iVoice is sent to clergy and lay leadership in the Wyoming Annual Conference and its local congregations. You have received this mailing because of the position you hold in the annual conference or in your local church, or because you have requested it. Please feel free to use this information in your bulletins, local church newsletters, or as announcements during worship services.
In this issue:
Dates to Remember
Property and Liability Insurance Forms Needed
Wyoming Conference Responds Strongly to Support Haiti Emergency
February Faith Matters on Website
Emmaus Reunion Group Scheduled
Bulletin Covers & Inserts for Women's History Month
Lent Devotions Program is Available
World Religions Series at St. Louise
St. Louise Residents Participate in Interfaith Dialogue
Leonard Sweet to be in Western NY Conference
Student Roles Change the Course of History
News from United Methodist News Service
Dates to Remember:
Wednesday, February 3:Bishops Middleton & Hassinger at 7:00 p.m. @ ElmPark, Scranton UMC - For laity (and clergy who can’t attend the clergy meeting)
Thursday, February 4:Bishops Middleton & Hassingerat 10:00 a.m.@ Clarks Summit UMC - For clergy
Thursday, February 4:Bishops Middleton & Hassinger at 7:00 p.m. @ Shavertown UMC - For laity (and clergy who can’t attend the clergy meeting)
Tuesday, March 2:Statistical Reports due
Monday,March 29:Licensing school registrations due
Property and Liability Insurance Forms Needed
Thanks to all those churches that completed their Property and Liability Insurance Forms. I appreciate your attention to this critical data. The deadline for these forms to be in to the conference was 1/31/10. There are still a number of churches that still have not completed all the forms. A reminder e-mail has been sent to the pastors of those churches. Please get the forms in at your earliest convenience.
Wyoming Conference Responds Strongly to Support Haiti Emergency
Wyoming Conference’s local churches remitted over $50,000 to UMCOR’s Haiti Emergency Relief fund through the conference office in January of 2010. Many churches and individual donors directed their checks directly to UMCOR, so the total contribution is even higher! What a statement of support from our churches!! Thank you to everyone that donated; we continue to receive contributions every day. If individuals who directed their donations through the Wyoming Conference want a receipt for their Haiti Emergency donation for their 2009 tax return, please contact RoseMarie at the conference office. The President just signed a bill allowing individuals, who itemize their deductions, the ability to include donations to Haiti made between Jan 11, 2010 and March 1, 2010 as a deduction on their 2009 tax return.
February Faith Matters on Website
A little child thinks the well-soaked Jesus “looks scared” in a picture of Jesus at his baptism. A child senses the fear in this placid river scene. Do we fear our journey through the wilderness of faith? Chuck Johns assures us we can count on our "Tour Guide" to see us through.
You can find "Faith Matters - Tour Guide" by going to the Conference website and clicking on Columns & Blogs under “Featured” or copy and paste the following link:
Ouaquaga UMC is hosting an Emmaus Reunion Group on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, at 7:00 PM. These meetings are open to all who wish to participate. For more information, contact Connie Britton at Britton_connie@yahoo.com.
Bulletin Covers & Inserts for Women's History Month
The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women have again developed bulletin covers and inserts for Women’s History Month (March). They can be found at www.gcsrw.org and are free to be downloaded, copied and distributed. They will be available by February 5, 2010.
Lent Devotions Program is Available
The Society of St. Andrew’s (Advance #801600) popular annual Lent Devotions program is now available.The free daily Lenten Devotions program presents Jesus in unique ways through the eyes of many contributors.
All materials are free and there is still time to order and receive them before Lent starts. A full-color logo is available upon request.
Last year’s Lent program was directly responsible for providing 4.25 million servings of nutritious produce to hungry Americans. Our nation continues to experience significant increases in the numbers of people who need help providing food for their families.
The 2010 “Jesus is …” Lenten Devotions Program, will result in much needed food provided to America’s hungry.
For more information, contact: Carol A. Breitinger, Society of St. Andrew at 800-333-4597 or sosapr@endhunger.org or go to their website: endhunger.org.
World Religions Series at St. Louise
Binghamton, NY – It’s never too late to learn about different faiths, and how their adherents believe, live and worship. So in October, Elizabeth Church Campus Chaplain Janet Abel began a series of presentations on world religions for St. Louise Manor residents. Abel said, “I organized a similar series at Hilltop, and it was popular with residents. The sessions here have also been well-attended.”
Lectures to date have featured Rabbi Tziona Szajman from TempleIsrael in Vestal speaking about Conservative Judaism, Imam Kasim Kopuz from the Islamic Organization of the Southern Tier in Johnson City presenting on Islam, and Father James Dutko from St. Michael’s Greek Orthodox Church in Binghamton discussing Greek Orthodoxy.
The next lecture topic in the series will be Buddhism, with a presentation by Buddhist nun Kelsang Lhadron scheduled for 7 PM on Friday, February 5, 2010.
St. Louise Residents Participate in Interfaith Dialogue
Binghamton, NY – On December 6, St. Louise Manor residents Joan Bomboy and Jacob Sklover, United Methodist Homes’ St. Louise Manor Activity Leader Martha Macmillen and Elizabeth Church Campus Chaplain Janet Abel participated in an event at Temple Israel in Vestal, NY, titled “Days of Meaning for the Children of Abraham: Shabbat, Sunday, Jum’ah.” The session focused on the similarities and differences in the observance of Jewish, Christian and Islamic days of worship.
Three speakers, including a rabbi, a minister and an imam addressed participants, and then those in attendance broke into small groups to discuss their own traditions. The event ended with a reception and a chance to socialize.
This is the second interfaith educational program the synagogue has hosted this year. According to Abel, residents and staff from the Elizabeth Church Campus plan to continue participation.
Leonard Sweet: “Awakening to the God who is Already There” will be at FaithUnitedMethodistChurch, 174 Pinnacle Rd, Henrietta NY, on May 1, 2010. It is sponsored by the Evangelism Ministry Team.
Some UM-related colleges are using role-playing games. The Trial of Anne Hutchinson: Liberty, Law, and Intolerance in Puritan New England is one of the Reacting to the Past games used by Professor Russell B. Sisson at UnionCollege in Barbourville, Ky.
If you have information that should be included in an iVoice, please send it to Don Perry at dperry@wyomingconference.org or Nancy Conklin at nconklin@wyomingconference.org. Please do not send information on fundraisers such as breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, yard sales, etc.
