As we look ahead to a time of transition across our connection, Bishop Shelton prays for God’s comfort, peace, joy, and hope to be upon you and your church.
Effective Leaders
An Encouragement for March
The Center for Leadership Excellence, in partnership with COSROW, is pleased to lift up the voices of women in ministry encouraging fellow women in ministry. Please enjoy this month’s Encouragement from Bishop Connie Shelton. Anyone can sign up to receive these monthly emails here.
Upon my departure from Mississippi, a lovely friend/clergy sister/colleague, Rev. Barbara (isn’t it interesting how one person can play many roles in our lives!) gave me a gift bag with a coffee mug displaying Rosie the Riveter. Rosie’s arm is bent with muscle flexed, declaring, “We Can Do It!”
Primarily a fictitious character, Rosie became one of the most successful recruitment tools in American history, and the most iconic image of working women in the World War II era. It was not lost on me that the women standing in the gap for the workforce during World War II had never faced the challenge before them. And my friend Rev. Barbara knew I had not yet faced the challenge of serving as a bishop.
Read 1 John 4:4 (The Message):
“…for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world.”
Reflect: Today, I trust you sense the strength of the Spirit in you. No challenge can overtake you (or me) because God’s dreams are being realized by the Spirit in us. During Women’s History Month, let’s name that history is unfolding today. As soon as this moment passes, it is now history. The Spirit in you is changing history!
Upon reflection of the strength of women stepping into the workforce during World War II as men were deployed for war, I read the historical “retelling“ of the Rosie the Riveter narrative. Some historians call the campaign that beckoned women to “serve their country” as inspiration. Still other historians name the Rosie the Riveter campaign propaganda to serve those in power.
Inspiration or propaganda? The United Methodist Church is certainly facing an internal war. Women are at the forefront of this war. Women are facing resistance to their leadership in ways not seen in 30 to 40 years. The political wars of our day have bled into our beloved United Methodist Church. Nostalgia for glory days dulls the memory. The “glory days” for some people were the “oppressive days” for other people.
Take Action: Tell someone your story of rising to the occasion because you have been inspired “for such a time as this“! Or share when you have been exploited and chose to step in and the Spirit changed history.
In 2022, the United Methodist Church elected EIGHT female bishops! (Watch this 1-minute celebratory video.) We are living women’s history in the making! “We Can Do It!” for the Spirit in you is far stronger than anything in the world!
In partnership,
Center for Leadership Excellence and the Commission on the Status and Role of Women
Nominations Open – Harry Denman Evangelism Awards
Have you seen your pastor reaching out into the community to form deeper connections with your neighbors? Is there a youth in your church who invites and welcomes new people into youth group? Do you have a lay person who leads small groups, which leads to participants’ deeper connection with Christ?
The North Carolina Conference Evangelism and Discipleship team is seeking nominations for the Harry Denman Evangelism award, with categories for youth, clergy, and laity. Let’s celebrate the good work that is happening around us—and the people whose faith and ministries are making a positive impact for Christ. The deadline is March 30.
Evangelism happens in many contexts and many settings. Since 1990, the NC Conference has honored over 50 youth, clergy, and laity for their work in evangelism. View past Denman award recipients.
Thank you for your partnership in helping us identify persons with exceptional ministries of evangelism. We look forward to honoring the 2023 recipients at their local church and through a video at Annual Conference. If you have any questions, reach out to us at cle@nccumc.org.
~ NC Conference Evangelism and Discipleship and the Center for Leadership Excellence
Courage to Ask: What Your People Want to Hear
The NCCUMC Financial Discipleship committee, in partnership with the Center for Leadership Excellence, presents a virtual workshop with Bonnie Marden…
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Our world is experiencing both increasing wealth and increasing financial needs. Imagine the church as the mission bridge changing the world with courageous invitations and generosity. As leaders, what do we need to know or learn to actively participate in funding God’s beloved community?
To increase your knowledge and experience cultivating donors, this virtual workshop is designed to equip and empower everyone to ask with courage. You already have the most important skills, and everything else you need can be learned. Whether you are experienced or terrified of “asking,” this workshop will equip you for courageous conversations that cultivate generosity.
Take a step toward your leadership potential to raise both resources and generosity!
An Interactive Zoom Workshop – Although we do plan to record the meeting, this workshop is interactive and includes breakout rooms. Mark your calendars and plan to join us live to receive the full benefit of the material Bonnie has prepared for us.
Plus, NCCUMC clergy and laity who attend are eligible for a scholarship to attend Bonnie’s five session online training on donor cultivation (a $150 value, limited quantity available).
Ready to claim your spot?
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About Bonnie Marden
Bonnie Ives Marden is a stewardship practitioner, specializing in leadership empowerment and financial accountability. Author of Church Finances for Missional Leaders: Best Practices in Financial Stewardship (2019), she brings technical experience and cultural awareness to the spiritual and temporal aspects of church financial stewardship. She speaks and teaches nationally on our relationship with money and accountability.
Bonnie provided leadership for the Imagine No Malaria campaign and currently teaches donor cultivation (Cultivating the Craft of Asking), conflict transformation (Conflict as a Means of Grace), and Garrett Seminary’s Financial Leadership for Churches. She is a graduate of Tufts University and EMU and LMU’s mediation and trauma healing programs and a certified faculty member of Creating A Culture of Renewal.
A Webinar from the Financial Discipleship Committee and the Center for Leadership Excellence
The NCCUMC Financial Discipleship committee, in partnership with the Center for Leadership Excellence, presents a virtual workshop with Bonnie Marden…
Our world is experiencing both increasing wealth and increasing financial needs. Imagine the church as the mission bridge, changing the world with courageous invitations and generosity. As leaders, what do we need to know or learn to actively participate in funding God’s beloved community?
To increase your knowledge and experience cultivating donors, this virtual workshop is designed to equip and empower everyone to ask with courage. You already have the most important skills, and everything else you need can be learned. Whether you are experienced or terrified of “asking,” this workshop will equip you for courageous conversations that cultivate generosity to benefit your church and community.
Take a step toward your leadership potential to raise both resources and generosity!
Courage to Ask: What Your People Want to Hear
Presented by the NCCUMC Financial Discipleship committee
in partnership with the Center for Leadership Excellence
March 20, 2023, 1-3pm ET
Registration: $10
An Interactive Zoom Workshop – Although we do plan to record the meeting, this workshop is interactive and includes breakout rooms. Mark your calendars and plan to join us live to receive the full benefit of the material Bonnie has prepared for us.
Plus, NCCUMC clergy and laity who attend are eligible for a scholarship to attend Bonnie’s five session online training on donor cultivation (a $150 value, limited quantity available).
NFC February 2023 Newsletter
UM Collective
Late last year, many people were finding themselves displaced or disconnected from their church families due to the disaffiliation decisions made by members of their local church. However, United Methodist people in North Carolina were committed to continuing to care and stay connected.
The UM Collective was co-created by the NCCUMC, the Office of New Faith Communities, and local church pastors and leaders to extend our collective graceful hospitality to anyone who desires to continue following Jesus consistent with the ways and practices of the United Methodist movement. Within the first three months, over 600 people transferred their membership from a disaffiliating church to the UM Collective, as an in-between place while they looked for a new church home.
This initial work began with UM Collective Chaplains, but it now continues with local United Methodist churches who are choosing to be Lighthouse Congregations, beacons of hospitality for their neighbors. We celebrate this unconventional new faith community and how, together, we are extending graceful hospitality to all.