Abingdon Advocate Inside this issue:

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1 Abingdon Advocate Inside this issue: March /April 2015 In this Edition: 1. Read the Bible in a Year 3. Authentic Worship 4. Health Kits March Clergy Meeting 6. Annual Conference UMW and Youth Events 8. Marriage Ministries 9. Stewardship Opportunity 10. Church Announcements 11. Clergy Benefits Date Special Thanks! The Mission Beyond the Walls of the Church district workshops scheduled for March 14th and March 21st are at full capacity! Abingdon District - WEBSITE You can access District information by visiting our website at: abingdondistrictumc.org Check Pastors: Annual Financial Reviews due by March 31st 2015 Form available on line at Click on news and forms us out! Resident Bishop: Mary Virginia Taylor District Superintendent: Rev. Sandra Johnson Administrative Assistant: Cindy Fleenor Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 8:30 5:00 Phone / Fax abdist@holston.org Holston Conference 2015 Mission Emphasis A Challenge from Bishop Taylor for Holston s Children in Poverty Hello, I am Bishop Dindy Taylor. Holston Conference has a wonderful commitment to outreach and missions. Together we made the God-sized goal of over $1.2 million for Imagine No Malaria. Bed nets, health education, and medication were provided through these gifts to save the lives of children in Africa. Thank you, Holston, for your outpouring of grace and hope through these generous gifts. Together we saved more than 120,000 lives. As we look toward the 2015 Annual Conference Missions Offering, I want to extend a challenge. What if we as the body of Christ known as the Holston Conference committed ourselves equally as strongly to the children of our neighborhoods? We do not have to look to Africa to find situations of poverty and great need. Children in our communities go to bed hungry, live in homes affected by addiction, struggle to have the supplies they need for education, and long for a caring adult to nurture them along the way. Our Congregations see these children and seek to respond. Through community food pantries, backpack ministries, school supply collections, tutoring and after school care, many of our congregations are already seeking to reach these young lives. Through the conference mission offering this year, we will commit ourselves to these efforts with a renewed sense of urgency. Our focus is on Children and Poverty right here in the Holston Conference. The funds we collect will be available to be used in all 12 districts to support new and existing ministries that address this pressing need. While we will collect the offering at annual conference in June, we are providing an opportunity for you to begin your giving now. I would like to challenge every person who worships in your congregation to commit themselves to $10 and 10 hours of service on behalf of Children and Poverty in the Holston Conference! Imagine the seeds that can be planted for these young lives to grow into the health and wholeness that God envisions for all of us. We know that these needs are great and that they will not be solved in one year. But we have a dream, given to us by a mighty God, of life in its abundance, of justice and mercy walking hand in hand, of grace and peace being made known in our land. We want to live into God s vision for all God s children right now, no matter how big the challenge, no matter how difficult the task. Holston, let s bring it home! How many lives can we change this year? Thank you, Holston. I can t wait to see how your generosity pours out as we share our financial gifts and the gifts of our time for the children who surround our churches, God s children, in need of our love.

2 Page 2 Attention Pastors! MARCH CLERGY MEETING REMINDER: Tuesday, March 10th 2015 Emory UMC, Emory VA. 9:30 am Evening Clergy Meeting -Carvosso UMC, Abingdon - 6:00 pm for Bi-Vocational Clergy Abingdon District UMW Upcoming Events: Abingdon District UMW Hands On Mission Project for 2015: UMAMN United Methodist Appalachian Ministry Network. Meetings Scheduled: March 7, Abingdon District Day Apart At Pleasant View UMC, Abingdon, VA April 18th, Abingdon District President /Vice President Luncheon and Workshop Marriage Ministries: Marriage Enrichment Retreats This year Holston Conference begins the second decade of offering weekend marriage enrichment retreats for couple in professional ministry in our churches. These retreats are designed to provide quality time for married couples during a weekend away from work and family responsibilities. All the cost for housing, meals, and leadership are covered by the Holston Conference. Two changes have taken place in this ministry. First, because the Retreat Center at Buffalo Mountain is no longer available, the retreats will be held at the Carson Springs Baptist Conference Center near Newport, Tennessee. We are fortunate to have the use of this facility that is in a beautiful setting with comfortable accommodations at a convenient location. Second, because Partners In Crisis is providing additional funding, we are able for the first time to schedule two retreats: April and May 15-17, Couples may select the date that is most convenient for them. Someone who participated in a previous retreat wrote: This is such a wonderful weekend! I feel rested and renewed and ready for what comes next. Information about the retreat and a registration form are included in a brochure that is available from Pete and Ginny Rowlett ( or bee.rowlett@gmail.com) or from the district office. Also, a Leadership Training Workshop will be held at Cokesbury United Methodist Church in Knoxville on June 26-30, Open to both laity and clergy, this event prepares couples to lead marriage education and enrichment programs that empower couples to build stronger marriages. Contact the Rowletts for more information. ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 Sunday, June 7th Thursday, June, 11th The following persons were elected at District Charge Conference September 28th, 2014 by a ballot vote to serve the Abingdon District as At-Large Members to Annual Conference 2015 Susie Ledger Alma Wheeler Millie Saunders Ernie Catron Carolyn Kidd Dan Gill Sarah Adams Sarah McMillan Glenda Maine Greg Herrell Heda Quillin Christina Best Roy Hull Jane Carter Tawana Teague Jacob Countiss 1 St Alternate: Candace Gurley Other persons representing Abingdon District: Prue Oxendine UMW President Sue Tilson District Lay Leader Young Adult Representative Amanda Countiss CCYM Representative Olivia Wilson Campus Ministry Representative -Emily Ballard Note: An Extra day has been added this year to Annual Conference. Please consider this as you plan your stay. Knoxville District United Methodist Church Lay Speaker / LAY SERVANT Training April 17-18, 2015 Christ United Methodist Church 7535 Maynardville Highway Knoxville, Tennessee For additional information, questions, or to obtain a registration form and schedule of events Contact Bobby Stair, Knoxville District Director of Lay Servant Ministries at or bsstair@comcast.net Registration Deadline: April 3, 2015 Jubilation XV April 19-21, 2015 Pigeon Forge, TN A retreat for older adults (50 +) that desire to explore and enhance their relationship with Christ. For more information go to click on Older Adult Ministries. Or, contact Gaye King at or gayeking@holston.org

3 HEALTH KITS for 2015 Abingdon Goal For Liberia Pack these items in a 2-gallon Zip-Loc bag: 1 hand towel 1 washcloth 2 toothbrushes 2 tubes toothpaste (6.4. oz. or less) 1 bottle shampoo (15 oz. or less) 1 bottle lotion (18 oz. or less) 1 bottle roll-on deodorant (4 oz. or less) 1 small spray perfume/cologne/body mist (4 oz. or less) Pack these separately in sandwich-size Zip-Loc bag: 1 tube antibacterial ointment (1 oz.) 1 bottle Tylenol/acetaminophen (24 ct.) Include $5.00 per kit. Do not place money inside the kits. Churches should write one check for total number of kits payable to Abingdon District. A drop-off day for early June and location will be announced soon. Plan to attend a workshop for Laity and Clergy CAMP AHISTADI NEWS!! Camp Ahistadi will have a Spruce Up day on Saturday, March 28th, from 9:00 am -2:00 pm. If you would like to participate in this effort, please contact the camp at Ahistadi@yahoo.com or call us at Mark McFadden, Camp Director The Grace Of Giving: A three-hour workshop that can change your Congregation s practice of giving toward a culture of generosity. Bishop Robert Schnase Resident Bishop of the Missouri Conference Saturday, April 11, 2015 ~ 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Concord United Methodist Church in Knoxville And Sunday, April 12, 2015 ~ 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Pleasant View United Methodist Church in Abingdon Plan to be there! Cost is $ Please register by April 1. Registration and additional information is available at generosity.holston.org 0.3 CEUs available for full participation Sponsored by the Holston Conference Foundation and the Holston Stewardship Committee Understanding Clergy Benefits Holston s Pension, Health Insurance, and Retirement Benefits Monday, May 4, 2015 ~ 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cokesbury UMC in Knoxville and Tuesday, May 5, 2015 ~ 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Spouses are welcome to participate. Presenters will include representatives from: UMC Board of Pensions, Social Security, and Medical Insurance. Be sure to save this date. Pleasant View UMC in Abingdon This seminar is free to the first 150 registrants in each location. Please register by April 24. Registration and additional information is available at BenefitsSeminar.holston.org Sponsored by the Holston Conference Foundation and the Holston Conference Board of Pensions.

4 YOUTH NEWS Join Us in Mission We're teaming up with Appalachia Service Project for local mission on April 25, 2015 Bring your youth group to make homes warmer, safer, and drier in our region. As a leader, you'll return home with kids who are stronger, wiser, and closer to God. Holston Conference has designated April as Mission Madness Month. As a district, we're teaming up with Appalachia Service Project, who provides one of the most rewarding structured service opportunities in the nation for youth ages and their adult leaders. Logistics are taken care of allowing us time to minister to the hearts and minds of our young people during our mission. We'll provide you with plans for the preparation phase. Getting ready for this mission will be a high point of your program year -- an exciting goal that rallies families and draws young people closer together. This project will be more than a building mission, our youth will find it's a relationship ministry. Your young people may get to spend time interacting with the family we've been assigned to serve. It is our hope they'll forge friendships that will impact them for the rest of their lives, and learn lessons that will enrich their faith and build character for the rest of their lives. You will find that armed with a new heart for Christian service, they will begin to give back to their own families, to your youth program, and to your church and community. For many, this experience could be the first step towards a lifelong vocation of caring for others. Our mission has been scheduled for Saturday, April 25, In order to make our mission a success, at this stage, we need to know if your youth group will be participating. Please contact our Abingdon District Youth Coordinator, Lidany Rouse via at: abingdondistrictyouth@gmail.com ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 NEWS -IMPORTANT DATE: April 1 Deadline to order a PRINT Book of Reports. It will be available to download at no charge by May 7. If AC members need to make changes or corrections to an existing registration, they may contact Karen Wright at karenwright@holston.org or

5 Contact Information: Abingdon District Office PO. Box 263 Abingdon, Virginia Church Happenings: Read the Bible through in a year! Addilynn Memorial UMC, Bristol, TN is offering Zumba classes on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month at 6:30 at our church in the Family Life Center. The cost is $3.00 a class. It s a fun invigorating dance based workout. Anyone is welcome to come and get your groove on! Pleasant View Preschool (Abingdon, VA) offers a Christian-based kindergarten readiness program three days a week for children ages 3-5. Thanks to the generosity of our church family, we are now able to offer tuition assistance to a qualifying family. If you know of someone who may be interested in our Preschool, please have them contact Pleasant View United Methodist Church office at (276) Thank you.... Bible InA Year March 1... Matt 8: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 9: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 9: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 10: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 10: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 11: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 11: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 12: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 12: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 13: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 13: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 14: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 14: Leviticus Proverbs Matt 15: Leviticus Ecl 1: Matt 15: Leviticus Ecl 1:12-2: Matthew Numbers Ecl 3: Matthew Numbers Ecl 3:16-4: Matt 18: Numbers Ecclesiastes Matt 18: Numbers Ecclesiastes Matt 19: Numbers Ecclesiastes Matt 19: Numbers Ecclesiastes Matt 20: Numbers Ecl 9: Matt 20: Numbers Ecl 9:13-10: Matt 21: Numbers Ecl 11: Matt 21: Num Ecl 11:9-12: Matt 22: Num 21...Song of Sol 1:1-2: Matt 22: Num 22:1-40.Song Sol 2:8-3: Matt 23:1-12.Num22:41-23:26.SongSol 3:6-5: Matt23:13-39.Num23:27-24:25.SongSol5:2-6: Matt 24: Num Song of Sol 6:4-8: Matt 24: Numbers SongSol8:5-14 Bible In A Year April 1... Matt 25: Numbers Job Matt 25: Numbers Job Matt 26: Numbers Job Matt 26: Deuteronomy Job Matt 26: Deuteronomy Job Matt 27: Deuteronomy Job Matt 27: Deuteronomy Job Matthew Deuteronomy Job Acts 1... Deuteronomy Job Acts 2: Deuteronomy Job Acts 2: Deuteronomy Job Acts 3... Deuteronomy Job Acts 4: Deuteronomy Job Acts 4: Deuteronomy Job Acts 5: Deuteronomy Job Acts 5: Deuteronomy Job Acts 6... Deuteronomy 28...Job Acts 7: Deuteronomy Job Acts 7:23-8:1a. Deuteronomy Job Acts 8:1b Deuteronomy Job Acts 8: Joshua Job Acts 9: Joshua 3:1-5:1. Job Acts 9: Joshua 5:2-6:27.Job Acts 10: Joshua Job Acts 10: Joshua Job Acts 11: Joshua Job Acts 11: Joshua Job Acts Joshua Job Acts 13: Joshua Job Acts 13: Joshua Job 30 See the complete year schedule at: Denise Cook, Director of Preschool Who Should Attend??? This worship event is designed for pastors, worship leaders, lay leaders, choir directors, evangelism committees, witness committees, altar guilds, worship teams, Christian educators, musicians, ushers, greeters, and anyone else involved in weekly worship and/or worship planning. The event is $40, which includes snacks and a boxed lunch. For an additional $5, you can enjoy a light breakfast and conversation with Barbara Day Miller on Friday in Kodak or Saturday in Kingsport Make checks payable to: Holston Conference Mail registration form to: Holston Worship Event, P.O. Box 850, Alcoa, TN You may also register online at authenticworship.holston.org Pre-Registration Deadline: April 10 Registration is available at the door with no lunch provided