resolve

certain types of situations and conflicts

in criminal justice.”

That includes providing real-world

experiences. Andrus says his depart-

ment recently coordinated having a live

trial on campus “with a real judge, real

15WWW.GBHEM.ORG

Martinez Is New Director of SpecializedTheological Education

The Rev. David Martinez has been

appointed GBHEM’s director of Special-

ized Theological Education in the Divi-

sion of Ordained Ministry. Prior to

coming to the Board, he served as sen-

ior pastor at El Buen Samaritano UMC

in Fort Worth, Tex. Martinez joined

GBHEM on June 3.

Martinez’s appointment was recom-

mended by GBHEM’s search committee

and confirmed by Bishop J. Michael

Lowry, episcopal leader of the Central

Texas Conference.

Martinez will design and implement

theological education programs to fos-

ter a new generation of racial-ethnic

leaders committed to serving as

ordained ministers in the UMC. This

includes managing the GBHEM/Latin

American Biblical University Bachelor

of Theology degree program for His-

panic/Latino/a pastors seeking to com-

plete their undergraduate educational

requirements for conference member-

ship. Latin American Biblical University

is in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Additionally, he will supervise the

implementation of GBHEM’s responsi-

bilities for the National Plan for Hispan-

ic/Latino/a Ministries in matters related

to ministry and theological education,

including the development of training

grants. And he will work with

autonomous Methodist churches in

Latin America and the Caribbean to

create and implement theological edu-

cation experiences for pastors and

develop new contextual and online the-

ological resources. Martinez reports to

the Rev. Rena Yocom, assistant general

secretary of Clergy Formation and

Theological Education.

Martinez received his master’s

degree from Southern Methodist Uni-

versity in Dallas and his B.A. in com-

puter information systems from the

University of Texas-Arlington.

David Martinez

defendants, prosecutors,” giving stu-

dents a chance to see a bench trial from

start to finish.

He says that kind of experiences,

plus class debates and lectures from

practitioners in the field, “make for

great teaching.”

“I love to see students learn,” he

said. “I love to see the excitement on

their faces when they learn new knowl-

edge. I have never attended a gradua-

tion ceremony in which I have not shed

tears of joy for our students.”

Gerald Lord, associate general secre-

tary of GBHEM’s Division of Higher

Education, said the award aims to show

GBHEM’s support and appreciation for

outstanding teachers.

“Quality teaching is a critical piece

in educating young leaders for The

United Methodist Church and the

world. We are proud of the talented

faculty at our 119 UM-related educa-

tional institutions, and this award rec-

ognizes a few of those who are

especially outstanding,” Lord said.

Award RecipientsIn addition to support and appreci-

ation for outstanding teaching, the

Division of Higher Education provides

a certificate and monetary award to the

faculty members nominated and

selected by their institutions to receive

the award.

For a complete listing of

the 2012-2013 Exemplary Teacher

Award recipients, go to

http://bit.ly/exemplaryteacher2013.

Parham is a freelance writer, editor, and communications consultant

based in Apopka, Fla.

GBHEM andSocial Media

The General Board of Higher Education

and Ministry now has 2,848 followers

on Twitter, and 1,276 like us on Face-

book (facebook.com/gbhem). We tweet

all news releases and also post them on

Facebook. Our Twitter feed Klout

score—which is a measure of influence

in the social-media sphere—is 52.

Our use of social-networking tools

such as Facebook and Twitter pushes

information out to new audiences and

existing constituencies. You can follow

us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube

by clicking on the respective bugs

positioned on the website home page

(www.gbhem.org).

President ............................................ James Dorff

General Secretary ................................ Kim Cape

Produced by the Office of Interpretation

Executive Director .......................... Terri J. Hiers

Associate Editor & Writer ............ Vicki Brown

Visit our Web site at www.GBHEM.org

The United Methodist Church

PO Box 340007

Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0007

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDNashville, Tenn.Permit No. 11

Applications for grants to programs that

recruit, train, and retain racial-ethnic

United Methodists for leadership posi-

tions are being accepted through

September 30 by GBHEM.

Eight to 10 Ethnic In-Service Train-

ing grants are approved each year for

programs that develop racial-ethnic

leadership for every level of the UMC

and its ministries. Funding for the

grants comes from contributions to

World Communion Sunday, observed

this year on October 6, or any other

Sunday your church chooses.

For the first time, the applications

are online. Learn more or apply at

www.gbhem.org/eist. Robin Starr

Minthorn, chair of GBHEM’s Racial and

Ethnic Concerns Committee, said

future applications will open on

January 1 and remain open until June

30 to allow plenty of time for review.

The grants, typically $5,000 to

$10,000 depending on how many are

approved, are funded with 15 percent

of the World Communion Sunday

offerings that go to GBHEM.

World Communion Sunday is one

of the six churchwide Special Sundays

of The United Methodist Church. This

offering provides graduate scholarships

for national and international students;

undergraduate scholarships for racial-

ethnic national and international stu-

dents within the U.S.; as well as funds

for the Ethnic In-Service Training

Grants for leadership development.

Applications are encouraged from

partnerships and collaborative efforts

between and with campus ministries,

chaplaincies, and institutions of higher

education and general agencies. Other

ministry settings in the United

Methodist connection eligible for the

grants are innovative, creative program-

ming for children’s homes, retirement

homes, camping and retreat centers,

and hospitals. Programs are expected to

have clear goals and measurable

outcomes.

Grants are one-time seed money,

in an amount not to exceed $10,000,

provided for one year to approved pro-

grams. However, additional requests

may be submitted for follow-up fund-

ing after appropriate reports and

evaluation.

For more information about

this program, go online to

www.gbhem.org/eist. Learn more, order

resources to observe World Com-

munion Sunday, or donate online at

www.umcgiving.org/wcs.

Ethnic In-Service Training Grants Help Prepare Leaders