NC Conference move scheduled for late June
The United Methodist Building in Raleigh will be closed June 21-25 so building staff can pack and move to the new conference headquarters in Garner. Responses to e-mails and telephone messages will be limited during those days. E-mail, website operations, and the telephone system will be disconnected Friday morning, June 25. The plan is to have them operational within 12-hours. As of June 28, the new address for the United Methodist Building will be 700 Waterfield Ridge Place, P.O. Box 1970, Garner, NC 27529. (All financial remittances should still be directed to the Charlotte lockbox – P.O. Box 60053, Charlotte, NC 28260-0053.) The primary telephone number will be (919) 779-6115. The toll free (WATS) line remains the same, 800-849-4433. Staff will continue to have the same telephone extension number and e-mail address.
Stop Hunger Now – Operation Sharehouse Event at Annual Conference 2010
On Thursday evening, during the dinner break, Stop Hunger Now will guide food packaging in Ballroom B in the Hilton Hotel, adjacent to the Convention Center. The dehydrated food product is ready for packaging and the goal is 20,000 meals packaged between 5 – 7:30 p.m. As volunteers fast to prepare food for those who have too little, they also are asked to contribute the cost of the missed meal for the shipping abroad.
Pilgrimage House Band application forms available
Pilgrimage is scheduled for November 12-14. To be a part of the Pilgrimage House Band, download an application form at https://nccumc.org/youth. Applications must be submitted by August 1, and the date for auditions will be announced soon.
Alpha Courses to hold information sessions in NC Conference area
Alpha courses will hold information sessions in Chapel Hill, Cary, Durham, and Raleigh during the summer months. For dates and locations, go to http://www.alphausa.org/Groups/1000045899/Upcoming_Events.aspx.
Early Response Training Sessions at MERCI
The North Carolina Conference is in need of UMCOR Early Response trained personnel. To help alleviate this need, MERCI Center is hosting several training sessions to increase the level of preparedness. Basic Early Response Team training will be June 4. Call Ann Huffman at 1-888-440-9167 to register. Basic Early Response trainer Training will be July 23-24. Call Bill Gross at 919-720-1484 with questions and registration.
United Methodist Commission on Religion & Race (GCORR) Advocacy Grants
The United Methodist Commission on Religion & Race (GCORR) Action Fund seeks to invest in and assist churches, community organizations, conferences, seminaries, and ecumenical bodies that nurture programs focused on dismantling racism. GCORR is offering more than $250,000 in grant dollars to congregations or organizations that want to assist or protect immigrants. The agency is offering several $40,000 grants to one-year projects, beginning Jan. 1, 2011. The 2010 focus of the Action Fund is on action and advocacy. Programs receiving financial support through the fund will be those that provide action and advocacy efforts related to assuring the rights of racial ethnic immigrants and refugees. Applicants should be nonprofit and local church/action advocacy groups. Grants will range from $25,000 to $40,000. Deadline for applying is June 15. An Action Fund brochure can be downloaded from GCORR’s website as can an application form.
Annual Conference Briefing Session can be viewed on conference website
Persons unable to attend an Annual Conference briefing session held Sunday, May 23, can view it by clicking on http://vimeo.com/album/230845.
Mission Team is Receiving Applications for Mission Seed Funds – Due Aug. 2
The NC Conference Mission Team is receiving applications for a second round of Mission Seed Funds for 2010. Applications are due no later than August 2, 2010. Funds will be disbursed by September 15. Seed Funds are to be used to develop and start new ministries or make significant changes or additions to on-going ministries. Applications guidelines and downloads are available at Mission Seed Funds.
Bishop Gwinn to speak at Clergy Breakfast on Immigration
This year, the NC Council of Churches is continuing its successful statewide series of “Clergy Breakfasts” on immigration. These events are for faith leaders and provide an overview of immigration issues. Speakers will include Bishop Al Gwinn, North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church and Rev. Ismael Ruiz Millan, Unidos por Cristo United Methodist Church in Grimesland. Thursday, July 1, 2010, 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. at Fairmont UMC, 2501 Clark Ave., Raleigh. For more information call 919-828-6501 or see: www.nccouncilofchurches.org or www.welcometheimmigrant.org.
Trail Hike Registration Deadline June 7
The registration deadline for the Appalachian Trail Hike for high school youth is June 7. The Trail Hike will leave from the new Methodist Building in Garner on Saturday, July 10 and will return Saturday, July 17. The week includes hiking and camping along approximately 50 miles of the Appalachian Trail. The registration form may be found in the 2010 Youth Events brochure which is available for download from the “Events” page of the website: www.nccumc.org/youth/events.