april circuit

APRIL CIRCUITPUBLISHED BY THE WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | Volume 1 / Number 6

By Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball

The General Conference of The United Methodist Church meets May 10-20, 2016 in Portland, Oregon, which is 131 days after the New Year. By coincidence, there are 131 annual conferences in The United Methodist Church.

Therefore, the Council of Bishops has invited each of the annual conferences to host a 24-hour prayer effort on a specific date, with the intent of creating a groundswell of prayer in the days leading up to the General Conference. Sunday, April 24 is the West Virginia Conference’s Day of Prayer for the General Conference and its Delegates.

Please gather a group in your congregation now to make plans for your prayer efforts and focus on this day. Plan a prayer vigil. Write a prayer, song, or liturgy to be used in worship on this Sunday. Use your creativity. The whole world of Methodism and beyond knows that the West Virginia Conference will be focusing on praying for the people of The United Methodist Church and the upcoming General Conference on this day. Make this a day of truly experiencing God and inviting your community into prayer.

I invite you to join me in prayer for the upcoming General Conference. Don’t know how or what to pray for as The United Methodist Church prepares for General Conference? Here are some suggestions:

1. Pray for a safe journey for all delegates. The delegates to General Conference will come from all over the world. . Half of the delegates are laity (non-clergy members), half are clergy. In 2016 there will be 864 voting delegates from the following areas of the world.

Conference Day of PrayerWEST VIRGINIA DAY OF PRAYER FOR GENERAL CONFERENCE IS APRIL 24.

North Central USA - 92Northeastern USA - 86South Central USA - 108Southeastern USA - 188Western USA - 30Africa Central - 42Congo - 138

West Africa - 80Central and Southern Europe - 14Germany - 6Northern Europe and Eurasia - 20Philippines - 50Concordat - 10TOTAL 864

April 2016APRIL CIRCUIT

2 | THE WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

2. Pray that the holy character of Christ, as well as common courtesy and basic human civility, would reign at all times and in all places surrounding General Conference. Pray that all delegates and visitors to the General Conference would recognize the image of God in the other, the image in which each person is created. Pray that all may focus on speaking the truth in love and on sharing the Good News of Christ with every person they meet along this journey.

3. Pray that General Conference and all the people involved with it may be a positive, powerful, and Christ-like witness to the entire world, our nation, and especially to the people of the Portland, Oregon area.

4. Pray that everything said, done, passed, and approved at General and Jurisdictional Conference would be in accordance with God’s Love and Will and Christ’s mission of making disciples.

5. Pray for the strength, endurance and wisdom of God to fill every delegate, visitor, and bishop.

6. Pray for clarity, discernment, openness and transparency in the way business is conducted, resolutions are discussed, and all matters are explained.

7. Pray for our bishops. Bishops attend the General Conference but cannot vote. Different bishops serve as presiding officers during the conference. Other bishops cannot speak unless permission is specifically granted by the delegates.

8. Pray that the concerns, issues, values, and needs of our entire GLOBAL denomination would be addressed fairly and fully.

9. Pray that everyone present listens for the voice of God and surrenders to the will and movement of the Holy Spirit.

10. Pray for the Lay Delegates to General Conference: Judi Kenaston, Erin Sears, Rich Shaffer. (Jim Berner, after deep prayer and due to personal circumstances, finds himself unable to serve on the delegation and so everyone moves up a space in delegation membership according to the order of election.)

11. Pray for the Clergy Delegates to General Conference: Mary Ellen Finegan, Sharletta Green, and Ellis Conley.

12. Pray for the Lay Delegates to Jurisdictional Conference: Conner Kenaston, Royce Lyden, Fred Kellerman.

13. Pray for the Clergy Delegates to Jurisdictional Conference: JF Lacaria, Lauren Godwin, Mark Flynn.

14. Pray for the Alternate Lay Delegate to Jurisdictional Conference: Gayle Lesure

15. Pray for the Alternate Clergy Delegates to Jurisdictional Conference: Richard DeQuasie, Janet Harmon

16. Pray also for the Jurisdictional Conferences as they deal with the election and assignment of bishops, as well as the possible re-aligning of annual conferences into different episcopal areas.

17. Pray for things related to General and Jurisdictional Conferences as led by God’s Spirit.

Conference Day of Prayer Continued

THE WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | 3

~ We Remember ~Betty Alice Kerr, mother of Rev. T. Patrick Kerr, pastor of First Terra Alta Charge in the Potomac Highlands District, passed away February 10, 2016.

Zelma Ruth Stewart, wife of Rev. Homer Stewart, (FE-R), passed away February 12, 2016.

Roger L. Booth (LP-R), serving the Greenville UMC charge - Mt. Hedding and St. John’s UMC, passed away February 16, 2016.

Harry C. Foster, father in law of Rev. Tom Hill of Winfield UMC (Midland South District), father of wife Janet Hill, passed away February 22, 2016.

Clara Elizabeth Riddle, mother of Myra Bess, Controller of disbursements, payroll and statistics for the WVUMC, passed away February 23, 2016.

CALENDARConference Event Highlights - The role of the Conference Calendar is to share the events and business of conference level agencies and ministries.

April

1 - 2 Reaching New People -

Midland South

7 - 10 Spiritual Growth Retreat

11 - 13 Kindling the Fire

16 Lay Servant Academy-

Midland South

22 - 23 Spiritual Formation Retreat:

John Wesley’s

Understanding Salvation

22 - 23 MonValley Lay Academy

23 Pastoral Ministry Licensing School

24 Celebration of Mission Event

May

10 - 20 General Conference

June

9 -12 Annual Conference

View the conference calendar online atwvumc.org/events

APRIL CIRCUIT

This summer’s youth event is Rally on the Mountain (ROM). The theme is Change, we will learn how God changes us, uses us to change the church, and uses the church to change the world! This summer the youth celebration has been shaped by the ideas and the pioneering spirit of our Conference Council on Youth Ministry leading us to a fresh approach and a new location.

Youth throughout the West Virginia Conference will gather at Snowshoe Mountain July 14-17th for an amazing time of learning, serving, and growing in Christ. They will be challenged by our guest preacher Rev. Dominique Robinson who is an Itinerant Elder in the AME Zion Church. She has been preaching since she was a youth and is excited about joining us. Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball will join us to preach and lead in communion.

We hope to recognize confirmands at worship on Sunday morning. (If you know any confirmands who plan to attend ROM please send their name, church affiliation, and contact information to Shea James at [email protected].)

Rev. Gary Schockley an amazing sand artist will entertain everyone in the evenings. Render the Hearts a band from Scott Depot will lead us in worship through song. boe harris-nakakakaena, who is from the Turtle Mountain Chippewa and Spirit Lake Dakota people, along with RaggathaRain Calentine, who is from the Eastern Cherokee people, will share stories and teach break-out sessions on storytelling. Other break-out sessions that will be offered include opportunities to learn about media presence, sharing faith, and a co-op ministry fair.

Rally on the Mountain is going to be a fun and faith-filled event. Snowshoe is a unique setting which offers many opportunities for groups. During free-time youth will have access to the lake (canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, fishing, beach games), pool, lift, zip-line & euro bungee, and a free bag of balls at the golf course for those who are interested.

Registration: The cost of registration is $50 per person and is payable to the Conference Treasurer. For every ten registrations that a group has, they will receive a free registration. Registration should be completed by the group leader and will be online only, it will be available starting April 14th on the conference website at wvumc.org/about/youth/ROM. If you are unable to register online, please call Shea James 304-344-8331 x25 to register over the phone.

Lodging: Please check out Snowshoe’s website for information about lodging http://www.snowshoemtn.

com/plan-your-trip/lodging/lodging-landing.aspx. Allegheny or Mountain

Lodge are recommended for reservations; all ROM group

gatherings will be held in Mountain Lodge. When

reserving rooms please call 877-441-4386 and let them know the group is # 51B4DJ- Rally on the Mountain to get the 20% discount. Discount rates on rooms are only guaranteed through June 14th, so please reserve rooms

early. Rooms are available from $165 for a one bedroom

(sleeps 4) to $311 for three bedrooms (sleeps 10). All rooms

include a pull out sofa. Please note you may not exceed lodging

occupancy in a room and Snowshoe’s policy is to assess a fine should that occur.

Meals: Groups are responsible for making their own arrangements for meals, no meals are provided by Rally on the Mountain. Groups may want to leverage their resources by joining together for meals. Meals can be prepared in the rooms at Snowshoe because every room comes with a fully equipped kitchen (including pots and pans, utensils, etc). Be creative and join with other groups. Every United Methodist Church has someone who loves to cook. Invite them to come along with your group, or create cook teams for the youth to prepare simple meals with sandwiches for lunch and taco salad, spaghetti, and stir-fry for dinners.

This is a new experience for our conference, and we are excited to get to share this event youth and their chaperones! Rally on the Mountain is sure to be an event to remember. This is an event for youth, designed by youth- and we are very excited about what this summer has in store!

For detailed information, please check out our website www.wvumc.org/about/ROM.


APRIL CIRCUIT


The Conference Welcomes

Rev. Deborah Coble!

Rev. Deborah Coble will join the West Virginia United Methodist Conference as Director of Communications July 1, 2016.

Coming to us from the Iowa United Methodist Conference as an Ordained Elder, Deborah brings 25 years of broadcast marketing and communications experience with expertise in radio, television and social media marketing and promotions; focused on intentional engagement with special events and community service on a local, regional and national level.

She graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin with a degree in Communications and a minor in Agriculture. Deborah worked in Memphis, TN for two years, then moved to Atlanta, GA where she worked in television marketing and promotions for 13 years (local Fox affiliate, TBS, TNT and as a freelance writer producer), and in Colorado Springs at a Fox Affiliate as Director of Marketing for a year, then transferred to a sister station in Waterloo, IA, an NBC affiliate as Director of Marketing and promotions before heading to seminary to respond to the call of ministry.

She has served under appointment four years as a student pastor and nine years in full-time ministry. Ordained in 2009, she became a member of Board of Ordained Ministry (2009-present), the dean of Iowa Annual Conference Licensing School (2014-2016), and is the current chair of Northeast District Parish Development.

Deborah grew up on a family farm near Hershey, PA, and is looking forward to moving close to “home” again. She is the mom of four children - Lauren, 26, Hannah, 23, and Ethan, 20, and Justin, 17 who will make the move to West Virginia with his mom.

She is very energized and excited to serve the Conference as Communications Director because it will use her first career in concert with her theological education and successful experiences in the local church.



By Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball

Dear Annual Conference,

Grace and Peace to you in this season of Lent. Lent is the time of the Christian year when we as individuals and corporately as the Church, intentionally take time to examine our lives and our walk with Christ. Typically, this season is not so much about giving up something as it is about putting Christ back at the center of how life is lived as a follower of Christ.

So, how are you doing in your Christian walk? Have you individually and as a Church taken a look at how you are living out the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, which are the heart of our Christian walk and responsibility? Are we loving and are we going forth to be God’s blessing to others, introducing people and walking with people into professions of faith and a life of discipleship? Now is the time to allow Christ to transform your life, your congregation’s life so that you more faithfully and effectively fulfill what Christ laid out for us to do.

Let me remind you that, you are not alone in this quest. God is with you and the Conference Board of Pensions is granting all local churches that participate in the Clergy Retirement Program (CRSP), Defined Benefit (DB), a holiday from making payments for that benefit in 2016. This means the churches who participate in this benefit, for one year, 2016, will not be billed for this part of the pension program beginning January 1, 2016. Why is the Board taking this action? To make funds already budgeted in the local church for benefit payments unexpectedly available for use in discovering, developing, and deploying new people for Christ. In other words, these funds are to be used to fulfill Christ’s commandment and commission.

So, how much funding will this action make available for each church that participates in CRSP and DB? To answer this question, your church needs to pull out the church’s copy of the 2016 Report of Clergy Support. This report is received and approved at your charge conference. Once you have that report in front of you, look at line 12. Line 12 records the amount of annual funding that you have already built into your 2016 budget for CRSP and DB payments. The decision of the Board, announced by Rev. Dr. Okey Harless means that in 2016 whatever amount your church has on line 12, the Board of Pensions, instead of billing you for that amount this year, is making that annual amount available to your church with the hope that you will use this one year grant to spark new ministry or retool ongoing ministry in ways that will reach new people for Christ. The grant is meant to help reach new people for Christ as our Conference works together toward the goal of 2400+ new disciples of Christ in our area.

“The Board hopes that this can be the first step in beginning and enabling a variety of new ministries in the local church and Annual Conference,” said Jim Berner, Conference Treasurer and Benefits Officer. “This action does not affect those who are participants in the pension program in any way. In order to make this action possible, in 2016, the Board is using an excess balance in one section of the plan to fund another section of the plan. There is nothing that the local church has to do, except to look on line 12 and begin to pray and hear God’s direction for how the church might use these funds to make disciples.”

Now is the time to live more fully into Christ’s desire. Now is the time to pray, plan, and implement. I look forward to hearing your stories and seeing your pictures that share how you are reaching new people for Christ.

Pension Holiday: A letter from the Bishop

APRIL CIRCUIT


Foundation Sunday is April 17. It is a day set aside by the Annual Conference to celebrate the ministry of the United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia. This ministry, which serves United Methodist individuals, families, churches and agencies by raising, managing and distributing funds for ministry is worth celebrating! Pastors, Foundation Representatives, Stewardship and Finance Chairpersons, Church Treasurers and Boards of Trustees can work together to plan how the day will be observed in the local church.

Pastors and Church officers will receive a letter in March from us about the free resources we offer to help with the celebration. Need some ideas?

1. Present a five minute introduction to the Foundation during worship. We post talking points on our website to help (www.umfwv.com).

2. Give away Foundation fans that say, “Are you a fan? Like us on Facebook” to encourage congregation members to connect with us through social media. The fans are a free resource that we offer.

3. Invite a Foundation trustee to speak about The Foundation. A list of our Trustees is available on our website.

4. Request free Foundation brochures to include in your weekly bulletin on April 17.

5. Organize an after church luncheon and invite The Foundation staff to present a program to introduce our ministry to the congregation.

6. Use our videos. We offer two of them. The three minute video of music and images is appropriate to use during worship. The twelve minute video includes interviews with pastors and donors. Both videos are available through our website, YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/umfwv) and as DVDs from our office.

7. Hold an estate planning event for your senior group, United Methodist Men’s or Women’s group, or any other interested group in your church. Include The Foundation as a resource – we can present a program that includes information about wills, estate documents, and planned giving.

8. Include news articles in your newsletter. Sample articles about The Foundation and planned giving can be downloaded from our website (www.umfwv.org/downloadable-resources).

9. Request pens from The Foundation and place them in your pews as a constant reminder of our ministry.

10. Add a short informational sentence about planned giving to your weekly bulletin or monthly newsletter. You can request a free “Planned Giving Handbook” from the Foundation that includes resources that can help with this.

Please share your ideas on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/umfwv), and post images of your celebration. Foundation Sunday is April 17, but you can celebrate your Foundation any time of year. Contact the Foundation (1-800-788-3746 ext. 45) to order resources or to ask questions as you plan how your church will observe Foundation Sunday. Our mission is to serve you.


The 2016 Virginia Higgins Grant

Virginia Higgins, a retired home economics teacher from Wheeling, has touched many lives since 1990 through her bequest of more than $1 million dollars that is in a trust fund with the Board of Global Ministries Division of Health and Welfare, especially in the areas of child care, aging, health care, and people with handicapping conditions.

Grants are also awarded to organizations, institutions, and programs related to the West Virginia Conference and other units of the general United Methodist Church through residential or non-residential ministries, including, but not limited to, domestic violence, health care and homelessness.

As a true philanthropist, Virginia had a clear vision of giving and serving for years to come, even after her passing. These funds should encourage growth to ministries in the West Virginia Conference.

For grant guidelines and an application, please visit:http://wvumc.org/About/Ministries/Health-Welfare


APRIL CIRCUIT

by Julia Conley, Forrest Burdette UMC,

Hurricane, WV

I thought God spoke to me, or more honestly,

God was going to speak to me, so I wanted to be ready. Convincing myself of possible situations,rehearsing scenarios, discussing probabilities,I prayed for guidance (although I was sure of the outcome).

I informed God that I was now ready to accept His will,and waited for a word. But while I was debating my decision, He had already made His.

While I prepared my inward arguments,someone else said yes.As I strained to listen through my own inner fears,someone else heard clearly.

My soul drifts between relief and despair;a burden has been lifted, yet I feel a sense of loss.An opportunity missed, or an answer to prayer?I waited too long, hearing only the contention within myself.My unsettled heart pounds in my ears.

The mystery of God’s work and will goes on, with or without me.Now, eyes wide in the darkness, I listen.


https://www.facebook.com/wvumc

https://twitter.com/WVUMC

Photo by Whitney Cherry

april circuit

Documents