Month: November 2016

UCM Connections – November 2016

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Lilly Intern Spotlight: Hartley, Elkins Federated Church & The Presbytery of Arkansas

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From the UCM November Newsletter:

We are highlighting the third of our three fall Lilly interns.  Hartley Allen is a “child of the Presbytery of Arkansas” and wanted to make sure she stayed involved as she transitioned from High School to the U of A.  Hartley’s internship is a combination of a connection with the youth and young adult ministries of the Presbytery of Arkansas and a local congregation connection with Elkins Federated Church.  Susan Rose is the moderator of the session for Elkins Federated Church and both Susan and Mary Shaw preach there once each month. Involvement with Elkins Federated has given Hartley opportunities for new leadership in a small, tight-knit congregation. The Presbytery events have given her the opportunity to step out as a young adult leader and a spokesperson for her peers.

Welcoming this Opportunity:

  • Hartley knew when she got to the U of A that she wanted to continue her involvement in the Presbytery of Arkansas and knew that a good way to do that would be to plug into UCM and Lilly.
  • Susan has watched Hartley grow up, since they attend the same church. Susan knew Hartley participated in the life of FPC Springdale, but also served on Youth Advisory Team and was active at Presbytery youth events.  When she was considering attending the U of A, Susan knew the Leadership Initiative would be a great place for Hartley to plug-in with her faith and leadership skills.

Highlights:

  • Hartley enjoyed the opportunity to attend and speak at the October Presbytery meeting in Harrison, Arkansas, where she gave the Presbyterian Youth Triennium report. She was on the planning team and Leader Corps for Junior High Youthquake in September, which she notes: “was amazing.”  She has been placed in the Elkins Community Church, where she is leading different aspects of the worship service. Hartley said: “Being at Elkins, which is a smaller church, has been a new and fantastic experience so far.”
  • Susan shared that there are five children who attend at Elkins regularly, three of whom are girls.  They immediately attached themselves to Hartley!  She is modeling faith to a younger generation in so many different ways.  Most of all, she is “there” for them.  Susan finds it “heartwarming to see their excitement every month when Hartley is in worship.” Susan has also enjoyed serving communion with Hartley.  She is an ordained elder in the PC(USA) and helps distribute the elements during communion.  Because the church is small, Hartley takes one side of the church and Susan takes the other.  Susan finds that it is more intimate because they are able to interact with the members of the church instead of just passing a tray down an aisle. Coming from a larger church, “It is a very different experience than what she is used to!”

Looking Forward:

  • Hartley is looking forward to Senior High Youthquake in the spring and getting to know the Elkins congregation even more.
  • Susan notes that Hartley has been so open about serving Elkins in whatever capacity is needed. “The Elkins congregation has embraced her fully in everything she has tried and personally, I hope Hartley will try preaching sometime in the spring!”

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Hartley speaking at the 133rd meeting of the Presbytery of Arkansas

Monthly e-newsletter

Lilly – Leadership Initiative Project

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2016 Lilly Interns

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In October, 2015, UCM was awarded a grant from the Lilly Endowment as part of their Campus Ministry Theological Exploration of Vocation (CMTEV) Initiative for a project entitled “Leadership Initiative.”

Leadership Initiative allows UCM to hire up to 5 student interns a year to explore their interests within the church or local ministries. CMTEV grants were awarded to 104 campus ministry programs over two years at 67 different public universities in 35 states and Washington, D.C. The grants encompass 11 different Christian traditions, Christian Study Centers, ecumenical, national and non-denominational programs. UCM was the only campus ministry awarded a CMTEV grant in the state of Arkansas!

Susan Rose and Mary Shaw attended the CMTEV Initiative conference in early October of this year. The Lilly Endowment and the Forum for Theological Education brought together the 53 grantees awarded in 2015. It was a fast-paced environment of learning and networking. The conference emphasized the two primary aims of the CMTEV Initiative:

  • Assist undergraduate students to utilize the theological lens of vocation to examine the
    relationship between their faith and their life and career choices
  • Encourage undergraduate students with inclinations for Christian leadership to explore potential calls to full-time Christian ministry.

Equipped with and engaged by this knowledge, Susan and Mary returned to share this information with the current Lilly Interns, as well as are allowing it to shape the way UCM implements the grant in the future.  We are excited to leverage the Lilly grant money into a bright future for UCM!  We invite you to share in this excitement with us!

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