December Advocate mailed
The December issue of the NCC Christian Advocate, with a focus on the Methodist Home for Children, has been mailed. To view the front page click on this following link: December Front Page (Acrobat reader is required). The complete issue will be available in several weeks.
Youth Service Fund grant applications due
The deadline for Youth Service Fund grant applications is December 15. Grants are awarded to programs that benefit young people but are not part of regular local church youth ministry activities. The grant application is available at www.nccumc.org/youthministry on the Youth Service Fund page.
Project AGAPE month
Please remember that January is Project AGAPE month, a time when we reflect and respond to the deep needs of our brothers and sisters in Armenia. Many there continue to struggle as refugees in the midst of destroyed houses and broken lives. Please continue to pray for the deep needs of this ministry and consider an offering on January 7, AGAPE Sunday, or some other Sunday in January. Bulletin inserts are being mailed and will soon be available on-line as a download.
Order materials for Human Relations Sunday
January 14 is Human Relations Sunday with offering. Call 888-346-3862 for offering materials. For more details, go to: Human Relations Sunday
Articles, photographs, letters to editor welcome
Does your church have an article on a special event or program? Articles and photographs are welcome, The deadline is the 5 th of the month for the next editon. Send the article (Word format) and photographs (JPG format in large size) by e-mail to bnorton@nccumc.org . Letters to the Editor, 250 words or less, are also welcome. Send them to the same address, along with any questions you may have about the newspaper.
PK Getaway
A retreat for teenage (currently in grades 6-12) youth of United Methodist pastors will be held February 9-11 at Rockfish Outdoor Center. The registration deadline is January 25, 2007. The registration form is found in the 2007 Youth Events brochure available for download on the "Events" page at www.nccumc.org/youthministry . This event, sponsored by the Conference Council on Youth Ministries, is held every two years. The retreat is staffed by adult PK's (Preacher's Kids) and is intended to address the particular needs of United Methodist preacher's kids. Questions about the retreat may be directed to Sue Ellen Nicholson, Conference Director of Children, Youth and Young Adult Ministries.
2007 Youth Events Brochure
The 2007 youth events brochure will be mailed out in early December but it now available online for download at www.nccumc.org/youthministry on the Events page. There are several events with registration deadlines in January: Global Vision deadline is January 26. Additional copies of the brochure are available from the Office of Youth Ministries at the Methodist Building.
Youth Lay Speaker Training
The third annual Youth Lay Speaker Training will be held Saturday, February 24, 2007 from 10am to 4pm at the United Methodist Building in Raleigh. Linda Harris, conference director of lay speaking, will be the facilitator. Pre-registration is required and applications must be received by February 19 (no applications will be taken after that date). The application is available at www.nccumc.org/youthministry or by contacting the Office of Youth Ministries at the Methodist Building.
Please note: the youth lay speaker training is intended for youth who are committed to and most serious about Christian leadership and their leadership within the church as well as feel some sort of call to speak about their faith!
Global Gathering and Young People's Convocation
The Global United Methodist Young People's Convocation and Legislative Assembly will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa - December 28, 2006 to January 1, 2007. Selected to be part of the Southeastern Jurisdiction delegation from the NC Conference are Conference Youth President Laura Lord (Louisburg UMC) and NC Conference General Conference 2004 delegation member and former Conference Youth President Ben Adams (Centenary UMC-Smithfield). Please join with the Conference youth and young adult ministries in offering prayers for safe travel and a good experience for Laura and Ben.
"For Such a Time as This"
Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28 will be a comprehensive resource event for all types of adult leaders in local church children's ministry. The theme for the event is "For Such a Time as This" from Esther 4:14. Jim Ritchie and Delia Halverson - both nationally known leaders in Christian education and children/family ministries - will be part of the leadership for this event. Brochures will be available in January, 2007 - online at www.nccumc.org/childrnmin/children05.htm and via mail. Save these dates and watch for more information.
Team assistance for Louisiana
Patricia Bondor, a layperson from the NC Conference, is working as a volunteer work team coordinator with the Louisiana Conference in hurricane damage reconstruction. If you would like to send a team to help the Louisiana Conference, please contact Patricia at: patricia@intrex.net Also, please register your team with NC Conference UMVIM. See http://www.nccumvim.org/ for more information.
Musical invitation to participate in 2008 General Conference
United Methodist choirs, ensembles, bands, instrumentalists, singers, dancers/dance groups, visual/video/textile and performing artists are invited to apply to share their gifts in worship with the 2008 General Conference in Fort Worth, TX. Submit a recording (DVD, CD, VHS, cassette tape, mpeg, mp3, .jpg), brief bio, and other supporting materials either by postal mail or e-mail by March 30, 2007 to: Mark A. Miller, Director of Music, Drew Theological School, 36 Madison Ave. Madison, NJ 07940 or e-mail mamiller@drew.edu
