Bishop Shelton celebrates the work of Native American clergy and the Committee on Native American Ministries in honor of Native American Heritage Month and emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the complexities of Thanksgiving’s history.
Announcements
2025 Duke Divinity School Preaching Initative Applications Open
Applications are now open for the 2025 Duke Divinity School Preaching Initiative.
The curriculum is comprised of nine sessions that will occur once a month beginning on March 6 and concluding on November 6. The March and November Sessions meet in-person from 10am – 3pm. The April – October sessions meet virtually from 10-Noon on the first Thursday of the month. Each virtual session will require advanced reading and preparation and will entail approximately 120 minutes of lecture and discussion.
In addition to the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Michael B. Brown, nationally known practitioners will join us several times throughout the year. Previous years’ guests have included Susan Sparks, Amy Butler, Karoline Lewis, Micah McCreary, Kevin Murriel, Corey Walker, and Lillian Daniel.
The program is available to clergy in the Western NC Conference and NC Conference who wish to take their preaching to the next level. Space is limited. If you are interested in participating, complete a short application by Friday, January 17.
Thanks to the generous support of The Parish Ministry Fund and The Duke Endowment, participants are not responsible for any of the expenses associated with the program.
If you have any questions please contact Ken Spencer at ken.spencer@div.duke.edu.
Ward to Serve as Candler’s Next Bishop-in-Residence
Candler School of Theology announced that retired United Methodist Bishop Hope Morgan Ward will serve as Candler’s next bishop-in-residence, beginning January 5. Bishop Ward will travel between North Carolina and Atlanta as she enters this new role.
We Need Your Help: Check Cleaning Kits at MERCI for Future Disaster Relief
Thank you to all who have packed and delivered cleaning kits for Hurricane Helene relief in Western North Carolina. Due to the amazing work of NC Conference United Methodists and other organizations, we no longer need cleaning kits at this time.
However, we need to ensure that the kits we have on hand are complete and ready for future use. MERCI is seeking volunteers to help check over 1,000 kits to confirm they are complete before being shelved.
MERCI will be open from 9 am to 3 pm (with a break for lunch) starting Monday, December 2, until Saturday, December 7, 2024, specifically for this purpose. Groups of any size or individual volunteers are welcome!
If you are interested in serving, please contact Rev. Bill Haddock at (910) 262-3831.
Become a Safe Sanctuaries Champion – Free Book!
Equip your church to protect the vulnerable and foster a safe, welcoming environment.
The Lay Servant Ministries team is offering a half-day Zoom course—open to clergy and laity alike—designed to train you to become a Safe Sanctuaries champion in your congregation.
As a special incentive, the NC Conference Safe Sanctuaries Team will provide a free copy of the new Safer Sanctuaries book to the first 15 churches with a registered participant.
Don’t wait—register today and claim your copy!
In this course, you will:
- Understand the importance of Safe Sanctuaries in every congregation.
- Learn what Safe Sanctuaries means for you, your church, and those you serve.
- Gain practical skills to develop or revise your church’s policy and train others to uphold it.
Every church needs a champion for Safe Sanctuaries. Let this course prepare you to lead.
Safe Sanctuaries
January 4, 2025, 10am-2pm ET
with Suzanne Cobb
Zoom, $15
Do I need the book?
Yes! All participants will need a copy of Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities, the recently revised Safe Sanctuaries resource from Discipleship Ministries. If your church does not already own a copy, consider asking your church to purchase one that you can borrow for this course. To prepare for this session, you need not read the whole book, but please familiarize yourself with the contents of parts 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8.
Will I receive Lay Servant Ministries course credit?
While this course does not count as an “advanced Lay Servant Ministries course” for those seeking to renew or certify in Lay Servant Ministries, it is a required course for all those preparing to become certified lay ministers. Participants will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
About the Facilitator:
The Rev. Dr. Suzanne Cobb, a Raleigh, NC, native, graduated from Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) with a B.S. in Education of the Hearing Impaired and taught Special Education for five years. She earned an M.Div. from Duke Divinity School (1999) and a D.Min. from Hood Theological Seminary (2013), focusing her doctoral work on “Building Trust in the First Six Months of a New Appointment.”
A longtime member of Soapstone UMC, Suzanne held various leadership roles, including Children’s Choir Director, Sunday School Superintendent, Youth Counselor, VBS Coordinator, and Women’s Group Leader. She also chaired the United Methodist Women, sang in the Chancel Choir, and helped establish the church’s preschool program, where she worked from 1992-2004.
Suzanne began her pastoral ministry in 2004, serving Leah’s Chapel/Shiloh UMC (2004-2006), Saint Luke UMC-Sanford (2006-2011), The Milwaukee Charge (2011-2015), and Fletcher’s Chapel UMC-Durham (2015-2024). She retired in June 2024.
Throughout her ministry, Suzanne served on the Conference Disaster Relief and UM Volunteers in Mission committees, chaired the MERCI Board, coordinated Sanford Disaster Relief, and held leadership positions in Conference Youth Ministry, including Chair of the Conference Committee on Youth Ministries.
In retirement, she continues serving as Chair of the Raleigh Wesley Board and a member of the Conference Safe Sanctuaries Committee.
NFC December 2024 Newsletter
God’s Stirring
The notes app on my phone is filled with partially written notes to myself about ideas, big questions, goals, or dreams that I jotted down between meetings or while out on a walk. Some of these thoughts seemed significant when I wrote them, but now, looking back, they feel nonsensical. Others I still ponder, wrestle with, and dream about to this day.
This month, we’re celebrating both the chartering of Village Church Rolesville and an inspiring Common Learning Day centered on the Fresh Expressions Movement. As I sat in both rooms, I found myself wondering how much of starting Village Church Rolesville or launching these Fresh Expressions originated from half-written notes about ideas or dreams that came as a fleeting thought. As you read Leah and Tyler’s reflections, I encourage you to consider your own half-written dreams or ideas. Where might God be stirring within you to co-create new spaces for new people to gather into communion with Jesus Christ?