Current enrollees and those considering enrollment in the conference insurance plans in 2025 can start making their Insurance Plan Enrollment choices on October 30. Visit Know Your Insurance Plans for directions. The Annual Enrollment Period ends November 14th. No changes to benefit elections can occur after the Annual Election period.
Announcements
Wespath Benefit Resources to Support People Affected By Disasters
Wespath has compiled resources to support benefits plan participants affected by hurricanes and natural disasters. The resources include mental health support, hardship withdrawals for United Methodist Personal Investment Plan (UMPIP) participants, and more.
Optum, one of Wespath’s partners, also has mental health and emotional support resources that can be shared with local church congregation members.
Bishop Shelton Announces Cabinet Transition Beginning January 2025
As we continue to “right-size” in the North Carolina Conference, Bishop Shelton announces a Cabinet transition, effective January 1, 2025.
Rev. Tara Lain, current Harbor District Superintendent, will become the District Superintendent of the Harbor (39 churches) and Sound (43 churches) Districts on January 1, 2025. Rev. Jon Strother, current Sound District Superintendent, will fully live into his retirement after the end of the year.
“Forty-two years of ministry under appointment in the North Carolina Conference, Jon Strother served two tours on the cabinet under four different bishops. Jon has a tender heart of compassion, deep wisdom, and never-ending humor and authenticity. The North Carolina Conference is richer and more fruitful because of Jon’s servant leadership among us,” said Bishop Connie Mitchell Shelton, resident bishop of the North Carolina Conference.
Thank you for your continued prayers as the North Carolina Conference moves into a vibrant and sustainable future for all 436 churches, making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The North Carolina Conference extends gratitude to Rev. Jon Strother and Rev. Tara Lain for their faithfulness.
Help Pack UMCOR Kits at MERCI
Are you looking for ways to assist with hurricane relief efforts in the Western NC Conference?
We need your help packing UMCOR kits at MERCI on Friday, October 11, from 9 am – 1 pm. If you are interested in serving, please contact Rev. Bill Haddock at revbillh@nccumc.org.
Kits will be collected through October 11.
We are grateful for the support of clergy and laity across the Conference who have gathered supplies and put together kits. Thanks to your help, we have collected 913 flood buckets, 1,265 menstrual hygiene kits, 2,337 hygiene kits, and 1,676 school kits to send to Western North Carolina.
Clergy Care Resources
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. The NC Conference Media Center offers books and DVD studies that help clergy care for themselves and be cared for by those around them.
The Clergy Care pathfinder includes titles on:
- Self-Care for Ministry Leaders
- Care for Stress and Burnout
- Building Resilience
- Clergy Health
- Congregational Support for Pastors
What is a pathfinder?
Pathfinders are lists of books, studies, and DVDs that are available to borrow from the NC Conference Media Center. Each pathfinder is focused on a specific topic and divides the list of resources into topical sections. You can use pathfinders to see all of the resources in our collection on a given topic.
Don’t see your topic listed? Email the librarian at ldallas@nccumc.org, and she will create a pathfinder specifically for your needs.
How can I borrow these resources?
The books and DVDs listed on these pathfinders are available to borrow from the Media Center, free of charge. They can be mailed to your church or your home. All you need to do is fill out the Resource Request Form.
Last Month in the NC Conference: September 2024
We’d like to keep everyone up-to-date about the happenings all across the NC Conference offices and committees, so we’ll be posting a roundup of all the major news at the end of every month.
Here’s an overview of NC Conference events and updates from the month of September.
NC Conference
- The September Monthly Resource Flyer centered on Hispanic Heritage Month. View the flyer.
- Lighthouse Congregations gathered on September 28 to connect and learn about creative ways to use space.
- The NC Conference staff, Conference Committees, and the Conference Connectional Table met in-person on September 9 for a Quadrienneal Orientation.
Center for Leadership Excellence
- Registration opened for “The Ministry in Adminstration,” the third workshop in the “Leadership and Church Administration” series.
- Registration opened for “Fresh Expressions, Garden Day,” a workshop to help equip churches to reach new people, in new places, and in new ways by focusing on imagination and seeding ideas.
- Hosted a day of learning on understanding trauma and cultivating compassion in faith communities.
Christian Formation
- The 2024 Harry Denman Awards were presented to Rev. Bruce Petty, Stacie Holmes, and Jolie Sullivan.
District Office
- Retired clergy and their spouses gathered September 11-13 for their annual retreat.
Laity Ministries
- The NC Conference United Women in Faith Charter for Racial Justice Team hosted an event designed to raise awareness of the challenges minority women still face today in the workplace, community, and churches. Read the recap and watch a video about the event.
- NC Conference United Women in Faith hosted a mother-child retreat at Camp Don Lee.
Media Center
- View resources for the 2024 Advent and Christmas season.
- View Hispanic/Latinx resources for English and Spanish-speaking churches.
Office of Clergy Life
- The Office of Clergy Life held a New Member Orientation for the Board of Ordained Ministry members beginning their service for the 2024-2028 quadrennium.
Outreach Ministry
- Applications opened for 2025 Mission Seed Funds. The application deadline is October 14.
- Project AGAPE shared supplies needed for Christmas boxes and collection locations.
- Creation Care hosted a series of webinars and a bible study for the Season of Creation.
- Disaster Ministries hosted an Early Response Team (ERT) training in the Beacon District. View upcoming classes.
- Early Response Teams helped tarp roofs and clean out homes damaged by recent storms in Columbus and Brunswick counties.
- Disaster Ministries hosted a Connecting Neighbors training in the Corridor District to help churches create a disaster plan. Schedule a training at your church.
- Churches across the Conference collected cleaning kits to send to the Western NC Conference following Hurricane Helene. Kits will be collected through October 11. View the latest disaster relief updates.
Race Equity & Justice Ministry
- Registration is open for the third cohort of the H.E.A.R.T. program.
Youth Ministries
- Registration opened for Pilgrimage 2024.