wfn.org | Agency gears up for Wesley's 300th birthday

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Sept. 26, 2002	News media contact: Tim Tanton7(615)742-54707Nashville,
Tenn.  10-71B{433}

NOTE: This report may be used as a sidebar to UMNS story #432.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - How do you prepare for someone's 300th birthday?
If the birthday boy is John Wesley and your outfit is the United Methodist
Publishing House, you provide resources to help the church observe the
milestone.

The Publishing House has been working for more than a year on resources for
the tercentenary of Methodism's founder in 2003, according to Harriett
Olson, senior vice president. Wesley was born on June 28, 1703, at Epworth
in England, and died in 1791.

Those resources include:
7	"Jack's Journey," a musical activity developed by Mark Miller and
Laurie Zelman for youth, young adults and adults. It deals with Wesley's
journey to Aldersgate Street, where he experienced his famous "heart
warming."
7	Happy Birthday, J.W., designed as an intergenerational resource to
help children learn more about Wesley. It will be available in January.
7	A new edition of Wesley's standard sermons in everyday English. Two
volumes are already in print.
7	ReConnecting: A Wesleyan Guide for the Renewal of Our Congregation,
a small-group program by Rob Weber to help local churches refocus their work
around core Wesleyan principles.

The Publishing House's January/February edition of Circuit Rider magazine
will feature those and other resources that will be available, Olson said.

Olson offered brief comments on the Wesley resources during the Publishing
House's Sept. 24-25 board meeting. 

In other business, the board:
7	Recognized Bishop Robert Spain for 10 years of service as chaplain
for the Publishing House.
7	Re-elected Neil Alexander as president and publisher of the agency
and Olson as book editor of the United Methodist Church.
7	Visited the newly refurbished Cokesbury store, across the street
from the Publishing House. The redesign emphasizes more light, new
merchandising and displays, and more visual aids. Eight additional store
upgrades are planned in the coming year, said board member Jerry Heare of
Austin, Texas.
7	Learned that the Publishing House will upgrade its Cokesbury.com
site in 2003 to provide easier shopping and access to information.

The Publishing House had sales of $119 million for the year ended July 31,
up 2.7 percent from the previous year. Its net operating revenue was $2.17
million, up 31.4 percent. Changes in the financial markets resulted in a net
revenue loss of $4.2 million, but the agency still met its goals. "We've
exceeded all the financial targets for the year, and we're very pleased with
our financial performance," said Larry Wallace, chief financial officer.

The board's next meeting will be March 27-29 in Oklahoma City.
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United Methodist News Service
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