News

If you’re thinking about starting a podcast to better connect with your congregation or ministry colleagues, our Podcasting Seminar taught by local podcasting professional Andy Goh will help you get started on the right foot. Over the course of this two day seminar, you’ll get all the information you need to understand the medium, see how it works, and start to use it to create your own conversations.

The Western North Carolina Conference Cabinet met October 23-24 in Huntersville. After a reminder in our opening devotion of the clearing that comes after the fog and our choice in all matters of faith or fear, the Cabinet spent time discussing the importance of consultation with clergy and pastor/staff-parish relations committees in preparation for appointment-making early next spring.

The Ebony Bishops of The United Methodists Church (African-American bishops serving in the United States) have called on the denomination to include African-American clergy and laity in the ongoing discussions on the future of the church, as they provide the unique voice of hope for the future, not only for the Black church, but also for the unity of the entire denomination.

tldr version: Don't open an email from any WNCC Conference Staff or Clergy unless it is from an email ending in @wnccumc.org or @wnccumc.net. If you get one, report it as SPAM - Phishing Email and delete it promptly. What is Phishing/Spoofing Phishing email attacks are on the rise. A phishing email is an email you receive from someone pretending to be someone else (pretending to be the Bishop or the Senior Pastor), asking for something in return. The most common example of this is an email ...

Please remember about paperwork/forms that need to be completed before the December 1, 2019 deadline.  Conference Flexible Spending (FSA) Plan If you are electing to participate in the Conference Flexible Spending (FSA) plan, you must complete the Flexible Benefit Election Form for 2020. Just indicating an amount on your Clergy Compensation Report for 2020 is only part of the process. In order to finish the process, you must complete the Election Form, and sending to Treasury Services. As of ...

Have you ever been to South Korea? You are cordially invited to a Pilgrimage to South Korea for Spiritual Renewal with very reasonable cost in March 4 - 12, 2020. A Methodist Church in South Korea will host a pilgrimage for WNCC pastors. This spiritual pilgrimage will be a turning point in your relationship with God and church leadership for your future ministry. Registration applications has been extended to Nov. 5, and the total group will be 30 clergy from WNCC. If you have questions on the pilgrimage, please contact Rev. Dr. Jae Lee at jlee@wnccumc.net.

In the second episode of the Means of Grace podcast, Kim Ingram and Jesse Enniss have a conversation with Rev. Lory Beth Huffman, Rev. Mark Key and Rev. Chris Westmoreland on adaptive leadership.  Each of these leaders has guided congregations of various sizes and contexts. They share their experiences and learnings so that other leaders might connect and grow. They are also talk about a program they will facilitate early in 2020 called ADAPT: Leading Off the Map. Find us wherever you get your ...

World Cafe is a flexible and effective model for hosting crucial conversations leading to action with groups of all sizes on varying topics and issues - from strategic planning to engaging groups in civil discourse around polarizing topics. The workshop will provide an overview of the World Cafe model, including the seven design principles, as well as practical suggestions on hosting a World Cafe in your church or community.

Means of Grace, a podcast from the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, equips church leaders through expertise and examples

NASHVILLE, Tenn.––The Strength for Service Board of Directors elected the Rev. Angela Pleasants and the Rev. Richard Hartman to three-year terms on the governing board.  The board is responsible for raising the funds for books of daily devotions for members of the U.S. Armed Services and first responders, such as police officers, fire fighters and EMS workers.  The first book, Strength for Service to God and Country, was first published in 1942 shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The book ...

World Cafe is a flexible and effective model for hosting crucial conversations leading to action with groups of all sizes on varying topics and issues - from strategic planning to engaging groups in civil discourse around polarizing topics. The workshop will provide an overview of the World Cafe model, including the seven design principles, as well as practical suggestions on hosting a World Cafe in your church or community.

See how Congregations for Children (C4C) is working in Swain County.

E-News - September 18 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. Submit articles for the next e-news. Submit events. NEWS   Spiritual Renewal Grant for WNC Clergy and Lay Ministry Professionals The Leadership Development Team wants to help foster your own spiritual growth, as you foster the spiritual walks of others.  Refresh ...

A workshop for archivists, historians, secretaries… and anyone interested and concerned about United Methodist History, at Lake Junaluska, November 8-9, 2019

Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) go into an affected area after the first responders have secured the area and invited them in. Disaster Response works with and deploys ERTs. Mission Operations trains and re-certifies ERTs. Their purpose is to assist survivors to be “safe, sanitary, and secure” which includes being a compassionate listener as survivors tell their story. Work may include removing debris, mucking out, tarping a roof, etc. We are now offering just-in-time ERT training online. To ...

Join Life Around the Table Nov 16-17 at Camp Chestnut Ridge in Efland, NC for a retreat to learn how to facilitate conversations about food and faith in your community. Gather with other community/church leaders around the table as we imagine what eating faithfully with God's intention for all creation in mind could look like.

The sixth edition of the Duke Clergy Health Initiative's Statewide Survey is under way. CHI seeks input from all NC and WNC Conference pastors; data helps inform programs and policies. Please participate!

E-News - September 4 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. Submit articles for the next e-news. Submit events. NEWS Hurricane Dorian Update, ERT Training, and Donations Hurricane Update: We are monitoring Hurricane Dorian closely. We advise churches to prepare for eventual storm damage should Dorian move toward North ...

(This article first appeared on EmergingMethodism.com) A giant red oak tree fell across the road in our neighborhood during a particularly violent storm this summer, taking out other trees as well as a split-rail fence. None of us who drove by the next morning could believe that the stately titan had toppled. I walked over to take a closer look. I was astonished to discover that, even though it had looked healthy and leafy on the outside, there was decay at its core. Now, its wide, thick trunk ...

Drawing from the rich wellsprings of the monastic tradition, Women at the Wellsprings is designed to assist women pastoral leaders serving in congregational settings discover a rhythm of prayer and develop spiritual practices for sustaining and thriving in ministry.

Following many devastating natural disasters, 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.

Hurricane Update  We are monitoring Hurricane Dorian closely. We advise churches to prepare for eventual storm damage should Dorian move toward North Carolina. If you are currently an Early Response Team (ERT) member, please remember to only deploy with the appropriate invitation. ERT Training  We are offering just-in-time ERT training currently, to find out more more information, click here DONATIONS  The Committee on Relief has provided funds for over 100 volunteers to serve in Puerto Rico and...

TO:                   WNCC Clergy & Congregations FROM:              R. Mark King, Conference Treasurer                               RE:                    Health Benefit Rates 2020   The Conference Board of Pension and Health Benefits upon recommendation from the Health Benefits Subcommittee of the Board has approved the 2020 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...

E-News - August 20 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. Submit articles for the next e-news. Submit events. NEWS Black Church Clergy and Laity Symposium Saturday, August 24, 2019 This time together will provide an opportunity to not only celebrate giftedness of the black church but to understand its relevance. ...

The Leadership Development Team wants to help foster your own spiritual growth, as you foster the spiritual walks of others.  Refresh your soul and renew your spirit through one of the many opportunities identified by the LDT!  Paid church leaders who sign up for a the Spiritual Renewal program or event by September 30th, and pay a personal investment of $50 toward that program or event, are eligible for up to $500 to cover the cost of registration/tuition, fees, and lodging/travel expenses.  ...

Want to Learn More About All Things Wesley? Join the Western North Carolina Conference in June 2020 on a trip exploring Methodist history. One important aspect of being United Methodist is our connection to the historical roots of our Church. Bishop Paul Leeland invites you to join a Wesley Heritage tour June 2-9, 2020, where together we can experience many of the unique places in the lives of John and Charles Wesley. Doing so will help us have a clearer understanding of the foundational ...

Bishop Hope Morgan Ward and Bishop Paul Leeland joined 500 clergy and their families from the North Carolina and Western North Carolina Conferences for the 2019 Convocation on the Rural Church.

Word of grace to our Western North Carolina Conference from Bishop Paul L. Leeland   We gather for this first day of worship in August 2019, with the horrific news of two terrible incidents of violence and death impacting the El Paso, Texas community, where 20 people were killed and 26 injured; and Dayton, Ohio, where 9 people were killed and 26 injured.   These incidents leave us in shock.  During this horrendous moment we join our hearts, sympathy, and prayers with the victims, families, and ...

E-News - August 1 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. Submit articles for the next e-news. Submit events. NEWS Dr. Otto Harris to Lead Diversity Initiative Dr. Otto Harris will lead the Comprehensive Plan of Inclusiveness, a conference-wide initiative centered around promoting diversity in Western North Carolina. This effort...

Dr. Otto Harris will lead the Comprehensive Plan of Inclusiveness, a conference-wide initiative centered around promoting diversity in Western North Carolina.

The Renfro Trust Fund awards annual bricks-and-mortar grants to small rural United Methodist congregations in the Southeastern Jurisdiction. The deadline for submission is September 1, 2019.

Did you have renovations and additions to your church or parsonage over the past year? We want to hear about it! Please report stories of the your church's growth and changes (7/1/18-6/30/19) to the Conference Secretary's office, for inclusion in the 2019 Journal!

Preaching Cohorts for WNC clergy

Now is the time to plan for retirement! September 23-24, 2019 ALL SPOTS HAVE BEEN FILLED To join the waitlist, please contact Jeff Johnson. There are many aspects of retirement that require planning at different stages of a clergyperson’s ministry. This two-day seminar provides vital information regarding the needs of clergy considering retirement within the next three to five years. We encourage spouses to join in making preparations for this milestone event in one’s (and his/her family’s) ...

The Western NC Conference Vitality Team is offering $2,500 grants to 25 churches who want to start a dinner church and $1,000 to 20 churches with an existing dinner church. Grants can be used for food costs, interior design and/or tech updates to fellowship halls.

Provocative Hope is a 16-week course to develop leaders’ capacity to lead their churches using Appreciative Inquiry so that their churches would reclaim God’s dream for their congregation and begin to live into that dream. This offering from the Leadership Development team is designed and facilitated by Rev. Steve James. ?He has served growing churches in rural, urban and suburban settings and for the last six years has served a full-time coaching ministry with church leaders across the US through Griffith Coaching, GoSeeLove, and Passion in Partnership.

 Resident Bishop Paul L. Leeland presided over the Western North Carolina Annual Conference, June 20-23 at Lake Junaluska. The Conference theme was Trust and Obey. For this quadrennium, Bishop Leeland designed the themes around the four parts of the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself ...

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. Submit articles for the next e-news. Submit events. NEWS GC2020 Petition Submissions Process Open Petitions for consideration by the 2020 General Conference may be submitted to the Petitions Secretary now through September 18, 2019. According to church law, "Any ...

What can it look like for the Western North Carolina Conference? Please watch this video, and we will see what can happen when we pray, “Your Kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Petitions for consideration by the 2020 General Conference may be submitted to the Petitions Secretary now through September 18, 2019.

Across the United States, news headlines are laying bare the horrific and fatal conditions migrant children, families, and adults are facing in detention centers, at the border, and on their way to the border. Many families have fled violence and poverty in their countries of origin to seek asylum in the United States, only to have U.S. immigration officials tear them apart.

United Methodist choirs, worship ensembles and liturgists from around the world have an opportunity to be part of the worship experience of the 2020 General Conference. Creatives may apply* to share their talents while leading the church body during The United Methodist Church’s top legislative assembly meeting May 5 -15, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minn. The deadline for submission has been extended to September 15, 2019.

Did you move to a new appointment on July 1? Then you will need to fill out a new Clergy Compensation Report for your new appointment. Here are the instructions on how to do that: 1. Log into the Clergy Dashboard or the Church Dashboard. As a reminder, if someone is filling out a report on behalf of you, they should do it through the Church Dashboard. If you are filling out a compensation report for yourself, you should do it through the Clergy Dashboard.  If you can't remember your password ...

We are pleased to offer the Cigna network for our Active Health Plan.  Cigna is a national network brand that will add value and multiple offerings for healthcare coverage.  As we transition July 1, please be aware of the following: ID Cards: Please dispose of your old ID card as soon as you receive your new ID card in the mail. Otherwise, you WILL have issues with providing the old ID cards and claims being denied. If you do not receive your ID card by 7/1, you may pull a digital copy of your ...

AC2019 Daily Digest - Sunday, June 23     Sixty-five Pastors Celebrated in Ordering of Ministry Service A group greatly diverse in age, gender and ethnicity were honored by family and friends and celebrated in their ministry in the Western North Carolina Conference Saturday night at Stuart Auditorium. Denman Awards Recognize Evangelism in Clergy, Laity and Youth The Harry Denman Evangelism Award program honors United Methodists in each annual ...

AC2019 Daily Digest - Saturday, June 22   Delegate Election Updates The Western North Carolina Conference Delegation for the 2020 General and Jurisdictional Conferences has been elected. Petitions Update The Annual Conference discussed and approved six petitions during the session on Saturday afternoon. The United Methodist Foundation Annual Meeting “We envision a church where people live out their God-given ...

AC2019 Daily Digest - Friday, June 21   Delegate Election Updates The Clergy delegation for General and Jurisdictional Conference was completed today and the Laity elected their General Conference delegation of 10. Voting will resume tomorrow for Laity delegates to Jurisdictional Conference.    Opening Worship: The Long View Opening Worship at Annual Conference was held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 21 in Stuart Auditorium. Bishop Saenz of the Great ...

AC2019 Daily Digest - Thursday, June 20   Delegate Election Updates The Western North Carolina GC2020 clergy delegation was elected in Clergy Session today: Kim Ingram, Amy Coles, Jeremy Troxler, James Howell, In-Yong Lee, Ashley Crowder Stanley, Shelly Webb, Carter Ellis, Darryl Dayson and Josh Sherfey. A Look Behind the Scenes of AC2019 Worship Have you ever wondered how the worship services at Annual Conference are planned and ...

I am still in a post Annual Conference haze.  Our yearly meeting was busy time.   It was a productive time.  It was a meaningful time.  We have come away from Lake Junaluska some of us pleased with how things turned out and some of us not so pleased.  We come away, all of us, returning to our places of ministry and committed to making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  But beyond the elections and beyond the legislation, I find myself grateful for the connection of ...

Did you lose something while at Lake Junaluska for Annual Conference?  There are two ways to try to recover your lost item(s)! Contact Marsha Patton at the WNCC Office by email or at 704-535-2260 x122. Submit a "lost item" report to Lake Junaluska at this link. We'll do our best to help reconnect you and your missing item!