Join Discipleship Ministries on January 9 at 7:30 pm for a webinar focused on new members of stewardship, finance committee, or church council teams and those looking to start the new year strong.
Announcements
Court Ruling on Appeal Brought by Former Members of Fifth Avenue UMC
The North Carolina Conference learned on December 31, 2024, that the plaintiff’s appeal was granted, and the ruling of the trial court dismissing the lawsuit filed by the former Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church members has been reversed by the North Carolina Court of Appeals. The Conference respectfully disagrees with the decision of the Court of Appeals and plans to file a Notice of Appeal and Petition for Discretionary Review to ask the North Carolina Supreme Court to review and reverse the decision of the Court of Appeals.
While this lawsuit is taking place, the Conference has been careful to maintain the Fifth Avenue church building in good working condition and has periodically held events open to the public. The Conference eventually hopes to make use of the property in ways that will be a blessing to the community and serve the mission of The United Methodist Church, but no commitments will be made with respect to the long-term use of the property until this lawsuit is fully and finally resolved.
Council of Bishops Letter: NC Cabinet Edition
Bishop Connie Mitchell Shelton and the NC Cabinet encourage all local churches in the NC Conference to read this letter from the Council of Bishops during their worship services on Epiphany Sunday or another Sunday early in the Season of Epiphany.
Join us for The Art of Neighboring workshop!
What if Jesus really meant for us to love our actual neighbors?
The Evangelism & Discipleship Committee, in partnership with the Center for Leadership Excellence, invites you to explore this question and what it means in your community at The Art of Neighboring workshop with Dave Runyon.
About the Workshop:
In The Art of Neighboring, Dave Runyon challenges Christians to see neighborhoods not just as collections of homes but as communities of people filled with potential for meaningful, life-giving relationships. We all have a need for genuine community, and nothing beats the frequency, availability, and spontaneity of connecting with others who live near us.
Imagine the impact if Christians across our cities and counties shined the light of Christ right where they live. This workshop offers practical insights and strategies to help you take up this challenge and make neighboring an intentional part of your faith.
Don’t miss this opportunity to discover how neighboring can transform your community, breathe new life into your congregation, and deepen your walk with Christ.
The Art of Neighboring
with Dave Runyon
Presented by the Evangelism & Discipleship Committee
with the Center for Leadership Excellence
Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 10am – 2pm
Dixon Chapel, NC Conference Building (Garner, NC)
$15 (includes lunch)
Free Book for the First 50 Registrants!
Don’t wait—register now for your chance to receive a free copy of Dave Runyon’s book, The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door.
The Evangelism & Discipleship Committee is gifting this book to the first 50 registrants. Free books will be available for pickup at the event.
About Dave Runyon
Dave Runyon helps faith, business, and government leaders unite around common causes in the Denver metro area. He serves as the Executive Director of CityUnite and as a consultant for businesses who have a desire to make a positive impact in their communities.
Dave helped to start a neighboring movement that has now spread to over 2,500 churches around the country. This experience prompted him to co-author “The Art of Neighboring,” which was published by Baker Books and has sold over 150,000 copies. He speaks locally and nationally encouraging leaders to collaborate for the good of their cities. Before founding CityUnite, Dave served as a pastor for ten years at Foothills Community Church and The Next Level Church. He graduated from Colorado State University where he studied history, economics, and education. Dave and his wife, Lauren, have four kids and do not plan to have any more.
2025 IRS Standard Mileage Rates
On December 19, 2024, the Internal Revenue Service issued the 2024 standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical, or moving purposes.
Beginning January 1, 2025, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups, or panel trucks) will be:
- 70 cents per mile driven for business use
- 21 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
- 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations
These rates apply to electric and hybrid-electric automobiles as well as gasoline and diesel powered vehicles.
For more information, read the IRS news release IR-2024-312.
Conference Youth Event Dates for 2025
The schedule for 2025 Conference youth events is now available!
- Global Vision: March 7-9, Camp Rockfish
- Kaleidoscope: March 28-30, Camp Don Lee
- Youth in Unity: June 19-22, NC Central University
- Breakaway: June 23-28, Louisburg College
- Pilgrimage: November 7-9, Location to be determined
Registration for the 2025 events and volunteer staff applications will open in early January. Stay tuned for more information! We look forward to seeing you at our events next year!