03/20/06

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. UMCOR receives no World Service funds or any other apportionments. United Methodists’ gifts to this special offering not only keep UMCOR’s lights on and UMCOR’s delivery system in place at home and around the world, feeding the hungry, caring for the refugee, acting out the love of Jesus in the midst of death — they also enable us to respond immediately to disasters, like the recent tsunami. You are UMCOR. Please provide an opportunity for your congregation to take part in this critical offering. Without you, there is no UMCOR. 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 .

Safe Sanctuaries
The last basic orientation workshop to help churches get started with their safe sanctuaries policy and procedures will be Saturday, April 1, at Salem UMC in Fayetteville from 9am to 12pm. Please register the name of your church and number of persons planning to attend with the Fayetteville District Office by March 29. Joy Melton, author of the Safe Sanctuaries books, will be in the Conference on Friday, October 27 and Saturday, October 28. A follow-up workshop for churches implementing safe sanctuaries policies and procedures will be offered in two locations in the Conference on those two days. More information later. The website is www.nccumc.org/childrnmin/safesanctuaries1.htm.

Tri-District events 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, 4:00 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).

Chile Ministry Support Team
The first planning meeting for the Chile Ministry Support Team has been scheduled for Monday, April 3, from 10 am - 12 noon in the Upstairs Workroom at the United Methodist Building, 1307 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh. We will discuss ways we might highlight and support the ministry of GBGM missionary, Rev. Shana Harrison and our good work in Chile, how we might increase awareness and participation in the local church, and the role of the support team. If you would like to join this life-giving ministry, please contact the Office of Mission – 800-849-4433 ext 256 or beckybiegger@nccumc.org .

NC Hunger Summit - Cultivating Change & Growing a Solution
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

Youth Lay Speaker Training
A lay speaker training just for youth will be held on Saturday, April 8 from 10am to 4pm at the Methodist Building in Raleigh. Applications are due April 3 and may be found at the website: www.nccumc.org/youthministry. There is no cost to attend and lunch will be provided.

MERCI and Burlington District offer Disaster Academy in Hillsborough
To equip volunteers to respond in the aftermath of a natural disaster, MERCI and the Burlington District are offering the first Disaster Academy in the western section of the conference. The academy is open to individuals from any of the 12 conference districts. It will be held Friday evening, April 21, and all day Saturday, April 22, at Union Grove United Methodist Church in Hillsborough. Classes will include Early Response Training, Damage Assessment Training, UMCOR Ministry of Caring, and Chainsaw Operation and Safety. Pre-registration is required together with a small fee to cover the costs of printing, lunch, t-shirts, and ID badges. Contact Rev. Elaine Swett at 919-563-5108 to register. Deadline for registration is April 10.

Conference Youth Rally Day
Conference Youth Rally Day will be Sunday, April 23 at NC Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount from 3-6pm. Fellowship and recreational activities will begin the day. A worship service will conclude Rally Day. Only youth groups desiring to sponsor a recreational activity or offer an act of worship in the worship service need to pre-register. There is no cost to the event, although snacks and YSF-wear will be available for purchase and an offering will be taken for Youth Service Fund.

“Mental Health Reform…Looking to 2010” will be April 27-29
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of North Carolina’s Spring Conference “Mental Health Reform…Looking to 2010,” will be held at the North Raleigh Hilton, at 3415 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 27-29. David Satcher, M.D., former U.S. Surgeon General is the opening plenary speaker. In addition, Kathryn Power, the director of SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) will be the plenary speaker on Saturday, April 29. Register for the conference online at www.naminc.org. For further information: http://www.naminc.org/SpringConference/Spring_Conference_2006_Info.htm

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

Children’s March
The NC United Methodist Children’s March will be Tuesday, June 20 beginning at 1pm at Edenton St UMC Youth Center. Curriculum resources for adults and children are now available at the website: www.umchildrenmarch.org. Registrations are due May 19 and may be done online at the website as well. To receive a paper copy of the curriculum or registration form – contact the Office of Children’s Ministries at the Methodist Building.

Youth Group Involvement at Pilgrimage
Pilgrimage will be November 10-12 at the Crown Center in Fayetteville. Brochures will be mailed in April. Youth groups may offer stage leadership to Pilgrimage through a variety of ways: individual youth may apply to be part of the Pilgrimage house band, youth groups may offer an act of worship such as song or dance, individual youth may give a testimony, and youth groups may submit a dvd or video. The deadline for any of these is August 31. Applications are required for the house band, a written testimony must be submitted for consideration and the youth group dvd/video must follow specified guidelines. For this information contact the
Office of Youth Ministries at the Methodist Building (800.849.4433 or 919.832.9560).

Office of Missions is providing 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

Wellspring Colleague Forum for Pastors is July 2006-May 2008
The Wellspring Colleague Forum for Pastors is now accepting applications for Colleague Forum #3. The Forum is a two-year experience of spiritual formation, focusing on worship, study, and spiritual community. Forum #3 runs July 2006 through May of 2008, meeting once a quarter — three days and nights at beautiful Avila Retreat Center in Durham, for a total of eight sessions. For applications, and/or information, contact Robin Harry (rharry@nccumc.org), 919-832-9560, or Jimmy Weaver (j234@yahoo.com).