Each October MCCA (Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas) pastors make their annual report. Since I will not be here in October I wrote and submitted mine early. The report says a good deal about the progress of the work this past year and where things stand now.
By way of update in the five weeks since the report was written... Sadly,
none of the four youth in the confirmation desires to join the church
at this time. The small volunteer team from the U.S. and Puerto Rico did
good work among children and youth but left Utila after just one week on
the island instead of staying the anticipated month; a youth group did not
materialize.
REPORT OF THE PASTOR
UTILA, HONDURAS
JULY 5, 2000
The Reverend D. Jeffrey Bennett
Mizpah Church
The Chapel at the Cays
The Utila Methodist Community
College
Mission House / Manse
Volunteer Teams
The stewards are: Jewel Rose, Gunter Kordovsky and Kim Funez, who is a circuit steward.
Pastoral Council:
Sunday School Superintendent: Iris Hill
President of Christian Endeavor: Jewel Rose
President, Men's Fellowship: C. J. Woods
Elise Bodden, Jennette Zuniga, Martha Coburn, Daisy Coburn,
Kim Funez
Records show that Reverend Elmer Dickson baptized 4 infants between October 1, 1998 (the date of his last report) and April 30, 1999. I have held 8 baptisms of infants and young children between the date of my arrival June 15, 1999 and July 5, 2000.
I have seen worship attendance increase during Sunday evening worship services at Mizpah. This is the service that draws the greatest number of people. Except for tourists, people who visit a church on Utila are most likely to attend a Sunday night service. It has been good to see new faces in church.
Sunday School is one of the successes of the church. We usually have some 80 children in Sunday School, impressive for a church with an average attendance of 25 on Sunday morning and 75 on Sunday evening. Unfortunately few children attend regular worship services. A Children's Moment during each service has encouraged some parents to begin bringing their children. I strongly hope that my successor will continue Childrens Moments.
My wife Jill and I have been offering a confirmation class for youth. We have had four youth who have been very regular in their attendance. The last session of the class will be July 9. I will be speaking to each of the four individually about whether they are ready to make the commitment to Christ of church membership. I intend to receive into membership all who desire to join prior to my August 15 departure.
Mizpah church is in need of a youth group. We hold children through age 14 or so in Sunday School and through Christian Endeavor. Jill and I tried unsuccessfully to begin a group for older youth by offering a Friday "game night" for youth aged 13 through 19. Our initial goal was simply to get to know these youth and then proceed to build a Christ centered youth group. Despite interest expressed by UMCC students our three attempts did not bring youth out. A small volunteer team of four from the United States will be on Utila July 9 through August 2. It is my desire that they work to begin a youth group.
Mizpah will soon face a leadership crisis. We have a strong cadre of leaders now in their 70's; they will eventually pass from the scene. We have three or four strong leaders in their 40's. We have no one in their 20's or 30's.
Were I to remain on Utila, I would offer an adult membership class. I would open it to everyone interested in being a follower of the Christ and willing to look into becoming a member. I would specifically invite those who have had children baptized in recent years. Most have been faithful in seeing that their children are in Sunday School but they themselves are not members of the church. Such a class could become an adult Sunday School class at the conclusion of membership studies.
One of the cultural practices on Utila is to dress formally for worship services. People who are not dressed "properly" have been turned away from the church by some who are quite tenacious regarding this tradition. I have spoken to young adults who quit their involvement in the church as youth when an adult member embarrassed them by telling them that they'd dressed inappropriately; they had to go home and change. They did go home and then they never came back. I've seen children intrigued enough by a service to hang at the sanctuary windows but when I invite them to come in they point to their clothes and say they're not dressed well enough. Jesus would welcome them; can the church do any less? I don't have a solution to this difficulty other than to tell people, Jesus would want you to come in. And when I hear that a member has turned someone away, that member will hear from their pastor.
I'm afraid that our work teams have enabled the church to resist growth. Much of what should be the local church's responsibility has been done by well-meaning work teams. Some within the church will say that Mizpah can't afford to do basic maintenance chores like painting the church buildings. I heard one church leader remark that "teams do what we could never do for ourselves." This is not true; much of the work that teams have done on the church buildings the church did do for itself in years past. The truth is that Utila is wealthier now than it ever has been and that a smaller percentage of the population now attends church. Because of outside support, the church has not had to ask the hard question of why people do not attend. We can simply maintain the status quo for a shrinking congregation, never having to consider change as the cost of reaching the people around us.
My recommendation is that the church wean itself from dependence on volunteer teams with regard to physical work on church structures. We should do basic tasks and minor improvements ourselves, from our own funds. I think that teams should be welcomed to provide capital improvements to the school (e.g., building the Teachers Residence) and do whatever direct ministry they like (Vacation Bible School, open air meetings, etc). Volunteer teams are good ways for us and for them to celebrate the connectedness we share as the body of Christ and as Methodists. Becoming dependent on teams however, is not healthy.
Our best interdenominational relationship on Utila is with The Church of God. I have found Brother Wilson Howell to be very supportive personally of me and my ministry and I have tried to do the same for him. Brother Wilson is also an involved member of the UMCC Board. The Church of God and the Methodist Church this past year shared Easter Sunrise Service and a special Christmas music program. We were pleased that Adventists also participated in the Christmas program.
The Sunday morning congregation at the Cays is tiny (average attendance is 8 to 10) but very faithful. We have had some new regular attenders in recent months which is encouraging. Most of those who attend are in their 70's.
The chapel at the Cays has an excellent relationship with the Church of God there. Though the Church of God congregation is much larger, they gladly come to any special Methodist events that don't conflict with their own congregation's activity. The Methodists are happy to return the favor, often attending Church of God events..
I regret not having spent more time on the Cays. I have little insight in how to advance the work there.
The Utila Methodist Community College
This year the school comprised grades 7, 8 and 9 with an enrollment of some 34 students. The school faces pressure from the public school as it has expanded to 7th grade and will likely add 8th and 9th grade in the coming years. The UMCC has received provisional accreditation to offer grades 1 through 4 beginning in the fall. The plan is to build up the school from the lower grades on up through the 9th grade.
Enrollment and budget are the big issues for the school. We currently have a shortfall of US$650 each month which has been underwritten as salary support by churches in the U.S. It is not known how much longer we can count on this level of support. We do not know what enrollment will be in the primary grades. We expect just 15 or so students in grade 9; no students in grade 7 or 8.
When completed, the Teachers Residence will either reduce expenditures or add revenue in the amount of US$300 (or more) each month.
I have continued to serve as a member of the UMCC board and the chaplain of the school. I taught a class I entitled "The Journeys of Paul" based on the book of Acts.
The Mission House is in excellent repair. A November storm washed away the dock; the church funded a new one. The underground cistern has been reconnected, giving the house an emergency supply of water when the municipal supply is insufficient. Purchase of another new kitchen stove was made possible by a Beaumont, Texas team. (Sadly the stove purchased less than two years earlier by a South Carolina team never worked correctly.) A South Carolina team painted the exterior of the Mission House and its fences. The portable emergency generator purchased in March of 1999 had been improperly connected; a Baton Rouge team made the correct 240V connection. The kitchen sink faucet was replaced by a South Carolina team.
Jill and I also made some improvements and contributions which will remain after we depart. I installed a new 30 amp circuit and wiring for a shower head water heater in the master bedroom. We placed wall paper boarders in two of the bedrooms and provided new linens and towels for the master bedroom. Tabitha Ministries paid for shipping for a pallet that contained a nice set of Jill's dishes that will also be left.
I am concerned about the suitability of the Mission House as a manse for future pastors and their families. My concern is twofold.
(1) Annually some ten teams stay and/or eat at the mission house for 7 to 10 days, occupying the two spare bedrooms and the common kitchen / dining room / living room space. Some pastors' families will deal with this better than others, depending on temperament. But this concern is relatively minor compared to the second.
(2) The part of town in which the Mission House is located has become progressively noisier. Two bars (the Coco Loco and the Parrot Tranquila) are within 100' of the master bedroom where Jill and I sleep. The Coco Loco plays loud music and attracts loud tourists six days a week. The Parrot Tranquila plays less often but can play music even louder. Sometimes both bars are going full tilt until midnight when the power goes off. Add to this a private individual 200' down the street who at least once a week plays from 1:30pm until 9:00pm or later and the new Utila Café that plays outdoor music from across the street, 11:00am through 9:00pm. There are times when there is no quiet place in the house in which to work. Jill and I often have to wear earplugs and take sleeping pills in order to fall asleep at night.
Twelve teams will have served the community of Utila and the Cays between July, 1999 and August, 2000.
July, 2000
A team from High Street UMC, Muncie, Indiana continues construction
on the UMCC Teachers Residence.
A group of four youth from Pennsylvania will serve the church
and community from the second week of July through the first week of August.
I hope they will work toward establishing a youth group in the church.
In late July / early August an UMVIM youth team from the
Tallahassee District will provide Vacation Bible School on the Cays and continue
construction on the UMCC Teachers Residence.
June, 2000
A youth team from First UMC team of Brownsville, Texas performed
services of drama and music on Utila and the Cays. In addition to a program
at Mizpah they also performed at the Church of God and the Baptist Church.
The team also painted the church restrooms.
A musical group named Se'lah of Saint Paul's UMC, Tallahassee,
Florida provided Vacation Bible School on Utila and gave a concert at Mizpah
and an open air concert at the corner. The team also began construction on
the UMCC Teachers Residence.
May, 2000
Skipwith UMC team from Richmond, Virginia led a Vacation Bible
School on Utila and the Cays, volunteered at the Community Clinic and built
an awning on the Mizpah sanctuary.
March, 2000
A Broadmoor UMC of Baton Rouge team led Vacation Bible School,
built bicycle racks for the church, worked on the restrooms, and did minor
repairs at the Community Clinic and the Mission House.
February, 2000
Four members of the Tennessee UMVIM team to La Ceiba came to
Utila to lead open air services on Utila and the Cays.
Two South Carolina UMVIM work team painted and performed repairs
at the Mission House. They also replaced steps for several members of the
community.
July, 1999
A medical team from Portland, Oregon, stayed at the Mission
House while serving the Utila Community Clinic.
A team from Broadmoor UMC of Baton Rouge, Louisiana led a Vacation
Bible School and a basketball clinic and performed minor repairs at the church
annex.
A team from Wesley UMC of Beaumont, Texas renovated the church
restrooms and connected them to the sanctuary building. They also hosted
Vacation Bible School, rebuilt a fence at the UMCC and volunteered at the
Utila Community Clinic.
It should be noted that Tabitha Ministries of Florida which sponsored and supported work on Utila for many years has now dissolved.