SPRING 2017
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News and Updates for Friends of The Upper Room
Jesus, Give Us Ears to Listen Whitney Simpson’s left side was numb and tingly when she awoke the morning of her thirty-first birthday. With her husband and two-year old son still sleeping, she hobbled to the kitchen, her left foot dragging the floor. “I felt as if a ton of bricks was pushing down on my left side,” she says. Whitney’s birthday was full of surprises: a stroke, the ER, questions, tests, scans . . . and a strange sense of peace in the midst of it all.
“I saw a giant asterisk and my own handwritten prayer, asking God to give me peace. Four years before I needed God’s gift of peace in an intimate and desperate way, God planted this prayer in my heart.”* As she shares in Holy Listening with Breath, Body, and the Spirit (Upper Room Books, 2016), Whitney discovered anew how to listen to her body and the still small voice of the Spirit. Her story reminds us to pause and listen.
“During my MRI, I unexpectedly experienced the Author Whitney Simpson The practice of “holy gift of God’s peace. I listening” is central to The began repeating four Upper Room. Our ministries invite people words over and over: “Jesus, give me to listen to God, self, and others in deep peace.” In that moment, they were the ways. And, as staff, we are called to listen: only words I could think of, and they listen as the Spirit plants prayers in our kept me calm. . . .I simply repeated hearts, calls us to action, encourages us in my head with each breath, “Jesus, to pause, and directs our work. Jesus, give me peace.”. . . I had no idea that give us ears to listen. day where the words came from.”* As you will read in the pages of this Later, thumbing through her old copy newsletter, a listening heart leads to new of Companions in Christ (Upper Room possibilities, to transformative experiences, Books, 2006), Whitney stopped on an and engagement. ear-marked page introducing “breath • Church leaders in Rwanda are listening prayer.” for ways to minister to people facing terminal illness.
• Our international ministries team is listening and building new relationships in Asia. • Staff are listening to congregations who give space for middle schoolers to encounter God and community. • And, we are listening to you, our prayer partners and donors. Your faithful prayers and gifts convey a message that The Upper Room offers something significant to the Church, to the world, to you. In 2016, donors gave a record $781,392.97 to grow and sustain our ministries, and we are grateful. Your support encourages us and helps us invite people into a life of meaningful spiritual practice. Thank you. Together, may we listen well. The still small voice is calling us—with each breath—to new life, to deeper awareness of God’s loving presence. Jesus, give us ears to listen. by Marti Williams-Martin, Director of Interpretation of The Upper Room
* Excerpted from Holy Listening with Breath, Body, and the Spirit by Whitney R. Simpson. ©2016. For more information, visit holylistening.org.
“Listening is a form of spiritual hospitality.” —Henri J.M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
Spiritual Care in Rwanda In addition to providing much-needed health care, nine hospitals in Rwanda have invited church leaders to provide spiritual care. In the last decade in Rwanda, new hospitals have opened and old ones have been updated under a government-led effort to recover from a devastating civil war, economic turmoil, and a massive health crisis. Under the program, life expectancy in Rwanda has risen from 30 to 60 years of age, and deaths from HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria have decreased by 80%. This is great improvement for a country where nearly everyone has experienced the loss Rev. Marc Baliyanga’s presence—and of a family member the Prayers for Encouragement he shares—brings comfort to patients at the to one of these diseases. Ruhango District Hospital in Rwanda.
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RWANDA
Rev. Marc Baliyanga, the District Superintendent of the United Methodist church of Rwanda reports that hospitals are hungry for resources like Prayers for Encouragement: Hope for Persons Living with HIV & AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis, and Other Serious Diseases. “In Rwanda, people living with HIV/ AIDS and other serious diseases need assistance, food, drugs, jobs, counseling, hope, and encouragement in their life. Some of these people are without hope because of rejection, discrimination, and trauma,” Baliyanga says. “Prayers for Encouragement contains a specific message to a specific group of people.”
“Our hospital gives treatment to over 800 persons suffering with HIV/AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, and diabetes,” adds the social services director of Kabutare Hospital in southern Rwanda. “We need copies so that all those persons will read and be encouraged by the message found in this booklet.”
Before the recovery initiative, health care was often far away for the people of Rwanda. In the district of Ruhango, for example, the 286,000 people living there used to travel 1,000 kilometers for serious hospital care. Now, 90% of Rwandans living with HIV have access to medical care (Source: World Health Organization).
Copies of Prayers for Encouragement are are distributed to various facilities by Christians hoping to share a message of God’s love to a country recovering from crisis.
encouragement written by people who understand. Rev. Baliyanga explains that in 2014, when the booklet was first printed in the Kinyarwanda language, it was only distributed to UMC churches, a couple of hospitals, and one prison in Rwanda. Today, copies are distributed across the country, in every region. A secretary of the Kibuye Hospital in western Rwanda says she is thankful The Upper Room is listening and responding to the needs of persons living with HIV/ AIDS and other diseases in the region. by Tia Runion, Manager of International Ministries of The Upper Room, and Rev. Marc Baliyanga, District Superintendent of the UMC of Rwanda.
They now also have access to a simple, resource for spiritual care and
What is Prayers for Encouragement? In Jesus’ time, lepers were stigmatized and shunned, but he demonstrated great compassion. Today, HIV/AIDS patients suffer many of the same discriminations and rejections that first-century lepers did. Prayers for Encouragement is a 32page booklet of comforting meditations developed to share a message of God’s love with those suffering from serious diseases. It is now published in 20 languages, extending a special message of hope throughout the world, especially
in East Africa, where over 70% of the world’s total HIV/AIDS cases are. “The church has a special role in providing spiritual comfort, strength, and prayers for encouragement to people in need,” says Don Messer, executive director of the Center for the Church and Global AIDS. Bishop of the Kenya Methodist Church, the Rev. Joseph Ntombura once boldly stated, “Everyone in East Africa has experienced the death of a beloved family member due to
HIV. Since we are all members one of another, the Body of Christ has AIDS.” As one contributor says in Prayers for Encouragement, “As we face uncertainty, pain, illness, and other trials, we can remember: Jesus, bigger than any problem, is holding me tightly to his heart.”
2 | Your gifts help deliver a message of hope and encouragement around the world. www.upperroom.org/gift
A Weekend of Discovery “What God wants to happen will happen,” says Rachael Waldhour about her church’s experience with Discovery Weekend, a spiritual formation retreat designed for middle schoolers. Rachael is Director of Student Ministries at Fairhope United Methodist Church, near Mobile, Alabama. She recently shepherded 100 youth through the Discovery Weekend program as her congregation worked behind the scenes to prepare meals and pray for the youth.
the youth with a community of love and forgiveness and help them walk in a way that leads to life. Today, 140 churches, mostly in the Southeast, see Discovery as an essential part of their youth ministry.
As The Upper Room assumes responsibility for Discovery’s wellbeing, Upper Room staff recently staff are actively listening to interviewed Rachael church leaders who know about her experience with the program best. The goal Discovery Weekend, which is to be in conversation she started six years ago at will all 140 churches using her church. Rachael uses Discovery and personally the Discovery program as a visit—and participate meaningful way to cultivate in—several Discovery relationships between older Weekends. To date, staff Discovery Weekend is a and younger students, and have joined with Trinity UMC wonderful mosaic of the to connect the youth with (Homewood, AL), First UMC body of Christ via a retreat the larger congregation. (Cookeville, TN), St. George’s experience at home.” “This is the only program Episcopal (Nashville, TN), —Caroline Hare, Director of Youth in our church that brings First UMC (Huntsville, AL), Ministry at Destin UMC (Destin, Florida) the entire church family Collierville UMC (Memphis, together. It’s important TN), and Wesley Wesley to me that these kids know they are Foundation UMC (Sykesville, MD) during connected to each other, the church their recent Discovery Weekend events. family, and most importantly, to God.” Writer Madeleine L’Engle reminds us that “part of doing something is listening.” Our first “something” is to listen deeply, to better understand how The Upper Room can bring value and support to youth leaders across the church. We are listening for ways this significant program can create life-giving relationships within the congregation.
The Upper Room acquired Discovery Weekend, a proven model for youth spiritual formation, in January 2017 from Rev. Melody Traylor, a United Methodist minister in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. A graduate of The Academy for Spiritual Formation and a Walk to Emmaus pilgrim, Melody saw the need for a formational experience that would give the entire church family a crucial opportunity to live out its baptismal promise, to surround
What is Discovery Weekend? Discovery Weekend is a congregational program that is designed for the middle school youth, directed by the high school youth who give talks and lead the small groups, supported by parents and church members, and steered by youth ministers and clergy. The weekend is full of music, skits, talks, small groups, free time, serious time, worship, and lots of congregational love. The youth will delve into scripture, hear powerful lessons of God’s love and grace, and build relationships that will last a lifetime. If your church is interested in hosting a Discovery Weekend, please contact Geoff Parker, Director of Youth and Young Adult Spiritual Formation Programs, at gparker@upperroom.org Visit us at discovery.UpperRoom.org
by Sherry Elliott, Executive Director of Interpretation and Development of The Upper Room
Listening in Asia Rev. Im Jung, Asia Pacific Regional Coordinator of The Upper Room, is listening for new ways to reach people in Cambodia, China, Laos, and Vietnam, all countries where The Upper Room daily devotional guide is not currently published.
In March, Jung met with lay and clergy leaders in each of these countries to “start a conversation” about how the magazine can help draw people closer to God and our worldwide community. During her travels, Jung joined Upper Room Publisher Rev. Stephen Bryant for the opening of a new Global Ministries (UMC) Asia regional office in Seoul, Korea. Both The Upper Room and Global
Ministries have historic relationships with the worldwide Methodist communion and other partner organizations. “Doors are opening in Southeast Asia,” Bryant says. Speaking of his time with ministry partners in Seoul, he adds, “We are being asked to participate in a prayer movement, in a region of the world with great geo-political importance, a region torn by deep division.”
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Your send a message, and we are listening. THANK YOU for the prayer support, gifts, and encouragement!
DONORS $781,392.97 GAVE to The Upper Room in 2016.
27%
Up from 2015 giving.
Your gifts at work:
• The Upper Room daily devotional guide is currently distributed in 100 countries and translated into 33 languages. • A new Walk to Emmaus community will hold its first weekend experiences in Kenya this July. (New Walk to Emmaus communities will emerge in 8 countries over the next 5 years.) • A new Five-Day Academy for Spiritual Formation launched in Bolivia in February. • Special resources are being produced for churches ministering to immigrants and refugees. Our goal is to have devotionals in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic available by the end of 2017.
19.7% of 2016 donation dollars support
The Upper Room Chaplains’ Ministry.
Small Monthly
HUGE IMPACT make a
when you join The Upper Room
FELLOWSHIP CIRCLE!
Total given by Fellowship Circle members in 2016: $10,478.00. The Upper Room Fellowship Circle is open to all who are called to support this ministry via an automatic bank withdrawal or credit card charge.
93.7%
of gifts are
< — $100
Top gift designations in 2016:
Donors to The Upper Room Chaplains’ Ministry provide over 45,000 free copies of each issue of The Upper Room daily devotional guide to military and prison chaplains.
3,592 FIRST-TIME DONORS gave
$234,314.30 to The Upper Room in 2016
The Upper Room relies on income from product sales, participant fees, and the generous support of donors to cover all ministry expenses. We receive no apportioned funds from The United Methodist Church or any other denomination. Donations are needed each year so The Upper Room can continue to help people around the globe experience God more fully.
2,491 donors gave online in 2016 @
www.upperroom.org/gift
47.0% Where most needed 19.7% Chaplains’ Ministry 10.5% Walk to Emmaus 9.6% The Living Prayer Center 4.8% Academy for Spiritual Formation 3.4% International Editions 5.0% All other giving