March Circuit

MARCH CIRCUITPUBLISHED BY THE WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | Volume 1 / Number 5

March is Women’s History Month! This is an annual declared month that highlights the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society.

The United Methodist Women are an integral part of the United Methodist mission. Not only do these amazing women create leaders of other women in their churches and communities, but reach out nationally and globally to serve, educate, advocate, and foster spiritual growth and health. Only recently on December 5, 2015, the West Virginia Conference lost a true leader of United Methodist Women, who gave more of herself for the betterment of others.

Betty Sanders Gordon, dedicated member of Trinity UMC, lived a life committed to serving her Christian faith in support of the United Methodist Church. She was an active delegate at the West Virginia Annual Conference for decades, presenting a strong voice on many issues and serving on many committees. She was conference Vice-President of the Women’s Society of Christian Service and United Methodist Women, and conference President of the United Methodist Women. She was elected to the General Board of Global Ministries Women’s Division as a director in 1980, and re-elected years later. Betty was assigned to the World Division and Mission Personnel Resource Program Department 1984-1988. She was a delegate to the Northeastern Jurisdictional Conference in 1976 and Jurisdictional and General Conferences, 1980 and 1984. At General Conference, she was chairperson of the Legislative Committee on Local Church. Betty served on the Northeastern Jurisdiction Core Planning Group of the United Methodist Women. In the 90’s, Betty served

on the national level as a Director of the Women’s Division under the General Board of Global Ministries, supporting programs, mission institutions, and ministries in the United States and around the world. She later served on the Board of Global Ministries in New York City, as director, consultant and interim Associate General Secretary of the Mission Personnel Resources Program department.

Betty left this world a better place than she had found it, living by

her convictions and uplifting, encouraging, strengthening

and loving all who she encountered.

Below is a May 2015 nominations lead team interview between Betty and Judy Raines, past United Methodist Women President. These questions and answers give a deeper look into Betty’s walk in faith and

her path in the United Methodist church. Thank

you, Judy, for contributing this interview.

Judy: When and where did your journey in church leadership begin?

How were you invited?

Betty: I was raised a Southern Baptist but became a United Methodist when Will and I were married. I was convinced it was a good idea when my son spent six weeks in the hospital in traction and the church loved and cared for him and the rest of the family. Then when we moved to Bluefield the Pastor, Dr. Browning met us on the day we moved and told us Bluefield had the best orthopedic surgeon around and he was expecting us. We looked no further for a church. I felt God had led us to Bluefield for the church and for Dr. Raub. I became active in the church working in the kitchen with Mrs. Wood, Frances Wayland, and Rae Elliott. I taught Sunday school for a while. United Methodist Women impressed me because they enabled women to be all that they could be. I had many offices in the local unit at Trinity.

March 2016

~ We Remember ~Rev. John Mendez (FE-R) from Charleston passed away January 4.

Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball’s mother, Marjorie Steiner, passed away Saturday, January 23.

Rev. Dr. Charles Miller’s father, Arthur Miller, passed away on February 1.

David Tucker, manager of the LKD Crossroads Camp passed away February 4.

CALENDARConference Event Highlights - The role of the Conference Calendar is to share the events and business of conference level agencies and ministries.

March

14 Pre-Retirement Seminar

19 Fresh Expressions Vision Day

April

7 - 10 Spiritual Growth Retreat

11 - 13 Kindling the Fire

16 Lay Servant Academy

22 - 23 Spiritual Formation Retreat:

John Wesley’s

Understanding Salvation

22 - 23 MonValley Lay Academy

23 - 30 Pastoral Ministry Licensing School

May

10 General Conference

June

9 -12 Annual Conference

View the conference calendar online atwvumc.org/events

MARCH CIRCUIT

The Monthly CircuitP.O. Box 2313Charleston, WV 25328

Voice: (304) 344-8331

Fax: (304) 344-2871

Resident Bishop: Sandra Steiner Ball

Contributors

Whitney CherryCommunications

2 | THE WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Judy: What shifted your field of leadership to the district and/or conference level?

Betty: When the Annual Meeting was held at Trinity, Thelma Massie from Bland Street and I co-chaired that event and it went off so well that I was offered an office on the conference. I never served on the district. I became Vice President of the Conference. We not only did the goals set by the conference but we set our own personal goals which I still do today. I think we all need goals to work toward. Every woman has a gift and unless that gift is used and developed it dies. We need to find a way to use the gifts God has given us.

Judy: What factors pushed your horizons outward the most? What gave you the most confidence? Where did you find the most helpful support?

Betty: I served three years as United Methodist Women’s Conference President and then became a Women’s Division Director. I decided I have always been a feminist and always interested in women’s rights. I have been blessed to travel around the world working for women’s right and other social justice issues. I worked many years with Randy Nugent and the General Board of Global Ministries and was elected to the General Council on Ministries. I worked with Mission Personnel at GBGM which included the US2 Program. The opportunities I have had could only have come through God’s direction. The Lay Witness Mission was an important resource for God’s direction in my life. I have always had a great deal of support from the West Virginia United Methodist Church and especially the United Methodist Women.

THE WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | 3

LIFE UMC in Fairmont, WV has a rich partnership with the Disability Action Center (DAC). DAC/LIFE Bible study participants recently assembled and prayed over children’s personal care kits for the Celebration of Mission Event (COME) in the MonValley District April 30. The Disability Action Center provides individuals with disabilities, primarily developmental disabilities, and their families with the support, knowledge, and resources they need to reach their greatest level of independence. DAC “sees the possibilities; not the disabilities.” Other DAC/LIFE partnership activities include: Bible study alternate weeks, DAC training, exercise, sponsoring Friday night activity, and inclusion in LIFE UMC activities.

To find out more about this partnership, contact Julie Sole, DAC Director at www.disabilityactioncenter.com or Paula Spiker,

Missional LIFE Coordinator at [email protected].

March 2016MARCH CIRCUIT

Children’s Ministry in the 21st Century Churchby Rev. Carl Tribett, Northern District

It seems that one of the challenges many of the churches in our annual conference face is building and sustaining children’s ministries. Reasons range from aging congregations to competition with other things on Sunday morning to families being disenfranchised from church in general. No matter the reason, for many of our congregations the decline in the number of children in church (or lack thereof) has become a concern for the future of our congregations, yes, but more, a concern for children who are growing up without knowing that there is a God who loves them.

When members of the Northern District Connectional Ministries Lead Team went about the district meeting with local congregations to hear their ministry stories, an overwhelming number of folks expressed the desire for help from the district and conference on how to effectively do children’s ministry. Congregational interviewers returned to Lead Team meetings with this request, and in response, the Northern District Lead Team made children’s ministry its focus for 2015. Over the course of the year, the team turned their children’s ministry focus into action which resulted in three measurable outcomes: (1) Establishment of a children’s ministry resource center located at the district office; (2) Bring the Children to Me workshops; and (3) Book collection and distribution throughout the district.

What seemed like a logical beginning was to establish a children’s ministry resource center. Many churches throughout the district had been holding onto

educational materials from the past (ie: Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, etc.), so why

not recycle these, making it especially helpful for churches with small

budgets for children’s ministry at a time when the rising costs of

materials limits what a church can do. The Northern District office is now the central locale to which materials can be donated and from which materials can be borrowed and returned. In addition

to the physical resources, this Christian Ed Resource

Center has become a place of networking between churches in

the district.

The networking component was increased when, in the fall of 2015, four

roundtable events on children’s ministry were held throughout the district. Taking in churches in four loosely identified regions

of the district, these workshops, entitled Bring the Children to Me, brought church members together to share what programs, services and ministries were working in their settings. The resulting list of ideas was nothing short of amazing. Successful ministries ranged from special worship geared to children with special needs to engaging children in saying grace at church meals; from one-evening special focused VBS programs to inviting children to create original artwork for bulletins, as well as for display in the worship space; from after school programs to weekend food backpacks. The list of ideas was compiled from the four roundtable meetings and then shared with all the churches in the district, making it an invaluable resource for all.

The third measurable outcome of the Lead Team’s work was to collect books from all the churches in the district with the goal of getting books into the hands of children. Why books? It is a way of answering the question of “how can we affect or impact children in a real, tangible way?” said Martha Ognibene, Northern District Superintendent, and a former Title 1/Chapter 1 reading instructor. By encouraging reading, the idea was to make a connection between the love


Tammy Cain of Weirton shares suggestions for doing ministry with and for children with special needs.

of reading and the love of Christ. Congregations making the effort to get books in the hands of children became a tangible way of sharing the love of Jesus with children throughout the district. In our time of electronic media, books still mean something – there is a value in child development in the tactile experience books offer them. To that end, the word went out to collect books up through the end of November, with books to be distributed to the 67 churches of the district to place in their own libraries or to give away. The hope was to gather 670 books – ten for each of the 67 churches. When all was totaled, 2,365 books found their way into the district office. Superintendent Ognibene and some volunteers sorted, cleaned up and divided the books into groups that were then bagged up and sent out to the district churches. They have been added to church libraries, donated to local school libraries, gone home in backpacks with food, and more.

The effect of the book distribution is demonstrated in a variety of ways. At one of the churches on the Bowman/Lynn Camp Charge, there is a little table filled with books that sits in front of the pulpit where children can occupy their time in church with reading. Martha shared that on a Sunday when she was preaching there, the

children came up front and picked up and read books all through the service, with sounds of joy and

delight coming from the children as they experienced the joy of books. In Newell,

WV, Chester UMC has committed itself to building up a library in the

local primary school, where no library exists. The congregation

has set the goal to add a grade level each year to the

library’s collection until all grade levels have books available for the children to take home and enjoy.

Children listen as volunteers at the Wellsburg Community Christmas Vacation Bible School share the Christmas story

through the lives of those who were a part of the story.

Children listen as volunteers at the Wellsburg Community Christmas Vacation Bible School

share the Christmas story through the lives of those

Northern District Superintendent Martha Ognibene sorts books

for distribution to the 67 churches of the district,

who in turn are making the books available to children

in schools, churches, and at home, as a part

of the district’s focus on children’s ministry.


6 | THE WEST VIR-GINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

by Rev. Cheryl George

There are many challenges to ministry in West Virginia and Garrett County, MD. Because many small churches cannot afford a pastor on their own, pastoral charges have become a way of life in West Virginia. I pastor four small churches in a small radius, yet encompassing four different communities. These communities overlap in many ways but also have their own unique challenges.

How do we begin to understand these challenges? We meet new people. We observe. We look at what’s available and what’s not. Yet, there is another tool that is available to all of us in the West Virginia Annual Conference—MissionInsite. Many of us have been introduced to MissionInsite through the work of the Office of Congregational Development and Amy Shanholtzer. The tools in this program are a valuable resource. I used MissionInsite to get a feel for the community around one of my churches, Amboy United Methodist Church. This church is located just 3 miles from Aurora, but is in a long-standing community with a separate identity, if not a zip code anymore.

I ran a full report on the area within a two-mile radius of the church. At first I looked at a larger area but realized that within a five-mile radius, we were out of the Amboy area and into another community, separate from the community we serve. Most of the people who come to our church are in this two-mile radius. It was simple to personalize my report to the area I wanted and the information that I wanted. I began to look at the information that was available. I found out how many people there were in this area and what their ages were; I discovered how many families lived in poverty in the area and the average household size. As we began to look at this information, we compared the information with what we already knew about the community. Some of the data was not new to us; yet there also were also surprising revelations. We had already identified people in poverty in this area and our number was much lower than the MissionInsite info. We also got a better perspective on the demographics of the people in the community.

We have this information to use in the planning for mission and ministry in our community. The site is easy to use and once an account has been created, it defaults to your church area. There are resources to help you prepare the best report to suit your needs. Another benefit of the program is that the reports can be tweaked to suit

your needs. The information is very informative and is updated regularly. I have four different churches so it’s very simple for me to do a report for each church or the charge as a whole. I can print these reports, share them with others and use them for any purpose in our planning and evangelism efforts.

To find out more, go to wvumc.org/evangelism and download the PDF with

instructions on signing up for a free account. To schedule a time for training

or additional assistance contact Amy Shanholtzer, Director of Evangelism and Congregational Development

at [email protected] or 304.800.788.3746 ext. 26.

Mission Field Discovery

MARCH CIRCUIT

Disciplined Investors2015 was another year of market volatility. In times such as these, it is a good idea to remember that at the United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia, Inc., our focus as investors is very long term; we do not try to outguess the markets in the short term. We do everything possible to make sure we are being good stewards of the assets our donors and clients have entrusted to us. We have an experienced and capable Investments Committee overseeing these activities, and we engage highly qualified experts in Wespath Investment Management to guide our investment decisions.

Time has the effect of stabilizing negative returns. Even with the negative return on investment of 2015 and the recession of 2008, the ten-year average net annual investment returns* for our four investment funds from January 1, 2006—December 31, 2015 is as follows:

Fund A (Fixed Income)

Fund B1 (Conservative Balanced)

Fund B2 (Moderate Balanced)

Fund B3 (Aggressive Balanced)

Total Return

2.94%

3.25%

4.05%

3.85%

Comparative Index*

2.92%

3.52%

4.07%

4.30%


*Adjusted for all fees

Our advisors have forecasted a modest, positive outlook for the U.S. and global economies. If you have questions about the strength of your church’s

investments at the Foundation, please call Kim Matthews or Rev. Jeff Taylor (1-800-788-3746 ext. 45).



Harry Denman Award

The Harry Denman Evangelism Awards honor a United Methodist clergy, youth, and lay person in each annual conference who has exhibited outstanding efforts in Wesleyan evangelism by faithfully carrying out the mission of “making disciples of Jesus Christ.” Those eligible for this prestigious award practice the Great Commission. This can involve personal witnessing, speaking, and inspiring individual persons or the local church to be actively involved helping people to experience the transforming love of God through Jesus Christ. Neither the size of the local church with which the person is affiliated, the age or gender of the person, nor the length of their service should limit one’s eligibility. What is important are the people whose lives have been changed by the life and ministry of the nominee. Nominations are due by April 15. Nominate someone using the form in this publication, or online at

wvumc.org/evangelism.

Nominee InformationI nominate this person for their efforts to bring others to Christ:

* Required

First Name *

Last Name *

Name of Church *

District *

This is a required question

Street Address 1 *

Street Address 2

City *

State *

Zip Code *

Nominee InformationI nominate this person for their efforts to bring others to Christ:

*Required

First Name *

Last Name *

Name of Church *

District *

__ Greenbrier __ Little Kanawha __ Midland South __ MonValley __ Northern

__ Potomac Highlands __ Southern __Wesleyan __Western

Street Address 1 * City *

Street Address 2 State * Zip *

Email Address *

Tell Us More! *Describe how the nominee lives their commitment to evangelism, and specific examples to describe how they make a difference in their church and community. Need more space? Email Rev. Amy Shanholtzer at [email protected].

This person is a: * __ Youth (Layperson) __ Adult (Layperson) __ Clergy



A Prayer for Good Friday Alive Now Magazine

This is the day when hatred wins.Lord, have mercy.This is the day when evil dances.Christ, have mercy.This is the day when the Light dies.Lord, have mercy.

Whatever we believe, whatever we doubt,Whatever we know, whatever we deny,Today we watch the source of all creation,And join the innocent victims of all time.Today, we remember and join the cry of the guilty,“Remember me, Lord Jesus!”

The veil of our doubt is torn.Surely, he has borne our grief.Together we see what the centurion proclaimed,Surely, this is the Son of God.

This is the day love wins.Lord, have mercy.Christ, have mercy. Amen.

A Prayer for Easter Sunday Alive Now Magazine

Alleluia!How can we express the profound joy of our hearts?You, Holy One, you are the one who rolls away the stone,empties the tomb, and rises from hell to proclaim:Life! Love! Justice! Peace!

Alleluia! With the women we runTo share the joy of this day.With Peter we swim to the shoreTo taste the mercy of divine love.With the disciples on the way to Emmaus,We see you in the breaking of the bread.

Alleluia! Fill us with faith that will not take death for the answer.Fill us with love that will not allow defeat.Fill us with the ways of justice that will not quitwhen redemption seems so far away.Fill us with peace that persevereswhen brokenness and violence swarm.

Today, we live resurrection.Today, we sing, shout, and pray, Alleluia!Christ is risen. Glory to God. Amen.

In preparation of our hearts and minds

Spring Heights is always looking for some help to make our camp a wonderful place for children to have fun and grow in Christ!

We are looking for donations of the following supplies:

Pool:• Goggles• Inflatable Water Wings• Pool toys

Lake:• Life Jackets• Fishing gear• Canoe Paddles

Horses:• Treats• De-wormer• Brushes• Saddles/Saddle Pads (Western)• Helmets

Archery• Arrows• Targets

Gardening Supplies• Shovels• Hoes• Tomato Cages• Garden Stakes

Farm Animals• Chickens• Ducks• Goats• Chicken Wire

Craft Supplies• Paint• Beads• Paper• Fabric• Glue• Popsicle Sticks

Sports and Games• Basketball hoop and backboard x2• Basketballs, footballs, kick balls, soccer balls

CALLED: One Word, Many Ways is a collection of educational curriculum for children and youth and worship resources that explore how to listen for God’s voice, discern what you’ve heard, and respond faithfully. Resource collection includes:

• Worship liturgy • Youth group plans

• Sermon helps • Support graphics for curriculum and worship

• Children’s and Youth Curriculum • Videos

The full resource is available free online.Learn more and download resources at

ExploreCalling.org/Called

From Communications

9 Mistakes to Avoid in Church Website Design

As the new year has begun, I have received several calls and questions about church Website formation, design, and improvement. Let’s take a look at the article below from United Methodist Communications and tips to a better church Website!

Building a website may seem like a daunting task, like when we had to put together our first meaningful resumé. Fear not. While most of us lack the expert coding skills needed to build a website from scratch, web tools continue to improve by leaps and bounds. Knowledgeable friends and affordable pros can help. Drawing on all of these, you can build a website that reflects the personality of your church and serves seekers and congregants alike.

Before we cover the missteps, let’s discuss the foundation. Good church websites must help us connect with visitors. Make sure you know the key sections to put on your church website. For example, your church’s physical address, service times and contact information must be zero clicks away, clearly visible on the homepage and probably in the footer of every other page. At the same time, there are some things you don’t want to clutter your site.

Here are nine mistakes to avoid when creating and refining your church’s site. It is best to steer clear of all of these design transgressions.

1. Designing your site for regular attendees onlyYou already have time and space to communicate with regular attendees: your Sunday morning gathering. Your site is one of your primary outreach tools. Include an obvious place on the site for new people. Consider a tab called “I’m new.” Regular attendees may be heavy users of certain sections of the website, like the calendar or blog, but the website does not exist only for them. Let seekers know you’re thinking about them.

2. Creating an ugly site that lacks good imagesProfessionalism is part of being excellent. Church sites should not look shoddy or cheap. Ponder visual elements and branding as you think through a sharp, contemporary and consistent look.

The site should reflect the style of your church as much as possible. One quick way to accomplish that is by placing photos of your worship service on the site. Show your members doing things in community. Avoid plastering the faces of the pastor or other leaders on every page. Pictures can also answer one of the biggest questions church visitors often ask: “What should I wear?”


by United Methodist Communications

3. Neglecting site maintenanceIt’s surprising how many churches ignore site maintenance and leave outdated content sitting around for months or years. Review every page often. Check for typos. Make certain all the links work.

4. Forgetting about mobile usersNearly two-thirds of people in the United States now own a smartphone, and the numbers keep climbing. Many people access the Internet only through phones and tablets. If your site doesn’t work on those devices, many users will never see what you have to offer. Google’s algorithm also gives better rankings to sites that are mobile friendly, increasing your church’s visibility online.

5. Overlooking children’s ministry infoMany people start looking for a church home once they start a family. One of the first Google searches parents do when they move to a new community is “kids’ or children’s activities.” Many searchers and web visitors don’t know what churches do with kids. Your site should clearly explain where children of all ages are invited to hang out. Answer these questions: Is it safe? Who watches these little ones? Where are mom and dad supposed to go when they arrive? Consider a tab called “parents” to make the experience as stress-free as possible.

6. Excluding video of your servicesMany churches post every week’s sermon on their website. Those videos show visitors — many of whom will attend your service online before they come in person — what to expect on Sunday morning. Show them with video. Interested browsers can quickly learn what kind of music you play, what the style of worship is and how a sermon might sound.

Many churches live stream their worship gatherings on the web. Fantastic idea. Just be sure online attendees aren’t interrupted by advertisements. You don’t want an engaged viewer missing the most powerful part of a message because a commercial suddenly starts playing! Consider using our MyUMClive streaming service, which offers discounted pricing to United Methodist churches.

7. Leaving out a way to contact regular attendeesYou have posted the phone number for the church office on your site, but what if a prospective visitor wants to speak with someone who isn’t on staff? Consider designating a few people in the pews each week who would be a great initial contacts for someone who wants to know what they can expect if they show up and attempt to get involved. Consider these ideas:

Create a “visitors” section with contact information for a couple of your helpful and hospitable churchgoers.Create a community skills database where people can match their needs with the skills of other people who could help them. Place a link to this in the “visitors” section and on your homepage.Think strategically about other ways churches can connect people with people online and everywhere.

8. Omitting information about special events and holy daysA lot of folks will first attend your church on Christmas Eve or Easter. They might come for a wedding or children’s recital. Include the times and details of special seasonal and holiday outreach events on your homepage.

9. Failure to keep it simpleKeep your wording clear. Avoid convoluted language and too much content. Check out how successful churches and nonprofits organize their sites.

Write copy that intentionally and accurately targets your desired audience. Think generationally. Survey people from a variety of backgrounds about what helps them when navigating a website.

MARCH CIRCUIT


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March Circuit