Upcoming Special Sundays
World Communion Sunday is October 3 and supports scholarships for ethnic students.Undie Sunday and Children's Sabbath are October 10, and provide support and prayer for children in poverty. For Undie Sunday, bring new underwear to your local church. The donations are given to Conference mission projects to distribute to children in need. Click here for a complete list of Special Sundays and their remittance numbers for church treasurers.

More Resources
Bulletin inserts, online courses in connectional giving, 'mission moments' and much more are available for clergy and laity to use to support Special Sundays - and learn more about connectional giving in the United Methodist Church.  Visit and Bookmark umcgiving.org for more information.

Clergy Appreciation Month
Please consider a gift to the Central Conference Pension Initiative (CCPI) in October to honor your pastor during Clergy Appreciation Month.

Clergy and their spouses in the Central Conferences of the United Methodist Church spend years in ministry, then retire without the security of a pension.  Your gifts to date have helped ensure they will have food, medication, or a place to live.

The West Virginia Conference has raised more than $192,000 toward a goal of $250,000.  Additionally, more than $21 million has been raised toward the general UMC goal of $25 million.

Click here for resources on how you can help meet our goal.

Day of Remembrance Sunday
Gifts made on the annual Day of Remembrance Special Sunday (Nov. 18, 2010), will go to CCPI too. Church Treasurers, the remittance number for this Special Sunday is 794.

Fall Season Updates
Dr. Rhonda VanDyke Colby is one presenter at this year's Pastor's School Sept. 28-30 at Cedar Lakes near Ripley. She is the Dean of Spiritual Life and Co-director of The Institute for Church Professions (ICP) at Shenandoah University.  Complete schedule and speaker profiles are online.

Explore God's presence in everyday life with The Incarnational Stream, a spiritual growth retreat October 8-9 at Spring Heights.  Rev. Brent Sturm (OSL) is the facilitator.

Heather Murray Elkins is the featured speaker at this year's UMW annual Fall Meeting October 22-23.  Click here for the brochure and printable registration form.

A Convocation on the Black Church Oct. 14-15 at WV Wesleyan College will feature Dr. Fred Allen, national director for Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st century (SBC 21).  Call Rev. Thomasina Stewart for more information and to register: 800-788-3746, ext.25 or e-mail her at thomet25@aol.com



United Theological Seminary presents Exploring the Faith, a lecture series that begins October 28-29 with "The Bible and Church Renewal" at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

You can view more events,download brochures and registration materials online at wvumc.org/calendar.  Many of the events above qualify as continuing education opportunities.  Contact J.F. Lacaria for questions regarding CEU's:  800-788-3746, ext. 27. or email him: jayeph@aol.com.

Does your Charge have a Foundation Rep?
A Foundation Representative is elected by each Charge Conference through their Lay Leadership election process, and provides a link between the local church and the ministry of the United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia, Inc.

For more information, please contact the Foundation at 1-800-788-3476 x45 or info@umfwv.org.

West Virginia Council of Churches Annual Assembly
Cross Lanes, W. Va. native Kathy Mattea performed last week at the West Virginia Council of Churches (WVCC) 130th Anniversary Celebration and Unity Dinner. The West Virginia Conference and the United Methodist Foundation of WV were star contributors for the event, and long time ecumenical partners with the WVCC. Click here for more on the concert, including pictures and audio.

The WVCC Annual Assembly is October 17-18, and features keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Dean Thompson, formerly of Charleston. David Donathan, Director of Music and Arts Ministries at Christ Church UM (Charleston), will lead the Assembly Ecumenical Choir. Click here for more information on the assembly.

Burlington UM Family Services CEO
Burlington United Methodist Family Services (BUMFS), a mission project of the West Virginia Conference, is looking for a Chief Executive Officer. The deadline to apply is October 15. Click here for a full description of the position.