District Superintendent Hank Stringer
 | Mission and Vision of the CAS District
Our Mission:
The Mission of the Capitol Area South District is to encourage and equip United Methodist congregations in their mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Our Vision
The vision of the Capitol Area South District is that all local churches are to be disciple-making centers that mirror the demographic composition of the community in which they are located in terms of age, ethnicity, and cultural background; and that the congregations continually grow and reach new people for Christ and strive to be open and inclusive of all God's children. Read the Revised CAS Strategic Plan by clicking HERE.
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Church Conferences Set to Begin in September
Church Conferences, the annual business meeting for all UMC congregations will begin in September. Districtd Superintendent Hank Stringer or Assist. to the Superintendent Jim Waugh will lead each of the cluster sessions. In addition, Hank Stringer will meet with seven congregations for individual church conferences.
Each of the cluster church conference events will follow the same format: 3:00 pm Mtg with members of P/SPR Committees 3:30 pm Plenary with worship and preaching 4:30 pm Church Conference Sessions
Click HERE for a schedule of the church conference sessions.
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Mark Your Calendar
October 4: Bishop Ough's Day on the CAS District (starting with 6:30 pm dinner @ Columbia Heights UMC)
October 28: "Taste and See" Intro to Certified Lay Ministry @ Scioto Ridge UMC.
November 19-20: Lay Speaking Classes. Basic and and Advanced Class will be offered.
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Support the Westside Free Store
Support the Westside Free Store by purchasing a scarlet and gray pride t shirt. Shirts are available in child and adult sizes. Click HERE for a flyer with more information.
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Pastor Lorenzo of the Methodist Congregation in San Luis Potosi Mexico to Visit the CAS District in Sept.
Pastor Lorenzo and Veronica (2nd from left)
and their family  | Pastor Lorenzo and his wife Veronica will visit the Capitol Area South District during September 18-27. They will be available for preaching, teaching, or visiting in congregations throughout the district.
Click HERE to schedule a time that Pastor Veronica could visit at your church.
Pastor Lorenzo currently serves three small Methodist congregations at San Luis and in two other small communities, Dr. Mora and Queretaro. These three churches are over 150 miles a part. Currently, Pastor Lorenzo works a second job so that he can support his family. The CAS District is seeking to raise $500 per month over the next three years to enable Pastor Lorenzo to focus his full time on building up these three congregations. Click HERE to make a commitment to be part of the effort to help fund the $500 per month for support for Pastor Lorenzo.
The congregations of the CAS District have raised over $20,000 (thank you for your support!) to help build the first Methodist church building in the metropolitan area of San Luis Potosi, a city of 2 million people. Construction should begin later this summer.
Click HERE to download an information sheet about the Capitol Area South District and the Methodist congregation is San Luis.
Another work trip to San Luis Potosi is scheduled for January 10-18. The trip will be led by the Rev. Aaron Brown, and it is limited to 12 persons. Click HERE to download a brochure about the trip.
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Jim's Tool Box
Good Bye, Percept; Hello, MissionInsite
After
many years of using Percept/Link2Lead, the West Ohio Annual Conference has contracted with MissionInsite to provide demographic
data planning and research purposes for the West Ohio congregations and districts.
Jim reviews MissionInsite and describes some of the features of the new service in his Tool Box article this month.
Click HERE to read the article.
Click HERE for instructions on how to register as a MissionInsite user.
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UM Community Ministries: Rahab's Hideaway Assists Victims Sexual Abuse and Human Trafficking
 Beth Weisbrod writes this month about Rahab's Hideaway, a ministry that assists victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking. The ministry also educates youth and adults as a way to help prevent human trafficking.
Click HERE to read Beth's article.
The Community Ministry Festival will be held on Tuesday, September 21, from 5:30 to 8:00 PM, at the Columbia Heights UMC. The theme for the festival this year is "Bridges Out of Poverty." Download a flyer for the festival HERE.
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Starting a Parish Nurse/Health Ministry in Your Congregation
Has your congregation considered initiating a Parish Nurse/Health Ministry? The CAS Leadership and Visioning Team (LVT) is working to encourage congregations in the district to respond to the Four Areas of Focus of the United Methodist Church.
One of the Areas of Focus seeks to combat the diseases of poverty by improving health globally. The LVT is asking congregations to complete a brief survey about interest in beginning parish nurse/health ministries. The survey will also help the LVT to know how many ministries exist. Click HERE to take the brief survey.
Click HERE for a description of how to begin a parish nurse/health ministry.
If there is sufficient interest, the LVT will plan to sponsor a training for congregations seeking to develop parish nurse/health ministries.
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Training Events/Continuing Ed Opportunities
Here is information about training events that have come into the district office recently:
2010 Ministry Discernment and Formation Retreat
Do you think God may be calling you to lay, licensed, or ordained ministry? Are you in the early stages of candidacy for ordination, deacon, elder, or licensed local pastor? Are you discerning a call to become a deaconess or home missioner?
If any of the above apply to you, you are invited to come to a Discernment & Formation Retreat being held September 9-11, 2010 at the reflective and beautiful Scarritt-Bennett Retreat Center in Nashville, TN. We will discuss the differences among various ministries and worship together. Small group work and individual reflection time will be sprinkled throughout this weekend event.
Click HERE for more information about the event.
For Pastor and Laity:
LifeServe National Conference Group Publishing is holding a major training event on how to recruit, refresh, and reignite volunteers in your church. The event will be held at Hyatt Regency Hotel (next to convention center) in Columbus during September 29-October 1. Currently the registration price is $300.00 per person through June 30 when the price goes up another $50.00. There is a group discount if you bring three or more persons from your church.
Click HERE to go to the event website. |
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Autism and the Church
 The West Ohio Conference Persons with Disabilities Team and Camps Team are working together to offer an Interactive Workshop to help congregations to minister to families and person with autism. The event will be held during September 19-21, at the Widewater Retreat and Ministry Center. The cost of the event is $150 (includes lodging and meals).
There will be a follow up Hands On Experience on October 1-3 at Widewater.
Click HERE for a flyer with more information about the event.
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A New Face at the District Office
Karen Brantley  | Karen
Brantley has been the part time Lay Missioner for Hispanic Latino
Ministries on the east side of Columbus in a partnership with five UM churches.
The ministry is called Community of Hope, providing English as a Second
Language classes, Bible Studies, children's ministries, fiestas/events and
dental and health care education at Easton Community UMC, the Mann Mobile Home
Park and Whitehall UMC.
Now God has expanded Karen's tent as she joins our staff at
the district office. She is the Hispanic-Latino
Coordinator for Central Ohio, serving 20 hours a week. She will be
coordinating the various Hispanic ministries in the greater Columbus area as
well as offering support to Hispanic ministries in the Shawnee Valley and
Foothills Districts, as well as continuing her Lay Missioner role.
As a result, Karen now has an office space in the district office suite. Karen has a master's degree in Christian Education from
Methodist Theological School in Ohio and has a heart for persons living at the
margins of society. Community of Hope is supported in part by your Community
Ministries apportionment giving. If you are interested in getting connected
with a variety of Hispanic ministries across the district, or would like to
have Karen as a speaker at your church, contact her at kbrantley@wocumc.org.
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Apportionment Update
Click HERE to see the congregations that have paid at least 58% of their conference apportionments as of 8/3/10. Thanks to all for faithfulness in the payment of apportionments.
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Prayer Concerns
Suzanne Stringer, spouse of Dr. Hank Stringer had knee replacement surgery last month. She is recovering at home.
The Rev. Michael Messick (incapacity leave) is recovering at home following open heart surgery last month.
Our prayers are with the family of Gayemarie Long and the Rev. Bob Long in the death of Keith Homstad, Jr. Keith was the son of Gayemarie and the stepson of Bob Long. He was an Airman First Class in the U.S. Air Force. Keith was killed in an automobile wreck earlier this month.
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