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Detroit Conference Connection - Jan. 7, 2010
Detroit Conference Connection - Jan. 7, 2010
CONFERENCE NEWS
Board of Global Ministries Looking to Raise Funds For Truck in Liberia At 2010 Annual Conference
The Conference Board of Global Ministries has decided to not fill a container with medical and UMCOR kits to be sent to Liberia at the 2010 annual conference, according to the Rev. Margie Crawford, chair of the board's Hunger/UMCOR Committee. Instead, the board will be using the annual conference session as an opportunity to raise funds to purchase a delivery truck for use in Liberia. Click here for the story.
Monday, Jan. 11 Deadline For Special Meal Requests For 2010 Annual Conference
The Program Committee is now accepting requests from all groups interested in hosting a special meal during the 2010 Annual Conference, which is scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, May 20-23, at Adrian College.
To submit your request, please download and review the Special Meals Policy and Special Meals Request Form by visiting www.detroitconference.org/annualconference.
Completed request forms are due by Friday, Jan. 11, 2010 in order to be considered for space at annual conference. Any forms received after Jan. 11 will not be considered.
Please contact Paul Thomas, Program Committee Coordinator, at 906-774-0064 (home), 906-396-4746 (cell) or pthomas@detroitconference.org with any questions.
Friday, Jan. 28 Deadline For Meeting Space Requests For 2010 Annual Conference
The Program Committee is now accepting requests from all groups interested in hosting a meeting during the 2010 Annual Conference, which is scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, May 20-23, at Adrian College.
To submit your request, please download and review the Meeting Space Request Form by by visiting www.detroitconference.org/annualconference.
Completed request forms are due by Friday, Jan. 28, 2010 in order to be considered for space at annual conference. Any forms received after Jan. 28 will not be considered.
Please contact Paul Thomas, Program Committee Coordinator, at 906-774-0064 (home), 906-396-4746 (cell) or pthomas@detroitconference.org with any questions.
Update on Firestone Natural Rubber Company in Liberia
In keeping with a resolution passed at the 2009 annual conference session, The conference Board of Church and Society and the Detroit West District Peace Center have updated information on the Firestone Natural Rubber Company in Liberia. At the 2009 annual conference, the company was commended by the conference for its cooperation with the Liberian government, but was also encouraged to address labor, environmental, and working conditions issues. Click here for the update
OTHER NEWS
Time To Renew Your MARC Membership!
MARC, the Michigan Area Resource Center lending library, serving all the United
Methodist churches in Michigan, is ready to equip you! As a member you can order over 4,000 DVDs, videos, sheet music, books, study helps, and more, that can make training and leading a breeze. It’s now time to renew your subscription, or become a new customer.
Click here for your 2010 MARC Membership Form. ***The annual fee is half the regular price for those churches that have not had a MARC membership in the past five years.***
It’s a fabulous bargain, easy to use, and anyone in the church is eligible to reserve resources.
ASK YOUR CHURCH SECRETARY TODAY IF YOU ARE A MARC MEMBER!
Clergywomen Invited to Participate in GBHEM Survey
To all clergywomen in all categories of ministry:
The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry has in the past sponsored an international clergywomen’s consultation each quadrennium. This quadrennium each jurisdiction is responsible for implementing its own clergywomen’s gathering with the hope that we can have a global one again in 2014.
The women bishops in the jurisdiction have been asked to see what the interest is for such an event and who might be willing to provide leadership for it yet this quadrennium. Therefore, please take the time to complete the survey linked below by January 15, 2010.
http://public.gbhem.org/snapwebhost/surveypreview.asp?k=125908485434
Blessings of hope, peace, joy and love in this Advent/Christmas season,
Bishops Linda Lee, Deborah Kiesey and Sally Dyck (NCJ)
Human Relations Day (January 17, 2010)
Thousands of people rely on Maudine Holloway to feed and clothe them, as well as to assist them in the daily struggles of not having enough. In her 39 years as a United Methodist community developer, the three words she’s heard more than any others are, “Please help me.” The offering on this Special Sunday strengthens outreach to communities in the United States and Puerto Rico and encourages social justice and work with at-risk youth.
Call (888) 346-3862 today to order envelopes and other resources so your congregation can participate in this churchwide offering. They will be sent at no cost to your church! Find more at umcgiving.org/specialsundays.
Give A Valentine That Lasts A Lifetime … a Marriage Encounter Weekend!
Enjoy Friday evening to Sunday afternoon focusing just on each other in a comfortable hotel. The next United Methodist Marriage Encounter is Valentine’s weekend, February 12-14, at the Comfort Inn opposite Metro Airport in Romulus, Michigan. Click here to download the descriptive brochure and registration form. Call Registration Couple Chuck & Dalice Yost (313-937-1051) or e-mail them at CYOST@twmi.rr..com Also see: www.encounter.org.
Rethink Church Lenten Season Sermon Starters
Rethink Church is offering sermon starters for the Lenten season to help you reach seekers and connect in new ways with your community. A Journey to Hope begins on Ash Wednesday with an invitation to travel with Jesus to the cross. As participants encounter real life issues along the way, we see that God’s light is sometimes even brighter in the darkness and that hope can be found even in the most unlikely places.
Social media suggestions are provided to engage community prior to the message, and to continue reflection afterwards. Props add another dimension to the series which are especially helpful to visual learners, while free-downloadable UMTV video stories illustrate how United Methodists are finding and sharing hope around the world. And that hope is extended beyond the walls through experiences shared through Facebook, Twitter, blogs, short videos and personal testimonies.
This Lenten season, take a journey to hope and share that hope with the world.
Tuesdays @ 10am Central - Upcoming Webinars
Tuesdays @ 10am Central is a free 30-minute Webinar hosted by United Methodist Communications to share up-to-date and relevant information, resources and tools that will enhance your church's communications ministry.
Upcoming Webinars:
Topics and presenters are subject to change, but we will make every effort to keep to the list below. If you would like to suggest a topic for a communications ministry Webinar, send us an email.
- January 12, Cheryl A. Hemmerle (Director, Communications Training) helps you create a basic communications plan for your church's communications ministry.
- January 19, Poonam Patodia (Manager, Electronic Marketing) and Darby Jones (Marketing Associate) share tips and best practices for creating and distributing eNewsletters.
- January 26, To be announced.
To register and learn more, visit Tuesdays@10am Central.
RCCongress 2010 - Register Now!
Religion Communication Congress (RCCongress 2010) a mulit-faith forum for all levels of communicators of religion will meet April 7-10, 2010 in Chicago, Ill. This once-a-decade event will bring together over 1,200 communications professionals to expand experiences and broaden perspectives on embracing change. For registration details visit rccongress2010.org.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Dulac, La. - March 20-27
Birmingham: First United Methodist Church is sending a VIM team to Dulac, Louisiana March 20-27 for a work project. Dulac is located in bayous south of Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Residents of this area are a mixture of Cajun and Houma Indians, and have suffered through three catastrophic hurricanes. This is our third trip down. We are looking for more volunteers. Contact Mary Peterson at mlp4776@yahoo..com or 248-258-2807. More information on costs and transportation will follow.
D'lberville, Miss. - Jan. 23
David Tharp of St. Paul’s UMC, Findlay, OH is a Disaster Recovery effort to D'Iberville, MS. He has led many such teams. The team carpools to the worksite. The leave Jan 23, 2010 if anyone is interested in joining them. Contact David, 419-422-0246, dtharp6821@aol.com
Honduras - Feb. 28-March 7 - Optometrist and Medical Doctor Needed
Our Lord's UMC in New Berlin, WI is sending an UMVIM Medical mission team to Honduras from Feb 28th to March 7th 2010. We have in the past had an optometrist with us, however, that person is unable to go with us this year. Since we have found a great need for glasses in the past we would like to continue this ministry on our mission in 2010. We would welcome the addition of an optometrist to our team. If there is some way to get this word out quickly, it would be much appreciated. We have several persons on our team who have experience in helping the optometrist on our previous trips. We also have a source for pre-tested & classified glasses to be distributed. We also have room for another medical doctor on this mission.
If anyone is interested please contact Chuck Garrigues at chgarrigues@earthlink.net or at one of the following numbers: Home: (262) 641-0138; Cell: (414) 708-5074.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Worship Leader - Brighton: First UMC
The congregation of First United Methodist Church of Brighton is in need of a dynamic worship leader to lead its worship band. Must be proficient in piano and/or guitar and knowledgeable of current Christian music. One weekly rehearsal and worship service. 10 hours/week. Send resume to terry@brightonfumc.org by January 18.
Deputy General Secretary - General Board of Global Ministries - click here for details
CFO & Director of Administration - West Ohio Conference - click here for details