Florida News-July 2016
Announcing New Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management & Operations on the Florida Dunnam Campus
Eric Currie rejoins the Asbury Theological Seminary family as the Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Operations on the Florida Dunnam Campus. After serving as the Vice President of Enrollment Management at Houghton College for the past three and one-half years, Eric holds more than a decade of experience within higher education. Prior to serving at Houghton, Eric served as the Director of Enrollment and Student Services on the Florida Dunnam Campus. His new position reports directly to the Vice President of Enrollment Management and plays a critical role in working across the institution to ensure enrollment goals are met and connections with key constituents are made.
“Eric has a passion for the Wesleyan tradition, a heart for students and a love for Asbury,” Bish said. “I feel confident that Eric’s abilities and God-given talents will help advance the mission of the Seminary and advance enrollment on the Florida Dunnam Campus.”
Taking Church to a Tattoo Parlor
United Methodists often see the church’s logo, a cross and flame, on signs or church materials. But some Florida congregants have decided to wear their link to the denomination on their sleeves, or at least really near their sleeves. These people of faith were inspired by their unconventional pastor to share an outward sign of their internal convictions.
It is immediately obvious that Michael Beck isn’t the conventional image of a minister. There are his tattoos, including the cross and flame of United Methodism.
There is his preaching shoeless, because he considers any pulpit- no matter how informal- hallowed ground.
And, there is his previous life, which- like his Bible- is an open book.
The Rev. Michael Beck, Wildwood United Methodist Church: “I guess most pastors don’t have criminal records. I was born addicted, my mother abandoned me at birth. I had some United Methodist pastors early in my life start stepping in and mentoring me, but I made some wrong decisions and I ended up an alcoholic, a drug addict. But I knew when there was nothing left to do that I could go back to the church. God took a mess and made a message.”
So the congregation at Wildwood United Methodist Church is not surprised when Pastor Beck says things like this: “We’re waiting expectantly for Jesus to return, maybe today, amen? I don’t know but I want to be in a tattoo parlor studying the Bible when he comes back.”
That’s not just a joke.
A Wildwood Bible study group convenes in a tattoo parlor in nearby Ocala.
The Rev. Michael Beck: “I’ve learned that it’s actually not my righteousness that attracts people to God. It’s my brokenness. They say ‘Hey, if this guy can turn his life around then I can.’
When Pastor Beck came to Wildwood only 30 to 40 people were attending the church, and almost no children.
The Rev. Michael Beck: “A church without the laughter of children is a church without a future, right?”
Three years later membership has more than tripled- including many young families, at a service designed with them in mind.
At Wildwood United Methodist, Rev. Beck facilitates an addiction recovery program, a prison ministry, many Fresh Expression Ministries, and a food pantry that serves more than 150 families.
This story was first posted on January 9, 2015.
Media contact is Fran Walsh.
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