Pajarito Mesa Ministry Gets National Recognition
Submitted by Cheryl Hicks, Cornerstone UMC-ABQ.  Administrator of UMC Pajarito Mesa Grant
 

Cheryl Hicks and husband, Don, are the feet on the ground for this transformative ministry in the SW Valley of Albuquerque.  Of particular note is that Cornerstone is the singular presence of The United Methodist Church in the SW Valley area.

     I spent Wednesday morning, April 6th, at Pajarito Elementary School representing The United Methodist Church's outreach there through Cornerstone UMC's involvement with Pajarito Mesa children and community. A site visit was made by about 43 of the nearly 2000 representatives of the Community Schools National Coalition 2016 meeting here in town during the first week of April. Pajarito Elementary is a new 'Emergent Community Partnering School". They are finding success this year building partners in the community who are willing to involve themselves in supporting the school in becoming a significant hub of education for all ages and resourcing for families. The school is unique for the rare demographics, which challenge the school and families alike, in language and socioeconomic status and expanse of locations for those they serve.
     The visitors were bused from downtown to the Mesa area then to the school, where a group of 5th grade newly organized "Student Council members" led a tour of the school, followed by a performance by a dozen 5th grade girls in full homemade costuming performing an Hispanic dance on the courtyard stage.  A panel of 15 Community leaders including Principal Larribas and selected staff shared their involvement in supporting this community partnering effort.
     The UMC is the only faith partner presence at Pajarito Elementary, which has an enrollment of some 500 children. Through our UMC grant for work on the Mesa, we bring monthly food pantries to the Mesa proper from Roadrunner Foodbank of Albuquerque. Other assistance such as school supplies and special events have also been accomplished by us. This school year we are scholarship-ing 20 adults from the Mesa area to receive ESL, GED, and Computer classes at the school there. The classes are gratefully attended. And, Cornerstone UMC will assure that this summer the children of Pajarito Mesa will have a daycare program available to them at no cost in the safe space of the Elementary school.
     Other Community partners present included Senator Michael Padilla, Commissioner Art de la Cruz, the BCSO, CNM, EXPLORA, CYFD, Rio Grande after school programming, Formation Counseling Services, SouthValley Early Childhood, UNM, and others.  Several officials also gave grateful testament to the partnering work of The United Methodist Church in the recent history of accomplishments making a difference in the Pajarito Mesa community.

 
Judicatory Heads and their Deputies meet to discuss the Next Best Steps in Faith for New Mexico Conference of Churches.
Submitted by Wanda Tuck, Administrative Assistant for NMCC 
 
Front Row: Ruth Hoffman, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry; Carolyn Good, Church Women United; Kay Huggins, acting ED for NMCC; Charlotte Hoppe, Lead Minister Mission West Disciples of Christ; Bishop Michael Vono, Diocese of the Rio Grande; Allan Bash Deputy for the Southwest Conference UCC
Back Row: Rob Craig, Deputy for the Presbytery of Santa Fe; Archbishop John Wester, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe; Bishop Jim Gonia, Rocky Mountain Synod ELCA: Provost, Randall Partin, New Mexico Conference UMC; John Williams, President, Rio Grande Mission Center, Community of Christ; J Voorhies, Deputy Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe
 
On April 14-15, twelve representatives from the thirteen member judicatories of the New Mexico Conference of Churches met at Santa Maria de la Vid, Norbertine Community. The day was designed to provide direction to the Board of NMCC following the conclusion of the ministry of the Reverend Donna McNiel as Executive Director. Acting ED, Kay Huggins, facilitated the day by rehearsing the various shapes, names and programmatic emphases held by this fifty year old statewide relationship of church leaders and denominations. Together the participants probed realities, celebrated opportunities and stretched imagination on the form, practices, commitments and risks involved in expressing the unity of Christ's body in this place and time. Please hold the Board of the NMCC in your prayers as they receive the encouragement of the Judicatory Heads and their Deputies and open a new chapter in this New Mexico ecumenical story.

GC2016 60 Days Prayer on Wednesday!
The Paradise Hills UMC Sanctuary will be open 24 hours for the prayer vigil. No formal service.  Address: 4700 Paradise Blvd, NW, ABQ  

If your church is doing something special, please let us know!
Thanks to everyone who signed up to pray during the 24 hour vigil! 
There's still time to sign up!
Click here for Doodle sign-up link 
Please pray for our Delegation by name.
General Conference Delegates: Rev. Eddie Rivera & Sid Strebeck 
Jurisdictional Delegates: Susan Brumbaugh & Rev. Scott Sharp 
Alternates: Rev. Jane Vaughan, Chelsea Calderon, Rev. Todd Salzwedel &
Mary Bell Haney
 

 

UMW General Conference
In 2016, United Methodist Women will move into four new priority areas for our mission work. Our petitions to General Conference will focus on continuing our existing work and build on these new priority areas, which are:
Climate Justice: Life-giving stewardship and advocacy that enables all God's creation to thrive.
Maternal & Child-Health: Life-saving access and education that promotes well-being.
Ending Mass Incarceration: Advocating to end the criminalization of people of color.
Economic Inequality: Addressing a complex issue affecting women and people of color disproportionately.Click here for more info.




NM Conference UMW - Mission U  
July 15 - 18, 2016 
Sacramento Camp & Conference Center 
 




Click here for the Wellsprings Journal - UMC Clergywomen
  

Are you Called to be a Deacon? 
2016 marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of
the United Methodist clergy deacon in full membership.
 
GBHEM Video - UMC Deacons 
Click here for more info  


Garrison Keillor on "Methodists"   
(..an oldie but a goodie) 
     We make fun of Methodists for their blandness, their excessive calm, their fear of giving offense, their lack of speed, and also for their secret fondness for macaroni and cheese.
     But nobody sings like them. If you were to ask an audience in New York City, a relatively Methodist-less place, to sing along on the chorus of "Michael Row the Boat Ashore," they will look daggers at you as if you had asked them to strip to their underwear. But if you do this among Methodists, they'd smile and row that boat ashore and up on the beach! And down the road!
     Many Methodists are bred from childhood to sing in four-part harmony, a talent that comes from sitting on the lap of someone singing alto or tenor or bass and hearing the harmonic intervals by putting your little head against that person's rib cage.
     It's natural for Methodists to sing in harmony. They are too modest to be soloists, too worldly to sing in unison. When you're singing in the key of C and you slide into the A7th and D7th chords, all two hundred of you, it's an emotionally fulfilling moment. By joining in harmony, they somehow promise that they will not forsake each other.
     I do believe this: People, these Methodists, who love to sing in four-part harmony are the sort of people you can call up when you're in deep distress.

General Conference - It Happens Every 4 Years but What is it?
General Conference 2016 - May 10-20th in Portland, OR
General Conference 
from the Virginia Annual Conference 

UPCOMING EVENTS & IMPORTANT DATES 

>April 27
>April 30  
>May 10-20
>May 21-22 
>June 1 
>June 2 - 4
>July 13-16 
>July 15-18 
>July 22-23
>Oct. 2-5
>Oct. 19-21 

NMAC GC2016 Prayer Vigil  
Lay Servant Training
General Conference

Lay Servant School  
Early Bird Workshops 
NM Annual Conference
SCJ Conference
UMW - Mission U.
Small Membership Church Retreat
Fall Clergy Retreat
Coaching - Basic Training


Center St. UMC, Tucumcari
Portland, OR

FUMC-Belen 
Roswell, NM 
Roswell, NM
Wichita, KS
Sacramento
Sacramento
Sacramento
TBA
 

Classifieds
Conference Calendar
UMC website
 


RELEVANT, PASSIONATE, AND LIFE-CHANGING CHURCHES

New Mexico Annual Conference  

11816 Lomas Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87112

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Please send photos, articles, events, etc. to Alli Costello, Communications Director at [email protected].  Send classified ads to [email protected].