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West Ohio is on Facebook! | |
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| One Great Hour of Sharing video highlights West Ohio |
 Celebrate One Great Hour of Sharing this month by hearing how West Ohio has historically been a leader in UMCOR support. Download a new video and listen to the Deputy Secretary's interview during her recent visit to West Ohio. [more] |
| 2009 School of Christian Mission |
 Featured at this year's School of Christian Mission are three mission studies: Food and Faith; The Beauty and Courage of Sudan; Giving Our Hearts Away: Native American Survival. West Ohio's annual mission school held at Ohio Northern University is a dynamic opportunity for in-depth missional study and spiritual growth for all ages. [more] |
| New District Superintendent appointed |
 Rev. Marcus Atha will become the Capitol Area North District Superintendent on July 1, 2009, following Rev. Cyndy Garn. This new appointment combines Rev. Atha's passion, experience and unique talents in church development with the heightened visibility and authority of the superintendency. [more]
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| 2008 Love First Offering impacts Cambodia ministries |
 A portion of the Love First Offering that was raised at the 2008 Annual Conference was designated for Cambodia. Pictured at right with husband Nicholas and their family, missionary Esther Gitobu details how you've impacted the people of Cambodia with your generosity. "We thank you for all the support that continues to flow our way from West Ohio Conference as we journey together in fulfilling the great Commission of going into all the world and making disciples for Christ." [Esther's Letter] | |
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| New group will study church's worldwide nature |
 West Ohio clergy, Dr. Joon-Sik Park, Associate Professor of World Evangelism at MTSO, is one of twenty United Methodists from across the globe who will help develop recommendations related to the worldwide nature of The United Methodist Church. The committee members, named by Bishop Gregory Palmer, president of the Council of Bishops and Bishop John Hopkins, chairperson of the Connectional Table, will study the denomination's changing worldwide demographics as well as its structural needs, and take recommendations to the 2012 General Conference, the denomination's top legislative body. [more] |
| West Ohio member takes oath of US Citizenship |
 Gerald Santos, originally from Recife, Brazil, is now a US Citizen! On February 19 at the US District Courthouse in Dayton, Santos, who is married to West Ohio pastor Sandra Linger Santos (Jamestown UMC & Union-Xenia UMC) took the oath of U.S. Citzenship along with 46 persons from 26 different countries. Mr. Santos is very excited about his new status, and will pursue his next goal - to graduate from Sinclair College with an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice. Want to try your hand at some of the questions Mr. Santos had to answer on the Naturalization test? [sample test] |
| Commentary: The value of Eleanor's life |
 "Grief still comes when I think about Eleanor and her sad story. Eleanor [a child in Zambia] died a victim of AIDS-not because she necessarily had AIDS (although she may have), but because she was the innocent victim of poverty and evil," writes Gina Riendeau, in a commentary about the importance of contributing to the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund.
Pictured at left is John, the administrator of a small Christian school in Kitwe, Zambia, holding Eleanor Banda, one of his students. Eleanor, whose mother died of AIDS, died herself from severe malnutrition on Dec. 28, 2008. A UMNS photo by Dru Smith. [more]
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| Bishop Garcia addresses safety in Mexico |
 As several mission teams are preparing to leave for Mexico, a consistent concern regarding safety in the midst of increased violence has arisen. Bishop Ra�l Garc�a de Ochoa (pictured at right with Bishop Ough) and the leadership of the Oriental Conference take the safety of team members very seriously. Please contact Dee Stickley-Miner to inform her of any team going to the Oriental Conference so the designated VIM leaders in Mexico can offer the ministry of accompaniment. [Bishop's Letter] |
| Assistance needed for 2009 Annual Conference |
Communications is looking for some volunteer talent to assist in production and media for this June's Annual Conference. If you are interested in any of the following areas, please contact the listed leader. Any ages welcome. All will require attendance at Annual Conference June 7-11 except for the media editing area, which takes place in May. 
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| Summer Mission Intern Program provides real life missions opportunities |
| The Summer Mission Intern Program is a ten-week leadership development program developed through the General Board of Global Ministries for young adults are 18-25 years of age. Orientation, training, all travel, room, board, and a $2,500.00 total stipend are provided. Participants are provided with the opportunity to gain valuable experience working with the United Methodist Church and its partner agencies in the United States. With young adults working hand-in hand with congregations and partner out-reach ministry, minds and hearts and lives are transformed. Participants gain a greater understanding of how the church moves beyond its own congregation to serve Christ. [more] |
| Student Forum: Breaking Barriers - Building Bridges |
 United Methodist college students will have the opportunity to explore leadership and hone their skills at Student Forum 2009 at Centenary College of Louisiana in May. The Student Forum of the United Methodist Student Movement is an annual spiritual development and leadership training conference for college and university students, sponsored by the Campus Ministry Section of the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry. [more] |
| Legislative Advocacy Day to prioritize state budget |
| The Let Justice Roll Lead Team invites all interested people to attend a Legislative Advocacy Day and Legislative Reception on April 29, 2009 in Columbus. The purpose of the day is to prioritize the poor and vulnerable in our state budget and policy making processes. Participants will learn about specific issues, meet with elected officials; hear presentations from legislators on issues related to healthcare, human services and education. [more] |
| Building a Community Response to Family Violence |
 Bringing participants together from across five different professional sectors, as well as from around the nation, Innovation Through Collaboration: Building a Community Response to Family Violence strives through both its structure and its content to realize the vision embodied by its title. In addition to general sessions, participants can select from more than 55 presentations and master classes and five programming tracks. [more] |
| Nominations for 2009 Merrill E. Nelson-Alice Dickerson Urban Ministry award |
| Each year the Urban Network recognizes two persons, one clergy and one lay, who have given extraordinary service for the cause of Christ and ministry of the Church in urban areas of the West Ohio Conference. The Urban Ministry Award was established in 1998 in memory of two dedicated urban ministry United Methodist personalities of the West Ohio Conference, the Rev. Merrill E. Nelson and Alice Dickerson, a lay person, who was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Toledo. Nominate someone from your congregation for the award and they will be recognized at the Urban Network Awards Banquet in April during the 2009 Metro Ministries Academy event "Gifts and Partnerships for Growth" [more] |
| Volunteers in Mission news |
| Apr 25...Rebuilding Mission, Blue Rose Mission, Mansfield, OH; Spring Clean-up. Contact Stan Wertz at 419.892.3539.
May 20-June 10... Economic Development Center, Congo; volunteers needed for sewing, computers and ESL. Contact Barbara Dadd Schafer at 425.210.1399.
June 9-20...Ekaterinburg, Russia; volunteers needed for Bible School and lite construction. Contact James Gillespie at 318.470.6806. |
| New Dates of Note |
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April 17...Transforming Worship, a hands-on, experiential and practical workshop led by April Blaine, associate pastor at Riverside United Methodist Church and a senior Master of Divinity student at MTSO. |
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Deadline for NewsNET articles is noon on Tuesdays |
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