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National Gathering of UM Men to have Tennessee flavor
Vince Gill and Steve Hornbeak to sing at July event
   
NASHVILLE, Tenn.––For the past 36 years, UM Men have held their quadrennial gatherings at Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind.
When the General Commission on UM Men moved their 10th National Gathering to Nashville, music for the event took on a distinctively Nashville flavor.
Vince Gill and Steve Hornbeak, two Nashville-based recording artists, will perform at the July 10-11, 2009, assembly at Belmont University. They will be joined by Sheltered Reality, a national youth percussion band that includes youngsters from a Nashville inner-city church.
Paul Saik, a well known vocalist and pianist from the Nashville Area, will serve as the music leader. He recently released a live recording of hymns recorded at Brentwood (Tenn.) United Methodist Church.
Richard Alegria, former president of the Rio Grande Conference United Methodist Men, will serve as organist for the event. This will be his seventh men’s national gathering.
Speakers at the event will include Chicago Area Bishop Hee-Soo Jung; Dr. Patrick Morley, founder of Man in the Mirror ministries; and the Rev. Kevass Harding, pastor of a Wichita, Kans., congregation that grew from 25 members to more than 800 in eight years.
While the event officially closes Saturday, July 11, persons staying over in Nashville may attend a July 12 morning worship service led by Bishop William W. Morris, a retired UM bishop residing in the Nashville area.
Vince Gill
Gill, 51, has sold more than 26 million albums. He has earned 18 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 1993 and 1994. He is tied with George Strait for having won the most CMA Male Vocalist Awards (five), and is currently second only to Brooks and Dunn for accumulating the most CMA Awards in history. Gill is a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and has received 19 Grammy Awards to date, the most of any male country artist. In August of 2007, the Country Music Association inducted Gill as the newest members of the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame.
Gill knows the value of mentoring, and is personally involved in helping young men have opportunities they otherwise might not experience. Much of the music written and recorded by Gill has powerful messages related to God’s love for us, and the need for us to “give ourselves away” to others. His concert on Saturday night will feature such music.
Steve Hornbeak
Hornbeak will perform Friday evening and will host a writer’s session following the evening sessions. He has toured with Faith Hill, Lee Greenwood, Jessica Andrews, Billy Gilman, Tracy Lawrence, Vince Gill, Kenny Loggins, Michael Bolton, Night Ranger, Eddie Rabbitt, and most currently, Richard Marx and John Michael Montgomery. He has also appeared on network television programs, including performances with David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Ellen DeGeneres.
Sheltered Reality
Over 300 young people in 14 states are participants in Sheltered Reality based in West Branch, Iowa. The Tennessee group includes youngsters from 61st Avenue United Methodist Church who will participate in choreographed drumming. Group members will tell stories of hardship and triumph.
The faith-based presentation is designed to inspire men to not only become better individuals, but to take action to help others succeed in life.
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung
Bishop Jung was the first of three bishops elected at the North Central Jurisdictional Conference in 2004 and was assigned to be the episcopal leader of the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church.
At the time of his election, Jung was serving as a district superintendent in the Wisconsin Conference, a position he had held since 1997. Prior to serving as superintendent, Jung chaired the Department of Religion and Philosophy and was dean of the University Chapel at Kangnam University and Seminary in Kyungki-Do, Korea.
Jung has served as pastor of congregations in Wisconsin, California, Texas and Korea and was responsible for establishing a new Korean congregation at University UMC in Madison, Wis. While serving a congregation in Seoul Korea, he was also director of the Young Factory Workers' Professional School, Urban Ministry.
Dr. Patrick Morley
Dr. Morley is chairman and chief executive officer of Man in the Mirror ministries based in Orlando, Fla. For three decades he has been regarded as one of America's most respected authorities on the unique challenges and opportunities that men face.
In 1973, he founded Morley Properties, which, for several years, was hailed as one of Florida's 100 largest privately held companies. During this time he was the president or managing partner of 59 companies and partnerships.
In 1989 the PhD graduate of Walden University wrote The Man in the Mirror, a book that sold 3 million copies and was selected as one of the 100 most influential Christian books of the twentieth century.
In 1991, Morley founded Man in the Mirror, a ministry which trains and resources church leaders to reach men more effectively. Every Friday morning since 1986, he teaches a 150-member Bible study class in Orlando; the lesson is webcast throughout the United States and in 50 countries.
The Rev. Kevass Harding
The Rev. Harding, pastor at Dellrose UMC in Wichita, Kans., is the author of the book, Can These Bones Live (Abingdon Press).
Harding uses the imagery from Ezekiel 37, the valley of the dry bones, to tell how God used a faithful few to breathe new life into a dying church, growing from 25 members to more than 800 members in just eight years.
Harding serves as a member of the Wichita School Board and he recently purchased a decaying, 72,000-square-foot, shopping mall near the church for $2.2 million.
Theme
The theme of the two-day conference will be “Focus on the Cross.” Bishop Jung will address issues related to “man to God.” Harding will talk about “man to boy.” Morley will focus on man to man.
The gathering will also feature workshops, seminars and opportunities to engage in local mission projects.
Location
The national event is slated to be held at Belmont University's newly built Curb Event Center, a 90,000-square-foot sports and entertainment complex.
"We are excited to welcome the United Methodist Men to the Belmont campus," said Belmont President Bob Fisher. "Their rich tradition of faith, fellowship and community fits perfectly at Belmont. Anytime we can welcome esteemed groups to campus with values similar to Belmont's, we are honored to do so.
The Rev. David Adams, top staff executive of the General Commission on United Methodist Men, is a Belmont graduate. He said the close proximity of the school to the commission office makes this an ideal location.
For information, and to register for the event, visit the web site UnitedMethodistMen.org or call toll free (866)-297-4313 or (615)-340-7145.
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Photos: Steve Hornbeck, Vince Gill, Sheltered Reality, Bishop Jung, Kevass Harding, Patrick Morley, Steve Hornbeak and national gathering art piece
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