Updated at 2:15 pm, Monday, August 21, 2000
Another Cal-Nevada pastor leaves denomination

Fresno pastor is suspended, but defies order and preaches with church support

The Rev. Greg Smith and what is said to be "most of" the 550 member congregation at Hope UMC in southern Sacramento have left the denomination. Fresno Pastor David Wainscott has been suspended for holding back apportionments and for starting a new church. Get details on this developing story, with a click here: SmithDepartsUMC.html

Here are some of the stories you'll find in the August 18, 2000 edition

Jubilee brings out the best

Flanked by an interpreter, Serafin Duran, daughters Edith, 3, and Fabiola, 8, are introduced to a thousand people by Habitat for Humanity Santa Rosa's John Davenport, Wednesday, Aug. 2, before Habitat founder Millard Fuller spoke. The Durans are the soon to be owners of the Habitat house "blitz built" during Jubilee.
Top speakers, preachers inspire at event of the year

More than 1,200 people turned out for Jubilee 2000, the Conference-wide spiritual event of the year, held last week at Sonoma State University near Santa Rosa. While there, people lifted their spirits through gifted preaching, marvelous music and inspired instruction from a diverse group of clergy and lay presenters.

Kicked off Tuesday, Aug. 8 by the beginning of a “blitz-build” housing project in cooperation with Habitat for Humanity (See HabitatBlitzBuildatJubilee.html), the first evening program featured music with Jim and Jean Strathdee, touring United Methodist musicians based at St. Mark’s UMC in Sacramento.

The spiritual theme for the mass worship services was the Lord’s Prayer... “Our Father, who art in heaven...” presented phrase by phrase on banners hung behind the stage with each new speaker.

For the full story, click here for Jubilee.html

Departing Bishop sums up 12 years
Churches have continued diverse ministry during controversial times

As Bishop Melvin Talbert’s 12 years in the California-Nevada Annual Conference draw to a close, the Review invited him to share some final thoughts with readers.

During a back-row conversation at a Jubilee evening worship, Talbert said that despite recent spikes of controversy and turmoil in the Conference itself, “there has been some good ministry going on in our local churches.” That was what he wanted people to remember as he leaves the Conference’s top leadership position. Asked for examples, the Bishop pointed to his “State of the Conference” address given at Annual Conference Session, June 14-the same day that forty years before, he’d been ordained a Methodist Deacon.

In looking back at his dozen years as San Francisco Area Bishop, Talbert said, “We kept before us the vision of one table for all, without exceptions. This vision is at the core of who we are as a church and as a people. To lose it is to become other than who we profess to be.”

Talbert added, “We have much to celebrate. We are doing so many good things in our churches, in our communities and through our connection around the world. Even in the face of many difficulties and challenges, we are finding ways to be faithful to the gospel by being in ministry together. Let’s find ways to so better and to live together in peace, even though we have differences,” he said.

“Why are we doing all these things? I believe we are doing these things and much more all because of Jesus. Cynthia Wilson captures the spirit and message of my closing thoughts in her song:

Conference Communications to change


Review's last issue to be Sept. 29, transition to newsletter, electronic news distribution under way

Shifts are ahead for Review readers, as the Conference begins to act on the results of a Conference-wide communications audit which surveyed people from all levels of California-Nevada United Methodism.

In an announcement, the Conference Communications Committee said, “One of the more significant recommendations the national church’s Communications Resourcing Team made--from your input--was for the Conference to publish its own newspaper, locally.”

“To make that kind of change immediately is beyond our scope at present. We are not quite ready to do that. But, beginning October 1, we will start offering an interim publication.

The interim newsletter will be sent without charge to all current Review subscribers, and those now receiving the Coordinated mail packet. In the format of Newscope, the newsletter will incorporate news ofthe seven districts, and events within the Conference. It will begin to incorporate some of the items currently distributed in the Coordinated Mail envelope, which will be discontinued.

This new publication format will also be available electronically. To receive the publication that way, please send your e-mail address with a message subject of “Here’s my e-mail address”, and you will be added to the database being developed now. The message should be sent to signmeup@calnevumc.org

The committee hopes that the publication that replaces the Review will be ready in six to eight months.

For the full story, click here for CommunicationsChange.html

Videos about compassion, caring available at Media Center
This month’s update highlights a number of videos about compassion and caring suitable for various viewers.

Click here for the complete descriptions in the full story: CompassionAndCaringVideos.html The Ecumenical Media Resource Center is supported by a number of denominations, the largest of which is the California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Annual funding from the Conference helps subsidize memberships for Conference churches.