COMMUNITY. MonValley District Newsletter

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1 MonValley District Newsletter FEBRUARY 2014 MonValley District Office 307 Fairmont Avenue, Fairmont, WV Phone: ~ Fax: MonValley District by the Numbers January, of 9 Districts in the West Virginia Annual Conference 4 Counties in North Central West Virginia: Barbour, Marion, Monongalia, and Taylor, and parts of 2 others: Harrison and Preston 176 Churches 11 Cooperative Parishes 67 Charges 76 Persons under Appointment or Assignment 28 Elders/Full Members (4 in Extension Appointments, 2 Leave of Absence) 1 Appointed as Mission Interpreter with General Board of Global Ministries 1 Appointed to serve in Another Conference 1 Full Deacon 2 Elders/Full Members Retired 3 Commissioned and Provisional Members 2 Associate Members 3 Associate Members Retired 3 Serving from Other Denominations 10 Full-Time Local Pastors 19 Part-Time Local Pastors 1 Part-Time Local Pastor Retired 5 Assigned Supply (Serving congregations but are not licensed) Inside this issue: DS Page continued 2 DS Calendar C.O.M.E. Date Ministers Mates Fellowship Growing Your Church 3 Looking/Planning Ahead 4 It Worked For Me 5 FGH Pastoral Care Dept Birthdays & Anniversaries Lay Servant Academy 6 District Lead Team News Apportionment Review E & C Development News 8 Cooperative Parish News Conference Fair Share 9 100% Payout for 2013 District Fair Share 2 Mission Projects- Scott s Run Settlement House, Osage, and Heart and Hand House, Philippi 2 Campus Ministries West Virginia University and Fairmont State University/ Pierpont Community College % Annual Conference Fair Share Apportionment payout as a district (4 th in the Annual Conference, 3.67% decrease over churches paid 100% of their Fair Share Apportionment (84% of churches) Continued... District Website Monvalleyumc.org

2 Page 2 11 churches increased Fair Share Apportionment Payout Percentage over churches decreased Fair Share Apportionment Payout Percentage over church paid churches, 98%, paid their MonValley District Funds 168 churches, 95%, paid the World Service Educations Funds (1 st in the Annual Conference) $17,047 received from district churches for Imagine No Malaria (1 st in the Annual Conference) Grace & freedom, Ellis MonValley District Superintendent s Calendar Ellis E Conley February 2014 (Weekday office hours 9 AM - Noon) 1 District Lead Team Valley Chapel 2 Church Visitation 4-6 Cabinet John 23 rd Pastoral Center, Charleston 9 Church Visitation 11 Heart and Hand Board - Philippi Northeastern Jurisdictional Episcopal Committee Baltimore, MD 16 Church Visitation 17 FSU/PCTC Board 18 District Clergy Meeting 10 AM, Suncrest UMC, Morgantown 6 PM, District parsonage, 938 Pine Hill Dr, Fairmont 23 Church Visitation Cabinet John 23 rd Pastoral Center, Charleston 2014 Celebration of Mission Event Saturday, May10,2014 Middletown Mall, Fairmont Ministers Mates Fellowship Please plan to come to the district parsonage, 938 Pine Hill Drive, Fairmont on Monday, February 10 at 6:00pm for quiche and salad. Please give Julie a call so she may know about how many to prepare for H or C Hope to see you there!

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4 Page 4 Looking/Planning Ahead for Your Local Church February, April, 2014 February Black History Month; Plan Lenten Services; Make purple bows for each household to place on the door, mailbox, or light post to identify homes of church members and friends during Lent 2 Super Bowl Sunday (collect soup for local food pantries) 9 Boy Scout Sunday (celebrate the Scouting Ministries in your church) 18 District Clergy 10 AM, Suncrest UMC, Morgantown 6 PM, District Parsonage, 938 Pine Hill Dr, Fairmont 16 UMVIM Awareness Day (Informs & educates about Conference Volunteers in Mission) March Plan Special Holy Week Services; Complete your plans for the Celebration of Mission Event 5 Ash Wednesday (plan a special service of the imposition of ashes and communion) 7 World Day of Prayer United Methodist Women 9 Daylight Savings Time Begins Girl Scout Sunday (celebrate the Girl Scouting Ministries in your church). If you don t have any find out how to start a group. 15 District Lay Servant Academy Central UMC, Fairmont 18 District Clergy Meeting - 10 AM, Crim Memorial UMC, Philippi 6 PM, District Parsonage, 938 Pine Hill Dr, Fairmont 22 District Lay Servant Academy Central UMC, Fairmont 29 Spring United Methodist Women s Meeting Westover UMC, Morgantown 30 One Great Hour of Sharing (offering for United Methodist Committee on Relief) April Complete Plans for Mother s Day and the Celebration of Mission Event 5-6 Grow Your Church Event Ramada Inn, Morgantown 12 Conference Confirmation Rally West Virginia Wesleyan College, Buckhannon 13 Passion/Palm Sunday (distribute a palm branch to everyone in worship) 17 Maundy Thursday (Plan an Upper Room Communion Service) 19 Good Friday (Plan a Tenebrae Service) 20 Easter (Celebrate the Resurrection prepare for visitor and prospects)

5 Page 5 It Worked for Me Midweek Day Time Bible Study At the last two churches that I served I inherited a one-hour Wednesday morning Bible Study. Over the years, it became one of the best attended and faithful groups in each of the congregations. It was a perfect time for many folks in the congregation, as well a good time of learning, growth as disciples, fellowship, and laughter. We would begin each fall after Labor Day, take appropriate breaks for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Holy Week and end by Memorial Day (Summer was filled with Conference, VBS, mission trips, and vacation). We would usually have a fall topic that would last 13 weeks or so, and one of similar length in the spring. Sometimes we would do several small studies, but nothing lasted more than 13 weeks, to build a variety of topics or Bible books. We would have a Christmas luncheon and another the last day we met in May. Our snow schedule was easy if the county schools were closed because of snow, we cancelled as well. No need to call anyone! The rhythm worked great for me as I got to see good folks each week, it kept me learning as the teacher, and I and others enjoyed the fellowship. The Wednesday morning Bible Study worked for me, it just might work for you! Birthdays FEBRUARY 2 Pam Bush Holly Smith Janice Smith Jonathan Smith Tim Wotring 3 Ladoris Tee Roberts 4 Rick Stackpole 8 Penny Turley 11 Sherry Rawlings 12 Major Rettig 13 Brenda Hunt 14 Reba Thurmond 15 Mary Zinn 16 Richard Bowyer 18 Tim Bleigh 21 Alma Jean Beard 23 Jack Flint 24 David Jones 26 Clyde Beard Nancy Kinty 27 Becky Bartrug Brad Blanchard FGH Pastoral Care Dept. For anyone who is interested in learning more about the hospital Chaplaincy program: The Pastoral Care Department program at Fairmont General Hospital is constantly looking for interested volunteers (both clergy and lay persons) to visit patients. The ministry is non-sectarian and nonjudgmental, and attempts through active listening to meet patients and their family members wherever they may be in their personal faith journeys. It you feel drawn to learn more about this unique form of ministry, please contact Chaplain James Riggs at (leaving a message if necessary) or at his address: jriggs@fghilcom Anniversaries FEBRUARY 11 Bob and Tammy Phillips 17 Gary and Connie Helms

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7 Page 7 Caring for Our Connection On a chilly Saturday in early January, about a dozen people from across the Mon Valley District came together around a table at Valley Chapel UMC. They spent several hours meeting with District Superintendent, Ellis Conley, and Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball. It was the first of what will be monthly gatherings for this team comprised mainly of lay persons from throughout the district. The team s mission: * Intentionally connect face to face with clergy and lay members of every single church in the district; * Take interest in and learn about the great ministries underway through each church; * Share the news and celebrate these ministries; * Ask about each church s dreams for additional ministries; * Find out what resources those churches need to move forward with those ministries; and * Help keep an eye out for emerging leaders within the churches who might benefit from additional training and nurturing. Team members will be contacting pastors to schedule a convenient time to meet with the clergy and lay members of each church (this includes individual meetings with each church on multi-point charges.) In the meantime be thinking about the ministries you are doing that you d like to lift up as well as those you dream of launching. Team members include: Mary Bane, Bob Cover, Jane Ensminger, Sherri and Jim Fridley, Sarah Lowther Hensley, Gene King, John Kisner, John Loughry, David Markley, Judy Messenger, Steve Prince, George Shaffer, Ken Shanes and Randy Vincent. The United Methodist Church is a connectional church. We are excited to take these steps to strengthen those connections. Together we can continue to be a strong support for one another in ministry as we make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world Apportionment Review As of 12/31/2013, the conference had 1,106 apportioned churches. We received $10,246,681.28; up $256, from The percentage of apportionment payout was 84.86%; down 0.79% from The dollar amount of shortfall was $1,828,743.72, up $154, from Five districts out of the nine achieved a percentage payout greater than 90%. They were: Wesleyan 92.95%, Potomac Highlands 91.87%, Northern 91.40%, Mon Valley 90.77%, and Midland South 90.47%. Four of the nine districts achieved a percentage increase over Northern District was the 2.05% increase. Twelve of our churches paid in excess of $100,000 in apportionments: Christ UMC (Charleston) $157,131.50, Bridgeport UMC $152,500.00, Forrest Burdette UMC $ , Suncrest UMC $145,830.70, Lewisburg UMC $ , First UMC (Clarksburg) $113,338.09, St. Marks UMC (Charleston) $110,763.00, Stout Memorial UMC $109,682.04, First UMC (Elkins) $107,668.00, Johnson Memorial UMC $105,538.00, Temple UMC (Beckley) $102, and Oak Hill UMC $100, Forty three (43) churches paid zero. $137,359 of apportionments went unfunded. 198 churches were apportioned $15,000 or more. This group paid 85.06%. By using the $15,000 threshold, it effectively doubles the Top 100 group that is normally reviewed % of the number of churches (this group) paid 65.52% of total apportioned dollars. Top 100 in the top 40 churches, $276, was left on the table by 13 churches. Had these 13 churches paid 100%, the conference would have received $10,523, This would have meant that the conference payout percentage would have been 87.15%. 791 churches paid 100% or more. This represents 71.52% of the total number of churches. This means that 67.35% of the Conference Budget was funded by churches paying 100% or more. In comparing 2013 to 2012, seven months were better in 2013 and seven were better in 2012.

8 Page 8 Upcoming Events from the desk of Amy Shanholtzer There will be a free webinar on February 5 at 7:30 pm related to the Growing Your Church event and coaching process. Paul Nickerson will be leading the webinar and will introduce some of the principles you will learn and the coaching process. People can sign up my ing me at ashanholtzer@wvumc.org Dates and information related to this summer's School of Congregational Development were just released. Here is the link if you'd like to consider making it a part of your continuing education plan or sharing with your clergy. This one is very conveniently located to us which should reduce the expense quite a lot: Blessings - Amy -- Amy Shanholtzer Director of Evangelism and Congregational Development West Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church PO Box 2313, Charleston, WV x (cell) amyshanholtzer@gmail.com Cooperative Parish News Morgantown Urban Cooperative Parish: The Morgantown Urban Parish recently responded to the Water Crisis in Charleston by collecting 7 tons of water (500 cases) and transporting to the distribution center at Aldersgate UMC in Sissonville. Our thanks to all the churches and people who participated. - Edward Craft, Coordinator Morgantown West Cooperative Parish: We will have a parish wide Ash Wednesday Service on March 5th at 7:00pm at Laurel Point UM Church on Route 19. Pastor Tammy Phillips, pastor at Laurel Point, is in charge of planning the service and choosing different individuals to be involved in the service. Please mark March 5th on your calendars and make plans to attend our Parish wide Ash Wednesday service at Laurel Point UM Church. - Jo McCartney, Coordinator Shinnston Cooperative Parish: The cold and snowy weather is not keeping the Shinnston Parish down. We have been meeting and making plans for the year to come. The Parish Pastors have been meeting twice a month for sharing of information, accountability, and fellowship. It was decided that we would only have one meeting a month and the other would a social outing with each other to include our spouses. The Cooperative Parish laity and pastors also meet monthly to share information and support each other in mission and ministry. This year we are planning to continue our Coats for Kids, Baskets of Love, and Pepperoni Roll ministries. We will be adding some other events and fellowship opportunities throughout the parish. Stay tuned - Cindy Murphy, Coordinator

9 Page 9 100% Conference Apportionment Pay Out for 2013 A Big Thank You to these churches in the MonValley District Arden, Arnettsville, Asbury (Belington), Astor, Avery, Bailey Memorial, Ballah Chapel, Barrackville, Bee Gum, Benton Ferry, Berea, Bethel (S Fairview), Bethel (Jr Circuit), Bethlehem, Birds Creek, Blackshere, Blacksville, Boothsville, Brookhaven, Bruceton Mills, Buckeye, Burns Chapel, Calvary, Camp Chapel, Cassville, Catawba, Central Chapel, Central, Cheat Lake, Chestnut Ridge, Christ, Colfax, Community, Concord, Corley, Crim Memorial, Cross Roads, Denver, Downs, East High Street, Eden, Eldora, Enterprise, Evansville, Fairview (Catawba), Fairview (Morgantown), Farmington Main Street, Fellowsville, Fetterman, First (Monongah), First (Shinnston), Flemington, Fort Martin, Grace Chapel, Granville, Haught Chapel, Haymond, Highland Park, Highlawns, Hopewell (Bruceton Mills Ct), Hopewell (Catawba), Howesville, Hutchinson, Jakes Run, Janes Memorial, Jerusalem, Joetown, Johnson Chapel, Jones Run, Jones, Kanes Creek, Kasson, Kingmont, Knottsville, Lamberts Run, Levels, LIFE, Logansport, Lumberport, Mansfield, Mariahs Chapel, Marys Chapel, Masontown, McCurdysville, Meadowdale H&H Chapel, Miracle Run, Monumental, Mt. Israel, Mt. Moriah, Mt. Morris, Mt. Pleasant (Harner Chapel), Mt. Pleasant (Knottsville), Mt. Tabor, Mt. Union, Mt. Vernon (Kanes Creek), Mt. Vernon (Mansfield), Mt. View, Mt. Zion (North Preston), Mt. Zion (Evansville), Mt. Zion (Catawba), New Hope Valley, Newburg, Oak Forest, Olive, Otterbein, Peora, Philippi, Pine Bluff, Pisgah (Bruceton Mills Ct), Pisgah (Meadowdale), Pleasant Valley, Plum Run, Pruntytown, Riverside, Rivesville, Rymer, Sabra, Shays Chapel, Simpson Evans Chapel, Sinclair, Sniders Temple, St. John s, Stringtown, Sturgiss Chapel, Sugar Creek, Sugar Valley, Teverbaugh Chapel, Thornton, Trinity (Fairmont), Trinity (Grafton), Tunnelton, Valley Chapel (Fairmont), Valley Chapel (Wadestown), Victor Chapel, Wadestown, Walnut Grove, Wana, Warren, Wesley Chapel (Knottsville), Wesley Chapel (Rivesville Ct), Wesley (Fairview), Wesley (Morgantown), West Farmington, Westover, Westside, Winfield, Woodland, Ziesing MonValley District Office Apportionment Update Thank you to all the churches in the MonValley District who paid their District Fair Share for At this time we only have 2 churches who have not paid the 2013 District Fair Share: Mt. View and Tunnelton. Hopefully, we will receive these monies soon and be able to rejoice in a 100% payout. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The following churches have paid 100% of their 2014 District Apportionment Arden, Arnettsville, Asbury (Belington), Astor, Barrackville, Bruceton Mills, Buckeye, Camp Chapel, Cross Roads, Elk City, Fetterman, Gateway, Green Hill, Gypsy, Highland Park, Hopewell (Catawba), Johnson Chapel, Jones Run, Kasson, Knottsville, Logansport, Mansfield, Monumental, Mt. Morris, Mt. Pleasant (Knottsville), Mt. Vernon (Mansfield), Pisgah (Meadowdale), Pleasant Creek, Pleasant Valley, Reedsville, Rymer, Sabra, Sturgiss Chapel, Sugar Valley, Talbott, Trinity (Fairmont), Trinity (Grafton), Valley Chapel (Fairmont), Victor Chapel, Wadestown, Walnut Grove, Wesley (Morgantown), Wesley Chapel (Knottsville), Westover, Westside, Woodland

10 MonValley District The United Methodist Church 307 Fairmont Avenue Fairmont WV Phone: Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm M-F Fax: District Office Ellis Conley s conleyellis@aol.com District Office Website: monvalleyumc.org Dr. Ellis E. Conley District Superintendent Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball Resident & Presiding Bishop West Virginia Annual Conference MONVALLEY DISTRICT NEWSLETTER If you receive this newsletter from a printed source and would like to have it sent to you electronically please send your address to the district office at monvalleydistrictumc@wvdsl.net.