After a Category 5 cyclone tore through the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu over the weekend, the United Methodist Committee on Relief has been in touch with United Methodist Board of Global Ministries' missionaries and church partners in the region to assess damages and needs.
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WCC expresses solidarity with Vanuatu churches

March 23, 1869, eight women gathered at Tremont Methodist Episcopal Church in Boston, Massachusetts,
and organized what would become United Methodist Women. Celebrate their dedication and foresight with a special gift to United Methodist Women on March 23, A Day of Giving.

• Online at www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/legacyfund
• By Phone at 800-278-7771 (8am-6pm EST)
• Text Legacy150 to 41444 on your mobile device
• By Check:
  United Methodist Women, Treasurer's Office
  475 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10115

Gifts will go to The Legacy Fund to undergird the work of future generations of United Methodist Women.

The pastor and parishioners might consider themselves open and welcoming, but there are ways - both subtle and unsubtle - that church members can signal to newcomers they aren't welcome. As congregations prepare to welcome Easter visitors, the Lewis Center for Church Leadership shares a column by two Catholic priests on the sort of behavior church regulars should avoid if they want to reach the lost.  Read commentary

True or false, Jesus predicted his death and Resurrection?  Take the quiz.

What does INRI mean on a crucifix?  If you pay close attention, you will often see letters above Jesus' head on the cross.  What do they represent?  Take the quiz.

Annual Conference will be held at St. John UMC in Anchorage on June 5th & 6th with workshops on June 4th.

GENERAL CONFERENCE DELEGATES

If you are interested in being one of the clergy or laity delegates to General Conference in 2016, there are some guidelines for you to read.  You can find them on page 90 of the 2014 Conference Journal or you can find them here.  Please submit your interest, per the guidelines, to the conference office by April 13th. 

AWARDS 

You can start nominating clergy, laity, or youth for the Harry Denman Evangelism Award.  You can also nominate someone for being an Outstanding Lay Person.

FORMS

If you would like to propose a change in the rules via a petition, you can find the form here.  If you need to write a report for the pre-conference handbook because of your role within the conference, you can find the guidelines here.  Churches can submit their names for the memorial service on this form.  If you are part of an organization that would like to reserve a table for a display, fill out this form.

Please take a moment to look over everything above.  The registration form is still being put together and should be out next Tuesday!

Job Openings
Join Birchwood Camp's staff & ministry team! Birchwood Camp is accepting applications for the following positions: year-round, part-time paid kitchen staff and paid summer intern staff. Detailed information about the positions and job descriptions are available on Birchwood Camp's website: http://birchwoodcamp.org/get-involved/job-opportunities/. Please spread the word about these important openings.

Register for Summer Camp at Birchwood Camp

Online registration is now open for Birchwood Camp's Summer Programs. These camp programs provide safe spaces for spiritual formation, genuine community, and character development at Birchwood Camp's beautiful site in Chugiak. Online registration & detailed information is available at  www.birchwoodcamp.org/camps. Register before April 1 to receive a $10 discount per registration.

Below you will find a list of webinars for church leaders offered by the GBOD Leadership Ministries division.  These webinars are free of charge. You can register by going to www.gbod.org/webinars.

Tuesday, March 31: Helping Children Make Sense of the World

Tuesday, April 14: Re-Imagining Your Retirement

Tuesday, April 14: The UM Way

Thursday, April 16: Worship in Contemporary Settings

Tuesday, April 21: Family - Creating Rituals in the Home