The blue Methodist hymnals are needed at Harleton UMC. If you have a surplus, please call or write Joe Turner at 903-777-2631 or jmturner@joeturner.com
Archive for Uncategorized
Leading Ideas – Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Meeting Your New First-Time Guest
By Don Nations
Fifty years ago a person moved to town, looked in the newspaper or phone book for a church of their denomination, visited a couple of them (if there were more than one), and then joined the church.
Twenty-five years ago a person moved to town, looked in the newspaper or phone book for churches in general, visited three or four of them, and then joined the church of their choice — or at least attended there on a regular basis.
Your Website is Your Church’s Welcome Mat
By Matthew Lyons
Increasingly, those looking for a church begin their search online. Therefore, a congregation’s website must function as a satellite of their church. Consider these facts:
- Eighty to 85 percent of people searching for a church use the internet.
- For church websites generally, 19 percent of “content views” relate to new visitor information. In other words, this is what one in five persons viewing your website is seeking.
- On average, however, visitors spend only 90 seconds on the homepage of a church site.
The Right Question
Leaders do not need answers.
Leaders must have the right questions.
We know that leaders require high credibility to lead. The same is true for congregations. So churches should regularly ask such questions as:
- What is our reputation in the community?
- What do people say about us?
- What first comes to mind when others
hear our church name?
Part Time Children’s Ministry Director Needed
Tapp UMC, located in New Boston, is currently seeking a part-time children’s ministry director. Please send resume to Rick Ivey at iveyrd@gmail.com
Check out other job opportunities.
Photo from flickr.com/michael-seljos/
A Stitch in Time
“A stitch in time saves nine.” This phrase refers to a preventive way to save more work later by stitching a tear in fabric before the fabric is more frayed. Could this phrase apply to what we are doing for the children of Cote d’Ivoire?? Could your donation of time and talent to make something with the Cote d’Ivoire fabric help prevent children from having frayed lives?
Raising money for the Adopt a Student Program is the goal of having the fabric from Cote d’Ivoire available in our conference. During this annual conference we found that the best way to raise money is for us to have ‘finished’ products to sell. We were very successful at conference selling the crafts made by individuals and sewing ministries. Would you like to join us in this endeavor so we can have crafts to sell at other events? We will give you the fabric FREE! You give your time and talent as freely! If you would like to help, sign yourself and/or your sewing group up and take however much fabric you will need. Fabric is available at the conference office and district offices.
Here are some suggestions of the items that sell well or you come up with your own ideas. Children’s and adult bib aprons, lap/prayer quilts, bible covers, casserole carriers, altar cloths, prayer squares, placemats/napkins, and pastor stoles are just a few ideas. Check out pictures of these items and others on the conference website at www.txcumc.org.
photo from flickr.com/sewingdaisies
Yarn People Project
I was reading in the online version of the Houston Chronicle that homelessness in Houston is up 25%, and I began to wonder what we could do to help. Since conferencing is for assessing longer term ministries, I thought perhaps those who knit or crochet could commit to make something while sitting in on Annual Conference sessions to provide short term comfort to someone in need. The suggestions are 1) to create something to give to a ministry of your choices or 2) to create 12″x12″ or 6″x6″ or 3″x3″ squares to be sewn into blankets to give to the Star of Hope Mission. Squares can be left at the Perkins display table. Those with questions can call me at 832-984-0041 or email slbuchanan@mac.com. yarn people project flyer
Peace,
Rev. Susan Buchanan
Director of Recruitment & Student Services
Houston-Galveston Extension Program
SMU/Perkins School of Theology
District E-news
Check out our E-news for 5-23. Includes important information you need before annual conference. Click the link below.
Elau UMC Hosts Health Fair
Elau Methodist Church will host a Community Wide Health Fair on Saturday, May 21, 2011 from 9 am to 1 PM. This will include blood pressure checks, blood Chemistries taken, education on strokes, health aids, home health care and home safety
Please join us for this event:
5214 US Hwy 59 South
Carol Stoner, Health Fair Coordinator
Eylau United Methodist Church
Pastor’s Retreat Reminder
Pastors Retreat
Monday, January 31 beginning with lunch (noon) thru
Tuesday, February 1 ending after lunch (noon)
Please RSVP 903.794.6231 ASAP
Rates: Commuter – $40
Double Occupancy – $75
Private Room – $90
Checks payable to North District
Report Day Start Postponed to 10 am
Because of the winter weather, Report Day in Ore City will start at 10:00 am instead of 8:00 am. Please be careful in your travels.
Live Job Trainings Scheduled
There will be two one-hour, live job training with follow up resources online:
For local church PSRCs on Jan. 20 7:30 EDT/ 6:30 CDT/ 5:30 MDT/ 4:30 PDT hosted by Betsey Heavner of GBOD Leadership Ministries
For local church Finance Chairs, Treasurers and Financial Secretaries on Jan. 27 7:30 EDT/ 6:30 CDT/ 5:30 MDT/ 4:30 PDT hosted by Betsey Heavner of GBOD Leadership Ministries
For more information or to sign up contact Betsey Heavner at bheavner@gbod.org
