Dec 2005/Jan 2006     Feb/March 2006     April/May 2006     June/July 2006

Western Reserve District Newsletter              April/May 2006

District Superintendent                                    Larry L Marshall

Spring District Conference

Sunday, April 30th 3-5 PM

Ashtabula First UMC

2:30 -  Fellowship and Refreshments

3:00 - Worship Time

3:45 – Business Meeting

5:00 – On your way home

Who may vote?

            Membership of the District Conference shall be the following persons from the local churches of the District: the Lay Leader, chrps of Council on Ministries, Ad Bds and Ad Councils, Pres of UMM, UMW, UMYA and UMYF, Lay members of Annual Conference, Ministerial members of the Ann Conf, Part-time local pastors, Student local pastors, Deaconesses, Home Missionaries, Diaconal Ministers, Church and Community Workers assigned by the National Division of the Board of Global Ministries to work in the District and members of Conference Boards and agencies affiliated with churches within the District.  Also persons from the District leadership: District designated officers including the Secretary and Treasurer, Lay Leader(s) and Associate Lay Leaders, Chrps of all District Councils and District standing committees, Presidents of UMM, UMW, UMYA, UMYF or youth representative and District members-at-Large of Annual Conference.

 

April 10 - Sandy Anderson
         12 - Marian Glass
         13 - Hazel Partington
         18 - John Richard Hendricks

May 7 - Julie Hanneman
        7 - Patti Baker
       11 - Laura Peal
       12 - Kathy Stein
       12 - Steven Trimble
       13 - Aletta Burkholder
       13 - Peter Elencovf
       17 - David Anderson
       18 - Dale Epple
       19 - David Partington
       28 - Art Tobergte

Volunteer Training Workshop for Heifer Project will be at the Madison Park UMC on April 22, from 9 AM to 3 PM.  For more information please contact Rev Bill Alvey, 440/298-1977.

Donations:  The District Missions Committee will be taking their last truck load of donations to Red Bird Mission in Kentucky during the last part of April.  If you or your church has any items that you wish to donate please take them to the Madison Park UMC.  The container is at the back of the parking lot.

The 2005 Audits are due in the District Office by March 31th.

The 2006 Summer Camp Brochure’s are available in the District Office.  Please stop by and pick up a few for your church.


DS Calendar:       

             April  1 – 9:30, lay speaking Committee @ Aurora UMC

                       2 –  9 & 11, Preaching @ Amboy UMC

                       6 – 9, dCOM @ Willoughby Hills UMC

                       8 – 9:30, UMW Spring meeting @ Aurora UMC

                     11 – CABINET

                     12 - CABINET

                     16 – 9 & 11, Preaching @ Madison Chapel UMC

                     17 – 7, District Finance Committee meeting

                23 – 9 & 10:30, Preaching @ N Mentor Centenary UMC

                     24 – CABINET

                     25 – CABINET

                     27 – 7, Youth @ Jefferson UMC

                     30 – SPRING CONFERENCE @ Ashtabula 1st UMC

 

            May    1-7 -  Marie is on Vacation

                           7 - Preaching at Conneaut First UMC

                           8 – District Missions Committee

                           9 – CABINET

                         10 – CABINET

                         21 – 10:30, Preaching @ Perry UMC

                        22 – CABINET

                        23 – CABINET

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Our sympathy to Milt Smith on the recent death of his mother, Marguerite, on December 20.  She was 92 years old. Milt is pastor at The Shoregate UMC.  

 

Application for Western Reserve District Campership

 Western Reserve District Campership funds are available to assist persons in need. These camperships are to supplement those given by the EOC.  Conference camperships are for up to one half the camp fee but not to exceed $75. Per camper.  Western Reserve District camperships will be given where a need may still exist after conference camperships have been given.  A person must be registered for camp before applying for a District Campership.

 Camper’s Name:_________________________________

Camper’s Address:_______________________________

 Camper’s Telephone:_____________________________

 Camper’s Church:________________________________

 Camp Event:____________________________________

 Camp Event Number:________Camp Event Cost:_______

 Amount of Camp Event paid by:

                        Camper’s family______________

                        Local church_________________

            Conference campership______________

 Amount of District campership requesterd:_________________

            (maximum of $50 per camper)

 Signature of camper’s parent/guardian______________________

 Signature of camper’s pastor (verifying need)_________________

 

            Mail to: Western Reserve District Office

                          1314 Mentor Avenue

                          Painesville    OH  44077-1835

The campership money will be sent directly to the EOC Camps Office as payment toward the camper’s fee.  

 

2005 Lay Speaking Pastor of the Year

Jim Anderson has been pastoring the Colebrook UMC since July 2003.  Although many of us had heard his “potter and clay” ministry, we didn’t know of his desire to become a pastor on our first Sunday worship together.  When he returned the second time it was a cold Sunday morning in January and wouldn’t you know it the furnace quit working and there was a lot of snow so attendance was low and the worship morning was cold.  But true to God’s calling he came and shared his message and then later became our pastor for he truly is a potter of the clay for our God and has been shaping the Colebrook UMC members to be better Christians and helping us in our everyday personal walk with the Lord.

Jim is a graduate of Riverside HS in Painesville and holds a BS degree in mathematics from Mt Union and holds an MS degree in library science from Case Western U.  He and his wife Betsy met when they were both in the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and they will be married for 30 years this May.  They have 3 children; Chris, Adam and Sarah; and 2 grandchildren, Chase and Ava.

Jim has been in lay speaking since 1990 and district lay leader from 1999 thru 2002.  After his appointment to Colebrook in 2003 he served as president of the Grand Valley Interfaith Service Committee for 2004 & 2005.  Jim has also served as Choir Director of the Chardon UMC from 1974-1984.  Also served as president of the Solon Chamber of Commerce from 1980 to 1981.  President of the Chardon Rotary for years of 1999 & 2000.  Has also served on the Geauga County Mental Health Board, The Geauga County Fair Board and the Geauga County Maple Festival Board.  Jim has been leading us in many Bible studies and is teaching an adult SS class and is always helping out in whatever and wherever we are doing God’s work.

Jim and Betsy started their cottage pottery shop in 1977 and Jim has been doing this full time since 1993.

God’s blessing are with Jim and we are proud of him and his wife in their commitment to serve our Lord and say congratulations and thank you and God bless you.

 

 

The EOC & The Festival of Caring Committee have a special request of those who care……..

Festival of Caring

Seat Cover Drive for 2006

September 16, 2006

9 AM – 4 PM

Richland County Fairgounds

Mansfield, OH  

The Western Reserve District has been asked to collect diapers/sanitary napkins/depends/baby lotion/baby powder.

This year’s donation will once again benefit the children in the Health and Welfare agencies servicing children and families in the EOC and Church World Services.

The drop-off sites will be at the following churches…..Ashtabula First, Cortland, Johnston, Jefferson, Mayfield, Mentor, West Farmington and Willoughby Hills.

You are asked to pray each day at 2 PM for the children and their families.

For more information, please contact the District Representative: Kathryn Caldwell, klc29klc@aol.com, 440/461-7495 or Nancy Dickerson, ndickerson@mayfieldchurch.org, 440/449-4639.

 

2006 Annual Conference

Flood Buckets is being sponsored again by the EOC Mission Awareness Committee.

Vacation Bible School will be for ages 4 years through 5th grade (completed).

Book Exchange will be offered again In Pavilion Room 2.

Child Care will be available for children ages 18 months to 4th grade.

Choir will again sing for various worship times.  If you would like to join or if you know of someone, please send your name, address, telephone number and email address to paulw@eocumc.com or call 1/800/831-2973 x 136.

Please ask your pastor or  call Marie for a more detailed information.

Speakers for Annual Conference:

             Monday morning         - Bishop John Hopkins

            Tuesday morning          -Bishop Greg Palmer

     Service of Ordination           - Bishop Sally Dyck

      Wednesday morning           -Bishop Judith Craig

         Thursday morning            -Rev Dr James Skinner

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Western Reserve District Mission Trip Opportunity for Hurricane Relief in New Orleans on April 23-29.  No special skills needed, just a willingness to help get a small area back in business.  For more information, please contact Jerry or Nancy Dickerson at 440/449-4639.  They will be working and staying in the Uptown area of the city.  A parsonage has been converted into a dormitory for work crews.

 

 
First UMC

4506 Elm Avenue , Ashtabula

Spirituality and Health

Sunday, April 23, 2-5 PM

With Jane Ehrman, M.Ed.

Spirituality has long been known to interact profoundly with health and wholeness.  This conjunction will be explored in a special seminar by Jane P Ehrman, M. Ed., of The Center for Women’s Health at UHHS Chagrin Highlands Medical Center at First United Methodist of Ashtabula, Sunday, April 23, 2-5 PM.

Ms Ehrman has a Masters of Education, with an emphasis on Mind/Body Medicine from Pennsylvania State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Health Education from Youngstown State University,.  She is Board Certified in Clinical Hypnotherapy and is a Certified Health Education Specialist.  Jane completed post-graduate coursework at the Academy for Guided Imagery in Los Angeles and at the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Harvard University and the Department of Behavioral Medicine at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.  Cost is $5.

For more information or to register please call 440/993-3806.

 

April 15, deadline application for The Small Church of the Year Award.  Please call Marie for an application.

April 22, Acts 2006, present “Partners Together In Ministry,” at The Uniontown UMC.  Cost is $15.

April 27, Conf Board of Ordained Ministry has scheduled a Candidacy Mentor Training event at The Christ UMC in Cambridge.  Please contact Rev Scott Purdum, spurdum1@neo.rr.com or 330/518-5909.

April 29, Volunteers in Mission Training, will be held at the EOC Office.  First 25 to register by phone are FREE, after the first 25, cost is $25.

April 30,  Camp Asbury Open House in Hiram.

May 21, Camp Wanake Open House in Beach City.

June 4, Camp Aldersgate Open House  in Carrollton.

November 17-19, Exploration 2006 is a weekend of worship, study, prayer and discussion for young people (HS seniors through age 24) event in Florida.  Cost is $150.

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Each year the Redevelopment Team awards grants for churches Reaching New Generations with the Gospel.  The applications are due in the District Office by April 15th. Please see the grant guidelines on the EOC web site at:

 http://www.eocumc.com/congregdev/reachnewgen_guidlinesforgrant.htm 

and down load an application at:

 http://www.eocumc.com/congregdev/images/reachnewgenapplication.pdf

 

There will be 6 issues of the Western Reserve District News published per year:

February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November, December/January