Cabinet Recap February 2020

The Western North Carolina Extended Cabinet met on February 3 at the Conference Center. During their time together, the group centered around collaborative efforts among district superintendents, conference staff and representatives from the United Methodist Foundation and the Board of Laity and how leadership can work together to strengthen the conference. 
 
Resourcing and supporting clergy and laity across the conference was a key focus across many ministry areas. Leadership Development, the Conference Treasurer and the United Methodist Foundation shared about their efforts to create a continuum of clergy financial literacy, from orientation to ministry through retirement, with touchpoints along the journey. One such touchpoint is a new Foundation offering for mid-career clergy called CheckPoint coming this year. 
 
The Board of Laity continues to encourage communication and collaboration between clergy and laity in our local churches. The Connectional Table and Missional Engagement shared updates on spiritual formation for youth and advised of changes to how UMCOR requests aid in disasters. Fresh Expressions are still going strong in our conference with 115 dinner churches and 200+ Fresh Expressions. A new focus for the Church Vitality team is creating a culture of launching new worship services. In addition, 13 churches are going through the Transformation Journey process, receiving recommendations and guidance to help their congregation thrive. The Church Transformation Journey is a three-year process of discovery for local churches where they will prayerfully engage with scripture, identify milestones that God is calling the church to achieve to fulfill God’s vision for the church, and then partner with a Navigator and Guides, to embark on a journey of living into God’s calling for their church and their role in transforming the world. 
 
The appointive cabinet continued to meet the rest of the week in preparation for the making of missional appointments in the coming months.