PUBLISHED BY THE WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Members and guests before a worship service at Annual Conference 2013. View more photos at flickr.com/wvumc. PHOTO BY ADAM CUNNINGHAM

VOL 2 / NUMBER 4

What do United Methodists love most about Annual Conference? Worship? � e music? Ultimately, Annual Conference is about

relationships. Pastors who may be ap-pointed at opposite ends of the confer-ence get to see each other. Lay and clergy members have a chance to experience the United Methodist Connection in a unique way. � ere’s nothing quite like conference!� is year’s Annual Conference begins

on � ursday, June 12 and winds up with ordination on Sunday morning, June 15. Guest preachers include retired Bishop, Ernest S. Lyght, who served the West Vir-ginia Conference as resident bishop from

2004 - 2011. Bishop Lyght will preach during Sunday morning’s ordination ser-vice.Bishop � omas Bickerton, who serves

the Western Pennsylvania Area of the United Methodist Church will preach on � urday and Friday (June 12 - 13) morn-ing during conference.Other speakers include Rev. Dr. Elaine

Heath, who will lead an evangelism teaching time on Friday and Saturday af-ternoon.Visit wvumc.org for links to registra-

tion, the pre-conference workbook, spe-cial meals and more in the coming weeks. See you at conference!

Bishop’s Confirmation RallyLittle Kanawha COMEVirginia Higgins Grant Applications DueGood FridayEaster SundayCourse of StudyGreenbrier COMEPastoral Ministry Licensing School

Pastoral Ministry Licensing SchoolUMW Mission EncounterWesleyan COMEMidland South, Potomac Highlands, Southern, Western COMEResidency RetreatBishop’s Motorcycle RideNorthern COMEConference Center ClosedBishop’s Confirmation Rally

Annual ConferenceSummer Youth Celebration

Conference Center ClosedUMW Mission U

CALENDAR1212151820

25-2726

26-20

1-32-4

34

16-1717-18

182631

12-1523-27

424-26

April

For more information and the full calendar visit wvumc.org/ calendar. Email submissions to wvumc@wvumc.org.

KEEP UP WITH US:FacEbooK: FacEbooK.com/WvUmcTWITTEr: @WvUmcPHoTograPHS: FlIcKr.com/WvUmcDaIly EnEWS: WvUmc.org/commUnIcaTIonS

Martha A. “Mattie” Nolan, moth-er of Rev. Kenneth Nolan Rev. Walter T. “Spooky” EllisonHelene Stilgenbauer, mother of

Rev. David StilgenbauerElmer Whitlatch, father of Rev.

Ron WhitlatchOtis D. Furbee Jr., father of Rev.

Charles FurbeeLoretta Thompson, mother of Rev.

Paul ThompsonRev. Virginia White (AM-R), wife

of Rev. James WhiteMary June (Custer) Harvey, wife

of the late Rev. Ellis Lambert “Buss” HarveyDonald Lynch, brother of Rev. Sar-

ah CarrVirgil Glenn Adkins, father of Rev.

Randy AdkinsWanda Plum, mother of Rev. Brian

Plum

WE REMEMBER

May

April/MAy 2014

June

July

Special SundaysThe West Virginia Conference raises awareness and funds for causes that show our faith in action through 20 special Sundays each year.

April6

27

418

15

United Methodist Foundation SundayGolden Cross Sunday (see insert this issue, pg. 6)

Native American Awareness SundayHeritage Sunday

Peace with Justice Sunday

May

June

For more information on all Special Sundays, visit bit.ly/SpecialSundays.

The West Virginia Confer-ence lost the Rev. Tom Clark this spring. Here at the Moun-tain Circuit we thought it was amazing to see the testimonies given to Tom’s ministry. He showed the love of Christ not only to us in West Virginia, but around the world.

The Mountain CircuitP.O. Box 2313

Charleston, WV 25328Voice (304) 344-8331Fax: (304) 344-2871

email kthaxton@wvumc.org

Resident Bishop: Sandra Steiner BallEditor: Laura Harbert Allen

Associate Editor: Adam CunninghamProduction: Ashley Perks

Find us online:wvumc.org

April/MAy 2014

We hope you find information you can use in this special “double edition” of the conference newsletter. The fliers we’ve included on Gold-en Cross Sunday, the Bishop’s Bicycle Ride to Conference and assembling cleaning buckets can be used on church bulletin boards, in print bulletins or anywhere else you think they will come in handy. For digital versions that you can use in your church’s audiovisual efforts, check out wvumc.org/resources.

About this issue

Bishop Steiner Ball sits with “Bishop Buzzkill” at Concord UMC in Athens, WV (southern district). Bishop Buzzkill has helped to raise awareness and funds for INM during the past year. Photo

courtesy of rev. greg godwin

United Methodists have a goal: to raise $75 million dollars to end malaria in our lifetime (or sooner). Thanks to the hard work of the United Meth-odist Church and other humanitarian aid organizations, malaria deaths have been greatly reduced — but not eliminated. 700,000 people still die from malaria every year.The West Virginia Conference has raised more than $130,000 dollars this year

to further the global effort of malaria eradication. Thank You!

Imagine No Malaria

It is the intention of Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball to appoint the following clergy, effective July 1, 2014:

Carl Van Stavern, Wardensville Charge, War-densville, WV, Potomac Highlands DistrictPaul Rebelo, Wesley UMC, Kingwood, WV,

Potomac Highlands DistrictAudria Botkin, Levelton Charge, Hillsboro,

WV, Greenbrier DistrictDorcas Conrad, Weirton Tri-Parish, Weirton,

WV, Northern DistrictKathi Ambler, Middlebourne UMC, Middle-

bourne, WV, Northern DistrictKen Peters, Seventh Street UMC, Parkers-

burg, WV, Little Kanawha DistrictBeth Peters, Cedar Grove UMC, Parkersburg,

WV, Little Kanawha DistrictEarnest Watkins, New Life Blended Minis-

tries, Wheeling, WV, Northern DistrictAlan Flaitz, Fourth Street/Simpson Charge,

Wheeling, WV, Northern DistrictMark Flynn, Morris Memorial, Kanawha

City, Charleston, WV, Midland South DistrictKeith Forkey, Mt. Olivet, Wheeling, WV,

Northern DistrictMichael Ludle, Mt. Nebo, Mt Nebo, Green-

brier DistrictJeremiah Jasper, Woodford Memorial,

Elkins,WV, Wesleyan DistrictMichaela Jasper, Mill Creek Charge, Mill

Creek, WV, Wesleyan DistrictBob Anderson, Tennerton Charge, Tenner-

ton, WVFrank Naglic, Union, Union, Greenbrier DistrictDennis Mehaffie, Simpson, Moundsville,

Northern District

APPOINTMENTS 2014

Jeff Zickafoose, Mt. Lake Park, Beth-el, Mt. Lake, MD. Potomac Highland DistrictDiane Kenaston, University UMC, St.

Louis, Missouri, Missouri ConferenceChristopher Gudger-Raines, Ore-

gon-Idaho ConferenceMeredith Gudger- Raines, Oregon-

Idaho ConferenceGary Reed, Pendleton-Grant Charge,

Upper Tract, WV, Potomac Highlands DistrictHarold Langevin, Brandonville

UMC, Brandonville, WV, Mon Valley DistrictRichard Work, St. Andrews UMC,

Cherry Hill, NJ, Greater New Jersey ConferenceRick Swearengin, Madison UMC,

Madison, WV, Midland South DistrictSharletta Green, New Martinsville

UMC, New Martinsville, WV, North-ern DistrictGreg Markins, Wayside UMC, Vien-

na, WV, Little Kanawha DistrictTeresa Markins, Crossroads UMC,

Waverly, WV, Little Kanawha DistrictKen Price, Carr Memorial UMC,

Princeton, WV, Southern DistrictJeff Winter, New Hope UMC/Glen-

wood Park Chaplain, Princeton, WV, Southern DistrictRev. Rick DeQuasie, Mon Valley Su-

perintendentRev. Chris Scott, Meadow River

Charge, Rainelle, Greenbrier District

April/MAy 2014

April/MAy 2014

April/MAy 2014

April/MAy 2014

April/MAy 2014

We found this tree in full bloom outside First Presbyterian Church in downtown Charleston. You can find this photo and other spring photos to download for your au-dio visuals and bulletins online. Visit flickr.com/wvumc, click a photo, and download the original by clicking on the three-dot icon and selecting download. Photo by

adam cunningham

“...all the trees of the

field shall clap their hands.”

Psalm 55:12