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June 26, 2024
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To submit news items, stories, or corrections for inclusion in the newsletter, email the conference Communications Office at [email protected].
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In this week's edition of the Advocate, you will find:
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- Quick Links
- Virginia News
- Denomination News
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Quick Links
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Virginia News
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Thank you, Becky Tate!
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After 18 years of dedicated service, Becky Tate in the Connectional Ministries Office will be leaving her position in the conference center. Her last day in the office is today, Wednesday, June 26.
Please join the conference center in thanking Becky for her ministry here and the many ways she has positively impacted people within and around the Virginia Conference.
If you need to reach the Connectional Ministries Office, please contact Katie Mueller at [email protected].
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Resources for reporting about Annual Conference session
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Resources as now available for local church members to report back on Annual Conference.
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Apply now to Servant Sister Scholarship
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Scholarships for women enrolled in an accredited seminary who are called to ministries of Word, Worship and Witness, who are certified candidates for ministry, and who indicate potential for developing creative ministries for a more just world. The application is due July 1. To apply, contact co-chairs Rev. Joanna Paysour at [email protected] and Rev. Lindsey Freeman at [email protected].
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Two communities transition into Pinnacle Living
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Pinnacle Living, a not-for-profit provider of retirement living, and Spring Arbor Senior Living, a provider of assisted living and memory care services, have signed an agreement to transition Spring Arbor of Richmond and Spring Arbor Cottages of Richmond to Pinnacle Living.
Spring Arbor of Richmond and Spring Arbor Cottages of Richmond specialize in assisted living and memory care services and will greatly expand Pinnacle Living’s ability to provide these much-needed services to older adults.
Chris Henderson, President/CEO of Pinnacle Living shared, “Our mission guides us to work in partnership with residents to provide quality services. Importantly, this work is done with an eye toward the evolving landscape in senior living and the growing and diverse population of older adults in our area.”
This transition discussion comes after weeks of thoughtful conversation between the two organizations. The agreement is anticipated to be finalized in the fall of 2024. During this time Pinnacle Living and Spring Arbor remain committed to a seamless transition for each resident, family and team member.
“We are thrilled to add these two communities to the Pinnacle Living family,” shared Chris. “We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition for residents in these communities and remain committed to maintaining the exceptional service residents expect and deserve.”
With the addition of the two Spring Arbor communities, Pinnacle Living will include six communities throughout Virginia.
For more information about Pinnacle Living, visit pinnacleliving.org.
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Register now for Mission Encounter
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Mission Encounter is an opportunity to study current issues impacting society based on current social justice and mission-related topics. Participants grow in understanding the mission of the church in the current world context; conference events are open to all.
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Dates: July 26-28, 2024 (Friday-Sunday)
Location: Good Shepherd UMC
9155 Hungary Rd, Henrico, VA 23294
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VA United Methodist Center
10330 Staples Mill Rd, Glen Allen, VA 23060
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Plenary: Rev. Audrey Smith
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Class Leaders:
Rev. Dr. JaeHaeng Choi (Korean)
Rev. Brenda Laws (English)
Rev. Evelyn Penn (English)
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The detailed schedule, curriculum description, and online event registration can be found here.
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Connect students to campus ministries
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As high school seniors graduate this season, you can help connect those planning to attend college with a ministry home away from home. The Virginia Annual Conference supports 13 campus ministries and 4 United Methodist colleges/universities across Virginia. Our chaplains and campus ministers are excited to connect with students from your congregation as they head off to school.
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Please take a moment to provide us with contact information for every student who will be enrolled in a college or university this fall (Para. 232 and 256.3d in the Book of Discipline). Our VAUMC campus ministers and chaplains reach out to incoming students over the summer, and welcome freshmen as they arrive on campus in the fall. You can find the form to submit information here.
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Here's a video featuring our campus ministries, and more information about contacting our ministries is available here.
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Please contact Dwayne Stinson ([email protected]) if you have questions or would like to learn more about connecting with a campus ministry.
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ClergyNet, other email groups to shut down July 1
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Effective July 1, 2024, all the conference email groups will be shut down permanently. The conference currently has 10 email groups and the full list is below. The largest conference email groups are ClergyNet and LaityNet.
In place of this, in July, members will be invited to opt in to a number of specialized topics that will be sent to emails. Members should not experience a change in receiving information from the conference. Ultimately the new format to be released will still have the same content members have come to expect: news, local church events, resources, giveaway items, obituaries, etc., it will simply allow members to decide what content they want to opt in to rather than receiving everything regardless of individual preferences.
This change comes as a result of years of assessing conference communications effectiveness and, most recently, a February 2024 survey in which all clergy and lay members as well other lay leadership were invited to take part in feedback on conference communications.
It is clear that over the years, the email groups, at their best, have provided an arena for community and sharing and, at their worst, have added to stress on members with too much information, too many emails, and often varied content that is not of interest to portions of our audience. This change also recognizes that the email groups were formed more than a decade ago - long before other platforms such as social media provided a space for conversation and resource-sharing.
Please share any questions or concerns with Director of Communications Madeline White at [email protected].
Email groups affected:
ClergyNet
LaityNet
RetireeNet
VaCEF
VAUMC Fresh Expressions
VaUMYouth
VAUMMusicians
VaUMTalk
VaUMChildren
VaUMAdmin
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Denomination News
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UMCOR aid meets needs in Gaza
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Grants to partners on the ground have been mobilized in recent weeks to provide food, clothing, medical support, critical health information and hygiene supplies for people displaced in camps and living with host families. Read more...
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Fourth of July in church: Finding the balance
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Millions of American Christians every year celebrate the birth of their country on the Fourth of July (Independence Day). Churches sometimes struggle to “find the right balance” when it comes to honoring this important but still secular holiday. Read more...
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Please send any issues or concerns to [email protected]. If you have issues with the formatting trying to forward (especially in Outlook), you can use the following link. More...
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