2012 General Conference Wrap-Up
For an excellent wrap-up article and overview of the news and decisions made at General Conference, go to 2012 GC Wrap-up. This would be a good concise article to share with congregations.
Key Taylor Award nominations due
Rural church nominations for consideration of the Key Taylor Award are needed by June 3. Congregations can nominate themselves. For 2012, an amount of $1200 will be awarded. The award, sponsored through the United Methodist Foundation, is to call attention to the mission work of all rural churches by honoring the specific achievements of one rural church. To nominate a church, respond via email in narrative form on one page to the criteria below by June 3 to Kathy Duncan (kduncan@nccumc.org) at the Office of Outreach Ministries. Include the name of the church and district. The criteria is as follows: a) the church is in a community of less than 1,500 people; b) the church has 250 members or less; c) the church is significantly involved in community mission; d) the church shows faithfulness in its stewardship of the mission and service commitments (apportionments) and supports Advance Specials; and e) the church displays commitment towards growth in ministry and perseverance toward accomplishing their vision of ministry.
Appalachian Trail Hike registration deadline is May 18
The registration deadline for Appalachian Trail Hike for high school youth who have completed 9th-12th grades is May 18. Trail Hike is more than a hiking trip. It is an experience of spiritual journey. The hike takes place June 23-30. The Trail Hike group will leave from Millbrook UMC in Raleigh on Saturday morning, June 23, and will return Saturday, June 30. The week includes hiking and camping along approximately 50 miles of the Appalachian Trail. The registration form may be found in the 2012 Youth Events Brochure which is available for download at www.nccumc.org/youth.
Host a Potato Drop in you community in May
The Society of St. Andrew needs help bagging and distributing 150 tractor-trailer loads (approximately 6 million pounds) of donated sweet potatoes during the next three weeks. This is an exciting opportunity to feed the hungry in our communities, but this quantity far exceeds the Society’s current budget and distribution channels! They need to partner with church groups and community organizations to do Potato Drops across the Carolinas. Please review the time, space, and resource requirements (click here). If you can meet the requirements independently or in partnership with other churches and organizations, contact Anna MacDonald Dobbs at 919-683-3011 or sosanc@endhunger.org to coordinate a Potato Drop.
A few more days to book rooms at the Sheraton
The room block for the NC Conference held at the downtown Marriott (Raleigh) is full. Please contact the Sheraton at 919-834-9900 if you need a hotel room during the week of Annual Conference, June 13-16. The Sheraton is also connected to the Raleigh Convention Center. All rooms at the Sheraton will be released as of May 14. Also, the phone number listed for the Clarion in the AC Information booklet that was mailed is incorrect. Please call 919-832-0501 if you would like to reserve a room at the Clarion Hotel.
Conference for church musicians to be held at Campbell University
The 2nd annual OASIS Music and Worship Conference will be held July 16-18 at Campbell University with guest clinicians, Joel Raney, Jane Holstein, and Benjamin Harlan. Get all the information and register online at http://divinity.campbell.edu/Oasis/Home.aspx. The NC Chapter of the Fellowship of Musicians and Worship Arts is helping sponsor this conference again this year and is offering two members of the Fellowship scholarships to attend if you do not have continuing education funds budgeted at your church. Please contact Kathie Wilkinson at kwilkinson@nccumc.org if you are interested in receiving one of these scholarships.