Hispanic Ministry Training

After years of participating and sometimes leading mission teams into Mexico and Honduras it is exciting to find many opportunities to be in ministry with our Hispanic brothers and sisters here in the United States. A group of friends are helping me to offer some opportunities in the Augusta area during the next year. We'll start with conversations around the topic as we invite members of Trinity on the Hill UMC and interested clergy and laity from area United Methodist churches to gather in the fall. Of course, we'll also have other interested parties in the conversation who represent local community development or friends who've been part of overseas mission teams who desire to continue their involvement in Hispanic concerns.


Hispanic Ministry Training
Sundays, September 21 - October 19
5:00 P. M. - 6:30 P.M.
Facilitated by Rev. Scott Parrish
Sessions:
1. “Where are We & Where Does God Need us to Be?”
2. “Hispanic Community and the Role of the Church”
3. “Hispanic Context in the U.S.: Challenges and Opportunities”
4. “Hispanic Community and Missional Strategy”
5. “Where is God Leading us from Here?”

Contact Trinity On The Hill UMC @ 706-738-8822 or
sparrish@trinityonthehill.net for more information

Life in Cuba

Have you seen the insightful, well written view into everyday Cuban life?

http://www.desdecuba.com/generationy/

An interesting broad view of Cuba may be found in a current news report of the challenges and potential for change at http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-cuba-castro-revolution.html

Mission Outpost

Did you hear this NPR story yesterday? A lot of great concepts employed by a jazz nonprofit in New Mexico. I heard a variety of elements in this story which might transfer to other arenas. Check it out and consider for yourself.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92670088

Housing Ministry

Read about a congregation in TN that started a housing ministry:

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=2433457&ct=5675955

BEST Summer Drink

It seems that almost every time I've worked in Mexico on a mission team I've enjoyed not only fresh fruit but wonderful fresh fruit drinks. One of my favorites is watermelon juice. Oh so refreshing, quenches the thirst and cools you off. Google recipes and you'll find some folks add a little water, maybe a little lime, or perhaps a little honey or sugar. But truth is it's worth cutting that seedless watermelon, blending it up into a drink, and then giving it a try before you add anything. WOW, what a great summer thirst quencher!

Enjoy the summer and all the great happenings of it,

Basketball Camp continued

Add a Savannah River Site engineer who loves basketball, a retiree who played at Clemson with Coach Maravich, a host of other volunteers, and a bunch of middle school boys in the summer and you have the makings of a great basketball camp in Harrisburg (the old mill village section of Augusta).

Basketball Camp July 2008 Featuring Troy McCray

Catching Up

So much to show and tell after a week in New Orleans! We returned Saturday night around 7 PM, then work on Sunday, then a "typical" week with Vacation Bible School in the morning, a basketball camp at the church in the early afternoon, another basketball camp at an elementary school in nearby Harrisburg community in the late afternoon, and the "normal" activities that seem to occur every day in local mission work. Pictures and stories from these exploits will be appearing in the days to come.

Civic Index for Quality Public Education

This doesn't seem novel, maybe common sense, though it certainly highlights what SOME communities are missing in public education. This tool looks at the strengths and weaknesses of a local community in regard to public education. Apply to your local school and community, discuss some, and then let's go to work!

http://www.tedprize.org/?p=122

Simple Ideas to Change the World

http://gbgm-umc.org/global_news/full_article.cfm?articleid=5056

Read, consider, & discuss