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Celebrating Women's History Month in the WNCC: Bishop Charlene Kammerer
Did you know Bishop Charlene P. Kammerer is the first (and to date, the only) woman to serve as Bishop of the Western North Carolina Conference, serving as our Bishop from 1996-2004? In this short bio, Jim Pyatt, Conference Archivist & Historian, tells the story of Bishop Kammerer and the impact she had on the Western North Carolina Conference and greater United Methodist Church. |
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Annual Conference Updates
We are now accepting petitions for consideration by the 2022 Western North Carolina Annual Conference lay and clergy members. Petitions should be submitted by April 1, 2022 to Rev. Kim Ingram, Conference Secretary, at kingram@wnccumc.org. The Petitions Committee will meet in April to review the petitions and they will be published in the Program and Reports book prior to the Annual Conference meeting. Petitions should be formatted similar to petitions found here: 2019journal.vol1.ix.pdf (wnccumc.org).
Registration for displays at Annual Conference is also now open. Displays connect conference members to groups and organizations that have information to share about their ministry. If you would like to connect with conference members at Annual Conference this year, please visit 2022 Annual Conference Displays to register today! The deadline to register is Friday, April 15.
The registration form for housing at Lake Junaluska is now available and will remain open until March 18.
Please remember, WNC clergy who are in full connection, provisional members, associate members, and local pastors are required to attend the Western North Carolina Annual Conference meeting, June 16-19, 2022. If you are not able to attend in person, please request an excused absence. You can make that request at this link. Clergy who are retired or are on leave of absence are automatically excused if they are not able to attend. Thank you for your faithful ministry and leadership in the conference and the kingdom.
Keep up with the latest news and resources for Annual Conference 2022 at https://www.wnccumc.org/ac2022.
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Bishop Carter Issues a Call for Prayers & Peacemaking
Bishop Carter calls United Methodists in Florida and Western North Carolina to prayers for peace in the Ukraine and across Europe.
United Methodists and others wishing to provide humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people in the wake of the Russian invasion of their country may contribute to Advance #982450, UMCOR International Disaster Response and Recovery. This fund will provide direct assistance to those in Ukraine as well as assistance to Ukrainians fleeing to neighboring countries. Learn more about donating through UMCOR here. |
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March Mission Engagement Blog: As You Go
"A few years ago, I was at a work event with my husband and one of his coworkers asked to talk with me privately. Not knowing what to expect, I followed him to a spot nearby that was a little more secluded from the busyness of the event. As we stood there in that space, I stood in awe of God’s goodness and grace."
Rev. Kris Mares reminds us of the importance of going with the grace and love of God as we go about our day-to-day lives.
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Spots are still available for the 2022 Sabbath Life Cohort
Sabbath Life is an invitation to clergy and ministry professionals to practice the rhythms of Sabbath, stepping away from our daily lives to delight in God, creation, and each other. Work in the garden, worship, a delicious farm-to-table lunch, shared silence, and reflection time provide a rhythm for the day. |
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OTHER NEWS
- The 2022 drop-off dates and locations for Project AGAPE Christmas boxes have been announced. Find all the information on Project AGAPE and the Christmas box mission project here.
- The Bishop and Cabinet continue to be extremely grateful for all the many ways that you have led faithfully through these two years of the pandemic. We thank you for being the church. As we share these new recommendations, we do so asking that we all continue in the spirit of Philippians 2, “thinking more highly of others than ourselves."
- In the latest episode of the Means of Grace podcast, Kim and Jesse speak with three United Methodist seminary students who are in the candidacy process in the Western North Carolina Conference. They discuss the United Methodists who have impacted their faith journey, the incredible power of seminary education and community, and their hopes for the future of the United Methodist Church.
- The WNCC Creation Care Ministry Team announces the official launch of the Green Church Initiative (GCI), which is now available online to all churches at https://www.wnccumc.org/wncc-creation-care-ministry. Although caring for God’s creation should never be just another list of things to do, many local churches have expressed difficulty envisioning ways they can incorporate more creation-caring activities into the life of their congregations. The GCI is a great tool that can help churches move forward with their planning, and then reward and recognize their efforts and achievements once they do!
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UPCOMING WEBINARS & EVENTS:
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Weekend Grief Retreat hosted by Faith & Grief
March 18-20, 2022
Join us at Montreat Conference Center in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. We are offering this weekend retreat for those who are grieving the death of a loved one. Led by the Faith & Grief team of grief support educators, who have experienced their own grief journey, this weekend retreat provides you with a safe venue to explore the dynamics of your grief.
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Earth, Our Original Monastery
Saturday, March 19, 2022
Join Starrette Farms as we will explore how living contemplatively in rhythm with our natural world makes us more receptive and aware of the presence of our Creator in every aspect of our life. Sign up now for the next retreat day, |
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IgniteUS: Youth Retreat
April 1-3, 2022
IgniteUS is a youth retreat for 6th-12th graders planned by our Conference Council on Youth Ministry. We will have worship led by the Praise Team of First UMC Newton, and our speaker is the amazing Jennifer Bingham Hampton (Camp Director of Tekoa Foothills). Cost is $140. Register by March 15th! |
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