Newsletter. Lay Servant Training. A Word From David. April 25 7PM 9 PM April 26 9AM 4:30 PM Ebenezer United Methodist Church Bluefield, Virginia

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1 Newsletter April/May 2014 Mary Virginia Taylor Resident Bishop J. David Tabor District Superintendent Jamie N. Boone Administrative Assistant Telephone Toll Free Brooke Atchley Church & Community Worker A Word From David Thomas Paine, one of the founding fathers of what became the United States of America, had many famous quotes. One of them is, "These are the days that try men's souls." This is a quote that is part of the story of the American Revolution. Many of us could look at the time that we are living in now and quote Thomas Paine. It is easy to believe that we are living in days that try our souls. If Thomas Paine and we both believe we live in trying days, I wonder how the disciples felt on the day we call Good Friday. They had followed Jesus for a little over three years. They heard his parables, watched him heal all types of diseases, and saw him raise the dead. The disciples grew to be very close to him, loved him, and followed Jesus believing He was the Son of God. On Good Friday their savior, friend, and Lord was hanging on the cross. He was dying and then he did die and was placed in a borrowed grave. For the disciples of Jesus those were the days that tried their souls. If we live through the trying days of Good Friday and Holy Saturday, it makes Easter a much more meaningful moment. We turn from days that try our souls to a day that gives us the gift of salvation that saves our souls. The offer of salvation comes from trying times, from times of hopelessness and despair. On Easter we have the resurrection of Jesus and the offer of the resurrection for our souls. I pray that God is leading you through all the times of your life. May all of us have a great Resurrection Day, the day we call Easter. Grace and Peace, David Lay Servant Training April 25 7PM 9 PM April 26 9AM 4:30 PM Ebenezer United Methodist Church Bluefield, Virginia

2 Pre Conference Briefing will be held on Tuesday, May 13 beginning at 6:30 PM at Mt. Zion UMC, Route 460, between Bluefield and Tazewell This will be in conjunction with the Clergy Meeting. All pastors, lay members to Annual Conference and At-Large Members to Annual Conference are expected to attend. We will have a worship service followed by the pre conference briefing. To show our support for the Good Samaritan Food Pantry that was destroyed by fire in Richlands, we are asking each church to bring 10 non-perishable food items to the Pre Conference briefing to help them restock. Just Older Youth Rally (For Our Over 50 Age Group) Thursday, May 29 at Bluefield First UMC, Bluefield, Virginia 9:30 AM Registration 10:00 AM Welcome, Announcements, Introductions, Prayer 10:15 AM Group Singing 10:30 AM Special Music with Reverend John Ousley 11:00 AM Alaska Mission Trip with Reverend John Ousley 11:45 AM Break for Lunch 12:00 Noon Lunch in the Fellowship Hall prepared by Bluefield First 1:00 PM Special Music and Closing Devotion with Reverend John Ousley Cost for Lunch $7.00 Please mail registration (for name tag) and money for lunch to: Tazewell District UMC, PO Box 674, Tazewell, VA Name Name of Church Amount Enclosed

3 Tazewell District United Methodist Women Day Apart Budget Preparation 2015 Ebenezer United Methodist Church Saturday, May 3 Registration 9:30 AM Reverend Rosemary Brown Guest Speaker Jubilation 2014 The 14th Annual Gather of Senior Adults in Holston Conference will be held April at the MeadowView Resort and Conference Center Kingsport, Tennessee. Keynote Speaker: Missy Buchanan Worship Leader: Dr. Randy Frye Music Leader: John Powers Join with older adults from across the conference as they explore ways to live with purpose and possibility. You will be inspired, entertained and challenged. There will have lots of opportunities for fellowship and learning together. You'll come away refreshed, renewed and full of new purpose and possibilities Hands-On Mission Kits for Zimbabwe and Tazewell District Challenge 1.5 yards of solid color fabric suitable for uniforms (khaki, forest green, blue, or burgundy) $ pair NEW sneakers (any size, child/adult) $15 or less Shipping per kit $5.00 Because buying the fabric and shipping in bulk has been so successful, we are offering that option again this year. You may order 1.5 yards of fabric per kit through the District Office at a cost of $5.00 per kit. There is a $5.00 shipping charge for each kit. As in the past, those who wish to purchase their own fabric may do so. Because of customs requirements for shipments arriving in Zimbabwe, it is of vital importance that all tennis shoes be new and cost less than $15. You may place your order through the District Office for fabric. The deadline to receive the money and order is absolutely May 5. (No orders will be accepted after this date.) Shipping may be included in the check. Checks should be made payable to the Tazewell District UMC and mailed to PO Box 674, Tazewell, VA We appreciate so very much the enthusiasm with which the churches of Tazewell District respond each year to the Hands-On Mission Collection. Your response each year is incredible, and the people of Zimbabwe have been fed, clothed and cleaned because of your abundant generosity. The Tazewell District would like to add an additional challenge again this year. We would like for each church participating to also purchase girls/boys underwear, socks and deodorant. This will benefit children across the district in Grades K-8. We plan to work with the school nurses or representatives in each Grade School and Middle School that are in proximity to our Tazewell District churches for distribution of these items. Since we have added the Tazewell District Challenge, we have set a district goal of 600 kits. You may drop off your kits at the District Office between May 19 and May 29. There is no need to purchase ziplock bags. We have the bags at the District Office and we will be glad to place the sneakers in a bag (or fabric and sneakers if you purchase the fabric). If there are any questions, please call the District Office at or Rev. Gordon McBride at NO KITS WILL BE ACCEPTED AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

4 2014 ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEWS May 23 Deadline to pre-register for CHILDCARE - pre-payment is required. NEW THIS YEAR! Parents may drop off their children at the Wilson Children s Complex for the morning session (Monday and/or Tuesday) and pick them up after the afternoon session. Under this new arrangement, lunch MUST be provided for the children who stay at the complex for both the morning and afternoon sessions. Parents may purchase a bagged lunch from Lake Junaluska (included on the pre-registration form), OR they must provide a packed lunch when they drop off their children in the morning. All children must be picked up from the complex at the close of the afternoon session. They may return after dinner for the evening session for an additional fee. As in the past, Holston Conference will continue to subsidize most of the costs for childcare. Pricing information is available on the website. If AC members need to make changes or corrections to an existing registration, they may contact Karen Wright at karenwright@holston.org or On Tuesday, June 10, of Holston's Annual Conference, you will have the opportunity to participate in packaging 10,000 meals. The Stop Hunger Now staff will be set up at the Kern Youth Center, located just at the end of the rose walk, ready for you to be a part of ending hunger around the world! Everyone is invited to participate and we do ask the children to please bring a parent(s) with them. We are asking for contributions of $5.00 (or more if you wish) to help offset the $2,500 cost of this important program. However, it is not required to participate in the packaging process. Contributions can be made at the Information Desk of Stuart Auditorium, at one of the doors as you exit the Tuesday morning session, or at the packaging site. Blessing of the Bikes 2014 The 12th Annual Blessing of the Bikes will be May 4 at the Burkes Garden Community Center. Food will be ready at 1 PM with the Blessing of the Bikes at 2 PM. This event is sponsored by the Burke s Garden and Mt. Olivet United Methodist Churches and is in association with The Iron Titans MC. This event is rain or shine. Come and enjoy the fun, food and fellowship. Ride your bikes and attend worship at Burkes 9:55 or Mt. 11:00 Bikers will leave Mt. 12:15 and ride across the mountain together. All proceeds from the food sales will benefit the church youth programs. Contact Reverend Kevin Richardson for more details at Holston Conference Foundation Announces 2014 Grant Deadline The Holston Conference Foundation stewards nearly 200 special-purpose endowments, scholarships and program grants established by individuals, families, and friends that support specific ministries, churches, and institutions. Grant Application Deadline is April 30, These funds are governed by documents put in place by generous donors and overseen by a Grant Committee made up of members of the Foundation's Board of Directors and other volunteers who carefully review applications and evaluate priorities established by the donor. Applications can be found at agencies-institutions/holsto/grants/ The majority of the Foundation grants furthering United Methodist ministries were established through estate planning by thoughtful individuals who wished to leave a positive legacy. Should you wish to discuss establishing a fund through a testamentary gift from your estate please contact Paul Bowman or Roger Redding at

5 When: Sunday, April 27 4:30-6:30 Where: Rocky Gap UMC, Rocky Gap, VA YOUTH Why: Fellowship & Elect CCYM* Reps for Tazewell District RSVP with approximate number to Brooke Atchley (540) or by April 23 Early Response Team Training The following Holston Conference Early Response Team classes are scheduled: ERT Recertification Training - Monday April 21, 2014 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Recertification is required every 3 years in order to remain active in the HC disaster response ministry. ERT Basic Training - Saturday, April 26, 2014 from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This training is required to participate as part of a United Methodist team responding to natural disasters in the days and weeks immediately after a disaster (Must be at least 18 years old to participate). Lunch will not be provided. Both classes will be conducted at Christ United Methodist Church, Adult Education Building, Room A12, 8645 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga TN $25 will be required for a Background Investigation, payable by cash or check written to Holston Conference the day of the training. Registration (required) closes April 18, 2014 for the Recertification class, and April 23 for the Basic class. Tiger Ride with Rev. Bill Akers Hiwassee's first "Tiger Ride" is scheduled for March 29th to May 4th, and it's goal is to provide financial assistance for 2 students to attend Hiwassee College this fall. Being a trustee at Hiwassee, and a graduate, my calling has always been to help students get a better education. Hiwassee College is doing very well, due to our president Dr. Robin Tricoli. You may know that Hiwassee has always been a standard for higher Christian education. A majority of students at this college come with very little financial help. That's why I feel the responsibility to assist students in getting an education without incurring a mountain of debt. I will be riding from the Chattanooga District to the Wytheville District (over 500 miles) starting on March 29th (Chattanooga district), April 26th (Knoxville district) and May 4th (Tazewell and Wytheville district). There are about 50 riders from different districts who will be accompanying me on these rides. I would love for anyone to ride with me. I have locations for each area where we will be riding. I am asking for $20 per rider, with all money going to the student scholarship fund. Please remember, this ride is for the students. If you can ride or give a donation (any amount would be appreciated) please call or pastorbill98@comcast.net (Wauhatchie UMC...Chattanooga district)

6 Appalachian Trail Ministry I trust you re aware our 2014 Trail Chaplain, Dave Smith, will soon enter and pass through Tazewell District, carrying Holston Conference greetings and God s good news to people up and down the Appalachian Trail. Dave s pilgrimage so far has not been uneventful: meaningful conversations, defective gear and physical trials have all made dramatic appearances since his March 6 th start. Through the setbacks, Dave has remained upbeat. He knows his is an unusual calling, one where little things matter most and where opportunities for ministry are spontaneous and relationships form quickly. The conversations make the hardships worthwhile. You might like to meet Dave, to hear his stories, to walk with him a mile or so. You can contact him through the program s facebook page at Or, you can simply follow his hike at Again, you may wish to help by underwriting a portion of his thru-hike. The Chaplaincy receives no Conference funds and relies totally upon donations to subsist. Make checks payable to: Holston Conference, with a memo to Appalachian Trail Chaplain, and mail to: ATOM, PO Box 203, Bastian, VA The Jeanette Reynolds Scholarship The Jeanette Reynolds Scholarship application for 2014 along with the Scholarship Guidelines are now available through the District Office. Any Holston Conference student considering ministry in the United Methodist Church is eligible to apply. Scholarship application deadline is May 15, The Holston Conference Council on Finance and Administration encourages you to visit waytogiveholston.org for a special word of thanks to you and your congregations for your participation in our connectional giving through the tithe and second mile gifts. Each month you will find a video and bulletin insert featuring a ministry supported by your gifts. The April resources are ready now and feature recovery ministries that are growing throughout the conference. You will be touched by the story of one participant and the new directions opened for her life. Use these resources in worship, Sunday School, council meetings, on websites and social media--wherever they best work for you and your congregation. If you have not seen them, be sure to check out the stories for January and February, and March, too. Thank you. You'll never know how many lives you have changed. Way to go! Way to give! Special Mission Offering This year the Annual Conference special mission offering is designated to support education in South Sudan with a goal of $175,000. Rev. Fred Dearing and his wife Libby are grateful and excited about the foundation for change Holston continues to build in the lives of the people there, especially the children. Your contributions to this offering will make a difference in the lives of people there, not only this year but for many years and even generations to come. For more information and a personal message from Fred and Libby Dearing, please visit