Rev. Linda Kelly has announced her retirement effective July 1, 2021. Linda has served as the District Superintendent of the Smoky Mountain District since 2018. Rev. Dr. Hyung Jae Lee will succeed Linda as District Superintendent of the Smoky Mountain District. 

Know someone in your church who has excelled in evangelism this year? The Western North Carolina Conference is now accepting nominations for The Harry Denman Evangelism Award for Clergy, Lay, and Youth.

Five Metro District churches help provide over 1500 COVID-19 vaccines
For five Metro District churches, Holy Week in 2021 brought socially distanced lines of masked community members eagerly anticipating their turn to roll up their sleeve.

Hickory Grove, University City, The Place, North Davidson, and St. Mark's United Methodist Churches, in partnership with VAX VAN, a mobile service serving the Charlotte area with rapid testing and vaccinations for COVID-19, provided more than 1500 vaccines to members of their communities.

The church has moved online. And this year has taught us that some aspects of church are harder than others to practice on the internet. Online worship void of community is not a complete picture of church. Church is not a production to be consumed (in-person or online), it is a people gathered around the risen Christ, worshiping God together. Luke Edwards, Associate Director for Church Development, helps us answer an essential question: how can we create community online?

Like so many churches, Oak Grove UMC in Ellenboro has two beloved mission projects they participate in year after year. In 2021, however, the congregation had the opportunity to expand their ministry outreach to include a feeding ministry for families who are living in a local motel. This Easter, the children of these families received an extra special surprise with their regular food delivery.

The Mustard Seed Mitigation Grant program will grant up to $2000 each to 50 United Methodist churches in the United States to engage in service with refugees and migrants in their own cities and towns. The application deadline is May 16, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

The North Carolina Council of Churches will host its 2021 Legislative Seminar virtually from Monday, April 26 through Friday, April 30 daily at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Held biennially when the General Assembly holds its “long session,” the Seminar offers people of faith the factual tools they need to faithfully consider the policy matters that affect our lives and the lives of our neighbors.