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Central E-LinkWeekly Newsletter of the Central Texas Conference
January 26, 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
Events this weekend: Leadership in the 21st Century — What’s different about leadership in the 21st century? is what Leonard Sweet will discuss in a presentation Saturday, 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. 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. Register online at www.whiteschapelumc.com or by contacting Tracy Christensen at 817-481-4147
Brownwood District Training — This multi-focus training will be at 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at First UMC Stephenville. Focus areas include: stewardship, finance & budgeting, myths about giving, principles for funding ministry, developing a budget, how Disability Concerns Task Force can assist local churches to be in ministry to persons and their families with disabling conditions, Justice for Our Neighbors, Vacation Bible School curriculum preview, and Nurture, Outreach & Witness by the Mission Leadership Team.
Bi-District (Fort Worth & Mid-Cities) Training — The Fort Worth and Mid-Cities districts are capitalizing on their proximity and shared purposes for their annual training at 2 to 4:45 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, at First UMC Fort Worth. Focus areas will include: • How to Involve Members in Small Groups • Administrative Staff/Parish Relations (Fort Worth) Trustees Finance & Stewardship Lay Leader • Nurture Councils Older Adult Ministries Student Ministries • Outreach Councils Urban Ministries Disability Concerns & Mental Health Recognizing Child Abuse in the Church • Witness Councils Evangelism — Telling the Stories
January preview offer 20% discount on VBS resources — Joyce Brown, Cokesbury curriculum consultant, will offer a hands-on preview of Cokesbury's 2006 VBS---Adventure of the Treasure Seekers (Exploring God's Promises) during the Brownwood District Training event 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at First UMC Stephenville. A 20% discount will be given on all VBS resources ordered at this events. For more details contact Joyce Brown at 817-249-2526 or joyce@danbrownart.com.
Adult Choir Festival — Choirs from area UMCs will sing in a festival in the sanctuary of First UMC Hurst (521 W. Pipeline Road, Hurst 76053) at 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29. Participating choirs are from Alliance, Trinity, Meadowbrook, Wm. C. Martin, and First Hurst. Each choir will present two anthems, the congregation and choirs will sing hymns, and the combined choirs from all of the churches will present two selections, including "How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place" from Requiem by Brahms, and "Hallelujah" from Mount of Olives by Beethoven. The festival is free and open to the public, and childcare will be provided. Contact: Greg Shapley at 817-282-7384 ext. 44 or gshapley@fumchurst.org.
Prophecy from an Israeli perspective — Jewish speaker and author Avi Lipkin will bring the message at 11 a.m. to 12:30p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, at Diamond Hill UMC (3005 Oscar Ave., Fort Worth 76106). Avi, from Jerusalem, will bring listeners up to date on what is happening in the Mid-east as it relates to Israel. Will Jerusalem be divided? Who will be Israel’s next Prime Minister? He will also speak on Islam from a Jewish perspective. Avi is a former senior editor and translator for the Israeli government press office under Prime Minister Shamir. He has studied at Israel’s Conservative Jewish Seminary and is a spokesman for the Israeli Defense Force Reserves. Contact: Margaret Stratton (pastor) at 817-626-0620.
Music at Acton performing arts series — The spring season of “Music at Acton,” a performing arts series held at Acton UMC in Granbury, begins Sunday, Jan. 29, with an organ concert at 3 p.m. by Sherry Upshaw who currently serves First Baptist Church in Shreveport, La. as music associate/organist. Sherry will play AUMC’s Allen 960 digital organ presenting a variety of styles of music including classic organ pieces as well as hymn arrangements and a piece based on the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson. The poems will be read by children of Acton UMC. Music at Acton is supported solely by private donations. A free will offering will be accepted at the door. All children who attend will be eligible for door prizes. Other concerts this spring will include: • The Texas A & M Singing Cadets on Feb. 19 • Ukrainian pianist, Alexi Koltakov (Cliburn competition finalist in 2001) on March 19 • The Brazos Chamber Orchestra on April 23
•
Leslie Spotz and Marika Kyriakos, piano and vocal professors/performers
at Tarleton State University on May 21. Return to Top
News
RELIEF SUPPLIES: New list of top supply needs UMCOR's relief supply warehouse, the Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, La., issued a new list of most needed relief supplies this week. The top need is not a standard kit, but specific cleaning items that are required to fulfill requests after 2005's many disasters. Relief supplies are requested in the following order: 1. Cleaning Supplies 2. Bedding Kits 3. Flood Buckets 4. School Bags 5. Layette Kits
For more information about specific supplies and shipping, please visit: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/05/sagerbrowntopneeds.cfm. Cash donations are also needed to cover the purchase of additional items and shipping costs. Please give to UMCOR Advance #901440, Material Resource Ministry, to help provide for additional expenses.
US: Souper Bowl of Caring People from all walks of life will be turning on their TVs and gathering around bowls of chips on Sunday, Feb. 5, to watch the big game. Others will also be giving from their hearts to help people in their community and the world to have food to eat. It's not too late to get involved in this year's Souper Bowl of Caring on Super Bowl Sunday.
Young people are encouraged to raise support on Feb. 5 on behalf of those who face hunger every day of the year. Churches and youth groups are encouraged to donate a portion of the proceeds to a local charity and another portion to UMCOR Advance #982920, World Hunger/Poverty to share the bounty with the wider world. For more information visit the UMCOR Souper Bowl of Caring website at: http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/hunger/souperbowl.stm
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.
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VBS consultation at Cokesbury store A money-saving Vacation Bible School consultation is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Fort Worth Cokesbury Store, 6333 Camp Bowie Blvd, Suite 207, West Fort Worth. Joyce Brown, Cokesbury curriculum consultant, will be in the store that day to answer questions about Cokesbury's 2006 VBS - Adventure of the Treasure Seekers - Exploring God's Promises. She will also help you gather needed resources so that you can receive a 20% discount on all Cokesbury VBS resources purchased that day. For more details contact Joyce Brown at 817-249-2526 or joyce@danbrownart.com.
Fort Worth District-wide worship service The Fort Worth District worship service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at First UMC Fort Worth. Bishop Woodie White will be guest preacher, and special music will be by the Choral Union of Fort Worth First, Arborlawn and Campus Drive UMCs.
Holy Conversations:
Leadership, Money, and Ministry • John Wimmer of the Lilly Endowment on the crucial importance of leaders capable of shaping diverse individuals into spiritually coherent communities. • Demographer Steve Murdock on painting a picture of the future population to be served. • Alban Institute senior consultants Alice Mann and Gil Rendle and Southwestern University president emeritus Roy Shilling on theoretical and practical ideas about strategic planning in churches and institutions.
•
Other sessions/workshops on effectively linking financial resources with
future plans.
One Great Hour of Sharing (repeat) 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.
Wesley Theological Seminary accepting applications for “emerging church” programs Wesley Theological Seminary (Washington, DC) is accepting applications for entering seminary students to participate in one of the first emerging church programs in the country. Individuals who apply to Wesley’s Master of Divinity degree and are accepted for the upcoming fall semester will have the opportunity to compete for four internships focused on immersion into the growing emerging movement. These internships are a result of Wesley’s relationship with emerging churches in the Washington, D.C. region, including Cedar Ridge Community Church, one of the largest congregations within this movement in the nation, and The Church in Bethesda. These churches are part of a dynamic and growing group of congregations that identify themselves as “emerging” because of their focus on mission, personal relationships and meeting member and community needs. The term emerging can describe congregations from all streams of the Christian faith around the world. Leaders within this movement often explore new ways of expressing compassion, approaching worship, and welcoming people unfamiliar with church.
Brian McLaren, best-selling author and the founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Church, is convinced that the way forward in theological learning today is “to develop partnerships between seminaries and churches that are engaged in training leaders.” The internships will include a congregational placement, mentoring by emerging church leaders, spiritual formation with other students, and mission-focused and culturally relevant curricula. Also, the internships offer the possibility of studying abroad with mission-shaped churches in England. To apply for one of the internships, contact admiss@wesleysem.edu or call 800- 882-4987. Candidates for these internships must present strong undergraduate studies and the ability to be full-time students.
Youth Choir Rally
The Central Texas Conference Youth Choir
Rally, YOUTHSING, will be
held April 29-30 at the new
Granbury First UMC facility (301 Loop 567,
Granbury) and Glen Lake Camp. For a repertoire list please
contact Suzanne Cate at Acton UMC, 817-326-4242 or email
Suzanne@actonumc.org.
A registration brochure will be coming to your church soon from the
conference office. Trinity hosts support event for UTA Wesley Foundation (repeat) 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. 10; 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.
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Resources
Scholarships available for ministry 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-mailing 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, 2006. 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.
Abingdon Worship Photos Vol. 3 Projection Backgrounds for Lent and Easter - This CD-ROM contains 50 worship themed images celebrating God’s redemptive grace through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ. Includes images for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter.
The Passion Narratives - A Lenten study from the Efird Bible Study Series. 18 twenty-minute VHS sessions covering the similarities and differences in the Gospel accounts of the Passion. Includes facilitator’s guide and participants workbooks.
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— Looking Ahead — VBS resources preview —1-3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at First UMC Stephenville Brownwood District Training —9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 28, at First UMC Stephenville Bi-District (Fort Worth & Mid-Cities) Training — 2 to 4:45 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, at First UMC Fort Worth 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 Resurrection Woman: UMW Time Apart — March 24, 25, 26 at Round Rock 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)
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Needs, Resources, Opportunities
NOTE TO LISTERS: Please contact Carolyn Stephens at Carolyn@ctcumc.org to pull your listing when your opening has been filled.
Director of Children’s Ministries
There is an immediate opening for a
part-time director of children’s ministries that requires full-time love
for children in reaching out to children in the Christ UMC parish area
(3301 Sycamore School Road
There is an immediate opening for a Praise
Band leader for Christ UMC (3301 Sycamore School Road
Administrative Secretary
FUMC Colleyville seeks an administrative
secretary — full-time position (9 a.m. -5 p.m. Monday-Friday with
salary commensurate with experience. Must have excellent written and
oral communication skills with proficiency in MS Publisher, Word, and
Excel. E-mail resumes to
garykindley@aol.com. Pastor 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.
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.
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
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