HEALTHFLEX EXCHANGE WEBINARS - Wednesday, Oct. 26th

Dru Ann Kuntz, Conference Benefits Officer, will be hosting two online Webinars on Wednesday, October 26th at 1:30 pm & 6:30 pm MT for those who were unable to attend the scheduled meetings.

HealthFlex Webinar Wed 1:30 PM MT
Wednesday, Oct 26, 2016 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Please join the webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
Click here to join the 1:30 webinar
Dial in using your phone to hear the webinar.
+1 (571) 317-3112
Access Code: 471-679-581

HealthFlex Webinar 6:30 PM MT
Wednesday, Oct 26, 2016 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM 
Please join the webinar from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
Click here to join the 6:30 webinar
Dial in using your phone to hear the webinar.
+1 (571) 317-3122
Access Code: 410-636-813

Instructions: Click on the button for the Webinar you want to join 10 minutes before the scheduled time.  Prompts to download the GotoMeeting software will pop up.  Click Allow.  You will need a cell or handset phone with a speaker, or mic/earphone headset to listen to the webinar.  A window will appear to give you the phone number & access codes (which are also listed above.)  The chat option will be available during the webinar.  Questions: Dru Ann Kuntz @ 505-255-8786, ext. 102 or dru@nmconfum.com

Shared Ministries Tithing Model Update from Rev. Dan Boyd,
Chair of The Council of Finance & Administration

 
Rev. Dan Boyd, Chair of CFA  
Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ,
     I am thanking the Lord for you each time I remember and celebrate you in my prayers and each time I preview the monthly giving reports. You, as the giving and tithing United Methodists of the New Mexico Annual Conference, are providing wonderful reasons to celebrate.
     From January-August of 2016 you have contributed $1,136,637 towards Shared Ministries. Thus far, your giving represents 54.2% of our annual expected income for the year - an outstanding increase of 12.4% over the average level of giving from the preceding three years!
     Through August, seventy-five congregations (more than half) are consistently reporting their operating income and tithing faithfully. Another six congregations are reporting their monthly operational income and contributing in ways to show that, while not a full tithe, they are building towards that goal. Fifty-nine local churches are contributing or reporting, but have missed a month either in their reporting or their contributions. In all, only fourteen churches have yet to contribute anything to our Shared Ministries in 2016, two fewer than last year.
     The levels of participation and reporting show that we are all strengthening our ministry of giving together.
 
Read the full letter

What is your feedback on the process? Contact Cathy Anderson: canderson@nmconfum.com or Rev. Dan Boyd: dboyd@fumcarlsbad.org or 575-885-3142. 

 
Asbury Pie Café Completes its 57th Year of Operation - $52K Raised
 
 
     Asbury United Methodist Church began the Asbury Café in the Goat Barn on the Fairgrounds in 1960. The church had recently been formed and the café was an idea to raise money for the building fund. The specialty of homemade pie was the first menu item, and the church facilities took shape as the café prospered. In 1971, the decision was made to donate all the profits to local charities.
     The café's reputation for good pie and community outreach grew to such an extent that it stretched the resources of the Asbury Church. In 1987, St. Stephen's UMC joined with Asbury UMC to expand the volunteer workers and extend the outreach of the café. In 1993, St. John's UMC joined. The three churches shared in all aspects of the café, such as picking fruit, processing fruit, making pies, and running the café. In 2001, three more churches joined. This year there were 11 churches participating in the café: Asbury UMC, Biblical Worldview Fellowship, Covenant Presbyterian, Covenant UMC, First UMC, Heights Cumberland Presbyterian, Mountainside UMC, Paradise Hills UMC, Rio Rancho First Baptist, St John's UMC, and St Stephen's UMC. The one purpose of the café is to feed the poor and the homeless of the Albuquerque area. All of the pies are donated to the café by the member churches, and all the work is voluntary. This allows over 75% of the income to go directly to charity.
     The State Fair ran for 11 days this year. The Asbury Pie Café had a total profit of $52,000. These funds were distributed to 11 charities, which included, The Storehouse, ABQ Rescue Mission, Meals on Wheels, First UMC Grace Meal, The Rock at Noon Day, South ABQ Coop Ministry, Good Shepherd Center, ABQ Street Outreach, East Mtn Food Pantry, Project Share, Family Promise, and Asbury UMC Breaking Bread.

United Methodist Churches Assessing Hurricane Matthew Damage
photo: Angie Willis
By Kathy L. Gilbert
     After Hurricane Matthew submerged South Mills, North Carolina, one United Methodist pastor loaded up a six-wheel drive military vehicle and drove into floodwaters to deliver bottled water and food and prayers to trapped residents.
     The Rev. Bruce Willis, pastor of McBride United Methodist Church, put out a call for help, and one of his church members loaned him a deuce and a half military vehicle.
     He took the truck to a housing unit and some neighboring homes.
Willis said the same area flooded three weeks ago and the ground was still saturated.
    The Rev. Bruce Willis walks through flooded Deerfield neighborhood in South Mills. 
     "We helped as many as we could," Willis said. He doesn't really know how much bottled water and food he delivered. "I just know when we left the back of the truck was full and when we came back it was empty."
     "It's going to take a while to recover," he said.
     McBride's church also received 8 to 10 inches of floodwater in its fellowship hall.
     The North Carolina Conference disaster relief teams are still assessing damage and some of the rivers have not crested, said Ann Huffman, disaster response coordinator.
     Hardest-hit areas are in Windsor, Lumberton and Goldsboro. Derek Leek, director of communication for the conference, said the flooding was not as bad on the coast as in those areas by rivers.
     "There are multiple people out of their homes, and the major concern is where will they go," Huffman said. The high school has been the major shelter, but it needs to reopen soon so classes can resume.

UMC Giving - Mission Moments
Read about Ministries and Advances that you support.

Click here
 

Send your Fall Fiesta, Trunk or Treat, Halloween Church Photos!
It's easy with a Smartphone.  If you need some how-to info
, Click here

Below is a great example of what we are looking for this fall.  
Send your Fall Fiesta, Trunk or Treat, Pumpkinpalooza & Halloween photos to alli@nmconfum.com

Making the Most of your Advertising Dollars
 
Church Marketing Funnel

by Tricia Brown 
     According to the   Pew Research Center, about 37% of people say they attend church weekly. Advertising can help get more people to come to your church on Sundays. But   how do you advertise a church?
Advertisements are meant to help sell a product or a service. They do so by:
  1. Helping us get to know the product (informing)
  2. Showing us how good or effective the product is (persuading)
  3. Helping us to remember the product (reminding)
     While you don't necessarily want to employ the same tactics as a fast-food restaurant, sports shoe manufacturer or a cola company, there is a lot to be learned from successful commercial advertising campaigns. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you   effectively advertise your church.


Upcoming Events

October 
October 26 - Healthflex Excahnge Webinars  
November 
Nov. 4-5 - Lay Servant School - FUMC, Belen 
Nov. 7-11 - Prep for Prof. Coaching Cert. Training - Sacramento
Nov. 18-19 - CCYM - Sacramento (Bishop Preaching)
Nov. 24-25 - Conference Office Closed
Nov. 29 - UMC #Giving Tuesday
 
December 
Dec. 23 & 26 - Conference Office Closed for Christmas
Dec. 30 - Conference Office Closed for New Year's Eve
January 
Jan. 2 - Conference Office Closed for New Year's Day

February
Feb. 19 - Mountainside UMC's 50th Anniversary - Bishop Preaching
Feb. 6-8 - Mid-Winter Clergy Retreat - Sacramento
Annual Conference - May 31 - June 2, 2017 
 
Click here for the Conference Calendar

Classifieds
Conference Calendar
UMC website
 


RELEVANT, PASSIONATE, AND LIFE-CHANGING CHURCHES

New Mexico Annual Conference  

11816 Lomas Blvd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87112

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Receptionist Hours: 9:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.

(800) 678-8786 toll free; (505) 255-8786; (505) 265-6184 fax

 Click here to view our staff listing  

 



 

Please send photos, articles, events, etc. to Alli Costello, Communications Director at alli@nmconfum.com.  Send classified ads to frontdesk@nmconfum.com.