Annual Conference Notes
1) East Carolina University housing is now full. It was provided on a first come first serve basis.
2) Annual Conference proceedings will be videostreamed on the conference website: conference website
3) The Christian Educators Fellowship will be meeting for lunch at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, June 12. The luncheon will be held at the Golden Corral on Greenville Blvd.
Peace with Justice Sunday is June 7
Peace with Justice Sunday, one of the six United Methodist churchwide Special Sundays, witnesses to God’s demand for a faithful, just, disarmed and secure world. Peace with Justice Sunday supports programs that advocate peace and justice at home and around the world. It will be observed on June 7. For bulletin resources, children’s sermon, talking points, and more information, please see: Peace with Justice
Jerusalem Ark – Kids of Hope – Christian Formation for Palestinian Children
The Rev. Harold Salmon is leading a team to Palestine to provide a forum for Christian education and fellowship for Palestinian Christian children. Living behind and separated by walls and blockades, these children rarely have opportunity for such experience. Many believe that without such connection, within a generation, there will be little living-Christian-presence remaining in this most holy of lands. Jerusalem Ark is a NC Conference Advance project. To help support this ministry, please simply place your gift into your Sunday offering, noting on the gift: NC Conference – Jerusalem Ark. Gifts can be mailed to: NC Conference/Raleigh Area, The United Methodist Church, PO Box 60053, Charlotte, NC 28260-005. Mark on envelope and check: Attn: Jerusalem Ark and make sure that your church name & district are listed on your check or envelope. 100% of your gift goes to the ministry.
Children’s ZOE Mission Moments
Everything you need to support orphans and vulnerable children through your children’s ministry is available on OE Ministry website. Everything you need for a VBS or Summer Sunday School Mission Project can be downloaded online at www.zoeministry.org. Click on the VBS icon in the upper right corner. You can also sign up to receive our Mission Moment Videos.
National Faith-Based Health Care Reform Rally
The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society is among more than 30 national faith organizations planning a large mobilization around health-care reform. These organizations will host an “Interfaith Service of Witness and Prayer” on Wednesday, June 24 at 4 p.m. at Freedom Plaza in Washington D.C. The gathering will express an ecumenical/interfaith support for health-care reform. Similar “echo events” will occur nationally throughout the preceding week. To learn more, see: Health Care Reform Rally.
June is Torture Awareness Month – United Methodists Reject Torture
The United Methodist Social Principles state, “… the mistreatment or torture, and other cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment or punishment of persons by governments for any purpose violates Christian teaching and must be condemned and/or opposed by Christians and churches wherever and whenever it occurs.” (¶164, The Book of Discipline.) The General Board of Church and Society and the General Board of Global Ministries are members of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. June has been designated as Torture Awareness Month. To learn about the United Methodist Response, please see UM Response. To learn more about the work of NRCAT, please see Campaign Against Torture. To join with other United Methodists against the use of torture, go to UM Against Torture.
Missionary Alexandria Jones available to speak to your churches
Alex Jones, Church and Community Worker Missionary with the National Farm Workers Ministry is available to speak to congregations regarding farm worker ministry and how you can be engaged in ministry with workers who are often forgotten or are targets of crime and exploitation. As a missionary, Alex proclaims the life of Christ as she works across our state on behalf of our United Methodist Church. Contact Alex at ajones@nfwm.org or call 919-489-4485 or consider entering a covenant relationship with Alex. For more information, see Covenant Relationships. For Alex’s bio, please see: Bio Alex Jones.