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News from the Virginia Conference – September 9, 2011

UMCOR responding to floods, flames caused by Lee and Irene
In the wake of Tropical Storm Lee, United Methodists are contending with the damage of floods — and flames. The storm's heavy rains cut a soggy path across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, and its 50-mile-per-hour winds whipped up wildfires in parched Texas as well as parts of Louisiana. United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is still assessing needs resulting from Tropical Storm Lee as well as Hurricane Irene. Donations to aid those affected by fire or floods can be made to U.S. Disaster Response Advance number 901670 — Hurricanes 2011. More …

Hispanic Heritage Month begins Sept. 15
Hispanic Heritage month kicks off Sept. 15. Click here for resources including videos that can be used as sermon illustrations, study material for Sunday schools or neighborhood Bible studies, and informational pieces to help start a new understanding of immigration.

Oct. 2 is World Communion Sunday
World Communion Sunday is Oct. 2. Your participation in this Special Sunday offering is vital to developing United Methodist leaders in the United States and around the world. Your gifts provide scholarships for graduate and undergraduate students who might not be able to pursue higher education without your support. World Communion Sunday provides for three ministries: World Communion Scholarships, Ethnic Scholarship Program and Ethnic In-Service Training Program. More …

Oct. 16 is Laity Sunday
Laity Sunday is Oct. 16. Theme for this year’s celebration of Laity Sunday is Disciples Transforming the World — Through Gifts. Click here for worship resources on the General Board of Discipleship Web site.

United Methodist Student Day is Nov. 27
United Methodist Student Day is Sunday, Nov. 27. Be sure to order your free offering resources for this special offering. United Methodist Student Day provides scholarships and loans for students attending United Methodist-related and other accredited colleges and universities. More …

Training scheduled for volunteers to teach Disciple in prisons
The Virginia Conference has partnered with the Holston Conference to establish Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries (DBOM) of Virginia, an affiliate ministry of DBOM National, Inc. DBOM recruits, trains and equips local church volunteers for ministry in prisons, jails and youth development centers. All DBOM prison volunteers must be trained and certified for this ministry. The first two trainings for Virginia will be Saturday, Sept. 17, and Sunday, Sept. 18, at the Virginia Conference Center in Glen Allen. Click here for more information or to register, or contact Gene Mims at gene.mims@comcast.net or (804) 733-8632.

General, Jurisdictional Conference information to be offered Sept. 28, Oct. 8
Information sessions about what happens at The United Methodist Church’s General and Jurisdictional Conferences will be led by members of the 2012 General and Jurisdictional Conference Virginia delegation 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Sept. 28, at Wellspring United Methodist Church in Williamsburg, and Saturday, Oct. 8, at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Charlottesville. The same program will be presented at each location. These programs are open to all conference clergy and laity. For more information, contact the Rev. Susan Garrett at RevSGarrett@gmail.com or Neill Caldwell at NeillCaldwell@vaumc.org.

Kid’s Work Camp to be Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Westview on James
Kid's Work Camp at Westview on the James in Goochland will be Sept. 30-Oct. 2. This weekend camp for 2nd- through 6th- graders focuses on outreach and mission opportunities designed just for kids and their leaders. Some projects occur on-site, but most groups will head out into the Goochland area to assist with home repair, yard work, visits to the elderly and more. Campers will worship together, play together and work together. Click here for brochure and registration form.

Bishop’s Convocation on immigration to be Oct. 1
A Bishop’s Convocation focusing on a faith-based response to the issues surrounding immigration will be held Saturday, Oct. 1, at Grace UMC in Manassas. Plan to join Bishop Kammerer and the Commission on Ethnic Minority Concerns and Advocacy for this important event. Registration deadline is Sept. 16. Click here for brochure or to register.

PAUMCS Oct. 5 event to focus on church safety, record keeping
Virginia Chapter of the Professional Association of United Methodist Church Secretaries (PAUMCS) will hold its fall training event 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the United Methodist Center in Glen Allen. Training on church safety will be led by the Executive Director of the Virginia Crime Prevention Association. A session on record keeping and archiving will be led by Virginia Conference Archivist Stephanie Davis. Registration deadline is Sept. 23. Click here for brochure.

ARMS retreat set for Oct. 5-6 at VUMAC
Association of Retired Ministers and Spouses (ARMS) will hold a two-day retreat Oct. 5-6 at Virginia United Methodist Assembly Center (VUMAC) in Blackstone. Theme is “Celebrating Retirement Together.” Speakers will include the Rev. Dr. David McAllister-Wilson, president of Wesley Theological Seminary, and Susan Jean, attorney specializing in elder law and estate planning. Registration deadline is Sept. 29. A mailing will be going out to all retired pastors. For more information, contact Bob and Nancy Parsons at dminbp@aol.com or Barbara and Gerould Ward at revsbandg@comcast.net.

Evangelism to be topic of 5 Talent Academy on Oct. 6
“Evangelism: Best Practices,” will be the focus of the next 5 Talent Academy teaching event, set for Oct. 6 at Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Chesapeake. Unlike previous teaching events, this one will not feature a well-known expert speaker brought in from outside the conference. For this event, leadership will be drawn from churches within the Virginia Conference that are having success with their evangelism practices. Organizers are calling this a “taste and see” event, meaning that churches not currently in the 5 Talent Academy can come and see what the program is all about, and discern if they would like to participate. Deadline to register is Sept. 30. More …

Clergywomen invited to join Clergywomen’s Collective
All Virginia Conference women clergy are invited to be part of the Clergywomen's Collective. Its purpose is to encourage collegiality and empower women of every background, as they serve God through The United Methodist Church. The collective will gather at the Virginia United Methodist Center in Glen Allen from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11; Jan. 11, 2012; April 12, 2012; and July 10, 2012. For more information, contact ReNe'e Teague at reneerichey@ateague.com, (540) 659-2461, or (804) 357-4435.

Middle School Mission Weekend is Oct. 14-16
Middle School Mission Weekend will be Oct. 14-16 at Westview on the James in Goochland. Run by the Jeremiah Project, this is a great opportunity to engage middle school students in mission for a weekend and help them understand what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ in their communities. Cost is $115 per participant. Deadline to register is Oct. 3. Click here for more information and to register.

‘After Hours’ weekend camp to be Oct. 28-30 at Westview on James
Westview on the James in Goochland County is offering “After Hours,” a weekend camp for 7th- through 10th-graders, Oct. 28-30. Youths will explore the light and life of Jesus in worship and Bible study and will choose from a variety of camp activities to help create their schedules for the weekend. Cost is $95 per person. This weekend is designed for individuals or groups. Call the camp office at (804) 457-4210 or e-mail Cat Holbert at catholbert@gmail.com for more information. Click here for brochure.

It’s not too late to get ready to walk or run ‘The Good Race’
Clergy and laity are invited to join other United Methodists in “The Good Race,” a day of participation and celebration that includes walking or running the Richmond 8K, half-marathon, or marathon, on Saturday, Nov. 12. Most training programs take 16 weeks of preparation, so it is not too late to start. Contact Allie Rosner (arosner@williamsburgumc.org) or Steve Jones (richmondds@vaumc.org) to join the group. Remember: this is not a competition – these are clergy and laity who want to encourage one another in exercise and wellness.

Sept. 10 webcast to show UMCOR’s water sanitation efforts
More than 3.5 million people die each year from water-borne diseases, according to the World Health Organization. United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), the denomination's relief agency, works with communities to provide better access to safe drinking water. The agency's monthly 10-Fold webcast will highlight UMCOR's efforts in water sanitation on Sept. 10. Click here to watch webcast.

News Service asks United Methodists for thoughts on immigration
United Methodist News Service is surveying United Methodists for their thoughts on immigration. The survey takes about 10 to 12 minutes to complete. It includes an opportunity to comment on the issue. Please respond to the survey by Sept. 14. Click here to take survey.

‘Preach To Save Lives’ in October for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
In observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) is asking United Methodists to contact members of Congress to urge them not to cut funding for the Violence Against Women Act, Family Violence Prevention & Services Act and Victims of Crime Act. GBCS is launching a new campaign called “Preaching to Save Lives!” which encourages preachers to explore scheduling a sermon during the month of October to raise awareness of the problem of domestic violence. Anyone willing to “Preach to Save Lives” during October is asked to sign the GBCS pledge of commitment. Preachers are asked to submit printed copies of sermons to be posted on the GBCS Web site. GBCS has domestic violence resources that can be helpful in addressing this issue. More …

For in-depth news and features about United Methodist mission and ministry, subscribe to the Virginia United Methodist Advocate, the Virginia Conference’s award-winning monthly newsmagazine — now available in both print and digital formats. Click here to subscribe. Or call Peggy Cribbs at 1-800-768-6040, ext. 110, or (804) 521-1110. Or e-mail Advocate@vaumc.org.

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