Kingsport District United Methodist Church August 2016 Newsletter Be Still.

Transcription

1 Kingsport District United Methodist Church August 2016 Newsletter Inside this issue: Important Notices 1 The District Academy 3 Ministry Updates 4-5 Mission Opportunities 6-11 Upcoming Events District Happenings District Calendar 21 Information & Resources 21 Be Still. The summer is almost over, which is tough to believe. With school starting churches are gearing up for fall planning and activities, Bible studies, fall festivals, and in the not-sodistant-future Advent and then Christmas. Does it ever feel like we are perpetually moving and rushing? I had the blessing of spending this past week with a group of people at a 5-day retreat sponsored by the Spiritual Formation Academy. Our days were full and had an eventually comforting rhythm to them of worship, learning, silence, prayer, and then group conversation. I was excited as I prepared for the retreat, and yet also apprehensive. You see, I like noise. In my house, with an 8-year-old, there is pretty constant chatter. And if Breanna isn't talking or asking questions there is often the drone of the tv in the background. I do not have much silence around me, so I wondered how I would do with silence. I found the silence to be awkward at first. My mind wanted to race and my mouth wanted to move. I wanted so badly to talk to someone. And then I settled down and settled in, and found that the silence was refreshing. I didn't have to talk. I didn't have to think about what to say next. I needed and wanted to listen. I heard the sounds of nature around me, the quiet of my room at night, and every now and then, the voice of God. I found that intentional silence was life-giving in a way I never imagined! In the busy-ness of life I've often reflected on Psalm 46 where God says to be still, or to stop, and know that God is God. This psalm and many others came alive in new and exciting ways this week as I had time to sit, be still, and to experience God in a way that was new for me. In the busy-ness that awaits us this fall, I encourage us all to seek ways to soak in the stillness and silence, to listen to the voice of God, and to be still. May God speak to us all in amazing and powerful ways! Blessings, Lauri Jo Page 1

2 The Kingsport District Academy Bible Studies, Leadership & Training Opportunities Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference July 2016 We have an election! LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (July 13, 2016) -- We have an election, were the words that stirred up great excitement at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. These words filled Stuart Auditorium with great excitement and anticipation as the name of the newly elected bishops were announced. The first name to follow these words was, Rev. Sharma Lewis, from the North Georgia Conference. Her election made history as she is the first African-American female bishop elected from the Southeastern Jurisdiction. She graciously thanked God, her 87 year old mother, and all of the women clergy that have paved the way for her to become a bishop in the United Methodist Church. The Rev. David Graves, senior pastor of Church Street United Methodist Church in the Holston Annual (regional) Conference, was elected as a United Methodist bishop by delegates at the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference. Graves, was elected on the fourth ballot, and he received 221 votes out of 345 valid ballots cast. He needed 207 to be elected. Graves was the second bishop elected at the July meeting. I want to thank you, the Southeastern Jurisdiction, for putting your faith in me, Graves said after his election. So we go forth to win people to Christ, see the unseen, transform lives, and help the United Methodist Church change the world. Graves was elected by the SEJ s 376 total delegates, an equal number of United Methodist clergy and laity, from the nine states forming the Southeastern Jurisdiction. The assignments of bishops in the Southeastern Jurisdiction for the next four years will be announced later in the week. His four-year term of service begins Sept. 1. Bishop Graves is appointed to the Alabama-West Florida Conference. Shortly after Graves election, the Southeastern Jurisdiction quickly elected three more bishops, completing its 2016 election of five total episcopal leaders. Elected were the Rev. Leonard Fairley, appointed to the Kentucky Coference; the Rev. Lawson Bryan, appointed to the South-Georgia Conference; and the Rev. Sue Haupert-Johnson, appointed to the North-Georgia Conference.. Page 2

3 The Kingsport District Academy Bible Studies, Leadership & Training Opportunities Anytime we have new neighbors it is a beautiful thing to shower them with the love of Christ. This is the same opportunity we have to welcome our new neighboring pastors into the Kingsport District. Join in sharing the love of Christ with these pastors and their families as they fully transition into this journey of newness in their lives. Bill Rines Misty McCreary Richard Hayes Steve Hopkins Amy Probst Vic Trobaugh Carol Alley Randall Wright Also we are celebrating: Grover Starnes Greg Fletcher Elm Springs McFerrin First Broad Street, Associate Glen Alpine Kendrick s Creek Mafair Otes Valley Center E.L.M. Tree Parish Director, St. Matthew & Emory, pastor Newly appointed to Adams Chapel and Hulls Chapel Newly appointed to Holly Springs Page 3

4 The Kingsport District Academy Bible Studies, Leadership & Training Opportunities What is The Academy?: The Kingsport District Academy is an educational initiative designed to offer (1)a variety of Bible and other studies, (2)Lay Servant/Lay Speaker Program, and (3)the Certified Lay Minister Program to all lay persons across the Kingsport District. When fully implemented, classes will be offered across the Kingsport District from Blountville to Rogersville with classes meeting in mornings, afternoons, and evenings on at least five campus sites (churches within the District). Classes will be taught by mainly by Clergy and Lay persons within the Kingsport District. OPEN TO EVERYONE! for more information. The Kingsport District Academy will be announcing the fall line-up of classes on the Kingsport District website at in the near future. Announcements will also be sent to each church/pastor as the classes are finalized. Any questions about the Academy or its classes should be directed to Richard McKee, Director of the Kingsport District Academy, at or phone (423) Page 4

5 Ministry Updates Camp Bays Mountain served the District this summer by providing four camps; two Camp-in-the-Community sessions, a day camp and an Outdoor Leadership Camp aimed at high school students. Our goal was 87 campers, however we were thrilled to serve 120 campers! It was a very successful season to begin your new camp. This September we will host a "Commissioning Service" at the new camp to give our Districts a chance to come to the new site, take a tour, worship and pray over the new ministry. Look for details coming soon. provide: We are in need of these three things that perhaps your church might 1. A donated pick-up truck 2. Work teams who would come for ONE DAY for a demolition project and landscape clean-up 3. Funds to purchase a commercial mower Contact Jeff Wadley at for more information. Visit our new camp's website Page 5

6 Ministry Updates July 6, 2016 The End of an Era: On July 6, representatives from the Johnson City and Kingsport UMC District Trustees, our realtor, our Development Officer, and Executive Director signed the appropriate documents to transfer ownership of the former camp to a family in the Dry Creek community. This completes the FULL sale of the Buffalo Mountain Camp. Both parcels are in good hands and we are thrilled with the new ownership. Net proceeds were $1,153,616 which will help fund the ministry at our new camp. Join us in celebrat- ing the legacy of Buffalo Mountain and the new possibilities of Camp Bays Mountain. Page 6

7 Ministry Updates Camp Bays Mountain will have an OPEN HOUSE on Saturday, August 27 from 9:00am until noon, and on Sunday, August 28 from 4:00 until 6:00. This is not a fund raising event but an opportunity for you to tour the new property, see the potential of what will be accomplished, meet our Board members, see where the cabins and other buildings will be built and learn about next summer's dream for camp. From exit 3 on I-26, go west on Reservoir Road for just over a mile and turn right onto Hood Road at Depews Chapel UMC. Look for the camp sign at 500 Hood Road. For more information call or Page 7

8 Mission Opportunities Page 8

9 Mission Opportunities Page 9

10 Mission Opportunities

11 Mission Opportunities UMCOR Requests Prayers, Patience in Response to West Virginia Floods The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) asked for prayers for residents of West Virginia impacted by severe weather and flash flooding. The state of West Virginia received a federal disaster declaration for the counties most heavily impacted by the flooding Greenbrier, Roane, and Nicholas. At least 500 homes were severely damaged or destroyed in Roane County alone, and at least 23 people are known to have died in the storm and floods. Greg Forrester, who leads UMCOR s U.S. disaster response work, said that the West Virginia Conference had taken significant steps in recent months to prepare to respond to disasters such as this one. Earlier this year, UMCOR helped the conference set up a relief-supply depot, so there were already 1,400 cleaning buckets and 200 health kits on hand, ready to be distributed after torrential rains caused massive flooding and destruction. He said another 500 cleaning buckets are en route from another depot in Tennessee, and that an additional 1,500 cleaning buckets and 1,500 health kits will soon be on their way to West Virginia from the UMCOR Relief-Supply Network. What you can do to help Hold the survivors and those still in harm s way in your prayers Do not self-deploy or send unrequested material donations Get your church involved in assembling cleaning buckets, health kits, and other relief-supply kits, which can be used in response to this and future disasters Until volunteers are needed in West Virginia, consider volunteering in other locations that are ready to receive your help (click here for a list of projects) Give to UMCOR U.S. Disaster Response, Advance # Your gift will allow UMCOR to respond to this and other disasters across the United States. June 28, from Page 11

12 Mission Opportunities WEST VIRGINIA FLOODING Memo From Jim Fetzer, Disaster Response Coordinator Holston Conference-UMC Hello: We are answering the call from UMCOR and working with the Sager Brown Depot to deliver directly from one of our storage locations 500 Cleaning Buckets to the collection point for the flood survivors in Beaver, West Virginia. As we are delivering these Cleaning Buckets we need to replace our supply with at least 500 new cleaning buckets. Please ask your respective districts/churches to begin the process of making new cleaning buckets according to the UMCOR web page describing the size of the buckets and the contents. We can use more Health Kits as well. The contents for the Health Kits is on the UMCOR web page too. Coordinate with your district office for district collection. Thank you for your support of Holston Conference Disaster Response Ministries. In His Grace, Jim Fetzer, Disaster Response Coordinator Holston Conference-UMC , Cleaning buckets/health kits will be collected at the Kingsport District office. Please call us at for drop-off dates/times. Thank You! Page 12

13 Mission Opportunities SHADES OF GRACE UMC 313 E. Sullivan St. Kingsport, TN Worship: Sundays at 4 pm Ground Zero: Fridays at 6:30 pm 12 step - Recovery Ministry Community Meals: 3 pm Mon-Fri Breakfast 8:30-11 am Clothes Closet & Food Pantry: Open as needed with appointment. Open during Meal times. Community Bible Studies & Fellowship: 6:30 pm 10:30 am Ladies Only Bible Study 11 am Church open for the community: Monday through Friday 8:30 am - 4 pm The OASIS of Kingsport The Oasis of Kingsport is a Christ centered not-for-profit outreach program for women. We are Christians coming together from many faith groups to offer hope and show God s love. The Oasis of Kingsport is a day center, where all women can find peace, safety, happiness and empowerment in the midst of trouble, difficult times, or in desperate situations. Women come where they are leaving their shame, guilt, stigma, and confusion at the door; to be replaced by love, hope, confidence and faith. The Oasis provides practical and individualized services with compassion and without judgment. Through our programs and services, we seek to enhance the dignity of our guests, encourage healthier choices, and find their path to self-sufficiency in a Christ centered way. Help and Hope Ministries is celebrating it's 10th year. It is a ministry of St. Luke, St. Matthew and Mountain View UMCs. It is housed in St. Luke UMC and volunteers distributed food and personal items to 507 families in The Food Pantry is open on Saturdays 10 am-noon, serves the zip code and has over 30 Volunteers. OPEN DOORS Open Doors is organizing construction of a new house in Kingsport for a homeless family. This house is a collaboration of Open Doors, Appalachian Service Project, Friends and Neighbors, Christ Fellowship Church, Salem UMC and Cassidy UMC. Please be in prayer for this community endeavor to end homelessness. On Saturday April 2, the Open Doors Resource Center will hold a Grand Opening celebration. The Center is a transitional facility designed to aid in ending homelessness in Sullivan County. The purpose of the center is to define and plot a path to achieve permanent housing. By helping those in need who truly want to change their situation, the center will aid them through strategic plans which will also allow those individuals to reclaim their personal dignity. The Center is located at 1020 East Center Street in Kingsport. For more information, please visit opendoorskpt.org or like Open Doors A Community Homeless Resource Center on Facebook. Arcadia UMC Arcadia has a food pantry at the church which is normally open on the fourth Tuesday of each month, but at other times as well. The ladies group mans the pantry each month, meeting folks and talking to them about the church. The food is available whenever someone is there to give it out. Page 13

14 Upcoming Events MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! Vermont UMC Shelter 5 Sunday Evenings: (July 31st-August 6 PM. July 31st - Speaker - Sarah Adinolfi Songs by Sarah & friends. Dessert - Make your own Sundae August 7th - Speaker - Retired Pastor Danny Hensley Songs by Bryon Fogleman. Dessert - cobbler & ice cream August 14th - Speaker - Pastor Phil Whittemore (Bloomingdale Baptist) Songs by Wade Childress Dessert - Anything Chocolate August 21st - Speaker - Pastor Will Shewey (Shade of Grace UMC) Songs by Jennifer Miller Dessert - Banana pudding August 28th - Speaker - Pastor Joe Green (First Broad Street UMC) Songs by Margaret Lester Dessert - your favorite special dessert Page 14

15 Upcoming Events MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! First Broad Street UMC: August 14th 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Bishop David Graves & wife Nancy All district and conference church members and staff are invited to join First Broad Street United Methodist Church on August 14 in special combined worship services at 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. with Bishop David Graves, who will preach the services that day. Bishop Graves has been assigned as the new resident bishop for the Alabama-West Florida Conference. A reception will be held for Bishop Graves and his wife, Nancy, immediately following the 10:45 a.m. service. Page 15

16 Upcoming Events MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! E L M TREE PARISH Page 16

17 Upcoming Events MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! Roots & Shoots Luncheon 2016 Thursday, August 18, :00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Colonial Heights UMC $11/person One check/church written to Kingsport District. P.O. Box 894, Kingsport, TN Deadline is Wednesday, August 10, AGENDA Music Silver Sounds, Before & After Lunch Lunch - BJs Catering Special Update Information Gaye King, Conference Older Adult Coordinator Jeff Wadley, Director, Camp Bays Mountain Mission Project & Guest Speaker : Shades of Grace, Rev. Will Shewey He will have inspirational stories and a short dvd on how far this ministry has progressed since its beginnings over the last two years Mission Emphasis Checks written to Kingsport District or cash will be accepted to help fund the many ministries that Shades of Grace offers to the homeless in our community. Collection baskets will be on the table Roots & Shoots Luncheon Registration Please give this registration form and $11 to your church Roots & Shoots/Older Adult coordinator. Name: I have paid $11. yes no Page 17

18 Upcoming Events MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! August 7 p.m. Kneel to Heal Event Lamplight Theatre 140 Broad St. Kingsport TN A night of worship and prayer for our country, city, and communities. Children in Poverty Grant applications From Holston Conference.org are due August 15. If your church has a ministry to reach out to children in poverty in your community check out this grant application. Page 18

19 Upcoming Events MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! Kingsport District U.M. Fellowship The Kingsport District Fellowship meets monthly on the fourth Monday at 6:00. The August meeting will be 8/22 at Kincaid U.M. Church. The covered dish meal begins at 6:00 and the program will begin around 6:45. All are welcome. The Fellowship provides scholarships to students studying in any college or seminary for careers in full-time ministry or studying anything in one of our Holston Conference colleges (TN Wesleyan, Emory & Henry, or Hiwassee). An application for the scholarship is available at under resources. For consideration for this fall semester, applications should be returned by the middle of July. Page 19

20 District Happenings See Pages See Pages See Page 16 Page 20

21 District Calendar Information & Resources JOB OPENINGS Part-Time Youth Minister Surgoinsville 1st UMC is seeking applicants for a part-time youth minister. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their ability to: * Communicate well; * Share the Word of God with children and youth; * Recruit children and youth to the church's youth ministry; and, * Administratively plan and follow through with programming and activities. Applicants please mail resume to: Surgoinsville 1st UMC P.O. Box 134 Surgoinsville,TN or contact Rev. Paul Seay at 423/ for additional information. DISTRICT CALENDAR AUGUST 2 Nominations Committee, 6:30 PM 15 Pastors Meeting, Blountville UMC 18 Roots & Shoots Luncheon, 11AM SEPTEMBER 19 Pastors Meeting, Crossroads UMC 25 District Conference, Vermont UMC, 3PM Holston Conference Secretary Retreat OCTOBER 2 Charge Conference: Bloomingdale Cluster, 3p.m. 16 Charge Conference: Rogersville Cluster, 3 p.m. 23 Charge Conference: Blountville Cluster, 3 p.m. 24 Pastors Meeting 30 Charge Conference: Church Hill/ Surgoinsville Cluster, 3 p.m. Resident Bishop: Mary Virginia Taylor District Superintendent: Lauri Jo Cranford laurijocranford@holston.org Admin Assistant: Susan Smith kptdist@holston.org Financial Secretary: Laurie Neville Page 21