E l e c t r o n i c N e w s l e t t e r o f T h e M e t r o D i s t r i c t o f t h e U M C

I n s id e t h i s i s su e :

Sp ec ia l Po in t o f

In t e rest :

Toward Annual

Conference 2014:

Note from Bishop

Goodpaster (page 6)

Clergy Appointment

Calendar

2

Holy Land Pilgrimage

Info Meeting

3

Susanne Wesley Award 4

Lay Servant Ministries 5

2014 WNCC Annual

Conference Info

6-9

Upcoming Events/

Activities

10-11

M A Y 1 9 , 20 14

V o l um e , I ssue

The Metro Messenger

RESURRECTION

One of the new shows premiering on TV recently has

caught my attention. I have watched every episode

with anticipation and curiosity. The name of the

show is.Resurrection. Evidently, by the surveys, it

has caught the attention of many as it is touted as

the number one show on TV. The story line isloved

ones who have died years ago are suddenly and

shockingly returning just as they were at the point

when they died. You can imagine the thrill and the

terror that the families are experiencing as some

believe and others do not.

Why has this show caught the attention of so many people? As Christians, we

believe we know why. Death is the great separator and divider of people. It rips

loved ones from each other, interrupts dreams and creates a grief which will not

go away. The only thought which eases the pain is that perhaps one day

somewherein another time and place we will see one another again and

resume our lives together. This hope is woven into the tapestry of our soul.it

is downloaded into our very being. Something within us screams: this is not the

end.there is more!!!

The resurrection of Jesus confirms our hope and assures us of the promise that

because I live, YOU TOO shall live. We WILL see our loved ones again and

finally behold the one who defeated death and the grave. The shadow of death,

with all of its pain and grief, will be swallowed up by the reality of life eternal,

with all of its joy and ecstasy. No wonder Paul wrote: Eye has not seen, nor

has ear heard, nor has entered into the imagination of mankind..the things

God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 There will be no

terror or suspicion or unbelief on that day.only thrill as we become lost is

wonder, love and praise.

The Lord is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Gary Dr. Gary C. Royals

Metro District Superintendent

P a g e 2 T h e M e t r o M e s s e n g e r V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 1 2

2014 WNCC UMC Clergy Appointment Calendar

May 4 Public Announcement of Appointments

May 22 Making a Good Move Seminar, Lake Junaluska

June 27 Moving pastors last Sunday in present appointment

June 30-July 3 Moving Days (parsonage must be cleaned and vacated by July 1

at noon)

July 6 Transition Sunday (neither departing pastor nor incoming pastor

will be in the pulpit)

July 13 First Sunday in pulpit for new appointments

History of Itinerancy

United Methodism has a unique system of deploying clergy which dates back to John Wesley and

which is different from any other denomination. The system by which pastors are appointed to their

charges by the bishops is called itinerancy. The present form of the itinerancy grew from the

practice of Methodist pastors traveling widely throughout the church on circuits. Assigned to service

by a bishop, clergy remain with one particular congregation for a limited length of time.

Holy Land Pilgrimage Information Meeting

For many years pastors and church members throughout the Western North Carolina Conference

have experienced dramatic and transformational experiences as our Conference bishops and other

leaders have led groups to the Holy Land. Once again, we will be able to experience the lands of the

Bible as we spend eleven days visiting sites that have been pivotal touchstones in our faith. We

invite you to travel with friends across the Western

North Carolina Conference, February 9-19, 2015, as

our leader, Bishop Larry Goodpaster, guides us and

helps scriptures weve known all our lives come alive

before us. Journey through the Bible will be a unique

and wonderful opportunity to enrich our faith. These

eleven days will take us to a host of places where many

of us have dreamed to travel: Jericho, Qumran, Bethlehem, the Dead Sea, Megiddo, Jerusalem, The

Galilee, Jordan River, Mount of Beatitudes, Caesarea Philippi, the Herodion, Mount Hermon, Cana,

Nazareth, Samaria, Mount Zion, the Garden of Gethsemane and many other locations. This is the

first time our WNC Conference has sponsored so extensive a trip to the Holy Land. Plan now to

participate and invite your friends from any denomination. For those who wish, extensions to other

sites in the region can also be arranged.

The all-inclusive price includes Basic Tour and guided sightseeing, roundtrip air fare from Charlotte,

Atlanta, Greensboro and Asheville, administrative fees, entrance fees, gratuities and program fees,

daily buffet breakfast and dinner, deluxe motor coaches, first class hotels and more! Prices are:

Charlotte, $2,998; Atlanta, $3,048; Greensboro; $3,098 and Asheville, $3,148.

Dr. Gary Royals, Metro District Superintendent, will hold an informational meeting regarding the

Journey Through the Bible on Thursday, May 29, 7:00 PM at the St. Andrews United Methodist

Church at 1900 Emerywood Dr., Charlotte, 28210. Even if you THINK you might be interested,

come and learn about this trip and how walking where Jesus walked will transform your life!

Dr. Royals may be reached at groyals@wnccumc.org or 704-525-3395.

An invitation for to participate in Courage to Lead: A Courage and Renewal Retreat Series.

This five-retreat seasonal program is intended to help those in serving professions clergy leaders, educational leaders, health care leaders, nonprofit leaders, foundation leaders, and others live and lead out of a deep sense of identity and integrity so that they can serve the world with courage. The leaders are Russ Moxley and Kathryn McElveen. As a recipient of a WNC Leadership Development Team grant, a limited amount of scholarship funds are available to reduce retreat costs for WNC clergy. More information and registration are available at this link:

http://www.couragerenewal.org/events/lead-series-moxley-mcelveen-1/ or at www.LEADwncc.org.

T h e M e t r o M e s s e n g e r V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 1 2 P a g e 3

Susanne Wesley Award

Charlotte, N.C. - Ella Hand, a member of St Marks

United Methodist Church ranks among the first few

recipients to receive the newly created Susanna

Wesley Award. Hank Dozier, Western North Carolina

Conference President and Terrence Little, the local

fellowship president presented the award to Mrs. Hand.

Local church members, family and friends contributed

funds for the award that was presented during worship

service at St. Marks UMC on March 30, 2014.

For 40+ years, Mrs. Hand has been very instrumental in my life. She confirmed me into St. Marks United Methodist about 37 years ago and would later do the same for all of my children, says Terrence Little St Marks UMM local president. Her continued guidance and her passion for Christ has been a major influence in the life of St. Marks and many others throughout the community. She truly personifies everything that is expected of the perfect mother and

recipient of the Susanna Wesley award.

St. Marks pastor, Rev. Jessie Keaton states: Mrs. Ella Hand is a stellar recipient of the Susanna Wesley award. For over 40 years, she has taught United Methodist doctrine to hundreds of youth. She teaches

with such zeal and enthusiasm that former students (some, now grandparents) still recall fond memories

of Mrs. Hand's confirmation classes, competitions, cookouts, and of the many enriching

experiences, trips, and events that made learning Christian doctrine unforgettable! Mrs. Hand is also an

Advanced Lay Speaker, a District Lay Member to the Western NC Conference of The United Methodist

Church, and a dedicated leader of Communion Stewards. Above all, she is a Christian woman of faith,

grace, and excellence.

In our church, and to some churches in our district and conference, Mrs. Hand is known as person of authority as it pertains to her knowledge of Methodism, said Hank Dozier, WNCC UMM Conference President. Unlike Susanna Wesley, she was not the mother of 19 children but Mrs. Hand has served as a spiritual mother to countless numbers of youth through confirmation classes. She has

been a servant leader in our conference, district, local church and community.

Like Susanna Wesley, she has nurtured and encouraged the ministry of two of her children. Her daughter

Dawn Hand is a an Elder assigned to Foundry UMC in Washington, DC and her daughter-in-law Stephanie

Hand who serves as a deacon at Providence UMC in Charlotte, NC.

Mrs. Hand also serves on the Metro District Superintendency Committee.

T h e M e t r o M e s s e n g e r V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 1 2 P a g e 4

Article excerpt from WNCC UMC News - April 3, 2014

Concord-Kannapolis Community Lay Servant Ministries Training

Thirty-seven eager students came to Central UMC, Concord, early on the morning of

April 5 and stayed late into the evening of April 6, to complete the ten hours of training required for

certification in the lay servant ministries program. No longer should we consider Lay Servant

Ministries, formerly known as Lay Speaking Ministry, as only a training for those who feel called to a

ministry of speaking or pulpit supply. Most participants consider these annual training opportunities

to be a means of leadership development, and a means of spiritual enrichment.

This years course offerings in Concord were the Basic Lay Servant Ministries course, taught by

Reverends Susannah Pittman and Wesley Smith, and an advanced course, The United Methodist

Way, Living our Beliefs, taught by Rev. Dr. Dana Bunn.

Three other trainings were offered in early 2014 across our Metro District, in geographic regions,

designed to allow everyone an opportunity to attend a training in their own community. The districts

four lay servant leaders coordinated these trainings.

If youd like to learn more about Lay Servant Ministries

visit http://www.gbod.org/lead-your-church/lay-servant-ministries

Article by Margaret Cox, Concord-Kannapolis Lay Servant Leader Coordinator

T h e M e t r o M e s s e n g e r V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 1 2 P a g e 5

Toward Annual Conference, 2014

APRIL 30TH NOTE FROM BISHOP GOODPASTER

I am looking forward to welcoming the clergy and lay members of Annual

Conference to our 2014 session at Lake Junaluska, June 18-22. We

have some exciting plans made around our theme for this year:

Celebrating Generosity. Through Bible studies, worship services, and

various reports we will experience another characteristic of what it

means to be a vital church in the twenty-first century. This year marks the second of our four-year focus on increasing the number of vital

churches across Western North Carolina by paying attention to qualities

and characteristics of vital churches: missional, generous, evangelical,

and hospitable. In the coming weeks, I will be writing a series of brief

messages to help all of us prepare and anticipate our Annual

Conference gathering.

All of the offerings for the 2014 session will be designated for the Imagine No Malaria initiative of our United

Methodist Church. As a part of the denomination-wide Global Health Initiative goal of raising $75 million, our

gifts this year will go toward the movement toward providing mosquito nets and health supplies in the on-going

battle to eliminate malaria in many parts of the globe.

The Western North Carolina Conference has not kept pace with other annual conferences in this endeavor, so I

am challenging us to make a significant gift this year. There are resources and links to the Imagine No Malaria

campaign on our web site, and more will be coming in the next few weeks. The very modest goal we have

established for our Annual Conference offering this year is $100,000.

I am absolutely convinced that the people and the churches of our conference are most generous when it

comes to impacting the lives of children and impacting the diseases of poverty that exist across Africa and

other parts of the world. With gratitude, I know that many of you are already engaged in mission outreach to

various countries in Africa. I celebrate that and I celebrate your generosity. Now, I am inviting you to participate in this conference-wide special offering.

Heres the challenge as we move toward Annual Conference: On one Sunday between now and June 15 each

local church across Western North Carolina receive a special offering for Imagine No Malaria and the 2014

Annual Conference Offering. Then, the lay member or the clergy will bring a check from your church to

conference and offer it at one of our worship services. I believe that the more than 1100 churches and more

than 290,000 faithful disciples in our churches will exceed our goal and make a significant difference around

the world.

Annual Conference Updates/News

Stay tuned to http://ac2014.org/ac2014/

The Pre-Conference Briefing sessions will all be on video and will be embedded on the

Pre-Conference Briefing page

Until Conference begins with the clergy session on June 18, 2014, this section of the website will be your key

resource.

T h e M e t r o M e s s e n g e r V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 1 2 P a g e 6

T h e M e t r o M e s s e n g e r V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 1 2 P a g e 7

Western NC Annual Conference June 19-22, 2014, Lake Junaluska

Clergy Session: June 18th

3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Opening Worship: June 19th at 10 am

Conference will adjourn at Noon on

Sunday.

More Annual Conference information/updates

at http://ac2014.org/

Lay Delegates to Annual Conference

If the principal lay member(s) of the 2014

Annual Conference elected by your charge

conference will not be attending conference

and will be replaced by someone else, pastors

need to be sure this change is made online in

the WNCC Admin. Services database or

contact the district office for assistance.

Remember, if someone other than the

principal or reserve(s) elected by charge

conference will be attending, your church

council, administrative council/board must

hold a meeting to elect that person.

Pastors please review the May 7th email

which pertains to your church/charge

delegation. Persons who have not been

certified to the Conference Secretary as

having been properly elected will experience

delays in the ability to register.

WNCC Annual Conference Important Information for

ALL clergy

All WNC deacons and elders in full connection,

provisional and associate members, and local pastors under appointment are expected to

attend. Clergy who cannot participate should

request an excused absence. Retired clergy

and those on leave of absence will be excused

if not present.

To request an excused absence, send a note to

Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster and send it to Rev.

Kim Ingram, Conference Secretary, at

kingram@wnccumc.org (preferred) or

PO Box 18005, Charlotte, NC 28218.

Programs and Reports Available

This years issue of Program and Reports is 92

pages. The Supplement to this

publication will be posted online

and distributed at registration at

annual conference. It will have

the information needed to

conduct business and to find

your way at conference. In addition, all of the

reports included in this publication will also be

printed in the annual Journal.

We anticipate that you will not need to print this

publication of the Program and Reports book,

however if you wish to do so for your own

convenience, it is formatted to print front and

back on 3-hole punch paper, and is available in

color (8.6MB) and grayscale (5MB).

Download 2014 Program and Reports- Grayscale

Download 2014 Program and Reports- Color

Visit AC 2014 at http://ac2014.org/ for

additional annual conference details and

updates from Bishop Goodpaster.

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T h e M e t r o M e s s e n g e r V o l u m e 3 , I s s u e 1 2 P a g e 9

The C2LJ is a 3-day supported ride from Charlotte to Lake Junaluska

that takes place June 16-18, 2014. This is the first year for what will

be an annual event to bike to Lake Junaluska. This years route is

outstanding and our overnight hosts will be providing great food

& activities each evening. Details at http://www.c2lj.org/

V o l u m e , I s s u e P a g e 1 0

FIVE DAY ACADEMY OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION

The Spiritual Formation Task Force of the Western North Carolina Conference in

partnership with The Upper Room announces THE FIVE DAY ACADEMY for Spiritual

Formation for August 10-15, 2014 at Caraway Conference Center near Asheboro, NC.

The theme for the week is "The Way of Wisdom" and will feature guest leadership by Dr.

Elaine Heath of Perkins School of Theology and Rabbi Rami Shapiro of the One River

Wisdom School.

http://www.wnccumc.org/news/five-day-academy-spiritual-formation-scheduled-august-wncc

School of Congregational

Development August 14-17

Details and registration at:

http://scdnetwork.ning.com/

2014 Convocation and Pastors' School

Duke Divinity School

October 13, 2014 to October 14, 2014

Twenty-five years ago, Stanley Hauerwas and Will Willimon challenged the

Christian church to live as a vital embodiment of the Gospel, operating within

todays society but apart from its eroding values. The vision laid out in their book Resident Aliens still resonates with Christians today as we seek to be a

faithful witness to the world.

Join Hauerwas and Willimon as they join with sociologist James Davison Hunter, Bishops Hope Morgan Ward, and

Larry Goodpaster, and pastors throughout the country to examine the impact of this book on clergy,

congregations, and seminaries. Register at:

https://events.divinity.duke.edu/ei/getdemo.ei?id=372&s=_2JK10KJ6Q

Job Opportunity Cold Springs UMC, in Concord, NC is seeking a qualified Preschool Director for their half-day program,

ages 2,3,4. Interested applicants may inquire about the job opening and submit their resumes to Dr.

Tony Bell, tbell@coldspringsumc.org.

P a g e 1 1

Mission U 2014 Theme: Learning Together for the Transformation of the World July 17-20, 2014 Pfeiffer University - Misenheimer, NC

Click here for information about Mission U!

or visit www.wnccumw.org

Registration is open May 1, 2014 thru June 25, 2014!

New in 2014...Full Time Youth Camp!

V o l u m e , I s s u e

Metro District Office of the Western NC Conference The Rev. Dr. Gary C. Royals, Metro District Superintendent

Location: 3400 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215 (Metro District Office is located in the WNC Conference Center facility)

Mailing Address: PO Box 5622, Charlotte, NC 28299

Phone: 704-525-3395 Fax: 704-525-4238

Rev. Brenda Newman, Congregational Vitality Strategist, Metro and Uwharrie Districts

(bnewman@wnccumc.org)

Administrative Assistants:

Ravonda Britt (rbritt@wnccumc.org) Clergy Relations DeEtta Rivens (drivens@wnccumc.org) Church Relations

MAY 2014

11-16 Local Pastor Licensing School, Lake Junaluska

18-22 Local Pastor Licensing School, Lake Junaluska

22 Making a Good Move, Seminar for Moving Clergy, Lake Junaluska

26 Conference and District Office Closed-Memorial Day Observation

29 Holy Land Pilgrimage Information Meeting (page 3)

JUNE 2014

13-14 Spiritual Growth Retreat, Lake Junaluska (page 11)

15 Peace with Justice Sunday

18 Clergy Session of WNCC Annual Conference (page 7)

19-22 Western NC Annual Conference (pages 6-9)

27 Moving pastors last Sunday in present appointment

JULY 2014

1 Clergy Moving Day

6 Transition Sunday for Moving Pastors

13 First Sunday in Pulpit-new appointment

17-20 Mission U 2014, Pfeiffer University (page 11)

AUGUST 2014

10-15 5-Day Academy of Spiritual Formation, Asheboro, NC (page 10)

14-17 School of Congregational Development (page 10)

Learn about other upcoming events/opportunities in the Western NC Conference at:

http://www.wnccumc.org/news

http://www.wnccumc.org/events

M a r k Y o u r C a l e n d a r