The LaGrange Link. A monthly publication of The LaGrange District of the United Methodist Church

Transcription

1 The LaGrange Link A monthly publication of The LaGrange District of the United Methodist Church Rev. Carol Cook, District Superintendent January 2017 Happy New Year, 2017 As we begin a new year, I once again share with you a very special prayer that John Wesley wrote to use in a renewal of covenant service in I hope that you will also pray it and let it live with you all year. Happy New Year! Special words of thanks: I give myself completely to you, God. Assign me to my place in your creation. Let me suffer for you. Give me the work you would have me do. Give me many tasks, or help me step aside while you call others. Put me forward or fumble me. Give me riches or let me live in poverty. I freely give all that I am and all that I have to you. And now, Holy God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit You are mine and I am yours. So be it. May this covenant made on earth continue for all eternity. Amen. Thank you to all of you for your special remembrances of us during the holiday season. It is such a joy and privilege to work with you and serve in the name of Jesus Christ in the LaGrange District. Carol and Denise

2 Last Day to Pay Conference Apportionments for 2016 is Monday, January 9! Please go to the conference website to verify your 2016 payments. Look under the Apportionments & Payments tab. To verify District Work Fund, contact Denise in the District Office. If your church needs to make a payment for 2016 apportionments, checks should be hand delivered to the conference office at: 1700 Century Center Circle NE, Suite 100 $$$ $$$ Atlanta, GA District Ministers Meeting Monday, January 9, 2017 Newnan Chapel UMC (72 Robinson St., Newnan) Refreshments at 6:00, Meeting at 7:00 Clergy Spouses will also meet. Mandatory meeting for all appointed pastors in the LaGrange District (We are aware of the football game taking place that night and will keep the meeting as short as possible! ) End of Year Reports All churches must submit an End of Year Report online through Data Services no later than January 31, This includes all 3 Tables. If you are new to completing this report, you may want to attend the End of Year Report Training on Tuesday, January 10 at 7pm at Mt. Gilead UMC in Sharpsburg (2651 Highway 16). Churches in the district have been assigned a District Statistician Team member who is available to assist you with the completion of the reports, if necessary. Team member assignments can be found on a report that can be downloaded from the Reports page of the district website. Please help us have 100% of the district reports completed by the deadline! We are in need of 4 youth, ages 14-18, to serve as delegates to Annual Conference, June 13-15, Application forms are available from the district office or the Youth/Children s page of the district website. Deadline for submitting applications is January 13, 2016.

3 ATTENTION PASTORS & SPR CHAIRS Move Input forms are due in the District Office no later than January 16, Forms were recently mailed to 2016 SPR Chairs and ed to all pastors. Forms can also be downloaded on the Reports page of the District website ( Please be sure that these forms are completed and returned on time! They can be mailed (200 Church St., LaGrange, GA 30240), ed or faxed ( ) ATTENTION LOCAL PASTORS! The LaGrange District Committee on Ordained Ministry will be meeting with all local pastors on February 9 at the Cornerstone UMC (4-7pm) for the annual re-certification process. Detailed schedules will be ed to all local pastors in the next few days, so please be on the lookout for this important information. The Discipline requires this annual meeting with the DCOM, so it is important that you be present. The annual training event for the district will take place on Sunday, January 29, 2017 at the Providence UMC (592 Bernhard Road, Fayetteville). The event will start at 3:00 with a gathering of all participants in the sanctuary. Following announcements and introductions, there will be 2 workshop times (3:45-4:30 and 4:45-5:30) with 10 workshops from which to choose. Workshops and leaders are as follows: How to Build a Young Adult Ministry Tonya Lawrence Fresh Expressions and New Ideas Carol Cook, Tommy Holder and others Children s Ministry Carson Thaxton, Director of Children & Family Ministry, Fayetteville 1 st Men s Ministry Louis Johnson, UMM Conference President United Methodist Children s Home Foster Parent Program John Cerniglia, VP of Development Church Safety and Security Lt. Tray Powell, Fayette County Sheriff s Department Leadership Development Harold Tarpley and Shannon Karafanda Cokesbury Curriculum Faith Patton, Cokesbury Representative to North GA One Board Church Structure John Mattox Youth/Youth Leaders Blake Trent and Chris Mucha For more information on the workshops, please visit the district website where information is coming very soon! All leaders of local congregations as well as pastors, are encouraged to participate in this event. The youth workshop will include a special event just for youth so churches are also encouraged to bring their YOUTH with them!

4 Mission Opportunities to El Salvador On February 18 the district will be sending a team of 15 people to El Salvador and on April 1 another group of 10 will travel there. Both teams will be spending a full week with the people of Ahuachapan. They will be doing construction work, leading Bible School for children, and building relationships. LaGrange First UMC is putting together a mission team that will travel to El Salvador June 24-July 1. They are opening this up to anyone in the LaGrange District. Approximate cost is $1300 and will include all travel, accommodations, and food. If you are interested in participating in this trip, please contact the District Office or Blair Harlin at blairharlin@gmail.com. Kindling the Fire Lectionary Reading Week 2017 March 6-8, 2017 at Camp Glisson, Dahlonega, GA Lectionary Reading Week is a place to catch your breath and rekindle the fire of inspiration. At this retreat we'll invite you to hear the lectionary texts again for the first time and return with a sermon plan for the months ahead. The event begins the afternoon of Monday, March 6 and ends before lunch on Wednesday, March 8. The total cost for this event is $250 if you register by January 31, After that the price goes up to $275. The cost covers all program materials, lodging for 2 nights and 5 meals. Also included in the cost is the United Methodist Music and Worship Planner: , a $24.00 value. Register Here Conference Older Adult Event March 9 The Conference Older Adult event, Living Better As Mature Christians, will be Thursday, March 9, from 9:30 a.m.-2:45 p.m. at Lawrenceville First UMC Clergy Spouses Retreat at Lake Junaluska March 10-12, 2017 Speaker Marjorie Kimbrough, Music Leader Heather Petero Registration Deadline is February 1 Contact the District Office for Registration Form

5 The Upper Room's Georgia 5 Day Academy of Spiritual Formation Registration is OPEN Dates: April 30-May 5, 2017 At Epworth By The Sea Faculty: Dr. Roger Owen and Sister Kathleen Flood, The North Georgia and South Georgia Annual Conferences and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Theme for 2017 is "Living the Ways of Grace" The Upper Room's Academy of Spiritual Formation offers an environment for spiritually hungry people, laity and clergy, to be renewed and encouraged on their faith journey. This year's Georgia 5 Day Academy focuses on the means of grace with an emphasis on prayer and Scripture and features Dr. Roger Owens from Pittsburg Theological Seminary and Sister Kathleen Flood. Registration is available online and the brochure is available for download. This event is open to LAITY and CLERGY. 3 C.E.U.s are available for clergy and students. (online registration) (PDF brochure) Questions? Rev. Ken Hagler at ken.hagler@ngumc.net Jan. 9 District Ministers Meeting, Newnan Chapel UMC, 7pm Jan. 10 End of Year Report Workshop, Mt. Gilead UMC, Sharpsburg, 7pm Jan. 16 Move Input Forms due in District Office (from SPRC and Clergy) Jan. 17 District Board of Laity/Connectional Ministries Team Meeting, 6:30pm, LaGrange 1st Jan. 29 District Training Event, Providence UMC, 3-6pm Jan. 31 Deadline for submitting End of Year Reports online Feb. 6 Clergy Fellowship with DS, Newnan Cracker Barrel, 8:30am Feb. 9 DCOM meeting with local pastors, Cornerstone UMC, 4-7pm Happy Birthday to the following ministers celebrating birthdays in January: 4 - Joe Harrington 14 Bishop Sue Haupert- Kim Evans Johnson 9 - Michael McFarlin 16 Brian Germano 11 Michael Phillips 27 David Adamson Scott Pickering

6 Please visit our district website at where you will find even more information about district and conference activities. And Like us on Facebook! (The LaGrange District) You are welcome to post videos or information about events at your church on our Facebook page.