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News from The East Central
District
December
2008 |
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Dear Michelle,
As we approach the Advent and Christmas
Season, I wanted to share with you a story about Giving.
One of the Five Practices of the Methodist Way is
Extravagant Generosity. This may mean something
different for each of us as Christ followers, but I hope
this story will give you some insight during this season
of preparation, joy, love, peace, and giving . . .
A SIMPLE WHITE ENVELOPE
[A
Story about Extravagant Generosity]
It's just a small white
envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree.
No name, no identification, no inscription. It has
peeked through the branches of our tree for the past 10
years or so.
It all began because my husband
Mike hated Christmas--oh, not the true meaning of
Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it--the
overspending, the frantic running around at the last
minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting
powder for Grandma -- the gifts given in desperation
because you couldn't think of anything
else.
Knowing he felt this way, I
decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters,
and ties. I reached for something special just for
Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way. Our son
Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior
level at the school he attended. Shortly before
Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team
sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters,
dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to
be the only thing holding them together, presented a
sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold
uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes.
As the match began, I was
alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without
headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a
wrestler's ears. It was a luxury the rag-tag team
obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping
them. We took every weight class. And as each boy got up
from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with
false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn't
acknowledge defeat.
Mike, seated beside me, shook
his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have
won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing
like this could take the heart right out of them." Mike
loved kids -- all kids -- and he knew them, having
coached little league football, baseball and
lacrosse.
That's when the idea for his
present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting
goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling
headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to their
inner-city church.
On Christmas Eve, I placed the
envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what
I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile
was the brightest thing about Christmas that year.
In succeeding years, I followed our new Christmas
Tradition -- one year sending a group of mentally
challenged youngsters to a hockey game, another year a
check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had
burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and the
list went on . . .
The envelope became the
highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing
opened on Christmas morning, and our children, ignoring
their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation
as their Dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal
its contents.
As the children grew, the toys
gave way to more practical presents, but the envelope
never lost its allure. The story doesn't end there. You
see, we lost Mike last year due to cancer. When
Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief
that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found
me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning
it was joined by three more. Each of our children,
unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the
tree for their Dad. The tradition has grown and will
hopefully someday expand with our grandchildren standing
around the tree with wide-eyed anticipation, watching as
their fathers take down the "Simple White
Envelope."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As we make our gift lists this Christmas
and consider the gifts we might give, may our generosity
touch those in need as we follow the Christ who came
into the world that we might have life and have it more
abundantly. Remember, you are the Light of the
World!
And with this Word, God created all
things. Nothing was made without the Word. Everything
that was created received its life from him, and his
life gave light to everyone. The light keeps shining in
the dark, and the darkness has never put it out. -- John
1:3-5 Contemporary English Version
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.
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Important
Upcoming Dates for your Calendar
**Check out our website for
Advent Events around the District!
Charge Conferences are over...
all paperwork was due in the District Office by November
15th. . If you are still "bringing up the
rear" in sending all required forms/information,
please make this a priority today!
Without your proper paperwork, Janet and Pam
cannot meet their required end of the year
deadlines.
In particular, we are still missing the
Local Church Officers updated contact list from over 45
churches. The final date to submit this form was 2
weeks following your charge conference. Please
send via e-mail or snail mail today. If you need
more information or assistance in completing, contact
Janet at jkelley@flumc.org or
407-896-2230 today. Thank you!
December 8 - SPRC Training 7pm,
Trinity UMC, Orlando
December 16 - SPRC Training 7pm, Tomoka
UMC, Ormond Beach
January 10 - Epiphany Open House for District
Clergy at District Residence, 11am
January 15 - Deadline
for 2008 Apportionments to be received in
Lakeland
January 17 - 2009 Leadership
Training Event, First UMC, Winter Park, 9am
January 23 - Deadline for Church and Pastor
Profiles to be updated online for 2009 January
31 - Citrus Gleaning, Orlando
February 21 - Scream Event, Islands of
Adventure
February 26-27 - 24 Hour Clergy
Retreat, Daytona Beach
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December Training Dates for 2009
Staff Parish Relations Committee
Members
East Central District Staff
Parish Relations Committee Training is scheduled
for the following December
dates. All members of the SPR committee
including the local church Lay Leader and Lay
Member to Annual Conference are encouraged to
attend.
Monday, December 8,
2008
7:00 - 8:30 pm at Trinity UMC, Orlando
Fellowship Hall
2125 E. South Street, Orlando, FL
32803
Tuesday, December 15,
2008
7:00 - 8:30 pm at Tomoka UMC, Ormond
Beach Fellowship/Bleekman Hall
1000 Old Tomoka Road, Ormond Beach, FL
32174
Important information related
to SPRC Membership, Responsibilities, Meetings,
and Tasks & Resources will be presented.
Specific details will be discussed
regarding: Pastoral Evaluation
Process, Clergy Compensation,
Clergy
Housing, Appointive Process, Child/Youth
Protection Policy, Ways To Encourage Your
Pastor. |
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Hispanic/Latino Academy for Spiritual
Formation December 4-7
The Three Day Hispanic/Latino Academy for Spiritual
Formation is called Rios del Espiritu (Stream Spirit) and had
been created to serve the Spanish speaking clergy and laity.
It starts Thursday, December 4 at 3:00 pm with registration
and ends Sunday, December 7 at noon with lunch. The cost is
$275.00 per person (same room for spouses / double room with
same gender). Location is at the Life Enrichment Center in
Fruit Land Park, Leesburg, Florida.
The theme for this three day retreat is "Strengthening
our Christian values in the midst of a challenging society."
Through these three days, participants will be allowed to
explore a deeper understanding of their relationship with God,
the source of our spiritual strength. If you want
to know more about this great opportunity please contact Ruth
Villafaña, event registrar, at (305) 609-5640, or at her
e-mail; rgv531@aol.com. Some scholarship
funds are available.
This academy is conducted in Spanish. The Florida
Conference has an English speaking academy lead by Ann
Anderson and you may contact her at andersonanns@comcast.net. |
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Apportionment/Connectional Giving Deadline
January 15
The deadline for remitting 2008
apportionments has been extended until Jan. 15, 2009,
according to Florida Conference treasurer, Mickey
Wilson. "The slowing of the economy has taken its toll
on the percentage of apportionments remitted through
Oct. 31," said Wilson. "While apportionments are an
important part of overall connectional giving, pensions,
health insurance and property insurance premiums are
also equitably important."
Wilson said at a
recent cabinet meeting, it was agreed that only those
churches paying 100 percent of their total connectional
giving-apportionments, health insurance premiums,
pensions, and property and casualty insurance
premiums-would be included in the listing of churches
paying 100 percent and published in the Journal. "I
encourage every church in the conference to make every
effort to pay 100 percent," said Wilson. "Even in these
difficult economic times, the call to be faithful
stewards of all that God gives us does not
diminish." |
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 Congregational Transformation
By Kim Shockley
During the past few months I have
had the privilege of helping to support the work of the
Conference Office of Congregational Transformation by leading
a workshop at the Radical Hospitality events. I really
came to an interesting conclusion as I prepared for my
workshop and participated in other's presentations. Of
the 5 Practices of the Methodist Way, Radical Hospitality is
the one that everyone in the congregation has to get on board
to do. The other four (Inspiring Worship, Extravagant
Generosity, Intentional Discipleship, and Salty Service) allow
for some "wiggle room", meaning we don't all have to be at the
same place to accomplish them well. But Radical
Hospitality is different. It demands that every regular
attendee of your congregation has a similar level of
proficiency for welcoming the visitors and guests among
you!
I've been a preacher's wife for
lots of years. During my husband's career I have
experienced coming to a new congregation nine times (some of
those were multiple point charges, but still individual
congregations). It is amazing how the reactions of
individual people can build or sour your impression of a
congregation. [Read
More] |
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Church &
Pastor Profiles due January 23
Church and pastor profiles should be
reviewed and updated annually by all churches and all
clergy in the Florida Conference. Church Profiles are
reviewed and updated by SPR Committees. Pastor Profiles
are personally reviewed and updated by the pastor.
Profiles will be available on-line
after noon on Monday, December 1st and should be
completed no later than Jan. 23rd. Though you may
not anticipate a move, it is important that both the
pastor and church profile be current and up to date by
the appointment-making session of the
Cabinet. These should be an honest reflection of
the pastoral ministry and the profile of the church.
Look for the button link to the
profiles start page on the home page of the Florida Conference
Website shortly after noon on Monday,
December 1st. |
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Clergy Pre-Retirement Seminar January
5-7
The Florida Annual
Conference Office of Human Resources, in cooperation with The
Florida United Methodist Foundation, is sponsoring a
pre-retirement seminar "R-10 and Counting," for clergy and
spouses who have 10 years or fewer until retirement. The
seminar will be held Jan. 5-7, 2009, at the Best Western
Resort Hotel, 2000 Hotel Plaza Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, FL
32830.
The three-day seminar is designed to cover a
full range of issues facing retirees, including planning for
and funding your retirement, living arrangements,
relationships, wellness, myths and realities and estate
planning. Speakers include: the Rev. Tom Marston, president of
the Foundation; the Rev. John Peterson, vice president for
planned giving; Christian Burns, associate vice president for
planned giving; the Rev. Mark Connor of the General Board of
Pensions; estate planning attorney Carla Bryant; and others to
be announced.
All participants will receive
scholarships underwritten by the Preacher's Relief Board. Fees
include accommodations for two nights, four meals and workshop
materials. The seminar is limited to 25 participants, with
couples counted as one participant. Fees are: couple: $175;
single: $125.
Registration information is
available at www.fumf.org.
Registration deadline is December 8, 2008. Please make checks
payable to the Florida United Methodist Foundation. For more
information, call 866-363-9673 toll-free, or 863-904-2970.
E-mail: Foundation@fumf.org. |
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Creative
Ministry Conference January 6-8
St. Luke's UMC Orlando
If you're not used to seeing
the words "creativity" and "ministry" in such close
proximity then you need to plan to come to Orlando,
Florida in January 2009 and learn from some of the best
creative and Christian people you'll ever get to
meet!
Leadership Nexus' third
conference on creativity in Orlando is being offered in
cooperation with committed Christian staff members of
Disney and Universal Studios who want to encourage and
share the most creative possibilities that can
revitalize the local church.
Among those helping are Dr.
Bill Barnes, Sr. pastor of St. Luke's UMC in Orlando,
Ben Adams, Director of Emerging Arts at St. Luke's and
former Disney and Universal employee, Jennifer &
Kevin Brassard, currently working as entertainers at
Disney, Alice Bass, actress and author of "The Creative
Life: A Workbook for Unearthing the Christian
Imagination", and other leaders and creative people who
love the church.
The cost of this conference
will include a one-day pass to the Disney parks for
directed observation of the creative elements used there
and how they are effective and transferable. We will
also have group learning time with these very creative
church leaders, and workshops on various methods of
developing, adapting and using your creativity in a
church or ministry setting [See
Brochure]
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 Conference Retreat Center breaks the
Mold
By Erik
Alsgaard
For years now, a persistent but ugly
rumor has circulated among United Methodists in Florida and
beyond: the Life Enrichment Center (LEC) in Fruitland Park is
an undesirable place to stay or have a meeting because it has
mold in the rooms.
New LEC Director, the Rev.
Jess Schload, along with Camps and Retreat Ministries
Director, the Rev. David Berkey, had heard those comments.
They, along with their board of directors, staff and state of
art technology, took steps to put those rumors to rest. [Read
More]
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Kitchen
Ministry workshop January
10
How can your church connect the
practice of Radical Hospitality with service to end
childhood hunger? Does your church operate a food pantry
or homeless feeding program? How much ministry is done
in and from your church's kitchen?
Join others for a fun,
energizing day exploring "Ministry from the Kitchen," to
be held Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, at First United
Methodist Church in Winter Park. Registration starts at
9 a.m., with the opening session starting at 9:30 a.m.
Cost is $8 at the door.
The day
will include Bible study and discussion on hospitality
and food; resource materials; lunch and snacks; times
for fellowship and networking; and presentations from
experts and discussions from church members who have
developed fruit-bearing ministries in their local
settings.
For more information and
registration information, contact Melinda Trotti,
Director of Justice and Spiritual Formation Ministries
at the Florida Conference, at mtrotti@flumc.org |
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Clergy Kids
Retreat January 23-25
The
annual Clergy Kids Retreat will be here before you know
it. So mark your calendars, because we are planning a
fabulous weekend. The dates are January 23-25, at the
Warren Willis Camp in Leesburg. The cost is $80 per
person; $230 max for family. (Some scholarships are
available upon request.) This is the 9th year we've been
doing this and there is no way to describe the significance
and meaning it has had on our kids! There are very few
things they would choose over this; and right now we cannot
even think of one thing!
If you have never been,
it's a great way to meet other members of that "very special
group" known as Clergy Kids or Preacher's Kids. If you have
missed a few years, don't worry, we still play nine-square,
that great band of young musicians still come up from Miami,
and everyone has fun! If you have been coming, we want you to
come back because it's just not the same without you!
For questions? Call Rhonda Kleckner at 352-316-5582 or
Sally Campbell-Evans at
850-766-0018. |
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Asbury
Seminary hosts Kingdom Encounter
February 2-4
Asbury Theological Seminary will host
Kingdom Encounter: Reaching the World from Feb. 2-4,
2009, on its Orlando, Fla., campus. The keynote speakers
are Danny Wuerffel, 1996 Heisman trophy winner and
executive director of Desire Street Ministries, and
Tyron Inbody, professor emeritus of theology at United
Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.
The 2009 Kingdom Conference
features plenary and break-out sessions with both
keynote speakers and ministry leaders in and around
Orlando who are reaching the world for Christ. Attendees
will also experience vibrant worship and interactive
small-group seminars together. Seminary credit and
continuing education units will be available. For a
complete schedule and conference registration
information, visit [website] or call
1.800.2ASBURY. |
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 Children's Home Local Church Representative Training
February 7
The Training Session for Local Church
Representatives for the Florida United Methodist Children's
Home in the East Central District is scheduled for Saturday,
February 7, 2009 on the campus of the Children's Home (51 Main
Street, Enterprise). The session will run from 9 a.m. until 12
noon. We would like for the LCRs from all of the
churches in the district to attend as we introduce some new
ways to resource each other for ministry.
For more information contact Bess Bussey,
Coordinator of Local Church Representatives and Volunteer
Services at 386-668-4774 ext.
2223 |
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 "SCREAM" Event February
20-22
Includes workshops led by outstanding
Conference leadership, powerful worship led by Bryant
Manning from our summer camp team and J.D. Walt of
Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, and an afternoon
at Islands of Adventure. Young adults will learn
how to be more effective leaders, how to serve the
Church and the world, how to listen for God's call, and
will build community with other young adults from around
the Annual Conference. Scream will be held in
Orlando, February 20-22. The cost is only
$25!
To register, visit www.screamumc.org. Please
help us spread the word and encourage your young leaders
to register early and attend. Space is
limited!" |
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 24-Hour Clergy Care Retreat
February 26-27
10:00 AM
Thursday - 11:30 AM Friday
El Caribe Hotel Daytona Beach,
Florida
GUEST LEADER: Dr. Tapiwa
Mucherera, Assistant Provost and Professor, Asbury Seminary,
Orlando Campus
"Personal Wholeness & Holiness:
our work depends on it."
Teaching, Worship, Renewal and
Reflection Time Alone, Beach Time, Fun Time, Dessert Theatre
with Tony Chance. Optional: Miniature Golf at Congo Golf
(additional cost $6.95)
Retreat Cost includes
Hotel Room on Thursday night and Three Meals: Thursday - Lunch
and Dinner Friday - Breakfast. $125 per person for
a single room or $82 per person for a double room.
Each room has two queen beds, TV, Refrigerator, Microwave,
Ocean view with Balcony. Extend your renewal time:
Additional Nights available at a cost of $89-$130
each.
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Contact our Team
Members:
Ann Hutchens 407-719-7671 or 1-888-973-3335
(Toll Free)
Tom Samuel 321-842-7192 or 407-856-4315 or
407-758-4315
Clare Chance 407- 841-8902 or 407-446-0680
cell
Janet Kelley 407-896-2230 or 1-866-804-2230 (Toll
Free) or 386-527-1988 cell
Wayne Wiatt 407-896-2230 or
1-866-804-2230 (Toll Free) |
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Evangelism
Worshop February 28
The "Hitchhikers Guide to
Evangelism" workshop, scheduled for February 28, 2009,
has changed locations and will now be held at the Lake
Magdalene United Methodist Church, 2902 W. Fletcher Ave.
in Tampa. Onsite registration opens at 8:30 a.m.; the
workshops begin at 9 a.m.
Sponsored in part by the office of
Congregational Transformation of the Florida Conference,
the Hitchhikers Guide to Evangelism features Bill Easum
and Bill Tenny-Brittian, two renowned leaders in the
field of teaching understandable, practical and
effective evangelism. The sessions begin with a reminder
that culture has changed and the church is largely
operating as if the community is what it used to be.
From there, the conference will explore how effective
evangelism is changing (and must change) to reach the
growing population of unchurched and never churched
people.
Registration is open now. Early registration
(before Feb. 7, 2009) is $85. Clergy who bring four
people attend for free. |
For more information and
to register, visit www.easumbandy.com.
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35th Annual
Secretaries Seminar Feb. 27 - Mar. 1
"Being in the Know"
Life Enrichment Center, Leesburg
Meet church administrative staff and church
secretaries from around the Florida Conference. A
weekend of learning, sharing, and fun. "Being in the
Know" Learning sessions include: "Know Your Neighbors:
Mission In-Site", Know about Your Stress: Shade and
Fresh Water", Know Your Mission: Sager Brown, "Know Your
Website", "Know Your Books: Church Finances".
Cost: $150pp double/$180pp single. You
should receive registration details in the mail soon.
For registration contact: Louise Urquhart 863-688-3114.
Registration deadline: December 15, 2008.
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Evangelism
Grants Available to Small or Medium Sized
Churches
AC 70 Committee of The Florida
Conference is receiving requests for grants for new
proposals for evangelism from the local churches of our
conference. This year and next year, we are receiving
requests from small to medium membership churches with
less than 251 average attendance as indicated in the
latest Conference Journal. This represents 536 of our
719 churches recorded on page 437 of the 2007
Journal.
This period for requests ends
November 30. Grants will be awarded during December
2008. We will continue to receive applications from that
point through February 23, 2009. These grants will be
awarded in March, 2009.
These are intended
for small grants up to $3,000 to help a congregation in
servant evangelism, hospitality ministry, a special
evangelism outreach event, or evangelism training in the
local church. Include the goal, strategies, target
group, budget, timeline, and the amount the church is
financing.
Send your proposal to: Dr. David
L. Brazelton, Mandarin UMC, 11270 San Jose Boulevard
Jacksonville, Florida 32223 Telephone:(904) 268-5549
dbrazelton@mumc.net |
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 e-Learning Module
Expanded
The Florida Conference continues to expand
its long-distance, e-Learning opportunities with the
introduction this week of "Come Let Us Worship," a training
module for worship teams and leaders.
The new online module, available free at http://www.flumcelearning.com, is the
eighth component designed to help local churches strengthen
their mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the
transformation of the world. Other modules include trainings
for staff parish committee, trustees committees, finance
committees, lay leader and lay member positions, plus a Bible
study on "Where is the fruit?"
According to the Rev. Carol Sue Hutchinson,
developer of the e-Learning opportunities, "Come Let Us
Worship" is a great start for a local church to take seriously
one of the five pieces of Living the Methodist Way: Passionate
Worship. The module gives the basic responsibilities of a
worship team and worship chairperson, as well as information
and resources. For more information, contact chutchinson@flumc.org. |
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| District
Calendar
of
Events |
Dec
8: Staff Parish Relations Training,
7:00-8:30pm, Trinity UMC, Orlando
Dec
11: EC District Retirees Luncheon 11a-1p at
Wayne & Ramona Wiatt's home
Dec
16: Staff Parish Relations Training, 7-8:30p,
Tomoka UMC, Ormond Beach
Dec 18: EC
dCOM, Asbury UMC, Maitland, 9:30a-3:30p
Dec
24-Jan 4: Holiday - District Office Closed
Christmas through New Year's
Jan
10: Epiphany Open House for District Clergy
Families; 11a-1:30p at the Wiatt's Home
Jan 10: Kitchen Ministry Workshop;
9a, First UMC Winter Park
Jan 15: Last Day for Conference to
receive 2008 Connection Giving dollars.
Jan 17: Local Church Leadership
Training Event, 8:30a-12:45p, First UMC, Winter Park.
Opportunities for all laity in the local church,
specific training for elected leadership. Advanced
registration details coming soon at www.ecdistrictumc.org
.
Jan 23: Church & Pastor
Profiles due to be completed
online. Jan
23-25: Clergy Kids Weekend LEC Jan
28: EC Leadership Team (Nominations) Second
meeting for District and Conference Nominations for
2009; 11a-1p; District Office Conference Room - working
lunch Jan 31: Society of St. Andrew
(SOSA) Citrus Drive in the Greater Orlando
Area
Feb 6-7: Real
Ideas Conference at Van Dyke Church in Lutz,
Florida
Feb 20-22: "SCREAM Get Ready
for the Ride"
Feb 21: Radical
Hospitality Event. Trinity UMC, Tallahassee
8:30a-4:30p
Feb 21: Society of St.
Andrew (SOSA) Citrus Drive in DeLand
Feb 26 & 27: East
Central District Clergy Care Retreat, El Caribe, Daytona
Beach
Feb 27 - Mar 1: 35th
Annual Secretaries Seminar, LEC, Leesburg (by
PAUMCS)
Mar 20-21: Lay
Leadership Training: Lay Speaking Weekend at First
UMC, DeLand. Fri. Mar 20 from 5pm-8:30pm and Sat.
Mar. 21st 8:30am-4:30pm. Registration details
available in December 2008
Mar
29-31: Children's Advocacy Days in Tallahassee
Jun 10: Pre-Annual
Conference Events, Bethune Cookman University, Daytona
Beach, FL
Jun 11-13: Florida Annual
Conference, Bethune Cookman University, Daytona Beach,
FL |
| MERRY
CHRISTMAS!!! | | | |
