NewsNET May 21, 2012

Local church lay leaders and district lay leaders are invited to join our conference and district leaders for a program and luncheon in the lower Pavilion on the beach at Lakeside. [flyer]

Bring Potatoes:

The UMMen will have the "Meals for Millions" truck parked at Otterbein North Shore from Friday, June 8 - Tuesday June 12. The truck leaves Tuesday night so get your taters there early. Remember it is "Taters" or $5.00 as usual. Tater will be at annual conference from Sunday till Tuesday night.

For other Annual Conference information, like the Book of Reports, Workshops, and First Fruits Professions of Faith Offering, visit the 2012 Annual Conference website.

Toy airplanes raise funds for Miracle Offering

Riverpoint Ministries UMC in Toledo, set a goal for the Miracle Offering by flying a toy airplane down the aisle at each service on the Sunday after Easter, then counting the number of pews it passed and multiplying by $50. The total for the two services was $450. One of their members, Don Carsten, got the idea for this runway and made one for each service to mark the progress. As of this writing, they are very close reaching their goal!

Stories of Hope: Dry Run UMC - Loving their neighbors

Dry Run UMC is a small church built in 1845 and has 30 to 35 active members. They were able to complete a new addition on to the main church in 2007 without any help from the District or any outside sources. The work was all done by members of the church and volunteers in the area. They decided in 2008 that the church would help a local trailer park which has many "at risk" families. [more]

Look who's walking! Click on the graphic to see all 145 teams. There's still time to join!

New bishops' president a pioneer

Bishop Rosemarie Wenner accepts the gavel from Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster in a "passing of the gavel" ceremony.

When she was a teenager, Bishop Rosemarie Wenner was the only one in her confirmation class in the United Methodist church she attended in Germany. When she began considering going into ministry, there was only one female United Methodist pastor in her country. And, when she was elected bishop of Germany, she became the first woman outside the United States tapped for a United Methodist episcopacy. Now, Wenner is the new president of the denomination's Council of Bishops. [more]

The UMC and the rising global middle class

Throughout the world, a generation of young, educated and technically savvy leaders is rising, and they are not fond of the "old way" of doing things. These young leaders will reshape The United Methodist Church and take it in new directions, writes the Rev. Larry Hollon in his blog, "Faith, Media & Culture." They reside in the North and the South; they are more globally aware, multicultural and diverse than previous generations. [more]

Theology on tap

A former stand-up comedian and bartender offers an unusual alternative to traditional church. United Methodist pastor Jerry Herships' After Hours Denver holds worship services in bars. Herships believes that in today's world you have to reach people where they are. This is not a new idea (just ask Miami Valley DS Chris Heckaman). Herships says, "Jesus never said, 'If you need me, I'll be in the temple.' Jesus was always out in the world." [video]

Church secretary training set

A special training seminar on church administration and administrative duties will be held July 15-20 at the office of the General Council on Finance and Administration. The GCFA offers this program in support of the Professional Association of United Methodist Church Secretaries (PAUMCS),formed 30 years ago to "provide individual growth, professional development, continuing education, spiritual enrichment and work toward the betterment of The United Methodist Church."

New dates of note

Sept. 26-28...Healthy Families, Healthy Planet Ambassador, West Ohio Conference Center; advocacy training to bring together Christians who care about making a healthier world for mothers and their children.

Passages

Rev. Nunzio D. Cotrone (retired 1979), died on May 16, 2012. The family requests in lieu of flowers, gifts be given to either Centerville UMC Memorial Fund, 63 E. Franklin Street, Dayton, OH 45459 or the Alzheimer's Association, Miami Valley Chapter, 3797 Summit Glen Drive, Suite G100, Dayton, OH 45449. Messages of condolence may be sent to his wife Flora at 192 East Elmwood Drive, Dayton, OH 45459.

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