News Briefs
NC Conference - UMC
September
2, 2008
Hurricane/disaster response
information
For a one-stop conference information
page for hurricane/disaster response
information, visit the following link:
http://nccmission.org/hurricane_info_page.htm
Bishop's Day Apart is September 15 in
Nashville
"Challenging Pluralism: the New Way
Forward for Christian Unity" and
organizational and leadership
development will be addressed during the
morning and afternoon sessions of the
Bishop's Day Apart, Monday, Sept.
15, at Nashville UMC. All clergy are
invited to attend. The gathering
time is 9:30 a.m. and the event begins
at 10am. The closing is expected
to be around 4 p.m.. Lunch will be
provided. Providing leadership for
the morning portion of the event will be
Dr. Carl E. Braaten and Dr.
Rollin Russell. The afternoon program
features Dr. Gil Rendle, formerly
the senior consultant with the Alban
Institute and now a consultant with
the Texas Methodist Foundation Institute
on Leadership.
Wray Stephens to retire
After a decade of service, Wray Stephens will
retire at the end of 2008 as
executive director of the N.C.
Conference United Methodist Camp &
Retreat
Ministries. Serving as the
organization's first executive director,
Stephens
helped NCUM Camp & Retreat Ministries
expand its programs for children, adults
and families. A committee is being
appointed by the board to position the
ministry for new leadership and conduct
a national search for a new executive
director. More information will be
shared when it is announced.
Duke Endowment to provide
scholarships for health and spirituality
renewal program
The Durham District received a $30,000 grant from
The Duke Endowment for
rural church pastors to attend the
Davidson Clergy Center, an ecumenical
ministry in Davidson. Though not a part
of the Clergy Health Initiative, this
renewal program will address comparable
questions of health and spirituality.
The Duke Endowment grant will provide
nine full scholarships, including travel
expenses, for eligible pastors to attend
Davidson Clergy Center's Five-Day
Renewal Program. These grants are open
to pastors and district superintendents
serving Duke Endowment Rural Churches in
the North Carolina Conference, listed
at www.dukeendowment.org. Awards will be
made
on a first-come, first-served basis.
Confidentiality is always honored. To
apply or learn more, contact the Durham
District Office at 919-682-6439.
Preaching Workshop to be held at Camp
Rockfish in November
The
Fayetteville District is sponsoring
"Interpretation and Imagination," a
workshop on preaching with Dr. John K
Bergland and Dr. Dennis R. Sheppard at
the Bergland Center at Camp Rockfish.
The three-day event, Nov. 17-19, will be
a time of spiritual renewal and
reflection on preaching the texts for
Lent.
The cost is $149 for two nights and
meals. Registration will be through
Hope Mills UMC, 4955 Legion Rd., Hope
Mills NC 28348, 910-425-0108.
Hispanic Heritage Month September 15
- October 15
The
United Methodist Church has many sources
and resources to use in the
celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.
For non-Hispanic and Latino
congregations and for those who do not
normally speak Spanish, there is an
abundance of prayers, hymns, songs,
services, articles, and books. The web
page,
http://www.gbod.org/worship/hispres.html
lists dozens of items available in
The United Methodist Hymnal, The Faith
We Sing, The Book of Worship, and many
other sources, as well as numerous free
web downloads.
Observe Legacy Sunday on September 14
Sunday, Sept. 14, has been designated as
Legacy Sunday to honor individuals in
each congregation who have created a
legacy through a planned gift to support
the local church or one (or more) of the
special ministries of the church. To
schedule a Legacy Sunday speaker,
contact Jim Mentzer at 919-836-0029.
More
information about Legacy Sunday is
available at:
http://www.nccumc.org/docs/news/lsun.htm
Event to explore faith formation from
birth to older adult
All
God's People: Faith Formation Through
the Life Span - will be held Oct.
13-15 in Nashville, TN. This will be a
3-day experience for local church
clergy and lay leaders focusing on how
individuals form faith from birth
through older adulthood. There will be
discussions on younger and older
children, youth, single and young
adults, middle adults, Hispanic/Latinos,
family ministries, and older adult
ministries. This experience will examine
major influences on faith as foundation
to planning ministry opportunities.
Registration is limited to the first 120
persons. For more information go to
http://www.gbod.org/allgodspeople/.
Bishop Gwinn to host trip to the Holy
Lands
Individuals interested in traveling with
Bishop Al Gwinn to the Holy Lands
will have an opportunity to do just that
next Jan. 27 - Feb. 5. Recent
ordinands will be included in this trip.
Space is available for others to
become members of the tour group. Bishop
Gwinn will be meeting with ordinands
separately to talk about the trip. For
other interested individuals, he will
be available to discuss the trip at
Wilson: First UMC on Thursday, Sept. 4
for
lunch at 12 noon. Anyone planning to
attend the luncheon meeting should call
Doug Jessee or Dan Jones at the church,
(252) 237-6121, as soon as possible.
Registration Open for Retirement
Planning Seminars
Register now for the upcoming Financial
and Retirement Planning Seminars in
the fall. The Early Years Seminar
(recommended for clergy within their
first
five years of ministry) is scheduled for
Monday, Sept. 29. The Middle Years
Seminar (recommended for clergy with
more than five years of ministry and
more
than 10 years away from retirement) is
scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 29. The
topics addressed at these seminars will
help prepare clergy for a lifetime of
effective ministry. Registration
deadlines for the Early Years and the
Middle
Years seminars are Sept. 15 and Oct. 15,
respectively. Visit the Conference
Treasurer Pension page <http://www.nccumc.org/treasurer/pensions.htm>
or call
JoAnna Cafferty in the Treasurer's
Office at 1-800-849-4433 x 225 for more
information.
CPI application deadline approaching
Comprehensive Plan of Inclusiveness grant
applications are due on Sept. 30 by
4 p.m. (if hand-delivered) or must be
postmarked by Sept. 30. No faxed
applications or applications without
required signatures will be considered.
Applications are available CPI Grant
Application
<http://www.nccumc.org/docs/multiandsocialmins/2006cpi.doc>
. New and
innovative ministries will get strong
consideration. For further information
call Lawrence E. Johnson in the
Multicultural office (919-832-9560).
Spanish Immersion opportunity
available through UMVIM
NC
Volunteers In Mission is sponsoring a
two-week Spanish Immersion program in
Guatemala during November and is looking
for people to join the group. Any
level of Spanish, from beginner to
advanced, can be accommodated. Cost is
$600
plus airfare and includes lessons, room
& board, in-country travel, and
insurance. You can visit the website at
<http://www.spanishimmersionprogram.embarqspace.com/>
.
Shepherding 21st
Century Sheep: Cyberspace,
Cybersafety, Cyberministry
A
series of this workshop will be offered
throughout the Conference in
September and November. Clergy, staff,
and key leadership in local churches
are invited to attend. The cost is
$5 per person (nonrefundable) and a
church
group's registration must be received 10
days prior to the event the group
plans to attend. The brochure with more
information and registration form is
available at www.nccumc.org/childrnmin/cybersafety.pdf
. The dates (all
Saturdays) and locations are as follows:
Sept. 6 at Haymount UMC-Fayetteville,
Sept. 20 at White Plains UMC-Cary, Sept.
27 at Wesley Memorial UMC-Wilmington
and Nov. 15 at Edenton UMC-Edenton. For
each date and location, registration
will be from 9:15-9:30am and the program
will run from 9:30am to 12:30pm.
Florida flooding from Tropical Storm
Fay - Still in assessment period
The
Florida Conference is still in the
middle of flood and damage
assessment.
At this point, sufficient internal teams
are available. After final
assessments, if outside teams are needed
then they will contact SEJ UMVIM who
will notify the Jurisdiction of the
need. Any requests will be shared in the
conference. At present, flood buckets
are needed. Congregations and
individuals are urged to send completed
buckets, bulk materials or a
contribution to purchase supplies. A
list of the contents can be found here
<http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/getconnected/supplies/flood-bucket/>
. NC
Conference congregations can send their
flood-buckets to the MERCI Center in
Goldsboro. To support the recovery
efforts with a financial contribution,
please give to UMCOR Advance #3019695,
Hurricanes 2008, Tropical Storm Fay.
You can give on-line at: Hurricanes 2008
<http://secure.gbgm-umc.org/donations/umcor/donate.cfm?code=3019695&id=3019695>
Georgia: Delivering Supplies and Food
UMCOR Georgia delivered $190,600 in medicines and
medical supplies to
hospitals throughout the republic of
Georgia, as well as emergency food
supplies to those affected by the recent
conflict. The delivery of
antibiotics, syringes, sterile gloves
and other items were part of two US
Government-sponsored airlifts for
humanitarian assistance that arrived in
Georgia on Aug. 13 and 14. UMCOR is
coordinating the distribution of the
medical supplies. On Aug. 16 and 17,
UMCOR Georgia staff also distributed
emergency food kits to 1,474 internally
displaced persons in Tbilisi.
UMCOR Georgia provides agricultural,
reconstruction and medical assistance to
some of Georgia's most vulnerable
people. You can be part of the work and
the
humanitarian response to the conflict by
giving to Georgia Emergency, UMCOR
Advance # 250305. Follow this link to
give online: Georgia Emergency
<http://secure.gbgm-umc.org/donations/umcor/donate.cfm?code=250305&id=3018670>
Hunger Action Month is September
In the US, 35.5 million Americans live in food
insecure households, according
to America's Second Harvest. Food
pantries struggle to keep up with the
need
for emergency food. UMCOR invites United
Methodists to join America's Second
Harvest in its fight against domestic
hunger. In September, through its Hunger
Action Month campaign (formerly,
National Hunger Awareness Day),
America's
Second Harvest will host nationwide
events including food drives, concerts,
volunteer outreaches and advocacy work
to help bring relief to hungry people
in the US. Please donate canned goods to
your local food banks or collect a
special offering. For more ways you can
help, visit www.secondharvest.org
<http://www.secondharvest.org/>
. You can also give to UMCOR - World
Hunger
Poverty Advance #982920 at: World Hunger
Poverty
<http://secure.gbgm-umc.org/donations/umcor/donate.cfm?code=982920&id=3019089>
UMVIM Team to Haiti
United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM)
of the North Carolina
Conference is sponsoring a mission work
team to go to Haiti, Nov 3-17 to
construct and distribute Solar Ovens.
Cost per person is $1500 for the two
weeks. Orientation for the team will be
Sept 12-13 at Oak Island. If
interested please contact Butch Huffman,
butchhuffman@nccumc.org
or 919-931-4304 cell phone.
UMCOR and MERCI Mission Center have
an immediate need for Flood Buckets
UMCOR's Sager Brown Depot has nearly depleted its
supply of flood buckets
after shipping thousands of buckets in
response to recent floods. MERCI
Mission Center (NC Conference) also is
in great need of flood buckets. This
low inventory is a serious concern
especially when the Atlantic hurricane
season is just beginning. For more
information on shipping to Sager Brown,
and
for information of contents, please see:
Flood Bucket Need
<http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/newsroom/releases/archives08/urgentneed/>
Local Church Resource for Faith &
Justice Ministries
The
General Board of Church and Society has
several resources available as
downloads for empowering, teaching, and
encouraging your local church in
ministries of faith and justice. Fact,
reflection, and action sheets are
available for small group/Sunday school
sessions and are excellent ways to
consider how the United Methodist Social
Principles guide us in addressing
pertinent and timely issues in our
global community. For more information,
please see: Living Faith - Seeking
Justice
<http://www.umc-gbcs.org/site/apps/nl/content.asp?c=frLJK2PKLqF&b=3768023&ct=4838375>
Companion Litany to the United
Methodist Social Creed
The General Board of Church & Society's Web site
offers information about the
"Companion Litany to the Social Creed
<http://www.umc-gbcs.org/atf/cf/%7B689FEA4C-8849-4C05-A89E-C9BC7FFFF64C%7D/SocialCreedLitanyProgram_85x11.pdf>
This litany was adopted by General Conference
this year in an effort to make
the denomination's Social Creed, adopted
in 1972, more accessible and usable
in worship situations. The Web site a
pdf document containing both the 1908
and 1972 versions of the Social Creed.
It also has music to help in singing a
response during worship. The Companion
Litany will be adjacent to the
denomination's Social Creed, which is
Discipline ¶166 following the Social
Principles.
Study and Campaign to end Genocide in
Darfur
The
General Board of Church & Society and
The ENOUGH Project invite you to
take part in a powerful study and
campaign to end genocide in Darfur.
Churches
and communities across the United
Methodist connection will use a new
resource, Not On Our Watch Christian
Companion, as the basis for a
faith-based
study on how to mobilize against
atrocities such as that in Sudan. This
campaign to end the genocide in Darfur
and beyond will include a petition
churches are encouraged to spread
throughout their communities that will
be
presented to both President Bush and to
the President-elect in late November.
The campaign will also provide weekly
conference calls
<http://www.darfurchristianaction.org/?pn=events&bc1=Events>
during September
and October beginning at 8 pm EST
Wednesday, Sept. 10. The ENOUGH Project
has
created a Web site,
www.darfurchristianaction.org
<http://www.darfurchristianaction.org/>
, that provides resources and
materials about this campaign. It will
explain how you can mobilize your
church, Sunday school, youth group, or
campus ministry to participate.
If Link does not
work properly
Occasionally, the links published in
News Briefs become corrupted during
transmission. If a link does not work
properly, please contact
bnorton@nccumc.org.
Pastors and laity receiving News Briefs:
please feel
free to make copies and pass along to
other persons in the congregation, other
staff
members, or persons who do not have
access to a computer. Make copies for
the church
bulletin boards. Pastors, forward this
e-mail to the church
secretary/administrative
assistant so items may be included in
the church newsletter. Pastors can
request
that the e-mail address for the church
secretary or others in leadership
positions
be added to the listserv. Send a message
to
bnorton@nccumc.org
with e-mail addresses to be added or
addresses that should be removed.
Conference UMM sponsoring a "No Man
Left Behind" training event
NC Conference
United Methodist Men will offer the "No
Man Left Behind"
Conference on Sept. 11-13, at St. James
UMC in Greenville. This 2½ day
training event is for pastors, men's
ministry leaders, and potential
leaders. Man in the Mirror Ministries, a
national leader in men's
ministry and an official partner of
United Methodist Men, will provide
the training for this important event.
Don't miss this opportunity to
stop doing "men's ministry" as it has
always been done and start
discipling men to be authentic followers
of Jesus Christ. Sign up today
by calling Man in the Mirror at
1-800-929-2536, or 407-472-2100.
Registration can also be completed
online at the Man in the Mirror
website -
http://www.maninthemirror.org/ .
Chartered UMM groups receive
a discounted price, and pastors attend
at no cost if accompanied by at
least two men from their church. If
there are questions, contact Rick
Hebert (252-355-8906) or by e-mail -
fhebert@suddenlink.net.
Hispanic/Latino Convocation:
Leadership in the Wesleyan Way
Join
a gathering of Hispanic/Latino
leadership to be held at the Greensboro
Marriott Downtown Oct. 2-3. There is a
registration fee of $25 and The Duke
Endowment
will cover the cost of room and meals
for all registered participants. The
Duke Endowment encourages each pastor or
lay missioner to register up to two
additional lay people. The registration
deadline is Sept. 15. The purpose of
this event is to highlight model
ministry programs, discuss emerging
issues in
the church, share strategies and address
common struggles. The conference is a
collaboration of the North Carolina and
Western North Carolina Conferences,
Duke Divinity School and The Duke
Endowment. For more information and a
brochure, go to
http://www.nccumc.org/events.htm.