Remember to update the Conference address
We are still receiving mail addressed to the old Conference address. Please remember to update your address books to our new address. The new address is 700 Waterfield Ridge Place, P.O. Box 1970, Garner, NC 27529.
DISCIPLE Bible Study training Saturday in Cary
This is the final call for the upcoming DISCIPLE Bible Study facilitator’s training on Saturday, Sept. 18 at First UMC, Cary. This event is being led by DBOM Executive Director Mark Hicks and will include the following: Elements of DISCIPLE Bible Study; Unique Elements of DISCIPLE 2, 3 and 4; RINGS OF FELLOWSHIP – A discipleship study for youth (Modeled after DISCIPLE); Leadership Skills; and Implementation in the Local Church. This workshop is provided for clergy and laity alike. Those with no DISCIPLE experience or those wishing to brush up on their leadership skills are encouraged to attend. This is not certification training for DBOM’s prison ministry; however, DISCIPLE prison leaders are welcome to attend. The event will begin with registration at 8:30 AM and will conclude by 3 PM. Lunch will be provided at a nominal fee paid at the door. Register online at DBOM or call 336-454-5348.
Asbury Homes to open second group home
The grand opening of the new Asbury Homes-Pembroke Group Home located at 300 Ruth Dial St, Pembroke, NC will be Saturday, Sept. 25 from 2 p.m.- 4 p.m. The home is a state of the art dwelling for developmentally-disabled adults which has received a design award from the N.C. Advance Energy Agency for energy conservation. This is Asbury Homes’ second group home, the first being in Tabor City.
Immigrants’ Reality and the Church event at Camp Chestnut Ridge
An Immigrants’ Reality and the Mission of the Church event will be Sept. 29 – Oct. 2 at Chestnut Ridge Camp and Retreat Center in Efland. The bi-lingual event is planned for English speakers and Hispanic/Latino leaders doing ministry in the NC and the Western NC conferences. Team facilitation is from the National Plan of Hispanic/Latino Ministries of the UMC and co-sponsored by the General Board of Church and Society. Registration information is online at Immigrants reality. Registration deadline is Sept. 20.
CPI application deadline approaching
Comprehensive Plan of Inclusiveness grant applications are due no later than Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. (if hand-delivered to the Methodist Building) or postmarked no later than Sept. 30. No faxed applications will be considered and all must have the appropriate signatures. Plan ahead – do not wait until the due date to gather signatures! The CPI grant focus has changed and more emphasis will be placed on churches in close proximity working in joint ministry projects to affect lasting change in the area of true multi-ethic ministry projects & worship. Fewer small dollar grants will be awarded as a result of this change. The application form and criteria information is available at CPI Grant. For more information, call Linda Harris at 919-779-6115, ext. 247.
Workshop on best employment practices for churches
The Rev. Joy T. Melton will present a day-long presentation on employment practice issues and topics important for every church to understand. The presentation will take place Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Pfeiffer University’s Charlotte campus. The cost is $30 per person which includes lunch; registration deadline is Sept. 27. Topics discussed will include church employee/staff handbook, best practices for hiring and supervising staff members, and best practices for handling employee complaints. Melton is the chief resource officer of the UM Property and Casualty Trust, the non-profit property insurance company for United Methodist ministries. She consults with churches, districts, and annual conferences, on a wide variety of employment issues and provides training for church leaders on these issues as well as insurance issues, Safe Sanctuaries, and the complaint procedures found in the Book of Discipline. To obtain a registration form and more information, go to Employment Practices.
CareNet provides clergy counseling and consultation
In January, 2010, the NC Conference entered into a relationship with CareNet for clergy counseling and church consultation. CareNet is part of the Baptist Hospital system based in Winston-Salem and offices have been established in eastern NC for at least 10 years. CareNet provides faith-based counseling for clergy members of the NC Conference and their families by appointment at one of their 11 offices within the bounds of the NC Conference. Sessions may be covered by BCBS Health Insurance with co-pay at the time of the appointment. In the event that pastors are not in a location convenient to one of the offices, the CareNet counselors are pleased to refer to a faith-based service in the area. For a complete description of services provided go to nccumc.org, and click on Resources, and Clergy Counseling and Consultation. For the list of CareNet offices and contact information, also under Resources, click on Health and Wholeness and CareNet locations.
Location change for the Sexual Ethics training make-up date
Due to the growing number of persons registering for the sexual ethics make-up day, the location for the Oct. 30 training has been moved to Horne Memorial UMC in Clayton, 121 East 2nd Street, Clayton, NC 27520-2476. To register for the make-up day, e-mail Linda Bourey at lcbourey@nccumc.org so adequate meal plans can be made.
Deepening Your Effective Discipleship Workshop to be in Raleigh
The Office of Connectional Ministries announces a workshop on discipleship for pastors and members of congregations of the NC Conference. “Deepening Your Effectiveness in Discipleship” is presented by Dan Glover and Claudia Lavy co-authors of the book, “Deepening Your Effectiveness: Restructuring the Local Church for Life Transformation.” The workshop will be presented on two dates, Oct. 29 and Oct. 30 at the Methodist Building in Garner. While it is not necessary that pastors and lay persons attend together, participating churches should have lay members registered, as well as, the pastor. The workshop will begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 4:30 p.m. each day. The only cost for the workshop is the cost of the lunch that will be provided. To register, go to Discipleship.
Family Fun Run enhances Camp Chestnut Ridge ministry
The Family Fun Run will be held at Chestnut Ridge Camp & Retreat Center in Efland, on Oct. 31. This race is to help benefit the “Pass It On” Annual Fund which supports the camping ministry’s programs, enhances facilities and equipment and helps send children and youth to camp through the campership scholarship program. There will be a mini-race for younger members of participating families and a worship service will conclude the events. For more information and to register online go to Family Fun Run.
UMCOR ministering to flood victims
UMCOR reports that donations in the wake of the massive floods covering Pakistan are not coming in and they are having to dip into a general emergency fund to respond. Flood waters continue to sweep away homes and crops and have destroyed the country’s schools, health-care centers and roads – the essence of its social system. Dysentery and other diseases are spreading. Up to 20 million people have been affected as the waters have covered an area in Pakistan equal to the size of England. Please help by encouraging church members to give generously on-line at International Disaster or to place donations in the Sunday offering. Please note on the gift: UMCOR Disaster Response, International, Advance # 982450. For more information, please see: Pakistan Disaster.
Concert to raise funds for construction of children’s home in Haiti
A concert to raise funds to purchase materials for construction at the Ryan Epps Home for Children (REHC) in Haiti will be held Friday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. at Garner UMC. Bishop Gwinn and the Cabinet will travel in November to construct the next phase at the REHC. Each Cabinet member will be paying their own way to Haiti and 100% of the raised funds will be used in the construction. Anyone unable to attend the concert can forward a donation directly to the NC Conference, P.O. Box 60053, Charlotte, NC 28260-0053. Please make checks payable to “NC Conference/Raleigh Area” and place “Advance #S00245″ on the memo line. To download bulletin inserts encouraging church members to consider giving a donation of $1.00 to help a vulnerable child, see this post on the Conference website.
North Carolina Conference Historical Society Workshop
The NC Conference Archives and History Commission and Historical Society are sponsoring a workshop Oct. 2, to teach methods for gathering oral histories and using media to preserve local church history. The event will be held at First UMC, Wilson from 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. A box lunch is the only cost (donation) for this professional training experience. To help the Commission adequately plan, register by emailing Robin Harry at rharry@nccumc.org.
Multicultural Conference at Lake Junaluska Dec. 2-4
The theme for this year’s event is “Embracing Christ’s Multi-Ethnic Body – Breaking Down Barriers and Building Bridges.” The Multicultural Conference is designed to increase awareness and appreciation in church and the world for the richness of diversity. The Multicultural Team of the NC Conference will pay the early bird registration fee of $129 for the first 20 persons to complete the application and mail it to the NC Conference, P.O. Box 1970, Garner, NC 27529 ATTN: Linda Harris. To download, print, and share the brochure, go to 2010 Multicultural Brochure.