Join the General Council on Finance and Administration on December 3 at 2:30 pm for a webinar to learn about updates to labor laws regarding overtime pay beginning January 1.
Announcements
Clergy Ethics Training
Each quadrennium, the North Carolina Conference holds a mandatory Ethics Training for all clergy. This includes but is not limited to those assigned/appointed, serving a church, in extension ministry, or who might serve in the future.
Please register for the in-person training by December 3, 2024.
This Ethics Training will be led by Rev. Lindsay Geist and is designed as a two-part training:
- 3-hour online training component
- 5-hour (4-hour training plus breaks) in-person interactive training
Both online and in-person components are mandatory. The online component must be completed prior to the in-person training. You will receive your online course invitation on January 6, 2025 and must complete it by January 23, 2025.
There are four options for attending the in-person training. You must attend one of these trainings, but it does not have to be within your district.
- Thursday, Jan 30 – Wesley Memorial UMC (Wilmington)
- Saturday, Feb 1 – Haymount UMC (Fayetteville)
- Wednesday, Feb 12 – Plymouth UMC (Plymouth)
- Thursday, Feb 13 – Saint Andrews UMC (Raleigh)
Attending the training is free. The NC Conference will not reimburse travel expenses. You may bring your own lunch, or you can pay for a box lunch.
Attendance shall be recognized only for those persons present for the duration of the event. Partial attendance shall not be recognized. Clergy who do not complete this training can expect the Bishop and Cabinet to review their present appointment (assignment) and any conference committee assignments.
Topics covered throughout the session include boundary basics, boundary crossings and violations, power and vulnerability, expectations, transference and countertransference, dual relationships (including dating and friendship), loneliness, receiving gifts, technology and social media, harassment, finance, pornography, and mandated reporting.
The whole training is focused on the importance of clergy remaining personally healthy which leads to making healthy decisions and creating healthy congregations.
If you have any questions about this training, please contact the District Office at districts@nccumc.org.
Preparing Your Church Property for Winter Weather
The winter season is approaching, and it is important to prepare your church property for chilly temperatures and winter weather. The United Methodist Insurance Program has compiled resources to help you prepare.
Pipe Freeze Prevention (Philadephia Insurance Companies)→
United Methodist Insurance GuideOne Risk Management Webinar→
Winter Resilience: A Guide to Preventing Frozen Pipes and Water Damage→
Announcing Winter Quarter Lay Servant Ministries Classes
Your Lay Servant Ministries team is pleased to announce six courses for our 2024-2025 Winter Quarter. Winter is the perfect season to settle in with a warm drink and deepen your learning from home. Five of our six classes are online, including a self-paced course. Soul Reset will be offered as a two-week journey that invites you to slow down, look inward, and reconnect with God. For those who prefer in-person learning, join us for the UM History class in the Capital District, or take a peek at the in-person courses being planned for our spring quarter (below).
Whether you’re pursuing certification or simply want to grow and fellowship alongside other UMC laity, we have a class for you!
Make a plan to begin the new year with connection and learning—register for a class today!
Basic Course in Lay Servant Ministries
with Ken Ripley
Saturday, January 11, 2025
Zoom
Soul Reset
with Anggie Thompson
Monday, January 13, 2025
through January 24, 2025
Zoom, Self-paced online
Sharing Your Faith
with Ken Ripley
Saturday, January 18, 2025
Zoom
Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (UM History)
with Greg Van Buskirk
Saturday, February 8, 2025
in-person (Raleigh)
Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course
with Tom Santa
Saturday, February 15, 2025
Zoom
Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (UM History)
with Tom Santa
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Zoom
What is planned for the Spring quarter (March-May 2025)?
Zoom
- Embracing Personal Prayer, March 22 (registration open!)
- Leading Worship, date TBD
- Life Together in the UMC (Polity), date TBD
In Person
- Aging and Ministry, Capital district, date TBD
- Called to Preach, Beacon district, date TBD
- Soul Reset, Gateway district, date TBD
Lenten Study: Gun Violence Prevention
While Advent is likely on most pastors’ minds, planning for a Lenten study now means preparing congregations to reflect thoughtfully during the Lenten season and to remain grounded in our United Methodist beliefs. The Bishop’s Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and the Board of Church and Society want to equip you for this season by encouraging congregations to use the Kingdom Dreams and Violent Realities Bible Study, created by the General Board of Church and Society in 2016.
Focused on Micah 4:1-4, this study offers a launching point for additional discussion and sharing experiences related to gun violence, preventing loss of life, and advocating for common-sense gun laws. The study will “draw out the theological meaning of the passage, provide a window into the causes and implications of gun violence, and suggest faith-filled responses” to the challenge.
Take action now by committing to lead this study in your local church or a community gathering place. In the next few months, the task force will offer online resources, videos of United Methodists sharing personal stories, and suggestions for five weeks of content. This upcoming Lenten season, have relevant and transformative conversations in your church and community. Spend time in reflection, and let’s reaffirm our call to be peacemakers.
Global Ministries to Commission Sixty-Seven EarthKeepers
The Global Ministries EarthKeepers program offers a collaborative space for United Methodists to create and enhance environmental projects within their communities.
On November 19 at 8 pm, a new cohort of EarthKeepers will be commissioned during an online service. Two individuals from the North Carolina Conference will be commissioned in the service as they affirm their call to the ministry of creation care. Congratulations to Rev. Donna Thompson and Carmella McKeller-Smith!
You can watch the live stream on Global Ministries’ Facebook Page.