The Outlook

an edition of

The United Methodist Reporter

Two Sections

Sewing Clothes for Kids | 8A

Youth Rock! | 8A

Section A

Walk for Hunger | 4A

909160 Vol. 158 No. 50 April 13, 2012

chalk talk
BY DR. KENNETH W. CHALKER

Authors Teach, Preach About Care for Creation

Sunday, April 15, Bishop Sally Dyck and Sarah Ehrman will teach and preach on the message of their book, A Hopeful Earth: Faith, Science, and the Message of Jesus, which focuses on questions of faith, science and our responsibilities in our relationship to Gods creation. Join us at 9:30am in the Yoder Room as Bishop Dyck and Ms. Ehrman ask, Would Jesus Bless This Food? Although we know of the importance of food in our biblical faith, would the food we are producing and eating today be worthy of Jesus blessing? During our 11:00am service, Bishop Dyck and Ms. Ehrman will bring us an inspiring and thought-provoking message about the roles of faith and science in our caring for creation. Since 2004, Sally Dyck has been Bishop of the Minnesota Conference of the United Methodist Church. Prior to her election, she served the Clevelandarea faith communities of Church of the Redeemer and Garfield Memorial United Methodist Church. Sarah Ehrman is an educator specializing in environmental science with high school students in Napa, CA. She is Sallys niece and the daughter of UCUMC members Jane and Jim Ehrman.

Uppity Women Gather Again

Beginning Sunday, April 22, the Uppity Women of our church will again step out in faith, light and love, joining Dr. Lisa Wolfe on Sunday mornings for a closer look at Song of Songsa provocative, image-filled, understudied book in the Old Testament. Song of Songs is pure poetry. It is a love song and a sensory delight. Come prepared to laugh, to smile and to gasp...even blush a bit! Like all of the Uppity Women classes, each session stands alone; however, once you get a taste of the language of the Song of Songs, you may decide you want more. Join Heidi Denman and your Uppity Sisters in the Parlor on Sunday, April 22, at 9:30am.

One of the great struggles in our world has always been the wrestling match between institutionalized religion and the faith experience to which that institutional religionwhen its at its bestpoints. It is a wrestling match because faith and religion are NEVER the same thing. No exceptions. For those of us who affirm and grow in faith by following in the way of Jesus Christ within the institutional religious organization called The United Methodist Church, the wrestling match between religion and faith will soon be taking place in the quadrennial wrestling tournament called GENERAL CONFERENCE. We always pray that there will be no mud wrestling involved. But, truth be told, sometimes ecclesiastical mud wrestling is exactly what occurs. The General Conference of the United Methodist Church, 2012 will convene in Tampa, Florida, on April 24 and continue through May 4. Having been a delegate to or part of the workings of General Conference four timesonce having had the responsibility of organizing a General Conference right here in Cleveland in the spring of 2000I can certainly affirm from firsthand experience that a great deal of wrestling between faith and religion goes on! But, it must also be stated that a great deal of faith enrichment and important faith witness occurs at a General Conference as well. From firsthand experience, I can likewise affirm this important truth. All the above being acknowledged, the delegates to General Conference 2012 will be wrestling with many things in regard to the institutional church. One of them will be the whole issue of the guaranteed appointment (tenure) of ordained clergy within the church. As it presently stands, once a woman or man meets the educational, psychological and spiritual qualifications, as well as standards Continued on back page

MENS LUNCH
All men of UCUMC are invited to the next MENS group luncheon, Saturday, April 14, at 1:30pm at Quaker Steak and Lube, 5935 Canal Road in Valley View. Stop by for food, fun and fellowship.

Neighborhood Basketball Begins

Orchestra Entertains with Animals

On Sunday, April 1, 43 UCUMC children and adults enjoyed lunch together at church following worship, then attended a Cleveland Orchestra Family Concert at Severance Hall. The orchestra, led by conductor James Feddeck, played music featuring an animal theme. Among the pieces performed were Swans Theme by Tchaikovsky, The Flight of the Bumblebee by Rimsky-Korsakov, and The Waltzing Cat (including meows!) by Leroy Anderson. In addition to hearing the musicians of the orchestra, attendees were treated to a performance by young violinists from the Rainey Institute. These Cleveland school children, grades 1-4, participate in an innovative program in partnership with the Cleveland Orchestra that provides ten hours of weekly violin instruction and educational support. The afternoon concert concluded with the orchestras performance of Camille Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals, which included a delightful rhyming spoken narrative to accompany the music, representing many animals, including lions, turtles, fish and birds. Thank you to the parents and grandparents who brought their children to the concert; for many, it was a first time experience to hear the orchestra and to visit Severance Hall.

Thanks to the leadership of Hassan Lee, a member of our Facility Care Team, and the generosity of our Committee on Outreach & Local Mission, our newly renovated gym is once again being used to benefit persons age 18 and up in our neighborhood. Each Monday night for the next 10 weeks, our church is hosting a community basketball outing from 5-9pm. Participants have a safe place to play basketball, enjoy light refreshments and engage with others from the area. If you are willing to volunteer to help Hassan in this effort on any Monday evening, let him know through the church office or just show up and introduce yourself to him.
The United Methodist Reporter (USPS 954-500) is published weekly by UMR Communications, 1221 Profit Dr., Dallas Texas, 75247-3919. Periodicals postage paid at Dallas Texas. and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to: The United Methodist Reporter, P Box 660275, Dallas, Texas .O. 75266-0275.

See The Man Who Came To Dinner

April 13-29, UCUMCer Dave Hundertmark is cast in the lead role of Sheridan Whiteside in this classic 1930s comedy at Cassidy Theatre, 6200 Pearl Rd., Parma Hts. (in complex with library, rec and police station). Box office: 440-842-4600.

Deadline for the next Outlook issue is Monday, April 30, 2012 outlook@churchinthecircle.com

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THE UNITED METHODIST REPORTER

APRIL 13, 2012

UCUMC Art Council News

Many Enjoy Ken & Kermit Show After Sunday worship on March 18, a group of UCUMC worshippers made their way to the Cleveland Museum of Art for a guided tour of the museums extraordinary collection of Christian artwork, led by museum docent and UCUMC member Kermit Greeneisen and Dr. Chalker, whose historical and Biblical perspectives and insights captivated even the youngest in the crowd. Special thanks to Kermit for offering his time and expertise. Artist Series Features Member Works Our second exhibition in the churchs new artist series features not only the works of three members but photos of some of the work completed by architectural firm Westlake-ReedLeskosky, who have designed the modifications proposed for the chancel area. Easter Lilies, an acrylic painting by member Iris Ris Richards-Saunders, was first displayed in 1992 at First United Methodist Church as a reflection of the Easter story. After receiving advanced degrees in art and art education in her native England, Ris eventually met her recently deceased husband, Art, settling in Cleveland and becoming part of this church family. Many of Ris other works have homes not only in the US but England and Canada. In the north hall hang five works created by member Becky Jane Reader, daughter of Sarah and Kip Reader. Becky enjoys painting as an avocation, incorporating bright, bold, energetic colors and themes in her artworkmuch of it on display in workplaces from Cleveland to Chicago and San Diego. Currently our churchs Pastoral Care Minister, Ralph Fotia developed his interest in painting in 1986 with his enrollment in a watercolor class taught by Clarence Perkins. Since then, Ralph has created numerous works, some hanging in the North Coast District Office (Cleveland) of the United Methodist Church as well as in the homes of many friends and relatives. Westlake-Reed-Leskosky, founded in 1905 and one of the countrys oldest architectural firms, has recently introduced representations of our churchs chancel as it might look with floor and partition modifications. As evidenced in their display of other completed designs and restorations around the country, Westlake takes pride in their ability to honor spacesnew and seasonedwith choices that make sense for the times. In the coming weeks, the Artist Council will provide more information about these artists and designers. In the interim, be sure to Ris Saunders take a few minutes to enjoy this wonderful exhibit.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Brandon and Carrie Melgaard with sons Mason, 4, and satisfied Wiggle Room customer, Miles, 16 months; Palm Sunday Celebrants; Liturgical Dancers, who so strongly impacted Palm Sundays service.

OUTREACH in ACTION
Outlook Committee members want you to know about these opportunities to help others: HandsOn Work at MedWishApril 21, May 19 (Every Third Saturday, 10am-12:30pm) MedWish receives medical supply surplus from local hospitals, repackages the items (thats where we come in) and sends the supplies overseas to areas in need. The volunteer work is simple yet rewarding. If you are already a volunteer in the HandsOn NEO network, simply log in at www.HandsOnNEO.org and sign up. If you are not in the HandsOn network, please talk with Doug Blank (dblank3@gmail.com) about joining us. Walk for HungerSaturday, May 12 As part of UCUMC Outreachs spring focus on the nourishment-related needs of our community, we are organizing a group to participate in the Hunger Networks 24th annual Walk for Hunger. The 3.1 mile walk begins at 9:30am on Saturday, May 12, at Burke Lakefront Airport. Our goal is to bring a group of 20 participants from UCUMC, but we are hoping for many more! After the walk, enjoy a family social at the finish line at the North Coast Harbor. Anyone can register for our team by going to our team website, http://2012walkforhunger.kintera.org/UCUMC, and clicking Join Our Team. The deadline for online registration is May 7. There is also an option of registering by mail, with a deadline of April 27. For anyone who wants to contribute but not walk, donations can also be made on that website. Summer Work MissionJuly 15-21, 2012, Endicott, NY Members of our church and others will be participating in a Summer Work Mission trip to the Endicott, NY, region (about 5.5 hours from Cleveland) to reconstruct area homes and churches damaged by flooding during the 2011 summer storms. Over 15,000 families in the Southern Tier of NY (Binghamton region) were severely impacted by the flooding. A limited number of housing spaces are available for this trip. Participants will be responsible for their own expenses and transportation (carpooling available). Primary tasks are wiring, insulation, sheetrock/drywall, painting and general carpentry. AND, we still need some culinary experts/food coordinators, general cleanup/handyman assistants and a music/vesper leader. Work Mission information sessions are scheduled for Sunday, April 15, following worship and Tuesday, April 24 at 6pm. Attending either one of the sessions will better inform you of the scope of this mission. Consider offering your expertise to this important endeavor. Note of ThanksThe Missions and Outreach Committee thanks the congregation for your generous support for the March Thrift Drive. In total, 18 large bags of items were donated to the Vietnam Veterans of America and 3 large bins of items were collected for the Norma Herr Womens Center. Thank you to everyone who helped University Circle United Methodist Church make a difference in our community.

Becky Reader

Ralph Fotia

Register NOW for Summer Camp

Its time to sign up for Summer Camp! From family camp to horseback-riding camp, canoeing to stargazing, sports to praise, theres a camping experience for everyone, thanks to the East Ohio Camps program of the UMC East Ohio Conference. Scholarships are available for UCUMC children/youth who need financial assistance in order to attend an East Ohio Conference camp this summer. If you would like to apply for this scholarship, you must submit your registration form by Sunday, April, 22. Camp brochures and registration forms are available in the church office. For information about summer camps, call the East Ohio Conference Camping Office at 330-499-3972, ext. 108, or visit www.EOCSummercamps.org. You may also contact Amy Wheatley, Director of Education, for details at 216-421-1200 or 4wheatleys@sbcglobal.net.. For children and youth alike, summer camp means spiritual growth, widening perspectives, unique experiences and downright fun, creating memories to last a lifetime. Sign up today!

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THE UNITED METHODIST REPORTER

APRIL 13, 2012

GRACENOTES
B Y N AT H A N M O T TA
Director of Music & Arts

After an extremely busy and eventful Lenten season which included various spirituals, hymn settings, choral classics and the moving A New Creation (the Lenten cantata), those involved in Music and Arts went into Holy Week with great momentum and excitement. The many expressions of all the images, feelings and themes of this important time of year were communicated in various art forms and genres of music. And we hope you found the music on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter to be something you could connect with and which brought new

meanings or inspirations to your personal Holy Week. Here are just some of things we have planned for the weeks ahead: l April 15a new hymn setting of the popular Easter hymn, The Strife is Oer l April 22a favorite anthem by Felix Mendelssohn with a solo by Pam Maly l April 29a Shepherd-themed Sunday l May 6a focus on worship expression through the lens of musical theatre These are just some of whats in store for the coming month as we use the excitement of the Easter season to propel us forward into the spring season. We look forward to your participation.

Girls in Dresses, Boys in Shorts

Members of the University Circle United Methodist Women (UCUMW) have been sewing little dresses and boys shorts for children living in Africa. Already, 217 pieces have been shipped to Liberia, providing many of those children with much-needed clothing. Stop by the UMW bulletin board to see photos of some happy recipients. Many thanks to those who sewed, donated fabric and pillow cases and otherwise assisted with this on-going project. And a special thankyou goes to Sue Harden who helped organize kits of fabric for sewing and has sewn tens of tens of dresses and shorts herself. Anyone wishing to help with this hands-on effort is invited to speak with Marilou Abele of our church.

WOMEN OF UCUMC: RETREAT!

You and your friends, relatives and guests are invited to participate in the 2nd Annual Womens Retreat planned for May 12, 2012, 8:30am4:00pm at Rivers Edge Retreat Center. The program, Gazing Upon the Face of GodPraying with Icons, will be facilitated by Rev. Deb Gorman. During this retreat, we will learn what icons are, why they are painted, how they are painted and how they are used. We will practice praying with icons and even create our own. There will be time for gazing, reflecting, writing and sharing. A registration flyer with complete program details is available in the church office. Contact Judy Sockman at the church with questions: 216-421-1200 or jsockman@churchinthecircle.com.

UCUMW: How It All Began

University Circle United Methodist Women (UCUMW) is a part of a national organization that had its beginnings in the 1800s. United Methodist Women has a long tradition of service to the world through missions. The predecessor groups began when women were not permitted to take leadership roles in the church. Yet, our foremothers, who felt called by Christs imperative to serve the poor and afflicted, decided to initiate church mission projects starting in their own small church communities. These mission projects became global when Isabella Thoburn, a Methodist laywoman whose descendants were members of EpworthEuclid Church, founded one of the first mission programs by opening a girls school in Lucknow, India, in April 1871. Todays United Methodist Women continue a strong commitment to service in mission, particularly in the support of women and children. A vast number of programs have been developed over the years. United Methodist Women, worldwide, provide millions of dollars yearly to the Womens Division of the Board of Global Ministries to support these programs. Pledges and donations from University Circle UMW are joined with other donations from UMW units throughout the nation to fund these mission projects Besides donating money, UMW members have many opportunities to serve the local and national organization and support the worldwide missions.

chalk talk
Continued from front page

Lets Rock!
Calling all Jr./Sr. High Youth who are interested in music vocals, drums, guitars and more! Join us for a unique music opportunity: four short weeks of rehearsals to share a song during worship on May 20 (Confirmation Sunday). Kristen Klehr, a recent BaldwinWallace grad in percussion performance, has volunteered to help us rock on! Come meet Kristen and get the details on April 15 immediately following worship in the youth room (near south entrance to the balcony). Contact Dawn McElrath or Sharon Seyfarth Garner with any questions.

Membership Invitation
If you have thought about becoming a member of University Circle United Methodist Church, this is a perfect time to make that decision. New members will be welcomed into this vibrant family of faith on New Member Sunday, April 29. If you would like to join us, you are encouraged to contact Judy Sockman, Coordinator of Membership and Volunteers, at the church, 216-421-1200 or jsockman@churchinthecircle.com, for more information. You are also asked to attend two events in preparation for membership, to be held on Wednesday evening, April 18, and Sunday, April 22, after worship. Be in touch with Judy for more specifics. And WELCOME!

established by the United Methodist Church, is recommended by an Annual Conference Board of Ordained Ministry to be elected as a full member of an Annual Conference and then is recommended to the resident bishop of that Annual Conference for ordination as an Elder in the Church, that person (still with me?) is guaranteed an appointment (a pastoral charge) for the rest of his or her years of ministry within that Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. As United Methodism has experienced decline in the United Statesso much so that many churches have been closedthere has been great scrutiny on the performance of clergy leadership within the denomination. While many dedicated and able men and women carry out their calling as pastors of local churches , there has been the growing concern that some persons presently serving and guaranteed an appointment in the church as a pastor should not be continued in this role. So, one of the wrestling matches within our institutional religion will be the question of changing the practice of guaranteed appointment of ordained clergy. How do you think faith should inform such decisions? No matter where and no matter what, life issues are not easy. We wrestle and struggle with many things. Few if any things of lasting value are easy or just happen or just endure or just develop. There are no guarantees! And, to be sure, in this sense there are no guaranteed appointments either. Because life issues are not easy, whether at a general conference or in our own homes, each of us must cultivate a vital spiritual life; a

spiritual life in which faith can grow. Trying to live our lives and sort through the complex issues that come our way without a vital, growing faith would be like going through the rituals of religion, or leading the rituals of religion, while advancing nothing greater than a self-serving assurance of guaranteed appointment for our security. Faith elicits from us far more than this. The experience of Christ, for example, changes things by demanding of us our best our best efforts and our best stewardship of our lives in response to the grace we have received. Such best efforts transcend and change religion. Indeed, such efforts advance the Kingdom of God. In this regard, in the calling to advance the Kingdom of God, in which we all share, it is petty at best, and shameful at its worst, that followers of Jesus ordained for that effort should be arguing for a guaranteed appointment or for having job security as a primary goal in ministry.

THE UNIVERSITY CIRCLE OUTLOOK

published every four weeks as an edition of THE UNITED METHODIST REPORTER for University Circle United Methodist Church Dr. Kenneth W. Chalker, Senior Pastor 1919 E. 107th St., Cleveland, OH 44106 www.churchinthecircle.com; 216/421-1200 Outlook Editor: Jim Hogg outlook@churchinthecircle.com Photographers: Jeff Day, David Hughes, Brain Misch Editorial Staff: K. Shamp, E. Prince, C. Day, M. Abele