03/06/06

Lenten Prayer Calendar available
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

Registration deadline
The registration deadline for any middle school youth (grades 6-8) wanting to register for Kaleidoscope is March 11. Kaleidoscope is a Conference youth event spiritual life retreat for middle school youth. Kaleidoscope will be held Friday evening, March 31 through Sunday lunch, April 2 at Don Lee. The registration form is in the 2006 Youth Events brochure found on the website at www.nccumc.org/youthministry.

Safe Sanctuaries Training
The basic overview safe sanctuaries workshops (as offered in each district in the fall of 2005) will be offered for the final time as follows: Sunday, March 12 from 3-5:30pm at St James UMC in Tarboro; Saturday, March 18 from 10am to 1pm at White Plains UMC in Cary; and Saturday, April 1 from 9am to 12pm at Salem UMC in Fayetteville. For Tarboro and Cary – please call the church with the name of the church and number of persons planning to attend. For Fayetteville – call the district office with that information. Any church that has not yet adopted a safe sanctuaries policy and procedures and did not attend one of the district trainings in the fall, 2005 is urged to send someone to one of these workshops. Further safe sanctuaries resources are available at the website: www.nccumc.org/childrnmin/safesanctuaries1.htm.

One Great Hour of Sharing
One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) is scheduled for March 26, 2006, the 4th Sunday in Lent. This is the one time each year set aside to raise operational funding for our United Methodist relief activities. 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.

“Diversity Rocks!” will be held April 1
The Conference Multicultural Ministry Team is sponsoring a day-long event, “Diversity Rocks!” on April 1 at Methodist College in Fayetteville. The event will highlight, celebrate, and share the diversity of talents and cultures within our annual conference. There will be worship with communion and then music, dance, arts & crafts, clown ministry, games, mini-workshops, and food in a street fair atmosphere. There is no cost to register but the vendors need to have an estimate of the number of participants. A color promotional flyer with registration form can be found at http://www.nccumc.org/docs/events/diversity.pdf. You may register as an individual or as a group. Registration deadline is March 24.

Workshop will help create meaningful worship
On Saturday, April 1, Marcia McFee, an outstanding worship leader and author of The Worship Workshop, will lead Worship Workshop Live! Co-sponsored by the Commission on Congregational Development and the Commission on Worship, the workshop is for pastors, worship leaders, musicians, and anyone interested in creating meaningful worship. For more information, go to http://www.nccumc.org/congregational-development/wkshpnew.htm. The workshop will be held at St. James UMC, Greenville.

“Cultivating Change & Growing a Solution” - NC Hunger Summit
This important summit is being held April 6-7, 2006 at First Baptist Church of Raleigh. We will address practical ways to fight against hunger in workshops, discussions, networking opportunities and a message from keynote speaker Max Finberg, founder of The Alliance to End Hunger. The Summit provides an opportunity to learn, share and exchange information among people involved in, and committed to, fighting hunger in our state: non-profit directors and staff, farmers, grocers, church leaders, hunger program coordinators, business leaders, foundation representatives, school food workers, dieticians and volunteers. No matter if you are new to the fight or a seasoned professional; you will find something useful at this summit. For information please see: http://www.ncagr.com/paffairs/summit/2006NCHSSavetheDatePostcard.PDF

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, 2006. Applications and guidelines are available online at: http://nccmission.org/restroom_grant.htm

May is Christian Home Month
May is celebration of Christian Home Month. The theme for 2006 is Families: Called to Peace. Resources to celebrate Christian Home Month are available from the General Board of Discipleship at www.gbod.org.
Older Adult Ministries event to be held May7 23-25

“Connections Through the Ages: A Day Apart for the Young at Heart,” an Older Adult Ministries event, will be held May 23, 24 and 25. A flyer with information to help advertise these days for fellowship and training is posted on the Conference Older Adult Ministry Webpage http://www.nccumc.org/OlderAdultMinistries/dayapart.htm . Bookmarks are also available to download at the same place. (The files are in Adobe PDF format.) A brochure including a registration form will be coming to all local church pastors and older adult coordinators in a mailing soon.

Annual Conference program visuals
Groups or individuals planning to use PowerPoint or video or some other visual during Annual Conference presentations, June 14-17, should discuss this with Bill Norton as soon as possible. All videos must be in Beta-SP format. PowerPoints or videos that must be converted to the Beta-SP format should be given to Bill no later than May 29. Otherwise, give the video in the correct format and PowerPoints with five printed sets of the slides and script to Bill by 12 noon on June 13. If the delivery of visuals cannot meet these dates then possibly they cannot be shown during conference. Questions: Bill Norton, bnorton@nccumc.org or 1-800-849-4433.

Limited display tables at Annual Conference
Display space at Annual Conference is limited to 65 tables. The policy for displays is 1) Conference Agencies and Programs, 2) General Church Agencies and Programs and then 3) Adjunct groups. Please contact the Conference Secretary’s Office at smedlin@nccumc.org or (919) 832-9560 if you would like to request Display space.

Plan now for Children’s March
Plan now for children and adults from your congregation to be part of the United Methodists of North Carolina Children’s March on the State Capitol on Tuesday, June 20. The program will begin at 1pm at Edenton St UMC in downtown Raleigh and will conclude with the march to the Capitol and Legislature Building and a brief program there. A satellite location is planned for Elizabeth City. More information about the march, including registration (deadline is May 19) and curriculum resources is available at the website: www.umchildrenmarch.org.

Exploration 2006
For any high school seniors and young adults to age 24 considering the ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church, Exploration sponsored by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry is held every four years. Exploration 2006 will take place in Jacksonville, Florida November 17-19. Registration brochures are available from the Office of Ministerial Relations and Office of Youth Ministry at the NC Conference and through the website: www.gbhem.org/exploration.

Learning for Life opportunities
Numerous continuing education opportunities, including the Lay Academy on Religion, and Laity Weekend, are available at Duke Divinity School through the Center for Continuing Education. For details: www.divinity.duke.edu/learningforlife. If you have questions: div-conted@duke.edu or call toll-free 888.845.4216.

MHC has new mailing address
Please note that Methodist Home for Children’s new mailing address is: 1041 Washington Street, Raleigh, NC 27605. They no longer receive mail at a post office box.

We are forming a Chile Ministry Support Team
Shana Harrison, an elder from the NC Conference, is our missionary serving at the La Esperanza Sheltered Workshop in Chile. We would like to form a mission team around her and her ministry, seeking to engage, promote, and uplift her good work. If you would like to serve with this group, please call the Office of Mission at 800-849-4433 ext 256 or 257, or email beckybiegger@nccumc.org or staylor@nccumc.org