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October 22, 2013  Vol 6 Issue 17

 

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Faith-based health care event

We welcome Rev. Scott Morris, MD to the West Ohio Conference in November for two sessions on faith-based health care. Reverend Morris is founder and CEO of the Church Health Center in Memphis, Tennessee, the largest faith-based health care ministry of its type. The morning session, Extending Our Reach: Christ's Advocates for Health & Wellness, focuses on connecting congregations and community through faith-based health ministry. The afternoon session, Becoming Healthy Clergy: Best Practices for Body & Soul, gives attention to the importance of our health and what it means to live as people of the Gospel, modeling for our world a life of health and purpose. Registration

Imagine No Malaria Resources Launching

Next week, the West Ohio Conference will be launching a new Imagine No Malaria (INM) website full of information about our mutual role in the fight against malaria and the many resources for local churches to use in sharing the story. It's our objective to make it your one stop shop for everything you need to know about Imagine No Malaria when you're ready to do so. (Learn more) 

Rethink Church Imagine No Malaria

Regional meetings on 2014 Health Insurance Plans

Six regional meeting have been set to introduce the 2014 Health Insurance plan and answer your questions about them.  If you are currently on the Medical Mutual of Ohio insurance plan, the meetings will be from 9:30 to 11:00.  If you are a retiree on the Humana Medicare Advantage Plan, your meetings will be a "lunch and learn" from 11:30 to 1:00.  Look for electronic and US mail communications specific to the plan you're on in the next couple of weeks.  (meeting dates) 

Churches in mission at Camp Wesley  

With over 28 buildings to maintain, Camp Wesley Director Heather Brake is very appreciative when West Ohio United Methodist church groups come to visit and help out. This summer several congregations provided construction help by improving and in many cases rebuilding four decks on the main dining hall. They also built two bridges on the walking paths and will be completing a 3rd this fall. Then a church youth group water sealed the decks!  

The conference and camp staff are so thrilled with the high quality work and generous time spent by church friends as they demonstrate being the hands and feet of Christ at our camps!  Summer work photo gallery  Fall work photo gallery  

 

Sound fun? Want to help out at a camp? Here's how. 

Breakthrough Prayer Labs launch first training retreat

Last weekend the West Ohio Conference held its first Breakthrough Prayer Lab Training Retreat. Ten churches (clergy plus 3-5 unpaid leaders) attended the training, along with nine "breakthrough prayer coaches", present to help them form a breakthrough prayer strategy plan to take home and implement, and who will follow up with each church to guide them. (Read more and view photos) 

West Ohio members attend transformation through cooperation conference

Eleven lay and clergy members of the West Ohio Conference attended the "Come Together: Transformation Through Cooperation" event last week in Pittsburgh. The conference was sponsored by Rethinking Church Cooperatively, a joint effort of the Rural Chaplains Association, Appalachian Ministries Network, United Methodist Rural Advocates and Rural/Urban Network (RUN) of the General Board of Global Ministries. Attending from West Ohio were, from left in the photo: Roger Grace, George Howard, Katherine Riley, Katie Peterson, Deb Ketcham, Joy French, John Gilmore, Joyce McSwain, Frank Kampel, and Jocelyn Roper. The event featured a variety of people involved in exploring cooperative styles of ministry, persons working in rural and urban churches of all sizes, racial ethnic constituencies, judicatory leaders and other key leaders. 

Health law needs fix for churches

The United Methodist health benefits agency wants Congress to pass a fix to the U.S. Affordable Care health-care legislation commonly called Obamacare. Without that, leaders of the United Methodist General Board of Pension & Health Benefits (GBPHB) warn, the future of church-sponsored health insurance could be in jeopardy. Legislation to fix the problem, The Church Health Plan Act (Senate Bill 1164), would treat church health plans as the equivalent of "qualified health plans" offered on insurance marketplaces that began enrollment Oct. 1.  (read more) 

History of Hymns: "Be Still, My Soul"
Be Still My Soul
"Be Still, My Soul" sung by Libera
Little is known about the author of this hymn. Katharina Amalia Dorothea von Schlegel was born in 1697. The date of her death is unknown. As her name suggests, she may have come from an aristocratic family, but little is known of her life. This text appears at the time of German pietism, similar in spirit in many regards to the Wesleyan revival in England of the same era. Katharina von Schlegel is thought to be the leading female hymn writer of this period. Read more about this beautiful and stirring hymn.

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