Alpha training to be held in North Carolina Conference
An Alpha training will be held Saturday, Aug. 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Edenton Street UMC in Raleigh. The $25 registration fee includes a full day of training, plus materials and lunch.
Specifics on leading Alpha small groups, pastoral care, prayer, worship music, the weekend away, and more will be included during the training. The leader, Jenny Noyes, leads Alpha training in the SEJ. For details and application information, click on the following link and select “Getting Started Training:” https://nccumc.org/events/alpha-course/
Hinton Rural Life Center hosting a workshop on “Money Matters”
“Money Matters for All Churches,” a workshop for clergy and laity will be held Aug. 14-16 will concentrate of understanding financial statements, building effective budgets, and dealing with conflict in the church family. The cost of the weekend would be a registration fee of $60 plus room and meals at the center. Scholarship assistance is available for pastors through a Duke Endowment grant. For more information, see the brochure at http://www.sejumc.org/ministries_agencies.aspx?id=11854.
Upcoming UMVIM team and Disaster Response Early Responder training events
In order to be a first responder for disaster response, you must complete the early responder training and be certified. Classes will be held at the MERCI Center in Goldsboro. Classes are scheduled: Summer Session–Aug. 14 – 15, Fall Session–Nov. 20 – 21. Recent unfortunate events with several different teams have shown the essential nature of team leader training and SEJ-UMVIM insurance. Anyone considering a UMVIM experience should attend one of these training. For more information, please see: NC UMVIM
NC Conference Mission Seed Fund information and application
For those interested in applying for 2010 Mission Seed Funds, an information and training session is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 22 at Farmville UMC from 10:30 a.m.- Noon. A second training session is being held on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Millbrook UMC in Raleigh, from 7 – 8 p.m.. Though attendance at one of these sessions is not mandatory for those applying for Mission Seed Funds, attendees will learn about the 2010 application, will receive an overview for 2010 Seed Fund parameters, and will receive bonus points toward funding consideration. Direct any questions to the Office of Mission and Justice ministries, 800-849-4433 ext 256 or kreavis@nccumc.org or staylor@nccumc.org
Award of Excellence in Youth Ministry
The Award of Excellence in Youth Ministry is presented to a local church youth group each year at Pilgrimage. The application deadline is Aug. 31. Applications are available at www.nccumc.org/youth/. The Conference Council on Youth Ministries will make the selection of the recipient at their September meeting. The award will be presented during the Saturday, Nov. 14, morning session at Pilgrimage at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville.
Pilgrimage Leadership
Those youth and youth groups willing to offer leadership at Pilgrimage, Nov. 13-15 at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville must do so by Aug. 31. The opportunities (and how to sign up) are as follows:
a) House Band – youth must submit an application (available upon request from senicholson@nccumc.org) and must attend the audition;
b) testimonies – youth must submit their testimony in writing to senicholson@nccumc.org or Youth Ministry, PO Box 10955, Raleigh, NC 27605 with a recommendation from their pastor or adult youth leader as well as contact information for that adult;
c) dance, drama, etc. – youth groups offering an act of worship such as dance, drama, etc. must submit a description of the act of worship and the leader contact information;
d) DVD’s – youth groups wishing to offer a DVD from their group must mail it to Youth Ministry, PO Box 10955, Raleigh, NC 27605. The DVD must meet the following criteria: involve the whole group, relate to the theme “Peace Like a River”, and offer good audio and visual quality (in other words clarity in picture and verbally understandable). Note: DVD’s of youth group mission trips will not be accepted. Pilgrimage brochures will be mailed out for the second time in early August. The brochure and poster are available for download at Youth.
African American Music and Worship Explo October 1-3 Lake Junaluska
Designed for African American congregations, this event will bring together pastors, musicians, ministers of music, singers, choirs and worship leaders from across The United Methodist Church to fellowship, network and learn from each other. Goals for the workshop include: recapturing and rekindling an appreciation for the inspiring legacy of Black church music; learning the effective use of current trends in African American church music in worship services; discovering ways through music to reach all age groups in the community with the message of Jesus Christ, especially youth and young adults; and finding resources to create more vibrant worship experiences for your congregation. For more information, go to http://www.lakejunaluska.com/events_detail.aspx?id=6338.