News

For now, we ask that prayers, gifts, flood buckets, health kits, school kits and plans for work teams continue. We are thankful for the connectional nature of our church!

Following Hurricanes Michael and Florence, here are ways you can respond. The Western North Carolina Conference Committee on Relief continues to monitor the damages and will provide updates on Conference response efforts.

We are in the process of transitioning our current WNCCAdmin website into a cloud-based, mobile-friendly, secure platform that will make it even easier for you to find and track the information you need. We expect this transition to be completed over the weekend of September 15, barring any weather-related delays in connectivity. Passwords for churches must be reset and your district office will be in touch with new login information early next week. We are working to keep clergy usernames and ...

FALL PREACHING COHORTS Preaching Well: Purposeful and Intentional Preaching  Led by Robert W. Brewer, Th.D. Begins September 25, 2018 This program is intended to support and encourage preachers to engage in self-reflection through peer mentoring and consultation in order to become more effective communicators of the gospel...   Preaching – To Bring the Bible to Life By Rev. Jan Brittain. Begins September 13, 2018 Powerful Biblical preaching helps people understand, claim and apply those ...

A little about Niner United: No matter your story, we welcome you. We follow the radically inclusive and loving Jesus. There’s a lot of voices you’ll hear in college. Cooperative Christian Ministry is Charlotte’s voice of hope. Our Mission is to help students discover abundant life in Jesus Christ (John 10:10) by equipping them (Ephesians 4:12) to live a life that matters (Ephesians 5:15). Cooperative Christian Ministry holds to the historic truths of the Christian faith as taught by the Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian and United Methodist Churches. Each Thursday we have a lunch and praise, that begins at 12:45 pm at UNC Charlotte and we are looking for church groups to help us provide one or more of those weekly lunches. Our Thursday lunch and praise has proved to be an incredible opportunity for us to reach new students and help our students connect with God and one another. We need groups to support our Fall 2018 or Spring 2019 lunches. There are two primary ways to do so: 1) Pick a Thursday from the calendar provided and cook and serve the entire meal for approximately 35 students. This is a great way to not only provide the meal but also meet our students. 2) You may sponsor a Thursday by sending us a donation of $140 so that we can order the food from a local restaurant or UNC Charlotte catering. We are estimating $4 per student. Representatives from your group are invited to eat with us on your selected day. Unless otherwise notified, we expect to feed 35 students each week. Providing a meal includes the meal itself, drinks and ice, and all the utensils necessary to eat. Because we use the UNC Charlotte Student Union, we do not have storage facilities to store paper products, serving utensils, etc. Groups who provide or sponsor the meal are encouraged to be with us for the lunch, to experience the program and meet our students. If you sponsor the meal, our student leaders will set-up the entire meal. Our student leaders will also help you unload your vehicles if you provide the meal. Here is the link to "sign up" for a date. http://www.campus-ministry.org/volunteer/?sheet_id=38. Feel free to check out the website to learn more about the ministry!

OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR CLERGY CONFERENCE BENEFITS CLOSES DECEMBER 1, 2018 FOR 2019.   The Conference Board of Pension and Health Benefits upon recommendation from the Health Benefits Subcommittee of the Board has approved the 2019 rate schedule for our Conference Active and Retiree Health Plans.   The board works very diligently in its responsibility to care for the clergy and their families of our conference.  It also considers the impact that premiums and charges to the local churches makes.  ...

Welcome to the new Administration section of our conference website! We have been working hard to convert our old admin site into a cloud-based, mobile-friendly, and secure platform that makes administrative tasks easier, so you can get back to focusing on ministry. You will notice that our admin site is now managed within our main website, so no more having to worry about which site to go to for what, everything is found under one domain. To the left (or bottom for mobile), you will find a ...

The Bishop and the Extended Cabinet met at the new Conference Center facility in Huntersville on August 27-29 to strengthen the alignment around and to act on our vision to make available tools which strengthen ministry within the Western North Carolina Conference. We believe that every congregation can live into the mission of making disciples for the transformation of the world. Every congregation can be invitational and missional. Members of the Cabinet are working together to find adaptive solutions to the challenges facing churches in our conference and around the connection.

  E-News - August 29 E-News is a bi-weekly 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. Articles for the next e-news can be submitted here. NEWS Preaching Cohorts Offered by Leadership Development Check out the many upcoming Preaching Cohorts being offered this Fall by the Leadership Development team...more Congratulations ...

Congratulations to Rimes McElveen, Stephen Cheyney, and Dawn Livingston for being 2018 grant recipients from our Conference for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry Young Clergy Initiative. These grants are awarded annually to programs focused on increasing the number of young clergy in The United Methodist Church by helping young people listen for, discern and respond to God’s call to ordained ministry.   LINK: https://www.gbhem.org/article/grants-awarded-21-projects-aimed-increas...

The East Buncombe Missional Network is sponsoring a Marriage Encounter "Restore, Renew, Rekindle" experience.  This is a six-week study to help couples with good marriages achieve great marriages.  Marriage Encounter United Methodist is an affiliate of the General Board of Discipleship.   The study will be on six consecutive Sundays from September 9th through October 14th from 2:00--5:30 p.m. at Groce United Methodist Church in Asheville (957 Tunnel Road).  It will be led by Mike and Delaine ...

INVE$T YC is our way of bringing together WNCC’s young clergy (under 40) for a chance to learn and grow, in regards to personal and church finances.  This program promotes financial health and personal practices.  It is designed to help you be proactive instead of reactive.  This may prove to be especially helpful to a new, young pastor expected to 'manage the books' at a small church, or one who doesn't have a background in finance. Knowing many clergy enter ministry with significant debt, we ...

Powerful Biblical preaching helps people understand, claim and apply those directions in ways that are relevant to their everyday living. The goal of this peer learning experience is to grow and help one another grow in our ability to preach Bible-based, Spirit-empowered, prayer drenched, RELEVANT sermons. For more information, click here.

This program is intended to support and encourage preachers to engage in self-reflection through peer mentoring and consultation in order to become more effective communicators of the gospel. For more information, click here. 

September 24-25, 2018 Registration starts at 1pm on Monday and concludes 12pm on Tuesday. Price: $75 Single & $95 Couples. Food: Dinner will be provided on Monday. Breakfast will be provided on Tuesday. Lodging: Overnight lodging will be provided at the Comfort Suites Hotel in Huntersville. Limited spaces available. WHERE Western North Carolina Conference of the UMC 13924 Professional Center Dr Suite 200 Huntersville, NC 28070 View map → WHEN Monday, September 24, 2018 at 1:00 PM to ...

Volunteer for the efforts to support the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico (MCPR), as they work to rebuild after Hurricane Maria. The purpose of this mission trip is to work with the Puerto Rico Methodist Church for relationship development through the rebuilding of homes and churches. We will seek to offer ourselves sacrificially under the direction of UMVIM and the local church. The next trip dates are TBD and will be announced here. Click here to read the General Guidelines for a Puerto Rico...

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — The Lake Junaluska Associates have named the Rev. Delmas Copeland as the 2018 Chief Junaluska Award recipient. The Chief Junaluska Award is given each year to one outstanding member of the Associates based on service, community involvement and financial support. The Associates presented Copeland with the award during Associates Weekend, August 3-5.  Copeland served as a pastor and district superintendent for the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church. Friends ...

  E-News - July 31 E-News is a bi-weekly 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. Articles for the next e-news can be submitted here. NEWS Melissa McGill to Serve as Director of Communications Please join us in welcoming the newest member to the Western North Carolina Conference staff, Melissa McGill, in the role of Director of Communications, ...

Opening Worship Sermon - Friday - Bishop Steiner Ball Preaching Ordination Service - Bishop Alfred Gwinn Jr Preaching Commissioning Service - Bishop Alfred Gwinn Jr Preaching   Retiring Clergy Service  Celebration of Life Service   Closing Worship - Sunday - Bishop Leeland Preaching Remarks on "A Commission on a Way Forward" - Bishop Ken Carter    

Source: https://today.duke.edu/2018/08/elaine-heath-steps-down-divinity-school-dean-greg-jones-lead-school  Elaine Heath, who has served as dean of Duke Divinity School since 2016, is stepping down from that position today, Provost Sally Kornbluth announced this morning in a message to Divinity School faculty and staff. Heath will remain on the Divinity School faculty as a professor of missional and pastoral theology. “President Price and I are grateful to Elaine for her leadership over the ...

Please join us in welcoming the newest member to the Western North Carolina Conference staff, Melissa McGill, in the role of Director of Communications, effective August 20th.    Melissa received her undergraduate degree from Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC, and a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication from the University of South Carolina, School of Journalism and Mass Communications.    Melissa’s most recent role as Assistant Director of Communications for Myers Park United Methodist Church ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The final report of the Commission on a Way Forward has been released in English, French, Portuguese and Swahili; all four official languages of the General Conference.  The report will be presented to the 2019 Special Session of General Conference. Subject to final copy editing, the report will be printed in the Advance Daily Christian Advocate (ADCA) in November. Here is a statement from the moderators of the Commission and the President of the Council of Bishops on the ...

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 19, 2018 – The Office of Loans and Scholarships at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) announced an increase in the maximum amount United Methodist students can borrow to pursue their education. Students can now borrow up to $10,000 per calendar year (January through December) with a lifetime maximum of $40,000 from the United Methodist Student Loan Fund.   Previously students were allotted $5,000 per calendar year with a maximum lifetime total of ...

  E-News - July 17 E-News is a bi-weekly 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. Articles for the next e-news can be submitted here. NEWS Bishops seek declaratory decisions on three plans submitted to General Conference WASHINGTON –  The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is asking the Judicial Council for declaratory decisions on the ...

Salisbury, NC - Dr. Ashley Dreff and Rev. Thomas Grinter have been accepted to the 14th Oxford Institute of Methodist Theological Studies to be held August 12-19 at Pembroke College of Oxford University in Oxford, England. This important gathering of top professionals in the field is held once every five years and is sponsored by the British Methodist Church and the World Methodist Council. Dreff is assigned to the working group on Methodist History and Grinter to the Biblical Studies working ...

WASHINGTON –  The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is asking the Judicial Council for declaratory decisions on the constitutionality of the petitions submitted by the Commission on a Way Forward to the 2019 Special Session of General Conference. In an electronic vote on July 7, 2018, the bishops agreed to seek a ruling from the highest court in the denomination on whether proposed legislationsknown as the One Church Plan, the Connectional Conference Plan, and the TraditionalPlan...

Check out the latest newsletter of the E-Readers Project, which featured members of the Uwharrie District. Click here to read more. "With this newsletter, we welcome a new school to the E-Reader Project—the Bishop Wenner School of Theology in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Julu Swen recently visited the school and led a training on using the e-readers for all the students. This particular group of e-readers were made possible by donors in the Uwharrie District of the Western North Carolina Conference,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. _ The Council of Bishops (COB) has amended its call for the Special Session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be held February 23-26, 2019 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, in response to Judicial Council Decision 1360, which was handed down on May 25, 2018. The amended call issued by COB President Kenneth H. Carter notes that “The purpose of this Special Session of the General Conference shall be limited to receiving and acting upon a report from the ...

E-News - July 3 E-News is a bi-weekly 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. Articles for the next e-news can be submitted here. NEWS Anam Cara: Training in Missional Spiritual Direction Anam Cara is a two-year missional spiritual direction training program that, along with traditional preparation for one-on-one spiritual direction. moves ...

Anam Cara is a two-year missional spiritual direction training program that, along with traditional preparation for one-on-one spiritual direction. moves participants toward a posture of spiritual direction within the wider context of the neighborhood of one’s work, travel, and life in community. The name Anam Caracomes from the ancient Celtic tradition, meaning “soul friend,” one who walks alongside. Soul friends, or spiritual companions, have long listened and discerned how the Holy Spirit is ...

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — Award-winning author and renowned public speaker Carol Howard Merritt will preach at Lake Junaluska on Sunday, July 8. The service starts with a prelude at 10:45 a.m. in Stuart Auditorium. The service is part of the Summer Worship Series at Lake Junaluska, which brings in internationally known preachers each Sunday during the summer.  Howard Merritt will draw on her personal experiences, as well as her professional experiences. Her latest book, Healing Spiritual Wounds: ...

Have you noticed a call to ministry in a member of your congregation? Perhaps, you feel God's calling? The WNCCUMC wants you to know there are pathways available to equip laity with the resources they need to serve in Lay Servant Ministries. With different tracks for Certified Lay Servants, Certified Lay Speakers, and Certified Lay Ministers, there are opportunities to provide just the right level of training for each person's calling. Lay Servant Ministries give laity an opportunity to serve in...

            On Tuesday, June 26, the Conference Staff recognized Dr. Nancy Andersen as she transitions into retirement.  Nancy joined the WNC Conference Staff as Archivist in January of 1999 and has served faithfully in this capacity ever since, making her one of the longest tenured members of the WNC Conference Staff at the present time.             Dr. Andersen received her B. A. from Duke University, her Master’s Degree from Memphis Theological Seminary, and her Ph. D. in Church History from...

As the WNC Conference offices move to a new office building in Huntersville, the WNC Conference Archives will move to the G. A. Pfeiffer Library at Pfeiffer University, Misenheimer, NC.  The present schedule has the Conference Archives moving at the end of July and the beginning of August.  Because all everything that needs to happen to prepare for the move, the Archives will not be able to process any research requests until the move is completed in mid-August.  During this transitional period ...

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — A free worship service led by the Lake Junaluska Singers and the Lake Junaluska Singers Alumni Association will take place on Saturday, July 7 at 10 a.m. in Memorial Chapel to honor the legacy of former Lake Junaluska Singers Director Glenn Draper. Draper is celebrating his 90th birthday this year. Draper led the Lake Junaluska Singers, Lake Junaluska’s prestigious residential choir, from 1956 to 2009. During that time, he grew the chorus from a quartet to a 16-voice ...

Check out the video here. Meds & Food for Kids is a social enterprise dedicated to saving the lives of malnourished children in Haiti. Please help MFK: https://mfkhaiti.org/contribute/

Annual Conference Daily News Monday, June 25, 2018 Whats New: Bishop Leeland's Sunday Sermon Transcript Saturday Ordination Service Pictures Sunday Worship Service Pictures 2018 Appointment List Miss Something? Bishop Carter's Remarks on "A Way Forward" All photos taken by our volunteers can be found here. Did you get some good photos at Annual Conference? Submit them here and click the ! All sermon transcripts and other news can be found here. Check out the videos from Annual ...

Annual Conference Daily News Saturday, June 23, 2018 NEWS STORIES FROM THURSDAY AND FRIDAY Laity Address by Tom Bridges Opening Worship Notes Bishop Steiner Ball- Sermon at Opening Worship Photos from Emory 5K Worship Book Available Online Annual Conference preparation at full steam MEDIA FROM THURSDAY AND FRIDAY Videos Opening Video from Opening Worship Opening Worship- 1968 Merger Video 2018 Retirement Video Fresh Expressions Video (Church Vitality Report) UMM- Amending Through Faith ...

Annual Conference Daily News Sunday, June 24, 2018 NEWS STORIES FROM SATURDAY Bishop Gwinn's Ordination Sermon Bishop Carter's Address on "A Way Forward" Jan Brittain's Sermon for Celebration of Life Service Saturday Morning Business Bishop Gwinn's Sermon from Friday Night MEDIA FROM SATURDAY Bishop Carter's Remarks on "A Way Forward" Videos Lay Servant Ministries Training Neighboring Well with Laura Birch Media and Food for Kids See All the People- Harambee 2017 Fresh Expressions ...

Creating good stewards of God’s financial resources Application Deadline August 30, 2018 The Clergy Debt Reduction Loan Team is promoting its first loan offering this year!   Loans will be offered at 1.5% interest for a period not to exceed 15 years in an effort to relieve clergy of paralyzing debt that can result in physical, emotional, and spiritual burden.  Active clergy in good standing, physically residing within the geographical boundaries of, and serving at least ½ compensation time to ...

Clergywomen’s Breakfast  June 22, 2018  Lake Junaluska, NC  Dr. Nancy B. Rankin  (Hi Nancy,  I hope you are having a great week!  I’m sure your schedule is full of many things yet to be done, though I imagine you (and Terry!) must be very excited for your upcoming retirement!   During our Women In Ministry Breakfast (Friday, June 22), I would love for you to offer us some of your thoughts, insights, wisdom, etc... with the women gathered.  In light of your ministry and experiences, the influence...

A Shocking Violation of the spirit of the Gospel In recent weeks, we have watched with horror at the implementation of policies from the Department of Justice regarding the treatment of people migrating to the United States. Read Statement from Church and Society Revising the Social Principles 2020 As we revise the Social Principles, we are calling for United Methodists to weigh in on the content. Share your voice and concerns | Download Dialogue Guide MARCHA 2018  August 2-5, 2018 Charlotte NC ...

  Transcript The scripture lesson is from Paul's letter to the ‑‑ we always thank God our father the Lord Jesus Christ, he is the visible image of the invisible God.  The firstborn of all creation for in him all things were created in heaven and Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, principalities, all things were created through him and for him.  He is before all things and in him all things hold together.  He is the head of the body of the church, he is the beginning, ...

This is from a rough transcription provided by Loveeta Baker, Realtime Captioner.  The DNA of Your Calling You know, I said and I meant it, last evening, to many of you who may be here tonight again, some of you were not here last evening.  I am humbled by this.  I found myself Bishop Leeland, the more you spoke, the more I scooted down in my chair, thinking oh my, I have to come up after this and stand in the pulpit.  But I am deeply grateful.  I said also to the crowd last evening, you ...

Remarks on "A Commission on a Way Forward" Bishop Ken Carter | Annual Conference 2018   Questions/Thoughts/Concerns? You can provide those anonymously here   Transcript This is from a rough transcription provided by Loveeta Baker, Realtime Captioner.  BISHOP LEELAND:  For those who are visiting or coming to the Annual Conference for the first time, you have not had the privilege of meeting Bishop Ken Carter, Bishop Carter was a member of this conference at the time of his election, a ...

This is from a rough transcription provided by Loveeta Baker, Realtime Captioner.  Altars of Faithfulness Sometimes when I step into a pulpit I cannot honestly make this statement to the people seated before me, I know exactly what it's like to be where you are.  But today, I can.  Just 20 days ago I met my father and my brother in Greenville for the SC Annual Conference.  To attend the memorial service where my mother, along with countless other faithful servants would be remembered and ...

The morning session began with an Order of Morning Prayer led by the youth of the conference. Following the brief service, the Annual Meeting  of the Membership of the United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina was convened by Tom Jordan and David Snipes.  They presented their glowing report of a year of growth for the foundation, and presented the conference with a check of $30,000 dollars to assist with the Bishop's Leadership Initiative. 2018 UM Foundation Presentation from The...

This is from a rough transcription provided by Loveeta Baker, Realtime Captioner.  Anywhere But Nineveh You know I was a little nervous, but now I am trembling.  Bishop Leeland, thank you so much.  I am humbled, I always strive to live up to some of those attributes that Bishop Leeland was talking about.  We know that who we are is the result of God at work in our lives.  That's who we really are as his sons and daughters.  The wonderful thought tonight for all of us is he loves each of us ...

This is from a rough transcription provided by Loveeta Baker, Realtime Captioner.  Good afternoon.  I am Tom Bridges, the Yadkin valley district lay leader and the member of ‑‑ in Kernersville. Last November I was in Gastonia with a group, including Bishop Leeland, several from the cabinet and the Board of Laity, who were exploring ways to have the laity of Western North Carolina Conference 1* # become more engaged in ministry.  Towards the end of the meeting we were talking about the laity ...

Opening Worship at Annual Conference kicked off at 10:30 AM at Stuart Auditorium at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. You can check out the service order on pp. 2-6 in the 2018 Worship Book. The service was opened with a video: Following the Call to Worship and the Processional Hymn, we were reminded that this is the 50th Anniversary of The United Methodist Church: Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball offered her sermon- "Go and Teach" using the texts Matthew 28:16-20 and 1 Timothy ...