NCF&A seeking applicants for Conference Treasurer/Business Manager
The Council on Finance and Administration of the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church is seeking applications for Conference Treasurer/Business Manager effective July 1, 2007. The deadline for applications is February 28, 2007. Applicants should send a resume and qualifications to Dr. Charles M. Smith, Executive Director of Conference Connectional Ministries, P.O. Box 10955, Raleigh, NC 27605.
Tables I, II and III Training
On-line training sessions are available on the NC Conference website in the Video Room http://www.nccumc.org/videoroom/tablesI_II_III.htm . These sessions cover completing the statistical Tables I, II and III. If you have questions on filling out these tables, please view the on-line training sessions and email George Speake gspeake@nccumc.org as needed. The deadline for completing these tables for 2006 on the On-line Data Collection System is January 31, 2007.
Our Call to Hospitality- A Biblical Response to the Challenge of Immigration
As our society grows increasingly multicultural, we are faced with a broad range of reactions and feelings to both immigration and immigrants, some positive, many negative. What does the Bible say - and what should our church say - about the challenge of immigration? Explore these issues at the "Our Call to Hospitality" weekend at Lake Junaluska February 1-3. For more information or to register, go to www.umc-gbcs.org/hospitality
Vacation Bible School special events
The Raleigh Cokesbury store is offering several opportunities to assist local churches with VBS. VBS Showcase Days will coincide with the Christian Education Showcase, January 26 through February 10. Several VBS resources will be available for preview in the store and orders placed during this two week event receive a 20% discount. On Tuesday, March 20 from 7-9pm at St Marks UMC in Raleigh there will be an in-depth training event for those using Cokesbury's VBS curriculum "Lift Off!" Registration for this is not necessary. For more information, contact a Cokesbury Sales Associate at 1-866-265-2665.
Confirmation Celebration
The Conference Confirmation Celebration will be Saturday, March 10 at Garner UMC. The Celebration will begin at 10am and conclude about 1:00pm. There is no cost to the event, no food will be provided and pre-registration is not required. Groups planning to attend are asked to bring items for UMCOR health kits as the Celebration will include a service project of assembling health kits to be taken to MERCI. A flyer and letter with more details (including a list of what to bring for the health kits) is available from each District Superintendent as well as available for download at the Conference youth ministry website: www.nccumc.org/youthministry
Disciple Bible Outreach to hold 2007 training events
Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries is sponsoring district DISCIPLE Bible training events each Saturday in February, 2007. Thanks to the Duke Endowment, this training will be held in every district over the next three years. The training is free to all clergy and lay persons in the conference. Times and locations of the February trainings are: Feb. 3-Whiteville UMC; Feb.10-Front Street UMC in Burlington; Feb.17- St. Paul UMC in Goldsboro; and Feb. 24-St. James UMC in Greenville. DISCIPLE training will be from 8:30am-3:30pm.Rings of Fellowship training will be 4-6pm. Lunch will be provided for $5. Register online at the Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries website: www.disciplebibleoutreach.org. Call Dr. Mark Hicks, Executive Director at (336) 434-8612 or email MCHicks@northstate.net if you have questions.
Youth Event Registration Deadlines
The registration deadlines for PK Getaway and Global Vision are approaching. The registration deadline for PK Getaway is January 25 and for Global Vision is January 26. PK Getaway will be February 9-11 at Rockfish and is a weekend retreat just for youth age (6th-12th grade) pastor's kids. Global Vision is a study seminar trip to Washington, DC and New York City for high school students. Registration forms for both events may be found in the 2007 Youth Events brochure that was mailed out in December and also at the Conference youth ministry website: www.nccumc.org/youthministry
"For Such a Time as This" brochures to be mailed soon
Registration brochures with details for the Conference children's ministry resource event: For Such a Time as This will be mailed out soon. The event will be Friday night April 27 and Saturday April 28 at Centenary UMC in New Bern. Jim Ritchie of Ritchie Faithspan Ministries and noted author Delia Halverson will be two special resource people for this event. Both are nationally sought-after leaders in ministry in the United Methodist Church. This resource event is designed for everyone involved in ministry among children.
MHC Sharing Sunday
All churches in the Conference are expected to participate in the Methodist Home for Children's Sharing Sunday on Sunday, February 18 or another Sunday in February. This offering was approved by the Annual Conference and supports, recognizes and affirms the ministry of the Methodist Home for Children. MHC serves over 1,200 children and families each year through 10 residential group homes, foster care, adoption, family reunification and counseling, substance abuse services, a five-star inclusive childcare center and training and outreach assistance for parents, childcare workers and other professionals. Persons are available to speak at your church. Call Donna Tate at (919) 754-3621 to request a speaker.
Christian Education Showcase through Cokesbury
The Christian Education Showcase with Cokesbury will be January 26-February 10. During this two-week period receive free shipping for phone or online purchases using the special offer code. Purchase of Christian education resources at a Cokesbury store will result in a coupon for 15% off your next purchase. For more information on the showcase or resources visit www.Cokesbury.com or call Curric-U-Phone at 1-800-251-8591.
Mission Team to La Esperanza Sheltered Workshop in Santiago, Chile (LOWER AIRFARE)
Slots available for a "journey inward - journey outward" with missionary, Rev. Shana Harrison, April 20 - May 2, 2007. Close out date for registration is: January 15, 2007. Each day will begin with communion and centering prayer. Mornings will be with the participants of the workshop. The afternoons will be filled with bible study, biblical animation, and visits to historical and contemporary sites where we might engage in considerations of justice. Evenings will be reflections of the lives of individuals in Christ as incarnational dwelling. Estimated cost will be $937 for airfare and $500 for in-country expenses (may be some slight changes.) For more information, contact Becky Biegger in the Office of Missions, 800-849-4433 ext 256 or beckybiegger@nccumc.org . Please see: http://nccmission.org/shana's_news.htm
Bishop Gwinn, other United Methodists to participate in Interfaith Breakfast
The 26th Annual Martin Luther King Triangle Interfaith Prayer Breakfast is scheduled for Monday, January 15, 2007 beginning at 8am, at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel RTP, Raleigh, NC. Bishop Gwinn is on the agenda to introduce keynote speaker, the Reverend Dr. Stephen P. Bauman of Christ Church United Methodist in New York City. The Reconciliation Voices Mass Choir from Reconciliation UMC in Durham will offer musical selections. This breakfast is free and open to the public. For more information about the interfaith prayer breakfast, go to http://www.king-raleigh.org/events/agenda.cfm?program_id=1&event_id=217 .
Rainbow Covenant due, forms available
Local church Rainbow Covenant data is due January 31 to your District Mission Secretary. Rainbow Covenant Report Forms were mailed mid-December to pastors and mission chairs. You can also find the form in the 2007 Mission and Service Commitment Booklet and on our website: http://nccmission.org/rainbow_covenant.htm . After going to the website, slide down the page and then click on the link that reads: Download Rainbow Covenant Report Form, click here! http://nccmission.org/Rainbow%20Covenant%20Report%20Form.doc
Please remember, to be a Rainbow Covenant church, your church must first pay World Service & Connectional Ministries; Episcopal Fund; Interdenominational Cooperation, Black Colleges, Africa University Fund; and Past Service Liability in full, and then make a gift to one ADVANCE SPECIAL from each lane of the Rainbow Covenant. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Becky Biegger: beckybiegger@nccumc.org or call 800-849-4433 ext 256.
Christian Educators Fellowship Meeting
The NC Conference Chapter of CEF (Christian Educators Fellowship) will meet on Thursday, January 11 from 12:30-2:00pm at the Methodist Building in Raleigh. Those planning to attend are invited to bring your lunch and join in a time of fellowship and meeting together. The program topic will be Confirmation and will be led by Rev. Rick Wilkerson of First UMC-Cary. All persons involved in program, age-level and nurture ministries (any ministry of Christian formation) are invited to attend.
Project AGAPE Month - January
Please remember that January is Project AGAPE month, a time when we reflect and respond to the 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 in January. Bulletin inserts were mailed mid-December and are available on-line as a download at: http://nccmission.org/agape_insert.htm . Project AGAPE is part of the NC Rainbow Covenant - Advance #S - 00004. Make checks payable to NC Conference marked for "Project AGAPE - S#00004". Place your gift in your Sunday offering or mail checks to North Carolina Conference/Raleigh Area, The United Methodist Church, PO Box 60053, Charlotte NC 28260-0053. Please see: http://nccmission.org/project_agape.htm
Project AGAPE and Heifer International join together!
We now have a partnership ministry through Project AGAPE with Heifer International. You can now donate through Heifer and touch refugees being served by Project AGAPE. To see how you can now make a Christmas Donation for Heifer, that will go toward the NC Conference Rainbow Covenant, and provide hope for Armenian refugees, please see: http://nccmission.org/agape_heifer.htm
