President/CEO search for Hinton Rural Life Center
Hinton Rural Life Center, in Hayesville, NC, is an agency of the Southeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church. It has a 50-year history of assisting small membership churches to become healthy and effective, to provide opportunities for missional involvement, and to be a place of hospitality, spiritual growth and renewal.
Candidates for the position of President/CEO should be United Methodist with a servant leadership style. They should bring skills in management, agency development and a vision for quality of life in rural and small membership church settings. Interested persons should send a resume to Dr. George Johnson, 165 Latoma Dr., Roxboro, NC 27574.
Training on Recognizing and Responding to Domestic Violence
Duke Divinity School and Duke University Health System will co-sponsor “Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: Providing Competent Medical and Spiritual Care” Saturday, April 12 at Durham Regional Hospital. The day-long event is for clergy, lay leaders, chaplains, health care providers, students, and faculty who are interested in improving their ability to recognize and respond appropriately to abuse in their professional and personal capacities.
There will be an emphasis on the spiritual impact of abuse. CEU credit is available for completion of the program. The general registration fee is $20 which includes breakfast and lunch and $10 for students. For more information and a copy of the brochure, call 919-684-4293 or email candice.ryals@duke.edu .
Nominations being received for the Crum Award for Prophetic Ministry
The Conference Commission on Church and Society is receiving nominations for the 2008 Jack and Kay Crum Award for Prophetic Ministry. Deadline for receiving this information is Feb. 18. To nominate a church, send a narrative description of the ministry to staylor@nccumc.org and the beckybiegger@nccumc.org . For information about this award, call Becky Biegger at 1-800-849-4433, ext. 256.
Important Tax Information for Clergy
The Jan. 18 issue of “On Board Express,” an e-newsletter from the General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits, has information about new tax reporting for clergy and especially for retired clergy. Click on the following link: Reporting Clergy Tax Clergy Tax Reporting .
Special days for clergy calendars:
The next Gathering of the Order of Elders is Monday, April 14, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Nashville UMC.
The Bishop's Day Apart for all pastors will be held on Sept 15.
NEWS FROM OUR COLLEGES
NC Wesleyan in Rocky Mount
North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount has announced the receipt of an anonymous gift that will enable the College to strengthen its choral music program. The gift, valued at $500,000, will provide for choral music scholarships and operational costs of the choral program.
Duke Laity Weekend: Forgiving Our Enemies - The Test of True Faith
Duke Laity Weekend is April 25-26. Laity Weekend is an opportunity for laity of all communions to cultivate their faith through focused study with leading Divinity School faculty. The weekend begins on Friday featuring Mickey Efird, dinner, keynote lecture with Dr. J. Warren Smith and continues with four morning and four afternoon classes to choose from on Saturday. This program is sponsored by the Center for Continuing Education at Duke Divinity School. For a complete schedule, class listings and to register online, visit Laityweekend
Bishop White to be Spring Convocation speaker at Methodist University
Methodist University has announced that Bishop Woodie W. White will be the spring convocation speaker. Spring Convocation will be Feb. 1 in Reeves Auditorium at 11 a.m. White was a leader among those who attempted to break down the barriers between white and African- American Christians during the heights of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. In 1963, he was jailed in Jackson, MS, as part of an inter-racial team of Methodists fighting to open white Methodist congregations in the South. He was elected to the Episcopacy in 1984 by the North Central Jurisdiction and for the next 20 years, presided over annual conferences in Illinois and Indiana. In his retirement, he has taught at the Candler School of Theology of Emory University as its bishop-in-residence.
Clergy are also invited to a luncheon at 12:30 p.m. ($5.00 per person) in the Alumni Dining Room. Reservations for the meal are required and can be made by contacting Rev. Mike Safley, msafley@methodist.edu . For more information about the spring convocation, contact Prof. Peter Murray, pcmurray@methodist.edu or call 910-630-7075.
CHILDREN AND YOUTH MINISTRIES
DEADLINE to register for Global Vision is Jan. 25.
Safe Sanctuaries Resources
Whether churches are in implementation stages of safe sanctuaries procedures or in process of adopting and implementing a safe sanctuaries (abuse prevention) policy and procedures, the following resources will be of ongoing assistance: the book available from Cokesbury titled Safe Sanctuaries for Youth by Joy Melton; the video and DVD of Safe Sanctuaries available in the Conference Media Center; and the website: Safe Sanctuaries which will be continuously updated with information and resources.
Children's Ministry Resource Event
Let the children come …a resource event for leaders in local church children's ministry (especially medium to smaller churches) will be held on two dates at two locations in the Conference this year: Saturday, April 19 at Salem UMC (Greenville District) and Saturday, Aug. 23 at Page Memorial UMC (Aberdeen-Sanford District). Pre-registration is not required and there is no cost to attend the event. The events will run from 9:45 a.m.to 12:15 p.m. each date. A detailed schedule about the event (including workshops being offered) and other information is available at Children .
ANNUAL CONFERENCE INFORMATION
Deadline for submitting reports for 2008 AC program book
The deadline for the 2008 Program Recommendations and Reports is noon on April 15. The Conference Secretary's office, however, strongly urges persons submitting reports to please make an effort to turn reports in before April 15 to allow time for compiling and editing the book. Submit your report electronically, if possible, to Shannon Medlin at smedlin@nccumc.org in either MS Word or WordPerfect format. Because of the tight deadline, there will not be time to make changes or corrections. Call Shannon Medlin at 1-800-849-4433, ext. 222 if you have questions.
Planning a Special Meal?
If a group is planning to sponsor a special meal during Annual Conference, please e-mail Shannon Medlin at smedlin@nccumc.org with the date, time, and place so a master list can be compiled and published with the Annual Conference information.
MISSIONS AND MISSION OPPORTUNITIES
Robeson County Church and Community Center needs assistance
The Church and Community Center serves the nation's 2nd most diverse rural county and the 3rd most impoverished of its size. Grant funding is down, leaving the Center in very difficult financial times. Please consider making a donation through the local church offering. Please note on the check: Robeson County Church and Community Center - Advance #7917428.
La Esperanza Sheltered Workshop - a UM Mission in Chile needs support
La Esperanza provides Christ-centered love, care, and support for approximately 25 mentally and physically handicapped adults in Santiago, Chile. The workshop literally is the difference between life and death for these who are the most vulnerable of our world. Due to changes in the local economy and the fall of the U.S. dollar, the ministry is in immediate financial need. Please consider a gift to this wondrous ministry. Simply place the gift in your Sunday offering plate with the designation: La Esperanza Workshop Advance #14056A.
One Great Hour of Sharing
One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is scheduled for March 2. This is the one time each year set aside to raise operational funding for United Methodist relief activities. UMCOR receives no World Service funds or any other apportionments. The special offering enables UMCOR to keep its promise that 100 percent of your designated gifts goes entirely to specific causes. One Great Hour of Sharing means UMCOR will provide hands-on care for persons caught in the effects of storms, war, disaster and disease. Often UMCOR is the first to arrive on the scene and the last to leave. UMCOR's ministry is all over God's wonderful world. We are UMCOR. Please provide an opportunity for congregations to take part in this critical offering. For sermon illustrations, children's sermons, stories, and other OGHS information, please see: One Great Hour of Sharing
Church & Society – Social Concerns Listserv
We are creating a Church & Society/Social Concerns listserv. We hope you can provide us with the name and email address of your congregation's Church & Society coordinator. Also, we invite any other interested folks to participate in the listserv. Thus, we are happy to have multiple names from a single congregation. Please pass this information to Becky Biegger at beckybeigger@nccumc.org with the email subject line “Church & Society Listserv.”
