Steve Taylor, Executive Director, gave the report for Connectional Ministries by beginning with thanks for the ministry of Terry Hunt. Terry has been the Leadership Team Coordinator for the past six years. “The North Carolina Conference has been gifted by the deep faith and strong leadership of the one who has held key leadership in… Continue Reading→
Saturday Afternoon: Living Generously, Part 2
In his second address to the Annual Conference, Dr. L. Gregory Jones changed the focus of his exploration of generosity to humanity and challenged us to be “Living Generously” by again starting with a Peanuts reference. After missing the ball in the outfield multiple times in a game, Lucy tells Charlie Brown, “I thought it… Continue Reading→
Disaster Relief Efforts
The Disaster Recovery Ministries presentations reported the following: The Rev. Kenneth Locklear, Gateway District Superintendent, reported on the impact of Hurricane Matthew upon the Gateway District. Four churches, Mt. Olive UMC, Lumberton; St. James UMC, Pembroke; Branch Street UMC, Lumberton; and Rhyne Memorial UMC, Red Springs, had extensive damage and worship services had to be… Continue Reading→
Annual Conference 2017 – Weekend Edition
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward and Conference Secretary Jerry Bryan announced that Annual Conference 2017 is scheduled as a weekend conference. The gathering convenes Friday morning, June 16 and concludes mid-day on Sunday, June 18. Upon Bryan’s recommendation at Annual Conference 2015, the body voted to meet at the Greenville Convention Center in 2016-18 in order… Continue Reading→
The Rev. Leonard E. Fairley Endorsed as Episcopal Nominee
The NCC delegation announced Friday that the nominee for the office of bishop is the Rev. Leonard E. Fairley. Annual Conference members stood to endorse Fairley as nominee for the office of Bishop in the Southeastern Jurisdiction of The United Methodist Church. Election of bishops takes place during the SE Jurisdictional Conference this summer at Lake Junaluska. In… Continue Reading→
General Conference Delegation Report
Friday morning, the NCC General Conference delegation offered their report in the form of prayers. The Rev. Gray Southern, opened the presentation, saying, “Your sisters and brothers who were honored to go as delegates…have come back to ask you to pray with us as we offer prayers of thanksgiving for what God did through that… Continue Reading→
Full Life Stewardship Breakout
“What do you think of when you think about stewardship?” This question was posed by Taylor Mills, who helped lead the breakout session ‘Full Life Stewardship’. The answers were varied – time, money, talents, and communications. Four presenters – Taylor Mills, Tyler Williams, LaNella Smith, and Lynn Benson – each led a discussion on the various aspects… Continue Reading→
Community Anti-Racism Intervention Breakout Session
The Rev. Willard Bass of the Institute for Dismantling Racism led the Anti-Racism breakout session. Bass began the workshop by inviting members to introduce themselves and share with the group why they chose to attend the session. Many members expressed a desire to better understand how to break down racial barriers in their home congregations… Continue Reading→
The Best Rest: Sabbath and Spiritual Practices Breakout
This workshop focused on integrating spiritual practices into Sabbath keeping and carrying those Sabbath moments into the rest of the week. Singing Psalm 1 with the tune of Ode to Joy was a wonderful introduction to how the psalms can be sung to familiar tunes using the meters in our hymnals. Jesus sung the psalms… Continue Reading→