eVoice 12.07.2011

December 07, 2011  

News

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Bishop and Cabinet announce appointment changes

Bishop William H. Willimon and the North Alabama Conference Cabinet announce two mid-year clergy appointment changes. Dr. Todd Henderson, senior pastor of Aldersgate UMC in Huntsville, will be appointed as senior pastor of Alexander City First UMC in the Southeast District. Rev. Bill Etheridge, senior pastor of Alexander City First UMC, will be appointed senior pastor of Aldersgate UMC. These new appointments will be effective on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012....

 

Summer internships for racial/ethnic minority, Central Conference young adults deadline is Feb. 1, 2012

Persons, ages 18-22, interested in exploring public policy and social justice advocacy will work in U.S. capital. Deadline to apply for a 2012 Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) Summer Internship in Washington, D.C., is Feb. 1. The EYA program is for persons, ages 18-22, who have an interest in exploring issues of public policy, social justice advocacy and social change. Sponsored by the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS), the summer internship is for young adults representing the five...

 

"God's Renewed Creation: Call To Hope And Action" was theme for 2011 Rural Chaplains annual focus gathering

On October 25-28, 2011, the Rural Chaplains Association gathered along the coast of Mississippi for their annual focus gathering. This year’s event centered on environmental issues and the impact of both Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on coastal and marine life. Local residents and environmental experts shared the impact of these two major disasters on the life and economy of the Gulf Coast. Guided tours to the Gulf Coast Research Center marsh areas; Pascagoula... 

 

Headlines from United Methodist News Service

Read more at UMC.org

 

Resources

Conference Ministry Leadership Team Nomination Form Available

One of the major goals of the Office of Connectional Ministries is to strengthen, empower, and support North Alabama Conference ministry teams. These teams are outlined in our Call to Mission and Ministry, which is printed each year in the Conference Journal. Any member of a United Methodist Church in the North Alabama Conference who is interested is encouraged to self-nominate to serve on one or more of these teams.

  • Click here to complete and submit the online form.
  • Click here to download a printable version (PDF file). Mail completed printed form to Office of Connectional Ministries, 898 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham, AL 35204
  • Forms have also been distributed to local churches and District offices throughout the Conference.

The deadline for submitting the form is December 15, 2011.

Individuals who complete the self nomination form may be elected to serve on North Alabama Conference Ministry Leadership Teams for 2012-2013. For more information, please e-mail Linda Holland, Director of Connectional Ministries, or call (205) 226-7954.

 

United Methodist Children's Home White Christmas

White Christmas is recognized by United Methodist Churches as a time of giving love offerings to support the ministry of the United Methodist Children's Home. Most churches collect this offering during the Christmas season. The gifts given through White Christmas from both the North Alabama and Alabama-West Florida Conference churches provide the majority of the contributions that help to keep the United Methodist Children's Home ministry operating year after year.

White Christmas promotional materials help bring the important message of our ministry to local churches in very effective ways. (And they don't cost anything!)

Start planning your church's White Christmas offering and order your materials today! Order materials at http://www.umch.net/white_christmas/order_support_materials.html.

Your Church should send your White Christmas offerings to the United Methodist Children's Home headquarters in Montgomery at

United Methodist Children's Home
3140 Zelda Court
Montgomery, AL 36106

 

Events

Featured Events

Pastors' Prayer Summit

Jan.23-25, 2012
Start Time 10 a.m.
End Time 4 p.m.
Camp Sumatanga Pastors and servant leaders of the North Alabama Conference are invited to gather and spend three days praying for spiritual renewal and awakening for individuals and churches in North Alabama. Many pastors have felt deep renewal through participation in this event

Click here to download the registration form.

Prices include 3 days/2 nights lodging and meals:

  • $215 per person, double occupancy
  • $275 per person, single occupancy

Payment due no later than January 17, 2012.Please make checks payable to Christ Church UMC.

Designate to NAC Pastors’ Prayer Summit and mail to:
Christ Church United Methodist
5091 Caldwell Mill Road, Birmingham, AL 35242
Attention: Sharon

For more information: sams@christchurchtv.org or call (205) 991.5065

 

 

 

Contagious!

January 27-28, 2012
Gardendale Mt. Vernon UMC
805 Crest Drive
Gardendale,AL 35071
Coordinator: Beth Sanford
Coordinator Email: beth@mldistrict.org

Become CONTAGIOUS! Infect your crew!

An event for children's workers presented by the North Alabama Conference Children's Connexion.Bring your children's ministry team to join in

  • Meet and Greet time
  • Worship
  • Breakout Sessions
  • Curriculum Preview
  • VBS Preview

Featured Speaker: Kristin Heiden
Minister of Formation, Fayetteville First UMC, Fayetteville, GARev. Kristin Heiden serves as the Minister of Christian Formation at Fayetteville First UMC in the North Georgia Conference. Her areas of focus include children’s ministry, adult education and formation, and recreation ministry. Within the area of children’s ministry, Kristin strives to connect children with the foundational stories of the Scriptures through interactive and engaging storytelling as well as guide them as they reach out to serve God and neighbor, incorporating a mission element into both weekly programs and special annual events.Breakout Sessions include the following:

  • Heart and Soul Therapy
  • Social Media Basics
  • Reaching Millennial Kids
  • Operation Pray and Play
  • Love and Logic
  • Serviceology
  • Small Church Children's Ministry
  • Irresistible Story Telling
  • Twitchin' Tweens
  • Catch the VBS Spirit

Registration

  • Early Registration by December 15, 2011: $49
  • Registration by January 15, 2012: $59
  • Registration at the Door: $69
  • Each Additional Team Member: $10

Hotel AccomodationsBook a hotel for Friday night, January 27.
Conference Rates Available at Hampton Inn, 1716 Fulton Road, Fultondale, AL 35068

  • Book by December 5: $99
  • After December 5: $129

 

 

UMVIM Team Leader Training

Feb. 11, 2012
Start Time 10:00 am
End Time 3:00 pm
North Alabama Conference Center
898 Arkadelphia Rd
Birmingham, AL 35204
Coordinator: Rev. Matt Lacey
Email: mlacey@northalabamaumc.org
(205) 202-1879This is a class which helps first time mission team leaders before their first mission trip. This is a requirement to lead a UMVIM team. Potential future team leaders are also encouraged to attend. This will cover how to organize a mission trip and cross cultural sensitivity.

Please RSVP with Rev. Matt Lacey, mlacey@northalabamaumc.org in order to attend. The total cost is $20.

 

 

Encounter: RESURRECTED 2012

February 17 - 19, 2012
Gatlinburg Convention Center
234 Historic Nature Trail
Gatlinburg,TN 37738
Coordinator: North Alabama Conference Youth Ministry
Coordinator Email:Youthministries@northalabamaumc.org
(205) 226-7963Featured Speaker: Mike SatterfieldFeatured Music: On Fire

  • Early Bird Registration NOW OPENl $50 per person until December 1st
  • $60 per person December 2nd until February 3, 2012
  • Final Registration February 6, 2012

More information and registration available at www.northalabamaumc.org/encounter.

 

 

Tween Retreat

Feb. 24-25, 2012
Start Time 4:30
Camp Sumatanga
3616 Sumatanga Road
Gallant, Alabama 35972-3105
Coordinator: Mike Arnold
Email: 1tweenleader@gmail.com
(256) 338-8447TWEEN RETREAT A celebration of the Five Vows of Membership.

Many churches are going to year around confirmation with new confirmation curriculums offering Tweens an opportunity to journey deeper into their faith. We are offering an overnight retreat just for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders that will enhance their confirmation experience and make the Five Vows of Membership come alive.

Theme: Boot camp…..wear your favorite CAMO! Five vow talks, worship, games and crazy fun!

Registration cost $50/person including T-shirt.
Register today! Deadline is February 8, 2012.

For more information contact Mike Arnold, Tween leader Cullman First UMC 1tweenleader@gmail.com

Pay attention: I'm teaching you the rules and regulations that God commanded me, so that you may live by them in the land you are entering to take up ownership. Keep them. Practice them. You'll become wise and understanding. When people hear and see what's going on, they'll say, "What a great nation! So wise, so understanding! We've never seen anything like it." Deuteronomy 4:5-6

Click here to download the Permission and Liability Form.
Each camper must turn a signed release in to participate in Tween Retreat 2012.

Each church is responsible for providing chaperones for their group.
Churches should bring complete background checks of adults to the retreat.
Click here to download an Adult Background Check Consent Form.
 

 

 

Conference Calendar

Click event name to read full event details on the Conference Calendar.

United Methodist Center Closed — United Methodist Center, Dec 22 - Dec 26

Study tour to the Holy Land for Local Pastors — Israel/Palestine, Dec 30 - Jan 10

Refresh New Year's Weekend Retreat — Camp Sumatanga, Dec 30 - Jan 1

Board of Ordained Ministry Meeting and Interview Retreat Training — Trinity United Methodist - Homewood, Jan 12

Annual Conference Nominations Team Meeting — North Alabama Conference Office, Jan 14

Laity Board Meeting — UM Conference Center, Jan 14

SBC21 Annual Event — St. Paul-Birmingham starting friday night at 6pm, Jan 20 - Jan 21

Women and Spirituality, Small Group Experiences — Camp Sumatanga, Jan 21

Safe Sanctuary Training Mountain Lakes District — TBA, Jan 22

Pastors' Prayer Summit — Camp Sumatanga, Jan 23 - Jan 25

Contagious! — Gardendale-Mt. Vernon UMC, Jan 27 - Jan 28

The Academy for Ministries with Children — Montgomery, AL , Feb 3 - Feb 4

UMVIM Team Leader Training — North Alabama Conference Center, Feb 11

elevate — Gordo Elementary School Auditorium, Feb 17 - Feb 18

Encounter: RESURRECTED 2012 — Gatlinburg Convention Center, Feb 17 - Feb 19

Children's Ministry Forum "CMF'12" — Calvary UMC, Feb 21 - Feb 23

Tween Retreat — Camp Sumatanga, Feb 24 - Feb 25

45th Annual Meeting of BMCR — Las Vegas, Nevada, Feb 29 - Mar 2

Fowler Lecture — Samford University, Mar 8

Laity Board Retreat — Camp Sumatanga, Mar 15 - Mar 16

The Academy for Ministries with Children — Birmingham, AL, Apr 13 - Apr 14

General Conference — Tampa Convention Center, Apr 25 - May 4

2012 North Alabama Annual Conference — Birmingham-Southern College, May 31 - Jun 2

 

Local Church Events and Celebrations

Click here to see a listing of upcoming special events and celebrations at local North Alabama United Methodist Churches.

Click here to submit your events.