Weekly E-News of the Eastern Shore Distric t of The United Methodis t Church THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014 Franktown to host live stream “A Day of Holy Conversation on Sexuality and The U.M.C.”, Nov. 22, 9;30 – 3:30 pm Pre-registration is required. Deadline to register is Nov. 17. Fee is $10, which includes lunch. Register at the conference website at https://www.vaumc.org/pages/events/2014events/holyconversationfranktownes or if you need assistance with registration, contact [email protected] or 757-665-6295. Dr. David Anderson Hooker, Convenor for Nov. 22 Convener for the Day of Holy Conversation will be Dr. David Anderson Hooker, Senior Fellow for Community Engagement Strategies at the J. W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development at the University of Georgia. As a mediator and facilitator for the past 30 years, Hooker has helped individuals, congregations, organizations, communities and local and national governments conduct important conversations on difficult subjects. The guiding question for the Day of Holy Conversation will be: “In light of concerns being expressed in different areas of the connection of The United Methodist Church and in society as a whole regarding human sexuality, how can we move forward in mission and ministry together?” Follow-up questions will be given to the presenters by the convener as prepared by the Presenter Committee and culled from written questions submitted by event participants. --continued on next page The morning presentations will focus on the first part of this question: “In light of concerns being expressed in different areas of the connection of The United Methodist Church and in society as a whole regarding human sexuality. The afternoon presentation will focus on the second part of this question: “How can we move forward in mission and ministry together?” Afternoon presenters will be Vaughn, West, Berlin and Virginia Greer, a senior student at Shenandoah University who was chosen by the Virginia Conference Young Adult Council leadership to represent a young adult perspective. Imagine No Malaria Resources Churches are invited to give to the district’s “Nothing But Nets” 2-year campaign. There are numerous ways to fundraise within your church and community. Go to http://www.vaumc.org/pages/ministries/mission/nomalaria/imn-our-resources or contact Michelle Surran, our District Representative for Imagine No Malaria at 757-710-2856 or [email protected]. INM t-shirts are still on sale at the district office for $10 each! Purchase them for your fundraising efforts! The District Office is still collecting $100 from every church for Kick-off Campaign. Donations can be made payable to Virginia Conference and mail to Michelle Surran, District Representative for Imagine No Malaria Eastern Shore District UMC, P.O. Box 317, Parksley, VA 23421 Every 60 seconds malaria kills a child! Save a life; purchase a net for $10. Withholding Tax Due Date Change The due date for the Employer’s Annual Summary of Virginia Income Tax Withheld (Form VA-6 or Form VA6-H) along with required wage statements (Forms W-2 and 1099) has been changed to January 31. This will allow for the faster and more secure processing of income tax refunds. See http://www.tax.virginia.gov/site.cfm?alias=WithholdingTax. The 2014 Virginia State Tax VA-6 and W-2 due date has changed from Feb 28 th to Jan 31st. –Conference Treasurer’s Office Have a minute or more for Una Familia? The District program that has been hosted at Melfa UMC and which serves Latino children and their families is in a period of transition and, I believe, it is poised for growth in new directions. A lack of volunteers has prevented the program from launching this fall at Melfa, but the need is still there and there are some dedicated supporters who would like to tell the story of Una Familia with your congregation. Invite Una Familia supporters to share a mission minute with your congregation and or church groups. Sarah Chen and Lupe Marquez are looking for opportunities to share a mission minute over the next few weeks. They are looking for volunteers to get the Melfa program up and running in January. But the District Hispanic Ministries Committee also has a vision for additional sites for Una Familia. What would that look like? Well, it’s taking shape at Adams in Parksley right after Thanksgiving. Working with Metompkin Elementary School, children will be bused to the church on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 to 5:30 for tutoring and snacks. Volunteers will take them home. Rev. Glenda Turlington has had conversations with the Accomack County School Board, the head of transportation for Accomack County Schools, and the coordinator of migrant and immigrant students for Accomack County Schools and feels confident that there could be similar arrangements with churches in other school districts. They may even be able to provide bus transportation to take the children back home for a small fee. What I see in all this is a real community need, a school system that sees this as a valuable service, and an opportunity for us to be the love of Christ with children on the margins. So to return to the question - do you have a minute or more for Una Familia in your congregation over the next few weeks? To schedule a time or to talk about how your congregation might become a site for Una Familia, contact Glenda Turlington at 757-787-8419 or email: [email protected]. --In Christ, Alex Joyner Access Apportionment Statements & pay on-line The Virginia United Methodist Center Pay App website is now available to all churches and district offices to access apportionment statements AND make payments to the conference treasurer’s office for apportionments and benevolences. Apportionment statements will continue to be emailed to pastors and treasurers at the end of each month. Go to www.vaumcpayapp.org and enter the GCFA# for any of your churches to see a current statement of your churches apportionments. Churches can also register online with their bank routing and account number to initiate payments anytime throughout the month. Questions? Contact Carol Draper, Staff Accountant Treasurer’s Office at 1-800-768-6040 ext. 105 or [email protected] Ocean City Youth Rally! Be a part of the 4000 plus young people and their leaders that will converge on Ocean City in 2015! The 28th Annual Youth Rally “Masterpiece” lasts for three worship-filled days, starting Friday, January 9th and concluding on Sunday, January 11th. Massive celebration is on the schedule for this year's rally as we rejoice in the freedom we have in Christ! The stage has been set for music that will inspire your crew to shout and scream. Guest speakers will share words of inspiration and challenge. It’s being held at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center, 4001 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, Md. Sponsored by the Peninsula Delaware Conference. Go to http://www.cvent.com/events/masterpiece-youth-rally-2015/event-summary1a238fc7871f4caa8913da4b7f557c2e.aspx for registration and more information. Rev. Peter Surran is a good resource person about this event as well. Contact him at [email protected] Registration deadline is December 15th. It’s time to get your “ducks in a row” Don’t delay! Register today for the Polar Duck Dip on Saturday, January 24 at 12 noon, to be followed by a lunch of chili and pigs-in-a-blanket, topped off with other great foods! Come early at 11:00 am for all the pre-dip social fun. There will be a “Best Dressed Dipper” Contest so be creative in your dipping costume. Contestants’ Picture at 1 1:30 am and Parade to be held 11:45 am in the Lynch Building. Start early on getting folks to sponsor you for your quick dip in the Occohannock Creek. Ask your pastor for the registration and sponsor sheet or contact our Camp Office ([email protected]; 757-442-7836) or download them from www.ootbay.org . Please print and read all forms to make sure you have all your "Ducks" in a row before joining us. Registration fee is $20 per person. Register by January 16th to receive a free commemorative t-shirt. Young dippers need their parent/guardian present. Don’t want to dip? You can always sponsor someone and show up to cheer them on! All proceeds go to the Camp’s ministry. General Board Members in session Nov. 15 On Saturday, November 15 at 10 am the General Board of Occohannock on the Bay Camp and Retreat Center will meet at the camp. Some significant things are happening as we improve and grow this ministry and you will want to be there to hear about them. Not only will you hear about what happened in this year’s ministry, but you will be invited to join in the mission of the camp as we seek new partners in ministry. Pastors and anyone else interested are welcome. Christmas gifts for children of Una Familia Last Christmas The United Methodist Church of the Eastern Shore spread the love of Jesus Christ to the children of “Una Familia”. The out-pouring of love was overwhelming. We are praying to collect gifts in the amount of $100 per child again this year. Church groups and or individuals can sponsor a child. Contact Brenda Peffer at 757-787-3071 to let her know which of these categories you would like to purchase age-appropriate gifts for: Kindergarten age: we have 5 girls and 3 boys; 1st grade: 4 girls and 3 boys; 2nd grade: 4 girls and 5 boys; 3rd grade: 4 girls and 5 boys; 4th grade: 8 girls and 6 boys; 5th grade: 6 girls and 6 boys; 6th grade: 6 girls and 6 boys; 7th grade: 3 girls and 5 boys; 8th grade: 4 girls and 5 boys. You can bring your “unwrapped gifts” to Melfa UMC no later than Dec. 8. Contact Brenda Peffer to arrange drop-off. Another opportunity to help with this project is to volunteer on December 12 from 6-9 pm and December 14 from 1-5 pm at Melfa UMC to gift wrap presents for the children’s parents to take home. Or send a donation of gift-wrapping supplies (Christmas paper, bows, etc.) Contact Glenda Turlington at 757-787-8419 or [email protected] . Una Familia is a district ministry seeking to build strong relationships between local churches and Hispanic communities by offering tutoring, Christian education and fellowship with children in impoverished areas on the Shore. T Local Church Events  Oak Hall UMC Charge is sponsoring a Dinner and Choral Concert to benefit Imagine No Malaria on Friday, December 5 at Downings UMC, Oak Hall. Dinner begins at 6 pm. Concert at 7 pm. Suggested donation is $10 per person (The cost to provide one misquote net to save one life!). For more information contact [email protected]  Bloxom Mission House of Prayer of The United Methodist Church: As the holiday season fast approaches, we have received a tremendous response in donations from local businesses to provide a families with a Christmas tree (with all the trimmings), a Christmas dinner, and presents for all the children. We are at a point now where you can nominate families to receive the Blessing for Christmas Challenge. All nominations can be sent via email or fax to: A House of Prayer, P.O. Box 311, Bloxom, VA 23308 or fax your information to 888-484-3770 or e-mail [email protected]. Along with the write-up of why the family should receive the blessing, please include their contact information. 2 0 1 4 C a l e n d a r Ev e n t s Thursday, Nov. 13, 6:30-8:00 pm Apportionment Interpretation & Finance Com. Training @ Painter-Garrison UMC Saturday, Nov. 15, 10-12 noon  OOTB General Board meeting @ Camp Occohannock, Belle Haven Thursday, Nov. 20, 7-8 pm Agape CCCC Board Meeting @ Agape Center, Horntown Saturday, Nov. 22, 9:30 am -3:30 pm  Holy Conversation on Sexuality & UMC @ Franktown UMC (live-stream site) Tuesday, Nov. 25, 8-8:30 am  Morning Prayer for Pastors @ Smith’s Chapel UMC, Quinby Tuesday, Nov. 25, 3:30 pm Una Familia Committee Meeting @ Melfa UMC Saturday, Dec. 6, 9-10 am  Part-time Local Pastors breakfast with DS Tuesday, Dec. 16, 6:00 pm Cape Charles-Capeville Charge Conference @ Trinity UMC, Cape Charles Saturday, Dec. 20, 9-10:30 am  Eastern Shore District Clergy & families Christmas breakfast @ Ker Place, Onancock Saturday, Jan. 24, 25  How To Reach New People @ Occohannock on the Bay Camp and Retreat Ctr., Belle Haven Andrew Chapel $ 100.00 Bloxom Mission $ 100.00 District Conference $ 311.00 Felicia Blake $ 100.00 Franktown $ 261.25 Pittsville $ 100.00 Pocomoke $ 100.00 Riverview $ 100.00 Smith's Chapel $ 130.00 Snead Memorial $ 100.00 St. John’s $ 700.00 St. John's UMW $ 100.00 St. Thomas $ 1,500.00 Swain Memorial $ 1,300.00 Wattsville $ 100.00 Deas Chapel $ 100.00 TOTAL 11/13/14 $ 5,202.25 The Eastern Shore District of THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 18291 Jones Ave., P.O. Box 317, Parksley, VA 23421 Alex Joyner, District Superintendent Iris Gunter-Smith, District Lay Leader Connie M. Owens, District Administrative Assistant Office Hours: 9-5 pm, Mon. thru Thurs. Phone: 757-665-6295; E-mail: [email protected] We’re on the web at www.easternshoredistrictumc.org