JANUARY 2019 Community Page 1 A Message from the District Superintendent There s something about opening up a brand new calendar for a new year that makes me feel hopeful. It s a blank slate. It presents an opportunity to set new priorities for my life, to make space for the things that are important. How do you feel when you re looking at a brand new year? Many people use the start of a new year to commit themselves to somethingnew or different. Perhaps there s a habit that would be helpful to start or give up. Maybe there s something that needs to change about health or time management. It s a blank slate. A chance to do something new. What could this mean for personal discipleship? As a disciple of Jesus Christ, what would help you become a greater witness in the world? Sometimes the answer to this question comes easily. If something doesn t come to mind quickly, perhaps a tool like this Real Disciple Survey can help: http://bit.ly/2qf14mm We first encountered this tool as a part of the Membership to Discipleship workshops held in the conference in 2018. Downloads are available at this link to be printed. It can be used individually or maybe a prayer or bible study group could take it together. This might help focus study options for the new year or suggest next steps to expand and explore your own discipleship journey. In This Issue: 2 District Calendar Birthdays Anniversaries Special Sundays Prayer Concerns 3 Bishop's Day with Laity Clergy Meeting NEW Lay Servant/Lay Speaker Covenant Group 4 Upcoming Trainings 5 Lay Servant Academy (Registration Form at end of newlsetter) 6 Parish Coordinator Reports 7 Conference Fair Share District Fair Share What if 2019 is the year that you journey deeper into the heart of God? What is 2019 is the year that you expand your knowledge of scripture or prayer practices? When looking out at a brand new year, consider how God might be calling in a new way to expand and explore discipleship practices. Amy Blessings, Don't forget - due January 31, 2019: Membership Audit Fund Balance Report Statistical Reports If you need these forms, please visit the Resources page on our website: www.monvalleyumcorg. Are you a new church treasurer? Want to make sure that you have the latest information in order to do your job well? Check out the 2019 Treasurer's Notebook updated by our Conference Treasurer's office, located on the Resources page on our website. You can download your own copy, or contact the District Office for one. Also, make sure you have February 2, 2019 marked off on your calendar for a church treasurer training opportunity as part of our Follow the Leader Training event! NEW OFFICERS? REMEMBER TO RECORD NEWLY ELECTED TRUSTEES AT THE COURTHOUSE AFTER JANUARY 1st AND PLEASE LET THE DISTRICT OFFICE KNOW IF YOU HAVE CHANGES TO: SPRC CHAIR, AD COUNCIL CHAIR, TREASURER, OR TRUSTEES The district website has a new look and lots of useful information like: A real-time calendar with a form for you to submit your church's events Resources for clergy and laity alike Easy-to-access digital documents And more! Check it out at www.monvalleyumc.org. You can now text the District Office at: 681-443-5748 (standard messaging and data rates apply) Want more news from around the conference? Check out www.wvumc.org.
Page 2 District Office Hours Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Looking Forward, Planning Ahead Check out the website for the full calendar including these events, charge conference, clergy interviews, and more! January 4 Clergy Christmas Gathering @ the District Parsonage 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM 5 District Lead Team 8-11 DS @ Cabinet 12 Bishop's Day with Laity @ Quiet Dell UMC 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM 17 Clergy Meeting @ Eldora UMC 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM Parish Coordinators' Meeting to follow 19 District Committee on Ministry Meeting 20 *NEW* Covenant group for Lay Servants and Lay Speakers @ First UMC Shinnston 3:00 PM see page 5 21-23 DS @ Cabinet January Birthdays 4 Phoebe Thomas 8 Julia Cline 9 Canaan Edin 10 Shawn Weaver 11 Kay Weber 12 Pam Yanero 13 Sue Lewis Hannah Weaver 15 Ethan Lamp 21 Marguerite Groscup 24 Donna Allen Jackie Stiles February 2 Follow the Leader Training @ LIFE UMC See page 4 4-6 DS @ Cabinet 11 Boundaries Training for Clergy @ LIFE UMC 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM 16 District Committee on Ministry Meeting 19-21 DS @ Cabinet 23-27 Special General Conference Please be in prayer for our delegation March 1 Lay Servant Academy Registration due 2 Stride Training with Ken Willard @ LIFE UMC 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM -Those who attend for the duration of the event will receive 6 Contact Hours. Advanced Lay Servant credit available. 2 Early Disaster Response Training @ St. Paul's UMC 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 3-5 DS @ Cabinet 7 Clergy Meeting @ Phillipi UMC 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM Parish Coordinators' Meeting to follow 15 Lay Servant Academy Homework due 20-22 DS @ Cabinet 30 Spring Lay Servant Academy @ LIFE UMC 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM January Anniversaries 6 James and Kay Weber 7 Peggy and John Petrich Have an upcoming event? Go to www.monvalleyumc.org/calendar to submit it to the district calendar. Let Us Pray... Mark Harris Drew Tate, brother of Karen Jim Finnegan, husband of D.S. Mary Ellen DS Amy Shanholtzer Special Sundays 6 Epiphany of the Lord 13 Baptism of the Lord 20 Human Relations Day Ecumenical Sunday Jim and Mary Frances Zinn, death of their daughter, Amy Louise Lambert Kay Weber, wife of Jim Weber, death of her mother, Mary Statler Family of Dorothy DuBois, widow of David DuBois Family of Jeff Winter All Churches, Missions, and Ministries within the District Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball and the Conference Staff All Churches, Missions, and Ministries within the Conference Special General Conference
Page 3 Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball is inviting the laity to a gathering to acknowledge the anxious times we are in as the United Methodist Church prepares for the Special General Conference in February 2019. She will meet with the laity of the Mon-Valley and Wesleyan Districts on Saturday, January 12, 2019, at Quiet Dell UMC from 3 PM - 5 PM. The church is located at 96 Trinity Rd, Mt. Clare, WV. The tentative agenda will include: Devotional time, bringing us up to date on the conversation about The Way Forward, sharing how this General Conference will do its work together, interpreting the Judicial Council decisions and its impact on the General Conference work. The important meeting will also attempt to address misinformation and frequently asked questions. This time together will be an opportunity for the laity of our District to hear directly from the bishop on the current work as The United Methodist Church navigates a way forward that would honor our Lord and help us fulfill our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. If you are unable to make it to the meeting on Saturday, January 12, you may attend any of the other meetings offered throughout the conference as listed below. Midland South and Western Districts - Sunday, January 6, 2019, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM at Forrest Burdette UMC Northern and Little Kanawha Districts - Saturday, January 12, 2019, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM at New Martinsville UMC MonValley and Wesleyan Districts - Saturday, January 12, 2019, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM at Quiet Dell UMC Potomac Highlands District - January 31 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at Trinity UMC (Fort Ashby) Greenbrier and Southern Districts - Saturday, February 9, 2019, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM at UM Temple (Beckley) Put on your own oxygen mask first. That s what they tell you in the boring instructions that people ignore at the beginning of a flight. But, what if that s the most important thing that you can do as a leader? At this month s clergy meeting, we ll talk about the challenges of leadership and how to prioritize your life with the goals for discipleship and leadership in your church. We ll talk about our clergy covenant, see some new tools in the works for leaders fostering the development of new leaders. It s a new year with fresh opportunities to develop new habits and practices. See you Thursday, January 17, 2019 at Eldora UMC! (Located on Sapps Run Road, Fairmont). The meeting will begin at 10:00 AM and conclude with lunch. Parish Coordinators will meet from 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM. NEW LAY SERVANT AND LAY SPEAKER COVENANT GROUP A covenant group for Lay Servants and Lay Speakers is beginning on January 20, 2019 at 3pm. This first meeting will be at First UMC-Shinnston and will be an organizational meeting to make some decisions, see who is interested in meeting for support, accountability, and learning opportunities. Please contact Rev. Cindy Boggs at email address: medsecii@yahoo.com or cell phone #: 304-218-9703, with questions and to RSVP for the gathering. We look forward to beginning this wonderful opportunity to support each other in ministry.
Page 4 We encourage all church leaders to join us for the Follow the Leader district training event, to be held on Saturday, February 2 at LIFE UMC. Go to http://www.monvalleyumc.org/follow-the-leaderdistrict-leadership-training.html for more details and registration information. Join us on March 2, 2019, at LIFE UMC for training on building a discipleship system for your church based on Ken Willard's book Stride. We're delighted that Ken, our Conference Director of Discipleship, Leadership and Congregational Vitality can join us again to share his insightful teaching with us. We'll be offering certificates for clergy contact hours as well as Advanced Lay Servant credit for those who register, read the book and submit written answers from the syllabus. These materials and registration info will be out soon. Start gathering a team from your church today. Boundaries training will be held Monday, February 11, 2019 from 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM at LIFE United Methodist Church. You must register to attend. On-line registration is available through the conference website. This training is required for all active clergy and lay people who are assigned to pastoral charges in the WV Annual Conference, including certified lay ministers. Others serving in ministerial leadership roles in local congregations are encouraged to attend, and should consult District Superintendent Amy Shanholtzer. Early Disaster Response Training will be held Saturday, March 2, 2019 at St. Paul's UMC, Oakland, MD. Registration at 8:30 am, Training from 9 am - 5 pm. Leading the class will be Revs. Dan and Sue Lowther, Conference Disaster Relief Coordinators. Training overview: Who? What? When? Why? Covenant Agreement Equiping a team Team Safety Safe Sanctuaries Policies What exactly does an ERT do? Instructions for tasks Team building activities Forms Test your knowledge... For more information and registration forms, visit the district website. You can also contact Dan or Sue at: dclowther@gmail.com wsuelowther@gmail.com 304-642-0897 304-642-0896
Page 5 Hear Ye Hear Ye Pastors and Laity! This is an exciting time! Our District Superintendent asked the Lay Servant Ministry Committee to think outside the box and provide a one-day academy that would encompass all seven training classes. Wow, I know, awesome! Mon Valley Lay Spring Academy will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2019, at Life United Methodist Church in Fairmont. The schedule day should last from 8 am to 5 pm. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT THIS EXCITING ACADEMY! Basic Teacher - Rev. Cindy Boggs Leading Worship Teacher Rev. Judy Flynn Leading Prayer Teacher Rev. Mike Estep Discovering Spiritual Gifts Teacher Rev. David Hall Preaching Teacher Rev. John Brosky United Methodist Heritage Teacher Rev. Sarah Allen United Methodist Polity Teacher Rev. Ken Krimmel Please spread the word and announce for the next several weeks to help build anticipation for attending this very special academy. This is a time to ask all your spiritual leaders to attend. There is something for everyone! The teachers have been chosen with prayerful consideration. They look forward to teaching and sharing their knowledge in how to renew us in our own spiritual discipleship. The course book and homework will be mailed quickly after you register. Costs for class is minimal ($20.) If you have someone interested and they need assistance, a scholarship system has been developed to help defray the cost. The experience and growth of your leaders will be worth the investment. The Lay Servant Ministry Committee is comprised of our District Superintendent, Amy Shanholtzer, Rev. Cindy Boggs, Rev. Dr. Michael Richards, Rev. Steve Prince along with your District Lay Leader, Ken Shanes, CLM coordinator, Pam Todd, and me as coordinator. We are pleased to work with each person considering a pathway of deepened spiritual discipleship. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to reach out to any of us. Registration forms are at the end of this January newsletter. Homework assignments must be turned in by the deadline date. If you took Basic in the Fall and are looking to become certified you will need to take Preaching during this academy. Respectfully submitted Mary C. Bane, crazymcb1@gmail.com, 304-692-0003
Page 6 Clergy Clinic in Charlotte, NC Normally held only in the western suburbs of Chicago, our Clergy Clinic in Family Emotional Process will also be held at St. Andrew's United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC on the following dates in 2019: March 11-13; June 3-5; and September 9-11. This 9-day event is sponsored by the Western North Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, and is open to the public. To register, please fill out and submit the form on our brochure, or go to: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3780136. HEART AND HAND Just a couple weeks ago we were distributing 250 boxes containing items for a full Christmas dinner, along with laundry baskets full of cleaning supplies and hygiene products, socks, underwear, and other miscellaneous items to families in need. We are thankful for the many donors and volunteers who made this holiday blessing possible. It is truly as much a blessing for the staff and volunteers as it is for those who receive these much-needed gifts! With the holidays now behind us, we look forward to a new year and trust that God will provide our ministry the means to continue serving those in our community who are in need. This year s Souper Bowl of Caring takes place on Sunday, February 3, and is just one of the ways we can replenish supplies for our food pantry after the holidays. The Souper Bowl of Caring has become an annual tradition for many schools, businesses and churches to make a significant difference for those of us who serve the community s most vulnerable. If your church, business or other organization would like to participate, just collect money or canned goods on or before Super Bowl Sunday and when your collection is complete, donate your collection to a hungerrelief agency like Heart and Hand. (If your group would like to be official participants in this national program, you can register at www.souperbowl.org or by calling 1-800-358-SOUP.) Happy New Year from all of us at Heart and Hand! Stop by and visit us in 2019 and don t forget to bring your Mission Passports! SHINNSTON COOPERATIVE PARISH Brenda Hunt Executive Director We bring you greetings from The Shinnston Cooperative Parish!! We are celebrating the completion of another year of working together to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ into our communities. We are looking forward to continuing our current ministries and seek more opportunities to serve in areas in the New Year. We will be having our first meeting of the year on Thursday January 17, 2019 to start talking about the missions for the new year in the Parish. So, keep your eyes peeled for more exciting happenings from the Shinnston Cooperative Parish. Blessings to you all!!! Cindy Boggs Parish Coordinator Please Report Professions of Faith to the District Office PLEASE NOTE: We request that all churches/pastors in the district begin to report professions of faith on a monthly basis. You can do this by emailing the details (name, date, church) to mvdumcoffice@gmail.com.
Page 7 Churches Conference Fair Share Update 2018 Final Report Thank you for your faithfulness! Churches that have paid 100%: Arnettsville, Astor, Ballah Chapel, Barrackville, Bee Gum, Benton Ferry, Berea, Bethlehem, Blackshere, Blacksville, Boothsville, Brookhaven, Bruceton Mills, Buckeye, Burns Chapel, Camp Chapel, Calvary, Carolina, Cassville, Catawba, Central, Central Chapel, Chestnut Ridge, Colfax, Community, Concord, Corley, Crim Memorial, Cross Roads, Denver, Downs, East High Street, Eden, Eldora, Enterprise, Esler Chapel, Evansville, Fairview (Catawba), Fairview (Morgantown), Farmington, Fellowsville, First (Shinnston), Fort Martin, Good Shepherd, Granville, Harner Chapel, Highland Park, Hopewell (Bruceton), Hopewell (Catawba), Howesville, Hutchinson, Janes Memorial, Jerusalem, Joetown, Johnson Chapel, Jones Run, Jones, Kanes Creek, Kasson, Kingmont, Knottsville, Lamberts Run, Levels, LIFE, Mansfield, Mariahs Chapel, McCurdysville, Meadowdale H&H Chapel, Miracle Run, Monumental, Mt. Israel, Mt. Moriah, Mt. Pleasant (Harner Chapel), Mt. Pleasant (Knottsville), Mt.Tabor, Mt. Union, Mt. Vernon, Mt. Vernon (Kanes Creek), Mt. View, Mt. Zion (Catawba), Mt. Zion (Evansville), Newburg, New Hope Valley, Oak Forest, Olive, Otterbein, Peora, Philippi, Pine Bluff, Pisgah (Bruceton Mills Ct.), Pisgah (Meadowdale), Pleasant Valley, Plum Run, Reedsville, Riverside, Rivesville, Rymer, Sabra, Shays Chapel, Simpson Evans Chapel, Sinclair, Sniders Temple, Spruce Street, St. Johns, Stringtown, Sugar Creek, Sugar Valley, Suncrest, Thornton, Trinity (Fairmont), Trinity (Warren), Valley Chapel (Fairmont), Valley Chapel (Wadestown), Victor Chapel, Wadestown, Wallace, Walnut Grove, Wana, Warren, Wesley (Fairview), Wesley (Morgantown), Wesley Chapel (Knottsville), Wesley Chapel (Rivesville), West Farmington, Westover, Westside, Winfield Fair Share (Promotional Fund) Update Churches who have paid 100% of their 2018 District Fair Share: Arnettsville, Asbury (Belington-Junior Ct.), Astor, Bailey Memorial, Barrackville, Bee Gum, Benton Ferry, Berea, Birds Creek, Blackshere, Blacksville, Blueville, Boothsville, Brookhaven, Bruceton Mills, Buckeye, Burns Chapel, Calvary, Camp Chapel, Carolina, Catawba, Centenary, Central, Central Chapel, Cheat Lake, Chestnut Ridge, Colfax, Community, Concord, Corley, Crim Memorial, Crossroads, Denver, Downs, East High Street, Eden, Eldora, Elk City, Esler Chapel, Evansville, Fairview (Catawba), Fairview (Morgantown), Fellowsville, Fetterman, First (Mannington), First (Shinnston), Flemington, Fort Martin, Gateway, Good Shepherd, Grace Chapel, Granville, Gypsy, Harner Chapel, Haymond, Highland Ave., Highland Park, Highlawns, Hopewell (Bruceton), Hopewell (Catawba), Howesville, Hutchinson, Janes Memorial, Jerusalem, Joetown, Johnson Chapel, Jones, Jones Run, Kanes Creek, Kingmont, Knottsville, Lamberts Run, Levels, LIFE, Logansport, Lumberport,Lynch Chapel. Mansfield, Mariahs Chapel, McCurdysville, Meadowdale H & H Chapel, Miracle Run, Montana, Monumental, Mt. Israel, Mt. Morris, Mt. Pleasant (Harner Chapel), Mt. Pleasant (Knottsville), Mt. Tabor, Mt. Union, Mt. Vernon (Kanes Creek), Mt. Vernon (Mansfield), Mt. View, Mt. Zion (Evansville), Mt. Zion, Nestorville, Newburg, New Hope Valley, Oak Forest, Olive, Otterbein, Peora, Philippi, Pine Bluff, Pisgah (Bruceton Mills Ct.), Pisgah (Meadowdale), Pleasant Creek, Pleasant Valley, Plum Run, Pruntytown, Reedsville, Riverside, Rivesville, Sabra, Shays Chapel, Sinclair, Spruce Street, Sugar Creek, Sugar Valley, Suncrest, Talbott, Teverbaugh, Thornton, Trinity (Fairmont), Trinity (Grafton), Tunnelton, Tyrone, Valley Chapel (Fairmont), Valley Chapel (Wadestown), Wadestown, Wallace, Wana, Warren, Wesley Chapel (Knottsville), Wesley Chapel (Rivesville Ct.), Wesley (Morgantown), West Farmington, Westover, Westside, Winfield, Woodland, Ziesing