Conference Website and Email to be down for maintenance
The IT Office will be performing routine maintenance and hardware upgrades in the Conference server room the weekend of May 9 . The maintenance will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 9 and run until 7:30 a.m. on Monday, May 12. At any time during this window various services may be unavailable as various upgrades are completed on the Conference network. During the beginning of the upgrade process, conference web services will be temporarily taken offline. Please note the following planned outages:
? Main Conference website ( nccumc.org ) , Online Data Collection System and all Conference e- mail services - Outage planned for a 12-hour window beginning 5 p.m. May 9.
? Internal Conference network - Intermittent outages planned for the entire weekend.
? Local Church Domain websites - Outage planned to last 24 - 48 hours.
Questions or concerns: contact Douglas Ward at dward@nccumc.org .
Nominations Committee seeking more applications
The Conference Committee on Nominations met recently and invites lay and clergy to submit completed Nomination Forms by May 5 . The goal is to create a broader and deeper pool of talent for these leadership positions within Conference organizations over the next four years. Clergy please share the form lay people and encourage them to complete a form Applications should be sent via e-mail, fax, or regular mail no later than May 5 to leeharris@nccumc.org. . Nominations Form
Clergy E-mail Reminder
If clergy e-mail is being forwarded to another e-mail address, be sure to update the option when obtaining a new e-mail account. Without keeping the forwarding option current, e-mail messages could be lost. Please contact Linda Smith ( lsmith@nccumc.org ) if you have any questions or concerns.
UM Retirement Home Special offering assists persons in benevolent care
The Mother's Day Offering to the UM Retirement Homes supports benevolence at conference related retirement facilities. These residents are considered benevolent when they can no longer fully pay for their care. It is part of the mission of the Homes and the churches. Many are retired pastors from this conference. Promotional materials have been distributed at district pastors' meetings and a bulletin insert is available at Mothers' Day Offering .
Peace with Justice Sunday is May 18
United Methodist Churches will recognize Peace with Justice Sunday on May 18 . A special offering is received to help United Methodists have a voice in advocating for peace and justice at home and around the world. Peace with Justice gifts empower compassionate people to advocate for human rights, care for the environment, demonstrate for important causes, feed the hungry, mediate conflict, provide health care, help to model non-violence and be engaged in many other ministries that further the mandate of Micah 6:8. For more information, sermon topics, and promotional material, go to Peace with Justice Sunday .
Does you congregation have news that should be shared?
The North Carolina Conference Christian Advocate is a vital communication tool for the conference. It includes local church, conference, and denominational news each month. The deadline for submitting news is the 5th of the month prior to the publishing date. Digital photographs and articles about local church ministry projects are always welcomed. Photos should be recorded at the largest size and highest resolution possible. Articles should be in MS Word format. Send photos and articles to bnorton@nccumc.org .
A conference on Hearing Accessibility to be held
The conference Committee on Disability Concerns will sponsor a conference for clergy and laity about hearing accessibility on May 31 from 10 a.m.– 3 p.m. at Garner UMC in Garner. Registration is required by May 23 . An early bird registration fee of $15 is available for anyone who signs up by May 1. After May 1, the registration fee goes up to $20. Lunch is included in the registration fee. Call John Crowe at (919) 759-2146 to learn more about this event and find out how to sign up. Click on NCC Mental Health for more information.
Disciple Bible Outreach Training for 2008
The next DBOM DISCIPLE Bible Study training initiative in the NC Conference will be held on May 10 in the Rocky Mount District - Nashville UMC, on May 17 in the Durham District - McMannen UMC, andx on May 24: Elizabeth City District - First UMC: EC. Training in all four levels of DISCIPLE Bible Study and the RINGS OF FELLOWSHIP youth study will be provided at these events. The event is free to all lay and clergy persons. Lunch will be provided for a small fee. Registration is required. For more details and to register, click on DBOM .
School of Christian Mission to be in July
The North Carolina School of Christian Mission will be held July 23-26 at Methodist University in Fayetteville. This year's mission studies will be Israel and Palestine, Native Americans: Giving our Hearts Away, and I Believe in Jesus . A registration form is available at School of Christian Mission
Gathering of the Fellowship of Local Pastors
The fellowship of local pastors will meet with Bishop Gwinn at Nashville UMC on May 22. The gathering will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude about 12 noon. NOTE: there will be no lunch served since the event ends at noon. Please contact Ray Pearce if you plan to attend or if you have any questions, rpearce@nccumc.org .
FROM THE OFFICE OF MISSIONS AND SOCIAL MINISTRIES
Key Taylor Award nominations
Rural church nominations for consideration of the Key Taylor Award are needed by May 9. For 2008, $1,541.84 will be awarded. The award purpose is to call attention to the mission work of all rural churches by honoring the specific achievements of one rural church. To nominate a church, respond in narrative form on one page to the criteria below by May 9 to Becky Biegger ( beckybiegger@nccumc.org ) at the Office of Missions. Include the names of the church and district.
? The church is in a community of less than 1,500 people.
? The church has 250 members or less.
? The church is significantly involved in community mission.
? The church shows faithfulness in its stewardship of the mission and service commitments (apportionments) and supports Advance Specials.
? The church displays commitment towards growth in ministry and perseverance toward accomplishing their vision of ministry.
Faithful Eating for All People
Join a discussion about food, health, faith, and community. What barriers keep individuals from eating fresh, healthy, local food? Can the barriers be overcome? Come share stories and ideas, then join Asbury Temple UMC in Durham for a community meal on Saturday, June 14. The discussion will begin at 10 a.m. The event is sponsored by Come to the Table, a project of the Rural Life Committee of the NC Council of Churches with support from The Duke Endowment. For more information, see : www.cometothetablenc.org .
Statewide conference on immigration and people of faith
The NC Council of Churches is sponsoring the 2008 Critical Issues Seminar: From Hostility to Hospitality: Immigration and People of Faith , May 13, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. at Greensboro College. Designed for both pastors and laypeople, this conference will provide timely, relevant information and thought-provoking, in-depth theological perspectives on immigration. A registration fee of $23, which covers snacks and lunch, is due Wednesday, May 7. For details and registration, click on http://www.nccouncilofchurches.org/ .
Mission Trip to Russia
A mission trip to Oryol, Russia (approximately 250 miles south of Moscow) is tentatively planned for July 17 - Aug. 1. For more information, contact Donna Fowler-Marchant at (910) 488-8789 or Scott Marchant at (910) 489-9749 or e-mail them at revdlf@aol.com . Scott's blog has pictures and an idea of day to day activities. Russian Missions in Orphanages .
Join in feeding hungry neighbors with Society of St. Andrew
The Society of St. Andrew is offering hands-on ministry that can be done with family and churches, with members aged from 3 to 93. The ministry will be accomplished in a field in N.C.,as a point of worship. Please contact Society of St. Andrew at: sosanc@endhunger.org or call (866) 453-2662. See their web site at: Society of St. Andrew . Please give to NC Advance, (#S-00081).
Gary Locklear – Your Church and Community Worker in the NC Conference
Did you know that Gary Locklear is a General Board of Global Ministry Missioner from the Conference who is serving in the Conference. Gary is serving in the second most diverse rural county in the U.S. and the third most impoverished of its size – Robeson County. Support Gary through Advance Giving, simply by making an offering through the church (check made out to the church) with the designation to support Advance # 982955 Gary Locklear. One hundred percent of the gift will go toward Gary's support. For more information also see missionaries: Our Missionaries . You can find Gary's bio and make a credit card donation at: Missionary Bio .
