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Friends United Meeting |
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December 2000
News from Friends United Meeting
Retha McCutchen Named General Secretary
At the October General Board Meetings, Retha McCutchen was named FUM General Secretary to fill the unexpired term for this triennium. As Director of World Missions for three and one half years, Retha has worked tirelessly on behalf of FUM ministry throughout the world.
Beginning her service January 1, 2001, Retha follows Wayne Carter, Interim General Secretary, who says, "We are blessed to have Retha McCutchen willing to continue her service to FUM as General Secretary. Probably no one is more familiar with the totality of our ministry, including our field ministries both at home and abroad, and the financial structure which makes it all possible. I believe Retha's commitment to Christ and to Friends will serve FUM exceedingly well."
As General Secretary, Retha will also continue to oversee World Missions.
Her goals for the remainder of this triennium include:
1. Hiring a Director of North American Ministries to facilitate strong
relationships with the yearly meetings and FUM;
2. Continuing to set up an accurate and monthly system of financial reports;
3. Planning and implementation of the 2002 FUM Triennial in Nairobi, Kenya;
4. Encouraging the high staff morale to continue
5. To hire and train a new Director of World Ministries by 2002.
Serah Lukalo, Clerk of the Host Committee for the FUM Triennial in Kenya, stated, "I am delighted that Retha has been named General Secretary, particularly because she knows Kenya well and the planning for the Triennial can continue to run without interruption. I hope she also will continue with world missions because it would take a new person a long time to understand the intricacies of Friends in Kenya. I believe she has a caring spirit in all things she does. We will be praying for her and supporting her as much as we can."
Before coming to FUM, Retha served as Director of Ramallah Friends Schools. Recorded as a minister in Northwest Yearly Meeting, Retha served as a pastor and Associate Superintendent of Northwest Yearly Meeting for seven years before beginning her service on the mission field.
FUM General Board Meetings
The FUM General Board met at Friends Central Offices October 13-16, 2000. The regular Board representatives were in attendance along with a representative from Cuba, Eric Leal. Guests included Serah Lukalo, Nairobi (Kenya) Yearly Meeting and Clerk of the 2002 Triennial Host Committee as well as field workers Herman Otioko and John Moru newly arrived from Turkana for deputation among Friends.
The meeting opened with two selections sung by the choir of First Friends Meeting, Richmond. After a period of waiting upon God and centering for Meeting for Business, the sessions were opened by Stan Bauer, Clerk, and the reading of roll call. The appointment of a new General Secretary was on everyone's mind and was the first order of business. Retha McCutchen, present Director of World Missions, was approved to fill the position from January 1, 2001 through the remainder of the triennium.
The fiscal responsibility adopted in June necessitated adopting a reduced 2001 budget. All program areas of FUM are affected with the implementation of subsidy reduction or elimination. However, the Board feels very positive about the improved financial stability reflected in this budget.
The Triennial Planning Committee reported and the Board approved their recommendation to establish FUM as the receiver for funds to help African pastors attend the Triennial. Money raised will pay for room and board for the sessions with transportation costs paid by the pastors. The appointment of Marian Baker to serve as field staff in Kenya, assisting Rich and Sandy Davis, was announced. She will arrive in Kenya in August, 2001.
The North American Ministries Committee report addressed two program areas of need--pastoral leadership development and youth outreach. Encouragement was given to hire a Director of North American Ministries as soon as possible.
The Board approved a Quaker presence for the WCC "Decade to Overcome Violence." Joe Vlascamp and Eden Grace have already been participating in discussions. The first initiative is to promote a "Lenten Fast From Violence" with promotion beginning in the January/February issue of Quaker Life and the formation of a website.
The next meeting of the FUM General Board will be February 9-12, 2001 at Friends Central Offices. Yearly Meeting representatives and FUM staff are available to hear from you concerning the ongoing ministry of FUM.
Kenyan Friends to Host FUM Triennial July 10-14, 2002
Kenyan Friends will host FUM's 2002 Triennial Sessions July 10-14, 2002, just outside Nairobi, Kenya. Sessions and housing will be at the Kenya College of Communications Technology and Conference Center. The conference facility is 16km from City Centre and adjacent to Nairobi National Park. Surrounded by beautiful parkland away from the hustle of a busy city, the center provides a peaceful setting and modern conference facilities.
The Triennial Planning Committee met October 13 to continue the necessary planning. The Clerk of the Kenyan Host Committee, Serah Lukalo from Nairobi, Kenya, was in attendance. The hardworking committee approved a logo as well as considered names for speakers, Bible study and workshop leaders, and developed a timeline for publicity, registration and other activities prior to Triennial.
In 1902, three young men from three Friends yearly meetings in the United States felt God's call to go to Africa to share the Good News with people there. Like George Fox on Pendle Hill, these men stood on Kaimosi's Hill of Vision seeing the people to be gathered. Gradually they shared, and the membership of Quakers in Kenya and other parts of East Africa has grown until now Kenyan Friends number more than all Friends in North America!
The 2002 Triennial in Kenya will offer a rare opportunity to worship and learn with Kenyan Friends. FUM yearly meetings are planning far ahead to finance travel for representatives. The FUM Triennial Program Committee is in close communication with the Kenyan Host Committee based in Nairobi as they plan for worship, plenary speakers, workshops and post-conference travel opportunities in the country. Triennial updates, registration information and related stories will appear in the pages of Quaker Life during the coming months.
FEC Chooses New Administrator
At their semi-annual meeting on October 13, the Friends Extension Corporation (FUM's agency for loaning funds to local meetings, etc., for building projects), appointed James "Jim" Mackey as the new Administrator to replace Margaret Schmidt who retired at the end of October.
Margaret Schmidt came to FEC in 1991 after retiring from a local bank. She quickly grasped the work and gave splendid service to both investors and borrowers. The FEC Board found her easy to work with and quite efficient in her work.
Jim Mackey comes to this part-time job while also working as Director of Stewardship and Development for the local Catholic community. He was former manager of a local K-Mart and has good accounting experience. We are assured he will continue the excellent service for which FEC is known.
Friends United Meeting Searches for Director of North American Ministries
FUM commits itself to energize and equip Friends through the power of the Holy Spirit to gather people into fellowships where Jesus Christ is known, loved and obeyed as Teacher and Lord.
The Director of North American Ministries will work closely with the superintendents and secretaries (or other appointees) of FUM yearly meetings in North America to help them undertake consultations, research and projects that yearly meetings themselves feel can best be accomplished through this cooperative structure. This newly defined position replaces the former position of Associate Secretary for Meeting Ministries.
Applications and requests for a job description should be directed to Friends United Meeting, 101 Quaker Hill Drive, Richmond IN 47374, USA.
The deadline for applications is January 5, 2001.
Field Staff Share Their Spiritual Journeys
God's Peace Only a Prayer Away
By Rich and Sandy Davis
Sandy and I were both raised in Christian families and after we were married in 1963, we attended the Quaker meeting of my membership--White Lick Monthly Meeting (Western Yearly Meeting). Although we were fairly active, neither of us took our spiritual life seriously. After ten years of marriage, it became obvious within our home that "something" was missing in our relationship to each other, to our friends and family, and especially in our areas of employment. Sandy was teaching kindergarten and I was an administrator in a medium security adult prison.
By 1973, we had started to raise our family of three, had purchased our first home, and by normal American standards, we were on our way toward a respectable lifestyle that should have satisfied our needs. However, something was lacking even though we loved each other and desired to be good parents and productive citizens.
Our church hosted a Lay Witness Mission weekend and I felt an urgency to commit ourselves to the entire weekend of meetings. Despite carrying the major responsibilities of the children, Sandy also attended. For the first time, I heard about the joy, freedom, and the need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ--a relationship such as one would desire in a friendship and not necessarily based on just going to church. I accepted Christ as my Savior that weekend and desired to commit my life totally to serving Him. Through these ordinary lay people who were open, honest, and sincere in publicly sharing their life's struggles and how they discovered the peace they desired only through trusting Jesus, I realized what was missing in my own life.
Since I had been the primary contributor who disrupted the tranquility of our home, my response confused Sandy into thinking I was off on yet another tangent. However, within a few days, she saw my seriousness and lovingly shared with me that she also had asked Christ to come into her life and set her aside for His purposes.
Our marriage and our life's journey and purpose changed at that point. Within two months, we sold our home, resigned from our positions and moved to Wabash, Indiana, to become part of the ministry of what is now White's Residential and Family Services of Indiana Yearly Meeting. For 24 years we shared the ministry at White's while raising our family. We participated in the Lay Witness Mission program for several years, led Vacation Bible Schools and work teams to Jamaica through Christian Service International, and served in various ministries of our home church at Wabash Friends.
A desire to be involved in world missions steadily grew. In 1996, when we were approached to consider ministry with FUM in Kenya, East Africa, we were ready to respond positively to this new venture. Living and ministering in rural Kenya at the Friends Theological College has been a bigger step in faith and dependence on the One who has called us into His work. There are still days when peace does not always seem to encircle our lives, but never have we doubted the love we know God has for us, nor have we questioned the truth that the peace God has for us is only a prayer away.
My Spiritual Journey
By Michael Cain
It all started in a small country church in rural Indiana, in 1955. I remember the night because it was the same night my father went forward and accepted the Lord. Like most young boys, I gave into peer pressures along the way, but something kept pulling me back to church whenever things got too hard for me to handle alone.
Throughout the next 20 years the Lord protected me. On December 23, 1963, I was shot in a hunting accident. I should have died, because when I arrived at the hospital I had no blood pressure or pulse. Out of this accident, a young Christian man made a promise that if God would spare my life, he would do whatever the Lord asked and four years later he was an ordained minister. The most exciting part is he has a very bad speech impediment but when he steps behind the pulpit to preach, his speech is perfectly clear, "Praise God."
In 1975, I married Kay who had been a classmate throughout most of my school years. She was attending the Friends meeting in Pennville, Indiana. While attending Pennville, I rededicated my life and became active in church. Being a rather bashful person, I found it hard to talk in public but the next thing I knew I was teaching an adult Sunday school class. This was a time of much growth for me.
Moving to Portland, Indiana in 1979, we joined the Friends church. I was asked to fill a vacancy on Ministry and Council, then to lead another adult Sunday school class. While we were there I held several positions including Monthly Meeting Clerk, Treasurer and Trustee. I also held the position of Quarterly Meeting Clerk for the Van Wert Quarter.
After Indiana Yearly Meeting sessions in 1979, our pastor came to me and said he had a job for me in January. Since I was a self-employed remodeling contractor, that sounded good to me. Then he gave me the rest of the story--the job was remodeling Windy Ridge cottage in Highgate, Jamaica. With six children sitting at our supper table each night, and work hard to find, there was no way we could afford something like this. Yet, Paul Williamson, our pastor, continued to push for me to say yes. After much prayer I filled out the application and sent it in along with the $25 registration fee. Paul said he would ask the church to help support me on this trip. The church not only supported me but Sunday school classes came up with money for film and developing when I returned. When everything was finished, the only out of pocket expense I had was the $25 registration fee! This was about the biggest test of my faith I had ever faced! I had never been on an airplane or away from home for more then a few days, but this trip was for four weeks. The Indiana temperature the morning we left was about 15 degrees below zero. Eddy Cline has always said, "Go to the mission field and suffer for Jesus." Somehow the folks in Portland didn't think I was suffering too much with the temperature in Kingston at 85 degrees, but while I was in Jamaica, the weather was so bad they only had church once the entire month.
My next trip was a return to Jamaica in 1987 to work on Lynndale Home for Girls. There we replaced windows and installed six toilets. I remember after installing the first two toilets we had no water to test them for leaks or to be sure they did in fact work. As we drove up the drive the next morning, the manager of the home came running out of the house shouting, "They work, they work." This trip had some rough spots but when she came out saying they worked, it made everything else irrelevant.
When I left Jamaica, Kay met me in Miami and we went to Belize to see about doing something there. In February, 1988, we returned with a work team to do the first remodeling work on what is now the Belize Friends Boys School. While on this work team I began to see the need for some sort of school for the boys of Belize. After several years of waiting to see if someone else would take up this cause, we came to the realization that maybe God was calling us.
In October, 1995, we made the big move to Belize. After we arrived, we learned of Sadie Vernon's efforts to start a school for the boys. During early January, 1997, the first Board of Directors for the boys school was appointed with me as President of the Board. Since then, I became the Principal and the Field Administrator for FUM in Belize.
If you are not sure you are where the Lord wants you, think about answering the call to participate in a work camp. You never know where a work team experience may take you. You may find you are right where the Lord wants you or you may find a new calling. My prayer is for you to be open to the leading of the Spirit.
My Spiritual Journey
By Kay Cain
I remember as a child attending Sunday School with my two sisters and one brother. My father would take us, then come and pick us up. But he and my mother never went except maybe on Mother's Day, Easter and Christmas. We would have Children's Day programs which they would attend but that was all. One summer at VBS, the director asked if anyone wanted to receive Jesus into their heart. With every head bowed and all eyes closed, I raised my hand.
At the school we attended, we were able to have prayer meetings at noon. We would sing hymns and read scripture. Even on the bus home from school my sister, some friends and I would have our own special time singing hymns. When I was about 15 and attending the Church of Christ, I felt the need to be baptized which was a very moving experience for me. When I reached home, my father was upset with me because he didn't think I should have been baptized. Since that time it has been hard to express my feelings and open up to others.
Over the years my spiritual walk has been up and down. When trials came, I would try to handle them on my own. During one very difficult time in my life, I knew the only one who could help was the Lord. He loved me and showed me what direction to go. Shortly after that, He sent Mike into my life. We shared our faith and our relationship started with God at the head. Although we were Sunday School teachers and involved in other activities with fellow Christians, we felt God calling us to the mission field. The comfort of the Holy Spirit has helped me deal with missing home, family, and times with the grandchildren. Even though I miss them, I know God is leading and I will follow.
It has been a real blessing helping others. Maybe it is a smile or just listening to a troubled student which is my mission. I'm not sure where He will lead next but I know my Spiritual Journey isnŐt over yet. Praise God!
Copyright (c) 2000 Friends United Meeting
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