Here is the latest news from the Johnson City District.
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 A Word From Walter
Dear Friends,
I have a confession to make to you. I wasn't sure we could do it.
Last year about this time, I was processing what it meant for the Holston Conference to take on the challenge of saving 100,000 lives through our "Imagine No Malaria" campaign. To reach that goal, we would have to raise $1 million. That was three or four times as much as any of our previous mission offerings collected at Annual Conference. $1 million was a worthy goal...but it was not very realistic.
But we did it! You did it! The Johnson City District was given a goal of $80,000 and we've raised $92,192.33 so far! There were lots of individual gifts. There were special dinners. There were Vacation Bible School offerings designated for Imagine No Malaria, lemonade stands, etc.
As with most worthy efforts, someone sensed God's movement. Then, they enlisted the help of others. Next, they came up with a plan. They stayed faithful to the plan. And, they allowed the Holy Spirit to fuel the mission.
I hope that the churches in the Johnson City District look at this model and are inspired by it. I hope there are no churches in our district that sense the movement of God's Holy Spirit and then do nothing. We have a world that needs the Good News we have to share.
If you feel your church might have reached a plateau, this might be a great time to enter into a season of visioning. Look at your resources. See what God has given you in abundance. Enlist the help of others. Devise a plan. Encourage each other when you run into the inevitable obstacles. Allow the Holy Spirit to move wherever it will.
I look forward to hearing your surprising and awe-inspiring stories in the days to come.
God bless you,
Walter Weikel Learn more about Imagine No Malaria
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And, a Couple of More Words...
Financial Stewardship Opportunity
We are happy to announce a wonderful opportunity that might just transform how your church looks at its finances. For several years, the Holston Conference Foundation has sponsored many Holston Clergy in their quest to receive intensive financial stewardship training. I can tell you from first hand experience that my own training revolutionized my approach to stewardship.
For years, the leader of that training has been Michael Reeves. On September 14, Michael will conduct a seminar within the bounds of the Holston Conference. He will be at Concord UMC in Knoxville, TN 10:00 am until around 3:00 pm. The Vols will be playing far away that Saturday, so you don't need to worry about missing a home game. What is particularly exciting is that this training event is open to laity.
We would like to see between 25 to 50 people from the Johnson City District attend this event. I can tell you from my own experience, there were times I wished my key laity had the same theological or philosophical training I had received. Michael was able to explain things more thoughtfully and forcefully than I ever could.
I hope you will give serious consideration to this wonderful opportunity. Contact me if you are interested in attending, or have additional questions.
Ann Graham Lotz Invitation
Dear Pastors,
We have received a request from a layperson in the Tri-Cities area asking you to consider issuing an invitation to Anne Graham Lotz to speak at a revival in the Tri-Cities. Evidently, Mrs. Lotz does not speak in an area unless she feels the pastors in that region are supportive. If this is something that interests you, please forward those requests to me and I will get them to the appropriate place. Thank you,
Walter
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Walter's Ride
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Walter completes his ride
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He doesn't mention it in the article above, but our own District Superintendent Walter Weikel embarked on a personal fundraising effort to benefit Imagine No Malaria. On Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18 Walter rode his bicycle across the Johnson City District, visiting churches along the way, and raising funds and awareness for Imagine No Malaria.
Walter rode approximately 60 miles, visited 17 churches to collect donations and celebrate past gifts, and raised $1,314, saving 131 lives!
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Czech Missions Golf Tournament
 | The winners of Flight A.
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On Saturday, May 11, 23 teams gathered at Buffalo Valley Golf Course for friendly competition and to raise funds for Czech Missions.
Winning Flight A, with a score of 61, were Scott Snapp, Jason Dubay, Jason Hatjioannou, and Brad Underwood. Winning Flight B, with a score of 66, were Doug Hulshult, Walter Berry, JD Livingston, and John Whitson. Winning the Women's Division, with a score of 67 were Kellie Bracken, Betsy Kraft, Neda Byrd, and Doris Murphy.
This event raised $5,321.16 for Czech Missions. These funds will be used to support ESUMC Prague and provide scholarships to this year's mission team members.
See more photos of the event
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Over 20 volunteers came to help load the truck on Thursday, including the youth group from Unicoi UMC.
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Food Buckets for Liberia
The Johnson City District's Hands-On Mission Project for Annual Conference this year was Food Buckets for Liberia. Our goal was 250 buckets. Once again, the generous members of the Johnson City District went above and beyond to donate 879 buckets!
Thank you to all who purchased items, filled buckets, delivered buckets to the District Office, verified contents and prepared for pickup, and loaded the truck.
See more photos
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 | | Vacation Bible School at Maranatha UMC in Plzen, Czech Republic. VBS ended Friday and the team will travel home Monday. |
Pray for Our Mission Teams
This summer we have ten teams traveling to the Czech Republic to lead Vacation Bible School, English Camp, Sports Camp, and other activities with our Czech partner churches.
- June 21 - July 1: Plzeň Maranatha VBS; Doug Hulshult was to have led this team, but was hospitalized the night before departure. Team members Jeanne Justice, Richard Cox, and Angie Georgeff will travel home on Monday after a successful week of Vacation Bible School. One highlight of the week was a game where teams wrapped a member in toilet paper to represent the bindings Lazarus was wrapped in before his resurrection.
- July 5 - 15: Horni Počernice VBS and English Camp; Led by Rick Shuppert, this team of five will be working in a United Methodist run Community Help Center that provides housing and assistance to Gypsy families. They will conduct Cokesbury's Operation Overboard Vacation Bible School with pre-school age children in the morning and school age children in the afternoon. In the evenings, they will teach simple conversational English to adults.
- July 12 - 22: Brno VBS/English Camp; Joe Carr will lead this team of 12 from Fairview UMC. This church is situated in the midst of a high-rise apartment complex and has hosted VBS for several years. This year, they hope to reach older children and youth with the addition of an afternoon English Camp. The Brno congregation recently baptized and received into membership four children that have participated in VBS.
- July 12 - 22: Litoměřice Sports Camp; Sixteen team members from Munsey Memorial UMC, led by John Bolton, will return to
Litoměřice to teach softball to children and youth. The softball program there has become so popular that a church in a nearby town has asked that part of the team come there to lead an additional camp.
- July 12 - 21: Protivín Sports Camp/English Camp; Tommy Forester will lead this team of five returning to
Protivín to teach softball and English to children and youth. This team is primarily made up of members of Bluff City UMC.
- July 19 - 29: Slaný English/Art/Basketball Camp; Amy Blumberg and her team of six return to Slaný for English Camp, but with a twist. This year the camp will be held in a local school and participants will rotate between English lessons, basketball lessons and Bible-themed art projects.
- July 19 - 27: Vimperk Sports Camp/English Camp; Sam Barnett and his team will return to Vimperk for a week of Sports Camp and English Camp. The congregation in Vimperk has seen phenomenal growth in the years since their first Sports Camp. Their praise band is led by youth who came to know Christ because of our work there.
- July 20 - July 27: ESUMC Prague English Camp/VBS; Gethsemane UMC is sending their first mission team to the Czech Republic to lead Vacation Bible School and English Camp at the English Speaking UMC in Prague. Cindy Paxton will lead this team of seven.
- July 26 - August 5: ESUMC Prague English Camp/VBS; ESUMC Prague will host a second week of English Camp and Vacation Bible School, led by Amelia Brown and her team of six.
- July 27 - August 4: Třeboň Sports Camp/English Camp; After completing camp in Vimperk, youth from that village will travel with Sam Barnett to Třeboň to help him lead a newly established camp there.
As you can see, we have many new and exciting plans in addition to our traditional camps. Please be in prayer for our team members as they travel, for our partner churches as the prepare for and host the teams, and for everyone that the encounter along the way.
Dear Lord, may the light of your Son shine through all of our team members to warm the lives of those they serve. May seeds be planted in hearts and minds, so that children, youth and adults may come to know your love and grace. Protect our team members and those they are working with, and pour your richest blessings upon them. Amen. |
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News from
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On Pentecost Sunday, the congregation
threw Pastor Michelle a surprise birthday party.
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The English Speaking United Methodist Church in Prague has begun officially receiving members into their fellowship this spring. They continue to meet for worship on Sunday afternoons and will resume weekday Bible Study in September after a summer hiatus.
Michelle and Gary have had a busy couple of months, first attending Czech/Slovak Annual Conference in Prague, and then traveling to the US, arriving just in time for Holston Annual Conference.Michelle was speaker for the Missions Dinner giving her the opportunity to share with leaders from all over the conference the work they are doing in Prague.
They have also been visiting with Covenant Partner churches during their time at home, and taking the opportunity to visit with family and friends. Michelle and Gary will travel back to Prague July 12, arriving in time to host two teams from the Johnson City District who are coming to lead Vacation Bible School and English Camp.
Visit ESUMC Prague Facebook page
Visit ESUMC Prague Website
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 Look What's Happening at Camp This Summer!
Although Summer Camp is not in session this year at Buffalo Mountain, many of the camp's facilities are available for use by outside groups The camp has welcomed several retreat groups this summer and day camp sponsored by Munsey Memorial UMC.
If you need a great place for a birthday party, family reunion, or gathering for your youth, Sunday School class, or other group, check out what the camp has to offer:
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Pool and picnic pavilion for groups of 10 to 50
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Climbing tower and zip line for groups up to 15
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Tubing trips on the Nolichucky River for groups up to 12
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Canoeing and kayaking on the camp lake
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The trail to the waterfall is open once again, and you are welcome to hike up Ramsey Creek to see what changes August's floods have made. But, be sure to make certain to check in at the office so they know you are on the grounds.
Mark your calendar for the 5th Annual Buffalo Bash, scheduled for July 27. Watch for more more info about this event, coming soon.
The Johnson City District Clergy will hold their annual Family Picnic at the camp this year. We will gather at the pavilion and pool on Tuesday, July 23 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm for swimming and a potluck.
Read the June Camp Chronicles for more news and photos
Visit the camp's website
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 Imagine No Malaria
To date, 58 churches in the Johnson City District have given to Imagine No Malaria. The district has raised $92,192.33 saving 9,219 lives!
During an emotional Tuesday evening worship experience at Annual Conference, Imagine No Malaria Chair Andy Ferguson stood before those gathered to share the total collected thus far. Our conference goal was $1,000,000 raised; 100,000 lives saved. The crowd waited with anticipation as Rev. Ferguson described the journey to this night. He shared how just a month before, with only 2/3 of the goal reached, the committee met to decide on a contingency plan. Finally, Rev. Ferguson began to read the latest total. The congregation erupted with shouts of joy and applause before he could even complete the numbers - $1,135,250.
To date, Holston Conference has raised $1,143,620. The members of Holston Conference voted to extend the campaign through December, so there is still time to give. How many more lives can we save? Visit Holston's INM WebpageVisit Holston's INM Facebook Page
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Webmaster Needed
The Johnson District UMW is looking for someone who would be willing to maintain and update their website. They are currently without a communications coordinator and no one qualified to do this task. Please contact Lynice Broyles if interested in doing this volunteer job.
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 Goodgame to Lead Camp Meeting
Sulphur Springs Camp Meeting August 4 - 7 6:30 pm nightly Sulphur Springs Camp Shed 1432 Gray-Sulphur Springs Rd Jonesborough, TN 37659
The Reverend Dr. Gordon Goodgame will be our special speaker this year for the 194th Sulphur Springs Camp Meeting. Dr. Goodgame is a retired member of Holston Conference having served churches in Knoxville, Kingston, Pulaski (VA), Oak Ridge and Chattanooga and as Director of the Holston Conference Council on Ministries. He retired as Executive Director of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Administrative Council and, since, has been interim pastor in six Holston churches. A graduate of UTK and Emory University, he holds masters and doctoral degrees from San Francisco Theological Seminary.
Please note that services will begin earlier this year (6:30 pm) allowing folks to get home before it gets too late. A nursery will be provided each night. On Sunday, a mini concert will be held at 6:00 pm by the Appalachian Trail Bluegrass Group and they also will furnish the special music for the Sunday night worship service. Additional music groups will provide special music Monday through Wednesday nights.
Special programs are planned on Sunday evening for children and youth. Caitlin Jones from Gray UMC is coordinating a youth event on "Growing Green" with a special speaker and music. A children's program, led by Amber Jeffers and will include music and games. Both events will begin at 5:30 pm.
Learn more about the history of Sulphur Springs Camp Meeting
Get Directions
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 There's an App for That! Does your church seek to connect with members on the go, or to reach out to younger people? More than 133 million people in the United States own smartphones, and most use mobile apps to connect to their favorites: places, organizations and events. Is your church among them?
Mobile apps will be your communications central: sharing church news, social media, photos and videos with people on the go. Members and visitors can easily view the church's calendar through a mobile app. To help your church, the United Methodist TechShop now offers mobile app development at a discount through its partnership with OCV, a leader in communications technology for churches.
Visit www.MyUMCapp.com today and see how OCV has assisted numerous United Methodist churches, annual conferences and general boards in developing their mobile apps for iPhone, Android phones, and tablets.
Use this discount code: Techshop.
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Some of the great volunteers helping to build a new home for the Banchetto family.
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Habitat Home Taking Shape Fairview UMC is currently building a new home in Jonesborough for the Banchetto family in cooperation with Holston Habitat for Humanity.
Since the official ground-breaking on May 5, volunteers have made great progress on the home. Last week, the roof went on, windows were installed, construction started on the porch, and a drain pipe was buried along the foundation. Volunteer, professional plumbers and electricians will begin the plumbing and wiring work this coming week.
Volunteer Coordinator Ellen Johnston says, "Volunteers have come out of the woodwork. We've had individuals who are not members of Fairview UMC and several other church and civic type groups, a group of nurses, First TN Bank and others who have called me and shown up on 1 or 2 days to work as a group. What has also been so impressive is the number of Fairview UMC members who have embraced this project and the Banchetto Family who are receiving this blessing. Holston Habitat has voiced their pleasure with the unusually high number of volunteers who continue to show up day after day and especially on Saturdays."
Although bad weather delayed the initial laying of the foundation/block, Project Coordinator Clint Smith and Site Coordinator Art Weekes hope to meet the goal of completing the project within 90 days.
Additional volunteers of all skill levels will be needed in coming weeks to complete the build. If you are interested in helping, contact Ellen Johnston by email or at 423-366-2046.
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Upcoming Events
District Office Closed Thursday, July 4 Independence Day Saturday Breakfast Saturday, July 13 7:00-10:00 am Fairview UMC Mission U (Formerly the School of Christian Mission) July 18-20 State Street UMC Bristol, VA Learn More District Clergy Family Picnic Tuesday, July 23 5:00-8:00 pm Buffalo Mountain Camp Pool and Pavilion area 2013 Abolishing Conference: Bringing Good News to the Poor Saturday, July 27, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Cokesbury Center
9915 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN Learn More Calling All Men - First Saturday Saturday, August 3 Tennessee Wesleyan College Athens, TN Learn More Calling All Men - Second Saturday Saturday, August 10 King University Bristol, TN Learn More District Conference Sunday, September 8 2:00 pm Location TBA Senior Adult Gathering Thursday, September 19 Gray UMC
LEAD Kids Children's Ministry Training and Retreat
September 20 - 21 Camp Wesley Woods Townsend, TN Learn More
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