April 19, 2016
WEST DISTRICT NEWS
A weekly newsletter to keep you connected.

 

Please click the button above to see the schedule for West District Missional Office locations. It is our hope that when you notice where we are planning our "office for the day" you will join us for conversation and share what exciting events are taking place in your places of worship and ministry. This office time is open to both laity and clergy. 

 

Blessings and Prayers,

The West District Staff

 

 

West District RE-SHAPED Conference
REGISTRATION DEADLINE EXTENDED!
Saturday, April 30, 2016
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Mount Pleasant UMC  
The West District Operational team is proud to offer all clergy and laity the opportunity to gather together for a day of learning, re-learning, and re-shaping ideas for effective ministries in the local church. Please plan to participate in a new style of leadership development for the West District.

The fee for attending this event is $10 per individual or $25 for a group coming from one church (includes lunch). There is no limit to the number of participants per church group, so gather your leadership for this wonderful event! John Groves expects every church to be represented at this event!
 
Click here to get more information and register your group today! Registration deadline has been extended to April 24th!.
Spring 2016 Lay Servant Academy
Lay Servant Ministries
Saturday, April 23, 2016
8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Centenary United Methodist Church
301 N. 7th Street, Terre Haute


Registration deadline is April 14th!
Annual Conference Session June 9-11, 2016
MISSION COLLECTION
 
We invite you to join us in supporting our United Methodist Disaster Response work by bringing bulk items for UMCOR Health Kits to the 2016 Gathering of United Methodist Churches in Indiana. The items will be collected in the display area and will be placed on a truck for Midwest Mission Distribution Center at the end of the Gathering.

Each district has been given a suggested item from the health kit list to donate. Our goal is to collect enough items that MMDC can build at least 500 kits, which means we would love to see each district bring 500 of their assigned item. In addition, we will be accepting monetary donations to cover the $1 cost of toothpaste and the $1 per kit shipping cost.

In order to reach our goal of gathering supplies for 500 kits, we hope that your church will provide support by bringing 20 of your assigned item. If that sounds like too much, think about bringing 10 or even just 5 of your district's item. When we all work together in even a small way,we have the ability to be hope for least 500 people around the world by offering much needed supplies in times of hardship.

The West District has been asked to participate by collecting bath-size bars of soap (3 oz. or larger, please keep in original packaging - no Ivory or Jergens soap due to moisture content). Collect all you can, and bring your donations to Annual Conference. Questions? Contact Allison Curts at [email protected].
LAITY MANUSCRIPT CONTEST
 
The Indiana Conference's Lay Leadership Team offers an opportunity to express thanks and praise to God by asking laity to submit an original sermon manuscript for judging. This contest is open to all lay people in the Indiana Conference.

Following the theme of Indiana's 2016 Annual Conference Session, the theme for this year's manuscript contest is "Be Hope," based on Romans 5:1-5 and Jeremiah 29:11.

The winning sermon manuscript will be presented during the Annual Conference's Laity Session on Thursday, June 9. Manuscripts should be no more than 15 minutes in length. Entries will be judged based on creative and original development of the theme, but could be eliminated due to length.

Manuscripts need to be mailed to Doris Clark, 7504 Normandy Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46278 or sent by email to [email protected].

The manuscript must be accompanied by a cover sheet or letter that includes the writer's name, address, phone number, email address, local church name and district. Entrants are asked not to include any personally identifying information in the manuscript itself since it will be assigned a number and judged anonymously.

All entries must be received no later than May 2 and the winner will be notified by May 20.

For additional information about the contest, please contact Anthony Swinger, Central District Co-Lay Leader, at [email protected] or call 317-372-4991.
EVENTS
In an effort to keep this newsletter as concise as possible, we are listing local church events only on the district web site.  To view these events, simply CLICK HERE, and you will be directed to it.  If your church has an event you would like featured on this calendar, please e-mail the details to Katie Swisher at [email protected].

TransforMission  July 10-16, 2016

TransforMission is a mission camp designed to help High School & Middle School youth experience what it means to live out the Great Commission (not just one week in the summer, but every day). 

Engaging morning and evening worship and small group sessions, super fun group activities, relationship building with other UMC youth groups, and serving with some of the best mission agencies in Indianapolis, make this a powerful week for all involved!


NEW Groves
NEW Davis
NEW Swisher
Rev. John Groves
Superintendent
765-51-UMCDS
(765-518-6237)
Rev. John Davis
Associate Superintendent
(office) 765-276-4797 
Katie Swisher
District Assistant
(office) 765-276-4797
Preferred Telephone Hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays - 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.