Weatherford District
Central Texas Conference
United Methodist Church

Weatherford District Newsletter
District Superintendent Virginia O. Bassford, PhD
www.ctcumc.org/weatherford
August 12, 2010

*Note:  Each week, the new announcements will be highlighted in blue font.  All repeated information will be in black font.

Action Items

ATTENTION PASTORS:
 If you would like to come to the SPRC training(s) you may do so – but you do not need to! What I do ask that you do is get your people there! We have heard from very, very, very few people that they are coming. Actually that could be a good thing – it probably means that there is relative calm throughout our district. However, when things are good and life is calm is a good time to learn how to handle issues! Our brains do not learn well when we are in crisis. Please have your SPRC chair talk to each member of the committee and then have the chair RSVP how many of the committee will be present at the trainings. Thank you!

Taking a Break from the Lord’s Work (Please see attachment) 

CLERGY ANNUAL REVIEWS   
 If you have not scheduled your appointment, please do so now – only five spots left!

Worship Times
If your congregation has changed its worship times, please make sure you do the following:
1. Change your web site
2. Notify the District Office
3. Change your worship times in the dashboard Thank you!

Online Safe Sanctuary Training Available in Mid-August
Call Karen Granderson at 817-877-5222 or email at karen@ctcumc.org for more information.

Self Care for Clergy Program coming in September & November
Sep 20, 2010
Sep 21, 2010
Nov 08, 2010
Nov 09, 2010  
 For more information, please check the Conference Web Site at http://www.ctcumc.org .

Please mark your calendars for the 100th year of our annual conference celebration!  It will be on Saturday, October 23rd!

 

Are You a Potential Centennial Church?
Tapping into this year’s centennial theme — the 100th anniversary of the CTC — a “Centennial Church” will be a designation given to congregations reaching certain achievements and will be celebrated at the 2011 Annual Conference June 5-8 in Waco. Check out the revised Point System list below. Between Sept. 1, 2010 and May 1, 2011, a church may select challenges from the list and will receive the designation of Centennial Church
with a score of 100.
Centennial Church Point System
10 points Attend the Centennial Celebration (Oct. 23 in Fort
Worth) and have a display tables for your church
10 points Develop a plan for “making disciples” of members
and new members (youth and adults)
10 points Develop and “evangelism plan” that outlines how
your church will offer Christ to your community
and grow your congregation
             10 points Conduct welcome training using Igniting Ministry/Rethink Church resources   
                          (such as beyond 30 Seconds,Welcoming and Media Planner, Trainers’
Toolbox, etc.)               
10 points 10% increase in the number of professions of faith
10 points 5% increase in average worship attendance
10 points 5% increase in Sunday school attendance
10 points Start a new hands-on community mission
10 points Start one new small group (Sunday school class,
Bible study groups, etc.)
20 points 25% increase in the number of Church Growth &
Development SHARES (see SHARES listed in the soon to be released 2010 Conference Journal or page 232 in the 2009 Conference Journal)
10 points Offer a class on the meaning and practice of tithing
15 points Participate in the Cabinet “A-Pound-Weigh” weight loss challenge that    
            benefits the denomination’s “Imagine No Malaria” campaign (See
            www.ctcumc.org/news/deatil/115)
             20 points Pay 100% of 2010 apportionments

SPRC Training Events   (Please call for reservations)
The SPRC training will be from 9:00 AM until noon on either Saturday, August 28th or Saturday, September 11. We might be able to be finished a little early, but that depends on your questions and conversation. EVERY SPRC PERSON is asked to please attend, even if they have been at other SPRC trainings! This will be a very worth-your-time training event – if it isn’t, I’ll give you your money back.  We will cover not only the basics of healthy relationships with your congregation and pastor; how to best carry-out your elected obligation to the church; and review of your pastor’s role and responsibilities; but we will also discuss the process for our 2010 appointment consultations and pastoral evaluations. Please make every effort to attend one of these two meetings!

Upcoming Meetings/Events (Full District Calendar)

Basic Training Boot Camp for Church Planters
August 17-19
North Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church in Plano, Texas (See Attached Flyer)

SPRC Training     Please Call or Email District Office for Reservations
Saturday, August 28th   -   9:00 AM to Noon at FUMC Weatherford, 301 S Main, Weatherford, TX 76087
Saturday, September 11th – 9:00 AM to Noon at Acton UMC, 3433 Fall Creek Hwy
Granbury, TX  76049-7984

Glen Lake Adventure Race 
October 9

District Clergy Meeting with Bishop Lowry
Thursday, October 21st at 4:00 PM Aledo UMC, 100 Pecan St, Aledo, TX 76008

District Superintendency Committee Meeting with Bishop Lowry
Thursday, October 21st at 6:00 PM Aledo UMC, 100 Pecan St, Aledo, TX 76008

Lay Members to Annual Conference Meeting with Bishop Lowry
Thursday, October 21st at 7:00 PM at Aledo UMC, 100 Pecan St, Aledo, TX 76008

Clergy Reading Groups Schedule
Please see Weatherford District Web Site at Weatherford District.

Centennial Celebration of the CTC
October 23rd

Called Session of Annual Conference
 November 13th

District Clergy get-away-play-day
Thursday, May 5th, 2011 at Glen Lake Camp from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM. 

Other News

From The Wesley Foundation at Weatherford College
Hello church leaders,

We are hard at work here at the Wesley Foundation preparing to welcome students into the fall semester at Weatherford College!  This semester, along with our Tuesday Lunches, we have set a goal to develop a small group of committed young adult leaders who come together regularly to practice their faith through study, mission, worship, and friendship.

As a ministry of the Weatherford District, in partnership with each local church, I'm writing to invite you to be a part of what God is doing at the Wesley in three very important ways:

1. Be in regular prayer for the students and ministries at Weatherford College.
2. Help us promote! Send us a list of your students who are attending Weatherford College and let them know of our ministry.
3. Sign up as a church or small group to prepare and serve a Tuesday meal sometime over the fall semester.  Get your Sunday School and Women's/Men's groups involved!  Tuesday meals are currently scheduled for 11am- 1pm.

To sign-up for lunches and send us a list of students, email (cindy@wesleyfoundationwc.org) or call (817-596-9696) and speak with our administrative assistant, Cindy Acres.  Thank you for your support!  I look forward to being in ministry with you this school year.

Rev. Katie Meek
Pastor, Wesley Foundation
Weatherford College

The Sower’s Bag Sermon Writing Retreat — Oct. 25-27
The Conference Order of Elders is sponsoring The Sower’s Bag Sermon Writing Retreat Oct. 25- 27 at Still Water Lodge in Glen Rose. This sermon writing retreat seeks to help inspire, facilitate and lead interested clergy in planning sermons for the Advent and Christmas season. Dr. David Mosser, senior pastor at Arlington First UMC, will lead exegetical and study sessions in a lecture/worship format with lectionary and thematic tracks. Time will be set aside for small group fellowship and discussion as well as time to write and plan sermons. Mosser has been the contributing editor for Abingdon’s Preaching Annual since 2003, and is a regular contributor to Preaching Magazine, The International Lesson Series Annual, Adult Bible Studies and Lectionary homiletics. For a flyer and registration form, visit http://www.ctcumc.org/pages/detail/1459.

Ministry Pictures
 In trying to intentionally reorient the work of the Annual Conference to the local church  we want to be surrounded by examples of your ministry and of our churches at the Conference Office. So, I am looking for pictures of our churches and or district  in action. Mission trips, community work groups, CTCYM, Food Pantry, feeding the hungry, working in the community, etc.  In other words I am not looking for a shot of the building or people lined up but action shots. How are you at work in your community? Or the world? Please put your church name or district on the back or in an e-mail and send several to Susan Briles (Susan@ctcumc.org).  These can be in an e-mail or snail mail. 

First UMC, Cleburne presents “The Robbie Seay Band” in Concert
Sunday, August 29 at 6:00 PM at The Cleburne Conference Center   For ticket info call FUMC, Cleburne, 817-645-6392 or clint@fumccleburne.com.   

Care to Share a Church Camp Memory?
A link on the Conference website (www.ctcumc.org) gives you an opportunity to join the
denomination-wide conversation about your favorite church camp memory. Consider sharing your memories from Glen Lake Camp (recent or from years ago). Upload a video and answer one of the suggested questions or create your own topic.

Children & Youth Worker Training —Oct. 1-2
The basics and more will be covered:
• Oct. 1-2 at First UMC Weatherford
Christian Ed Basics is a weekend training experience for leaders, paid or volunteer, in children
and youth ministries. Like the name implies, participants will get an introduction to information
and tools to succeed in this ministry area. For more details, check the conference website at
http://ct.brickriver.com/files/oFiles_Library_XZXLCZ/Children_4EPBX25Z.YouthWorker.Training.
TheBasics.pdf.

Glen Lake Adventure Race — Oct. 9
Join the first annual Glen Lake Adventure Race on Saturday, Oct. 9, at Glen Lake Camp &
Retreat Center in Glen Rose. Teams of 2 will run/bike/paddle/climb their way around Glen Lake and may encounter a few fun surprises along the way! Team categories will be: Men, Women, Co-Ed, and Youth (5th-12th grade). Prizes will be awarded for the top three teams in each category. This is a course that anyone can do. Never done an adventure race before? But up for the challenge? Not a problem. This race will be a fun day of getting to enjoy the outdoors and a little friendly competition along the way. All proceeds from the race go to support the ministry of Glen Lake Camp. Please visit http://www.glenlake.org/recreation for further details and to register!

Church Secretary Job Opening
Silver Creek, a growing United Methodist congregation is looking for a church secretary who is also trained as a financial secretary.  20 hours per week, M-Th, beginning August 23.  Enquiries directed to Vaughn Baker, Pastor, 817-613-7659.

 

**************************************************
weatherford@ctcumc.org
www.ctcumc.org/weatherford
Office Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 9:00 - 4:30