STAFFORD, Texas –– Edgar H. Case, a 17-year member of First United Methodist Church in Sugar Land, Texas, has been certified as a men’s ministry specialist by the Nashville-based General Commission on United Methodist Men.
He is now available to help Texas churches expand their ministries to men
A graduate of No Man Left Behind, a course in men’s ministry offered by Man in the Mirror ministries, Case now serves as the first Texas representative of the Florida-based ministry.
In order to receive certification as a men’s ministry specialist, Case had to be certified as a local church lay speaker, and recently he preached his first sermon at Wallis United Methodist Church. He also completed an on-line course in the history and polity of the UMC along with safe sanctuary training. The 18-month certification process is coordinated by the commission in cooperation with the Turner Center for Church Development at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville.
This active United Methodist has completed three DISCIPLE Bible Study courses along with Christian Believer and Jesus in the Gospels. He also participates in two men’s Bible study groups along with a Wesley Group at the Sugar Land church.
He is in his 10th year as a teacher of 4th and 5th grade Sunday school classes.He is a member of the men’s ministry leadership team, and he served as lay leader for prayer at two different times. He co led a men’s prayer ministry group, and chaired the Finance Committee and the Caring-Forever Endowment Fund at the Sugar Land church.
An active member of Sugar Land T-3 Ministry (Titus 3:1-2), Case helps put together sack lunches to distribute to the homeless and less fortunate in downtown Houston. He has also completed chaplaincy training through the Oil Patch Chaplains organization that provides short-term emotional and spiritual support to those who have experienced trauma in the upstream oil business.
“I believe the most significant challenge facing the church today is to help men understand the critical importance of being the spiritual leader that God designed them to be,” said Case. “We need to give men the tools and spiritual encouragement to become the strong disciples God wants them to be in their homes, their jobs, their neighborhoods, and their communities.”
Case plans to begin his ministry with churches in the Southwest District, but he is available to assist other congregations, and he hopes to introduce churches of other denominations to Man in the Mirror resources..
“I believe Ed’s vigor and love of Jesus Christ is the infusion that we need as a men’s ministry specialist in the United Methodist Men’s organization,” said Dan Ramsey, a member of the team assessing candidates for the position. He will work closely with Kenneth Tielke, Texas Conference president of United Methodist Men.
Case may be reached at edgarcase@windstream.net.