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9JANUARY2014BODYOFCHRISTNEWSInanopportunityofalifetimeIrecentlyexperiencedSouthernAfricatravelingwithagroupof14alumnaeandstudentsoftheIliffSchoolofTheologyIliff.Theschoolstraditionservesstudentsandalumnifromallwalksoflifeagesandfaithsandhelpspeopleexpresstheircallingsinmyriadways.Dr.EdwardP.AntonioassociatedeanDiversitiesHarveyH.PotthoffassociateprofessorofTheologyandSocialTheoryIliffandwifeGladysAntoniowhoarenativesofZimbabwedesignedIliffsZimbabweSouthAfricanImmersionLearningProgramtoengagethemindheartandsoularoundtheissuesofsocialjusticeandtheydidsohandilyThroughthisarticleIsharemyinterpretationoftheadventureintheformerlandofapartheidandthewaysissuesofJusticeandPeacefaithandgoodwillwereevidencedforusduring17-daysofimmersionlearningthroughtheAfricansouthernhemispherewithvisitstoZimbabwesHarareMutareVictoriaFallsandSouthAfricasCapeTownRobbenIslandPretoriaandJohannesburg.IliffisagraduatetheologicalschoolaffiliatedwiththeUnitedMethodistChurchsofittinglyweattendedSundayservicesatSt.PetersUnitedMethodistChurchinMutareZimbabwe.Ablackcongregationwewitnessedtheoppor-tunitiesofprogressrepresentedinthemarkedlypatriarchalcountry.YouseetheentiretyofchurchleadershipwasledandlovedbytalentedwomenFromthewomanwhotaughtSundayschoolforthecongregationsyoung-estparishionerstoSt.PeterschoirdirectorandReverenditwaswomensharingandinterpretingthegospelforthemorethan70faithfulwhowerepresentonthatday.Formorethan120yearsIliffhasbeenpreparingimaginativeinnova-tiveleadersfortheworldchurchandacademyandIwasdelightedtoseemyfellowtravelersdescribingandexpressingtheircallingsaswetookturnsintroducingourselvestotheparishioners.AsIstoodinthechurchIfeltthepresenceoftheDivineencour-agingcomfortingandaffirmingusamidthestrangerswewouldcometoknow.AspecialwitnessformewasobservingfourwomeninourgroupeachofwhomholdsastrongChristianfaithgainaneaseandaclearpres-enceofpeaceastheyengagedintheservice.ItwouldbeseveraldayslaterthatIwouldagainwitnessgraceasweencounteredababyinanorphanage.ThebabysnameisMorelightandassheemergedfromhernapthelittleonewhohadneverseentheReverendreachedforherasthoughseekingtoconnectwithmyfriendsspirit-filledwarmandlovingbody.Theblessingofthatmomentwasprofoundjoy-ousandmoving.IamconvincedtheDivinebroughtforththeencounteroftwosoulsdestinedtobeknownOurtravelstookplaceduringtheAmericanperiodofThanksgivingandservedtovividlybringintofocustheabundancepresentinmylife.ExploringJusticeandPeaceintheformerlandofapartheidatthetimeofourdiscoverywithourdistinctlydiversegroupoftravelersenrichedthelessonsandimmeasurablyamplifieditsmessages.IfnotfortheAmericanCivilRightsmovementanditssuc-cesseswhichfor40yearsAmericanshaveembraced.Ifnotfortheendanti-apartheidmovementandthetwodecadesofliberationsitssuccessescre-atedforSouthAfricansourtripsimplywouldnothavebeenpossible.Ourfamilyoftravelersrepresenteddiversi-tiessocioeconomicgenderraceeth-nicsexualorientationeducationandevencountryoforigin.OurconcurrentgroupdininglearninglodgingandtravelwereresultsofopportunitiesbornofsuccessfulJusticeandPeacecommitments.ItwasthemiracleoftheseprogressesthatmadepossiblemyroomsharingwithmyCaucasianfriendthroughoutthejourneyandforthatIagaingivethanks.Iflikemeyoubelieveintheinflu-enceoftheDivineandthatnothinghappenssimplybychanceorcoinci-dencethenyoumightimaginehowpoignantitisthatexactlyoneweekbeforethepassingofTataMadibawetouredRobbenIslandseeingfirst-handthecellthatjailedthegreatleaderfor18years.YoumightalsoagreethatourhavingstoodinMandelaHouseonVilakaziStreetOrlandoWestinSowetoSouthAfricaduringthistimealsowasremarkable.JusticeandPeaceandprogressallowedthattogetherwecouldlearntourandphotographthehomeinwhichthegreatleadersleptonthenightbeforehewasjailedforthefinaltimeanditwastoMandelaHousethathereturned27yearslater.Hewassaidtohavecalledhishomelocatedat8115VilakaziStreetthecentrepointofmylifetheplacemarkedwithanXinmymentalgeog-raphy.HavingpersonallystoodinthatspacewhichwassacredtohimtheplacehecalledhomebuiltalifewithhiswifeWinniewelcomedhischildrenintotheworldshareddreamsandorganizedplanswashumanizinghighlypersonalandintimate.Igivethanksfortheimmenseoppor-tunitiesaffordedmetofeastonthebountyofbeautysightssmellscountlessgenerositieshospitalitycuisineandlandspreviouslyforeigntomeandyetthenativelandofmybloodancestors.Iamhumbledandgratefulfortheabundanceseenfitformeandameagertoadvancemyroleintheeffortsofsocialjustice.Repeatedlyindividualshaveansweredthecalltobringforthchangewhosetimehascomeandforthattheworldhasbeenmadebetter.SCRIPTURETheGiftAJourneyThroughImmersionLearningM.CelesteJacksonisassis-tantdirectorofDiversitiesandCommunityRelationsatIliffSchoolofTheology.ByM.CelesteJacksonAttentionPastorsChurchAdministratorsFinancialOfficersandChurchBoardMembersAlarmingstatisticshaveemergedinrecentyearsregardingthestateofmanychurchesinAmerica.Considerthefollowingn3500-4000churchesclosetheirdoorseachyearnChurchesloseanestimated2765000peopleeachyeartonominalismandsecularismnOnly21ofAmericansattendreligiousserviceseachweeknAsofJune82011275000nonprofitshadlosttheir501cTaxExemptstatusduetonon-filingofForm990for3consecutiveyearsAndthisisonlyapartialpictureofthedirectionthechurchinAmericahasbeenheading.BanneredHostMinistriesinconjunctionwithCPAcoachParsonsandParsons.orghasputtogetheranexcit-ingnewprogramCPAcoachforchurchestopro-tectthemselvesfromthemanyfinancialpitfallsthathavecausedsomany501c3organizationstocloseorbarelyremainoperational.CPAcoachalsoincludesFinancialTrainingthatcouldbenefityourentirecongregationanemergencymedicalprogramandanencryptedstoragesolutionforallyourpersonaldataDoyouhavequestionsaboutaccountingstan-dardslegalissuesthatfacechurchandpara-churchorganizationstodayorIRSrequirementsthatcanmakethedifferenceincompliancevs.futureauditsIfsoyouneedtherightsolutionandthatsolutionisCPAcoachTherewillbeanintroductorymeetingonJanuary112014.Location1690S.ChambersRd.AgapeCareCommunityTime10001130amThereisanurgencyinthelandYouaretheWatchmanontheWallitistimeforustopartnertogetherWecompelyoutoComeandlearnaboutthisexcitingopportunityandhowitwillblessandprotectyourchurchorpara-churchorganizationaswellasyourcongregation.PleaseRSVPtorsvpcpacoach.org.BanneredHostMinistriesAnnouncesCPAcoachfortheChurches