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Announcements:
- DOVE: Please know that you can find your
conference and district apportionment figures in DOVE. It is
also a great idea to give a DOVE assignment to at least one or
two individuals from your local church. Since there is always a
possibility that the pastor may move on, it would be a great
help to the district if there was a DOVE contact at each church.
Call Anna and she will be glad to set them up in DOVE for you.
- Sexual Ethics
training is once every four years - anytime in the four years,
doesn't make any difference as to where they are located or type
of appointment or whether it is at the beginning or
ending of a quadrinium. Just once every four years whether they
think they need it or not. There is no expiration date - after a
person becomes a candidate for ministry, then they have to keep
up with it every four years till they retire or no longer have
an appointment. Retired pastors under appointment also have to
go to the sexual ethics training once every four years
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IRS
Announces 2008 Standard Mileage Rates;
Increases Mileage Rates through Dec. 31, 2008
WASHINGTON
— The Internal Revenue Service today announced an increase in
the optional standard mileage rates for the final six months of
2008. Taxpayers may use the optional standard rates to calculate
the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business,
charitable, medical or moving purposes.
The rate will
increase to 58.5 cents a mile for all business miles driven from
July 1, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2008. This is an increase of eight
(8) cents from the 50.5 cent rate in effect for the first six
months of 2008, as set forth in
Rev.
Proc. 2007-70.
In
recognition of recent gasoline price increases, the IRS made this
special adjustment for the final months of 2008. The IRS normally
updates the mileage rates once a year in the fall for the next
calendar year.
The optional
business standard mileage rate is used to compute the deductible
costs of operating an automobile for business use in lieu of
tracking actual costs. This rate is also used as a benchmark by
the federal government and many businesses to reimburse their
employees for mileage.
The new
six-month rate for computing deductible medical or moving expenses
will also increase by eight (8) cents to 27 cents a mile, up from
19 cents for the first six months of 2008. The rate for providing
services for charitable organizations is set by statute, not the
IRS, and remains at 14 cents a mile.
The new rates
are contained in Announcement 2008-63 on the optional standard mileage rates.
Taxpayers
always have the option of calculating the actual costs of using
their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates.
Mileage Rate Changes
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Purpose
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Rates 1/1 through 6/30/08
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Rates 7/1 through 12/31/08
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Business
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50.5
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58.5
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Medical/Moving
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19
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27
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Charitable
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14
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14
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Making Connections
Did you miss the Conference Office's "Making
Connections" event on October 3rd in Linden?
Not to worry! All of the handouts and other information are
available on the Conference website at www.txcumc.org.
Topics include: Church Missional Outreach, Clergy Compensation,
Church Building Projects, Church Communications, Basic Clergy
Payroll, Church Growth, Church Risks, Apportionments & Vital
Signs, Benefits Overview, Church Conflict & Grievances,
Recruiting Young Clergy, New Conference Structure, New Conference
Technology, More Options for Clergy and Lay Employees, Decisions
about Advance Directives, and Caring for Clergy.
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Quadrant Meetings for Clergy (10 A.M.)
Quadrant
Guidelines: Because of the size of the
North District, geographically
and number of clergy and churches, it is imperative that
new ways are discovered to meet regularly in smaller groupings.
The mechanism to do this will be monthly quadrant
meetings. The quadrant will meet eight times during the calendar
year. The quadrants will not meet in June, July, August
or December.
The
purpose of the quadrant meetings will be for fellowship,
sharing information, study, service, sharing best
practices and worship. The format would include a time of
devotion, sharing the Lord’s Supper, prayer for concerns,
expressing
joys and victories, presentation, and lunch for those
who desire to attend. These meetings are different from clergy peer groups and are
not intended to replace those. After each meeting, the group will
then be invited to go to lunch together Dutch treat.
The meetings will follow the same rotation each month:
| First Monda
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Marshall, Summit UMC,
| 1901 N. East
End Blvd. (903) 938-0701
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| Second Monday
| Longview, Greggton
| 1101
Pine Tree RD, (903)
759-3831
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| Third Monday
| Mt.Pleasant, St. Andrew
| 2019
N.Edwards (903) 572-6457
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| Fourth Monday
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Texarkana, Hardy Memorial,
| 1401
W. 7th Street (903) 793-1116 |
Expectations:
1.
Each full time pastor will attend a quadrant meeting
monthly.
It is assumed that you would attend your geographical
quadrant,
but if prohibited you would attend in
another
quadrant.
2.
Participate fully with a positive attitude.
3.
Share in preparing devotions and leading the sacrament.
4.
Inform the District Office if you cannot attend.
5.
Pray for your clergy colleagues and churches.
6.
Be prepared by reading or studying materials for meeting.
Organization:
Each
Quadrant will have a leader which will be rotated annually. The
leader will work with the District Superintendent to take roll,
lead the meetings in the absence of the D.S., and work with the
District Leadership Team in further planning and implementation of
District initiatives. Each participant will be assigned a time to
share devotion and lead communion.
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