|
CLERGY - EPIPHANY BANQUET
District Clergy, active and retired
All clergy (both active and retired) and spouses of the Knoxville District are invited to an Epiphany Banquet on Friday evening, Jan. 9th at the Bearden Banquet Hall. We need your reservations by noon on Monday, January 5th.
Gathering begins at 6:00 with the meal beginning at 6:30. Entertainment will be provided by Rev. Joe and Beth Green.
Childcare will be provided by Beaden UMC and includes dinner, free of charge. Enter through the Fellowship Center in the rear parking lot. For childcare questions please contact Lindsey Piercy (lindsey@beardenumc.org, 865-659-3540). To best serve your children please complete the form by following this link
|
Be a Five Star Church for 2014 To meet the requirements of Five-Star status, a church must pay their full 10% Tithe to Conference for the year and contribute at least $25 to each of the four Advanced Special areas: International, United States, Conference and UMCOR. Download the brochure for The Advance here. 
ATTENTION: Church Treasurers - Deadline for Conference Tithe and District Apportionment is Friday, January 9th. The 2014 books close on January 9th. |
|
ATTENTION CLERGY :
January 13, 2015 - District Clergy Meeting - Location TBD - YEAR END REPORTS - are due at this meeting.
==================================
==================================
HOLSTON METHODIST
FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
Please view the Visa Business CARD Promotions
"SAVE MORE, SO YOU CAN GIVE MORE".......USE POINTS TO SAVE ON EXPENSES FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION, MISSION TRIPS AND MORE. District Offices/Churches/Conference Agencies have redeemed points for car rentals, hotels, airfares for mission trips, staff holiday gifts and more.
|
IRA Rollover Expiration On December 31, 2014, the recently passed IRA Rollover expires and with it the opportunity to make a tax-free distribution from your retirement account as a gift to your church, favorite ministry or an organization supported by the Holston Conference Foundation.
It works like this. If you are 70½ or older inform your traditional IRA administrators that you wish to make a "qualified charitable distribution" to the Holston Conference Foundation up to $100,000. You may have to fill out and fax back a simple form to the administrator of your IRA, and he or she will need our federal tax ID number (36-216-7731). The administrator cuts the check and sends it directly to the Holston Conference Foundation and we in turn will forward it to the charity or church of your choice.
The "fine print" for this gift is: - The check from the financial institution must be postmarked by December 31, 2014.
- You do not pay income tax on this distribution. (There is no charitable deduction on your taxes for the gift but it is offset by not paying income tax.)
- Only IRA holders of the right age can take advantage of this opportunity.
- Traditional IRAs work best for this program-not Roth IRAs, because Roths are taxed differently, and a charitable distribution from a Roth IRA probably offers far less benefit to you the donor.
- Charitable distributions cannot be made from 401(k), 403(b), SEP IRA, or SIMPLE IRA accounts-they don't qualify for this program.
- Supporting organizations and donor-advised funds aren't eligible to receive charitable distributions from IRAs.
This is a great way to set up an endowment honoring or memorializing a loved one or to simply create perpetual funding for your favorite ministry. Your gift may be made directly to your local church or through the Foundation. If you have questions or call 1-865-690-8124.
|
|
 January 16-18 & 23-25
Gatlinburg Convention Center
Gatlinburg, TN
Theme: Be Known
Verse: Jeremiah 31:33-"But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day," says the Lord. "I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Registration Form for much more information please visit the website: http://resurrectionyouth.com/
|
|
DIVINE RHYTHM
YOUNG ADULTS
January 30-February 1, 2015
Mills Auditorium, Gatlinburg TN
Regular Registration Deadline: December 31, 2014 $40 per person
Late Registration Deadline: January 24, 2014 $55 per person
Registration is available online or by mail. REGISTRATION FORM
WWW.DIVINERHYTHM.COM
|
|
Annual Conference 2015
HANDS ON MISSION KITS
SCHOOL KITS for Zimbabwe
Pack these items in a backpack:
- 3 pks. notebook paper (wide-ruled)
- 1 compass/protractor set
- 1 small calculator
- 1 Backpack (large)
- 1 (12in) Ruler
- 1 Pack of erasers
- 1 (10 pack) of black or blue pens
- 1 (10 pack) of pencils
- 1 small dictionary
- 1 box of crayons
Now is the time to shop for school supplies for our Hands on Mission Kits for next year.
|
|
 42nd Annual
Ministers' Wives' Retreat
Lighten Up! will be held 3/19 - 3/21/15 at Music Road Inn (303 Henderson Chapel Road, Pigeon Forge, TN). For the registration/brochure, click here.
|
|
LINKS of INTEREST
Bridge Refugee Services
http://www.bridgerefugees.org/
Camp Wesley Woods
http://www.campwesleywoods.com/
Compassion Coalition
http://compassioncoalition.org/
Emerald Youth Foundation
http://www.emeraldyouth.org/
Wesley House
http://www.wesleyhouse.com/
Wesley Foundation
http://utkwesleyfoundation.org/
Family Promise of Knoxville
http://familypromiseknoxville.org/
Knoxville Inner City Kids Outreach (KICKO)
http://kicko.org/
Holston Methodist FCU
http://www.hmfcu.org/
Lake Junaluska
www.lakejunaluska.com
Volunteer Ministry Center
www.vmcinc.org
Knox Area Rescue Ministries
www.karm.org
|
|
Please share this District Newsletter by making copies for others within your Church or forwarding a copy of this email. If anyone is interested in joining the email distribution there is a link at the bottom of the page to add or delete your email address.
|
|
WHY AM I RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER?
If you have started receiving the District Newsletter it is because your name has been listed on the 2015 Leadership roster for your local church. If you do not want to continue receiving this newsletter you can unsubscribe at the link on the bottom of this page.
|
|
|
 Finish Strong
In a long-distance race, runners will usually pace themselves because they want to have enough energy "in the tank" near the end to be able to finish strong. Teams in most any sport prepare their game plan and strategize during the game so they can have their best players participating and use their best plays.
If we live long enough, most of us will not finish physically strong. However, spiritually - where life matters most - we can finish our life on this earth stronger than ever. The key is that we are in relationship each day with the Holy Spirit that guides and strengthens us with sanctifying grace. One way to assess your life as you head into a new year is to ask toward what kind of finish you are headed with the preparations you are making?
As we end the year 2014 in the churches of the Knoxville District, I encourage everyone to finish strong as well. Pastors and other church leaders, take responsibility for giving as much of the tithe as possible toward our shared Holston Conference ministry as United Methodists. (Remember, giving toward the tithe for 2014 can continue until January 9.) When we all do our part, we make that much more of a difference in the world for the God we worship.
In addition, be attentive and accurate when filling out those year-end reports. In several areas, those should be easier if you have been consistent in posting your "Vital Signs" information. More importantly, learn from the information in those reports. Where did you improve? Where did you decline? What may have improvement or decline? What can we learn from the numbers that will help us be more effective and fruitful in our ministry?
Thank you so much for the many ways you give of yourself to further the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ! May 2015 be our best year yet in becoming vital congregations who are transforming individuals and communities for Christ!
Love, Grace and Peace to each of you.
Nathan Malone
To all of those who have sent gifts, cards and other gestures during this Advent and Christmas Seasons, we are most grateful!
Becca, Matt, Vicki and Nathan Malone
Mission Opportunities:
-
$1/Day for one year to pay for the new Wesley House! We invite individuals, families and groups to pledge $30/month for one year to pay off the loan for the new building which continues to grow our ministry to children in the inner city.
-
Volunteer at Wesley House. Call 524-5494 to find out how you or your group can serve the children and staff there. Individuals and groups can make a big difference!
-
Camp Wesley Woods - work teams and capital funds are always welcomed here.
-
Our Covenant with Logo Village - people to be on our next mission team to travel there and funds to support the covenant.
Way to Go! Way to Give!
Check out the new video message of gratitude each month on the Holston Conference website www.holston.org. (Messages from previous months are also archived there.) These are excellent opportunities to share with the people of your church about the difference they are making in the lives of others.
|
|
IMPACTING MINISTRY 2015
January 11, 2015 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Middlebrook Pike UMC
Workshop Offerings:
- SPRC/PPR - Rev. Nathan Malone
- Role of the Administrative Council/Board - Rev. Randy Frye
- Jurisdictional/General Conference - Del Holley
- Benevolence Ministry - Compassion Coalition
- The Issue of Legacy - Rev. Cliff Amos
- Introduction to Covenant Bible Study - Carlesia Manning
- Temperament Analysis - Brett Travis, PhD
Event Cost is $5.00 per person
Pre-Registration is required.
We suggest that several people from your church attend.
Registration Deadline:
Monday, January 5, 2015
Please mail Registration Form to:
Knoxville District UMC
P.O. Box 6689
Knoxville, TN 37914
For further information:865/470-7005
|
|
|
REZ KIDS
January 18-19 2015
Gatlinburg Convention Center
http://www.rezkidz.com/ for more information
Our Mission is based on Deuteronomy 6:5-7: "And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up." (NLT)
Not only must we love God with all our heart, but we must consistently teach our children about the Love of Christ and make it a priority to be in constant conversation about the gospel message. Our mission is to equip families with the tools they can use to strengthen their faith together.
At Rez Kidz, we dream of parents and their children committing together to make their faith a priority. We dream of boys and girls who light up with excitement when they walk through the door and leave in wonder about a King who loves them. We dream of families committing themselves wholeheartedly to the commands of the Lord. We dream of watching the gospel message change lives, one family at a time.
That is our mission: to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and to encourage, equip, and build-up families as we glorify our Savior.
|
|
SERMON ACADEMY
January 26, 2015
10 - 3:00 p.m.
Holston Conference Center, Alcoa
Cost - $25 includes lunch
email: sueweber@holston.org
This workshop, led by Rev. Dr. Paul Harmon, Spartanburg, SC District Superintendent, will be a gathering of those who rely on and value words to help people connect to the Living Word. You will focus on preaching possibilities for the Lenten journey, exploring both lectionary and non-lectionary options for helping people live toward the joy of Easter. Discussion about practical aspects of sermon preparation that will help connect real faith with real life. 0.5 CEU's.
|
CONVOCATION February 23-26, 2015
Ministers' Convocation, the annual continuing education for Holston Conference clergy, is being relocated from Lake Junaluska, N.C., to Music Road Resort, 303 Henderson Chapel Road, Pigeon Forge, TN.
Featured speaker and worship leader will be the Rev. Michael Slaughter, lead pastor at Ginghamsburg UMC in Tipp City, Ohio, and author of Renegade Gospel: The Rebel Jesus.
Because the annual "Clergy Gathering," traditionally held in fall, was canceled this year, the event will be held during Convocation on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 1:30 p.m. in the Duet ballroom in Music Road's convention center.
For more information, see the brochure. Register online by Jan. 24.
|
Important notice concerning a change in the housing reservation procedure for 2015 Annual Conference:
Shortly after the first of the year, letters will be sent out with Annual Conference information to all Annual Conference members-both clergy and lay. The process for making housing reservations has changed, and it is very important that all Conference members be mindful of this change.
There will not be a call in day this year for housing reservations. Letters will be mailed to clergy and lay members the week of January 10, and housing preferences must be sent directly to Lake Junaluska by January 30. Junaluska staff will then hold a random drawing to assign housing. They will contact conference members directly by February 20 to inform them of their housing assignments. After conference members receive word from Junaluska that they have been assigned housing, they will need to send back the housing deposit. No money should be sent with the housing preference request.
If you are a lay member to annual conference or clergy, be on the lookout for this mailing, and do not set it aside thinking there will be a later call-in day.
|
Interpreter Magazine:
Time to Renew Your Subscription
Interpreter magazine offers free access to valuable, actionable articles on the topics of technology, spiritual growth, leadership development, congregational growth, ministry with the poor and global health. Every UM church who registers 5 leaders or members to receive a FREE print edition of the Interpreter also receives 1 FREE print edition of it for their pastor!
Churches may also register leaders or members to receive unlimited digital editions, or, individuals may register to receive a FREE digital-only subscription. You may also purchase print copies for $12/year... that's $2/issue. Click here for free church leader subscriptions and here for free individual subscriptions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
