News

GBOD Offers Free Webinars in January and February

The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church is offering free webinars, this month and next, for church leaders. Register at www.gbod.org/committee_resources. Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 11:30 a.m. PST: Principles of Church Renewal for DSes Key factors for setting a path toward renewal of district congregations.   Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 4:30 p.m. PST: Goal Setting for Vital Congregations A guide for setting realistic numerical goals for your congregation on the...

Vital Signs Reporting: Frequently Asked Questions

Last Monday (Jan. 2), the Communications Office emailed churches and pastors, asking for the email address they wish to use for the Vital Signs project. The response has been overwhelmingly good – with 233 churches responding. However, as more people are using the system, we've noticed that there are a few frequently asked questions. Here are three of them, along with answers.   Q: How does the time period work? Is it Sunday through Saturday, or Monday through Sunday?   A:...

Educational Project Aims to Bring Insight to UM Denomination's Future

DALLAS—Aiming to bring alternative visions for the future of The United Methodist Church, an informal collaboration of faith-based groups and individuals has introduced a new educational website called United Methodist Insight. Located at http://um-insight.net, United Methodist Insight gathers in one location information, perspectives, and resources regarding significant issues that will come before the 2012 United Methodist General Conference. The global legislative...

SAMHSA Webinar: Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale

Register now to join the free Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) webinar, "Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale: An Introduction," taking place on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, 4-5:30 p.m. (Pacific Time). The webinar will introduce SAMHSA's Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS), which is being implemented to help states, tribes, jurisdictions, providers, and other stakeholders develop recovery-oriented systems...

TechShop Offers New Year Savings on Microsoft Office 2010

Still haven't upgraded to Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus? TechShop, home of discount software, hardware, and Web solutions for United Methodist churches and ministries, is offering a $412 saving over retail, this month only. The suite retails for $499 – and is normally $117 through TechShop – but now is yours for just $87 (with coupon code TSYE11). The installation disk is included for just the cost of shipping and handling (a $30 value) when you purchase your...

Did You Read Bishop Brown's Advent Message?

Did you read Bishop Brown's Advent message? If not, be sure to do so. It's located on the Home Page at www.cnumc.org (scroll down to the Bishop's Greetings section), and in the Bishop's Articles section, located under the "Bishop" tab on the Home Page. Bishop Brown concludes his message with the hope that we enter this new year with new energy and new commitment to be the people God has called us to be, and to see the things that we have as an opportunity to be – and to do...

Rethink Church Lenten Series to Have Online Component

How will you reach people for Christ this Lent? United Methodist Communications is ready to help you with a free Lenten sermon series, online advertising, and a multimedia bundle to help you include the broader community.   The Journey to Hope series begins with Christ's journey to the cross, and connects with matters such as relationships, money, work, and suffering to share the hope that exists beyond life's most difficult issues. The sermon series was developed in 2010, and has...

Focusing on Vital Signs, Vital Congregations in the New Year

In 2012, the focus in the California-Nevada Annual Conference – and for United Methodists everywhere – will be on helping congregations be vital and focused on God's mission in the world. Our Council of Bishops, the Connectional Table's Call to Action, and the California-Nevada Conference Strategic Plan for Congregational Vitality all are in agreement on the importance of this focus. Vital Signs reporting and Vital Congregations goal setting are two separate opportunities set...

Ministry in Action: 'Mission Saturday' at San Ramon Valley UMC

When San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church in Alamo, California set out to make a difference to its community, more than 200 volunteers turned out. "Mission Saturday: The Church Has Left the Building," Oct. 1, 2011 had such a dramatic impact that the church was recognized for its service by the town of Danville. But the best part is how many of the volunteers plan to return, for future mission work.   Read all about it in the Ministry in Action story, Mission Saturday at...

Ministry in Action: UMW Group 'Blankets' Children in Love

Big numbers aren't necessary to make a big impact: Sometimes big hearts are all you need. Case in point: The tiny United Methodist Women (UMW) group at Sacramento's Hope United Methodist Church. Read its story, UMW at Hope UMC 'Blankets' Children in Love, just posted to the Ministry in Action section of the Conference website at www.cnumc.org.   To read other inspiring stories from California-Nevada churches, click on the "News" tab on the Home Page, then click on...

Jones Memorial Says ... 'We've Got an App for That!'

Jones Memorial United Methodist Church in San Francisco has created a mobile app "designed to keep you inspired by the Spirit and connected to all that is happening at Jones," according to the church. "Hope? Inspiration? Encouragement? Faith? Connection? We've got an app for that!" the church advertises.   App features are: About Us Church Call Button Get Directions to the Church Events Calendar Pastor Staci's Renew (Sun.) / Refresh (Wed.)...

UM Communications Recognized for Creative Excellence

Malaria Documentary Wins Highest Awards in International Competition NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Three MarCom awards have been awarded to United Methodist Communications by the Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals for documentaries produced by the agency: A Killer in the Dark: An Extraordinary Effort to Combat Malaria and Dreamer.   "To be recognized for the quality of our work is rewarding," said the Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive of United...

Cal-Nev Communications Launches Mobile App for Conference Website

There's now a mobile phone app that makes the California-Nevada Annual Conference website smart-phone friendly! Your iPhone or Droid should update to the new mobile site automatically, the next time you visit the website at www.cnumc.org using your phone. The mobile phone app has three tabs at the top: "Home," which returns you to the Home Page from interior pages, "Find churches," and "Find people."   In addition to a search window that allows you to...

Two New Ministry in Action Stories Reflect Commitment Plus Creativity

In Ministry in Action stories just posted to the Conference website, two California-Nevada Annual Conference churches share examples of commitment coupled with creativity. Merced UMC: Pastor Jay's Challenge is the story of how a sermon illustration generated hundreds of dollars for ministry – when the pastor "put his money where his mouth is"!   FUMC Santa Rosa Calendar Supports Youth tells how a desire to help youth inspired a creative – and successful –...

Instant Connection 2011 Holiday Schedule

There will be no Instant Connection email next week, Nov. 24, in observance of Thanksgiving. In December, Instant Connection will be emailed on Dec. 1 and Dec. 8 only, due to the Christmas and New Year's holidays.   We will continue to add stories to the News section on the website during the holiday break, however. Check recent additions to News, Events, and Classifieds, along with new obituaries and appointment posts, at http://cnumc.org/skimmer.     Please remember...

Get Free Subscriptions to 'Interpreter' for Leaders in Your Church

Interpreter is a publication for lay and clergy leaders in local United Methodist churches across the United States. Articles in the magazine connect you to: God, Other United Methodist leaders, and Ideas and resources to use in your ministry. Published six times each year by United Methodist Communications, each issue includes a cover package of feature articles for local leaders, along with other stories and articles providing ideas and resources.   Each...

UMCom General Secretary Is UMAC Communicator of the Year

The Rev. Larry Hollon, General Secretary of United Methodist Communications, was named Communicator of the Year at the 2011 annual meeting of the United Methodist Association of Communicators (UMAC), Oct. 18-21 in Albuquerque. In one of his nominations, Hollon was cited for being "the leading voice – often, a voice in the wilderness – for helping The United Methodist Church understand communications as a ministry that has the power to effect change and impact people's lives...

Communicators Assemble in Albuquerque; Cal-Nev Communications Takes Home Two Awards

Under the theme "Rising to New Heights: Communicating in a Diverse World," local church, Conference, and general agency communicators from around the country and beyond gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico Oct. 18-21, for the annual meeting of the United Methodist Association of Communicators (UMAC). The organization welcomed more than 30 first-time attendees – including two African communicators, whose expenses were paid by United Methodist Communications and the UMAC Helping...

UM Communications Launches Free Mobile App

Mobile device users can easily access information about The United Methodist Church on the go – with a new free United Methodist application. Developed by United Methodist Communications and Music City Networks, the app is now available for free download for iPad and iPhone, and should be available for Android smartphone users by the end of next week. To download, go to the App Store and search for "United Methodist Church." The app is called "The Official Mobile App of...

Register Now for Social Media for Ministry Bootcamp on Saturday

Gear up and register now for "Social Media for Ministry Bootcamp" at Pacific School of Religion – this Saturday, Oct. 29, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The full day workshop is presented by The Center for Progressive Renewal (CPR). CPR's Social Media Intensives help equip faith leaders with the tools they need for 21st Century ministry, through exploration of the "why on earth should I" and "how on earth do I" of social networking technology.   Facebook,...