News

Kick off the new year with an educational opportunity from Leadership Development - check out the current sponsored offerings. 

Statistical Reporting for 2019 is READY and AVAILABLE! To Our Local Church Pastors, Treasurers, and Membership Secretaries:   TABLE 2: Lines 28-36 and 39 -40 ARE NOW UPLOADED.   Please check the box "Show All Actives Lines.   The GCFA/Western North Carolina Conference statistical system will open on January 2, 2020 and be available for input of 2019 information.  All statistical information must be entered and complete by Friday, January 31, 2020.  In order to access the system, you can do so in...

Final 2019 conference and district apportionment payments and special offerings must be in the hands of the conference treasury services office AND recorded (NOT just in the mail) by 3:00 PM on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, in order to be applied to the 2019 year.  The postmark is not what matters; payments must be actually received and in the hands of treasury services, and posted, by 3:00pm on Tuesday. If you have amounts unpaid, please check in with your treasurer and go online at https://www.wnc...

The 2020 Remittance form is ready for use. You can find the form here. The form has been redesigned with our new control numbers and also it is now a calculated form, so you can fill it all out on your computer, and it will automatically calculate (Please make sure to save to your desktop BEFORE filling it out. DO NOT fill out in your browser. We recommend using Adobe reader, found here.).  You can also choose to print out and fill it out by hand if you would like. Questions? Please contact ...

In this episode of Means of Grace, Luke Edwards reflects back on his experience being a part of a new worship service launching at Boone United Methodist Church and has a conversation with Dan Pezet, Director of Church Development, about why churches should consider launching a new service. Listen on our website at www.wnccumc.org/meansofgrace or wherever you get your podcasts. Register for the Launching Worship Workshop.  

 Congratulations to the 185 WNCUMCC churches participating in the Group Insurance program administered by Church Mutual Insurance Company! Participating members recently received a return of premium paid in the form of a dividend.    Based on the $96,848 total dividend, each participating church received a 16% return of premiums paid. This is in addition to the upfront 5% discount each church receives when joining the program.  For more information about how you can be involved, contact Mark ...

The WNC Conference needs lay and clergy leaders for committees, boards, and teams for the 2020-2024 quadrennium.  Do you know a leader who has gifts for ministry at the conference level?  Is it you? 

In this episode of Means of Grace, Melissa sits down with Rev. Toni Ruth Smith to talk about experiencing grief in this time of great joy and how churches can create space for stillness, hope and even sadness in the midst of the holiday rush. Listen on our website at www.wnccumc.org/meansofgrace or wherever you get your podcasts.

December 10, 2019    Dear Members of United Methodist Churches across North Carolina,    As we enter the season of Advent and prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, we remember that Jesus began his life fleeing persecution as a refugee in Egypt. (Matthew 2:13-18)    On September 26, the White House issued an Executive Order (EO 13888) that may drastically reduce, if not entirely stop, the resettlement of refugees in our state. We are deeply concerned that this executive order ...

The 2018 Statistics are now available for viewing and download at the Administration page! Click here to view monetary and membership figures on churches across WNCCUMC, as well as member totals and demographics for districts and the conference.

The Conference Office of Treasury Services and the United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina will offer a certificate training program for United Methodist volunteer treasurers within our conference.

My Most Favorite Quote of Dr. King…And What it Means to Me Grade Categories for eligibility are: Elementary, Middle School and High School.  Essay must have a minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 500 words double-spaced pages in 12 pt black font. Artistic Expressions and Drawings will also be received. ·  The essay will be judged on clarity, content, grammar, and how well the theme is developed based on the age and grade of the writer.  There will be first and second place winners in each ...

We are pleased to announce that Brian Mateer is joining the conference staff as Associate Director of Missional Engagement.  Brian has served as Director of Missions at Providence UMC in the Metro district as well as team leader for the Missional Engagement team on the Connectional Table.  Brian will work under the direction of Caroline Wood and in the Missional Engagement area of our conference.  He will be coordinating mission partnerships and relationships, supporting mission efforts in ...

#GivingTuesday, December 3, 2019, is a global giving movement that has been built by individuals, families, organizations, businesses and communities around the world. We have two days for getting deals – Black Friday and Cyber Monday. On #GivingTuesday, we have a day for giving back. Our Mission Engagement Team offers a variety of opportunities for you to give back and make a difference in our conference and around the world.  

In this episode of Means of Grace, Melissa and Luke explore seasonal ways churches can engage their communities. Melissa visits Free Haircut Day in Ramseur with Rev. Samuel Moore of McCrary Chapel UMC and Rev. Joshua Kurtz with Jordan Memorial UMC. Luke visits "the Pumpkin Church" aka Myers Memorial UMC in Gastonia and speaks with Rev. Sally Queen, Rev. Sarah Watkins Davis and Tresca McSwain. Listen on our website at www.wnccumc.org/meansofgrace or wherever you get your podcasts. How is your ...

MLK Commemoration 2020  Embracing Our Beloved Community: Persevering Despite Adversity Matthew 25:34-40   WHEN Saturday, January 18, 2020 Registration begins at 9am Commemoration 10am–2pm   WHERE St. Paul United Methodist Church 2400 Dellabrook Road Winston Salem, NC 27105   Clara J. Ester will be the Keynote speaker, with special music guest Lil Caleb. Clara Ester, native Memphian and retired Deaconess of The United Methodist Church, was actively engaged in the Civil Rights Movement and ...

TO ALL ACTIVE (Non-RETIRED) CLERGY 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 ...

In the next episode of Means of Grace, Luke Edwards meets up with three outdoor fresh expressions of church in the Smoky Mountain district – the Smoky Mountain Hiking Community, River of Life and the Appalachian Trail Ministry of Robbinsville UMC. The leaders of these fresh expressions share how their churches are connecting with hikers and paddlers in their communities. Listen on our website at www.wnccumc.org/meansofgraceor wherever you get your podcasts.  

Global Ministries invites you to give love, joy, hope and peace through the agency’s year-end giving campaign.

Bishop Paul Leeland, Bishop Ken Carter, Rev. Keith Turman were among the liturgists and Bishop Lawrence McCleskey eulogized Mrs. Mary Ann Hunt and Mrs. Linda Carder in the memorial service held at First United Methodist Church Waynesville on All Saints Sunday, November 3, 2019.

United Methodist Bishops meet to discuss General Conference, elect new officers WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church will meet November 3-6 at Lake Junaluska Assembly in North Carolina to prepare for the 2020 General Conference, elect new officers and ratify a constitutional amendment among other things.   Coming from Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, the more than 100 bishops who will be in attendance will also tackle proposals on how to dismantle ...

Church Development is offering a workshop on launching a new worship service. Register online.

A North Carolina Conference Disaster Ministries Update

The Clergy Health Statewide Survey is the only one of its kind that captures repeated snapshots of clergy well-being in a holistic way. It’s been three years since the last survey, and so much has happened in those years – from changes in US politics, to technology use, to GC19, to personal circumstances. Now more than ever, denominational officials are listening to data-driven findings as they consider their next steps as leaders.

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 ...

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.