Never before has it been so important to give to the six churchwide Special Sundays with offerings. Giving to Special Sundays prepares students to become leaders for the church and the world; empower the poor and victimized to live fuller lives through self-improvement programs; advocate and challenge injustice and pays administrative cost for disaster relief. You can change the world one life at a time. The 2014 dates for Special  Sundays with offerings are:

Native American Ministries Sunday - May 4
Peace with Justice Sunday - June 15
World Communion Sunday - October 5
United Methodist Student Day Sunday - November 30

The Office of Christian Unity and Interreligious Relationships of the Council of Bishops is encouraging United Methodists around the world to participate in the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity January 18-25, 2014. 

Has Christ Been Divided? is the theme for this year's observance.  Resources, including posters, daily scripture, prayer guides, bulletins, pulpit announcements and prayer cards, are available online here. In addition to constant prayer during the designated week, Christians are encouraged to continue prayer for unity throughout the entire year, especially at noon each Friday. 

Begun in 1908, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated each year in cities and towns across the country and around the world. 

Christ United Methodist Church in Kettering is assembling a team to plan for and conduct the 2nd annual conference on Embracing Disabilities in Bolivia. The purpose of the conference is to work with Bolivian Methodist and public schools, Methodist churches, social services agencies, and families with disabled children, to help Bolivian schools better accommodate students with disabilities. It is important that adults with disabilities go on this mission trip in order to add their unique perspective and skills, but also to provide a role model (rarely seen in Bolivia) of a successful person who also has disabilities.  (learn more about this mission opportunity)

United Methodist Clergy, seeking time away for quiet reflection, may apply for the Ohio United Methodist Clergy Renewal Scholarship that is available at Lakeside Chautauqua. Grants are made to provide at least two nights hotel accommodations at Lakeside.  If you are interested in this opportunity, visit www.lakesideohio.com/religion. You can read about this program, and, if interested, complete the application on line with your interested dates

Proclaiming the gospel during the season of Lent is both a daunting task and an incredible joy.  During Year A of the ecumenical calendar and lectionary, the Scripture lessons are retrieved from the life of the early church and are about the renewal of personal faith and communal faithfulness. As St. Tertullian observed, "Christians are made, not born."  Preaching during the Lenten journey of the faithful and those seeking faith is at the heart of our ministry of making new Christians.  Dying and Rising with Christ is a one-day workshop being held at United Theological Seminary that will focus on proclaiming the Gospel lessons that are the foundation of these Forty Days. Led by Dr. Richard Eslinger and Dr. Joni Sancken, the preaching workshop takes place on February 7. Click here to learn more. 

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