In this issue ...
NEWS and ANNOUNCEMENTS
‘Coming alongside’: Maine churches share the power of the connection
Register for Wanakee Wilderness 5K and BBQ
One last chance to sign-up for camp!
Rolling Ridge hosts 8th Peace Conference
Eleven from New England participate in the Korea Peace Festival and March
NEAC Board of Church and Society offers assistance to attend anti-racism rally
NEAC pastor arrested in protest at Northeastern
Preachers’ Aid seeks Director of Clergy Family Services - Southwest
Foster generosity by NOT talking about money
And Don't Forget:
Growing with Hope 2018-2019 – early bird deadline is Aug. 15
Register now for the Northeastern Jurisdiction BMCR Annual Meeting
Time to complete your Health Quotient
Join Bishop Devadhar on a pilgrimage to learn about ‘Paul’s World & Mission’
Apply for Discipleship Ministries Racial Ethnic Local Church Grant
Applications for provisional/associate membership available now
EVENTS
Save the date: Bishop’s Days on the Districts
Early Response Team Training
Ministry Exploration Summit
‘First 12’ Training
‘Tending the Fire’ sessions set for fall
Advanced Retreat-Leadership training
Clergy Spouse Retreat
Classifieds
UMC.ORG NEWS
NEWS and ANNOUNCEMENTS
‘Coming alongside’: Maine churches share the power of the connection
It’s not uncommon for a small rural church to feel isolated – like a ship on the open sea when there are no other ships in sight. But United Methodist churches are connected. They have less in common with the ship in that simile than they do with the streams and rivers that flow into the oceans that circle the world. This is the story of three small churches on the Maine coast that experienced that connection in a way that allowed them to receive support and, in turn, to offer it.
Read the story
Click the image below to see a short video about Maine lobsters
Register for Wanakee Wilderness 5K and BBQ
The 6th Annual Wanakee Wilderness 5K/Homecoming BBQ will be Aug. 18, 2018. Onsite registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the race starts at 9. Run, walk, jog, or skip the trails during the 5K trail race! Join us for lunch and our Homecoming BBQ; $10 adults/youth; $5 children 12 and younger; free for children 5 and younger. Tickets can be purchased onsite. Come to camp and enjoy a day of hiking, swimming, games, meet new camp folks and catch up with Wanakee friends. There are opportunities to volunteer for any or all events, even for just an hour. You are also invited to donate an item for the silent auction (such as a gift basket, piece of art, weekend away, vacation rental, lift tickets, etc.) Contact (603) 279-7950 or mail@wanakee.org To sponsor the 5K or a participant visit the "Sponsorship Opportunities" page.
Learn more and register
One last chance to sign-up for camp!
Limited space is available for Wanakee’s final session of the camp season Aug. 12-17. Join us for a second, third or fourth week and take advantage of our multi-week discount. Consider some popular programs such as Night Camp or Creation Station. Call the office anytime to talk about what's possible at (603) 279-7950 or see the schedule online.
Rolling Ridge hosts 8th Peace Conference
For 70 years, Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center in N Andover, MA, has been transforming lives. Beginning with "Youth Institutes" in the late 1940s to our Peace Conference today, the Ridge has always been a leader in offering spiritual programs that push people out of their comfort zones as they consider how to live out their faith amid contemporary social issues.
Read about this year's Peace Conference
Register now for the Ridge's 70th Jubilee anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018. With activities, tours, program, and a complimentary dinner, it will be an afternoon to celebrate our legacy and to prepare for a bright and promising future as we continue to transform lives and connect people with God and creation.
Eleven from New England participate in the Korea Peace Festival and March
Six clergy and five lay leaders from New England Conference participated in the Korean Peace Festival and March on July 26-28, 2018 in Washington, D.C. On Saturday, over 300 participants marched from the Foundry UMC to Farragut Park near the White House for the prayer vigil and rally. July 27 marked the 65th year of the Korea War Armistice, which put the Korean Peninsula in its current state of tension and confrontation. The Peace Committee of the Korean UMC, along with GBGM, GBCS, and UMW, organized this event to support the current dialogue between U.S. and North Korea and to pray and advocate for replacing the armistice with a peace treaty, which would open the door to a lasting peace. The participants visited the State Department to urge the government to lift the travel ban to North Korea for humanitarian mission and to work toward a peace treaty. They also met with U.S. Sen. Edward Markey’s (D-MA) foreign policy advisor to ask the senator to support the current engagement policy and a path toward a peace treaty. The Peace Committee is urging all United Methodists to support the peaceful engagement with North Korea as the only path toward ending tension and establishing peace in and around the Korean Peninsula.
See photos from the Korean Peace Festival
NEAC Board of Church and Society offers assistance to attend anti-racism rally
As a call to action and a prayerful response to a planned white supremacist rally, the Baltimore-Washington Conference will host a “United to Love: Rally for Love, Peace, and Justice” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Aug. 12 marks the first anniversary of the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, VA, and organizers hope to recreate the white supremacist rally in Lafayette Square in Washington.
The New England Conference Board of Church and Society is offering 10 reimbursements of $500 each to offset the cost of travel to the “United to Love” rally. Whether you have already planned to attend, or would like to make a last-minute journey to the capital to witness for love, we would like to support you. Requests for the reimbursements will be honored in the order they are received.
Send your request to Leigh Goodrich at revlgoodrich@gmail.com. Include your name, address, telephone and email, the dates you will be in Washington, and your reason for attending. We will let you know if your application has been accepted, and reimburse your expenses up to $500 when you submit them. Please take pictures that we can post on our website.
We invite all individuals, faith communities and organizations to cross lines of difference as we gather to uplift the human spirit, renounce all forms of hate and show that we are #unitedtolove.
Learn more about the rally at www.unitedtolove.org
NEAC pastor arrested in protest at Northeastern
On Aug. 1, 11 Northeastern University students and others – including Rev. Stewart Lanier, an elder in the New England Conference – were arrested after they sat in the road in front of the home of the university’s president to protest a multi-million-dollar research contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Read a story from WBUR about last month’s protest at Northeastern
Click here to find information from the General Board of Church and Society outlining the denomination’s stance and offering suggestions for actions local churches can take to support immigrants
Is your church taking some specific action to support immigrants or reform immigration policy? Let us know about it. communicate@neumc.org
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Preachers’ Aid seeks Director of Clergy Family Services - Southwest
The Preachers’ Aid Society of New England has an opening for the Director of Clergy Family Services – Southwest Region. The region includes Massachusetts west of the Boston area and the Eastern portion of Connecticut. The Director is responsible for maintaining connection with the retired Pastors and surviving spouses within their region through home visits, correspondence, and telephone calls. The position is 20 hours per week year-round. The pay will range from $22-25 per hour depending on experience. Travel expense reimbursement and pension are provided. Cell phone and other necessary technology are provided. The application deadline is Aug. 31, 2018 and the target start date is Oct. 1, 2018.
See the complete job description
Visit the Preachers’ Aid Society website
Foster generosity by NOT talking about money
The key to encouraging generosity? Don’t talk about money. Believe it or not, you may need to help potential givers not think about financial giving. While that sounds counterintuitive, studies have shown that when people are primed to think about money, they are actually less likely to give. Learn how asking for gifts of time and sharing personal stories can lead to more generous giving.
Learn more from umcgiving.org
And Don't Forget:
Growing with Hope 2018-2019 – early bird deadline is Aug. 15
Growing with Hope is a year-long learning community for church teams offered by HopeGateWay. The first session is Oct. 19-21, 2018. Registration deadline is Sept. 15, 2018 (with discounted early-bird deadline of Aug. 15.)
Learn more and apply
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Register now for the Northeastern Jurisdiction BMCR Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting of the Northeastern Jurisdiction Black Methodists for Church Renewal will be Oct. 11-12, 2018; hosted by the Baltimore-Washington BMCR Caucus, it will be held at St. Mark’s UMC in Hanover, MD. Early bird registration continues through Aug. 14; registration continues until Aug. 31. Late registration is Sept. 1-11.
Learn more
Time to complete your Health Quotient
HealthFlex participants, don’t miss out on significant savings on your health insurance costs. Participants and enrolled spouses who complete the HQ online health assessment between now and Sept. 30, 2018 will save on their deductibles ($250 for individuals, $500 for families), and the New England Conference offers $600 of additional savings on your portion of the premium costs. Visit wespath.org and log in to HealthFlex/WebMD
Join Bishop Devadhar on a pilgrimage to learn about ‘Paul’s World & Mission’
Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar will lead a 10-day pilgrimage (Sept. 30 to Oct. 9, 2019) to Greece exploring "Paul’s World & Mission."
Learn more
Apply for Discipleship Ministries Racial Ethnic Local Church Grant
Grants of up to $10,000 are available to help local United Methodist churches build ministries that strengthen and support racial and ethnic church concerns. Deadline is Sept. 1, 2018.
Learn more
Applications for provisional/associate membership available now
Provisional Elder, Provisional Deacon, and Associate Membership applications are available now. The first deadline is Sept. 20, 2018. If you have questions, contact Board of Ordained Ministry Registrar Deborah Venator at bomregistrar@yahoo.com
Learn more about the candidacy process and get the applications at https://www.neumc.org/thecandidacyprocess
EVENTS
Save the date: Bishop’s Days on the Districts
Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar will be making his annual visits to the districts this fall. These are opportunities for clergy and laity to hear directly from the bishop and to ask questions and share their thoughts. Click the links for more specifics. Information will be added as it becomes available.
Central MA District
Sept. 16, 2018
CT/W MA District
Nov. 28, 2018
Metro Boston Hope District
Oct. 6, 2018
Mid-Maine District
Nov. 18, 2018
New Hampshire District
Oct. 1, 2018
Northern Maine District
Dec. 1, 2018
RI/SE MA District
Nov. 1, 2018
Tri-State District
Oct. 2, 2018
Vermont District
Sept. 9, 2018
Early Response Team Training
Sept. 15 in Plymouth, MA
Learn more and register
Ministry Exploration Summit
Sept. 7-8, 2018 in Manchester, NH
Participation in a Ministry Exploration Summit is required to become a certified candidate or a certified lay minister.
Learn more and register
‘Tending the Fire’ sessions set for fall
Advanced Retreat-Leadership training
Nov. 1-3, 2018 in Stowe, VT
Learn more and register
Clergy Spouse Retreat
Nov. 17, 2018 at Newbury Court,Concord, MA
Click the link for more details . To register call the PAS office at (207) 467-3246 or visit the website www.preachersaid.org.
Classifieds
Job Openings:
Director of Clergy Family Services
Preachers’ Aid Society, Southwest Region
Church Office Administrator (Part-time)
St. James UMC, Merrimack, NH
Camp Director (Full-time)
Greater New Jersey Annual Conference
Leader of Faith Formation (Part-time)
United Parish of Lunenburg, Lunenburg, MA
Music Director (Part-time)
East Greenwich UMC, East Greenwich, RI
Youth Ministries Coordinator (Part-time)
Main Street UMC, Nashua, NH
Inter-generational Ministries Coordinator (Part-time)
Main Street UMC, Nashua, NH
Director of Music Ministries (Part-time)
John Wesley UMC, Falmouth, MA
Youth Leader (Part-time)
Blackstone Valley UMC, Whitinsville, MA
Bookkeeper
Community UMC, Plymouth, MA
Wanted:
Programmable LED Sign
Springfield UMC, Springfield, VT
UMC.ORG NEWS
Complaints against Sessions dismissed
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions had faced official church complaints from fellow United Methodists, but those were dismissed by a district superintendent in the Alabama-West Florida Conference. Read More
Is the Bible literal?
Adam Hamilton talks about interpreting biblical stories. ‘They’re really not trying to tell us the story of some ancient people. They’re trying to tell us about ourselves.’ View
Plans prayerfully pondered by United Methodists
Church members react to the three published plans for the future proposed by the Commission on a Way Forward. Read More
Positive adoption language celebrates families
A pastor who's also an adoptive parent shares which words work and which hurt when talking about the topic. Read More
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