To: Joyce King
Subject: Baltimore Region August Newsletter
Date: Saturday, August 06, 2011 11:23:16 AM
Attachments: Revival Flyer.pdf
Healthy Church Relationships.pdf
Call to Action Training Session.pdf
Below is the August Newsletter. Please read the information, it is important to your ministry and your church. I ask that you also pass the opportunities outlined in the newsletter to your congregation. We want to keep them informed and able to participate in some of the classes and trainings that are available to them. Please let me know if you have problems viewing this newsletter. Thanks – Joyce King (jking@bwcumc.org)
Baltimore Region E-Newsletter
We seek to become like Christ as we call, equip, send and support Spiritual leaders
to make disciples and grow at least 600 Acts 2 congregations.
August, 2011 Volume 1, Number 4
Important Dates
· August 16, 2011 9-11 a.m. & 1-3 p.m.: General Gateway Training for church administrators and pastors as administrators - Conference Mission Center
· September 7 & 9, 2011 2-4p.m. - Gateway Training on Clergy Compensation for SPRC Chairs and Treasurers - Conference Mission Center
· September 13, 2011 3-4 p.m. & 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Gateway Training for Lay Speaker and CLM Reports - Conference Mission Center
· September 24, 2011 - Bishop's Day Apart with Laity
· October 8-10 – World Mission Day
· October 12, 2011 - Bishop's Day Apart with Clergy
· November 29 & 30, 2011 9-11 a.m. & 1-3 p.m. : Gateway Training on Statistical Reports - Conference Mission Center
· January 14, 2012 : Leadership Days on the Baltimore Region
· April 17, 2012 - Prodigal Worship, Queens Chapel UMC, Beltsville, MD
Contact Us
Rev. Dr. Karin Walker, DS, Baltimore
Suburban District, Team Leader
410.290.7311, kwalker@bwcumc.org
Rev. Dr. C. Anthony Hunt, DS
Baltimore Metropolitan District
410.290.7311, ahunt@bwcumc.org
Rev. Dr. Jim Ditto, Guide
410.290.7312, jditto@bwcumc.org
Rev. Kay Albury, Guide
410.309.3429,
kalbury@bwcumc.org
Rev. Dr. Eugene W. Matthews, Guide
410.309.3477,
ematthews@bwcumc.org
Sandra Cockrell, Regional
Administrative Assistant
410.309.3442,
Scockrell@bwcumc.org
Joyce King, Regional Administrator
410.290.7311, jking@bwcumc.org
Baltimore-Washington Conference
Mission Center
Of The United Methodist Church
11711 East Market Place
Fulton, MD 20759-2594
410.309.3400
800.492.2525
410.309.9436 (Fax)
www.bwcumc.org
Did you know?
If you have questions about taxes, W-2
forms and I-9's, the best place to go
to have those questions answered is
the GCFA website.
www.gcfa.org/ls_CTP/html
We suggest you access the information from GCFA, then contact accounting professionals for any additional
information. It is important that you update your leadership in Gateway, especially for Annual Conference. All new leaders should be added to your church. To do this, log into Gateway and click on Committee Overview. Then click on Committee Participation and Update. Click on Local Church Leadership Committee. For more
information about make changes/updates, go to www.bwcumc.org/content/gatewayresources and click on the Introduction to Gateway Manual.
We are still receiving quite a bit of mail at the Columbia address. The correct mailing address is: The
Baltimore-Washington Conference of
the United Methodist Church, 11711
East Market Place, Fulton, MD 20759-2594.
This will greatly reduce the amount of mail that must be forwarded to our new address. Please share this with your Newsletter editors. Of course if sending in the apportionment payments that should still go to the
PO Box in Baltimore.
URGENT - PLEASE GO IN AND UPDATE YOUR COMMITTEE LISTINGS
The Baltimore Region office has received many calls from officers in the local church because they are receiving e-mails and calls from the conference office for positions that they haven’t held in two to three years. It is the responsibility of the local church to update these records each year. This office does not update these records. This also means to keep e-mails, addresses and phone numbers updated. Having problems doing this please contact Sandra Cockrell.
The Nature of the Church:
I recently heard Gil Rendle lecture about the nature of the church. He made several statements that resonate with me and perhaps you as the anxiety in our culture about the economy, the environment, and the future drive people to be reactive. He said “the church is the last institution which works to call together people across generations and the last place where we are called to be together with people we otherwise would not choose to be with.”
It’s a tough context in which to build community yet it is what God calls the church to be and to do, and it has worked for over 2000 years. Research also says that community and purpose are exactly what people are seeking thus kairos time for the church of Jesus Christ!
As we anticipate autumn and the charge conference season, our hope is that every congregation turns into the challenge before us and plans for a future of disciple-making and community building. We look forward to working with you during this season of opportunity as the Holy Spirit works in us all for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Praise be to God,
Kay, Eugene, Jim, Tony, Joyce, Sandy C, Sandy F, Olivia, Karin
BWC MISSION CENTER SUMMER SCHEDULE
The Baltimore-Washington Conference Mission Center will be closed EVERY Friday from July 8 through Aug. 26, 2011 inclusive. Monday thru Thursday hours of operation for each location are: 8:30 am — 4:30 pm Please note this on your calendar. Please note that the Mission Center will be closed on Monday, September 5th in observance of Labor Day. We will re-open on Tuesday, September 6th at 8:30 am. Please be safe!
EARLY RESPONSE TRAINING
The conference is sponsoring early response training for those interested. The training will be held at the conference center on August 10 from 8:30 AM to 4 PM. Lunch, and snacks will be served. Cost of class is $ 25.00 (cost of background check is included in the fee). Please make check out to BWC and in the memo
area place ERT training (bring check to the class). Also, if you have a lap top please bring with you. Please forward your application and background check from to Brit Weber at weber.briton@comcast.net, so he can have a head count, make name tags for each person to be used when you have your photo taken for your badge. It is not too late to register, we still have a few openings.
SHOP MARYLAND WEEK
Marylanders: Get a break on clothing and footwear items priced $100 or less when they are exempt from the 6 percent state sales tax: Sunday, August 14 - Saturday, August 20
Exempt vs. Taxable Item Listing
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit http://www.marylandtaxes.com for additional information.
Call to Action Training Sessions
This Call to Action class is designed for church leaders and will review the Call to Action purpose and document. The class will do an analysis of their own congregation, draw upon demographic data, identify some key areas for greater vitality, and address ways they can impact the leadership team of their own congregation in helpful ways. Clergy will be given 1 CEU for attending all sessions; this also has been approved as a certified lay speaking course. (see attached flyer and registration form for class)
This is a four-part course and no books or materials are needed for class. This class will be taught by Rev. Dr. Karin Walker.
LOOKING FOR WAYS TO TRAIN YOUR FINANCE LEADERS?
Have been looking for opportunities to train you finance leaders in your local church? Well, the General Board of Discipleship is sponsoring a webinar for Finance Leaders. August 18 & 25, 6:30 p.m. CDT - Finance Leaders Training (two-part) - Fundraising and money burnout (Aug. 18); Extravagant Generosity Starts Here: A boot camp for Finance Leaders (Aug. 25). Webinars can be viewed via Internet at home or gather at the church with the committee to watch together. To register and learn more, visit the website. (www.gbodp.org)
YOU ARE INVITED!
Rev. Lynn Glassbrook and Mr. George Brunette Invite you to celebrate with them as they wed.
Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 2:00pm. A reception follows in the hall.
Orems United Methodist Church
1020 Orems Road, Middle River, MD 21220
With love of the Lord, love for each other, and multiple residences, we really don’t need a thing. If you must gift, consider a gift to Orems UMC or another charity in our honor.
George and Lynn will reside at 1748 Forrest Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21234.
MANNA HOUSE
The Baltimore Region has been instrumental in helping Manna House to reopen on Saturdays! We have promised funding, volunteers and in some cases food for September through February. We'd like to further the effort to include March, April, and May. If your church would like to be involved, please contact Sandy Cockrell at scockrell@bwcumc.org.
CHARGE CONFERENCE SEASON!!! – FORMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE ON GATEWAY
You should have received your schedule and agenda. The forms are now available for you to begin completing. There are sample forms on the website. Please remember that only those persons that have been designated as an officer/chair will be able to access the forms. The church administrator is the only person who will be able to access all of the forms. Please be sure that the person who is the chair of finance, SPRC, Trustee, etc. are updated in Gateway as just that, if not they will not be able to access the forms. The person who is listed whether they are not now that person in the position will be able to access the forms.
If you have forgotten your username and password, please first try using the “forgot my password” feature (remember you must have a e-mail address listed in Gateway to use this option). If you continue to have problems in accessing the forms please contact Ms. Sandy Cockrell at scockrell@bwcumc.org.
Forms are to be completed two weeks prior to your charge conference. I encourage those officers who are new to attend the Gateway trainings that are being offered. Because of the difficulties that SPRC chairs had last year regarding the compensation report should be encouraged as well to attend the Gateway training
for the compensation form. These trainings are free.
LAST CALL TO ACTION MEETINGS – FOR CLERGY AND LAITY
The last Call to Action Meeting will be held at Towson UMC, 501 Hampton Lane, Towson on August 11 at 10 AM – 12 Noon and again at 7 PM – 9 PM. If you have not attended you still have time to register.
The Call to Action Ministry plan is attached. If you have problems please do not hesitate to contact Sandra Cockrell (scockrell@bwcumc.org) or 410.309.3442.
Below you will find the agenda:
1. Review the Call to Action drivers and the planning guide.
2. Brainstorm with other colleagues ideas about ways to enhance the vitality of your congregation.
3. Design a process for identifying goals your congregation will set at the charge conference..
4. Develop steps for leadership development in your congregation to address the call to action drivers.
Register now at: http://www.bwcumc.org/academy/ctabaltimore
HEALTHY CHURCH RELATIONSHIP WORKSHOP
This workshop is for clergy only who was newly appointed and those that have been in their appointment for the past three years. Now that you have been in your congregation for a while, you may understand some of the relationships that impact your ability to lead. This workshop is a follow-up to our transition workshop that was help in May, 2011 will focus on the following:
Maintain healthy relationships
Dealing with difficult people
Effective small group leadership
Self-awareness as a pastoral leader
Upon completion of the workshop you will receive .5 CEU’s.
Date: September 15th at the BWC Mission Center. (Please see the flyer attached). Registration begins at 8:30 am. – Workshop will begin promptly at 9:00 AM and end at 2:30 pm. Lunch is included in the registration cost. Cost: $30.
To register click on the following link or cut and paste in browser.
https://gateway.bwcumc.org/bwcssa/bwc_evtssa.evtstart?p_event_id=1894
For questions, please contact Joyce King at jking@bwcumc.org.
WORSHIP DESIGN STUDIO
Greetings, friends! Just a note to say that the Fall materials have posted in the Worship Design Studio. There are lots of things there to inspire you to get to work on your plans for worship in the fall:
Podcast: with three wonderful nationally-known worship artists brainstorming many possibilities for the season.
Seasonal/Historical Notes: includes "cliff notes" for at-a-glance overview of the lectionary for fall Marcia's Doorway: inspired by Matthew West's song, "My Own Little World,"
this Doorway is a focus on the greater purpose of being church and being Christians More Resources: things that are inspiring me lately, resources I think would enhance your library Video Teaching Clip: a clip of me teaching about the gift of imagination and the "community of imaginations."
This is the last posting for the 2010-2011 liturgical year. Can you believe it? My, how time flies. But I am so excited about next year because Worship Design Studio is about to take off to new heights. Be sure to listen to the first few minutes of the podcast to hear more about that. And watch your e-mail for an announcement about subscribing for next year at the "repeat customer" discounted rate.
Many blessings, friends!
And don't forget to go to the Social Networking site to share pictures of what you are doing for
Summer!
Peace & Passion,
Dr. Marcia McFee
UMCOM Offering Free Software for Office and Ministry Tools
We recently received an e-mail listing nearly a dozen FREE software programs, graphic design tools and music licenses which can cost churches thousands of dollars if they were to buy them.
A PDF of the entire article is attached to the newsletter e-mail so you can check everything out for yourself. They will also add you to their email list if you like.
Since we are heading into our Charge Conference season and if you don’t use the MS Office Suite, I suggest you check out either of these programs that will make filling out the required forms much easier. I checked out two of these free programs that I looked at the two Office Alternatives that are equivalent to the MS Office Suite, testing them on both Windows XP and the Vista operating systems and didn’t have any trouble downloading or installing either program. Both programs allow you to create NEW documents but also allows you to EDIT existing ones. I tested one of the Charge Conference forms and the Annual Audit form and was able to work with both of them, save them as a new name and print them. This is exactly what you need to be able to do to complete the Charge Conference Forms.
The first is LibreOffice gives you six feature-rich applications for all your document production and data processing needs. Support and documentation is free from their large, dedicated community of users, contributors and developers. It works on Windows, Macintosh and Linux OS and it has FREE updates. I tested text editing and the spreadsheet programs and they worked well. It can be downloaded from www.libreoffice.org
The second program is Open Office which can also handle all your Office documents as well, however it looks and feels like pre-Office 07 and doesn't get updates like the newer LibreOffice. Again I tested text editing and the spreadsheet programs and they worked well. It can be downloaded from www.openoffice.org/
The FREE program called Paint.NET lets you edit images and photos for computers that run Windows. It features an intuitive and innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful tools. An active and growing online community provides friendly help, tutorials, and plug-ins. It is similar to the old DeskPaint program and it can be downloaded from www.getpaint.net/
While we give no guarantees I would suggest you check these FREE programs out so you will be familiar with the program before we need to complete all those forms. The price is certainly right:)
Local Church Officer Job Descriptions
Many church officers and leaders have called in the office asking about job descriptions. Job descriptions can be at: WWW.GBOD.ORG/SITE/C.NHLRJ2PMKSG/B.5523987/K.A7A1/LOCAL_CHURCH_OFFICER_JOB_DESCRIPTIONS.HTM
Local Church Officer Job Descriptions: Positions Required in All Congregations
Every congregation must make provision for including these functions according to The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, ¶244.
Positions may be combined except for the financial functions. "The positions of treasurer and
financial secretary should not be combined and held by one person, and the persons holding these positions should not be immediate family members (¶258.4)."
- Nominations and Leader Development Committee (¶258.1)
- Pastor/Staff-Parish Relations Committee (¶258.2)
- Trustees (¶258.3 and ¶2524 to 2550)
- Finance Committee Chairperson (¶258.4)
- Lay Leader (¶251.1)
- Lay Member of Annual Conference (¶251.2)
- Financial Secretary (¶258.4)
- Church Treasurer (¶258.4)
- Membership Secretary (¶234 and ¶235 to 242)
- Leadership Team (also called Church Council, Administrative Board) Chairperson (¶251.3)
Each congregation shall provide for a comprehensive program of nurture, outreach, and witness, along with leadership training, along with the planning and administration of the congregation’s organizational and temporal life, in accordance with the mission of the United Methodist Church (The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church, ¶244)
Age Level Coordinators:
- Nurture, Outreach and Witness Ministries Coordinator(s) (¶244)
- Age-Level and Family Ministries Coordinator (¶253)
- Children's Ministries Coordinator (¶253 and ¶256.2)
- Youth Ministry Coordinator (¶253 and ¶256.3)
- Young Adult Ministries Coordinator (¶253 and ¶256.3d)
- Adult Ministries Coordinator (¶;253)
- Older Adult Ministries Coordinator (¶253)
- Family Ministries Coordinator (¶253)
- Other Ministry Groups:
- Class Leader (Covenant Discipleship groups) (¶256.1b)
- Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns Ministry Team Leader (¶254)
- Church Historian (¶247.5)
- Church School (Sunday School) Superintendent and/or Small Group Coordinator (¶255(1))
- Church and Society Ministry Team Leader (¶254)
- Community Volunteers Ministry Team Leader (¶254)
- Communications Team Leader (¶255(3)
- Earth Advocacy Team Leader (¶254)
- Education Ministry Team Leader (¶254)
- Evangelism Ministry Team Leader (¶254)
- Health and Welfare Ministries Team Leader (¶255(2)
- Higher Education and Campus Ministry Team Leader (¶254)
- Missions Ministry Team Leader (¶254)
- Prayer Team Leader (¶254)
- Religion and Race Ministry Team Leader (¶254)
- Scouting Ministry Coordinator
- Small Group Team Coordinator (¶255(1) and ¶256.1)
- Status and Role of Women Coordinator (¶254)
- Stewardship Ministry Team Leader (¶254)
- Worship Ministry Team Leader (¶254)
In partnership with Smith's Chapel. The United Methodist Men of the Baltimore Suburban District have been working together on preparing a parsonage to receive a family of six. This family has been homeless and now is scheduled to be placed as of September. This single mom and five children hope to be established prior to the beginning of the school year. Groups of all sorts, individuals are needed. A group of men will be working each Saturday on the house. Please call or email either Skip Casey (gcasey21352@verizon.net ) or Pastor George Lambros (pglambros@comcast.net) to see how you can help.
CHURCH AND CHURCH OFFICE SAFETY
Church safety training: In response to recent break-ins at churches, the Regional Administrators are sponsoring "Church Office and Church Safety," a workshop, Aug. 25, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Baltimore-Washington Mission Center., 11711 East Market Place in Fulton. Church staff and trustees are urged to attend. The workshop will be presented by the Howard County Police Department There is no charge for this event, however, you must register at http://bwcumc.org/events/safetyseminars. You will need your username and password to register. If you don’t have it, contact Sandy Cockrell at scockrell@bwcumc.org or 410.309.3442. Howard County Police will be conducting the workshop; however, even if you don’t live in Howard County the same tips apply everywhere.
Beware of Bogus Website
Please read and share the information below from Dave Schoeller, Business Data Analyst in at the Mission Center about a website address very similar to the General Board of Global Ministries.
The General Board’s web address is www.gbgm-umc.org. Unfortunately, there is another website www.gbgm.org, that does nothing but immediately pop up an advertisement window and locks up your browser so that you cannot do anything other than click the “OK” button.
If you stumble on the bogus site, DO NOT CLICK THE OK BUTTON on the pop-up window. If you click the “OK” button, you may infect your computer with a virus and create a security breach on our (your) network. Protect your PC and the BWC by using Control-Alt-Delete so that you can forcibly close your browser application. In fact, this is a good solution if you ever face that type of situation with a website that is behaving in a similar manner.
REGION REVIVAL
Join us at Mt. Zion UMC in Belair, MD in September under the tent for dynamic preaching and teaching from Robin Duffy and Robin Mark. It promises to be a fantastic 4 days. Bring along congregation members and get a new church year off and running on spiritual energy. See the attached flier for details. Please share with your congregations and youth!
AN INVITATION TO MISSION – BE ONE!
On October 8-10, 15,000 United Methodists are expected to serve in mission throughout the Baltimore-Washington Conference. A video about how you can Change the World, which you can share with your congregation is online. This ambitious event, Change the World, is expected to transform the way people think about church. You won't want to miss it. Register your group or congregation today.
http://www.bwcumc.org/events/changetheworld
CLERGY AND LAITY DAY APART
• Laity Day Apart will be Sept. 24, at Trinity UMC, 703 West Patrick St. in Frederick, Maryland
• Clergy Day Apart will be Oct. 12, at First UMC, 6201 Belcrest Road in Hyattsville, Maryland
Electronic billing: apportionments, pension, medical: It is expected that you will be getting medical and pension billing through the gateway system. A monthly reminder will be sent via email. With the email reminder should also be an attachment describing how to access the payment history and make payments through gateway. This information has been sent with each electronic billing. The bills will be sent to the treasurer of record. NOTE: If you have a new treasurer or the treasurer’s email address has changed, please have the church’s gateway administrator make the appropriate changes, so that the church will receive the bills in a timely manner.
Apportionment postings: You may access the chart summarizing the apportionment payments on the BWC website under Finance. Click on “apportionment contribution report”. That chart is updated with each posting. ACH payments are recorded immediately, whereas check posting takes more time. The goal of the treasurer’s office is to complete posting for the previous month by the 10th of the following month (e.g. all September payments should be posted by October 10. However if there is a delay in the mailing of a check to the lock box and then from the lock box bank recording to BWC, there may be a delay in the posting.) If you think there is an error in the report, we need to know the check number, the date of the check, and the amount of the check before we can ask the treasurer’s office to research the error.
Be sure to keep up with events and news through the E-connection, an online newsletter than can be accessed through the BWC website, by clicking on “news”, then scroll to “E-connection”. Not Receiving the E-connection? Contact Lesley Carter to sign-up (LCARTER@BWCUMC.ORG ). E-connection comes out electronically every Friday.
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