PUBLISHED BY THE WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Members and guests before a worship service at Annual Conference 2013. View more photos at flickr.com/wvumc.
What do United Methodists love most about Annual Conference? Worship? The music? Ultimately, Annual Conference is about relationships. Pastors who may be appointed at opposite ends of the conference get to see each other. Lay and clergy members have a chance to experience the United Methodist Connection in a unique way. There’s nothing quite like conference! This year’s Annual Conference begins on Thursday, June 12 and winds up with ordination on Sunday morning, June 15. Guest preachers include retired Bishop, Ernest S. Lyght, who served the West Virginia Conference as resident bishop from
2004 - 2011. Bishop Lyght will preach during Sunday morning’s ordination service. Bishop Thomas Bickerton, who serves the Western Pennsylvania Area of the United Methodist Church will preach on Thurday and Friday (June 12 - 13) morning during conference. Other speakers include Rev. Dr. Elaine Heath, who will lead an evangelism teaching time on Friday and Saturday afternoon. Visit wvumc.org for links to registration, the pre-conference workbook, special meals and more in the coming weeks. See you at conference!
PHOTO BY ADAM CUNNINGHAM
VOL 2 / NUMBER 4
April/May 2014
CALENDAR April 12 12 15 18 20 25-27 26 26-20
May 1-3 2-4 3 4 16-17 17-18 18 26 31
Bishop’s Confirmation Rally Little Kanawha COME Virginia Higgins Grant Applications Due Good Friday Easter Sunday Course of Study Greenbrier COME Pastoral Ministry Licensing School Pastoral Ministry Licensing School UMW Mission Encounter Wesleyan COME Midland South, Potomac Highlands, Southern, Western COME Residency Retreat Bishop’s Motorcycle Ride Northern COME Conference Center Closed Bishop’s Confirmation Rally
June
12-15 Annual Conference 23-27 Summer Youth Celebration
July
4 Conference Center Closed 24-26 UMW Mission U For more information and the full calendar visit wvumc.org/ calendar. Email submissions to wvumc@wvumc.org.
WE REMEMBER Martha A. “Mattie” Nolan, mother of Rev. Kenneth Nolan Rev. Walter T. “Spooky” Ellison Helene Stilgenbauer, mother of Rev. David Stilgenbauer Elmer Whitlatch, father of Rev. Ron Whitlatch Otis D. Furbee Jr., father of Rev. Charles Furbee Loretta Thompson, mother of Rev. Paul Thompson Rev. Virginia White (AM-R), wife of Rev. James White Mary June (Custer) Harvey, wife of the late Rev. Ellis Lambert “Buss” Harvey Donald Lynch, brother of Rev. Sarah Carr Virgil Glenn Adkins, father of Rev. Randy Adkins Wanda Plum, mother of Rev. Brian Plum
The West Virginia Conference lost the Rev. Tom Clark this spring. Here at the Mountain Circuit we thought it was amazing to see the testimonies given to Tom’s ministry. He showed the love of Christ not only to us in West Virginia, but around the world.
KEEP UP WITH US: Facebook: facebook.com/wvumc Twitter: @wvumc Photographs: flickr.com/wvumc Daily enews: wvumc.org/communications
Special Sundays
The West Virginia Conference raises awareness and funds for causes that show our faith in action through 20 special Sundays each year.
April 6 United Methodist Foundation Sunday 27 Golden Cross Sunday (see insert this issue, pg. 6) May 4 Native American Awareness Sunday 18 Heritage Sunday
June 15 Peace with Justice Sunday For more information on all Special Sundays, visit bit.ly/SpecialSundays.
The Mountain Circuit P.O. Box 2313 Charleston, WV 25328 Voice (304) 344-8331 Fax: (304) 344-2871 email kthaxton@wvumc.org Resident Bishop: Sandra Steiner Ball Editor: Laura Harbert Allen Associate Editor: Adam Cunningham Production: Ashley Perks Find us online: wvumc.org
April/May 2014
About this issue We hope you find information you can use in this special “double edition” of the conference newsletter. The fliers we’ve included on Golden Cross Sunday, the Bishop’s Bicycle Ride to Conference and assembling cleaning buckets can be used on church bulletin boards, in print bulletins or anywhere else you think they will come in handy. For digital versions that you can use in your church’s audiovisual efforts, check out wvumc.org/resources.
APPOINTMENTS 2014 It is the intention of Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball to appoint the following clergy, effective July 1, 2014: Carl Van Stavern, Wardensville Charge, Wardensville, WV, Potomac Highlands District Paul Rebelo, Wesley UMC, Kingwood, WV, Potomac Highlands District Audria Botkin, Levelton Charge, Hillsboro, WV, Greenbrier District Dorcas Conrad, Weirton Tri-Parish, Weirton, WV, Northern District Kathi Ambler, Middlebourne UMC, Middlebourne, WV, Northern District Ken Peters, Seventh Street UMC, Parkersburg, WV, Little Kanawha District Beth Peters, Cedar Grove UMC, Parkersburg, WV, Little Kanawha District Earnest Watkins, New Life Blended Ministries, Wheeling, WV, Northern District Alan Flaitz, Fourth Street/Simpson Charge, Wheeling, WV, Northern District Mark Flynn, Morris Memorial, Kanawha City, Charleston, WV, Midland South District Keith Forkey, Mt. Olivet, Wheeling, WV, Northern District Michael Ludle, Mt. Nebo, Mt Nebo, Greenbrier District Jeremiah Jasper, Woodford Memorial, Elkins,WV, Wesleyan District Michaela Jasper, Mill Creek Charge, Mill Creek, WV, Wesleyan District Bob Anderson, Tennerton Charge, Tennerton, WV Frank Naglic, Union, Union, Greenbrier District Dennis Mehaffie, Simpson, Moundsville, Northern District
Bishop Steiner Ball sits with “Bishop Buzzkill” at Concord UMC in Athens, WV (southern district). Bishop Buzzkill has helped to raise awareness and funds for INM during the past year. Photo courtesy of rev. greg godwin
Imagine No Malaria United Methodists have a goal: to raise $75 million dollars to end malaria in our lifetime (or sooner). Thanks to the hard work of the United Methodist Church and other humanitarian aid organizations, malaria deaths have been greatly reduced — but not eliminated. 700,000 people still die from malaria every year. The West Virginia Conference has raised more than $130,000 dollars this year to further the global effort of malaria eradication. Thank You! Jeff Zickafoose, Mt. Lake Park, Bethel, Mt. Lake, MD. Potomac Highland District Diane Kenaston, University UMC, St. Louis, Missouri, Missouri Conference Christopher Gudger-Raines, Oregon-Idaho Conference Meredith Gudger- Raines, OregonIdaho Conference Gary Reed, Pendleton-Grant Charge, Upper Tract, WV, Potomac Highlands District Harold Langevin, Brandonville UMC, Brandonville, WV, Mon Valley District Richard Work, St. Andrews UMC, Cherry Hill, NJ, Greater New Jersey Conference Rick Swearengin, Madison UMC,
Madison, WV, Midland South District Sharletta Green, New Martinsville UMC, New Martinsville, WV, Northern District Greg Markins, Wayside UMC, Vienna, WV, Little Kanawha District Teresa Markins, Crossroads UMC, Waverly, WV, Little Kanawha District Ken Price, Carr Memorial UMC, Princeton, WV, Southern District Jeff Winter, New Hope UMC/Glenwood Park Chaplain, Princeton, WV, Southern District Rev. Rick DeQuasie, Mon Valley Superintendent Rev. Chris Scott, Meadow River Charge, Rainelle, Greenbrier District
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“...all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.� Psalm 55:12 We found this tree in full bloom outside First Presbyterian Church in downtown Charleston. You can find this photo and other spring photos to download for your audio visuals and bulletins online. Visit flickr.com/wvumc, click a photo, and download the original by clicking on the three-dot icon and selecting download. Photo by adam cunningham