eVoice 03.21.2012

March 21     2012

In This Issue:

  • NCD Event featuring Christian Schwarz
  • General Conference 2012 Prayer and Devotion Guides
  • Tiger-Tide Challenge is Saturday March 24
  • And MORE!

News

Click on headline to read full story.

 

Huffman UMC embraces Lenten project

Huffman UMC was blessed to be able to provide snack bags to all 845 students of Huffman Academy, an elementary school in the Birmingham Public School System. The school opened in August of 2011 after Arthur, Going and Wright elementary schools were closed. It all began when the mission team prayed for a Lenten season project. Several different projects much smaller in scope were considered, but none of those worked out. While the idea of "Little Brown...

 

 

Cedar Bluff First UMC hosts art show

March 9-10 were special days for the children of Cedar Bluff Schools. Cedar Bluff First United Methodist Church opened its facilities to host "Art for Art's Sake." The event is an annual exhibition of local artists both professional and amatuer to raise money for art materials at Cedar Bluff Schools. Children and youth exhibited their own artwork, but also had an opportunity to meet local and regional artists. The professional artists spent time with...

 

 

Headlines from United Methodist News Service

Read more at UMC.org

 

Natural Church Development Event featuring Christian Schwarz

NCD 3-Color Discipleship Tour featuring Christian Schwarz
Register By Sunday, March 25 for $80 Early Bird Rate

May 18, 2012
Gardendale-Mt. Vernon UMC
805 Crest Drive
Gardendale,AL 35071
Coordinator: Nancy Cole
Coordinator Email: ncole@northalabamaumc.org

Click here to register.

In a one day training event designed for Pastors, Small Group Leaders, and NCD Coaches

Christian Schwarz, founder and president of the Institute for Natural Church Development (NCD International), will introduce you to the dynamic content of TWO NEW books: The 3 Colors of Leadership and The 3 Colors of Community.

Every church could benefit from more and better leaders. Christian will introduce you to fresh concepts about leading and empowering others in The 3 Colors of Leadership. You will also discover your personal results from the Empowerment Test.

In The 3 Colors of Community you will be introduced to the seven communal qualities of healthy groups. You will be challenged with creative teaching about the Seven Deadly Sins and understanding the energy behind them. We can respond by living in denial or compromise which both lead to frustration and defeat. However, a better option is we could learn how to transform this energy to experience God's best in our lives and in our small groups! You will discover your personal energy level and contribution to community.

You will not leave this seminar the same as you arrived!
Maximum Attendants Allowed: 125

Cost Includes two books, breaks and lunch:
$80 - Early Birdy Registration has been extended until this Sunday, March 25, 2012
$95 - After March 25

 

General Conference 2012

General Conference 2012
April 24 - May 4, 2012
Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida

The United Methodist Church’s top legislative body, the General Conference, will gather April 24-May 4, 2012, in Tampa, Florida. General Conference meets every four years and is the only entity that speaks for The United Methodist Church. The 2012 General Conference will be made up of 988 delegates from around the world. During the 11-day session, delegates will revise The Book of Discipline, which regulates the manner in which local churches, annual conferences and general agencies are organized. The book sets policies regarding church membership, ordination, administration, property and judicial procedures.  Delegates also revise The Book of Resolutions, a volume declaring the church’s stance on a variety of social justice issues. In addition, the assembly approves plans and budgets for churchwide programs for the next four years and elects members of the Judicial Council and the University Senate.

Prayer and Devotion Guides for General Conference:

50 Days of Prayer Before & During General Conference 2012

Begins March 16, 2012 - but you can still join in praying!

The Upper Room® has created a resource called, 50 Days of Prayer Before & During General Conference 2012, to serve as an invitation to provide spiritual support to the 2012 General Conference. Every United Methodist will be able to read the same scripture, share the same insights, and pray the same prayer for 40 days prior to the General Conference in Tampa, Florida, as well as through each day of the General Conference, April 24 through May 4, 2012.

Go to http://50daysofprayer.upperroom.org to download a PDF of this resource or sign up to receive the 50 Days of Prayer daily meditations by email.

 

Remember the Future: 30 Days of Preparation

Begins March 26, 2012

Bishop Robert Schnase has created series of online reflections leading up to General Conference called "Remember the Future: 30 Days of Preparation." These daily meditations explore hope, purpose, leadership and making and becoming disciples of Jesus Christ. With Wesleyan, scriptural, and leadership themes, United Methodists can explore together the mission of the church in a time of great change.

Go to www.ministrymatters.com/30Days for a brief introduction to the series and sign up to receive the reflections by email.

 

For more General Conference News and Updates:

Signup to receive updates from the North Alabama Conference from General Conference 2012 by email.

To subscribe: Go to http://www.northalabamaumc.org/site/stayconnected and select 2012 General Conference and SEJ Conference Updates

For more General Conference news and information visit www.gc2012.umc.org  and www.northalabamaumc.org/gc2012

 

Events

Featured Events 

Tiger-Tide Challenge

March 24, 2012
Start Time 7 p.m.
End Time 9 p.m.
The Birmingham Marriott
3590 Grandview Parkway
Birmingham,AL
Coordinator: Creighton Alexander
Email: bamawesley@gmail.com
(215) 758-3502

To the Members of North Alabama Conference:

As your campus pastor for the Alabama Wesley Foundation, I am very excited to announce our first annual Tiger-Tide Challenge.  The purpose of the Tiger-Tide Challenge is to create a fun event to raise programming dollars for our United Methodist campus ministries at Alabama & Auburn.  The evening will include Jim Dunaway serving as the referee, Gorman Houston as the coach for the Alabama Wesley, Rev. Brian Miller as the coach for Auburn, lots of good-natured competition, great food and an opportunity to invest in the lives of the young women and men on our state’s largest campuses.  One exciting development is that the Rick Rush Gallery has donated two paintings for the largest donor for each team.  We will be celebrating those donors at the end of the night.  Donations received before and during the Tiger-Tide Challenge will be eligible.  I guarantee that you and your guests will have a great time.

 There are 3 ways that every Alabama and Auburn fan who love the United Methodist Church can participate:

  1. by either attending the event, 
  2. pledging before the event, or 
  3. watching the live-stream/pledging during the event

@ the Birmingham Marriott

We have 21 tables sponsored between Alabama (11 tables) and Auburn (10 tables) and now we just need to make sure we have the tables full!  

Our goal is fill the ballroom with 210 guests.  We are taking RSVP's from our website - TigerTide RSVP .  If you like, you can register you and/or your guests all under your name with that on-line form.  And while I want you to invite Alabama fans, please invite Auburn fans to come, especially if they attend a United Methodist Church in Birmingham.  

Pre-Pledges/Donations

Parents, alumni, and Friends who can't make it into Birmingham can also participate by filling out a pre-pledge from on-line.  We are going to announce the pre-pledges and donations at the beginning of the 3rd Quarter.  The team who does the best job in raising money/pledges before the night will be hard to beat. Pledge Forms are here.

If your contacts would like to send in a check, they can mail them to the appropriate Wesley.  Only checks received before Saturday night will be eligible for the Rick Rush painting.  Only donations (not pledges) are eligible.

Alabama Wesley Foundation
505 9th Street
Tuscaloosa, AL   35405 

Auburn Wesley Foundation
131 South Gay Street
Auburn, AL  36830

Live Streaming LInk

You have friends who say that can't come?  No worries - we are going to be streaming the event live from the Birmingham Marriott.  Please encourage people to join in via the world wide web.  E-guests can also fill out on-line pledge forms to help their team.  Pledge Forms are here.

With your help, we can support the long-term health & viability of the Alabama & Auburn Wesley Foundations for this generation of college students and beyond.  Please feel free to call or email me with questions or responses.  I have included a sheet with the basic information sheet about the event. 

Thank you for making the first ever Tiger-Tide Challenge a success.  With you on our side, we can build winning teams at both our schools.

Creighton Alexander
Campus Pastor, Bama Wesley

 

Brian McLaren at Trinity UMC Homewood

March 25, 2012
Start Time 8:45 AM
End Time 6:30 PM
Trinity UMC
1400 Oxmoor Rd.
Homewood,AL 35209
Coordinator: Rev. Drew Holland
Coordinator Email: dholland@trinitybirmingham.com
(205) 879-1737

Trinity UMC in Homewood will host renowned Christian speaker Brian McLaren. Brian will preach at the 8:45 and 11:00 traditional services, and will lead sessions during the Sunday School hour at 10:00 and in the evening beginning at at 4:00. Brian will be speaking on the topic "A New Kind of Christianity". He is the author of several books and has been noted by Time Magazine as one of America's 25 most influential evangelicals. For more information on the event, please contact Rev. Drew Holland at dholland@trinitybirmingham.com or (205)879-1737.

 

 

Babies First Annual Benefit Luncheon

March 31, 2012
11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Babies First Home
4820 Overton Road
Birmingham,AL 35226
Coordinator: Robin Schultz
Email: robinschultz@att.net

Sponsored by the North Alabama Conference Clergy Spouses

Cost: $15

Friday, March 23, 2012, is the last day we can receive reservations for the Babies First Benefit Luncheon on March 31st at the Babies First home in Birmingham.

You will need to call Sandy O'Kelley at the conference center to make a reservation if you do not have time to mail in your check. You can reach Sandy at (205) 226-7983. We need to plan for numbers by the 26th so please call or mail your check in today.

Please make checks payable to the North Alabama Conference UMC and mail to

United Methodist Center
Attn: Sandy O’Kelley
898 Arkadelphia Rd.
Birmingham, AL 35204

About Babies First

Babies First is a residential program of the Untied Methodist Children's Home which provides group care for up to four mothers and their babies. Mothers are usually ages 15 to 24. Children can be age 0 to 4. Babies First takes them in because their needs cannot be adequately met through families or other out-of-home placements. For more information about the United Methodist Children's Home go to www.umch.net

 

 

Sounds of Sumatanga

April 20-21, 2012
Start Time 7 p.m.
End Time 5 p.m.
Camp Sumatanga
3616 Sumatanga Road
Gallant,AL 35972
Contact: Patti Wright
Email: Patti.Wright@protective.com

Music... Food... Fun

Great music, awesome friends - both old and new, beautiful scenery, good food and more....all on a spring Saturday at Camp Sumatanga! What more could you ask for on a Saturday in April? Sounds of Sumatanga will feature a variety of musical styles from local favorites and special guests. Other activities will include arts and crafts vendors, food and drink vendors, and games & crafts for children.

An Evening in the Assembly Hall

Remember those wonderful evenings in the Assembly Hall during Summer Camp? You can have that experience again on the Friday evening before Sounds of Sumatanga. We’ll gather for games, singing, folk-dancing, storytelling, and entertainment by some surprise guests. We’ll close the evening with a time of reflection and devotion. You can support Sumatanga by staying overnight and being there early for Saturday’s events.

Download Brochure

For more information: www.soundsofsumatanga.org

 

 

Evangelism Workshop with Bob Pierson

April 21-22, 2012
Gadsden First UMC
115 South 5th Street
Gadsden,AL 35901
Coordinator: Tammy Jackson
Coordinator Email: tammy@fumcgadsden.org
(256) 543-8200

Gadsden First UMC will be hosting Bob Pierson of Leadership Nexus for a workable evangelism workshop on Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22. On Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., he will focus on motivating people to share their faith story and inviting them into both a relationship with Jesus Christ and into the life of the local church. He will help develop workable strategies to do just that. Participants will be motivated, trained and have a plan to go "tell their faith story" to others.

The cost is $40 and includes lunch. A discounted block of rooms will be reserved at the Hampton Inn for anyone needing overnight accommodations.

Register at www.fumcgadsden.org .

 

 

2012 Church Music Workshop

May 5, 2012
Start Time 8:00am
End Time 1:00pm
Pell City First UMC
2200 3rd Ave. N.
Pell City,AL 35125
Coordinator: Christopher Henley
Coordinator Email: chrishenleyorganist@yahoo.com
(256) 375-4150


Individual Registration: $25

Session One - 9:00 to 9:45
Group A: Dr. Faythe Freese - Organ
Group B: Rev. Minnie Stovall - The Great Thanksgiving in Song

Session Two - 10:00 to 10:45
Group A: Rev. Wade Langer - Contemporary Worship Seminar
Group B: Rev. Ava Rozelle - Spiritual Development

Session Three - 11:00 to 11:45
Group A: Jennie Wall - Choral Reading / Choral Technique
Group B: Rev. Steve West - Heritage of the United Methodist Hymnal

Closing: Rev. Sherill Clontz - Communion Service in the Sanctuary

 

Conference Calendar

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

 

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.