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://gbgmumc.org/umcor/oghs.stm
and http://nccmission.org/one_great_hour.htm. Please order your offering envelopes now.
Youth Lay Speaker Training
The second annual lay speaker training expressly for youth will be Saturday, April 8 from 10am to 4pm at the Methodist Building in Raleigh. The registration deadline is April 3. The registration form is available at the website: www.nccumc.org/youthministry. There is no cost to attend - lunch and materials will be provided although participants are asked to bring a Bible, paper and pen.
“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
UM Campus Ministry Open House
The Raleigh Wesley Foundation will host an open house on Saturday, April 22 from 11am to 2pm for any students planning to attend NC State, Meredith College, Peace College or Wake Tech and any students interested in seeing what a United Methodist campus ministry is like. Lunch will be provided. To find out more about the Raleigh Wesley Foundation and about this open house - check the website: www.nccumc.org/raleigh-wesley.
Conference Youth Rally Day
Conference Youth Rally Day will be Sunday, April 23 at NC Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount from 3-6pm. The Rally Day will begin with recreational activities and conclude with a worship service on the south lawn of the campus (weather permitting - in the event of rain the Rally will be held in the gym). To attend youth groups do not need to pre-register and there is no cost other than refreshments will be available for purchase and an offering for Youth Service Fund will be taken. If youth groups wish to sponsor a recreational activity or offer an act of worship for the worship service - they must sign up by April 3! Please contact Sue Ellen Nicholson at senicholson@nccumc.org to sign up. A mailing about Rally Day was mailed to pastors and local church youth coordinators in late February.
Gathering of Elders on April 24
The second annual Gathering of the Order of Elders will be held on Monday, April 24, at Nashville UMC. The day will begin with refreshments and fellowship time, 9-10 am. Margaret Therkelson, a gifted speaker and author on the topic of prayer, will make two presentations on “Spiritual Formation and Leadership.” A boxed lunch will be provided. Bishop Gwinn and Margaret Therkelson will answer questions following the afternoon presentation. The gathering will conclude with worship and Holy Communion. Questions or comments can be directed to Mack McMillan, chair of the Order of Elders at tsaintlukepastor@bellsouth.net
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
Appalachian Trail Hike
Spaces are still available on the Appalachian Trail Hike for youth in high school. The Trail Hike will involves backpacking, hiking and camping along 40 miles of the Appalachian Trail in western Virginia. The group leaves from the Methodist Building in Raleigh on Saturday morning June 24 and returns on Saturday July 1. The cost for the hike is $125 per person. Upon processing the registration a packet of additional information including what to bring and physical conditioning suggestions is sent to the youth. The registration deadline is May 15 and the registration brochure is available as a download at the website: www.nccumc.org/youthministry.
MERCI issues challenge to local churches
MERCI, the Marion Edward Recovery Center Initiatives, has issued a challenge to all churches in the North Carolina Conference to help stock the warehouse in preparation for the coming storm season. There are 3000 empty 5 gallon buckets at MERCI that need to be filled with clean up supplies. The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is also calling for health kits and school kits by the thousands. The challenge is for all churches to send materials to Annual Conference, June 14-17, for at least two buckets and two health kits. MERCI will have a truck at conference to pick up the supplies. If local churches prefer to make a monetary donation, please make the check payable to MERCI Disaster Response (Advance Special #S-00136). For details on materials for clean up buckets, health kits, and other kits, go to http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/kits/ on the Internet.
Wellspring’s Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation
Wellspring’s fifth Five-Day Academy in North Carolina will be held at the Trinity Center in Salter Path beginning Sunday, October 1st and ending Friday October 6th. The cost is $650.00. The faculty for 2006 will be Kathryn Damiaco and Glandion Carney. For more information or a registration form, please contact Robin Harry, Registrar rharry@nccumc.org or 919-832-9560, ext. 252.
Tri-District events will address changes in clergy pension plans
The Conference Board of Pension will be holding Tri-District education events regarding the changes, effective January 1, 2007, in the clergy pension plans. Issues to be addressed/discussed at these events include: 1) Specific details regarding the Clergy Retirement Security Program (CRSP), 2) The transition from the Ministerial Pension Plan (MPP) to CRSP, 3) Changes in the Comprehensive Protection Plan (CPP), 4) Financing these plans, 5) Changes to the United Methodist Personal Investment Plan (UMPIP), 6) and Policies going to Annual Conference June 2006 to enact these changes. Local church leaders, including Staff Parish Relations members, financial officers, Annual Conference members and attendees are encouraged to attend one of the four planned events: April 2, 3:00 PM, SA/RO/FA Dists, St. Luke UMC (Sanford); April 2, 4:00 PM, EC/GR/RM Dists, Edenton UMC; April 23, 3:00 PM, BU/DU/RA Dists, Trinity UMC (Downtown Durham); and April 30, 3:00 PM, WI/GO/NB Dists, New Bern-Centenary UMC. For more information, contact your district office or the Conference Treasurer’s office (1-800-849-4433)
Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries has new newsletter
To see the latest Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries newsletter, go to:
http://www.disciplebibleoutreach.org/fileadmin/PDFs/2ndqtrnews.pdf
