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PRINTABLE VIEW |
North Coast District United Methodist Church
North Coast Crossings
District Newsletter
To view or print the entire newsletter - please go over to the left hand column - PRINTABLE VIEW and click the desired Month.
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April 2008 |
Volume IV, Issue 2 |
A newsletter published monthly except
January and July
by the North Coast District Communications Commission.
Frederica Curley,
Chair
North Coast District Communications Commission
Mission
Statement:
To inform local church leadership of
district activities and local church events as they relate to the district, with
an emphasis on our spirituality and United Methodist connectionalism.
Dear Fellow United Methodists,
I believe that we have a Wesleyan message to share that is very relevant for today. A part of it John Wesley gave to the church in his General Rules. In a section of our General Rules we find an often forgotten call, a call that has been put together in a book by Bishop Rueben Job. The book, Three Simple Rules, is small, but powerful. Bishop Hopkins is quoted in the Cokesbury catalog as calling it, “…a new catechism for everyone wanting to follow Jesus Christ.”
I am personally presenting this book to every pastor that serves in the North Coast District because I believe its message, if practiced in our lives and in our congregations, could help us to see the transformation of the world (at least as we know it).
Some pastors already picked up their books at the Spring District Conference on April 6 at Avon UMC. Those pastors who were unable to attend the conference are welcome to pick-up their books in the district office. In fact, the book helped to form the theme and the agenda of the conference, “Three Simple Rules for the Transformation of the World.” The agenda followed the rules and all items fell somewhere within.
I encourage every church to use this book. Here are some possibilities:
· Share with committees as a devotional piece and guidelines for conducting business.
· Use it for membership and confirmation classes.
· Incorporate it into membership vows.
· Build around it a three-part sermon series.
· Use it in counseling.
· Find someone to hold you accountable for your practice of the three rules.
· Give an overview in your newsletters.
· Make copies available in your local church.
The content of this book is simple, but profound. I have been using it for about a month now and I find that it has had a deep impact on my thinking and a few of my actions. I pray that it will impact you individually as well and our churches.
Abundantly Blessed,
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North Coast Superintendent |
The
North Coast District Mission Committee recently completed one of its major
projects, reviewing applications for the EOC 2009 Benevolent Fund Block Grant.
The committee agonized over how best to respond to needs totaling $450,000 from
across the District with a projected 2009 block grant budget of about $310,000.
No one is ever 100% comfortable making decisions about which process best
balances the assessment-making criteria.
Grappling with a sense of inadequacy, however, is certainly not what is seen when we reflect on the meaning of Easter and its connection to meeting the ultimate need of humanity. Easter makes a life changing quality available to all of humanity. This quality is GOD’S LOVE! The vastness of God’s love is demonstrated through His sacrificial gift of Christ Jesus as the savior of the world. We have no evidence of a written application process or a review committee. However, we do have overwhelming evidence that there is enough of God’s love for every one.
Yes, we even have evidence that God’s love is priceless! Not even 30 pieces of silver or 450,000 US dollars could tip the scale in favor of one individual or groups of individuals. Everyone must come by way of Jesus and the authority given him over sin and death.
So, while realizing our personal limitations, I join my colleagues representing the North Coast District Mission Committee in praying that your soul prospers and that your needs to do ministry continue to be supplied by our loving God!
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Rev. V. Yvonne Conner |
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North Coast District Associate |
Theme-oriented articles are welcome for publication (200 words max) along with other items which may be of interest to local church leadership (80 words). Submit material as text only format on e-mail. We reserve the right to edit all submissions.
Send to: Frederica Curley, Chair - North Coast District Communications
Commission
E-mail:
ncdistrict@ncdistrictumc.org
Deadline: 10th of month preceding issue date.
An annual subscription to North Coast Crossings, mailed to your address, is available for $10. Send requests with payment to North Coast District UMC, 5246 Broadway Ave., Suite 300, Cleveland, OH 44127. Churches are permitted to reprint unlimited copies of North Coast Crossings in its entirety, or in excerpts with credit line: Reprinted with permission from North Coast Crossings, North Coast District UMC.