NM & NWTX Conferences Work Together
to Lift up Hispanic/Latino Ministries in Clovis

    As of summer 2015, the NM Conference of the United Methodist Church, particularly Kingswood UMC in the city of Clovis, NM, has visualized the need to reach the Hispanic/Latino community. That is why Rev. Jane Vaughan, District Superintendent of Clovis, NM has asked the Hispanic/Latino Ministry of the NWTX Conference to assist in guiding and providing appropriate strategies in forming a new Hispanic/Latino congregation in this city. As of now, we've sent a team of pastors to visit, talk and see Kingswood UMC's reality. The task has been to assess their resources, such as people, financials and infrastructure. This has allowed us to start taking the first steps in setting a strong foundation for the start of this new congregation.

Celebrating Laity Sunday 
Growing Trend of Laity as Part-Time Local Pastors 
2015 Certified Lay Ministers at Annual Conference
 
     Local pastors - non-ordained, and in most cases without a seminary degree - are growing in number and taking on more roles in The United Methodist Church.
     United Methodist News Services's Sam Hodges provides coverage of the overall trend, the rapid growth of part-time local pastors, the use of local pastors in Hispanic outreach and the challenges faced by local pastors in the Central Conferences.
Dr. Marcus "Goodie" Goodloe, Author of King Maker Offers Message of Hope

    Former UNM Lobo Quarterback, Dr. "Goodie" Goodloe offered the message to St. Stephen's UMC, ABQ on Sept. 27, 2015.  He has recently published a book entitled, King Maker.  Goodie discussed how, with humility and wisdom, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. requested the help of influential athletes and entertainers to move the Civil Rights cause forward.  His strategy may be applied to much of what we are dealing with today.  The musical trio, Soulfruit lent their beautiful and dynamic stylings to the message. Enjoy!
Dr. Marcus  
Dr. Marcus "Goodie" Goodloe & Soulfruit at St. Stephen's
Sept. 27, 2015
  If you would like Goodie to speak to your congregation, please contact him at:  

Update on Houchen Community Center
     Houchen Community Center in El Paso, Texas, is a nonprofit organization based in one of the nation's most economically and socially impoverished neighborhoods. In order to fully provide for the community and the city of El Paso, the Board of Directors is excited to announce the beginning of a transformation of the Center. While some of the changes will cause some programs to temporarily close others will be eliminated; this will allow the Center to redefine our purpose to fully assist those in need in our community.
     Houchen Community Center closed its Child Development Center and suspended gymnasium activities September 11, 2015. Families with children in the CDC were notified and given resource information on other child care facilities in the area. All staff, employed on Aug. 31, were placed on Work-Force Reduction. Staff members were offered other employment opportunities. This difficult decision was made by the Houchen Board of Directors which could not overcome a lack of income and increasing costs with the decline of enrolled children in the Day Care and nonpaying participants in the gym.
     However, the Thriftshop, Community Service Program, Room of Hope, Computer lab, Food Pantry, Soup Kitchen, libraries and Youth and Adult Bible Studies continue serving the community and surrounding area. Volunteers are used to keep all these activities thriving during this time of transition.
     The Board has a plan to attract new partners/vendors to Houchen that will make it possible to provide new services to families of the Segundo Barrio, whom Houchen has faithfully served for more than 120 years. As programs are added at Houchen, the Board will keep the community, volunteers and valued donors informed. The Board is confident Houchen will continue to serve families in the community for many more years. The continued support of Houchen by the UMW, churches, private donors and many, many volunteers is the life blood of the Center. Without your prayers, your presence, your service and your witness at Houchen lives would not be changed and transformation would not take place . Please continue to hold Houchen in your prayers, the future looks very bright and exciting for the transformation of Houchen Community Center!
 

 
El Calvario UMC, Las Cruces Launches a New Ministry

     After a year of prayer and preparation, we launched our Calvary Love Dinner Church/Agape Free Market ministry on Tuesday! It will be offered the first Tuesday of each month, in hopes of becoming weekly as we grow our ministry team. 
     Our first service was a blessing of success! Over 48 neighbors from our Historic Mesquite Community walked to our parking lot for worship, produce, donations of children's clothes, and a sit down meal. A cooking demonstration was presented using the produce that we were offering to show our neighbors how easy and affordable it is to use home grown ingredients for nutritious meals. 
     We are grateful for our community partners who have joined in our efforts: The farmers of the Las Cruces Downtown Market, Tutti Bambini Children's thrift store(part of Jardin de los Ninos),and La Semilla Food Center of Dona Ana County. 
     We offered the produce first, so that in no way was worship mandatory...but all who came waited for the two services of Holy Communion, praise and song that were offered.We are still recovering from the joy of it all. As one team member said, "Nothing went wrong. What's up with that?" Even the clouds were parted for our event. Thanks be to God.
 
New Lay Servant School Dates
December 11 - 12, 2015 - Basic & Re-certification Lay Servant School classes will be Offered at First UMC, ABQ.  For more information or to register, please contact John Milholland: 505-286-4863 or milholland93@q.com.  

November is Full of Special Days
  • Native American Heritage Month
  • All Saints Day - Nov. 1
  • World Community Day - Nov. 6
  • Organ & Tissue Donor Day - Nov. 8
  • Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday - Nov. 22
  • Bible Sunday - Nov. 22
  • Thanksgiving Day - Nov. 26
  • First Sunday of Advent - Nov. 29
  • United Methodist Student Day - Nov. 29 

Don't Forget to Send your Church's Fall Festival Photos
 
Send to alli@nmconfum.com by Nov. 13th  

Child Development Director Needed at St. Paul's UMC, Las Cruces
Position Description:            
Direct the St Paul's Child Development Center by crafting a relevant, Christian vision within the context of the mission set by church leadership and in response to progress and innovation in early childhood development.   Ensure that children entrusted to St Paul's UMC through this ministry will receive preparatory education in a loving, caring and positive Christian learning environment.
Qualifications: 
-    Minimum of an AA in Early Childhood Education, Bachelor's Degree or higher in early education or related field.  A minimum of three years of demonstrated successful
experience in Early Childhood Education as a director or classroom teacher. A willingness to learn and adhere to the policies, procedures, and theology of the UMC.  Computer & communication proficiency. Please email: mark@stpaulslascruces.com.  Initial review of applications will start on October 23rd. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

>Oct. 16
>Oct. 16 - 17
>Oct. 18
>Oct. 18
>Oct. 18
>Oct. 27 - 29
>Nov. 5
>Nov. 6 - 8
>Nov. 22
>Nov. 26 - 27
>Dec. 11 - 12
>Dec. 24 - 25
>Jan. 29 - 30
>Feb. 4 - 6
>Feb. 16
>Feb. 17
>Feb. 19 - 20
>March 4 - 6
>March 6
Bishop Leads UMW Worship
UMW Annual Conference
Family Emergency Prep Session
Laity Sunday
Bishop Bledsoe Speaks
National Church Planters Conf
Winter Jam
Sacramento Thanksgiving
Bishop Bledsoe Speaks
Conference Office Closed
Lay Servant School
Conference Office Closed
Lay Servant School
Fusion - Future of Worship in UMC
TMF - ...Bountiful Generosity
TMF - ...Bountiful Generosity
AWAKEN - Youth Leadership
ROC
Bishop Bledsoe Speaks
Central UMC, ABQ
Central & St. John's, ABQ  
Asbury UMC, ABQ

Mountainair UMC
Orlando, FL
Santa Ana Star Center, Rio Rancho
Sacramento Camp & Conf Center
St. John's UMC, ABQ

First UMC, ABQ
First UMC, Bloomfield
Raleigh, NC
St. Paul's UMC, ABQ
St. Mark's UMC, El Paso
Denver
Sacramento
Sacramento
First UMC, Deming

 

For more information of any of these events, click here to go to our Conference Calendar   



Classifieds
Conference Calendar
UMC website
 


RELEVANT, PASSIONATE, AND LIFE-CHANGING CHURCHES

New Mexico Annual Conference

11816 Lomas Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87112

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Receptionist Hours: 9:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

(800) 678-8786 toll free; (505) 255-8786; (505) 265-6184 fax

Click here to view our staff listing 

 

 

Please send photos, articles, events, etc. to Alli Costello, Communications Director at alli@nmconfum.com.  Send classified ads to frontdesk@nmconfum.com.