Around the Corner

The E-Monday Newsletter of the Cornerstone District of the United Methodist Church

Western New York Conference

cornerstonedistoffice@windstream.net * www.cornerstonedistrict.com

 

February 26, 2008

 

(1) From the Superintendent (2) Larry’s Weekly Schedule (3) Dates to Remember (4) Weekly Prayer Guide (5) NEW Prayer Request (6) Annual Report Due Dates (7) Change in March Combined LDT (8) Change in Date of District Ministry Equipping School (9) Local Church Lay Leader Listening Sessions – Updated Dates and Locations! (10) SEMINARY AID REMINDER (11) Informal Lunch Get Together with District Secretaries (12) Corrections to the 2008 Summer Camp Brochure (13) Greetings from your DCYM! (14) NEW Camp Scholarship Form (15) NEW Background Check Information (16) 2008 One Great Hour of Sharing (17) New Methodist Manor Open House – April 19, 2008 (18) NEW The WNY Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry has two opportunities available to local churches and their members. (19) Appointment Announcements (20) Cornerstone Community Ministries (21) Local Church Announcements

 

Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  May this day find you healthy and feeling encouraged in your work.  I am in the office today catching up again on the endless administrative items, some preaching assignments, and equipping school lessons.   Then weather permitting I will be flying out tomorrow morning to Indianapolis for a Confessing Movement Board meeting.    The Confessing Movement’s “Purpose Statement” is “Confessing Jesus Christ as Son, Savior and Lord, and enabling the United Methodist Church to retrieve its classical doctrinal identity, and to live it out as disciples of Jesus Christ.”    Please pray for the meeting as we finalize our part of the renewal agencies’ work prior to General Conference.   I am please also to note that Dr. Wendy Deichmann Edwards ( a member of the WNY Conference), newly elected president of United Theological Seminary, and Assistant Professor Jason Vickers, Assistant Professor of Theology and Wesleyan Studies are scheduled to meet with us on Friday.  This is the first initiative in my new position as seminary liaison.

Back to work.  Please remember to check this edition for new items and prayers requests.  Please especially continue to lift Chris Rhodes and family in your prayers.

            February 25     Cabinet in Rochester

            February 26     Office Day

                                    7:00 pm – SPRC Meeting @ Sinclairville: Park

            February 27     Larry’s Sabbath

            February 28     Confessing Movement in Indianapolis

            February 29     Confessing Movement in Indianapolis

            March 1          

            March 2 through 6      BOOM Consultation Retreat @ Watson Homestead           

                       

 

This coming Sunday, March 2, and during the ensuing week, we are all to be praying especially for Pastor James Pegan, his wife Susan, their children Jimmy and Kati and the Findley Lake UMC Church. 

 

Please include these prayer requests in your weekly church bulletin, in your prayers during your Sunday worship if you have a time of "pastoral prayer" and please encourage your people to keep the Pastor Jim, his family, and the Findley Lake UMC Church family in their prayers throughout the week.  Include this as part of your current prayer concerns listed in your Church's prayer room.

 

Pastor Chris Rhodes (Fentonville UMC) was hospitalized last week.  He had to be put on a respirator to assist his breathing and reduce the stress on the rest of his body.  Please keep Chris and his family in your prayers this week.

Just a reminder that with the New Year comes new due dates for annual reports.  All the forms can be found on the conference website (www.wnyumc.org) or if you need hard copies contact the district office.  The following are what are coming up due…

            Pastor’s Annual Report – January 31, 2008

            Church Conference Minutes - January 31, 2008

            S/PPRC Charge Conference Report - January 31, 2008

            Annual Report of the Committee on Finance - January 31, 2008

            Report of the Annual Audit - January 31, 2008

            Annual Report of the Trustees - January 31, 2008

            Local Church Financial Status Report - January 31, 2008

Local Church Report to Annual Conference - January 31, 2008

Church and Clergy Profiles were to be updated online (www.nywestconnect.org) by December 1, 2007.  Many still need to be completed.  Please take a minute to tweak the information that is already on file.  If you are in need of your username and password, please contact Cindy at the District Office.

There has been a change in the schedule for the March combined LDT.  Based on the response at the December get together (32 in attendance in the morning and 5 in attendance in the evening) we have decided to only have one combined LDT in March.  On Thursday, March 13^th at 9:30 am join us at Kidder UMC (also a change from the schedule in your directory) for worship and fellowship.  We realize that some of you will not be able to make it and for that we are very sorry but we were able to free up an evening on Larry’s calendar to visit with one of the churches in the district.

As many of you are aware, Easter is early this year and the calendar filled up fast in February and March.  Because of this, the spring district ministry equipping school has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 5^th at Christ First UMC.  This is after Easter but before many of the school spring breaks.  Look for promotional brochures soon with such courses as basic and advanced lay speaking, planning and leading worship, Methodism 101, lay leaders forum, and an out the open doors class being offered.  Click here for a brochure.

Your Conference Co-Lay Leaders, Scott Johnson and Eleanor Collinsworth, have begun to go “on the road” to meet with local church lay leaders in a series of Listening Sessions around the Conference. The intent of these informal, conversational gatherings is to get to know one another better, and to share the joys and challenges of ministry as a local church lay leader. Scott and Eleanor would like to hear how the Conference Lay Leaders can best serve the needs of lay leaders in the local churches. Our unique strength as the church called United Methodist can be found in our connectedness as local churches, districts, and conferences. Local church lay leaders are invited to gather to celebrate our existing strengths and lift up opportunities to make us even stronger.

 

The list of dates and locations has been finalized. All local church lay leaders are invited to attend the session that is most convenient for them. Pastors are asked to encourage and support the attendance of their local church lay leader(s) at one of these sessions. Information on dates, times, and locations are listed here:

Thursday, February 28, 6:30 p.m. at Medina UMC
Tuesday, March 4, 7 p.m. at Springville UMC
Thursday, March 6, 6:30 p.m. at New Hope UMC in West Seneca
Saturday, March 29, 10 a.m. at Cuba UMC
Saturday, April 5, 1:15 p.m. at Jamestown: Christ First UMC (NOTE LOCATION CHANGE!)
Tuesday, April 8, 6:30 p.m. at Camp Asbury
Tuesday, April 15, 7 p.m. at Kenmore UMC

March 15, 2008 is the deadline for receipt by the loan officer of applications and required supporting documents for BOM seminary financial aid.  This is for the spring semester of '08 and January '08 classes that qualified, seminary attending students seeking ordination as elder or deacon may receive.  Send forms to:

Willow Brost

925 Delaware Ave.  6B

Buffalo, NY 14209

email: mumfis@aol.com

716-882-6206

Forms and requirements may be found by going to the wnyboom.org or wnyumc.org websites and following the links. Questions or concerns should be directed to Willow Brost.

We've scheduled another informal district secretary luncheon on Wednesday, February 27th at 12:30 p.m.  We're meeting at the cafe in the Wegman's store in Lakewood.  Hope to see you there!

 

The 2008 Summer Camp Brochures were recently sent out through the mail to churches.  A few errors have been discovered.  Please note the following corrections…

 

Please Note that we have discovered two errors in the 2008 Summer Camp Brochure. 

 

2008 is shaping up to be another great year with DCYM!  

 

v This is the time of year for us to choose CCYM reps…any of your youth interested?  Checkout the info pages (emailed separately) to learn more about the position and to share with your youth.  We will be having kids sign up at the Feb 23 event if they would like an interview (held the next day Feb 24).  If your youth cannot be at the event, have them email Mary Anderson or Tim Middleton at the emails below.

v We are also looking for Youth Equalization members for annual conference.  Again, information emailed separately.  Please encourage your youth to apply for this all expenses paid opportunity for UM high school youth.

v Print out and share the emailed calendar with your youth group!

v Sign up no for 4WORD08…the 4^th annual 4 conference 2 night spring gathering…held in Rochester, NY the last weekend in April.  A youth retreat like no other!  

 

We hope that you will take advantage of the events offered to your youth whether locally or through the conference!  For more information about any of these items, please contact the DCYM Advisors Tim Middleton panamaum@aol.com or Mary Anderson manderson@opheliaproject.org .  All interested youth advisors look forward to next week’s announcement of a youth advisor gathering at Christ First in early March!!!  

The WNY Camps, Conferences and Retreat Ministries Team is once again exited to offer summer camp scholarships for persons who need assistance to attend Camp Asbury or Camp Findley in 2008.  Click here for more information and an application.  The Pastor is required to submit this form on behalf of any camper who is seeking financial assistance through the CCRM.  Please take time to read through the form.  Local church financial assistance is expected prior to the CCRM providing any scholarship funds.  If a camper has a special need in order to attend one of our summer camp programs, please contact me directly.  Funds are limited, but we do not want to see any child miss the opportunity of attending church camp simply because they cannot afford it.  All Scholarship Application forms need to be sent to the CCRM Executive Director, as indicated on the form.  If you have any questions, please contact Larry Wiliford.  Thank you.

Background checks for local church employees and volunteers are strongly encouraged by the Conference Trustees.  As promised, the relationship with the company utilized by our former insurer has been re-established with Walsh Duffield.  The company’s name is Choice Point and links to the Choice Point web site are now operational on the Walsh Duffield website. Churches should follow the below steps:

Please note that existing customers can log-in under the "Customer Login" tab at the top right of the Choice Point webpage. New customers should enter the "Promotional Codes" WIG and SN162 when setting up their account.

 

If you do not have an account set up, you will need a credit card to do so.  Once established, and you are logged into the Choice Point Web Site, choose Screenow.  You will want to order a National Criminal Check.  It only takes a few seconds and the cost is $6.50/background check.

 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, servants of our neighbors,

The One Great Hour of Sharing offering is always the fourth Sunday in Lent. This year it falls on March 2nd, a Communion service for most of us.

Here is a prayer from the One Great Hour of Sharing worship resources you might find useful.

Gracious and loving God, thank you for the blessings of your eternal presence. Remind us to pray through our actions toward others: to offer the cup of kindness, the responding hand when a community is overwhelmed by disaster or war, the spirit of justice and peace, and the open heart to all who hurt. We know that in these ways we extend your love to the world. Amen.

Many of our churches have sent donations and supplies to help others through our Conference Disaster Response collections of flood buckets and donations. Others have discovered the many blessings that come from volunteering through mission trips as close as the Asbury Shalom Zone or as far as Louisiana. For some, overseas missions have enlarged the ministry of their congregations and changed lives.

These links may also be resources as you plan worship for that day:
http://www.umcgiving.org/content/sundays/OGHS_nav/onegreat.asp
http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/oghs.stm

Other resources can be ordered through the above sites for use in your churches.

May God bless you this Lent as you have blessed others this past year.

Rev. Carl Chamberlain
WNY Conference Disaster Response Coordinator

********************
One Great Hour of Sharing
Sunday, March 2, 2008

UMCOR receives no World Service funds or any other apportionments. Through their gifts to the offering, United Methodists can assure that when catastrophes cause suffering, your church, impelled by Jesus’ love and compassion will be in the lead to ease the pain.
The immediate goal of UMCOR's international and domestic emergency response programs is to provide relief and rehabilitation for the entire person; physical, social, and psychological-in a distress situation.
UMCOR provides long-term recovery as well as immediate relief. Recognizing that disasters cause disruptions that can last for years and often create permanent changes in people's lives, UMCOR works within a community to address the long-term effects of a disaster and assist people in rebuilding and adjusting to change.

Keeping the Lights On.
Gifts to the One Great Hour of Sharing underwrite UMCOR’s “costs of doing business,” so that 100 percent of every dollar you donate to a specific UMCOR project can be spent on that project and not on home office administrative costs.

Fill-in Fundraising.
UMCOR is a good steward of God’s gifts. Donations to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering also assist UMCOR programs that have not been fully funded through designated Advance gifts. Gifts over and above those used to cover administrative costs are channeled where they’re most needed--to assist the most vulnerable people whose need is greatest.

Be generous with your One Great Hour of Sharing.

April 19, 2008 - An Open House will be held for the New Methodist Manor at Camp Asbury along with a celebration of the ministry of the Old Methodist Manor.  As part of this celebration there will be an Auction of items from the Old Manor, and a Fundraising meal.  More details will follow with time, etc.  This notice is so that you can put the date on your calendar if you would like to be present.

 

The first:  College scholarship information is available at http://www.wnyumc.org/page.asp?PKValue=885 .  Two additional awards are available this year through the generosity of two WNY UM churches.

 

The second:  Ministry Seminar for Clergy and Laypersons:  “Is God Calling You to a Ministry to College Students?”

 

We know that recent reports on our Annual Conference and our denomination show that we have a significant challenge before us regarding young adults. During the college years, when young people are exploring options, learning new things, and defining themselves as adults, they are presented with a unique opportunity to grow in relationship to Jesus Christ. The Western New York Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry is offering churches in our conference an opportunity to learn and discern how they might be in ministry to the young adults on the college campuses in our annual conference.

 

This event will offer an overview of recent research that demonstrates an increasing desire for spiritual growth and information among college students, college faculty and staff. It will also present an overview of successful strategies for creating and cultivating relationships on campus. Current students will speak about their faith journeys and worship experiences as a guide to what some students are looking for from local churches.  We are confident that a day of exploration and information will be useful as we try to make new disciples and sustain current ones.

 

When: Saturday, April 12, 2008, 10:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M.

Where:  The United Methodist Church of Livonia, 21 Summers Street, Livonia, NY 14487

Registration:  Please register by April 1, 2008

Continental Breakfast, soup and sandwich lunch, and refreshments will be provided

Name:

Address:

Phone:

E-mail:

Church:

Dietary restrictions:

 

Registration may be E-mailed to wnybhecm@att.net or send to Peter Crichton, Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry, PO Box 32, Conesus, NY 14435-0032  Telephone:  (585)243-2819

Bishop Violet Fisher announces the appointment of …

The Community Ministries line item has been cut out of the Conference Budget for 2007.  Below is a list of approved Community ministries that we encourage local churches to continue to support.  The Cornerstone District will still act as a clearing house for donations to these ministries.  Please make sure that the purpose of your donation is clearly marked.

·         Chaut.County. Rural Ministries, Dunkirk, NY

·         Chaut.County Jail Ministries (supplies only), Mayville, NY

·         Jamestown Reachout Ministry, Jamestown, NY

·         Dunkirk Hispanic Mission, Dunkirk, NY

·         Elinor’s House, Dunkirk, NY

·         Intervarsity, JCC

Each month, we will be highlighting one ministry in the Around the Corner to give the local churches more information about what each ministry does.

 

 

Dear Fellow Pastors and Partners in Ministry,

 

Joy and peace to you at this special season.   The mission of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at Jamestown Community College goes well.  We have continued to meet Mondays and Wednesdays at the noon club hour. Monday is a student led Bible study on Christian Character (by IVP, of course!)   The study is so good that the Adult Sunday School at Gerry is also using it and growing greatly.  Back on campus, we use the Wednesday time for Worship and special speakers. Many of our colleagues have graced IVCF with their wisdom, including Roy Miller, Steve Wiggers, Nate Bailey, and Tim Middleton.  If any of you are free Mondays or Wednesdays at noon and would like to come and speak, we would be thrilled.

 

This is a strong group – the only Christian one on campus. We pray and seek to build a witnessing community that prays for and reaches out to others on campus. To that end, we have had a few book table outreaches in the Student Union and plan to do one in December to raise awareness and funds for an AIDS orphanage in Africa.  We also plan to do service projects at St. Susan’s Center and Habitat for Humanity this winter.  I meet personally with the student leaders, as individuals or a small group to help disciple and train them. I am always seeking to develop new leaders, as the turnover is so rapid. We are literally one year away from extinction!  I am planning on teaching the university edition of “Becoming a Contagious Christian” in the spring to help students fulfill the vision God has given us.

 

Many thanks to those churches that have prayerfully and financially supported this mission. We couldn’t do this without you.  Please consider adding this local mission to your budget.

 

Thank you – Pastor Heather Allport-Cohoon.

 

Send your local church information for publication to cornerstonedistoffice@windstream.net.

Join LVUMC on Saturday, March 15 from 4:30 – 7:00 pm for a yummy chicken and biscuits dinner.  The cost of the meal would be a donation.  Proceeds from the evening will benefit the LVUMC Preschool

 

This one-day event is designed for children in 1^st thru 5^th grades, and has been used in churches across America to help kids develop a greater interest in the Bible. Under the direction of a skilled facilitator from Walk Thru the Bible Ministries, children will learn about the chronology of events in the Old Testament.  It is a fun, interactive and memorable way to teach our children the ‘big picture’ in the Old Testament. It all happens on March 15, from 9:45am to 3:00pm.  We invite kids from all the local UMC churches to come enjoy this exciting way of learning God’s Word. The cost is $10 per child, which covers the workbook, snacks and lunch. In the event that a parent would like to send their child(ren) but can’t afford to, we are offering some $5 scholarships to help minimize the cost.  Contact the B.P.U.M.C. office by phone, 386-3401, or by email (bpumc@bpumc.com) for more information or to request promotional materials and registration forms.

Is your Christian life full? Probably   Is it fulfilling? Probably not What's missing? Why not go "M.A.D."? (Make A Difference) Come and find out HOW to make the GREATEST possible difference with the rest of your life! "Make A Difference" training for teens and adults. Friday, April 4th beginning at 6 pm at Park UMC, 49 Sinclair Drive, Sinclairville, NY 962-2265. A love offering will be taken for the speaker.

Help Wanted:  Mayville United Methodist Church is looking for a person who feels called to do youth and young adult ministry to become our new Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries.  This is a new position and while we have a job description, to a great extent the person hired will be able to influence the shape this ministry takes.  It is a part time salaried position.  Please contact Mayville United Methodist Church at 753-7532 or the Rev. Alan J. Jones at 753-2761 (home) if interested or you would like more information.  You can leave a message.

 

 Steamburg UMC will be presenting Dr. Kevin Leman's Making the Most of Marriage Series (Building a Relationship That Will Last A Lifetime) on Thursday evenings at 7PM February 7th through March 20th. 

Join Lakewood UMC (located at 164 Shadyside Ave., Lakewood) on Friday, March 7, 2008 at 7:00 PM.  Please come, and invite your family and friends to hear Andrew Barron speak at this enlightening service.  You’ll gain wonderful insights on how the pieces of God’s plan of salvation fit together, and you’ll remember this visual display of Passover pageantry for years to come.  Millions of Jewish people around the world gather each spring for a Passover meal.  Now, Jews for Jesus want to invite you to experience this ancient feast through this presentation, Christ in the Passover.  Jews for Jesus is an organization that proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world.   Using a visual display of traditional Passover accouterments, the “Christ in the Passover” presentation enhances the Christian’s understanding and appreciation of the Jewish background of the Christian Communion.  Ancient and modern Jewish customs are discussed and described with an emphasis on the aspect of redemption which Christ accomplished at Calvary.

Chiz Rider is an accomplished Trumpet player and performer. You can check him out on www.chizrider.com. He has been at Cattaraugus church and others in the area several years running and is coming again. The concert will be held at 7:00 pm. If you would like more information, please contact Pastor Dave at 716-257-3583 or cattwes@localnet.com.

Kenmore United Methodist Church is conducting a search for a Pastoral Associate.  This is a full time position.  The successful candidate will have experience in developing spiritually enriching programs, developing and supporting small learning and study groups.  

Work collaboratively with Senior Pastor and other staff to develop the spiritual life and programs for the congregation and community.  Assists Senior Pastor in worship development, pastoral care, preaching and teaching.         

 Through Christ-centered ministry: 

·         Provide for spiritual growth opportunities that are appealing and compelling to those inside and outside Kenmore UMC. 

·         Strengthen and develop community outreach ministries and programs. develop and nurture programs to help young families and young adults. 

·         Support and equip the laity to help carry out and provide leadership for our programs and ministries.

·          Support and further develop existing and new small groups. 

Compensation will be commensurate with qualifications.

For more information contact Kenmore United Methodist Church                 

32 Landers Rd., Kenmore, New York, 14217  875-5091, email Kenmoreumc@Verizon.net