02/21/06

American Values Summit at Duke University
On Friday, March 3, Jim Wallis will be speaking at a day-long American Values Summit at Duke University. The program is an effort to expand the popular understanding of “moral values” to include social justice issues which have long been important to the NC Council of Churches: education, civil rights, civil liberties, health care, environment, and eliminating poverty. Other program leaders include Rep. David Price, Rev. William Barber, and Rev. Rebecca Reyes. You can get all the information and register online at www.americanvaluessummit.com.

Book of Reports near, Resolutions deadline is May 15
March 3 is the deadline for reports and other information to be included in the 2006 NC Conference Program Recommendations and Reports. May 15 is the deadline for all Resolutions. Book of Reports information should be sent electronically. Resolutions, per Annual Conference action, must be sent electronically. Both can be sent to jbryan@nccumc.org or smedlin@nccumc.org.

One Great Hour of Sharing
One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is scheduled for March 26, the 4th Sunday in Lent. This is the one time each year set aside to raise operational funding for our United Methodist relief activities. UMCOR receives no World Service funds or any other apportionments. United Methodists’ gifts to this special offering keep UMCOR’s lights on, UMCOR’s delivery system in place at home and around the world, and enables us to respond immediately to disasters. You are UMCOR. Please provide an opportunity for your congregation to take part in this critical offering. For sermon illustrations, children’s sermons, stories, and other OGHS information, please see: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/oghs.stm and http://nccmission.org/one_great_hour.htm . Please order your offering envelopes now!

Health Ministries and Congregational Nursing programs offered
Health Ministries and Congregational Nursing continuing education programs will be offered to clergy, parish nurses, and laypersons during the last week in March and the first week in April. The programs will be held at the Aqueduct Conference Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Topics will include an overview of health ministries, the role of the congregation in health and healing, organizational frameworks for health ministry and parish nursing, and a workshop on implementing a model of health ministry. For more information: http://www.divinity.duke.edu/programs/theomed/hnm/index.aspx. Directions to Aqueduct: www.aqueductcc.com.

Restroom Accessibility Grants are available
Due to a generous grant by the Duke Endowment, restroom accessibility grant requests for rural churches are now being accepted. Grant applications must be received by April 30. Applications and guidelines are available online at: http://nccmission.org/restroom_grant.htm

Care for ex-combatant children in Liberia
Frido Kinkolenge is a NC supported missioner who is working with ex-combatant children. These violated children, some as young as ten, were forced to fight and kill during the civil war in Liberia. Frido’s work on their (and our) behalf, his sharing of Christ, is transforming their reality and giving them hope. You can be a partner in this ministry simply by making an Advance Gift to: NC Conference UMC - Liberia - Bright Future Children’s Ministry. You can place your gift in your offering plate or send it through the Conference treasurer. To mail: NC Conference/Raleigh Area, The United Methodist Church, PO Box 60053, Charlotte, NC 28260-0053. Mark on envelope and check: Attn: Liberia: Bright Future Children’s Ministry. One hundred percent of the gift will go to the Advance. Be sure to place your church and district name on the check and your church will receive Advance credit.

Robeson County Church and Community Center has new Director
Rev. Jane Esdell is the new director of the Robeson County Church and Community Center. She has a background of servant hood with the most broken of our world, is a strong advocate of the church’s prophetic tradition, and is a wonderful story-teller. Please invite Jane to come and tell YOUR story of The Robeson County Church and Community Center. You can contact Jane at: 910-738-7204 or 7205 or email: rccccdir@carolina.net

Missions is providing a Lenten Prayer Calendar
This devotion guide invites you into a guided journey with those whom Jesus calls the “least of these.” This free resource will deepen your walk with Jesus during this season of Lent as you make offering to God by feeding those who are hungry. You can download the devotion at: http://nccmission.org/lentenprayer.htm. Additionally, please see the Journey of Passion, our walk with Jesus through the week of passion and through his incarnation into the world. http://nccmission.org/wayofpassion.htm

Work Team dates at the Robeson County Church and Community Center
The Robeson County Church and Community Center serves some of our poorest neighbors. There are dates open for Summer Mission Work Teams! Make a difference in the life of your neighbor as Jesus makes a difference in your life! Please contact the Robeson County Church and Community Center and book your work team today – as you touch the lives of the least, you touch the face of Christ. For more information, contact 910-738-5204/5205 or see: /http://www.nccumc.org/robesoncounty/

No Hungry Neighbors Giving Opportunity
365,000 children right here in North Carolina are at risk of being food insecure. Please continue to remember our efforts for our Advance Special, No Hungry Neighbors, an outreach to provide funds to feed those who are hungry. Please prayerfully consider a gift to feed a child. For more information, please see:
http://nccmission.org/no_hungry_neighbors.htm

MERCI needs bucket contents, health kits
MERCI is challenging each local church attending Annual Conference June 14-17 to bring two health kits and the contents for two clean up (flood) buckets. Last year MERCI, with local church assistance, distributed over 4,000 buckets and 40,000 health kits. MERCI 3000 empty buckets but needs the contents. There will be a truck at conference to collect the supplies. Details of what goes in a health kit and flood buckets: http://nccmission.org/UMCOR-kits.htm

Congregational Health and Wellness
Reserve October 8 through 11 for the second annual health and wellness conference sponsored by the General Board of Global Ministries Health and Wellness - Congregation Health Ministries team. The focus of this year’s conference, “Empowering Ministries of Health: Transform, Mobilize, Advocate”, promises to provide many “How To’s” for those working for health and wellness in their annual conferences and local churches. For more information, please visit the GBGM website at http://gbgm-umc.org/health/congmin/secondnationalconference.cfm.