NASHVILLE CHAPTER - Past Programs 2009
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December 16 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Our December 16 meeting was held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on Franklin Pike in Nashville, with lunch at Athens Family Restaurant, up the road on Franklin Pike.
We gathered in the beautiful sanctuary of the church. The design is basically traditional, but with an American addition of pews (not normally found in a Greek Orthodox Church) and with many more windows than usual - resulting in lots of light, but less wall space for icons.
Our presenter was the gentle and affable priest, Father Gregory Hohnholt. The 32-year-old Father Gregory is originally from Kansas and was a convert to the Greek Orthodox church in his youth. From him, we learned a great deal about the church and the faith. Notable highlights:
- This community was chartered in 1917.
- Although a Greek Orthodox Church, the congregation is a mix of Greek, Russian, Arab, Eritrean, Ethiopian, and other Orthodox traditions.
- Worship engages all 5 senses, and prayer is expressed in thought, voice, and movement.
- Salvation is found in the union of the divine and the human; Jesus Christ is the ultimate example.
- The saints are in heaven, praying for us.
- The faith is not particularly evangelistic, relying primarily on the example of living a good and faithful life to spread the word
To learn more, Father Gregory recommends the website, OrthodoxHistory.org.
Our meal gathering was held at the Athens Family Restaurant, about 3-miles up the road from the church. Many members gathered there to share some wonderful Greek-influenced food.
In attendance: Hilda Davis-Carroll, Laura Flippen Tenzel, Mike Hickcox, Polly House, Royya James, Dale Lature, Terrie Livaudais, Nancy Lown, Carol Mansour, Charlotte McAnally, Tom McAnally, Rob Phillips, Judy Saks, Chelsea Sanchez, Andrew Schleicher, and Jennifer Tramel.
November 18, 2009 at the Kern Building: Pam Campbell Gives Voice to the Heart of
Almost 20 years ago, Pam Campbell volunteered to work on Habitat for Humanity houses. Today, Pam - a member of the Nashville Chapter of the RCC - 
is charged with managing the message of Habitat as it emanates from the Atlanta office of CEO Jonathan Reckford. She serves as Executive Communications Manager, Office of the CEO, Habitat for Humanity International in Atlanta, Georgia. She works primarily from her office in the Nashville area.
It was a pleasure to hear about the job of managing a consistent and positive message for a large and honored ministry. As Pam spoke with us, CEO Reckford was in Vietnam, building Habitat homes along the Mekong River, in the company of Jimmy Carter and 2,500 volunteers from around the world. When Reckford returns to the U.S. and speaks with organizations and donors, he’ll work with the material Pam is preparing now for those occasions.
Pam talked about the significance of Habitat in her life, and in her daughter’s. She also clarified some points about Habitat:
- Habitat for Humanity is a ministry begun by Millard Fuller
- Homes are not given away; they are purchased by new owners, but the payments are affordable because of volunteer labor and homeowner sweat-equity
- Volunteers reach out to persons who could not have afforded a home, yet volunteers usually feel they are the greatest recipients of grace
In attendance: Pam Campbell, Laura Flippen-Tenzel, Mike Hickcox, Polly House, Royya James, Nancy Lown, Carol Mansour, Tom Nankervis, Judy Saks, Chelsea Sanchez, Andrew Schleicher, Katie Schull, and Jennifer Tramel.
October 22, 2009 - Delivering the Message through Social Media, with Matt Carlisle, at the General Board of Discipleship
The RCC Nashville chapter gathered in the midst of the annual convention of the United Methodist Communicators, meeting at the Kern Building. Former national president Dan Gangler was present with us, as he was attending the UMAC meeting. In addition, we welcomed three Nashville people at their first RCC meeting: Keith King, Sara Perez, and Luciana Silva.
Chapter President Laura Flippen Tenzel convened the business meeting, followed by our presentation, delivered by Matt Carlisle.
Matt is the founder of Big Heart Design, which partners with non-profit organizations to help bring to life Web sites and online applications that are focused on such efforts as education, advocacy, benevolence, the arts, healthcare, and spirituality. He is also co-founder of Ministry 2.0 - a hands-on workshop and live event designed for church leaders and volunteers interested in enhancing their ministry using the latest in Web technology. Matt is a former director of web ministry at United Methodist Communications, spending five years as the executive designer, producer, and editor of UMC.org, the official website of The United Methodist Church.
In his presentation, Matt focused on the ever-changing world of social media, and talked about the ways in which each of us can use inexpensive – or even free – systems to deliver the messages our organizations wish to get to members, constituents, and other interested people.
Among his tips:
- Focus first and primarily on the message.
- Be flexible in the ways your message will be delivered.
- Young people want to communicate in ways that are familiar to them.
- Keep the information current and regular.
- Watch for more and more communication to be delivered by applications in mobile devices.
- Key tools today include WordPress.com, Twitter, Facebook, and video produced on the Flip Video Camcorder... these will be replaced by other tool as time goes on.
See lots more from Matt at MattCarlisle.com.
Members and friends present: Ken Bedell, Joey Butler, Matt Carlisle, Laura Flippen Tenzel, Dan Gangler, Kathy Gilbert, Mike Hickcox, Polly House, Kwasi Kena, Keith King, Nancy Lown, Sara Perez, Jeanette Pinkston, Andrew Schleicher, Luciana Silva, Tim Tanton, Jennifer Tramel.
September 16, 2009: Room in the Inn, at The Center for Human Development
The September 16th meeting of the Nashville Chapter of the Religious Communicator’s Council was held in the Room In The Inn facility on the Campus for Human Development, just off of Drexel Street at 8th Avenue South in downtown Nashville.
Laura Flippen Tenzel, chapter president, introduced our speaker, Mary Wilder (left), Room In The Inn Congregational Development Coordinator. She was soon joined by Rachel Hester , Executive Director of Room In The Inn.
No place is the leading of God’s Holy Spirit more evident than in the building housing the interdenominational, interfaith ministry Room In the Inn.
This special ministry to the homeless came about when Father Charles Strobel realized that preparing and handing out sandwiches to those in need wasn’t enough. The parking lot of Holy Name Catholic Church was constantly filled with persons who had no place to go, no place to spend the night—and the nights were getting colder and colder. Without notifying his congregation Fr. Strobel invited those in the parking lot inside the warm church building for the night—the stay extended for two nights, then a week, and finally months. Room at the Inn was formed to allow other churches to extend an overnight welcome to the homeless whether it be once a month, or once a week.
In September of 2009 this number has grown to 160 churches and thousands of volunteers representing a variety of religious traditions and this number includes three Jewish synagogues.
As representatives of the Nashville Chapter members listened on September 16th, Mary Wilder, Room In The Inn Congregational Development Coordinator, and Rachel Hester (right), Executive Director of Room In The Inn, told how step by step--as unique needs were revealed-- Room In The Inn established new ways to reach out to the homeless:
- An adult education program which now includes GED preparation, basic computer skills, job performance, and retention program, art. personal living skills, plus alcohol and drug recovery classes
- Establishment of a guest house for persons who were intoxicated. This is a safe alternative to jail where intoxicated individuals can sober up. The program is offered in partnership with the Metro police department.
- Creation of a Medical Respite program to provide shelter and medical care for persons just released from hospitals. This allows homeless people a safe place to recover from illness.
- Odyssey: a long-term community that coordinates and enhances services provided for chronically homeless individuals. Odyssey seeks collaboration with other agencies in developing a comprehensive continuum of care.
- In 1995 Room In The Inn formed the Campus for Human Development, the city’s only single site of services to the homeless, offering an array of services both emergency and long-terms.
- And even as Wilder and Hester spoke to the RCC representatives, work was continuing on a multi-story facility to be connected to the Campus for Human Development. The new facility, due to open in June of 2010, will offer expanded day programs, recuperative care and 38 affordable housing apartments.
The goal of Room In The Inn and its volunteers is to welcome each person, no matter their circumstances, with unconditional love. As was brought out in a promotional video, seen at the beginning of Wilder and Hester’s presentation, “what we are doing is building 
relationships, more like friendships.” “This,” they note, “is not about giving, it is about receiving.” Everyone, volunteer or homeless person, receives God’s love . . . and each person receives the presence of God in a different way.” One elderly man on the video summed it up, “They loved me just the way I am.”
(Summary and photos provided by Tom Nankervis)
Members and friends in attendance: Joanne Concepcion, Sharon Dean, Laura Flippen Tenzel, Harry Leake, Carol Mansour, Tom Nankervis, and Andrew Schleicher
August 19, 2009 - Interfaith Work with Immigrant Communities, held at Belmont United Methodist Church
Although this was a luncheon meeting, our guest speakers could have provided a full day of learning about immigration issues and efforts being made in the Nashville area. All three of our speakers are deeply involved with justice issues related to immigration in our community.
Tara Lentz is a Presbyterian M.Div. candidate at Vanderbilt Divinity. She works with Clergy for Tolerance, a collaboration that brings together faith leaders to deal with diversity issues, including immigration, and new arrivals. They run forums for clergy and other faith leaders, and were active in the recent English-Only referendum.
Remziya Suleyman is policy coordinator with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. Remziya came to the U.S. from Kurdistan in 1991. She is now working on her Master’s degree in Public Information. She noted that Nashville has many immigrants from Somalia, Kurdistan, and Sudan, and that there there hasn’t been a national immigration policy reform since 1986.
Avi Poster, a retired school principal, is president of the Coalition for Education about Immigration, “a grassroots organization devoted to facilitating educated, rational, and informed conversation on immigration and related issues.” Avi talked about the problems with the 287G program, under which thousands of people from Davidson Country have been deported after minor traffic infractions and other insignificant infractions.
In our business meeting, we heard about RCC2010 next April in Chicago, the Festival of the Nations on September 12, and the United Way Community Rally on September 10.
The meeting was held in the beautiful new gymnasium/community room at Belmont United Methodist Church in Hillsboro Village.
Members and friends in attendance: Kaye Chavis, Laura Flippen-Tenzel, Mike Hickcox, Nancy Lown, Carol Mansour, Judy Saks, Chelsea Sanchez, Andrew Schleicher, Katie Schull, Amelia Tucker-Shaw, and Angie Slade.
Religion Communications Ministry Institute - May 20, 2009 at the Tennessee UMC Conference Office
This was our first visit to the office of the Tennessee Conference of The United Methodist Church. New member Tom Nankervis was our host, providing a great place to meet, a good meeting room, free parking, coffee, and a tour of the facilities.
Following lunch, President Laura Flippen-Tenzel led the business meeting, which also included introductions all around and a review of upcoming holidays in the many religious traditions in attendance.
It was a pleasure to receive a program led by two of our members: Kathy Noble (at left) and Andrew Schleicher. They are active in the operation of the Religion Communications Ministry Institute run one week every summer at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee. This year, the courses will be: Writing for Mass Media, Communications Law and Ethics, Contemporary Issues in Communications, and United Methodist Studies (Polity).This year's program will run July 19-24. Learn more on the Web at http://www.martinmethodist.edu/ccl/education/ccmi
This was the first meeting for John DeMarco, and for Elizabeth Guye, who is an intern at United Methodist Communications.
Present at the meeting: John DeMarco, Al Dittes, Laura Flippen-Tenzel, Elizabeth Guye, Mike Hickcox, Harry Leake, Carol Mansour, Trish Myrick, Tom Nankervis, Kathy Noble, Jeannette Pinkston, Ben Rhodes, Jonathan Rose, and Andrew Schleicher.
RCC Executive Director Shirley Struchen at the United Methodist General Council on Finance and Administration, April 22, 2009
This was a day of several “firsts”. This was the first time the RCC chapter met at the GCFA. We thank Sharon Dean for the arrangements and the great room. This was also the very first RCC meeting for David Briggs, Ben Rhodes, and Tom Nankervis. It was great to have all of them in attendance. It was also a day to share with “experienced” RCC members Roger Burgess, W. C. Fields, Tom McAnally, and Shirley Struchen.
After business neatly led by president Laura Flippen-Tenzel, the floor was given to Shirley Struchen, executive director of the RCC. Shirley’s office is at the Interchurch Center in New York. It was a privilege to have her with us in Nashville, along with her husband, Don (photo at right).
Shirley led us through discussions about the history of the RCC, a look forward at RCC2010 in Chicago next April, and about the scholarship recipients at the recent RCC convention in Cambridge MA.
We also saw brief video segments of Mike Dubose's Best of Class award, and of W. C. Fields and Tom McAnally discussing the origin of the once-a-decade communication congresses. We also honored this year’s Nashville-area winners of DeRose-Hinkhouse awards. They are:
Best of Class: Mike DuBose (seen at left) Photography, Color, Series: Nothing But Nets in Cote d’Ivoire
Award of Excellence:
- Polly House / Magazine Series: VBS Outrigger Island: Waves of Success in Reaching People for Christ
- Safiyah Fosua / Book: Africana Worship Book
- Kathy Gilbert, Linda Green, and Kathy Noble / Web: Central Conference Pension Initiative series
- Susan Crawford / Miscellaneous: Our Web Site Owner’s Manual
- Katie Schull / Design, Publication Cover: Facts and Trends, May/June 2008
- Kwasi Kena / Non-Broadcast Audio: The Making of Africana
- Jan Snider / Miscellaneous: Servant or Sucker: Wise Compassionate Ways to Help the Poor
Certificate of Merit
- Polly House / Newspaper or Magazine News: LifeBoxes give our military heroes a positive sign that churches care
A special note of recognition goes to W. C. Fields. We learned he joined RCC in Nashville in 1959. That means W. C. (at right) has been a member now for 50 years!
20 members and friends in attendance: David Briggs, Roger Burgess, Carolyn Dandridge, Sharon Dean, Al Dittes, Mike DuBose, Wilbur C. Fields, Laura Flippen-Tenzel, Kathy Gilbert, Mike Hickcox, Terrie Livaudais, Tom McAnally, Carol Mansour, Tom Nankervis, Kathy Nobel, Jeannette Pinkston, Ben Rhodes, Amelia Tucker-Shaw, Don Struchen, and Shirley Struchen.
"Justice for Our Neighbors" at United Methodist Communications, February 18, 2009
The program and the food were apparently both appetizing, as more than two 
dozen members and guests appeared for the meeting held in the theater of the United Methodist Communications building. The business agenda called for election of officers - listed on the Nashville Chapter page. President Laura Flippen-Tenzel (left) also promoted upcoming conventions and pointed out interfaith events and holidays in the next few weeks. New member Susan Crawford was announced.
Our presentation on JFON (Justice for Our Neighbors) was headed by Jan Snider (below), who led the development of the JFON organization in Nashville. JFON provides free, high-quality immigration legal
services, and engages in education and advocacy around immigration issues. The local group still needs more support, but is close to affording a full-time attorney.
Jan’s presentation was supplemented with comments from volunteers Sue Conder and Julie Lewis.
25 Members and guests in attendance: Amanda Bacchas, Heather Bennett, Maile Bradfield, Cindy Caldwell, Sue Conder, Hilda Davis-Carroll, Sharon Dean, Al Dittes, Laura Flippen-Tenzel, Kathy Gilbert, Mike Hickcox, Sam House, David Kim, Kwasi Kena, Beth Kindig, Harry Leake, Julie Lewis, Carol Mansour, Lilla Marigza, Nancy Neelley, Kathy Noble, Judy Saks, Andrew Schlieicher, Jan Snider, and Fran Walsh.
Tennessee Valley Health Care System, January 21, 2009
We were hosted by staff chaplain Tommy Baker at the VA hospital on the Vanderbilt campus. Lunch involved a walk down the hall to the hospital cafeteria, and a view of daily hospital life among those who work there, and those who were in that day for services.
Chaplain Baker had arranged for a number of speakers to give us an overview of the services and the challenges. They included:
- Tom Phillips, [at left] chaplain coordinator
- Tanya Hardiway, program manager
- Leslie Murray, suicide prevention coordinator
- Laurel Cassidy, [below] PolyTrauma care manager
- Denise Leopold, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder group leader
The VA, under the current Operation Enduring Freedom / Operation Iraqi Freedom programs, is able to provide returning soldiers five years of full services. Many services continue for a lifetime. We learned much about mental health and suicide prevention programs, which are being refined and bolstered; extended efforts for those with multiple injuries and Traumatic Brain Injury; and PTSD groups not only for recent soldiers, but many from much earlier wars.
Membership appeared to be limited by the difficulty in finding parking. Present at the meeting: Carolyn Dandridge, Laura Flippen-Tenzel, Mike Hickcox, Nancy Lown, Jeanette Pinkston, and Judy Saks.
