Dynamics of international mission in the Methodist Church Ghana

Christianity is currently coming to terms with the demographic shift of now being primarily a Southern church, and mission is emanating out of its new heartlands. In recent generations, it has not been uncommon to interpret international mission from places like Africa through the paradigmatic thinking of the modern missionary movement. However, missiologists have begun to take note of the ways of thinking in the majority world. Important to missiological conceptualisation of many in the majority world is the role of migration, and it offers perspectives into what may very well be an unfolding mission paradigm. As a mainline church with strong roots in Ghana, the Methodist Church Ghana gives insights into how a church in a worldwide communion both understands and navigates mission on the world stage. This thesis explores the conceptualisation of international mission in the Methodist Church Ghana. It ascertains the priority the Methodist Church Ghana places on international mission, and it gives identification to the ways in which international mission is conducted. As demonstrated in the semi-structured interviews, the Methodist Church Ghana has a favourable view of its international mission engagement and the direction with which its mission is headed to in the future. Based on the cultural values of communal responsibility, it employs a missional church ecclesiology as mission occurs collectively through the modality. As its members migrate to lands beyond Ghana with different Methodist narratives, it must negotiate seemingly paradoxical perspectives as it belongs to a larger world communion and lives out its evangelical ‘world parish’ theology. Through migration and the expressions of mission by and amongst its diaspora communities, differentiating models for interpreting diaspora mission can be identified in the Methodist Church Ghana

Potential effects of environmental change on mining wastes in a hyperarid climate

Three desert washes were sampled to evaluate the transport of contaminated sediments from abandoned mining sites to downwash environments. The area of concern is an extreme arid climate considered stable and not to pose pathways for contaminated sediments to impact downwash environments. Research of mine wastes in Nelson, Nevada has shown that residual geogenic and anthropogenic trace elements have been mobilized in surface sediments as a result of storm event. Cyanide and trace elements, especially mercury and lead, have transported to 6000 m downwash from source areas. Short term environmental impacts appear to be minimal because of present-day environmental conditions. However, climate shifts caused by the El Nino Southern Oscillations or even a dramatic climate shift might increase regional precipitation promoting a more rapid erosion of contaminated sediment. Currently, wash sediments do not contain levels of CN- or trace elements that pose threats to the environment; however, if erosion and transport of mining waste increased because of additional precipitation, then CN- and trace elements loading in storm water would increase, with their possibly delivery to Lake Mohave

Strengthening Primary and Chronic Care: State Innovations to Transform and Link Small Practices

Presents case studies of state policies for reorganizing and improving primary and chronic care delivery among small practices, including leadership and convening, payment incentives, infrastructure support, feedback and monitoring, and certification

Early Archean tonalite gneiss in the upper peninsula of Michigan

Geochronological results on tonalite gneiss of northern Michigan that is 3.56 Ga or slightly older is presented. Tonalitic augen gneiss and structurally overlying biotite gneiss and schist are exposed in a dome near Watersmeet. They are part of an extensive gneiss terrane of southern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan that includes rocks of early to late Archean ages and lies south of the Wawa volcanic subprovince. Two samples of the augen gneiss and one of the biotite gneiss show zircon grains of similar shape, zoning, color, and development of crystal faces. These zircons give Pb/U isotopic ratios that plot on a chord of 3,560 + or - 40 m.y. upper intersect and of 1,250 + or m.y. lower intersect. The 3,560 m.y. number is believed to be a minimum age because analysis of one of the least discordant zircon fractions by ion microprobe that gave a nearly concordant age of 3,650 m.y. The 1,250 m.y. lower intersect is without geological significance: it is interpreted to be a result of multiple lead loss at 2.7, 1.8, and 0.5 Ga by U/Pb in zircon. Archean rocks 10 to 25 km northwest of the Watersmeet dome give a 2.75 Ga age on zircons. Quartz monzonite here is dated at 2.65 Ga

Driving and Thriving: School Bus Drivers and the Behavior Management Strategies They Use

The purpose of this study was first to determine the satisfaction level of bus drivers pertaining to school building administration, transportation department, and student behaviors, and second to identify the common behavior management strategies used by bus driver in a particular school system in east Tennessee. I also compared the common behavior management strategies used by school bus drivers who are also employed by the school system in some position in addition to this vocation with school bus drivers who are not employed by the school system other than driving the school bus. I also compared behavior management strategies in the following categories: age, years of experience, and gender. For this quantitative element of the study, I requested bus drivers who met the criteria complete an anonymous survey. The survey had 20 items that focus on the bus drivers\u27 satisfaction in areas of school building administration, transportation department, and student behavior. Bus drivers responded to each item by selecting responses on a 5-point scale from extremely dissatisfied to extremely satisfied, with neutral being the middle point. A single sample t-test was conducted and the results showed bus drivers were satisfied to a significant extent with school building administration and transportation department, while bus drivers were neither satisfied or dissatisfied with student behavior. Bus drivers also ranked their top five behavior management strategies. Results were categorized by age, years of experience, gender, and whether they were employed by the school system in another position. The overall top five behavior management strategies by bus drivers were 1) Assigning a student to a particular seat, 2) Reporting students to school building administration, 3) Moving a student to a particular seat during the bus route, 4) Use of video surveillance, and 5) Discussing a student\u27s behavior with a parent or guardian. I also interviewed 10 school building administrators in the same school system for their perspective on student behavior management strategies recommended for bus drivers to use on school buses and also their perspective on the impact student behavior on a school bus has on a student at school. Responses were also solicited from school building administrators of their perspective of driver management practices that seem most and least conducive to managing and preventing behaviors on buses. I recorded the responses given to these questions and listed the responses along with any additional comments from administrators. Most of the responses correspond with the responses bus drivers gave in their interviews. Half of the administrators stated school buses should be operated like a classroom with rules and consequences

Absence of reflection as a function of the coupling constant

We consider solutions of the one-dimensional equation $-u'' +(Q+ \lambda V) u = 0$ where $Q: \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ is locally integrable, $V : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$ is integrable with supp$(V) \subset [0,1]$, and $\lambda \in \mathbb{R}$ is a coupling constant. Given a family of solutions $\{u_{\lambda} \}_{\lambda \in \mathbb{R}}$ which satisfy $u_{\lambda}(x) = u_0(x)$ for all $x<0$, we prove that the zeros of $b(\lambda) := W[u_0, u_{\lambda}]$, the Wronskian of $u_0$ and $u_{\lambda}$, form a discrete set unless $V \equiv 0$. Setting $Q(x) := -E$, one sees that a particular consequence of this result may be stated as: if the fixed energy scattering experiment $-u'' + \lambda V u = Eu$ gives rise to a reflection coefficient which vanishes on a set of couplings with an accumulation point, then $V \equiv 0$.Comment: To appear in Journal of Mathematical Physic

A Preliminary Examination of the Effects of Local Precipitation on Beach Water Quality at 3 Coastal Beaches in Maine

Stormwater runoff can negatively impact recreational water quality. When rain falls on the land, the water washes over the surface picking up bacterial pollutants from malfunctioning septic systems, wildlife, pet waste, etc. and are transported to the coastal surf-zone by runoff directly to the beach or via freshwater inputs such as rivers, streams and storm drains. The lag time (24-30 hrs) in obtaining fecal indicator bacteria results may pose a public health risk; therefore, some states have implemented an automatic precautionary rainfall advisory system where particularly high risk beaches are closed when rainfall exceeds predetermined levels which can vary widely (0.1-1in.) depending on the state, beach, and local conditions (Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, and Ohio1)

Summary Report of Enhanced Monitoring and Pollution Source Tracking Efforts in Goosefare Brook, Maine, 2012-2016

The Goosefare Brook (GFB) forms the border between the City of Saco to the south and Town of Old Orchard Beach (OOB) to the north. In response to concerns over water quality in the mouth and adjacent beach water, the Maine Healthy Beaches (MHB) program has supported multi-year enhanced monitoring and pollution source tracking efforts, held Stakeholder Workshops, and more to address impaired water quality throughout the watershed. Over the past five years, the MHB program has focused primarily on paired enterococci and optical brightener samples in OOB’s New Salt Rd. Tributary (NSRT). This work identified widespread bacterial contamination throughout the tributary as well as two priority regions likely impacted by human-sourced fecal contamination. In 2016, 36 samples were collected during eight events at nine sites within the two priorty areas identified through previous source-tracking efforts. Parameters tested include enterococci (ENT), optical brighteners (OBs), and microbial source tracking (MST) DNA analyses. ENT values ranged from 31 to 10,462 MPN/100mls with a combined geometric mean of 1,021 MPN for all sites. OB values ranged from 50 to 144 μg/l with a combined mean of 95 μg/l for all sites. All samples were tested for mammal and human DNA (presence/absence) and a subset of samples were also tested for the presence of bird, ruminant, and canine DNA. All samples tested positive for mammal DNA whereas percent detection of human sources varied between the two priority regions (mouth vs. marsh). Human sources were detected consitently in the mouth region with seasonal spikes in signal stregth during July and September, the portion of the year when OOB experiences its peak population comprised primarily of seasonal residents and visitors. Human sources were detected intermittely at marsh locations, potentially pointing to occasional use of a residence and/or groundwater transport of pollution sources. Bird DNA was detected in all samples tested and the signal strength remained consistent throughout the season for both regions. No ruminant or canine was detected in samples tested. The pollution source tracking tools used as part of this study were combined into a risk factor analysis highlighting sites potentially impacted by human sources of fecal contamination. It is recommended that OOB prioritize investigations in these priority regions to identify and remove sources of human sewage. As part of ongoing efforts to address water quality in the GFB, both municipalities have investigated and removed sources of human wastewater, have expanded and upgraded sewer and stormwater infrastructure, and have worked together to acquire supplemental funding to complete a watershed management plan and begin implementation of best management practices (BMPs). However, persistent human-sourced contamination issues underscore the need to continue investigations to ensure the integrity of wastewater disposal methods throughout the GFB watershed