Pastors encouraged to update personal information now
Today, July 12, is the day that all pastors should have verified and updated personal information on the online data collection system. This is of utmost importance due to the fact that the Treasurer’s office will be posting an important mailing on Friday, July 15, which will go to all pastors. Any pastor having problems updating their information should call Jennifer Walls (ext. 229) or Shannon Medlin (ext. 222) at 919-779-6115.
Conference Secretary seeks feedback on 2011 Annual Conference
Jerry Bryan, conference secretary, is requesting responses to questions about the 2011 Annual Conference. Lay and clergy members of the Annual Conference are asked to click on the link and complete this short survey.
Amazing Pace Journey Round Up
This is “Round Up” week for Amazing Pace walkers. Between each 11-week journey, there is a “Round Up” week in which participants may take a break from walking, change personal goals or keep right on walking as they have been – it’s up to each participant! Steps during the Round Up Week are recorded in participants’ accounts. However, the mileage charts have been reset to zero for the start of our third journey. Get ready to earn the cash incentives for this third journey starting on Monday, July 18. To be eligible for the incentives, participants must meet two criteria: (1) enroll before Monday, July 18 and (2) wear the pedometer at least 65% of the days of the journey. For further program details, visit the Treasurer’s Office Insurance website.
Cokesbury extends “Worship and Song” discount until July 31
The new pew edition of the hymnal supplement, “Worship and Song” and the companion publications can be ordered at a 15% discounted price through July 31. Orders can be made through the Raleigh Cokesbury store (919-872-8810 or 866-265-2665) or online at Worship and Song. Companion pieces include the accompaniment edition, the singer’s edition, the worship resources edition, the leader edition, and the presentation CD.
ACS to celebrate 60 years
This year marks the 60th anniversary of ACS (Annual Conference Session for Youth.) The design team invites anyone who has ever attended ACS to come to the celebration on Tuesday evening, July 19. The evening will begin with a small reception starting at 7:30 p.m. in Reeves Auditorium Lobby on the campus of Methodist University, followed at 8:00 p.m., with a program celebrating the past 60 years. There will be speakers from each decade – Belton Joyner, Mike Safley, Powell Osteen, Bert Armstrong, Cliff Bobbitt, Elizabeth Frazier, and closing with Ray Gooch and Hannah McMillan. Dress is casual. Help fill up the auditorium and show support for youth ministry in the North Carolina conference.
Join the Festival of Friends at Don Lee
Camp Don Lee will be hosting a “Festival of Friends” Aug. 10 and invites former campers and friends to return and bring their families to the place that “God has blessed.” Visitors can experience a great time sailing, catching up with friends, and enjoying the beauty of Camp Don Lee. This mid-week event will have activities from noon until 7 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon and evening rekindling the spirit you may have felt years ago as a camper or a Don Lee summer staff member. For more information, visit the website: Don Lee Friends or call/email: info@donleecenter.org or 1-800-535-5475 ext 22 or 1-252-249-1106 ext 22.
Grants available from Commission on Religion and Race
The General Commission on Religion and Race is offering $300,000 in new grants for work on racial diversity, inclusiveness and racial justice within the United Methodist Church. Applications will be accepted through July 31. Awards will be offered in two categories: Racial Justice Grant for UM Seminaries of up to $80,000 for efforts by faculty, staff or students to improve racial, ethnic and cultural intergroup relationships and/or bringing about organizational, institutional and systemic changes in the church, seminary, and in society; and the Racial Justice Grant for Clergy Leadership, of up to $20,000 for clergy and programs within districts and annual conferences that support efforts to dismantle racism by promoting the values of diversity, inclusiveness, multiculturalism and cross-racial/cross-cultural work. Full information and applications can be downloaded from www.gcorr.org/corractionfund. Completed applications must be postmarked by July 31 submitted on the official application form and mailed in typed print, or e-mailed to: applications@gcorr.org (electronic submissions are strongly preferred.) The funds will be awarded before December 31.
Free webinars available for local church leaders
The General Board of Discipleship is continuing a series of free webinars to equip local church leaders.
A program for local church nominations committees will be presented Aug. 4 at 6:30 p.m. CDT (7:30 p.m. EDT).
There will be a two-part series for finance leaders. On Aug. 18, the program will be “Fundraising and Money Burnout” and the Aug. 25 program will be “Extravagant Generosity Starts Here: A Boot Camp for Finance Leaders.” Each of these will begin at 6:30 p.m. CDT (7:30 p.m. EDT.)
Register for any or all of these trainings at www.gbod.org/committee_resources.
African missionary to itinerate in North Carolina
Mozart Adevu, a United Methodist missionary serving in Ghana, Congo, and Liberia, will be visiting the North Carolina Conference from August 23 to September 22. To schedule a time for Adevu to visit a local Church, contact the Conference Secretary of Global Missions, Bill Haddock at: revbillh@nccumc.org or 919-772-2042. For a brief look at Mozart’s work, go to Mozart Adevu.
Renfro Grants assist rural churches
Rural local churches (defined as churches in towns with less than 10,000 persons, villages, or open country) are invited to apply for the Renfro Trust Fund. Grants from the Renfro Trust Fund, administered by the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the UMC, are used by local churches in their efforts to build or renovate church buildings. Guidelines and application forms are at this website: Renfro Trust. Applications must be submitted to the SEJ office by August 1, and must also be signed by officers from our Annual Conference.
Conference Media Center to be closed July 18-22
The Media Center will be closed the week of July 18 while librarian Laura Dallas attends the Church & Synagogue Library Association Annual Conference in Washington, DC. She will return on Monday, July 25. Please get any requests for next week in as soon as possible. The last requests to be processed must be received by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 14.
Unity Dialogue scheduled for September
The next Unity Dialogue will be Thursday, September 8, with Benson Memorial UMC (Raleigh) hosting the dialogue. Worship begins at 4 p.m., and the conversation on a topic to be determined, will follow until 6 p.m. adjournment. All are welcome to attend.