The Creation Care Committee is seeking to assist local churches in creating a new local church Creation Care team or to assist existing local church Creation Care teams with a project. Grant applications are open through May 1, 2024.
Announcements
Partnership with New Faith Communities and Center for Leadership Excellence
The Office of New Faith Communities partnered with Center for Leadership Excellence for a Common Learning Day with Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean presenting at Hayes Barton UMC. The day and a half event was filled with learning and conversation about holistic mission, Christian social innovation, and nontraditional ways to engage in ministry – both inside and outside of the church.
On day one, the gathered church planters participated in activities and games that invited them to grow in creative imagination as they lead, particularly when it comes to utilizing existing resources and thinking outside of the traditional church model.
Day two included, New Faith Communities planters, Leadership Fellows, and other Center for Leadership Excellence attendees. Around 150 people began the day by examining Paul’s story of shipwreck on Malta (Acts 27). Kenda Creasy Dean challenged us to flip our interpretation of the story and the devastation. Might Paul’s shipwreck, with broken boards of the boat strewn through the seas, actually be what he needed to be saved?
In the same way that Paul’s shipwreck saved him, are challenging times in churches a chance to look at shipwreck and an ‘unfamiliar shore of Malta’ as an opportunity rather than devastation? Creasy Dean urged the group to consider if their churches should ‘throw something overboard’ to stay afloat, acknowledging that when societal change is front and center, churches may need to prune ministries that do not fit. She challenged the clergy and laity to take the lessons learned on Malta to make sense of the unfamiliar territory that many of our churches are in right now.
Throughout the Day of Learning, Creasy Dean’s experiential activities and times for reflection meant that ideas were birthed, some were fine-tuned, and others reached that critical point of inflection where they will move from idea to reality.
An Important Announcement About Ramus
The Ramus Local Church Hosting platform has supported nearly 400 local churches and ministry websites. It’s been a valuable resource, but recently, we’ve faced challenges, especially after losing staff due to churches leaving The United Methodist Church.
We’ve decided to stop hosting local church websites because of these challenges and our inability to support users and maintain systems and security adequately.
I want to apologize for any disruption this may cause to your church. We didn’t make this decision lightly, and we’re thankful for your church’s support of the Ramus platform.
We want to make this transition as smooth as possible, so please keep reading for more details on our timeline, next steps, and some new hosting options.
When?
We will continue hosting websites until June 1, 2024.
After this deadline, even if your domain (Example: churchname.org) is active, your website content will be inaccessible if you have not transferred to a new hosting provider.
You need to select a new host and begin the transition as soon as possible to help make this process smoother.
We can only offer technical support via phone and email through March 31, 2024.
After this date, our Church Communications Consultant position will no longer exist, so we will no longer be able to offer technical support. We will only be able to transfer domains.
For sites on our Paid tier with a domain expiring before the deadline, we will renew domains expiring through June for one year (instead of three) to give you time to secure an alternative hosting option before the June 1 deadline.
What’s Next?
One of our main goals with Ramus was that every church in the Conference would have an effective website. It’s still our hope.
When we created Ramus, designing an affordable website without hiring someone to build it for you was challenging. Now, many tools are available at affordable prices that allow you to make fantastic websites.
We’ve researched some that we believe are the best compared to what you had with Ramus. I’ll share those below.
Hosting Options
UMCChurches.org
For our Paid tier, this is our preferred option. Managed by United Methodist Communications, they use WordPress and have a pricing option similar to our Ramus platform. Look for the Silver or Gold packages.
WordPress.com
Website hosting directly from WordPress with a variety of plans available.
SiteGround
A great, low-cost hosting platform that uses WordPress.
Squarespace & Wix
Competitors to WordPress, but both allow you to build a website quickly. These options may not be as customizable.
Find-A-Church
If you are on our Free tier, we recommend the recently updated Find-A-Church page from United Methodist Communications. You can pay a small yearly fee to purchase a domain and point it directly to your listing. Look for the Bronze (Free) package. Alternatively, switch to a different provider using the options above.
Questions?
Please know that we are here to help walk you through this process.
For more information, read our Frequently Asked Questions below. If you don’t see your question answered, contact support@nccumc.org.
If you’d like to talk to us directly, we ask that you schedule an appointment with Jay Locklear, our Church Communications Consultant. He can walk you through your specific scenario and offer a recommendation.
Thank you for trusting Ramus with your ministry’s website and your patience as we transition to new ways of working together.
—
Derek Leek
Director of Communications
Frequently Asked Questions
What if our Ramus website isn’t being used, or we have already switched to another hosting provider?
If your Ramus website is no longer in use or you already switched to another hosting provider, please let us know as soon as possible, and we will remove your site.
What’s the process of moving my site to another host?
First, find a new host (see our recommendations above). Then, if you are using WordPress with your new site and want to keep your text and image content, export your site content from Tools – Export in the Dashboard. Transfer the domain name (if applicable). Import the site content to your new website. Migrate email accounts (if applicable).
How do I transfer my domain?
Email us at support@nccumc.org, and we will unlock the domain and send you the transfer authorization (EPP) code.
Is there a cost to transfer my domain?
Maybe. If you have (or create) a Name.com account, we can internally transfer the domain with no fee. If you have a different domain registrar or choose a host where they manage the domain, there will likely be a fee to transfer the domain. However, paying for a domain transfer usually adds a year to the expiration date.
Do I have to wait until June 1, 2024?
No! If you have selected a new host and are ready to transfer, we encourage you to move forward with your new host.
What about my email accounts?
Our email system uses Google Workspace. To migrate your accounts, please apply for Google for Nonprofits to begin the process. Once you are approved, email us at support@nccumc.org to schedule a time for the migration.
What if I recently renewed my domain and Ramus hosting agreement?
Most of the money you pay when you host with Ramus goes toward the domain renewal ($12.99/year = $38.97). Any years purchased are transferred with the domain wherever it goes. When you transfer your domain to a new host, you may have to pay a small fee (which would then add an additional year to your domain). For example, let’s say your domain expired on 1/15/24. You renewed in November 2023 with Ramus for three years. Your renewal date is now 1/15/27. When you transfer to a registrar/host other than Name.com, you may pay a small fee, and the new renewal date will be 1/15/28.
A Beginner’s Guide to General Conference
United Methodist News answers frequently asked questions about General Conference in A Beginner’s Guide to General Conference.
One of the questions is, “How does legislation become church law?” In answering this question, UM News refers to a Judicial Council decision based on a vote at the 1987 North Carolina Annual Conference that required delegates to reveal their General Conference votes. The Judicial Council ruled that delegates “are to vote based on their own conscience as moved by the Holy Spirit.”
February Monthly Resource Flyer
Each month, we publish this flyer to share timely Conference resources available to clergy and laity in local churches in the North Carolina Conference. It includes upcoming events, grant deadlines, Conference news, and more.
The monthly theme for February is Black History Month. The flyer includes related resources that can be borrowed from the NC Conference Media Center, along with online resources from Strengthening the Black Church and The General Commission on Religion and Race. The flyer also includes information on serving at General Conference.
Feel free to print or share this flyer with your congregation. Click the image below to download the two-page PDF flyer.
Conference Committee Nominations
Are you interested in serving on a Conference committee?
At Annual Conference 2024, we will nominate committee members to fill current openings to serve beginning July 1, 2024, through Annual Conference 2025. Visit our Nominations page to learn more and express your interest! Nomination forms are due February 29, 2024.