April 23, 2003

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - United Methodists will have an opportunity to chat online with the top executive of the church's missions agency May 15.

The online conversation with the Rev. R. Randy Day, staff head of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern time. People can participate in the event, "Mission in the 21st Century: A Chat with Randy Day," by logging on to www.UMC.org, the denomination's official online ministry.

Day will outline his vision for the future of mission and discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead. The audience will submit questions and comments in real time directly to him, so participants will guide the chat's direction and focus. Topics are expected to include:

• The reality of the church having to do more with fewer resources.

• The church's role in helping rebuild Iraq after the war.

• The Board of Global Ministries' financial situation.

• The challenges the church faces as it becomes increasingly global.

Day was elected chief staff executive of the board in October, succeeding the Rev. Randolph Nugent, who held the position for 21 years. Day, 55, had overseen the agency's program areas of Evangelism and Church Growth as well as Community and Institutional Ministries since September 2000. Before then, he served pastorates in Connecticut and New York and was a district superintendent for New York City from 1984 to 1990.

He has been involved in mission work around the world and has been active on human rights and peace issues.

"Mission in the 21st Century: A Chat with Randy Day" is being produced by www.UMC.org, an initiative of United Methodist Communications, in cooperation with the Board of Global Ministries. More details are available at the Web site.

United Methodist News Service