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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (164
notes).

Note 162 by UMNS on June 17, 1997 at 15:59 Eastern (4171 characters).

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT: Linda Green                              350(10-71B){162}
         Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             June 17, 1997

October television documentary to chronicle 
Arkansas United Methodists mission trip to Russia

by Jane Dennis*

          The experiences of 15 Arkansans on a United Methodist
mission trip to Russia will be the focus of a television
documentary to be shown across the state this fall.
     "To Russia With Love," a 30-minute television program to air
on six Arkansas networks in October, will chronicle the
experiences of the mission team's June 16-28 travels to
Ekaterinburg, Russia, and Return to Christ United Methodist Church
there.    
     Among the travelers on the 13-day trip, sponsored by Little
Rock's Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church and the Little Rock
District, is Jack Hill, an independent television producer and
member of the Pulaski church, and a camera crew.
     "This will be a people story," Hill said. "The documentary
will focus on Arkansas connections to people on the other side of
the earth."
     A mission team from Pulaski Heights made the first trip to
Ekaterinburg and their sister church last fall. The Rev. Elena
Stepanova, pastor of the Return to Christ United Methodist Church,
has visited the Little Rock church. In addition, a group of
Pulaski Heights youth plan to travel to Ekaterinburg in August.
     Return to Christ Church has an active prison ministry, and
Pulaski Heights is involved in a similar ministry through its
support of Second Genesis, a transitional housing and counseling
ministry serving women released from prison and their families.
     The Pulaski Heights team is carrying medical supplies and
personal items for the prison's regional clinic. Many of the items
have been donated by church members and St. Vincent Infirmary
Medical Center in Little Rock.
     The documentary also will feature the Russia Initiative, a
denominationwide mission outreach effort that helped the two
churches get connected. 
     Begun in 1991, the Russia Initiative was launched after
leaders of the churchwide Board of Global Ministries were guests
of the Russian Orthodox Church leaders and the Soviet Peace Fund,
a non-governmental humanitarian organization. 
     The contacts resulted in a new United Methodist outreach
ministry in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the
former Soviet Union. More than 70 United Methodist churches in the
United States are involved in partnerships with churches in the
CIS.
     The Board of Global Ministries and United Methodist Committee
on Relief, which is involved in numerous ministries in the CIS,
are together providing a $10,000 grant for Hill and two video crew
members to make the trip. Another $25,000 in donations
will be needed, according to Hill, to complete the 30-minute
documentary.
     "We are taking this project on faith that the rest of the
money can be raised," Hill said. "The Russian people who will be
involved in this video have never had a promotional opportunity
like this. It will be a video with staying power that can be used
forever."
     He predicted that "the broadcast will show Arkansas what the
United Methodist Church is about today."
     Hill was moved to action after watching home movies from the
previous mission trip to Ekaterinburg, in which Russian prisoners
came forward to be baptized and dedicate their lives to Christ.
     "I think I've been led to do this," Hill said about the
documentary.  "It's a spiritual calling."
     Hill is a reporter/producer for Tele Vision of Arkansas,
which  produces half-hour broadcasts focusing on Arkansas social
issues, education, health and history. 
     "We need to report on religion in the popular media," Hill
said. "It's a  driving force in our lives."
                              #  #  #

     * Dennis is editor of the Arkansas United Methodist,
newspaper of the North Arkansas and Little Rock United Methodist
annual conferences.

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