| Archived E-Links | ||
Central E-LinkWeekly Newsletter of the Central Texas Conference
January 19, 2006 Welcome! This is the conference’s weekly update to church leaders — lay and clergy — for things you probably need to know. Information to be shared must be submitted to Carolyn@ctcumc.org by 4 p.m. Wednesday in order to be e-mailed on Thursday. Articles should be as brief with active links to websites or contact persons for details. Use this information for announcements, in church newsletters and/or bulletins. The E-Link and the Central Link newspaper are posted on the conference website at www.ctxumc.org. Read them online or download and copy to share with others. To add a colleague or church member to E-Link’s weekly distribution, send their addresses to susan@ctcumc.org.
— Editor: Carolyn Stephens Carolyn@ctcumc.org.
Shortcuts: Top News Events Resources Calendar Needs ______________________________________________________________________________ For worldwide news of our denomination click here! www.reporterinteractive.org
Near-Time Items
Leadership in the 21st Century — Leonard Sweet Jan. 28 What’s different about leadership in the 21st century? is what Leonard Sweet will discuss in a presentation Jan. 28 at White’s Chapel UMC, Southlake. Today’s society is measurably less religious but decidedly more spiritual. Less influenced by authority than by experience. More attuned to images than to words. Look around…nothing is the same as it was even 10 years ago. Technology, terrorism, global villages have all changed the way one should lead. The seven last words of a dying church are “we have always done it like that.” Scripture warns us against trying to put new wine into old wineskins. What appeals to the church of the 21st century is new wine. The old wineskins, while they were incredibly effective when they were on the cutting edge of their time, no longer speak to the issues of this new century.
Leonard Sweet has been on the forefront of this need to respond to the 21st century. Through books, sermons and presentations his insight and passion for reaching people in what is in essence a post-Christian society is amazing. Author of more than one hundred articles, over six hundred published sermons, and dozens of books, Leonard Sweet is the primary contributor to the web-based preaching resource, www.preachingplus.com. For nine years he co-wrote Homiletics, which became the premier preaching resource in North America. His bestselling book FaithQuakes (1994) was selected as one of the “10 best religion books”.
We cannot do things the way we’ve always done them. It’s time to change, and change we will. The question is will we be prepared to lead the way? If you are in any type of church leadership role or you simply want to explore how the church can adapt to such a culture, you won’t want to miss this special time with Len as he shares his viewpoint on the postmodern age. Join us on Saturday, Jan, 28, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a one day seminar that is sure to stir your heart and your mind. Register online at www.whiteschapelumc.com or by contacting Tracy Christensen at 817-481-4147.
Sing-a-Rainbow event Jan. 21 (repeat) “Because We Believe … We Will” are the words that begin the Charter for Racial Justice Policy of The United Methodist Church. Come, join others in an endeavor to celebrate as well as probe the message and the challenge of this policy, and to explore how it speaks to all ethnic groups in our global society.
The discussion is sponsored by the United Methodist Women of the Central Texas Conference as they celebrate the 25th year of being approved by the General Conference of the UMC. The celebration is called “Sing-a-Rainbow.” It will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at St. Andrews UMC (522 Missouri, Fort Worth 76104). Please contact Myrtis Parker at 817-292-3759 or mimp@swbell.net to acknowledge attendance. All participants are encouraged to bring a bread dish for the Bread Feast Lunch and to stay for communion. Attendance is open to one and all.
Is your choir singing at Annual Conference? (repeat) If you would like to recommend your choir for consideration to sing at the 2006 Annual Conference, please do so in writing along with your contact information and a recording (cassette or CD — no more than 7 minutes) of the choir, and singing musical style of choice. Submit to Choir Selection Committee, c/o Rev. Tom Robbins, 1300 Austin Ave., Waco 76701. The deadline for submissions for 2006 is Jan. 23.
January preview offer
20% discount on VBS resources
(updated)
Tongan Luau
(repeat)
Adult Choir Festival
(repeat)
Return to Top
News
Council of Bishops
Announces Ratification of Constitutional Amendments Public school Bible study The Associated Press reported this week that the New Braunfels (Texas) High School Board approved spending nearly $60,000 next school year for an elective course on the Bible for upperclassmen. This course will be based on the textbook The Bible and Its Influence, which examines the Bible’s impact on art, literature and popular culture. A board member was quick to say the course is intended to teach “about religion,” not to teach religion.
Conference offering recipients (repeat) The deadline for submitting requests to be recipient of the 2006 Annual Conference Offering is Feb. 22. Requests must be sent to Dr. Doyle Allen, Mission Ministries Director, at 464 Bailey Ave., Fort Worth 76107 or doyle@ctcumc.org. Requests must include the name of the organization, address and phone, name of person submitting request, a brief description of the mission/ministry of the organization, and a brief yet specific paragraph how the funds will be used.
Stories of interest from The Reporter Among the article is next week’s Reporter newspaper you might appreciate are below. If you do not subscribe to The Reporter, most stories are available online at www.reporterinteractive.org.
* Liberia has selected Africa’s first elected woman head of state. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is an active UM. * Conservative evangelicals, who insist they represent the silent majority of people in the pews, are digging in for the fight within their denominations, including the UMC, according to a Religion News Service story. * Bishop Lawi Imathiu, the first African to serve as president of the World Methodist Council, has been selected as the 2005 recipient of the World Methodist Peace Award. * Bishop Woodie W. White’s Reflections column ruminates on a profound spiritual insight from a surprising source—the late comedian Richard Pryor. * Andrew Thompson gives a review of The Abingdon Preaching Annual 2006, edited by David N. Mosser, which he calls an excellent resource for preachers. * Churches are never too old to make a fresh start. Special contributor Boyce Bowdon takes a look at an Ohio church that was chartered in 1835 and is booming again. * Doug Oster of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a story about UM volunteers who plant daffodil bulbs in the yards of cancer patients as a sign of hope.
Return to Top Events-Opportunities
One Great Hour of Sharing One Great Hour of Sharing: As you plan your worship services for 2006, please consider including a special offering for UMCOR’s One Great Hour of Sharing on March 26th. UMCOR's everyday expenses are funded primarily by gifts to One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS). Please give to OGHS during the annual offering in Lent or any other time of year. If you are not using the special offering envelop, be sure to mark on your check that your donation is for the OGHS. Go to the UMCOR website for information regarding why this offering is so important and how you can order free resources, including leaflets, coin banks, worship guides, DVDs, posters and magnets: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/oghs.stm.
Trinity hosts support event for UTA Wesley Foundation Trinity UMC, Arlington (3321 W. Park Row, Arlington) will host a fajita dinner at 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, to benefit the Wesley Foundation at the University of Texas as Arlington. Following the dinner, Trinity and McMillan UMC invite you to attend the Black History Month Worship Service at Trinity’s sanctuary. For more details, contact Trinity UMC at 817-274-1345 or Steve Brooks at wesfnuta@swbell.net.
Multi-district “Singles Mingle” Feb. 4
Mission message from Jennifer Coggins, director of humanitarian services (repeat)
Sager Brown Trip: The
conference will host a conference-wide mission trip to UMCOR Sager Brown
Depot this spring. We will work in the warehouse to assemble relief
kits that will be distributed across the globe. Date: April 20-23.
Cost: $150, plus one dinner out and meals on the road. Registration
deadline: March 23. Go to
http://www.ctxumc.org/DisasterResponse.asp
to download a registration form, and please pass it along to anyone who
may be interested. Space is limited, so get your registration in soon!
Children’s Letters to God (repeat) Genesis UMC (7635 S. Hulen, Fort Worth 76133) will present the first showing in Texas of the production “Children’s Letters to God” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18; 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11: and again at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. The production is based on the book by Stuart Hample, music by David Evans, and lyrics by Douglas J. Cohen. For tickets ($10), reservations and more details, contact the church at 817-292-4551 or 817-263-5424.
AUM Mardi Gras Auction/Dinner Mark your calendar now to attend Arlington Urban Ministries’ 3rd Annual Mardi Gras & Dinner at First UMC Arlington. This is the sole annual fundraiser for AUM, a Methodist mission that ties together all the Arlington Methodist churches. The date is Feb. 18 starting at 5 p.m. Tickets are limited and sold out last year, so get yours early! If you need tickets or want to donate an item for the silent or the live auction, please contact Sandra Fry at 817-861-8585.
Hispanic ministry
opportunity
Older Adults Valentine
Luncheon
(repeat)
Spanish Immersion
Weekend
(repeat)
Lay Speaker event in February (repeat) Training is planned for United Methodists who wish to become lay speakers and lay speakers who wish to fulfill renewal requirements. Lay Speakers who have not taken a basic or an advance course since February 2003 should sign up for one of the advanced courses. Basic and advanced courses will be available, all held at Glen Lake Camp & Retreat Center in Glen Rose. Applications can be attained through the district direct of lay speaker ministry or online at www.ctxumc.org.
Friday, 2-24-06 — registration starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, 2-25-06 — all day instruction Sunday, 2-26-05 — check out by 1 p.m.
Sexual Harassment Misconduct Prevention Training (repeat) The next Central Texas Conference-sponsored Sexual Harassment Misconduct Prevention Training will be March 18 at St. Andrews UMC in Fort Worth at 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is recommended that clergy, local church staff, district office staff, church daycare/nursery workers, staff/parish relations committees, campus ministry staff and all volunteers should attend this workshop if you have not already completed the October training event.
This experience will help people define and understand sexual harassment and misconduct. The presenters will provide information that will help individuals be better aware of issues of power and misuse of power, and be able to identify unethical conduct/potential abusive situations within ministerial relationships. The cost is $25 for the workbook (at least one per five people is recommended) and $7.50 for lunch. If you have questions, please contact Susan Briles at 800-460-8622, 817-877-5222 or susan@ctcumc.org.
SCJ volunteer work at Mount Sequoyah – April 3-7 Mount Sequoyah invites South Central Jurisdiction volunteers to their work week and to enjoy the beauty of springtime at the jurisdictional retreat center. It is an important time of renewal and transformation. Your work will be to enhance the mission and beauty of Mount Sequoyah. Time will be spent repairing buildings, cleaning windows, sealing decks, or making the grounds beautiful. Your carpentry, drywall, maintenance, sewing, cleaning or painting skills will be put to good use. For more details, brochures and registration, visit the website at www.mountsequoyah.org or call 800-760-8126 or 479-443-4531.
Return to Top
Resources
Scholarships for ministerial candidates Scholarships are available for certified ministerial candidates in the Central Texas Conference attending seminary. The application is available on the Board of Ordained Ministry web site at www.ctcbom.org
or can be requested by phoning
817-795-7120 or by e-mail to
board@ctcbom.org. The application, with original
signatures and a copy of a current transcript, are to be submitted to
the Board of Ordained Ministry, P.O. Box 121407, Arlington, TX 76012,
postmarked no later than March 1. Scholarships will be awarded at
Annual Conference for the 2005-06 school year. Resource Center new arrival New resources highlighted at the Conference Resource Center this week are described below. For these and many more resources, contact Carol Roszell at 817-877-5222 or 800-460-8622.
The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity - Philip Jenkins. By the year 2050 only one Christian in five will be non-Latino and white, and the center of gravity of the Christian world will have shifted firmly to the Southern Hemisphere. This book shows that the churches that have grown most rapidly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America are often far more morally conservative and apocalyptic than their northern counterparts. 258 pg. 2002
Return to Top
— Looking Ahead — UMW’s Charter for Racial Justice: “Sing-A-Rainbow” — Jan. 21 at St. Andrews UMC, Fort Worth Tongan UMC Luau — 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 21 at First UMC Arlington Deadline to submit choir sample recordings to sing at Annual Conference — Jan. 23 VBS resources preview — 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at First UMC Stephenville Brownwood District Training — Jan. 28 at First UMC Stephenville Multi-church Adult Choir Festival — 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, at First UMC Hurst UMW’s Legislative Event — Jan. 29-31 in Austin UMW’s School of Mission Planning Team — Feb. 4 Central Texas Methodist Foundation Clergy Council meeting — 10:30 a.m. Feb. 7 at St. Andrews UMC, Arlington “Children’s Letters to God” performances — Feb. 10 and 11 at Genesis UMC, Fort Worth Bridges of the Spirit-Hispanic Ministry Training Center — 5-6 p.m. Feb. 12 at Metropolitan Board Mission, Fort Worth Older Adults Valentine Luncheon — 11:30 a.m. Feb. 13 at First UMC Arlington Arlington Urban Ministries 3rd Annual Mardi Gras & Dinner — 5 p.m. Feb. 18 at First UMC Arlington Spanish Immersion Weekend — Feb. 24-25 at First UMC Burleson Conference Lay Speaker Annual Training Event — Feb. 24-26 at Glen Lake Camp, Glen Rose Conference Marriage Retreat — March 3-5 at Glen Lake Camp & Retreat Center UMCOR Disaster Response Training — March 4 Sexual Harassment Misconduct Prevention Training — March 18 at St. Andrews UMC, Fort Worth Spring Board of Ministry interviews — March 27-29, 2006 at Glen Lake Camp Conference Spring Leadership Summit — April 1 at Central UMC, Waco South Central Jurisdiction work week — April 3-7 at Mount Sequoyah, Fayetteville, Arkansas Sager Brown (Baldwin, LA) mission trip — April 20-23 Changing Lives Through Stewardship training — April 29 and 30 (two locations)
Return to Top
Needs, Resources, Opportunities
NOTE TO LISTERS: Please contact Carolyn Stephens at Carolyn@ctcumc.org to pull your listing when your opening has been filled.
Pastors wants to split convention costs Tim Jarrell (Couts Memorial UMC, Weatherford) is attending the National Pastor's Convention in San Diego Feb. 22-25 and is looking for a conference attendee who would like to split the cost of lodging at the convention hotel. If interested, please email Tim at jtimothyj@sbgcglobal.net
Music Director Seeks Position Devoted Christian, passionate musician looking for a music director position in a loving church. I have extensive experience directing and performing choral, orchestra, band, small ensembles, and vocal performance. An excellent teacher, I work well with adults and youth, from beginners and novices to accomplished professional musicians. My large skill set allows me to be adept at choirs, orchestras, bands, jazz ensembles, contemporary ensembles and handbells. My 350+ arrangements and 30+ compositions are written for a wide range of ensembles and styles, ranging from contemporary worship to choral/orchestral traditional worship. Collateral skills include computer graphics and marketing/publicity. Contact Tom Burkett at 817-551-7187.
Organist FUMC Waxahachie has an immediate opening for a talented, dedicated organist. Opportunity to play a beautiful, brand new 44 rank Wicks (Opus 6428) pipe organ that was installed June 2005. See: http://organ.wicks.com/display_page.php?p=200&o=3&s=6428. Two Sunday services, 8:30 and 10:45 a.m. Approx. 30 miles from Fort Worth or Dallas - 50 from Waco. Please call 972-937-4400 or e-mail office@fumcwax.org for more info. Auditions are now being scheduled.
Nursery Worker Praise Team Director FUMC Waxahachie is looking for an enthusiastic, spiritual and committed person to take its contemporary (blended) service and Praise Team to the next level. Experience with a/v a plus. The service is currently at 9:30 on Sunday morning in the Family Life Center. The church is within commuter distance of Fort Worth or Dallas. Please call 972-937-4400 or e-mail office@fumcwax.org for more info. Auditions are now being scheduled.
Director of Development Director of Development, World Methodist Council. Contact: George Freeman, General Secretary, P.O. Box 518, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745..... Music director for the 2008 General Conference. Contact: Alan J. Morrison, Business Manager of General Conference, P.O. Box 340029, Nashville, TN 37203-0029.
Youth Director
St. Paul United Methodist Church of Hurst
seeks a youth director. The position is 10-12 hours per week. Interested
persons may contact the church at 852 Bedford Euless Road, Hurst 76053,
or email
stpaulhu@airmail.net
or call 817-284-7181. Return to Top
If you know someone in your church, district or even outside the Central Texas Conference who might appreciate receiving this weekly electronic newsletter — or to unsubscribe your own listing — contact Susan Briles at Susan@ctcumc.org |
||