Financial and Administrative Resources

We scanned the internet for resources that will be of interest and value to you and your ministries. This week's roundup includes "What to Consider Before Regathering Face-to-Face", Advent books and social media graphics, and creative ways to safely celebrate Advent and Christmas during a pandemic.

Resourceful Communities and The Conservation Fund are working with Livingstone College to manage an application and selection process for COVID-related food relief. Because funds are limited, we are looking to help community and faith partners in rural communities that incurred COVID-related food relief expenses between March 1, 2020 to November 12, 2020; and can submit documentation of expenses, including proof of payment. Resourceful Communities will offer two informational webinars on November 19 (at 12 noon and 6 pm).  You can find details on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/resourcefulcommunities), and they will also record and post the presentations their website (link in full article). Online applications will be due Wednesday, December 2, 2020 by 11:59 p.m.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continued and more churches shifted to or increased their digital ministry, United Methodist Communications began developing a series of Local Church Learning Sessions. All have been developed specifically to support local United Methodist churches during this extraordinary time. New sessions will be added here as they are produced..

The Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program is a new statewide initiative that may provide rent and utility assistance to eligible low- and moderate-income renters experiencing financial hardship due to the economic effects of COVID-19. The new program will help prevent evictions and utility disconnections in order to promote housing stability during the ongoing pandemic.

We scanned the internet for resources that will be of interest and value to you and your ministries. This week's roundup includes: Pandemic-proof ways to celebrate Pastor Appreciation Sunday, ideas for building and maintaining relationships with virtual worshippers, resources for Advent planning & marketing, and more.

As faithful disciples of Jesus Christ in the midst of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain committed to our Biblical mandate to "love our neighbors as ourselves" and our Wesleyan call to “do no harm.” In doing so, we seek ways to engage faithfully in worship, study, and ministry while ensuring the health and safety of our members and communities. We advise that all churches continue following CDC, state and local guidelines for indoor and outdoor gatherings, including handwashing, wearing masks, and observing physical distancing rules and group size limits.

As faithful disciples of Jesus Christ in the midst of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain committed to our Biblical mandate to "love our neighbors as ourselves" and our Wesleyan call to “do no harm.” In doing so, we seek ways to engage faithfully in worship, study, and ministry while ensuring the health and safety of our members and communities. We advise that all churches continue following CDC, state and local guidelines for indoor and outdoor gatherings, including handwashing, wearing masks, and observing physical distancing rules and group size limits.

Charge Conference "season" is again upon us and just like last year, we will submit all forms completely online. This year we have worked hard to make it even easier to submit your Charge Conference forms digitally. Below are some key points, reminders, and new additions to help guide you this year technically. Please remember that the clergy compensation and church leaders will need to be submitted through your church/clergy dashboard while charge conference forms are submitted under "Submittable Forms" in the Church Dashboard.

We want to hear how COVID-19 is affecting your congregation. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey to let us know how the Conference can best support you at this time.

We are entering that time of the year when (in the old normal) we would be getting into charge conference season— pulling together reports, planning potluck suppers, and considering how to arrange the tables in the fellowship hall. Odds are, this fall’s charge conference won’t look the way it has in previous years. In whatever form it takes, charge conference is as important as it has been in the past; and there are new concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Join us, on September 10 at 8 p.m. EST, as Ken Sloane (Director, Stewardship & Generosity) and his guest, Dr. Ed Phillips (Associate Professor of Worship, Candler School of Theology), discuss the past, present, and future of "the offering" in worship as the vehicle for funding ministry. They also mention some best practices for moving into the future.

In 2020, with the onset of Covid-19 and the recommendation not to hold inside worship, many churches have opted to provide services via live streaming. Because so many churches are switching to this digital ministry, questions have surfaced regarding virtual attendance and how to count those participants. Please read this guide on how to count live stream attendance for your Year End Reports. If you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. R. Mark King, Conference Statistician at mking@wnccumc.org or 704-535-2260.

The Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, is providing this guidance to address borrower and lender questions concerning forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, as provided for under section 1106 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), as amended by the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (Flexibility Act). Borrowers and lenders may rely on the guidance provided in this document as SBA’s interpretation, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, of the CARES Act, the Flexibility Act, and the Paycheck Protection Program Interim Final Rules (“PPP Interim Final Rules”).

"...in the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the world has only become more reliant on technology and an internet connection. Our schooling, our jobs, our health care, and our social lives have all been forced online—and those without access to affordable internet, devices, or the ability to use them are increasingly being left behind. COVID-19 is exposing the digital divide in North Carolina and its consequences for all of us. In response, IEI has partnered with the Broadband Infrastructure Office (BIO) at the NC Department of Information Technology to create a new grant program called “Building a New Digital Economy,” or BAND-NC."

Amidst heightened demand, the United Methodist Communications training team has launched a new set of online courses designed to assist those in leadership tasked with creating and maintaining engaging online worship experiences in a socially distanced world.

The Conference Board of Pensions and Health Benefits waiver for church payments of benefits ended June 30. With July, invoicing for Benefit premiums resumed. The only exception is for those churches with Payroll Protection loans that specifically requested delays of the waiver.

As faithful disciples of Jesus Christ in the midst of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain committed to our Biblical mandate to "love our neighbors as ourselves" and our Wesleyan call to “do no harm.” In doing so, we seek ways to engage faithfully in worship, study, and ministry while ensuring the health and safety of our members and communities. We do not recommend returning to indoor worship at this time. Continue hosting online, drive-in, or outdoor worship services while following CDC, state and local guidelines, including handwashing, wearing masks, and observing physical distancing rules.

On July 8th at 10 am EST, Shelby Systems will host a webinar over to help equip your church on how to launch successful online and text-to-give campaigns during uncertain times.

The United Methodist Credit Union can still help local churches with the Paycheck Protection Program.

The Payroll Protection Program has helped many of our churches in the Western North Carolina Conference.  We want to continue helping and providing guidance from our various and reputable sources.  There is much information floating around so please ensure the sources of where and what your church may obtain.