From the General Council on Finance and Administration
Dear Bishop Gwinn: The opportunity to say “thank you” to the people of the North Carolina Conference is an honor. Your faithful ministry of giving 100% to the apportioned funds in 2009 impacts lives and helps continue the global ministries of The United Methodist Church. To God be the glory. Thank you and God bless you. — A. Moses Rathan Kumar, General Secretary and Treasurer, General Council on Finance and Administration.
New restrictions on wireless mic systems in churches
As of June 12, churches will no longer be allowed to use wireless microphones operating in the 700MHz range, a rule enacted by the Federal Communications Commission. Churches must stop using them permanently as of that date. Not all wireless microphones operate in that range. In fact, most don’t. But churches do need to check their equipment, and if it does operate in that range, there is no choice but to replace it with equipment that does not. For a reliable article detailing this, go to wireless mics. There is also information on the Federal Communications Commission website FCC Notice.
Retirement Planning Seminar Registration Open
Register now for the upcoming Conference Board of Pension’s Pre-Retirement Planning Seminar April 29-30. This event will be held at the Riverside Hilton hotel in Wilmington. Check out their website for local attractions and amenities: www.wilmingtonriverside.hilton.com. Experience has shown that when clergy families have a good handle on their financial condition and future plans, then ministry is enhanced as the burdens of financial worries are lessened. The topics addressed at this seminar will help prepare clergy anticipating retirement within ten years. Registration deadline is April 1. For a brochure and registration form, visit the Treasurer’s Office Pensions page or contact JoAnna Cafferty in the Treasurer’s Office at 1-800-849-4433 x 225.
Being a Transformational Leader
9am-3pm, Tuesday, March 2, Edenton Street UMC, Raleigh, NC
Join Jorge Acevedo and the lay leadership from Grace UMC (Florida) to examine the keys to church growth and transformation. Acevedo will share practical steps that helped to move his church from being a stagnant congregation to a vibrant, transformational faith community. He will illustrate how he dealt with the realities of resistance to change and will teach the transferable principles he has learned about turnaround congregations. Participants will gain clarity about how to cast a vision for transformation, get the church community buy-in and how to maintain momentum once it begins. To register, contact the Academy office at 919-208-2169 or email your intent to attend with your name, email and phone number to: lwiebesmith@nccumc.org. Registration fee is $75 and the registration deadline is Feb. 23. For more information, go to www.nccumc.org/academy and look under “Days of Learning.”
ZOE Ministry to Host an Evening with Kay Warren
ZOE Ministry will host a fundraising event with author Kay Warren, wife of pastor Rick Warren, on Friday, March 19, 7:30 p.m. at Duke Chapel in Durham. An accomplished author, Warren uses her far-reaching influence as a voice for those who suffer due to HIV/AIDS.All are invited to attend. All of the proceeds from the fundraising event will benefit ZOE’s orphan empowerment work in Africa. Ticket information is available at www.zoeministry.org. Also offered that day is a free Mission Symposium with the Rev. Shane Stanford at 3:30 pm in Duke Divinity School. For more details, visit www.zoeministry.org. ZOE Ministry is an organization empowering children who have been orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa.
“Blood Done Sign My Name” movie to begin run this week
Historian Tim Tyson and filmmaker Jeb Stuart are both preacher’s kids, now in their 50s, who grew up in North Carolina at a time when attempts at racial integration still sparked tensions that could lead to violence and murder. So when Stuart read “Blood Done Sign My Name,” Tyson’s memoir focusing on the murder of an African-American Vietnam veteran in the writer’s hometown, the director felt an instant connection. The result is the movie “Blood Done Sign My Name,” which opens Feb. 19 in selected theaters nationwide. To find a show near you, go to http://blooddonesignmynamethemovie.com/.
Haiti workdays scheduled at MERCI
MERCI staff and Banded Brothers send a huge “Thank you” to everyone who came to MERCI for the first four-district Haiti Work Day on Feb. 6. Volunteers packed over 4000 complete Health Kits and nine tons of food as well as linens, tarps and medical supplies. Other Haiti work days are planned for February 27 and March 27. For more information on Haiti relief or the work days, call the MERCI Center at 888-440-9167 or see https://www.nccumc.org/missions.
Hinton Rural Life Center to offer “Being a Church for all Generations”
Hinton Rural Life Center announces an upcoming workshop on May 10-11, featuring best-selling author and church/clergy coach Eddie Hammett and co-author of “Reaching People Under 40 While Keeping People Over 60: Being Church for All Generations.” Not simply a book review, this will be an intense two-day event where pastors and lay persons will garner new hands-on tools to take back to their congregations. Visit www.hintoncenter.org or click here for the brochure: Brochure.