Welcome to The North Carolina Conference of The UMC

05/22/06

Annual Conference Briefing Session available via Internet streaming

From the Conference Secretary about Annual Conference, June 14-17
• The 2006 Program Recommendations and Reports has been mailed to all clergy and lay members to Annual Conference. If a lay member receives this publication and is no longer going to Annual Conference, the old lay member needs to pass the Program book to the new lay member going to Conference.

• The 2006 Program Recommendations and Reports is also available on-line under www.nccumc.org and then click on Other Publications.

• Please be aware that the offering for ZOE Ministries will be received Thursday morning during the Worship/Bible Study. An offering has been added for Higher Education and Campus Ministry and will be received on Thursday evening.

• Please note that the Agenda on the website has been revised and is available to print.

• Everyone that will be staying at ECU will have to have a parking pass in order to park on the campus. Parking passes will be available at Annual Conference registration.

New pastors have photo taken at AC, any clergy can be photographed
New clergy should have their photograph taken at Annual Conference by Olan Mills. If any clergy did not have their photograph taken last year, or did not like the photograph, visit the Olan Mills booth which is near the Cokesbury display in the Hilton Hotel. If you have your photograph taken, please come appropriately dressed.

Examples of vibrant and expanding UMM ministries to be featured at luncheon
Pastors or laity attending the UMM Ministry Luncheon on June 16 will learn ideas that can work in their church. "Your men need to be challenged to put their faith into action," a luncheon organizer said. Attend the luncheon and hear examples from churches where men's ministry is vibrant and expanding. St. James UMC in Greenville will be hosting the 12 noon meal. A $5 donation is suggested. Reservations are needed. Please call Lanie Shive at 252-752-6154. Tickets will be mailed with directions to the church on the back. There are a limited number of tickets available.

Spaces open for Youth Trail Hike
There are a few open spaces for the Appalachian Trail Hike for high school youth. The registration deadline was May 15 but any registrations postmarked by May 26 will still be received on a first come first served basis until all spaces are filled. The 2006 youth events brochure has the registration form and may be downloaded from the website: www.nccumc.org/youthministry .

Warehouse Manager/Construction Coordinator needed at MERCI
The Marion Edwards Recovery Center is seeking a full-time Warehouse Manager/Construction Coordinator for its Goldsboro office. The position will be responsible for all aspects of warehouse management including inventory control and reporting and will oversee construction jobs ranging from home repairs to new home construction. Organizational skills, attention to detail, general construction knowledge, and NC General Contractor License or willingness to seek license required. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Email resume to helpdesk@nccumc.org for consideration.

Children's March
The registration deadline for the Children's March on the State Capitol has been extended to June 5. Curriculum for use with adults and children and the registration form are available at the website: www.umchildrenmarch.org . Upon receipt of the registration, the group leader from the church will receive confirmation materials with further details.

N.C. Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation
We will be offering our fifth Five-Day Academy in North Carolina at the wonderful Trinity Center in Salter Path beginning Sunday, October 1 st and ending Friday October 6 th . The cost is $650.00. We are so pleased to announce our faculty for 2006: 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.

Colleague Forum for Pastors
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 ( j234weaver@yahoo.com ), 252-747-3723.

Project AGAPE Shipment
We NEED you! A Project AGAPE ( Armenia ) shipment is scheduled for June 10 at 10:00 AM at the MERCI Center in Goldsboro . Volunteers for loading and packing are needed! Please contact Becky Biegger at beckybiegger@nccumc.org or 800-849-4433 ext 256 if you can assist in this life-giving work. Also, the following items are great needs of the refugees in the Lachin area. Children's clothing (ages 5 - 17), shoes, new underware, and canned foods. Very Important for customs reasons in Armenia -- Please remember - NO MEDICATIONS!!! NO OUT-DATED FOOD ITEMS! For more information see: http://nccmission.org/agape_shipment.htm

Please don't forget - we have hungry neighbors here in North Carolina
Worship Jesus by feeding your hungry neighbor with Society of St. Andrew. You, your family, or church, with members aged 3 to 93, can get involved with a great hands-on ministry opportunity accomplished in a field in NC. The Society of St. Andrew can make this mission a reality and help feed our neighbors who are the most vulnerable. Please contact Society of St. Andrew at: sosanc@endhunger.org or call (866) 453-2662. See: http://www.endhunger.org/north_carolina.htm . Please give to NC Advance, (#S-00081) and see the Rainbow Covenant for more information: http://nccmission.org/nc_conference.htm#HUNGER_HUMANITARIAN_RELIEF/MEDICAL

The Missions Office offers a listserv for Missions
The Mission Briefs listserv offers mission information, support, and opportunities. Your congregation's mission coordinator should definitely be receiving these updates, however, anyone is welcome to sign up! If you would like to sign up for the mission listserv, or if you would like to sign up someone else, please send an email to beckybiegger@nccumc.org or staylor@nccumc.org .

Liberia - The Next Generation
UMCOR consultants are working directly with Liberia's Ministry of Education to provide support for educational reform in the country which will ensure that the next generation of Liberians will have a quality education. The consultants are working with the government to develop a standardized educational system for Liberia that includes teacher certification, curriculum development, and forming parent and teacher associations. UMCOR Liberia is developing a multi-year proposal to help implement these changes for the future of Liberia . Your gifts to UMCOR Advance #150300, Liberia Emergency, support UMCOR's important work in this nation recovering from years of war. For more information, please see: http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/work/emergencies/ongoing/liberia/?search=liberia

Please support PAT & Walt EBERT, our missioners to Haiti
Patricia (#13152Z) & Walter (#13151Z) Ebert are NC missionaries with the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church assigned to the United Methodist Committee on Relief Guest House in Port au Prince, Haiti. Pat & Walt are co-coordinators of the United Methodist Volunteer in Mission Program in Haiti. You can support Walt & Pat through your Advance Giving by simply making an offering through your church (check made out to your church) with the designation to support Advance numbers - #13152Z and #13151Z. One hundred percent of your gift will go toward their support. For more information also see our missionaries page: http://nccmission.org/our_missionaries.htm Connect with Walt & Pat through their web page at: http://prayerpartnerx2.faithweb.com/
For Pat & Walt's biographies, please see: http://new.gbgm-umc.org/work/missionaries/biographies/index.cfm?action=details&id=146&Submit=Go

Missionary Covenant Relationship
You can experience the ministry of presence through face-to-face encounters with mission personnel during their scheduled periods of itineration. You will learn how you are part of their ministry, making it possible to share the love of Christ in some of the world's most demanding and difficult circumstances. To covenant with a missionary or learn more, please see: http://gbgm-umc.org/who_we_are/mp/covenant.cfm#acceptform

The new issue of the SEJ UMVIM UPDATE is now on-line with Mission News and notes from UMVIM SEJ. To access, please see: The UMVIM UPDATE link.