WOC logo
 
NewsNET
News for West Ohio Conference Congregations
April 8, 2014 - Vol 7, Issue 14

  

Join Our Mailing List!

 

Publications
On Mother's Day, save the life of a mother in Africa 

This Mother's Day, honor your mother by donating to help an African mother's child grow and prosper. Nearly 90 percent of malaria's victims are children under the age of 5 and pregnant women. It's robbing families of mothers, sons and daughters, literally stealing the future of Africa. Promote honoring all mothers on Mother's Day this year by saving Africa's mothers and children. Resources

Gracing the table

If anyone can find a life lesson in a document created 150 years ago, Dr. Alisea Williams McLeod will find it and determine meaningful ways to engage her students in the process. While researching her family history, McLeod discovered the 1864 Register of Freedmen (The Register), which lists people who lived in Civil War Contraband Camps. These camps were developed for slaves and freed people who sought protection and who came into contact with the Union military. As a result of her research, Dr. McLeod and others formed Gracing the Table, an open dialogue forum that gives students, professors and community members the opportunity to begin the healing process of wounds left open more than a century ago during slavery. (learn more)
Send some love this Easter

We can't always be with the ones we love during the Easter season, but we can let them know we are thinking of them and praying for them. Consider sending an eCard to someone you hold in your heart this year. You'll honor the recipient and help save lives at the same time. Sending an eCard is simple through Imagine No Malaria contributions online. After you decide on a contribution amount (minimum $10), select "Send an eCard" under Gift Options an choose your card. Your loved one will receive an attractive eCard and you'll save a life this Easter.

Benefit concert for Rev. and Mrs. Hoff

In the early morning hours of Monday, March 3, a fire completely destroyed the 136-year-old home of retired West Ohio pastor Rev. Elford "Ford" Hoff and his wife Margaret "Maggie" Hoff. Though Maggie, Ford, and their family dog made it out alive, their home was completely destroyed. (read news story) Rev. & Mrs. Hoff served churches for nearly 50 years in the West Ohio Conference. A benefit concert will be held on Thursday, April 17, 6:30-8 pm at the West Union High School in West Union to raise money to help Ford and Maggie re-build after their tragic house fire. Click here for more information or to donate.

Opportunities for missional offerings at annual conference

Eradicating deaths due to malaria through Imagine No Malaria continues to be a primary initiative for West Ohio and will be the recipient of our morning worship offering on Tuesday, June 10 at Lakeside. We pray that all churches in West Ohio will join together and engage in raising awareness and money in support of delivering hope to so many devastated by malaria. Please contact Dave Boling if you wish to learn more about how to become involved or visit westohioumc.org/imagine.

 

In addition to our financial offerings, health kits are another very important resource in the fight against malaria. You are invited to bring UMCOR Health Kits which will be collected at Lakeside beginning Sunday evening in a truck from Midwest Mission Distribution Center (MMDC) parked outside Hoover Auditorium. MMDC is a cooperating depot in the UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) Relief Supply Network.  Kit instructions

 

It's become a tradition at annual conference to see George "Tater" Jensen and the United Methodist Men collecting bags of potatoes (or $5) in their "Meals for Millions" truck. Each year several thousand pounds of potatoes are distributed in Ohio after annual conference by Tater and others. This year, the truck will be parked at Otterbein North Shore, 9400 North Shore Blvd., Lakeside from Friday, June 6 to Tuesday, June 10. Thank you to Tater and the United Methodist Men who are always front and center caring for the hungry.

Hey explorers! This camp's for you!

Do you know a potential camper who wants to go to camp and wishes there were a shorter camp to start out? West Ohio's Explorers Camp and Wilderness Explorers Camp both offer fun and activities, geared toward campers as young as age 7 and ideal for the camper (up to age 11) that is attending camp for the first or second time. All three of our camp locations offer Explorers Camp in June and July; Camp Wesley and Camp Otterbein also offer the choice of a Wilderness Explorers Camp, the perfect camp to try out the wilderness in a small dose. Visit our website for more information, pricing and online registration. Explorers Camp and Wilderness Explorers Camp - all the same fun in a three day, two night adventure!

Game changers summit

Dreamers and doers will gather to harness the power of communications technology this September. Hosted by United Methodist Communications, the Game Changers Summit will demonstrate how information and communications technology (ICT) can be used to improve all facets of life. The focus? Helping parts of the world left behind by the technological revolution, to solve problems in education, wellness and community development with cutting edge communications tools. Just imagine being surrounded with others who do ministry in the same parts of the developing world-Africa, Philippines,  Haiti and more. Not only will you connect with kindred spirits, you'll hear from globally renowned leaders and learn how to build and implement  plans that  impact United Methodist schools, universities, medical clinics, hospitals, community centers and more.  (learn more/register) 

Resources for church leaders from GBOD

GBOD An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD (The General Board of Discipleship) helps local church, district, and conference leaders fulfill the shared dream of making world-changing disciples. The agency connects leaders with needed resourcing, training, consulting, and networking that support spiritual formation, new church development, revitalization of local churches, and materials for use in Central Conferences. A resource you can easily take advantage of are the free webinars offered each month on a variety of topics of interest for church leaders. For a list of upcoming webinars click here  Free Webinars for Church Leaders. Explore www.gbod.org for even more resources. 

Standing our ground: justice and equity for all God's children

Join clergy, seminarians, Christian educators, young adult leaders and other faith-based advocates for children at CDF Haley Farm in Clinton, Tennessee, for five days of spiritual renewal, networking, movement building workshops, and continuing education about the urgent needs of children at the 20th annual Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund, our partner in the Freedom School initiative in West Ohio. 

 

Get fired up by great preaching and teaching from guest speakers like Bishop Minerva Carcano, Bishop of the California-Pacific Conference for The United Methodist Church. (details)

CBS-TV examines 'Spiritual Second Careers'

Two United Methodists, the Rev. Cathy Abbott, a former Enron executive, and Mike McCurry, who served as press secretary for President Bill Clinton, are among those featured in "A New Calling: Spiritual Second Careers," a CBS Interfaith Special that explores the phenomenon of mature adults moving from successful secular careers into the world of religion. The program will be broadcast Sunday, April 13, on the CBS Television Network. (read more)

United Methodist authors make top 50 list

Seven Abingdon Press books by United Methodist clergy have made April's top 50 list for Christians books sold, compiled from actual sales by CBA. Five are in the top 10. CBA is the leading association for the providers of Christian products to reach all people. Each month they publish the list of the top 50 best selling books. This month's list includes books by Rev. Adam Hamilton (United Methodist Church of the Resurrection), Bishop Rueben Job (retired United Methodist Bishop), Rev. Mike Slaughter (Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church), and Bishop Richard Wilke (Bishop-in-Residence at Southwestern College). View the CBA Best Seller List for April and then order them online at AbingtonPress.com or  Cokesbury.com.

Upcoming EventsUpcomingEvents

Passages
Let us remember in prayer those grieving the loss of their loved one, and remember in thanksgiving the life of:

 

F. James Kurt who died on March 21. Jim is survived by his wife, Rev. Rachel H. Kurt (retired 1993), two sons, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Rev. Rachel Kurt served in the West Ohio Conference at Monroe Street United Methodist Church in Toledo (1984) and Trinity United Methodist Church in Genoa (1987). Funeral arrangements are pending. A memorial service will be held in Brooksville, Maine in August. Expressions of condolence may be sent to Rev. Rachel Kurt & family at either 16709 St. Quaco, St. John (US) Virgin Islands 00830 or P.O. Box 267, Brooksville, Maine 04617-0267 

 

Homer L. Morris who died on Friday, April 4. Surviving are his wife of 64 years, D. Jean Morris; two children, four grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and two sisters. Mr. Morris was a lay pastor for 22 years in the West Ohio Conference, serving at Pine Grove, Gibisonville, Wesley Chapel, New Zion, Mt. Pisgah, South Bloomingville and Bethel United Methodist Churches. Obituary. Expressions of condolence will reach the family at Mrs. Jean Morris, 12190 Flowers Rd., Rockbridge, Ohio 43149
 

Janice Lorraine (George) Searle who died on April 6. She is survived by her husband of nearly 67 years, Rev. John Searle; four sons, four grandchildren, three siblings and many nieces and nephews. Rev. and Mrs. Searle served in the West Ohio Conference at Webster (Wood County 1946), Memorial (Sidney 1950), First (Marion 1954), Trinity (Bowling Green 1965),  and First (Sylvania 1979) United Methodist Churches. Rev. Searle was also a superintendent in the former Defiance district (1973). Friends may call at Dunn Funeral Home, Bowling Green, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Friday, April 11. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 12 at First United Methodist Church, 1526 East Wooster Street in Bowling Green. Expressions of condolence will reach the family at Rev. John Searle, 333 E. Boundary Street, APT 113, Perrysburg, Ohio 43551.

 
 
Deadline for News.NET articles is noon on Thursday. Articles are published based on available space and relevance.  
All articles are subject to editing.
Please submit article requests to