Annual Conference 2023

The Latest Edition of E-News - Hybrid Worship Webinar with Jason Moore, WNCC Second Sunday of Easter Worship, Save Money with HealthPERX, and more

March 10, 2021

E-News - March 10, 2021

E-News is an email newsletter sent out by the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. It contains important news, stories, and events from around our conference. Submit articles for the next e-news. Submit events.

NEWS

Both/And Worship: Maximizing Hybrid Worship Experiences for Online and In-Person Audiences - This Sunday, March 14, 2 p.m.
Join us this Sunday for Both/And: Maximizing Hybrid Worship Experiences For Online and In-Person Audiences.  The Western North Carolina Conference Office of Church Development is making this opportunity available at no cost to you!  This two-and-a-half hour workshop will delve into strategies for how to create powerful, transformative worship where no one feels like they're an afterthought. Registration is required. Learn more and register today.
WNCC Easter Service

On the Sunday after Easter, the Western NC Conference will offer a conference-wide virtual worship led by our District Superintendents, with music and liturgy from pastors and churches around our conference, and a homily from Bishop Leeland. Clergy and worship leaders, take a much-needed break after the Lenten season and worship with friends around the conference.
Save money by activating your healthPERX/MDLIVE benefit today!

When you activate your healthPERX/MDLIVE benefits - now through April 30th - the Western NC Conference will send you a $25 gift card. Telemedicine with MD LIVE offers you 24/7 access to board certified physicians with NO COST consultations, no waiting rooms, no bills, and this benefit extends to your spouse and children, even if they are not on the conference health plan! The average family of 4 can save more than $1,100 a year! Learn more and register today.
United Methodist Seminary Fair

Are you a United Methodist who is applying to seminary? Are you interested in vocational ministry or further study in theology or religion? Register for this (FREE) virtual seminary fair with each of the 13 United Methodist theological schools. The event will take place via Zoom on Thursday, March 25th at 3 p.m.
Means of Grace: Mental Health Conversations with Jay Cobb of Sanctuary Counseling Group

In this week’s episode of the Means of Grace podcast, Brian Mateer has a conversation with Jay Cobb, the Executive Director of Sanctuary Counseling Group. SCG is dedicated to the healing of heart, mind, and soul, providing excellent emotional, spiritual, and relational health care to all people of the Carolinas. Listen to this meaningful conversation at wnccumc.org/meansofgrace or wherever you get your podcasts!
Bishop Leeland Announces Rev. Dr. Bill White as Director of Equity and Justice Ministries
Rev. Dr. William (Bill) M. White, Jr. has been hired and appointed as the Director of Equity and Justice Ministries of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, effective April 1, 2021. The Director of Equity and Justice Ministries will direct our Conference strategic efforts in diversity, equity, inclusion and advocacy and help implement these practices in all areas of Conference and local church ministry.
 
New Documentary About Haywood Street Fresco Launches “Host A Screening” Campaign

At the intersection of faith and art, a new documentary called "Theirs Is The Kingdom" follows the rare creation of a fresco mural painted inside the sanctuary of the Haywood Street Congregation UMC in Asheville, NC. The film team is launching a “Host A Screening” campaign to bring the story to communities and congregations around Western North Carolina. They’ve also created a virtual screening kit that includes all the tools necessary to host a successful event.
 
 
Hood Theological Seminary Center for Chaplaincy March 2021 Didactic
The Center For Chaplaincy at Hood Theological Seminary, Salisbury, North Carolina, presents via online gatherings: “Keeping It Real: Mental Health In the Church and Community During the Season of Pandemic and Beyond.” This upcoming online gathering will take place March 30, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.  2 CEUs will be offered for the session. This didactic will be titled Sacred Reciprocity: How Chaplains and Clergy Care for Themselves and Others During a Pandemic and Beyond. 

The event is being hosted online via Zoom. There is no registration fee; however, please complete the registration on eventbrite by clicking on the link above in order to receive the Zoom Link and your CEU certificate.? Please note, the deadline to register is March 29, 2021.
 
 

Racial Healing and the Gospel of Reconciliation
Rooted in 2 Corinthians 5:16-20, this workshop will teach reconciliation as spirituality, highlighting biblical examples of reconciliation and our call to be ministers of reconciliation as followers of Christ. With this theological foundation, participants will learn practical strategies for the Church to live out our role in the reconciliation process.

Two sessions remain - Tuesday, March 16 and Saturday, April 24, both will be held from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Please note, the April session will be held on a Saturday to accommodate those who cannot participate during the week. Registration is required and spaces are limited.
 
           

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Update to COVID-19 Guidelines for In-Person Worship & Ministry
In February, Governor Cooper issued an easing of COVID-19 restrictions. The Bishop and Cabinet remain committed to our biblical mandate to “love our neighbors as ourselves” and our Wesleyan call to “Do no harm. Do all the good we can. Follow the ordinances (stay in love) with God.” Using Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No. 195 as a guide, the Bishop and Cabinet make these updates to the WNCC COVID-19 guidelines.
 
Bishops call Special Session of General Conference, issue timeline forward
In response to the further postponement of the 2020 General Conference, the Council of Bishops (COB) is calling a Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be convened online on May 8, 2021.
Click here to read the press release from the Commission on the General Conference regarding the further postponement of the 2020 General Conference. 

General Conference 2020 FAQs prepared by the SEJ College of Bishops.
 

Apply for Scholarship Funds Today!
Scholarship funding is available through the United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina! The deadline to apply for Dollars for Scholars scholarships has been extended through March 19, 2021 for scholarships to help fund the 2021-2022 academic year.
 
Recognition of Anniversary Churches
As has been the practice for some years, the WNC Conference Commission on Archives and History will recognize all churches celebrating their 100th, 150th, and 200th anniversaries in 2021.  If your congregation is celebrating one of these anniversaries this year, please contact Jim Pyatt, Archivist, at jpyatt@wnccumc.org by April 1, so that your church will be included in this year’s recognitions.
 

UPCOMING WEBINARS & EVENTS:

WNCC UMM presents an eight-week study on The Class Meeting
Sunday, March 14, 3 p.m.
The WNCC United Methodist Men invite you to join them as they study Kevin Watson's The Class Meeting. Beginning Sunday, March 14 at 3 p.m., Dick Strachan, an experienced presenter of this course, will lead us through an eight-week study of this book via Zoom meetings.
 

Free Continuing Education Event for United Methodists
Tuesday, March 16, 1 p.m.
Join Union Presbyterian Seminary for a continuing education event specifically designed for and offered to United Methodists.
 

WNCC Christians Engaged in Faith Formation (CEF)
Thursday, March 25, 10 a.m.- 12p.m.
We are excited to begin our work on intentionally connecting people who are leaders in faith formation, especially during our current times.  Be on the lookout for more information that is forthcoming.

 

 
Director of Communications: Melissa McGill

Communications Ministry Assistant: Aimee Yeager