News.NET
August 1, 2011- Vol. 4, Issue 64 |
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| The Common English Bible is in the national spotlight! | |
The Common English Bible
is a brand new translation of the Bible in a language that readers naturally speak and communicate-a common language. [more] |
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| 'Bold' changes proposed for church structure |
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East Ohio Bishop John Hopkins leads the Connectional Table
UMNS photos by Mike DuBose |
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Members of the Connectional Table, meeting July 25-28, endorsed five proposals that would change The United Methodist Church's structure and potentially its funding. The Connectional Table took up and refined the recommendations as part of the multiyear Call to Action process, which has found that that the status quo of a shrinking and aging U.S. church is "toxic" and unsustainable. East Ohio Area Bishop John L. Hopkins, the Connectional Table's chairperson, called the proposals "far-reaching." [full article] |
| Have you been thinking about volunteering on a Disaster Early Response Team? | |
Early Response Teams (ERT) provide a Christian presence while taking steps to prevent further damage to a family's personal property through tarping, debris removal, cleaning out flooded homes, etc. The need is great with so many natural disasters that have taken place recently. To participate on an Early Response Team, successful completion of ERT training is required. Three ERT upcoming training opportunities are available: Click here for details on Disaster Response or see the New Dates of Note below. |
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2011 Global Leadership Summit | |
 Telecasting live from the campus of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, the Global Leadership Summit exists to transform Christian leaders around the world with an annual injection of vision, skill development, and inspiration for the sake of the local church.
Two West Ohio churches - Reynoldsburg UMC and Stillwater UMC are Premier Host Site locations which enable you to experience the Summit locally. Click on the church names for details. Reynoldsburg UMC Stillwater UMC |
| News from United Theological Seminary | |
Dr. Peter Bellini began July 1 as Director of Urban and International Studies. In this position he will serve as Director of the Center for Urban Ministry, teach part time in the Masters Program as a fully affiliated faculty member, serve as a mentor in the Doctoral Program, be responsible for general oversight of the Intercultural trips and advisement of international students, and direct the Course of Study School of Ohio Hybrid Program. Dr. Bellini is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and is a clergy member of the West Ohio Conference.
Two New Degrees This Fall!
FLEX UMC M.Div; United's Flexible Residency Hybrid Master of Divinity degree offers the same quality of education as our traditional M.Div. with the added flexibility of August FLEX Residency Weeks as well as hybrid and online course offerings.
MACM The M.A. in Christian Ministries (M.A.C.M.) is designed to equip persons for leadership and service in various areas related to the Christian community's public life and practice. |
| O Lord, is it Sunday already!? |
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Marcia McFee is the worship and music director for General Conference 2012. |
Do you have an intentional process for preparing worship that feeds your creative spirit rather than depletes it? Without these, the tasks sometimes become overwhelming or unpredictable. An intentional process of worship design allows us to give our best creative selves, to offer memorable, deep and rich imagery and life-transforming ways of telling the story that is ours as disciples of Jesus. It allows us to be faithful to the spiritual journeys of our congregations. [more] |
| UMCOR assesses next steps in Japan | |
The Rev. Cynthia Fierro Harvey, head of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and Melissa Crutchfield, UMCOR's International Disaster Response executive, are visiting sites hit by the March 11 triple disaster and assessing next steps for the relief agency. The 9.0-magnitude earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis killed or left missing some 23,000 people and drove 150,000 survivors into evacuation camps. The needs provoked by the triple disaster are so huge that progress is slow and resources scant. [more]
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| Actually, that's not in the Bible | |
 The Bible may be the most revered book in America, but it's also one of the most misquoted. Politicians, motivational speakers, coaches -- all types of people -- quote passages that actually have no place in the Bible, religious scholars say. Here are some examples. [more]
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| Putting faith in Wall Street | |
 Part of the job at the denomination's pension agency is to "do good" while still making good returns. To that end, the United Methodist Board of Pension and Health Benefits recently launched Wespath Investment Management, a new brand name for its institutional investment services, which work to apply the church's teachings to stock selections. [more]
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| Christian muggles learn from Harry Potter | |
 In June of 1997, the world - and the Christian faith - was introduced to a piece of work that would spark controversy and discussion: Harry Potter. Many Christians denounced the series as promoting witchcraft and recruiting children into the occult, but others embraced author J.K. Rowling's take on the classic good vs. evil fairytale. Some churches now use the boy wizard to enlighten, to examine Christianity and to entertain children and adults alike. [more]
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| New dates of note | |
June 15-23, Nov. 3-11,2012...UMVIM Team to Managua, Nicaragua; contact Jack Reif at jack.reif@zoomtown.com.
August 6, 2011 - Early Response Team Training, Resurrection Hope UMC, Ironton. Trainer: Jim Rodgers, West Ohio Conference Disaster Coordinator.
August 15-19, 2011...A Ministry of Spirituality and Aging, Dayton, a United Theological Seminary sponsored event, featured speakers Bishop Violet Fisher & Dr. Stephen Swisher.
August 27, 2011 - Early Response Team Training, Worthington UMC, Worthington. Trainers: Jim Burns and Randy Fahy, Authorized ERT Trainers.
September 6-October 12, 2011 - Seminary for Seniors, Dayton, a United Theological Seminary event.
September 7, 2011 - UTS Opening Convocation, Dayton, a United Theological Seminary event, Dr. David F. Watson III featured speaker.
September 17, 2011 - Early Response Team Training, HIlliard UMC, Hilliard. Trainer: Richard Weese, Authorized ERT Trainer. |
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IRS updates mileage reimbursement | |
The Internal Revenue Service has announced that effective July 1, 2011 the business mileage reimbursement rate is $0.555 (55.5 cents), up from $0.510, the rate that was in effect for business miles driven between January 1, 2011 to June 30, 2011. The IRS updates this rate from time to time based on the cost of fuel and other factors associated with wear and tear on personal vehicles used for business purposes. [more] |
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