02/03/09
MERCI seeking assistance in feeding construction volunteers
MERCI requests help providing meals for volunteers building a new home for a family that lost their home to the November, 2008 tornado. Teams will begin arriving the week of Feb. 9, and continue until the home is completed. We especially need meals for the long weekend, Feb. 20 – 22. Any church or church group that would be interested in feeding a team one or more meals, please contact Ann Huffman, MERCI volunteer coordinator, at 888-440-9167, 919-739-9167, or ahuffman@nccumc.org . Please contact MERCI to donate materials, funds for materials and/or volunteer labor for this project.
MHC Sunday is February 22
Please consider receiving a special offering for the children and families served by Methodist Home for Children (MHC) on February 22. This offering supports MHC in reaching more than 1400 young people and families each year with programs that include foster care and adoption, family counseling, residential services (10 g roup homes), and a 5-star inclusive childcare center . Invite an MHC representative to speak at your church during a Sunday service between Feb. 22 – May 31 . Contact Jennifer Cooper at jcooper@mhfc.com or call 1-888-305-4321 to request a speaker. Also, you may visit the MHC website at www.mhfc.org to download a bulletin insert for your congregation or make a gift online. The website provides detailed information about this connectional ministry of The United Methodist Church.
One Great Hour of Sharing Sunday is March 22
One Great Hour of Sharing Sunday is one of the six Special Sundays designated in The Discipline . This offering supports the administrative work of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), which ensures that 100% of designated giving goes directly to specific projects. Unlike other mission programs, UMCOR receives no World Service or other apportionment money. This is why faithful support of the One Great Hour of Sharing offering is crucial. To look at resource materials or to download a bulletin insert, go One Hour of Sharing .
Interpreter Magazine subscriptions due
Pastors, have you submitted your list of church leaders to receive Interpreter magazine in 2009? If the answer is no, it's not too late. If you're not certain, please check. Be certain that your congregation has updated its list of leaders to receive World Service Fund-paid subscriptions to Interpreter magazine in 2009. If there is any question as to whether or not you have updated your list or if it has been received at United Methodist Communications, please call our Customer Service team, 888-346-3862, or drop a note to interpreter@umcom.org . If you have not submitted it, please do so as soon as possible by updating it on-line, faxing or e-mailing it or sending it via postal service. Each congregation is entitled to 10 subscriptions for their leaders). For help in ordering magazines for the first time, a list of leaders now receiving the magazine, assistance with on-line enrollment or anything else, please call Customer Service at United Methodist Communications, (888) 346-3862, or e-mail interpreter@umcom.org . If you are unfamiliar with Interpreter, please let us know, and we will provide a way for you to preview a copy.
Occasionally, the links published in News Briefs become corrupted during transmission. If a link does not work properly, please contact bnorton@nccumc.org . Pastors and laity receiving News Briefs: please feel free to make copies and pass along to other persons in the congregation, other staff members, or persons who do not have access to a computer. Make copies for the church bulletin boards. Pastors, forward this e-mail to the church secretary/ administrative assistant so items may be included in the church newsletter. Pastors can request that the e-mail address for the church secretary or others in leadership positions be added to the listserv. Send a message to bnorton@nccumc.org with e-mail of addresses to be added or addresses that should be removed.
