Following Jesus Vol2 No1

8/11/2019 Following Jesus Vol2 No1

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S U M M E R 2 0 1 4 | F R A Z E R U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H

T H E M A G A Z I N E

FREPL

MIKE AND LISA CONN

A FAMILYTEAM

PAGE 40

ANNE LOUISE PASS

HidingPlacePAGE 14

MY FATHERS IMAGEHANNAH VANDER HEY 8

FORMING OF A PASTORLEVI GARDNER 20

PLUS TRANSFORMATIONS IN PROGRESS MISSIONS UPDATES MORE


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more

togetherWe are more when we are together.

More alive. More open. More powerful.

But what if we could make our times

together more meaningful? What if we

could be intentional about bringing our

walk with Christ and our circle of friends

together?

This fall, take the More Together

Challenge.Reach out to another couple,

or two or three friendspeople you

already connect with. Ask them to takea 6-week Spiritual journey with you.

Well work with you on all the resources

and training youll need to have a life-

changing experience with your group.

CONTACT [email protected] TO GET STARTED.

What God will do when we become more together?


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Amazing Grace

IF YOU KNOW MY STORY, you know I didnt come to Frazer for its

great worship, world changing missions, powerful preaching or deep

theology; no, I came because of a girl! I wasdating Emily (now my wife), and she went to

Frazer, so I went to Frazer.

Having been raised in another denomination, I

knew very little about the Methodist church. But

I loved what I foundnot only the girlbut also

the spirit of the Frazer family, the Bible based

Christ centered message, and the emphasis on service and missions.

As I began my studies this summer at Asbury Theological Seminary,

however, I began to develop an even greater appreciation for the

Methodist tradition: particularly, the unmatched emphasis that John

Wesley and his successors in the Methodist movement have put on

the incredible power of Gods grace.

Grace is Gods power at work within to transform us from the inside

out. Mercy is God loving us even when we were sinners, but grace is

God loving us enough not to leave us sinners. Grace is God patiently,

persistently, powerfully perfecting the work He began in us by His

Holy Spirit, until we are filled from top to bottom with lovelove for

God and love for people. Grace really is amazing.

In this issue of Following Jesus, grace abounds. Its there in the storyof two daughters, one facing the challenge of growing up without her

dad (p. 8), and one seeking to find self-acceptance (p. 14). Its there in

the calling of a young man to leave his plans to be a medical doctor

and enter the ministry (p. 20). Its there in a couple who both came

from broken homes, and have made it their mission to teach Gods plan

for marriage to others (p. 40). Its there in an artist struggling through

depression, and in a young man who was thrown into teaching Sunday

School before he was ready, and ended up teaching Sunday Schools

around the world (p. 30). Its certainly there in the stories of women

who have gone from being homeless, to hope-filled (p. 35).

Grace is changing us. Its changing the world. If you let it, grace will

change you, too.

KENROACH, CONTENTDIRECTOR

FRAZERUNITEDMETHODISTCHURCH

FOLLOWING

JESUS

VOL. 2 NO. 1

SUMMER 2014

Published by

Frazer Memorial United

Methodist Church

6000 Atlanta Hwy.

Montgomery, AL 36117

Printed in USA by

Publications Press

Editor & Layout

Ken Roach

Editorial Coordinator

Amy Presley

Writers

Judy Payne

Candace Rutherford

Ken Roach

Photographers

Lori Mercer

Lee Werling

Mac MacLellan

COVERIMAGE: Mark Stuart,

Gabriel Stevens and Patrick

Quinn look at land in Haiti.

Photo contributed.

2014 Frazer Memorial Unit-

ed Methodist Church. Limited

permission is granted to repro-

duce articles in their entirety

for the purpose of spreading

the gospel of Jesus Christ with-

out commercial gain.

APPLY TO BE A

VOLUNTEER WRITER

OR PHOTOGRAPHER.

CONTACT KEN ROACH,

KEN@

FRAZERUMC.ORG

334.272.8622

FOLLOWING JESUS |3


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SHARE CHRIST

Socially

frazerumc @frazerumc frazermethodist @frazerumc

Like. Follow. Comment. Share. Join the conversation.

When you think about Social Media like Facebook and Twitter, do you think of it as a mission field? Followers

of Jesus at Frazer are already connected to over 88,000people in the Montgomery area through social

media. Imaginethe potential for sharing the message of Christ if we all became intentional about living out

our faith in our online neighborhoods. Sign up, find Frazer at the accounts listed below, and start sharing the

story of Gods lovewith others in your social network.

Questions about how to get involved? Email Ken Roach [email protected]

frazerumc.org

4|FOLLOWING JESUS


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

14Hiding Place:Anne LouisePass

Amazing Grace

Grace is fundamental to

following Jesus. We can no

more follow Jesus without

grace, than we could follow

a fish without gills, or follow

a bird without wings. Grace

begins with the free gift of

salvation in Christ, but it

extends far beyond that. Grace

is the transforming work of

the Holy Spirit in our heartsthat fills us with love for God

an for our neighbor. Be on the

lookout in this months stories

for evidence of grace at work!

8In My FathersImage: HannahVander Hey

40A Family Team forChrist: Mike andLisa Conn

20The Forming ofa Pastor: LeviGardner

30The Artist and theTeacher: Jim andAnn Salminen

24Missions Updates 35Transformations in Progress

26Jim and DiannHolston

FOLLOWING JESUS |5


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Children, Student Ministries Wrap Up a Great

Summer of Spiritual Growth and Fun

Summer may be down time for

some, but its busy season in theFrazer Childrens Ministry and

Crave Student Ministry.

A few highlights for the Childrens

Ministry included another wonderful

year at Camp Sonshine and Camp

Chandler in June, when Pastor

Patrick Quinn taught the iPhone,

iPad, iPod generation that all we

really need is iGod. Then in July

more than 1,000 children from

throughout the community enrolled

in VBS. Through the Workshop of

Wonders they discovered that God

creates each of us uniquely and

invites us to join our creativity with

His.

As just one example of the personal

impact VBS can have, Childrens

Ministry Director Theresa Reiter

shared this incident: A fifth

grade girl was staying with her

grandparents for the week. Shewanted to accept Christ. I met her

Thursday after VBS and she was so

excited she wanted me to baptize

her right then. I told her she would

need to go back and discuss it with

her parents. I gave her a new Bible

and she was so happy.

Student ministry leaders Bryan

Levangie and Brittany Finch led

our 6th-12th graders in special

prayer breakfasts throughout the

summer to pray for the needs in

our community and our world. Of

course, there were also events just

for fun, from Paint Ball to Six Flags

to White Water Rafting.

Both ministry areas are looking

forward to a dynamic fall season

now that school is back and regular

ministry programs are underway.

Frazer Reaches Out to

Persecuted Believers

With the recent atrocities in Northern

Syria and Iraq, as Christians are

being persecuted, many of you have

asked, What can we do? Frazers

pastors called the church to a special

time of prayer for these groups

this summer, and the church also

reached out with a donation to three

organizations with people in the

region in a position to offer aid and

assistance. Donors can designate agifts above and beyond their tithe to

the Disaster Relief Fund. Previously,

the fund has been used to aid victims

of the tornado in Tuscaloosa, and

the tsunami in Japan, among other

tragedies.

Welcome Mary

Causey

Frazer is excited to announce theaddition of Mary Causey to our

staff as

Connections

Coordinator.

Mary will

take on

responsibilities

for

coordinating

the staff and volunteer efforts

to reach out to our community,welcome visitors, and help new

members, connect to the life of our

church. Mary and her husband,

Adam have a 2-year-old daughter,

Abby James. They have been

members of Frazer since 2007. Look

for more of Marys story in a future

edition of Following Jesus.

SHORTS

ABOVE: Pastor Patrick Quinn and Childrens Director Theresa Reiter

each receive a pie in the face from their children, as a celebration of VBS

participants reaching their goal to fully fund Frazers backpack ministry to

feed underprivileged students.

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Pastors offer innovative video Bible study

You dont have to wait until you die

for heaven. God wants you to startyour next life now!

This innovative Bible study led by

pastors Tim Thompson and Patrick

Quinn will be broadcast live on

WFRZ TV and frazerumc.org/live so

you can tune in at home or on your

mobile device and even interact with

questions or comments.

Offered for six Sunday nights, 7:30-

8 p.m. starting Sept. 7, this study

will open your eyes to Gods power

to transform your life through JesusChrist right here on earth.

Downloadable study guides will

help you dig even deeper into the

scripture in your personal study time

or with a small group.

Cant watch live? Videos will be

rebroadcast during the week on

WFRZ and archived for viewing 24/7

on frazerumc.org.

Fall sermon series focuses on unity

One team. One way. One command.

One love. One is the heart of God

for his people. One describes who

we are and who we want to become

as a church family.

Join pastors Tim Thompson and

Patrick Quinn on Sunday mornings

in both Sanctuary and Wesley

Hall worship as we continue

our study through the Gospel of

John throughout the months of

September and October.

The One teaching series willprepare our hearts to recommit

to following Jesus in 2015

through our annual Followership

campaign. Save the date now

for the Followership churchwide

dinner and rally on Sunday, Oct.

19, and our Commitment Sunday

celebration and consecration on

Sunday, Oct. 26.

Followership 2015 isyour opportunity

to plan how you will

follow Jesus

in giving, service,

and mission in

the year ahead.

Followership

ChurchwideDinner/Rally

SUN. OCT. 19

5-7PM WESLEY HALL

Enjoy food and fellowship

as we celebrate together

what God has done in and

through Frazer in 2014,

and share dreams for what2015 has in store. RSVP

for food and childcare to

[email protected].

FollowershipCommitment

SundayOCT. 26

For those who have not

already completed their card

online or at the Dinner/Rally,

we encourage every member

to turn in their Personal

Response Card during

worship this Sunday morning.

FOLLOWING JESUS |7


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IN MY

FathersImage

Karen and Hannah Vander Hey Learn to

Follow Jesus through Tragedy

FAMILY

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BY KEN ROACH |They say she is the spitting

image of her father. From her baby pictures on,

Hannah Vander Hey stands out from her sisters in

this regard. The similarities are not just physical.

Her mother, Karen insists Hannah has many of El-

mers personality traits, even speaking like him attimes. Elmer was a mathematician; Hannah, who

just graduated from high school, plans to major in

math at Troy University and become a teacher.

But her father has been gone since she was in

sixth grade.

In October of 2007 Elmer Vander Hey passed

away after a battle with melanoma. The skin can-

cer that at one time he thought he had fought into

remission came back with a vengeance, rapidly

spreading and taking his life in a matter of weeks.

Through it all, Elmer stayed strong in his faithin Jesus Christ. He was a free spirit; even while

dying, he didnt act like he had cancer, remembers

Hannah. He never turned his back on God. He

never got mad at God; we did, but he didnt. He

stayed positive, says Karen.

A Legacy of Faith

Elmer grew up in church, accepted Christ in

middle school, and although his faith was back and

forth in college according to Karen, he got serious

about following Jesus when he married. He told

me he had been wild in college, but he would pray

in his dorm room for God to send a godly woman

to help him get back on track, says Karen. He went

on to become a solid follower of Jesus. He left a

legacy of faith, courage and strength, says Karen.

The couple visited Frazer together, and although

they initially thought the church was too big for

them, their older daughter, Heather, kept asking,

When are we going back? Eventually they joined,and got involved as volunteers, purposing to be

part of whatever ministries their children were par-

ticipating in. After their youngest daughter, Hollon

Jane, was born, Karen came on staff part time in

Frazers nursery.

During Elmers illness, Karen remembers pray-

ing and asking God, why arent You healing him?Eventually she realized she was praying wrong

seeking her own will, rather than Gods will. After

submitting her heart to the Lord, she was able to

see His hand in everything as they sought to make

the most of those last days, and she was able to

give Elmer permission to leave. He was tired of

fighting, she says. I was able to tell him, were

going to be okay; God has never let us down, and

He never will.

Karen had to be strong through the midst of her

grief for the sake of her girls. I made a promise to

Elmer that I would stay faithful for them, she says.

I was all they had. If I cave in and turn away from

God, whats that showing them? Yes, this is horrible,

its not what we had planned, but God has a plan.

Her church family provided Karen with love and

support. While she says it is too hard to come to

church on Fathers Day, every other Sunday they

are here in worship, and she has continued to be

actively involved as a volunteer in the student min-

istry with her daughters.

Admitting Need

For Hannah, the story was a little different. She

had accepted Christ at Camp Chandler with Frazers

PREVIOUS PAGE:Hannah and Elmer Vander Hey.ABOVE:Karen Vander Hey and Elmer. PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED.

FOLLOWING JESUS |9


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Childrens Ministry in second grade, but her relation-

ship with God was about to be severely tested with

her fathers death. I didnt care, she says, I didnt

want to believe. I didnt want to trust anyone who

would take my dad away.

Hannah says she did not really cry until three

years later, in the 9th grade. It took that long to

process her grief enough to let out her emotions. I

had to learn that you need people. Im not one to

show emotions, but you cant do it by yourself. It

doesnt get easier if you push people away. I had

to push my stubbornness and hard-headedness to

the side and be willing to let others know how Iwas feeling.

Each year of high school, Frazers DNOW

weekend for students was a milestone in Han-

nahs faith life. Her 10th grade year was when she

considers herself to have become a fully devoted

follower of Jesus, truly owning for herself the

decision she had made as a child. This year, as

a senior, she once again rededicated herself. It

was hard as an upperclassman, someone who is

looked at as a leader, to stand up at DNOW and

say, I dont have it all together, I need You now,

Jesus, but thats what she did, says Karen, and

I think that was a great example to the younger

students, because thats how God workswhen

we admit we need Him.

Influences

Along the way, Hannahs faith was formed in a

variety of ways. Attending public school at Brew-

baker Technology Magnet, her teachers were notable to give her faith-based advice or Bible teaching,

but she says she benefitted from those who genu-

inely cared about her and pushed her to the top,

especially her math teacher, inspiring her to want

to be an educator herself. Youth leaders like Brian

Word invested in her, and she says she saw Jesus

in the way Brian treated everyone like they were

his own sons and daughters.

ABOVE:The Vander Hey family on vacation: Elmer, Hannah, Heather, Hollan and Karen. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED.

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Perhaps most importantly after her parents

influence, Hannah found her way to a Life Group.

That created a context to stay in Gods Word with

daily devotionals and Bible based discussion. But it

also provided accountability and an opportunity to

do life with a group of girls who were going throughthe same stage of life she was.

When we first met, the walls were up, Hannah

recalls, but now we are very open. We have times

of deep discussion. The walls come down and the

tears come out. We call each other out when we

need to. The group, which Karen helps to lead,

is emphatic about trust and accountability. They

started together in 7th grade, and over the years

have only lost one member, gaining two new ones

along the way. All of them are now heading to Troy

University except for one who will attend UAB.No one in Hannahs school classes went to

Frazer. Most of them dont have faith as part of

their lives except on Sunday. They dont judge me

(for being a believer), we just didnt have a lot of

common ground, she says. Her Life Group at church

was vital to have a place to talk through things,

and to keep her in check from wandering away

from Christsomething she hopes to replicate at

Troy so she will continue to stay on the right paththrough college.

Impact

Like her parents, Hannah got involved in ser-

vice. Twice she went on mission to the Dominican

Republic, as well as participating in numerous local

mission projects at Trenholm Court, Adullum House,

neighborhood block parties and nursing homes.

Through Youth Worship Arts she sang, went on

tour, and developed a reputation as the white girlrapper. Her love of hip hop often enabled her to

make a connection with boys and girls at the youth

clubs and missions her group would minister to.

BELOW:Whether at a local outreach in Montgomery or on mission overseas in the Dominican Republic, Hannah

shares the love of God wherever she goes. PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED.

FOLLOWING JESUS |11


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Hannah also demonstrates leadership traits.

Karen recalls one incident when Hannah became

convinced that YWA should perform a particular skit

in contemporary worship at Frazer. She emailed

(teaching pastor) Patrick Quinn because she want-

ed other young people to hear this message, saysKaren. I cant imagine doing that myself when I

was her age.

In 9th grade, Hannah set a goal to become

valedictorian of her class. She worked hard at it,

but also gave it to God, Karen says. This year, she

accomplished that goal. Along the way she took

the ACT test 10 times in order to get the score she

needed for the maximum scholarships, so that her

tuition costs would not be a burden to her single-

parent mom.

Through that gift of leadership, Hannah is

turning her hurts into opportunities for ministry.

I learned when my dad died not to say to people,

I know what youre feeling, because no one fully

knows, she says. But I am able to honestly come

alongside people who are hurting and say, Ive been

there, too. She has reached out to a friend who losther grandfather, and another who lost her mother

with the same message God has taught her: you

dont have to go through pain alone. God is there for

you, and people are there for you if youll reach out.

I ask Hannah how her life experiences have

shaped her image of God. I didnt really know God

as a Father even until this year, Hannah admits.

But I do now. He is my Father is in heaven.

In both the earthly and the heavenly sense, it

turns out, Hannah is growing right into her fathers

image.

BELOW:Hannahs Student Ministry Life Group has been a critical source of spiritual strength and growth throughout

her high school years. From left, Sofi Gelabert, Katie Heacock, Victoria Conner, Cayla Hamilton, Logan McKissick, and

Hannah. RIGHT:Hannah (right), her mother Karen and sister Hollan Jayne show their joy in Christ after participating

in a color run. PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED.


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BY KEN ROACH |If you heard her singing a solo

in the Sanctuary at Frazer, or sharing a testimony

on stage in Wesley Hall, or saw her playing a role

in the church Christmas

drama or a school play,

you wouldnt imagine

that Anne Louise Pass

was the sort of person

to hide from people. But

when her family first

came to Frazer when

she was in the 6th grade,

Anne Louise skipped

Sunday School and hid to

avoid being around the

rest of the youth group. I

knew every hiding place

in the church, she says.

What has changed over

the years is not simply a

story of a young womanwho has matured in self-

confidence; it is the story of a follower of Jesus who

has learned what it means to trust in his grace.

Anne Louises parents have been in ministry

in one form or another since before she was born.

Frank, her father, spent 17 years as a youth minister

and now serves as a Frazer-supported missionary

with the international ministry of Visiting Orphans.

Her mother, Robin, is an

interpreter for the deaf

and is involved in the

church as a volunteer

in many ways, including

the drama ministry, One-

Family ministry and Deaf

Ministry. My dad has

dedicated his entire life

to following Gods call-

ing, says Anne Louise,

and my mom is also fol-

lowing a calling, even if

its not in the ministry.

Anne Louise says

her grandparents were

also formative influences

on her faith. For example,she remembers her grand-

mother Lee Lee Pass (also a long-time Frazer mem-

ber) taking her regularly to visit nursing homes, mod-

eling early morning devotions to her, and conducting

weekly Bible study times with her granddaughter.

HidingPlaceAnne Louise Pass is learning that grace is for everyone

OPPOSITE:Anne Louise Pass at her graduation with her father Frank Pass. PHOTO BY BILLY POPE.

ABOVE: Anne Louise being baptized at Frazer in 2008 by former teaching pastor Rev. John Schmidt. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED.

FOLLOWING JESUS |15


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Through their legacy and witness, Anne Louise

accepted Christ at a very early age and was bap-

tized. However, she remembers her confirmation

classes in 6th grade as a turning point when she

fully understood the meaning of salvation and began

to take ownership of her faith.

Over the years she developed a hunger for Gods

Word that has helped to continue to grow. She starts

her day with a Bible reading app, as well as an app

that gives her a daily devotional thought from her

favorite Christian apologetics author, C.S. Lewis. Her

parents gave her a Bible with wide margins where

she takes plenty of notes, and then copies those

thoughts over into her journal to meditate further

on what God is speaking to her.Prayer is also an important part of Anne Louises

daily walk. Beside prayer on her own, her family

has recently started praying together every morn-

ing before they set off on their separate ways, a

practice she says has been very helpful. She also

draws close to God through music and Christian

books, such as Lewiss Chronicles of Narnia or Wil-

liam Youngs The Shack.

Where the private side of her walk with Christ

has been strong, the social siderelating to other

peoplehas been a challenge. Shy by nature, she

says she has always struggled with feelings of in-

security and lack of self-acceptance.

At school, I was the nerdy kid, she says. I

was different. I was teased. I tucked my shirt in

just because the dress code said to, and I used big

vocabulary words, and that made me different. That

feeling of not being accepted at school was symp-

tomatic of a root need to connect to her identity in

Christ. I didnt really know my identitywho I was,

or Whose I was, says Anne Louise.

That began to change for her through partici-

pation in Frazers Youth Worship Arts (YWA). Thefirst day of YWA I tried to find an excuse not to

go, but my mom forced me to, she recalls. When

she got there, the girls in her section made her

feel welcome, as did director Debbie Peavy. Matty

Drollette is one girl she remembers particularly who

reached out and talked to her, and became a friend.

Through YWA, Anne Louise found an outlet where

she could use her gifts and talents. I come from a

LEFT:Anne Louise with her mother, Robin. PHOTO COURTESY OF NIKKI P. PHOTOGRAPHY AND POTENTIAL MAGAZINE.

RIGHT:Playing with a child at a special needs orphanage on a mission trip to China. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED.

16|FOLLOWING JESUS


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musical family, she says, and I love to perform. For

her, singing in the church is a way to find herself,

to do what she loves, and at the same time serve

a higher purpose than simply singing in her school

chorus group affords.

The acceptance she found at YWA encouragedher spiritually, their acceptance helping her to feel

Gods acceptance. Choir became not just hangout,

but also a support group. I hang out with my

church friends much more than my school friends,

even though in many ways were nothing alike, but

we build on the good in each other and hold each

other accountable for the bad. Through her church

community, she says she is able to trust the way

God has made her instead of worrying about how

others may perceive her.

At least, thats true some of the time. Anne

Louise admits that overcoming insecurity through

faith in Christ is more of an ongoing daily war than

a one-time battle. For example, after joining YWA

she invited other girls to join the group as well,

including her best friend, Olivia Wilson. However,

when Olivia started to become popular in the group

and gather a lot of attention, Anne Louise felt jeal-

ous. I acted like a jerk to her on our first choir tour

together and nearly messed up our friendship, sheadmits. Once again, she had to learn to look to God

and not others for acceptance, she says.

Anne Louise and Olivia certainly seem to have

made up any differences they might have had in the

past, behaving more like sisters today. At the time

I interviewed Anne Louise, she had just come from

spending the night at Olivias house. She credits

Olivia with sharpening her intellectually and spiri-

tually. Shes an intellectual person who challenges

ideas, and wants to know why she believes what

she believes, Anne Louise says. She has strength-ened me by being a force to both encourage me, if

I claim to believe something, then I need to actu-

ally do it.

BELOW:Anne Louise and Robin perform in Frazers 2012 Christmas musical drama. PHOTO BY CHRIS THORNTON.

FOLLOWING JESUS |17


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In addition to learning about Gods acceptance

through her friends and church community, Anne

Louise has been influenced by her siblings. Her

sister Katy models for her what it means to feel

deeply for others. She demonstrates real empathy

for others, Anne Louise says. Her younger sister,Ella Grace, and brother Gabriel, were both adopted.

When mom and dad brought home Ella Grace from

China, that changed the way I see the world, Anne

Louise says. More recently, she learned more about

the power of prayer and relying on God along with

her family through Gabriels medical conditions. Be-

fore he was even adopted, they waited and cried

together outside an ICU ward, uncertain if their

infant future brother would even survive.

However, Anne Louise is quick to point out

that, for the Pass family, adoption isnt some kind of

Christian service. People may tell her that her par-

ents are good people for adopting, but she knows

they didnt do it out of charitythey just did it

because thats their kid. They love them exactly the

same as their biological children.

Instead, adoption for Anne Louise is a reminder

of the relationship all Christians have with our Heav-

enly Father. Were all adopted into Gods family,

she says. As a result, she has learned to be more

sensitive to all kinds of people. My sister is Asian,

my brother is Hispanic, my mom works with the

deaf, my brother is blind, my dad works with people

in Africa and South America, and Im blonde; who

am I going to make fun of? she jokes. But in all se-

riousness, she sees the hand of God at work through

combination of her family experiences and her own

personal struggles to prepare her to be sensitive and

caring towards the needs of others.

That dual lesson of finding ones acceptance inGod, and through Him learning to accept others,

has doubled back to some of the same class mates

who teased her for being a nerd when she was

younger. She refers to middle school as her dark

years. I was angry at school, mean to people, and

bitter, because I felt excluded by them. But when I

got to know them better in high school, I realized,

they werent judging me, I was judging them. I

became friends with some people I never thought

I would, and Im grateful.

The love and acceptance she has found in Christ

overflows for Anne Louise in service and mission.

Whether it was visiting retirement homes with her

grandmother, going on choir tours with YWA, or

traveling on short term mission trips to work with

the deaf in Haiti or visit orphans in China, she sees

service as simply the outflow of loving God and lov-

ing people. She stresses that serving God is seen

just as much in being there for a friend, or clean-

ing your room when your parents tell you to, as in

traveling across oceans to share the gospel. (And

yes, Frank and Robin, she admits that she needs to

do a better job of cleaning her room!)

As Anne Louis prepares to head off to college at

LEFT:Matty Drollette was instrumental in welcoming Anne Louise into Frazers Youth Worship Arts.

RIGHT:Olivia Wilson and Anne Louise during the 2014 YWA Choir Mission Tour to Chicago. PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED.

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pride and arrogance that can so often be ways in

which we overcompensate for our fears. But Anne

Louise knows those very weaknesses are the things

that cause us to turn to God, to rely more on His

strength, and to draw closer to Him for our sense

of worth and acceptance.The best thing my dad has ever told me is that

grace is for everybody, she says.

Amen, Frank.

As her journey continues, Anne Louise may yet

have more days when she feels like skipping Sun-

day School to go find a place to hide. But she has

found the best hiding place of all: in the arms of

her Heavenly Father.

SIBLINGS: Katy, Anne Louse, Gabriel andElla Grace Pass. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED.

Auburn University, she feels prepared academically

by the gift of a challenging school and excellent

teachers. She feels prepared spiritually and intellec-

tually by youth leaders and church friends like Olivia

who have held her accountable and challenged her

to grow. She feels prepared emotionally by the loveof her family, knowing that even as she moves away

from home, family will still come first.

However, her greatest preparation for life has

been learning that she doesnt have to be perfect.

Were all just humans, trying to make our way in

the world, she says. She knows she will make mis-

takes, and will probably still struggle with shyness,

self-consciousness, and insecurity, along with the

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THE FORMING OF A

PastorLevi Gardner completes seminary while on Frazer staff

BY KEN ROACH |Frazer has often played host to

special services and ceremonies as part of the Ala-bama-West Florida Annual Conference of the United

Methodist Church. But this year, the Commissioning

Service had a particular interest for our congrega-

tion, as we had the opportunity to see our own

minister of outreach and evangelism, Levi Gardner,

ordained as a provisional elder in the church. The

young man, who graduated from Candler School

of Divinity at Emory University earlier this spring,

was appointed by the bishop to serve as associate

pastor at Perdido Bay UMC down on the Gulf Coast

starting this summer. As Levis time on staff here at

Frazer was drawing to a close, I had the opportunity

to sit down with him and reflect on his journey into

ministry, as well as his season of service here in

Montgomery.

DISCOVERING A CALLING

Levi was baptized in the Episcopal church in the

Gulf Coast region of Alabama. He remembers serv-

ing as an acolyte in worship and attending Sunday

School, but he also remembers when he reachedfifth grade and his mother allowed him to choose

for himself, sometimes he would just lay in bed

and skip church on Sunday mornings. Nevertheless,

over time the Holy Spirit continued to draw him

toward devotion to Christ, and in his sophomore

year of high school he made a conscious decision

to fully follow Jesus through the youth ministry

of Gulf Shores United Methodist Church. His faith

became his own through engagement in missions,

Bible study, regular spiritual disciplines and groupleadership through that ministry.

One powerful missions experience that impact-

ed him was in Savannah, Georgia, the summer after

his senior year of high school. After graduating, he

intended to go to medical school and become a doc-

tor, a profession that had gripped his imagination

for years. However, during this mission trip he had

a powerful encounter with God in worship, com-

bined with a growing awareness of the needs in the

world. For the first time he had the opportunity to

verbally share his faith with someone else, a boy he

recalls was named Lorenzo. During that experience

he joked with a friend, if I dont end up becoming

a doctor, maybe Ill be a pastor.

Nevertheless, when the time came he enrolled

in the University of South Alabama and started to

work towards a major in biomedical science. The

first day of classes, his youth pastor called him up.

She explained that they were starting a ministry to

5th and 6th graders, and his name kept coming up

as the person to lead it. After some prayer, Levi feltled to give back to the ministry that had invested

so much in him, so he began driving back and forth

from school every Wednesday night to lead the

ministry. Over time he realized he was getting far

more life and joy from his time spent studying the

Bible to develop his lesson plans, than he was from

his basic science classes in college.

By that November, Levi sensed a calling to full

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time ministry. He found the courage to talk to his

parents about the decision, and they were 100%

supportive. In one sense, it was a struggle to let

go of the aspiration to be a doctor, but in another

sense, he found that he was fulfilling his desire to

serve human needshe would just be working to

heal the soul rather than the body!

Looking back on the people who most influ-

enced his walk with Christ, Levi thinks of his youth

pastor, Julianna Cooper. She modeled Christ in ev-erything, he recalls. She was encouraging, prayer-

ful, a gifted teacher who connected scripture to life,

and relational with all types of kids.

He also thinks of Bill Camp, an older mentor who

took the unusual step as a 60+-year-old of playing

golf with a young teenager every week. Somehow

they found common groundboth were lefties. The

two would carry on conversations while they played

about life and faith. Levi saw Bill, who passed away

a few years ago, as a servant leader, who used every

interaction in his position in business to honor Christ.

GROWING MINISTRY

OPPORTUNITIES IN COLLEGE

Levi traveled the summer following his call in

Quito, Ecuador, helping to build a Christian daycare.

For the first time, he was able to see that our God

is not just God of the Southeast part of the UnitedStates in North AmericaHe is truly God of the

whole world. Seeing children with joy on their faces,

serving alongside them and developing relationships

with them despite barriers of culture and language,

reinforced that Christianity is not limited to a par-

ticular worldly lifestyle or earthly community.

Later he spent three months on mission in Costa

Rica. As he worshipped and served in their native

ABOVE:Rev. Levi Gardner and his wife, Caroline. PHOTO BY STEGALL SEMINARY SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION.

FOLLOWING JESUS |21


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church and got to know their families, he could seethat human needs were not so different around the

world.

His junior year of college, Levi transferred to

Auburn University, where he had the opportunity

to serve as an intern under Pastor Tim Thompson,

who was serving at that time at Opelika First Meth-

odist. He went on to intern at the Auburn Wesley

Foundation, helping to build its vibrant ministry to

students during his senior year.

After graduation, Tim once again hired Levi,

now in his new appointment at Frazer. Arrange-

ments were made for Levi to serve as director of

outreach and evangelism while traveling back and

forth to attend seminary in Atlanta. For the next

three years, Levi would greet visitors, lead new

member classes, and help the church extend wel-

come to the community, all the while keeping up

the class load for his theological education at Emory.

What stands out about Frazer is the opportu-

nity Ive had to learn from Tim, Patrick (Quinn), the

whole contemporary worship planning team, andall of the talented staff here, says Levi. Ive loved

leading the new member classes, getting to know

people, their names and their stories, as they make

that first vital connection into growing and thriving

church members. It was phenomenal to get to preach

my first sermon in a church this large, he continues.

The church really placed a lot of trust in me, which

in turn gave me tremendous opportunities to grow.

ON MARRIAGE AS DISCIPLESHIP

On June 16, 2012 Levi married Caroline Van

Pelt, whom he had known in high school and got

to know again while at Auburn. He sees marriage

as the latest aspect of how he is learning to follow

Jesus. Spiritual disciplines like reading scripture and

prayer take on a new dimension as you learn to do

them together, he explains. The every day frictions

that come along for every couple as you learn to

live together are also a school for discipleship. I

have a new understanding of Luke 9:23, take up

your cross daily and follow me, Levi notes. Thats

what marriage is about, no longer living for your

own agenda, always thinking of the other person.

Thats even more important in ministry, he says. It

would be easy to fall into the trap of thinking, my

job is more important to God than yours; the real-

ity is that God wants me to help nurture Carolines

calling just as much as my own.

THE NEXT SEASON

July 1, 2014 began Levis appointment as as-sociate pastor at Perdido Bay, UMC, not far from

where he and Caroline grew up. When we talked,

Levi said he looked forward to continuing to ex-

pand his ministry in this new opportunity while

continuing to deepen his walk with Christ, always

carrying with him those who have invested so

much in him, including the people of the Frazer

family.

BELOW:Bishop Paul Leeland commissions Levi as a provisional elder in the United Methodist Church during the

2014 Alabama West Florida Annual Conference hosted by Frazer. PHOTO BY LUKE LUCAS (AWFUMC).

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ARE YOU BEING CALLED INTO MINISTRY?

While Frazer has recently celebrated a num-ber of members who have decided to pur-sue ordination in the church later in life, relativelyfew young people of Levis age are choosing to

enter ordained ministry (Frazers college ministry

director, Patrick Craig, who will head to Duke

Divinity School this fall, is a notable exception).

In fact, there is a worldwide shortage in trained

pastors, making the development of a new gen-

eration of Christian leaders one of the United

Methodist Churchs four areas of focus.

I asked Levi during our interview

what he would say to students who

feel like God might be calling them

into ministry, and to their parents.

Students: Be open. You may

think you want to be a _____ (fill in

the blank), and that may be a great

and noble thing, but God may call you

full time ministry, and that is a great blessing,

too. You get to be with people at the greatest

moments in their livesbirths, baptisms, wed-

dingsand at their moments of greatest need, in

hospitals, at funerals, in times of tragedy. There

are many roles in ministryleading the church,

preaching Gods word, counselingso many ways

to engage in mission and live out your gifts.

Parents: Let your children know you will

support them however God may call them. The

greatest thing to me was my parents affirma-

tion. Have the share their call story, and back

them up.

Here are some further steps you can take to

explore your calling:

1. Serve where you are. Remember, everyChristian is called to ministry. At Frazer,

our core value is everyone matters, ev-

eryone ministers. The real purpose of the

ordained clergy is not to do the work of

the ministry, but to equip the church so

that they can do the work of the minis-

try. With over 200 volunteer positions at

Frazer, theres somewhere that you can

begin serving Christ today. Often it is in

the process of volunteer service that Godgives you greater clarity about your long-

term calling.

2. Participate in a mission trip. Cross-cultural

missions can opens you up to the presence

and power of God in new ways. This doesnt

mean you will end up moving to Africa or

some third world country; remember there is

tremendous need right here at home. How-

ever, going outside your comfort zone

opens your eyes to the breadth of

Gods mission, showing you how Godis at work around the world.

3. Talk to your pastor or youth pastor,as

well as your parents and friends, about your

calling. As you tell your story to others, it

will often become more clear.

4. Find out more about the various types

of ministry.Often when we think of pastors,

we think of preaching, but there are many

other roles for ordained clergy as well: music,

children and youth ministries, hospital and

military chaplains, counselors, Christian edu-

cators, and many more. Your pastor can also

help you understand more about the various

paths into ministry that are available, and

the types of schooling that each requires.

You can also learn more at explorecalling.

org.

5. Keep following Jesus. Remember, you are

called first to be a child of God, and only

then a servant of God. To put it another way,

you are responsible to deepen the message,God is responsible to broaden the ministry.

Your most important asset as a minister is

a warm heart, the love the overflows out of

nurturing your own personal walk with God.

Gifts, skills, experience and education are

important, but none of it matters without

the love of God living inside of you.

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MISSIONS

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MAKING

HistoryJim and Diann witness to Gods love through history,Biblical prophecy, and investing in children

BELOW: Jim and Diann Holston have been

married for over 50 years. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED.

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BY JUDY PAYNE |Have you ever been drawn

to someone because they just seem to have it?

Jim and Diann Holston are two such people that

others are just drawn to, likely because their love

for Jesus shines through to everyone they meet. A

life long member of Frazer, Jim was raised in thechurch, attending even before Frazer moved to its

current Atlanta Highway campus back in 1968. Not

long after they married 50 years ago, Diann trans-

ferred her membership from another local Method-

ist church, and ever since, they have been a strong

equally yoked team of two.

As a young couple, Jim and Diann experienced

many of the same struggles that young couples still

experience today. In the midst of finding their place

together, they juggled finishing school, wanting chil-

dren, money, and finding that special commitmentto each other. For several years after marriage they

tried to have a child. However, this was not in

Gods plan for them. Unknown to them at the time,

thoughand before God could give them a biological

childHe had selected a child for them that needed

the warmth, grace and love that only they could

give. When they welcomed Lee into their lives, they

never dreamed that God would also grant them the

desires of their heart, too. With Lee barely a year

old, Scott soon arrived into their family, followed by

Meghan 13 years later. Add a few loving pets and

God made this family complete.

Diann has worn and continues to wear many

titles including that of daughter, wife, mother, friend,

grandmother, and teacher. Having received Jesus

in her heart at the early age of 6, she remembers

well when she invited Him into her heart. She was

attending church as a child and walking to Sunday

school with her neighborhood friend. Diann now has

a very tender heart for children. She has spent many

years at Frazer working in the childrens ministryteaching 4-year-olds, and has also volunteered her

time on Wednesday nights in the nursery.

Until recently, Diann could be found spending

much loved time with the precious children in our

church. Unfortunately, adversity in the form of can-

cer delivered itself and she was forced to rely on

her faith and love of Christ even more than ever.

Her battle has been tough, but her strength and

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outlook is magnificent. Her pace may have slowed

down because of time spent receiving treatments,

but she is gaining her strength and praising God

each day for her health. Her future is bright and

being blessed with grandchildren, she looks forward

to spending as much time as possible with them.Jim, like Diann, has also faced trials in life with

his health. Several years ago, Jim found himself

facing heart problems and had to have stints put

in place. For Jim and Diann both, John 3:16 is a

favorite Bible verse: For God so loved the world

that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever

believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For Jim, however, one favorite verse is not enough

and he says that his favorite verse changes periodi-

cally. Revelation 1:18 is another: I am He who lives,

and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

(NKJV) Until we are washed in the blood, we are

dead and only live forever after receiving Christ as

our Savior, Jim explains. When asked how they

have dealt with trials of health, they both claim

Hebrews 13:5, I will never leave you nor forsake

you, as the glue that helps to hold them together

Jim holds many titles, too, including son, father,

grandfather, teacher, brother, friend, and leader. He

says though I am a creation of God I was not a child

of God until I received Jesus in my heart. At the

young age of 12 years old, he joined the church and

his life took on a different direction. With eyes on

college, he attended Huntingdon where he received

his degree in Biology, but his eyes were gazing

on a career in Pharmacology. Diann, however, had

other ideas and got an application for him with the

State of Alabama. He completed the application

and submitted it, but never dreamed he would be

hired on the spot and spend the next 25 years with

the Department of Health. At retirement, he wasDirector of the State Labs.

Over the years, Jim has enjoyed an interest in

history. He often found himself buying and collecting

many first edition books on the Civil War. Through

the years of working and planning for retirement, he

was hungry for the time he would spend enjoying

his hobby and retirement at his leisure. As plans

go, he soon learned that his idea of enjoying history

and Gods plan would soon intertwine. In lieu of

reading history on the Civil War, his prime interest

grew in Bible history.

I first became interested in prophecy while

attending a Seder dinner at Frazer, he said (a tra-

ditional Jewish Passover meal explained from aChristian point of view). Listening to the speaker

talk about the Jewish people praising the God who

was delivering them to their promised land got

Jims attention and his love for history turned to

the pages of the Bible.

Though his plans were diverted, he said he

realized that God always has plans that we do not

know about.

After listening to the guest speaker, Jim be-

gan to study prophecy, and discovered a truth in

Jeremiah that opened his eyes. Loving history andknowing that history repeats itself, he read what

the Bible says and saw what is actually happening

in todays world. In Jeremiah, the Lord says He

will gather His people and bring them back to the

place from which they were carried into exile. Israel

became a nation again in 1948 and since that time,

thousands of Jews have and continue to return to

their homeland. With the words from prophets like

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, one can eas-

ily see how the teachings, warnings and calls for

repentance can spring forth from the Bible when

you see their words coming to life in todays world,

he explained.

With a growing interest in what was happening

in todays world as written in prophecy, Jim began

teaching a very interested group of students in Bible

class on Wednesday nights, based on the study

of Daniel and Ezekiel. Using books by Dr. Jimmy

DeYoung, John Hagee and Dr. David Jeremiah, just

to name a few, he kept the study going with in-

formation that you do not hear in everyday news.A few interesting facts Jim shared involve the

priests robes. Exodus 28:4-8 describes how beauti-

ful and ornate the priests robes were, and details

what the robes were to be made of and the colors

to be used. For nearly 2,000 years, the dye needed

to make the robes was extinct.

The red scarlet dye had been made from the

Crimson Worm which was found in the trees.

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After the Romans came and cut the trees down,

making the land barren and desolate, the worms

disappeared. Also, liquid from the small gland of a

mollusk, which gradually changed to a blue or violet

color when exposed to light, was used for the blue

color in the robes. For hundreds of years, no onecould locate the worm nor the shellfish needed to

make the scarlet and blue colors. However, they

have now mysteriously reappeared and the priests

garments have been made as described in the Old

Testament, awaiting the return of Christ, Jim says.

With each passing day, learning what the Bible

foretells by the prophets and what is happening in

todays world makes one feel that definitely our Lord

is getting closer to returning to us, according to Jim.

With growing interest from his class, the idea

to bring Dr. Jimmy DeYoung (Prophecy Today) to

Frazer for the Faith Radio Rally was born. Faith Ra-

dio listeners may be familiar with Dr. DeYoung after

hearing him talk with Bob Crittenden many times

on-air. In March, Dr. DeYoung came to Frazer as theykey speaker for a three-day Prophecy Conference.

Diann says her prime interest these days are

their grandchildren and trying to keep up with Jim.

When not spending time with grandchildren and

studying todays world events, Jim enjoys his Civil

War books and helping the auctioneer at JM Wood

Auctioneering. Both enjoy sharing their many tal-

ents and interests with others as they exemplify

what it means to live as a Child of God.

BELOW:Diann Holston with her granddaughter. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED.

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The ArtistAND THE

TeacherJim and Ann Salminen Share a Journey With Christ Together

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BY SARA PRINCE |Jim and Ann Salminen com-

pliment one another in many ways, including their

ways of following Jesus. One is a teacher; the other

an artist. For both, their walk with the Lord began

to take root when they were in high school. But it

would be many years before they each personallygave their lives to the Lord and felt confident about

calling themselves Christian. As Ann puts it, We

thought we were Christiansuntil we became one.

The Teacher

Jim Salminen grew up in a church-going fam-

ily in a small village of 350 people on Long Island,

New York. His father was a deacon in the American

Baptist Church (later called the Community Church),

the only one in the village. His mother was an

elementary school teacher and the Sunday school

superintendent. At just 15 years old, he took on the

role of a Sunday school teacher.

It happened this way: Jims mother had six boys

as studentsJims two brothers among themwhom

the other Sunday school teachers could not handle.

She decided to set up a class especially for these

boys and asked Jim if he would teach it for her. Jim

reminded her that he had never done that, but she

assured him that she would walk him through it.

So I started, Jim says, and, you know, those

kids behaved. They listened. I couldnt believe it. I

knew them all, and they knew me, and I guess the

fact that we were on an even playing fieldit just

worked. Thats how I got started.

Now mind you, Jim continues, I was not yet

a Christian. I knew about Christ, I knew about the

Bible, to cite from it, that sort of thing, but I did

not become a Christian until Ann and I had been

married for 11 years.

Ann became a Christian first, and I saw her mi-raculous changeshe was being treated at the time

for depressionactual, chronic depressionby psy-

chiatrists and psychologists. And when she became

a Christian, God healed her. I saw a tremendous

change in her, so I became a seekervery quickly.

Jim had an unexpected day off and decided to

go fishing, but he found himself bored and restless.

So I started looking around in the Volkswagen

camper I was driving, Jim says, and I found a

little New Testament that had been given to me at

my Confirmation class in the little church where I

grew up, by Dr. Stacey, our pastor. There was also a

book that Ann had gotten someplace from a friend,

called The Holy Spirit and You, by Dennis and Rita

Bennett. I started reading that book, and it led me

to the scriptures. Before lunchtime, I had tears run-

ning down my face, and I got out and knelt down

on the ground, all by myself, and gave my life to the

Lord. And so, thats when I started following Jesus.

The Artist

When Ann was in the ninth grade, she joined

the First Christian Church, in her home town of

Selma, Alabama. I hate to say it, Ann admits, but

all I got was wet when I got baptized then, and

I did not grow into maturity as a Christian then.

I remember we were supposed to pick a verse,she says, it would be our life verse that we could

use. I must admit that in the ninth grade, I didnt

have a lot of intense purpose looking for the right

scripture. But I took the Bible and it fell open to

Psalm 46. I read the first verse and it said, God

is my refuge and strength, a very present help in

trouble. And I said, Hmm, I think that sounds good;

Im going to adopt that one.

ABOVE: Jim Salminen preparing to go on a combat

mission in Vietnam, 1968. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED.

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Yet despite her casual attitude at the time, Ann

says the verse has ended up holding great meaning

for her. God brought it to my mind over the years

many times, and it has been a comfort to me all

these years, even now, she says.

Fast forward to 1975, when the couple foundthemselves stationed with the Air Force in Newport

News, Virginia. Ann had started watching the Chris-

tian television show The 700 Club during the day,

and found the testimonies of the various speakers

inspiring, learning a great deal from the books she

ordered authored by guests on the show.

I actually called the 700 Club once, Ann says.

One day I decided, I think I need to make a deci-

sion for Christ. I knew it was at that time that I

really experienced being born again. I wasnt aware

that anything was happening that would show onthe outside, but thats when Jim said that he be-

gan noticing changes in me. I had had no direction

by myself, but suddenly I had direction. The story

began there.

Anns doctor recommended a class called Im

Okay, Youre Okay for her depression, as well as

medication. They wanted me to be in the class and

I joined it, she says, but I didnt want to take anymedicine for my depression; I wanted to be in touch

with it. The Lord was really sharing the journey

with me. But the doctor didnt believe that I would

change. I began sharing with him about Jesusthat

I was on a rock. He thought I was hiding behind a

rock. He didnt understand that I was standing on

the rock of Christ.

Ann eventually decided to take herself out of

the class, finding more encouragement through the

testimonies of people based on the Bible. She reiter-

ates, The Lord was really sharing the journey withme. He blessed me with insight into His Word. I

learned the value of Gods Word from the get-go.

BELOW:Jim and Ann Salminen with daughter Krista and son Scott in 1990. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED.

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Jim agrees: Ann has had a thirst for reading the

Bible. Shes a much better Bible scholar than I am.

As she immersed herself in scripture, God be-

gan to speak to Ann in other ways as well. Im an

artist, she said. God has shown me a lot of things

through pictures, in my mind. In one of them, I sawthis river. I was sitting on the bank watching the

people swimming in the river, and they were all go-

ing in the same direction, and they all looked happy.

And Im wondering, hmm, whats that all about? I

want to be in there; I want to be real happy. Later

on the picture changed, and I saw that I wasnt on

the bank any more. I was in the river swimming

with those other people. As I was sifting through

what the image meant, I thought, Oh, yes. Its the

River of Life. I was in the River with those other

people and I knew I was very valued.On another occasion, while praying, Ann says

she was suddenly aware of being showered by

something beyond water. It was like a shower of

Gods love, and I was feeling it pour over me.

These experiences of Gods love, undergirded

by His Word, are what began to transform Anns

struggle with depression. During that time I used

to spend a lot of time in the rocking chair in the

den and thinking and not really feeling very well

about myself, she says. I had very little self-es-

teem. I remember I used to say, If only I had more

self-esteem, self-confidence. And one day the Lord

spoke to meit was that clear, I turned my head to

see who spokeHe said to me, Youve been look-

ing for confidence in yourself; but what you need

is confidence in me.

Ann says that through that experience she

learned to say no to some of the demands and

expectations of people, and focus instead on Gods

approval.

Serving Side by Side

No longer Christians in name only, it became natu-

ral for Jim and Ann to want to share their born again

experience by teaching Gods Word to others. As Jims

career in the Air Force progressed, around the U.S. and

on two tours in England, they had many opportunities

to be involved in the military chapels and to teach.

Ann and I became Sunday school teachers al-

most every place we wentlittle kids, adults, high

schoolers, didnt make any difference, we did some

of each of that from that time on, Jim recalls. I

can remember our daughter Krista saying, Mom

and Dad, when will I get to go to Sunday schooland youre not going to be my teachers?

While stationed in England the Salminens led

a study for high school students and young airmen,

and some British friends as well. It was a family

affair. On a Friday night it wouldnt be unusual for

us to have 50 or 60 young people in our home, Jim

says. They filled up the living room, spilled over into

the dining room, sat up on the stairway. And our

daughter, who was in the sixth grade then, would

make two cakes every Thursday night for us to have

after the Bible study was over.Jims wove his talent as a musician into his ser-

vice to Christ as well. Having learned to play ukulele

and then guitar as a teenager, music had long been

a part of his life. Together with other musicians

and singers in that Friday night study in England,

Jim and Ann helped produce and performed in a

published Christian Musical called Come Together.

I Am Doing a New Thing

After England it was back to the States for Jim

to go to War College at Maxwell. After some time at

Cannon AFB in New Mexico, they returned in 1984,

this time with Jim on the faculty of the War College.

Before that final move back to Montgomery,

Jim had another encounter with God. When I was

leaving Cannon, the Lord gave me a verse, he says.

It was Isaiah 43:18-19Forget the former things,

do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new

thing! When we were in Sunday school the next

Sunday, a prayer partner wanted to share a versewith meand it was the same one.

It was a good transition, Jim says. Our daugh-

ter was starting college at Auburn, so it was a good

time to come back. We joined Frazer in 1988 and got

involved in the Sowers class; Mike Hudson was the

teacher. Mike sponsored me on a Walk to Emmaus.

There, at a worship service on a Saturday evening, I

got off by myself and said, Lord, here I am. Id just

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like to spend some time with you right here. Lord,

Im coming up on retirement soon, and I need you

to give me some direction in what Im supposed to

do in retirement.

The Lord spoke to me, Jim continues, and He

said, Jim, I asked you once before to be a ministerto my people. Im going to ask you once again; will

you drop what youre doing and be a minister to

my people?

I said, Yes, I will, Lordbut Lord, when did

you speak to me before?

I spoke to you before, the Lord said, when

you finished your Confirmation class.

Jim then remembered the pastor at his first

church, who given him the New Testament he read

the day he was born again, had asked Jim to stay

after class that day. He said, Jim, what are you

going to do when you grow up?

I told him I was going to be a math teacher,

Jim recalls. My aunts and uncles were all teach-

ers, and my mom was a teacher. My pastor said, I

see something in you that tells me you are going

to be a pastor one day. I thanked him for that, but

I couldnt believe that it would ever happen; that

didnt cross my mind. But the Lord took me back

to that conversation.

After coming home and telling Ann, Jim

went to John Ed Mathison, Frazers long time

senior pastor, and he agreed to help Jim pursueordained ministry. He went through the Meth-

odist Course of Study, a substitute for regular

seminary designed for second career ministers,

for the next five years. He came on staff at Frazer

in May of 1990 and was ordained as a deacon

in June of 1995.

Jim has retired twice since his appointment

to Frazer in 1990, but he still loves to teach Gods

word. He leads a weekly Bible study for a group of

15 men, and presents a weekly devotional for two

local businesses on Tuesday mornings.Jim says that, with Ann as his partner, he has

had two wonderful careers; serving his country and

serving the Lord. The artist and the teacher each

came to know the love of God in their own personal

way, and together they have spread Gods Word

around the world.

BELOW:Jim serves communion to a Frazer member Ryan Colburn at a special worship service in 2006.

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Transformations

in ProgressTransformation Montgomery expands and deepensthrough Getting Ahead program

BY CANDACE RUTHERFORD | To transform

means to change in form, appearance, nature or

character. It implies an ongoing process. Thus Trans-

formation Montgomery, Frazers faith-based com-

munity development ministry, is aptly named as

it continues to transform the lives for participants,volunteers and our city. Three years in the making,

many lives have been positively affected; houses

have been renovated in a previously depressed part

of the city; and the ministry keeps moving on inspir-

ing others in its wake and making a big impact.

From the beginning, however, the vision behind

Transformation Montgomery was about more than

houses. Affordable home ownership is simply one

piece in the puzzle of giving people a pathway out

of poverty and into a fully flourishing life in Christ.

WHAT IS POVERTY?

Approximately 21.6% of people in Montgomery

live below the poverty level, according to recentcensus information. If you ask most people to de-

fine poverty, they will describe in terms of a lack

of material things. But if you ask a person who is

experiencing true poverty, they are more likely to de-

scribe their condition in psychological terms such as

a feeling of shame, frustration or helplessness. Ac-

cording to the authors of When Helping Hurts, you

cant cure poverty by giving things to people. Their

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mindset has to be

changed.

To address these issues, Frazer has created the

Getting Ahead workshop, under the leadership of

Peggy Spaeth. A unique program that offers sup-

port and friendship to people who want to create

a path out of poverty, the Getting Ahead Workshop

is free and open to everyone in the community. Get-

ting Ahead is required for individuals entering the

Steps to Home Ownership, but it can be beneficial

to anyone whether or not you are interested in home

ownership at this time.

Getting Ahead is not about getting information,

it is about changing your thinking, says Peggy.

Poverty has a way of focusing our thinking on the

presentjust getting by from day to day. Faith starts

when we think about the futurehow we can get

ahead, not just get by.

FINDING ALLIES

Participants in Getting Ahead are paired withvolunteers called Allies for 16 weeks of meetings.

Allies arent there to tell people how to live their

lives, but to help them to identify and achieve goals

using support networks and various church resourc-

es. These goals can be financial, educational, job

related, strengthening of family and relationships,

and spiritual.

Jane Allen has been an ally to three women in

the workshops. Being involved in the program

has been very inspiring and at the same time

eye-opening. They all have exhibited a true deter-

mination, perseverance and deep faith that drive

them to succeed. After graduation, these women

continued their relationship through Bible study.While we studied Gods word together, we were

able to share our hearts. I developed a real apprecia-

tion for the obstacles that these amazing ladies have

overcome and continue to battle to be successful.

A GROWING IMPACT

The workshop is a big commitment, both for the

volunteers and for the students. Peggy said The

program has sure come a long way in three years.

We just graduated our third class and have over 21

graduates overall. A class started in August withanother planned for January, 2015. Right now there

are three graduates on the waiting list to move into

houses.

A recent addition to the program has been a

component for children, led by volunteer Debbie

Peavy. Getting Ahead for Children has seen won-

derful growth and deepening. Debbie Peavy has

been outstanding with the children, commented

Rusty.

For more information, including volunteer op-

portunities, visit the website at www.transforma-

tionmontgomery.com

The following are three stories shared by par-

ticipants in the Getting Ahead Program.

Sophias Story

BY KEN ROACH |For Sophia and her 16-year-old

son, the worst part of finding themselves homeless

was that it was the second time around. Sophia had

worked her way out of poverty as a nurse in thepast, but lost her license due to poor life choices.

Without that income she found herself back in pov-

erty. She remembers when she first told her son they

would have to leave their home, he climbed into a

bathtub and did not want to come out; although

only a boy, he blamed himself for not taking care

of his mother.

However, Sophia found a place to live at the

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Friendship Mission, and there she learned about

the Getting Ahead program. Her first impression

was that this group offered an open forum for all

types of personalities, backgrounds and thoughts.

Through Getting Ahead, Sophia learned that

poverty comes in many areasrelational and social,for example, not only financial. She also learned

the hidden rules that keep people in poverty, like

the predatory practices of high-interest lenders who

sound good as a short term solution, but turn into

a trap in the long term.

Sophia also learned about herself: how she

handled adversity, how she could grow through

it, how she could gain composure and self assur-

ance by pushing through difficulty and staying

focused. She learned that although she needed

the realism to recognize that homelessness wasalways just a paycheck away, she did not have to

stay in poverty; she could network, build relation-

ships, make intelligent choices, and put herself in

a place to succeed.

Calling herself a reformed addict who celebrated

seven years clean in July, Sophia draws inspiration

from the story of Jesuss temptation. It would be so

easy to turn to the thing that would take away the

pain, she says, but in reality the pain would still

be there. Instead, like Jesus she wants to say no

to temptation and hold on to the promises of God.

Currently, Sophia is working towards a Masters

degree in professional counseling at South Univer-

sity and working at an internship for the Center

for Child and Adolescent Devel-

opment. This second time

around she is seeking to

be patient, and wait on

Gods timing for a lasting

recovery. I believe that what

the devil took God will giveback, if I obey and do what He

expects of His child, she says.

The bottom line for Sophia: Im liv-

ing. Im no longer dying. Im not in a deep

dark hole any more. She credits that trans-

formation to discovering the God of mercy, grace,

and favor.

Valerys Story

In January of 2014, Valery was living in her car

with two young children. Six months later when we

sat down, she had a job, an apartment, and hope for

the future. What brought about her transformationis a remarkable God story.

Valerie grew up in a dysfunctional family: a

mother with mental health challenges, a father who

liked crazy women, and grandparents who were

uninvolved. By the time she reached the 12th grade,

she had failed math twice. When she turned 18, she

dropped out of school. She married, and soon had

two children.

She was happy staying home, and focusing on

being a mother. Her husband Chris worked, but they

stayed close to poverty. Then a dishonest landlordtook advantage of them, taking money for a house

that turned out to be unlivable due to substandard

electrical wiring. They found themselves homeless,

having lost what little savings they had.

During that time, however, Chris had become a

believer through the ministry of Faith Rescue Mission.

He started reading the Bible to her in the evenings.

Because of the change she began to see in him,

Valery also turned to God. At first, I didnt feel

any different, she admits. However, she

soon became, as she puts it, addicted

to my Bible. She read it night and

day, especially Psalms and Proverbs,

color coding it with high-

lighters.

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Her newfound faith would be tested, however,

when Chris was arrested for drug possession and

sent to prison. He had begun a journey with God,

but not everything in his life changed overnight,

and in this case the consequences for the family

were severe. Valery had no home, no job and nohigh school diploma.

Browsing the internet looking for a shelter for

her family, Valery came across an announcement

about the Getting Ahead program on Frazers web-

site, and decided to join. Through the program she

learned about the concept of bridginggaining

strength by being willing to reach out to others as

they reach out to you. She learned to understand

more about her own personality strengths and gaps,

and how to create a structured life plan to address

those gaps.As a result of various bridges she built, Valery

was able to get an apartment,

get her car in good work-

ing condition, and start

a part-time job with a

supportive Christian

employer. She has

been working on

her GED, and

with Frazer

member Tom

Harrell serv-

ing as her

math tutor,

she should

complete it

this sum-

mer. Chris

has been

able to vis-

it with hisfamily now

at a

halfway house on weekends, and they can go to

church together.

A huge part of Valerys progress has been the

relationship built with her Getting Ahead Ally,

Edna Stein. Shes a go-getter, but shes sweet,

says Valery. Im not scared to ask her things, andshes not scared to tell me things I need to hear.

She says what has made her relationship with Edna

successful is her openness and ability to connect

with her.

Allies in the program are encouraged to form

genuine friendships based on mutual respect, ex-

plains coordinator Peggy Spaeth. The relationship

is not client-patron or teacher-student, but simply

peer to peer.

On one occasion, Valery mentioned that she

would like some nicer clothes for her children to

wear to church. Edna not only helped her find some,

she also gave Valery some dresses. I realized later

that these were expensive dresses, nicer than I had

ever had. I dont even like dresses, but this meant

so much, just the thought that someone would want

to give these to me.

For the future, Valerys goals include complet-

ing her education, and seeking a full time job with

health insurance, as well as rebuilding their family

life when Chris is released later this year. In the

mean time, she says she is learning to be patient.

For me, faith means not giving up, she says.

In Valerys beloved book of the Bible, the

Psalms, the message we see over and over is, God

hears your cry. Valery says this spoke to her at a

time she was wondering if God could hear her. I

was looking for a safe place. This was His answer.

Sheilas Story

Unlike other participants in the Getting Aheadprogram, Sheila was not homeless or unemployed

when she came into the class. She had a small apart-

ment, a good job, and a church that she loved. Some

might not have considered her to be in poverty.

But one of the themes of Getting Ahead is that

there are many kinds of poverty, and for Sheila, as

she sat in her small apartment feeling that the walls

were getting smaller and her spirit was shrinking,

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she heard God tell her to get up and join this class.

It was a moment of faith for her to believe, God

wants me to go further.

Sheila has already accomplished a lot, having

raised four boys mostly on her own. However, the

pain of a divorce left her depressed for many years.Both of her parents have passed away, and her

children live across the country on the West coast,

leaving her isolated. She has found a new family

in Frazer, attending the Women in Christ class on

Sundays as well as two worship services.

Through Getting Ahead, she began to recog-

nize invisible forces keeping her from reaching

her potential, including predatory lenders and a

lack of healthy boundaries in her relationships with

relatives. After graduating from Getting Ahead she

moved on to Transformed, by Rick Warren, offeredby Frazer as a follow up study that delves more

into the spiritual aspect of getting out of poverty.

Through it, she is learning how to better read Gods

word and hear His direction through the Bible.

Sheilas immediate goal is to own her own

home. She is in the process of applying to be part

of Frazers Transformation Montgomery project in

Garden Square that makes renovated housing avail-able at zero percent interest.

Ultimately, Sheila wants to help others in the

same way that she has been helped. She was

homeless in the past, and she wants to reach out

with the love of Christ to other homeless people. I

want to do something like Ladonna has done, she

says, referring to the Reality and Truth ministry to

the homeless started by Frazer member Ladonna

Brendle.

From shrinking walls that go nowhere, to a new

home and a new mission to offer hope to others,

God is in the process of expanding Sheilas horizons

through His grace and power.

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FOLLOWING JESUS |41

Mike and Lisa Conn Thrive onSharing Gods Plan for the Family

BY KEN ROACH |When the Air Force moved Mike

and Lisa Conn to Montgomery, Alabama as a young

couple in the late 1980s, nothing in their past had

prepared them to have a strong marriage or a strong

family. Lisas parents divorced when she was 16,

back in a time when that was still considered un-

usual. Mikes father, who died of alcoholism many

years later, left home when Mike was just 5 years

old. Mike calls himself his fathers twin and be-

lieves he would have followed much the same path

that his dad did had he been left to his own devices.

With shaky models to build on, and the pressures

of military life, the first few years of marriage had

been difficult for the young couple. With both of

our parents divorced, we vowed not to make divorce

part of our vocabulary, Lisa says, but those were

hard times. We were not equipped.All of that was about to change when a young

captain invited the Conns to come and worship

with him and his family at Frazer United Methodist

Church. They turned him down, thinking they had

already found a comfortable church home to attend

worship, but he was persistent. After six weeks,

they agreed to come. The first Sunday at Frazer,

Mike describes feeling a tingle down my spine,

and he and Lisa said to each other, were home.

Lisa had been raised in the church, although

she does not recall her parents sharing much about

their faith with her. She accepted Christ at a church

camp around age 12, but did not truly begin follow-

ing Jesus at that time. He was my savior, but not

my Lord, she explains.

Mike likewise went to church with his moth-

er and older brother every Sunday whether we

wanted to or not, and was baptized at age 10, but

it was not a meaningful experience for him. All I

remember is seeing the chest waders the pastor

wore, and realizing that was how he didnt get wet.

God was distant for him.At Frazer, the preaching of pastor John Ed

Mathison opened up a new appreciation for the

relevance of the Bible. Mike remembers thinking,

this was written thousands of years ago, but it

actually applies to us today.

A FAMILY TEAM

for Christ

FOLLOWING JESUS |41

OPPOSITE:Lisa and Mike Conn. PHOTO BY LORI MERCER.

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through the military chapel, they started their own

small group, Explorers West, and replicated the

discipleship techniques that Rudy had modeled for

them. Rudy even sent them copies of his class cur-

riculum on building biblical marriage and family.

After three years out west, Mike turned downan opportunity at the Pentagon, opting instead

for an

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Following Jesus Vol2 No1