Coronavirus Response

  • Home
  • A-Z List
  • About
    • About the NCC
    • Connectional Table
    • Staff
  • Calendar
    • Events
    • Google Calendar
    • Past Events
  • Churches
  • Contact
    • Find Us
  • Districts
    • District Office
    • Beacon
    • Capital
    • Corridor
    • Fairway
    • Gateway
    • Harbor
    • Heritage
    • Sound
  • Employment
  • Search

NC Conference

Healthy Congregations and Effective Leaders in Every Place Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World

  • Discipleship
    Developing Disciples
    • Christian Formation
      • Children
      • Church & Society
      • College
      • Creation Care
      • Differently Abled Persons
      • Older Adults
      • Spiritual Formation
      • Status & Role of Women
      • Young Adults
      • Youth
    • Church Revitalization
      • Coaching
      • Disciple Making Way
      • Evangelism
      • Grants
      • MissionInsite
      • Shift
    • From the Bishop
      • Church Transformation
      • Conflict Transformation
    • Multicultural
      • Anti-Racism
      • Asian
      • Hispanic-Latinx
      • Native American
      • Strengthening the Black Church
    • Stewardship
      • Apportionments
      • District Remittances
      • Financial Discipleship
      • Grants
      • Insurance
      • Mission & Service
      • Pension
      • Treasurer Training
  • Leadership
    Strengthening Leaders
    • Bishop’s Office
      • Appointment Book
      • Church Transformation
      • Conflict Transformation
    • Office of Clergy Life
      • Board of Ordained Ministry
      • Called to Ministry?
      • Extension Ministries
    • Board of Laity
      • Certified Lay Minister
      • Lay Servant Ministries
      • Local Church Lay Leaders
      • United Methodist Men
      • United Methodist Women
      • United Methodist Youth
    • New Faith Comm.
      • New Room Society
      • Our Communities
    • Conference Offices
      • Center for Leadership Excellence
      • Christian Formation
      • Communications
      • Conference Secretary
      • Connectional Ministries
      • Information Technology
      • Multicultural Ministries
      • Outreach Ministry
      • Treasurer’s Office
  • Service
    Ministering To The World
    • Local Outreach
      • Afghan Refugees
      • Church Construction
      • Church Loans
      • Congregations for Children (C4C)
      • Creation Care
      • Cross & Key Prision Ministries
      • Health Ministry
      • Restorative Justice and Mercy
      • Seed Funds
      • Mission Projects
    • Global Outreach
      • Love for Liberia
      • Missionaries
      • NCC UMVIM
      • Project AGAPE
      • Sierra Leone: Mission of Hope
      • ZOE
    • Disaster Ministries
      • Donate to Storm Response
      • MERCI
      • Response Plan
      • Response Team
      • Training
      • UMCOR Kits
    • Giving
      • 2021 District Christmas Offering
      • Advance/Rainbow Covenant
      • Apportionments
      • Give to Storm Response
      • Mission & Service
      • The Gary Wayne Locklear Mission Endowment
      • New Room Society
      • Special Sundays
    • Ministry Partners
      • Boy Scouts of America (BSA)
      • Camps & Retreats
      • NC Institute for Spiritual Direction and Formation
      • Partners In Ministry
      • Robeson Co. Church & CC
      • UMF
  • Resources
    Supporting Ministry
    • Conferences
      • Annual Conference 2021
      • Annual Conference 2022
      • Charge Conference 2021
      • General Conference
      • Pilgrimage
      • SEJ Conference 2016
    • Media Center
      • Catalog
      • Labyrinth
      • Ministry Tools
      • Online Resources
      • Weekly Newsletter
    • Online Resources
      • Anti-Racism
      • Archives & History
      • #BeUMC
      • Church Lookup
      • Disaffiliation Information
      • Green Church Initiative
      • Online Data Collection
      • Online Learning
      • Pastor Lookup
      • Ramus: Web Hosting
      • Video (Vimeo)
    • Publications
      • Appointment Book
      • Bible Study
      • Conference Directory
      • Conference Journal
      • Every Day Grace
      • Lenten Reflections
      • Mission & Service
      • Podcasts (NCCUMC.FM)
    • From UMC.org
      • Agencies
      • Communications
      • Discipleship
      • Finance & Administration
      • Global Ministries
      • Graphics Library
      • Relief
      • Status & Role of Women
  • Leadership Excellence
    • About the CLE
  • Upcoming Events
    • Moral Leadership in Public Life
    • Crisis Planning and Strategic Response
    • Audiences and Messaging
    • Dealing with the News Media
    • Archive of Past Events
    • Paid Video Content
  • Programs
    • Leadership Fellows Program
      • Apply Online
      • Online Recommendation
      • Curriculum and Schedule
      • Meet Our Faculty
      • Alums Share Their Thoughts
      • Past and Present Leadership Fellows
    • The Colossian Way
    • Impact: A Rural Church Development Program
    • Manna
      • Register
    • Other Programs and Collaborations
  • Encouragements
  • Partnering Congregations

An Encouragement for November

November 11, 2021 Leave a Comment

The Center for Leadership Excellence, in partnership with COSROW, is pleased to lift up the voices of women in ministry encouraging fellow women in ministry. Please enjoy this month’s Encouragement from Laure Kalau, Pastor of Haw River UMC, and feel free to forward it to a friend. Anyone can sign up to receive these monthly emails here.

A few weeks ago I attended a retreat at a Catholic center along with other clergy women. The moment I stepped into the building my eyes caught a picture frame on the wall with the words: “Be still and know that I am God.” As I read these words in my mind, I let out a deep sigh. I sensed my shoulders drop, and then I inhaled and exhaled one more time. As I went from one room to another, I noticed that the space was filled not only with beautiful images of saints but also every room had a picture frame with the phrase “Be still and know that I am God.” It was clear that this was an invitation to be intentional and rest in the presence of God, for the Holy Spirit was already at work in this space, welcoming me as I breathed a new breath of life for my tired soul.

We live in a unique cultural time in the midst of a global pandemic and all the complexities that brings. We have long daily to-do lists of tasks we need to accomplish. We have endless conversations where we remind people that we cannot go back to life pre-pandemic, but we need to create something new. Most days our personal life is a paradox of beauty and chaos. The 24-hour world news seems mostly negative and depressing, which leaves us longing for rest and to be still in the presence of God. “Be still and know that I am God” is part of Psalm 46 where the Psalmist declares God’s security and proclaims God’s power. The Psalmist reminds us that God is our help in times of trouble and then moves to tell us to behold the works of God.

Read Psalm 46:

1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Reflect: As we move into the most beautiful time of the year, which is also one of the busiest liturgical seasons of the year for the church, I hope you will hear this invitation from God, who is our refuge, to make room for stillness and to find rest from the burdens you carry. Create a space to be intentional and be aware of the movement of Holy Spirit within you; unplug from the voice in your head and the noise around you; then sit in silence to renew your soul. Hear God’s invitation to not run from your fears and grief, but in Christ find courage and hope, strength and peace.

Take Action: Take a moment to admire the works of God in your life and in the lives of your loved ones. Be still and consider how God has restored your soul, how God has redeemed you and called you by name. Consider the beauty of God’s creation and breathe with gratitude.

Create a sacred moment in a quiet place to breathe and pray the words of the Psalmist by leaving out the last word of each line.

Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

In partnership,
Center for Leadership Excellence and the Commission on the Status and Role of Women

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Filed Under: Stories Tagged With: Center for Leadership Excellence, Commission on the Status and Role of Women, Effective Leaders, Encouragements, Resources, Women

Questions?

For more information, or if you are having trouble accessing a virtual event, reach out to cle@nccumc.org.

NC Conference of The United Methodist Church · 700 Waterfield Ridge Place · Garner, NC 27529
Phone: 919.779.6115 · Toll-free: 800.849.4433 · Fax: 919.773.2308

Copyright © 2022 · Privacy Policy · Powered by WordPress · Site Admin