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Important Dates for Pastors Anticipating a
Move |
|
Please be in prayer for the
Bishop and Cabinet for wisdom and discernment as we continue
to make appointments over the next few weeks.
For your information, the
schedule is as follows:
April 16-18
Second Appointment-making session.
April 29
Announcement of Appointments
June 6-9
Annual Conference
June
26
Moving Day |
|
East Central District
Pre-Conference Forums |
Thursday, May 3 @ 6:30 PM
Trinity UMC -
Fellowship Hall
1125 E. South St., Orlando
Tuesday, May 8 @ 6:30 PM
Tomoko UMC - Fellowship Hall
1000 Old Tomoka Rd., Ormond Beach
|
| "Connecting the Dots"
September 8, 2007 |
| Our
district is planning a Christian education event on September
8, 2007 at University Carillon UMC in Oviedo.
This event will be for any Sunday school teachers,
youth workers, children's workers, adult small group leaders,
or volunteer from all 80 of our United Methodist
Churches. Our theme for the day is "Connect
the Dots" as we unpack our educational ministries as a way to
connect people of all ages to a healthy relationship with God
through Jesus Christ! Contact Kim Shockley
to register. |
| Upcoming District & Conference
Events |
|
June
6
Florida Annual Conference Begins, LakelandFlorida
June
7
East Central District Conference Breakfast
June 9
U2charist at Annual Conference for Youth and Young Adults
with Evening Concert at Florida
Southern College
June 10
Wet 'n' Wild Conference Youth Day
August
9-11
Willow Creek Leadership Summit [We have purchased 25 tickets for the
District. Let us know if you would like to join us next
summer!]
August
30
District Clergy Meeting, (9am-1pm), Place
TBA |
| Berea Haitian Mission Needs
Transportation |
|
Pastor Thomas Toussaint, Berea Haitian
Mission, is looking for a used van to transport his members to
and from Sunday Services. If you are aware of a "good deal"
that can be purchased inexpensively, please call Thomas at
407-448-6610. Berea Haitian Congregation
meets at Pine Hills UMC.
|
| Nurses Sought at Warren Willis Summer
Camps |
The
Warren W. Willis summer camp is in need of an RN or LPN to
assist with their camping ministry for a minimum of one week,
or longer, this summer. A job description and application form
is available by clicking
HERE
For more information, contact
Heather Pancoast at the Warren W. Willis UM Camp, toll-free,
at 1-866-UMCAMPS, option #3, or e-mail hpancoast@flumc.org. Deadline is May
1.
|
| Did You Know???? |
|
In United Methodist Annual Conferences
in the U.S. there are: 8,075,010 lay members; 45,175
clergy members, including part-time and full-time local
pastors; 738 consecrated diaconal ministers and deacons;
34,892 local churches; 504 districts; 63 conferences; 50
Episcopal areas; and 5 jurisdictions. More importantly,
the UMC is in mission in more than 125
countries! |
| Online Training: SPRC, TRUSTEES &
FINANCE |
|
Courses currently available include training for
members of church Staff Parish Relations and Trustees
Committees and members involved in dealing with Church
Finances, including stewardship and connectional giving. All
courses can be accessed through http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=jkhvg5bab.0.0.ovscv9bab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flumcelearning.com%2F&id=previewon the Florida Conference
Web site.
Future courses will focus on teacher
training, leader development and responsibilities of
membership secretaries and lay leaders, among other topics.
For more information about the courses or to provide
feedback on the process or suggestions for courses contact the
Rev. Carol Sue Hutchinson, director of the Connectional
Ministries office's Congregational Life Ministries, at
chutchinson@flumc.org or 800-282-8011, extension
140 |
| Background Checks Online |
|
The Florida Conference and Trak-1 Technologies are
working together to enable ministries to operate in a safe and
secure environment. Through Trak-1 services churches and
church-related agencies can obtain comprehensive
background checks without incurring extensive
charges. The new online service provides access to the
information churches need to make informed hiring or volunteer
placement decisions. The documents needed to utilize
this service are available on the Florida Conference
website at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=jkhvg5bab.0.0.ovscv9bab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flumc.org%2F&id=preview. More information about
Trak-1 is available at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=jkhvg5bab.0.0.ovscv9bab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trak-1.com%2F&id=preview. For other information or
questions contact the conference ministry protection office at
800-282-8011.
|
| Connectional Giving Resources -- Available and
free |
|
Resources for apportioned funds, church-wide Special
Sundays with offerings (such as One Great Hour of Sharing),
and other giving opportunities are available free by visiting
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=jkhvg5bab.0.0.ovscv9bab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.umcgiving.org%2F&id=previewand order
online.
| | |
|
East Central District
Newsletter April
2007
|
|
Dear Michelle,
March blew in and
found me preparing for Appointive Cabinet Meetings and
unpacking from a Trip to Cuba, all at the same time. The March
E-News never made it to my Outbox, so this month's issue,
though a little long, will hopefully catch us up!
Everywhere I look
this spring, there are signs of Resurrection.
From the azaleas to the perennials and
annuals, life is bursting forth across the East Central
District. I trust that during this Lenten Season, you too have
experienced the power of the Spirit in times of renewal and
new life.
The Prophet Isaiah reminds us:
See, I am
doing a new thing! Now
it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in
the desert and streams in the
wasteland."
--Isaiah
43:9
The East Central
District is experiencing the power of the Resurrection in many
ways . . .
-
18
Churches are participating in Refocus with Phil
Maynard and Vicki Blose leading Phase II
(22nd year), and Kim Shockley and
Michelle Colan leading Phase I
(1st year). Linda
Mobley reports 14 congregations active in
Natural Church Development (NCD). There are an additional 17
Churches involved in transformational programs of their own
design including long-range strategic planning. This makes a
total of 49 Churches involved in Transformation in our
District!
 Eleven Clergy and Laity
returned safely from Cuba
with renewed spirits after visiting their sister churches
and sharing in the Holguin and Las
Tunas District Conferences. Our "Sister Churches" are
growing and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit in a
country that is continually challenged by limited resources
and freedoms. We have raised $6,000 for a Mini-Bus to
provide transportation for our Sister Districts. Our goal is
$12,000. If your congregation can help, please make checks
payable to the East Central District Office and annotate for
Cuba Bus. There are still 10 churches in our assigned
Districts that need a sponsor. If you would like to be
assigned a
SisterChurch, contact
Aldo Martin, amartin822@earthlink.net
(Bus for Las Tunas and Holguin Districts in Cuba. District
Superintendent Enoch Rodriguez with Rev. Rusty Belcher, First
Winter Garden)
-
-
160
Clergy and Lay Leaders gathered on March 11 at Sanlando UMC
for a successful and informative afternoon discovering the
"Possibilities" of Ministry and
Mission together.
The Art of Possibility Video was presented with rave
reviews. The video is available for check-out in the
District Office. A big thanks to Janet
Kelley, our District Lay Leader, Gary and Kim Shockley,
Linda Mobley, Marilyn
Beecher, Jan Richardson, and Garrison Doles for
their leadership!
- We
have 15 Youth and Young Adult Lay Members Nominated to
represent the EC District at Annual Conference June 6-9.
Annual Conference this year will include special Youth
Events on Friday Night to include U2charist Worship at 7pm
in the Lakeland Arena followed by Expression '07: The
Expression of the Soul at Florida Southern College. Bands
from around the Conference will be auditioned and the
finalists will appear in a "Battle
of the Bands" format along with an up and coming Christian
Band from Lakeland called
WOODALE
as the final event of the evening. A
Conference Youth Wet and Wild Day will take place in
Orlando on Saturday.
Visit http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=jkhvg5bab.0.0.ovscv9bab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flumc.org%2Facyouth&id=preview
for complete details and registration links.
As Easter approaches, I know that you will be claiming
with me the "Power of the Resurrection" in your own life and
the life of your congregations. I look
forward to the "New Things" Christ is doing in you and the
great congregations in the EC District.
I Love Being Your District
Superintendent,
Wayne
2 Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of
timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of
self-discipline.
| |
 Pre-Annual
Conference Training Sessions on June 5, 2007
"The
Methodist Way"
On
Tuesday afternoon prior to Annual Conference, there will be
five pre-conference classes on "The Methodist Way" offered at
2:30 PM and then again at 4:30 PM at the Lakeland
Center. Each class will focus on one of the five
core practices of making disciples to which every congregation
is called. Bishop Whitaker refers to these faith-forming
practices as "The Methodist Way." These essential
practices are what passing on our faith "From Generation to
Generation" really entails. They have their roots
both in our Wesleyan heritage and in the scriptural practices
of the early church.
So
what are these five essential disciple-making practices?
- Cultivating a congregation of passionate worshipers
- Engaging our community and the next generation in
radical hospitality
- Forming mature followers of Jesus through deep and
intentional discipling
- Picking up our crosses in salty service in our
community and the world
- Pouring ourselves out in extravagant generosity
Every church can send as many persons as they wish to
each of these classes - whether they are delegates of the
Annual Conference or not. The classes are free. We
invite you to register on-line at the conference website --
for planning purposes -- but whether you have registered or
not, we want you to come. You can take a class at 2:30
PM or at 4:30 PM or at both times.
In
each class, you will hear briefly about all five essential
practices in "The Methodist Way" and then the presenters will
focus in on their particular topic. They will be sharing
both a scriptural base for this practice and how this was a
core practice when the Methodist movement swept across England
and America. Then our presenters will be sharing a
variety of practical ways in which this core practice can be
strengthened in your local congregation. During each
class, participants will be able to share what their
congregation is doing. Finally, they will receive a
handout pointing them to some carefully selected books,
websites and places to learn more.
It
is our goal for this to be the best quality learning
opportunity you have ever attended, lead by some of the best
practitioners and communicators in our Annual
Conference.
|
Annual Conference Offering
The Annual Conference Offering this year will be split
between East Angola/Florida Partnership and Florida BICAP- 80%
East Angola- 20% Florida Bishops' Initiative on Children and
Poverty - back packs & school supplies.
The East Central District goal is for every Church to
raise $1.00 per member. Start now to achieve this and make it
an emphasis in your church.
|
Share at Annual Conference
What's Working for You??
As part of our 2007 Annual
Conference focus on the health of congregations, we hope to
share some of the creative ways congregations are meeting
Bishop Whitaker's challenges and living out our new
collaborative way of being together in clusters. Did
your congregation have an effective evangelistic event?
How did your congregation increase the number of persons
involved in their community as salty servants? How has
your cluster responded to the Holy Spirit's guidance as you
have met over the last year? We are inviting persons to
tell us their story briefly so we can include it in the Annual
Conference Welcome Book. This can be done on-line at:
www.flumc.org/share. We want
our district to be well represented. Please take
just a few moments to give witness to how God is at work among
us.
|
 Institute of Preaching
The
Florida Conference's Institute of Preaching begins a new season of ministry
in 2007. After a time of prayer and discernment, the institute
has decided to shift from large, annual gatherings using a
lecture format to a small-group format that will meet three
times during the year for hands-on mentoring and development
of preaching gifts. Up to 12 applicants will be selected for
the 2007/2008 class. All clergy will receive a brochure in the
mail in the coming weeks. Information about the institute is
also available on the Florida Conference Web site at
www.flumc.org .
Interested
clergy who have questions after visiting the Web site or
receiving the brochure should e-mail Jack
Jackson, chairman of
the Institute of Preaching, at: TGJacksonIII@gmail.com
,
or Nathan Kirpatrick, director of Duke University's Continuing
Education Programs, at: div-conted@duke.edu.
|
 Healthy Church Academy
Four one-day courses are now open for
registration. You may visit the web at HERE. At the menu on the left, click
"HCA- Courses Registering." All are sponsored by
district leadership counsels. Lower individual and group
rates.
HCA 1201 "Spiritual Formation and
Disciplines" March 17, FUMC Starke, NE
District
HCA 801 "Worship for Transformation,
March 24, FUMC Ocala, NC District
HCA 1202 "Congregational Spiritual Formation, April 28,
FUMC, Ocala, NC District.
HCA 501 "Disciple Growing & Congregational
Spiritual Formation, May 5, FUMC Perry, NW
District |
Church Anniversaries
According to the records in the
Archives, the following churches in the East Central District
are celebrating significant anniversaries of their founding
this year and will be honored at Annual
Conference:
125th First,
Kissimmee
50th
Faith, Orlando
If your church should be included,
please notify Nell Thrift at 863-688-9276 or Thriftmail@aol.com
|
Year-End Statistics
Congratulations to 46 of our Churches who paid 100% of
their Connectional Giving this year! We finished 2006 meeting
84% of our Connectional Giving to the General Church, 88% to
the District Work Fund, and 93% to District New Church
Development. I am well aware that with rising Insurance
Premiums this has been a tough year financially for many of
our congregations. Thanks for your continued
faithfulness! |
| EC
District Calendar of Events
April
14
United Methodist Women's District Day apart @ Riverview UMC-
Ormond Beach 9:30am-2:30pm
April
16
Justice for our Neighbors from 6-10 pm
April
20
Central Florida Wesley Foundation's 2007 "Friends of Wesley
Banquet." Scheduled for 7 pm at University Carillon
UMC
April
25
United Methodist Men's Quarterly District
Mtg.
April
29
Announcement Sunday
May
3
Annual Conference Orientation at Trinity UMC, Orlando
beginning at 6:30pm
May
8
Annual Conference Orientation at Tomoka UMC, Ormond Beach
beginning at 6:30 pm
June
6-9
Florida Annual Conference - Lakeland
June
7
East Central District breakfast @ Trinity UMC, Lakeland in the
Fellowship Hall
June
16
United Methodist Women's District Summer Fellowship @ Trinity
UMC, DeLand 9:30am-2:30pm
June
26
Moving Day
July
21-28
Celebrate Jesus - DeLand Area Mission
August
9-11
Willow Creek Leadership Summit
Sept
8
Local Church Educational Ministries Training (Connecting the
Dots) @ University Carillon UMC from 8:30am to 2:30
pm.
Sept
14-16
Spiritual Life Retreat - LEC
Sept
22
United Methodist Women's District Mission Studies Sampler @
Ebenezer UMC, Orlando 9:30am-12:30pm
Oct
20
United Methodist Women's District Annual Meeting @ Asbury UMC,
Maitland 9:30am-2:30pm
Nov
10
UMW Conference Annual Meeting @ Florida Southern
College | |
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