Yadkin Valley District E-News September 2015 Volume 4, Issue 9

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1 September 2015 Volume 4, Issue 9 MAKING DISCIPLES OR MAKING CHURCH MEMBERS? In This Issue From the District Superintendent......pages 1-2 FaithHealth NC....page 2 Travel to Ireland.. page 2 Apportionment Honor Roll....page 3 LSA Recognition......page 3 Day Apart for the Young At Heart. page 4 Happenings Around the District and Conference..pages 5-6 UMAR Luncheon.... page 6 Sprinkle Preaching Mission..page 7 The Tie that Binds....page 7 Spectrum of the Arts.page 8 Matthew Everhart Memorial Golf Tournament..page 9 Clergy Assessments page 10 Clergy Ethics Seminars page 10 Thank You..page 10 News from United Methodist Foundation.....page 11 District Joys and Concerns page 12 Upcoming Dates.....page 12 Sometimes in the life of our congregations we think that joining the church, being regular in attendance and giving, and serving on committees is the same thing as being a disciple of Jesus Christ. These are good things to do, but this is not a New Testament definition of being a disciple. Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is far more an adventure than most of us realize. If we aren t walking closely to Christ and very intentional about the mission of the church, we can become so engulfed in programs and facilities that we lose sight of our call to love God, love our neighbors, and make disciples for Christ. This is what it means to be a disciple. A disciple of Jesus Christ is someone who loves God, loves the neighbor, and seeks to make other disciples. Are you a disciple of Jesus or just a church member? It s good to be a church member, but being a church member and faithfully serving the organization is not our goal. Is your congregation passionate about making disciples and deploying them in the world or just making church members who will meet the needs of the church? Even if a congregation answers these questions correctly, their calendars, their budgets, their congregational chatter, may betray a greater desire to make church members than make disciples of Christ. A disciple is someone who is head over heels in love with Jesus. A disciple is someone who loves to spend time with Jesus in prayer and scripture study. A disciple is someone who loves to share his or her faith with others. A disciple is someone who is growing in their faith and witness. A disciple is someone who loves the neighbor. Disciples display to the world a new way of being human. Disciples come together to worship because God is worthy of worship and humans were created for the worship of God. Disciples gather as Christians to become better equipped as fruit-bearing disciples. Disciples gather because we need each other. It is important for disciples to come together. But, disciples come together in order to scatter and be in mission in the world. The bulk of the ministry of disciples needs to be in the world, not in the churches. The sign of a vital congregation is how it transform the human community. Disciples are involved in God s work of healing the world.

2 September 2015 Volume 4, Issue 9 Page 2 Sometimes we get so focused on getting people to come to church that we forget that the ministry of the disciple is to be in the world and not necessarily at the church. We need to be more concerned about being the church than going to church. When a church is only concerned about numerical survival, they probably will not survive. If a church becomes overly focused on survival, they forget the importance of loving God, loving neighbors and making disciples. Whether it s an individual or a group, being focused on survival with tend to cause an individual or a group to become self-centered. And, this spells death for a group or an individual. Churches who are not making disciples and engaging the community likely will not survive for long. Let s help one another be more passionate about making disciples of Jesus who transform the world than making church members who are passionate about church programing and serving the institution. We need to help each other keep proper priorities; priorities that display Christ to the world. With Confidence in Christ, Jeff Two Opportunities to Learn and Serve in FaithHealthNC The Yadkin Valley District will host a four-hour training seminar for servants who would like to be a part of their neighborhoods through interacting with folks recently discharged from WFBMC who have no family or communal support nearby. The caregiver training will be at Oak Grove UMC, 1994 US Highway 158, Mocksville, NC 27028, on Saturday, October 10th from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Rev. Leland Kerr of FHNC will facilitate the teaching and discussion. You will receive a personal binder with information on the four basics of the movement - Right Door, Right Time, Ready to Be Treated, and Not Alone. You'll hear stories from churches, large and small, whose members have been active in this movement to help and know their neighbors, many of whom do not worship in UM churches. This is a step by step process. You will not be asked to move beyond your comfort zone. Register with Rev. Sam Lewis, slewis@wnccumc.net. Questions - Donna Cooke, UM Connector, donna.cooke@faithhealthnc.org. There is a Learning Forum to understand the impact of FaithHealthNC across our locale and how this movement is spreading across the nation. Interested guests are invited to Winston-Salem on Monday, October 12th to Biotech Place in the downtown Innovation Quarter for the day. Dr. Gary Gundersen and other staff will give an overview of how this has morphed from dream to reality, beginning in Memphis and moving eastward to Winston-Salem and a discussion of the data gathered for accountability. To register or ask questions, contact Donna Cooke, UM Connector, donna.cooke@faithhealthnc.org. Travel with Dr. Patterson to Ireland in 2016 Join Dr. Patterson as he travels to Ireland July 26-August 4, The tour, sponsored by Educational Opportunities, will arrive in Dublin and pass through the Irish Midlands, where John Wesley repeatedly returned to preach and shepherd the circuits and societies. Visit Connemara, a land of lakes and rivers, bogs and mountains, stone walls and thatched cottages. Worship with a United Methodist congregation in Killarney and tour Blarney Castle. Visit the Rock of Cashel, the most photographed site in Ireland. End your trip back in Dublin as you visit St. Patrick s Cathedral. Visit the site of St. Mary s Church, where John Wesley preached his first sermon in Ireland. Costs are $3396 from Charlotte or $3496 from Greensboro and includes roundtrip international airfare from Charlotte or Greensboro, basic tour and guided sightseeing, daily buffet breakfast and dinner, deluxe motorcoaches, first class hotels, etc. Save $$$ when you register early. For more information, please contact Dr. Patterson (jpatterson@wnccumc.org) or Donna Cooke (donna.cooke@mttaborumc.org).

3 September 2015 Volume 4, Issue 9 Page 3 We will continue to add to our Apportionment Honor Roll as churches complete paying 100% of their apportionments. The churches added this month are in bold lettering. Congratulations to the following churches who have paid 100% of their District AND Conference apportionments for 2015: Center (Mocksville) Cherry Street Delta (Sandy Ridge) Mountain Grove Mount Herman Mount Olive (Yadkinville) Mount Pleasant (Winston-Salem) New Union Pleasant Hill Saints Home Salem (Mocksville) Whitaker s Chapel Withers Chapel (Belews Creek) Congratulations to the following churches who have paid 100% of their District apportionments for 2015: Arcadia Baltimore Bethel (King) Bethel (Winston-Salem) Brookstown Burkhead Center (Yadkinville) Central (Thomasville) Central Terrace Fairview (Pinnacle) First (Thomasville) Friendship Good Hope Hardison Maple Springs Mount Zion (Pinnacle) Pine Woods Pinnacle Pleasant Grove Siloam St. Andrews St. Paul (Hamptonville) Stony Knoll (Dobson) The District extends our sincere appreciation for this faithfulness to the connectional system of The United Methodist Church Yadkin Valley District Laity Service Award Recognition Sunday, October 18, :00 p.m. Clemmons UMC 3700 Clemmons Road Clemmons, NC Speaker: Jane Boatwright Wood Smoky Mountain District Lay Leader Worship Service Special Music Recognition of Recipients Presentation of Certificates No reservations necessary

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5 September 2015 Volume 4, Issue 9 Page 5 Happenings Around the District and Conference The Home Maze and Pumpkin Patch, September 19-November 1, at The Children s Home. Tickets are $10 for adults (age 12+), $7 for Senior (age 65+), $7 for kids ages Kids 3 and under are free. General admission on Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. and Sundays, 12:00 noon 6:00 p.m. Youth Group Admission (by reservation only) on Sundays 12:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. ($8/person). Activities include: Sorghum Maze, Toddler Hay Maze, Pumpkin Patch, Cow Train, Pumpkin Chucker, Parent Hangout, Photo Cutouts, Concessions and more. Proceeds benefit The Children s Home. Central UMC, located at 115 James Avenue in Thomasville, will have revival services September Prayer, praise and testimonies will begin at 6:30 p.m. nightly. Revival services will begin at 7:00 p.m. The speaker will be Rev. Donald Jenkins of St. Paul UMC in Winston-Salem. Clemmons UMC, located at 3700 Clemmons Road in Clemmons, will host RESTORE a night of worship and prayer on Saturday, October 3, 5:00 p.m. Dulin UMC, located at 897 Dulin Road in Mocksville will hold revival services October 4, 5, and 6 at 6:00 p.m. each night. Speakers will be Rev. Ashley White, Rev. Chad Shoaf, and Rev. Jimmy Truell. Special music will be provided by The Gentlemen of Bluegrass, the Piney Grove UMC Choir and the Dulin UMC Choir. Saint Andrews UMC, located at 1840 Butler Street in Winston-Salem, will hold revival services October 5-7, 7:00 p.m. nightly. The guest speakers are Rev. George M. Coates on October 5 th, Rev. Dr. Alfonza Everett on October 6 th, and Rev. Dr. Haven O. Anderson on October 7 th. Harmony Grove UMC, located at 5041 Styers Ferry Road in Lewisville, will have a TRUNKIN JUNKIN Saturday, October 10 and October 24. Sell out of your vehicles in the parking lot of Harmony Grove UMC. Just $10 per vehicle to sell. The lot will be open at 7:00 a.m. buy, sell, trade. Proceeds will benefit the building fund. For more information, call UMMen Rally at Christ UMC in Salisbury, Saturday, October 10, 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. Gary Shockley, Conference Director of Church Vitality, will be the keynote speaker. The following workshops will be offered: Ministry in Multicultural Settings, Safety and Security, Disaster Preparedness. Men and women are invited. Please register at wnccumm.org/ud15rally. For $20, you receive the workshops plus a light breakfast and a BBQ lunch. For more information, contact David Zalinsky at davidzalinsky@yahoo.com. Salem UMC in Mocksville will be hosting their monthly breakfast on Saturday, October 17, 6:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. at the County Line Volunteer Fire Department on Ridge Road (one tenth mile off of Hwy. 64 west of Mocksville). Menu will be country ham, sausage, eggs, grits, country gravy, apples, pancakes to order, biscuits, coffee, orange juice, plus soft drinks. Proceeds go toward building their Fellowship Hall. Mount Zion UMC, located at 1989 Perch Road in Pinnacle (one mile off Highway 52 at Pinnacle exit), will have their annual bazaar on Saturday, October 17, 8:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. There will be breakfast, lunch, yard sale items, silent auction, crafts, Christmas items, general store/baked goods, and a drawing for a handmade quilt made in memory of Mrs. Polly Jones. For more information, call Pine Grove UMC, located at 1130 Jonestown Road in Winston-Salem, will have their Fall Bazaar and Craft Show on Saturday, October 17, 8:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. They will also have a Trunk or Treat Party on Saturday, October 24, 5:30 p.m. 8:30 p.m. There will be food, games, and decorated trunks. There will be cash prizes for the best two trunks. The UMM will be providing free hot dogs. If you would like to assist with this event, please call Scott or Robin Pugh at

6 September 2015 Volume 4, Issue 9 Page 6 Finch Preaching Mission, October 18-20, at Memorial UMC in Thomasville. Bishop Jonathan Holston, resident Bishop of the South Carolina Conference, will be the speaker. Sunday, October 18, there will be services at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Services on October 19 and 20 will be at 7:00 p.m. with singing led by Tom Smith at 6:45. Faith UMC, located at 1645 Griffin Road in Rural Hall, will have a Holiday Extravaganza and Bake Sale on Saturday, October 24, 8:00 a.m. 12:00 noon. Items for all holidays will be featured along with chicken pies, frozen casseroles, canned and baked goods. There will also be an onsite shredding event, 9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Donation of $5.00 per box or bag. St. Stephen UMC, located at 102 East First Street in Lexington, will celebrate 147 years at their annual Homecoming on Sunday, October 25. Worship will begin at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Lottie Howell as the speaker. At 3:00 p.m., Rev. Dr. Arnetta Beverly and her choir will provide music and a message. Festival of Faith and Culture, for kids grades K-5, Sunday, November 1, 2:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. at Old Salem Visitors Center, 900 Old Salem Road, Winston-Salem. Make and take arts and crafts from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Unitarian Universalist, Kwanzaa, and other traditions. Be entertained by music and dance. Taste delicious foods from other countries. Register and print your free tickets at Sponsored by Interfaith Winston-Salem.

7 September 2015 Volume 4, Issue 9 Page 7 SPRINKLE PREACHING MISSION Dr. John Ed Mathison will be the evangelist for the 2015 Sprinkle Preaching Mission at First UMC in Mocksville, October Dr. Mathison, of Montgomery, Alabama, retired as Senior Minister of Frazer UMC in During his leadership, Frazer grew from 400 members to 8,800 members and had the largest Sunday School attendance of any United Methodist Church in America. Dr. Mathison is the author of many books and is very involved in an international program to plant 5 million church and to win 1 billion people to Christ by The services will be held Sunday, October 11, at 8:45 a.m., 10:55 a.m., and 7:00 p.m. On Monday and Tuesday, October 12 and 13, services will be at 7:00 p.m. The church is located at 310 N. Main Street in Mocksville. You may call the church for more information ( ) or visit On Tuesday, October 13, there will be a clergy barbecue lunch at the First UMC Family Life Center that begins at 11:30 a.m. Dr. Mathison will speak at the lunch. Please call the church office ( ) or tommy@firstumcmocksville.org to register. THERE IS NO CHARGE! The Tie That Binds American religious communions are in a time of permanent transition. Traditional ways of organizing faith communities and declaring faith perspectives are changing dramatically. What might that mean for the church's message and the church's future? The Ties That Bind: Protestants in Conversation movement explores that and other questions at a gathering in Winston-Salem Sunday, October 18, 4-6 p.m. at United Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church, the church on the hill above U.S. 52 at Fourth Street. The event is open to the public at no charge. Discussions will be led by Dr. Bill Leonard, Dunn Professor of Baptist Studies and Church History at the School of Divinity at Wake Forest University; Rev. Terrance Hawkins, associate pastor, Winston-Salem First Church, and community activist; Mia Sloan of St. Peter s Church and World Outreach Center; and Rev. Emily Hull McGee, senior pastor, First Baptist Church on Fifth Street. Their comments will be followed by 45 minutes of small-group conversations that cover questions like these: What does it mean to speak of and engage with God s New Day in the world? How do we understand that most basic aspect of Jesus message and its implications then and now? In what ways might faith communions engage in that dynamic through their own ministries and in shared ministries in the community? Is the meaning, message, and action involved in recognizing that God s New Day continues to come near an appropriate guide for renewing faith, ministry and congregational life? Registration for tickets and childcare can be made online at The meeting is hosted by Interfaith Winston-Salem, a nonprofit organization that works to build a more peaceable community through understanding our neighbors.

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10 September 2015 Volume 4, Issue 9 Page CLERGY ASSESSMENT PROCESS is much like it was last year. Information was sent to each pastor and SPRC Chair in August regarding the process and how to access the forms. All required assessments (self-assessment by clergy, SPRC assessment, senior pastor assessment (if applicable), and discussion guides are to be completed and ed to Amy Johnson in the District Office no later than November 2. If you have any questions about the process, please call Amy at or at ajohnson@wnccumc.org. Clergy Ethics Seminars for ALL clergy (provisional and associate members, licensed local pastors, and full connection members) and diaconal ministers under appointment (active or retired) within the bounds of the Western North Carolina Conference (whether appointed to a church, appointment beyond the local church, or extension ministry) are REQUIRED to attend one of the upcoming seminars. Clergy must participate in one of the eight events and must remain for the entirety of the event. Pre-registration is required at least one week prior to the scheduled date. All seminars will be 9:15 a.m. 12:45 p.m. Dates and locations of the seminars are: October 29, 2015 Appalachian District First UMC, North Wilkesboro November 12, 2015 Blue Ridge and Smoky Harrell Center Auditorium, Lake Junaluska Mountain Districts January 14, 2016 Metro District Huntersville UMC February 9, 2016 Catawba Valley District First UMC, Lincolnton February 11, 2016 Uwharrie District Pfeiffer University February 27, 2016 SATURDAY EVENT First UMC, Hickory March 8, 2016 Yadkin Valley District Maple Springs UMC, Winston-Salem March 10, 2016 Northern Piedmont District Rehobeth UMC, Greensboro A seminar has been scheduled in each district to east travel time and costs. Pastors are encouraged to attend the seminar in your district. However, if you are unable to attend the seminar scheduled for your district, you are welcome to attend an event in another district. The cost of the seminar is $10/person. No childcare is provided. Register online via the Conference website ( I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their cards, s, phone calls, and prayers while I was recuperating from my unexpected surgery for a detached retina. I also want to publicly express my appreciation to Donna Cooke for being able to fill in for me while I was out of the office. She was a lifesaver! While my eyesight is not back to 100%, I am well on my way to recovery. How blessed and so very fortunate I am to be in ministry with each of you in the Yadkin Valley District! May God bless you for your kindness. Amy Johnson District Administrative Assistant

11 September 2015 Volume 4, Issue 9 Page 11 Why Consider a Church Loan from the Foundation? A church loan from the Development Fund of the United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina offers: Lower interest rates than typical commercial rates. Flexible loan terms. Competitive closing costs with no application fees or points Resources to refinance current loans or fund new construction, expansion, renovation and other capital needs. Loan officers who specialize in loans to churches and agencies and are familiar with guidelines specified in the United Methodist Book of Discipline. All this helps your church be a good steward of its resources, freeing up more funds for vital ministries. For more information, contact Christian Burns, Executive Director, Client Relations and Cultivation, , ext. 1507, or cburns@umfwnc.org. Creating a Legacy through Planned Giving When was the last time your church hosted a workshop on creative ways to give to your church while also benefiting an individual and their family? How can an individual make a lasting gift to your church through their will or estate plan, or other planned gift? Many planned gifts have attractive tax and income advantages for the donor and the donor s family as well. Many people can make a planned gift to their church but either don t know they can or don t know how to do it, according to Christian Burns, Executive Director, Client Relations & Cultivation of the United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina. They can have an impact on the mission and ministry of their local church beyond their own lifetime. Churches can utilize the Foundation to assist members and friends make a lasting gift to their church. According to Christian, People can give the church many different kinds of gifts, not just through the offering plate on Sunday morning. Most people tithe or pay their pledge from income, but people can also give from their assets. For example, a gift of appreciated stock is welcomed by the church, and in most cases can be given without a tax consequence to the giver. We also encourage people to leave a lasting legacy to their church through bequests from their will or estate plan. Other gift arrangements, such as Charitable Gift Annuities, combine a gift to the church with annuity payments for the donor or donors for their lifetimes. For more information regarding planned giving workshops, please contact Christian Burns at the Foundation office at or by at cburns@umfwnc.org.

12 September 2015 Volume 4, Issue 9 Page 12 District Joys and Concerns We express our heartfelt sympathy to the family of Thomas Edgar Rutledge, Jr., (retired) who died on September 23. Our thoughts and prayers are with Reverend Hal Finney (retired) and his family as he enters Woltz Hospice Home in Dobson. Congratulations to Reverend Will Van Wieren and wife Megan (Pine Grove UMC - Kernersville) on the birth of a new daughter, Cora Hope, September 4. Upcoming Dates October 11 3:00 p.m. Eastern Winston-Salem Missional Network Charge Conference St. Andrews UMC October 11 6:00 p.m. Davidson Missional Network Charge Conference, Center UMC, Welcome October 14 11:00 a.m. DS Book Club, District Office October 15 7:00 p.m. South Surry Missional Network Charge Conference, First UMC, Pilot Mountain October 18 Laity Service Award Celebration, 3:00 p.m., Clemmons UMC October 20 9:30 a.m. Women in Ministry Breakfast, Panera s, Cloverdale Avenue. October 22 9:30 a.m. 2:00 p.m. District Day Apart for the Young at Heart, Lewisville UMC (Registrations due October 16) October 25 3:00 p.m. - Mocksville Missional Network Charge Conference, First UMC, Mocksville October 25 6:00 p.m. Advance Missional Network Charge Conference, Hillsdale UMC October 26 7:00 p.m. Northwest Forsyth Missional Network Charge Conference, New Hope UMC October 27 7:00 p.m. Northeast Forsyth Missional Network Charge Conference, Morris Chapel UMC Reminder that October is Clergy Appreciation Month. Yadkin Valley District Staff Jeffrey S. Patterson, District Superintendent, , jpatterson@wnccumc.org Amy Johnson, Administrative Assistant, , ajohnson@wnccumc.org Office Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Closed on Friday