02/26/08

Completed form needed to serve on a conference board/agency
Pastors and laypersons should complete the Nominations Form to be considered to serve on any conference commission, board or agency for the next four years. Eight continuous years on a board or agency is the maximum. Anyone currently on a board with more years of eligibility must also submit a form. Basically, no form, no service. Nominations should be for individuals with gifts, passion, and commitment to serve in a specific area. All forms must be signed - forms from laypersons must be signed by a pastor and forms from pastors must be signed by a district superintendent or another member of the Nominations Committee. The deadline for all forms to be in the Office of Connectional Ministries is March 21. Forms and information sheet can be downloaded from Nominations .

Lay missioner training for working in Hispanic/Latino Ministries
Training is available for laypersons interested in becoming a lay missioner working with pastor-mentors participating in Hispanic/Latino ministries as part of the National Plan of Hispanic-Latino Ministry. Defining what it means to be a lay missioner, requirements for certification, steps to follow and additional advice is available at Hispanic-Latino Ministry .

Funds are available for college scholarships
The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation will provide a $1,000 matching scholarship for churches that raise and provide $1,000 on behalf of student congregational members enrolled or planning to enroll in a United Methodist-related college, university or seminary. These include matching scholarships specifically designated for Hispanic American, Asian American and Native American students who are eligible for HANA funds (HANA funded through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry). 475 scholarships are available to eligible applicants through the United Methodist Dollars for Scholars program for 2008. Ap plication forms for 2008 must be used and may be downloaded from the Resource Library . The application may be copied as needed. Faxes will not be accepted. Applications for United Methodist Foundation “Dollars for Scholars” scholarships must be postmarked Jan. 1 – March 15. 

Combating Sex Trafficking conference to be held at UNC-CH
"Combating Sex Trafficking: Prevention and Intervention in NC and Worldwide," an international conference sponsored by the Carolina Women's Center at UNC-CH in partnership with campus and local organizations, is scheduled for April 3-4.
The conference will be held at the Friday Center, UNC-CH. Space is limited: register now at Combating Sex Trafficking or call 1-800-845-8640. Registration deadline is March 24. Cost is $45 for the entire conference, $15 for students, or $25 for one day. Plenary topics include faith-based prevention models, global perspectives, media and internet responsibility, among others.


ITEMS FROM THE CONFERENCE TREASURER'S OFFICE
Space Available for Spring Retirement Seminar
The NC Conference Board of Pension will host its annual Spring Retirement Planning Seminar on April 3-4, at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside Hotel. The seminar starts at 12 noon on Thursday and will end at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. This event is open to any clergy 50 or older. If you are considering retirement in the next 6 months - 9 years, this event will include vital information for you. If you are just beginning to think about retirement in the next 10 to 15 years, this seminar will help you prepare for that "distant" event. Topics will include legal and financial planning, information regarding your pension and insurance benefits after retirement, and preparation for lifestyle and relationship changes. Download a copy of the brochure and registration form at the Conference Treasurer's website at Pensions . Registrations are due by March 3, 2008 . If you have questions or need further information, feel free to e-mail JoAnna Cafferty jcafferty@nccumc.org or call her at 1-800-849-4433, ext. 225.

ITEMS FROM THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH MINISTRIES
Kaleidoscope registration deadline March 3
Kaleidoscope is a spiritual life retreat for middle school youth (grades 6-8) from Friday evening, April 4 to Sunday, April 6 at Don Lee Center. Kaleidoscope is one of the conference youth events sponsored by the Conference Council on Youth Ministries. The registration deadline is March 3. Cost for the event is $85. The registration form may be found in the 2008 Youth Events brochure which is available for download at the website:  Youth Ministry .

Confirmation Celebration
The Conference Confirmation Celebration will be held Saturday, March 8 at Methodist University in Fayetteville from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Groups planning to attend must pre-register. The registration deadline was Monday, Feb. 25. No registrations will be accepted after Thursday, Feb. 28. The cost for the event will be $7 per person which covers the cost of lunch. Details about the event and registration form may be found at Youth Ministry .