Capitol Area South District
Weekly Updates, January 20, 2017
A Bias Opinion
 
 
One of my favorite Martin Luther King, Jr. sermons is, "The Answer to a Perplexing Question" based on Matthew 17:19, "Why couldn't we cast him out?" In the sermon, King says, "The problem that has always hampered man has been his inability to conquer evil by his own power.  In pathetic amazement, he asks, 'Why can I not cast it out?  Why can I not remove this evil from my life?'"

King says we have usually pursued two paths to eliminate evil and to save the world.
  • The first is that we try to remove evil through our own power and ingenuity. It is a strange conviction that by thinking, inventing, and governing, we will at last conquer the "nagging forces of evil."
  • The second idea for removing evil from the world stipulates that if we wait submissively upon the Lord, in God's own good time, God alone will redeem the world.
King asks, "What then is the answer to life's perplexing question? How can evil be cast out of our individual and collective lives? If the world is not to be purified by God alone nor by man alone, who will do it?"
If you've turned on a news station, picked up a newspaper, or read the headlines on your smart phone, chances are you've asked, "When will this stop?" If we are to move beyond the rhetoric of simply asking the perplexing question to living the answer perhaps we need to pursue a third way.

King answers the question this way, "The answer is found in an idea which is distinctly different from the two we have discussed, for neither God nor man will individually bring the world's salvation."  King says that it will take a partnership between God and humanity.
What does a partnership between God and humanity entail? Much more 
and much less than you might suspect.

King notes, "...both man and God, made one in a marvelous unity of purpose through an overflowing love as the free gift of himself on the part of God and by perfect obedience and receptivity on the part of man, can transform the old into the new and drive out the deadly cancer of sin."

For Dr. King, faith opens the door for God to work through us. The disciples lacked faith when they desperately tried to remove the nagging evil from the body of the sick child (Matthew 17:14-23). Jesus points out what may now appear obvious: they had been attempting to do by themselves what could only be done with God. When their lives are open receptacles for God's strength to be freely poured. We are reminded faith leads us into a partnership with God.

King continues, "One cannot remove an evil habit by mere resolution nor by simply calling on God to do the job, but only as he surrenders himself and becomes an instrument of God. We shall be delivered from the accumulated weight of evil only when we permit the energy of God to come into our souls."

Here is where King notes we can find the answer to our perplexing question.  Evil can be cast out. We cannot do it alone. God is not going to do it for us. Evil will be cast out as we open the door and invite God through Christ to enter in. To the church of the twenty-first century, the invitation remains:

"Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will a come in to you and eat with you, and you with me."
 -Revelation 3:20

Prayer for the Day

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness. Joy.

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

-Francis of Assisi

 
Please keep Rev. Kevin Chambers and family in your prayers as John Martino, Kevin's father-in-law, died last Friday after battling cancer for several years. Safe travels to Massachusetts as the  Funeral service was Thursday.

GET INVOLVED IN HORIZON PRISON INITIATIVE 

January 22, 2017 3-5 p.m.
North Broadway United Methodist Church


Make a Difference in the Lives of Others
Transforming prisoners who transform  prisons and communities.

Horizon Information Day
At Horizon Prison Initiative, we believe that honor, respect, and dignity are due to each and every human being, not because of the greatness of their achievements nor how they have behaved, but because they are home to a soul that is inherently holy.
Please join us to learn  more about our work with incarcerated men and women, ask questions, and discover what it means to be a Horizon volunteer.
Church Leadership Webinar offered by Discipleship Ministries

Begin the year by offering new and continuing church leaders an overview of the year ahead through Discipleship Ministries' webinar, "Church Council: What's My Role?" Your church council or leadership team will discover important support resources for building and overseeing a comprehensive plan for ministry and discipleship. Additional resources for discerning the feasibility of using a single-board leadership model, conducting community assessments, and evaluating decision-making practices are included. The webinar will be offered Tuesday, January 24, at 7pm Central Time (8pm EST).   Register Here. After the event, the webinar will also be available in the archives for those unable to attend.
"Fresh Expressions"

There will be training on Thursday, January 26 at the West Ohio Conference Center. Fresh Expressions is a new and fast-growing approach to reaching the unreached. It's sort of the Wesleyan version "Missional Communities" (3DM). Your cost is only $25 and space is limited to 60 people.
 
Today, Christians are stepping-out in faith, beginning "Fresh Expressions" of church. New or different forms of church can change culture. Beginning a fresh expression of church out of and alongside your church could breathe new life not only into your church, but also into you. Starting a fresh expression of church could be the answer to our innate sense that a contemporary service, a vision statement, and a strategy team sometimes aren't enough. This training is for pastors of existing congregations, pastors interested in new church starts, superintendents, and staff.  
 
William Chaney from Path 1 will be leading this training. For more in on Fresh Expression, visit freshexpressionsus.org
 
To register for the event, Click HERE .  
LEADERSHIP TRAINING DAY -  GROVE CITY UMC
FEBRUARY 4, 2017 @ 8:30-12:30


Schedule:
Doors Open at 8:30 AM
Opening will be held in the Sanctuary at 9:00 AM
Session 1 Workshops start at 9:15 AM
Break at 10:45 am
Session 2 Workshops start at 11:00 AM
Session 2 ends at 12:30 pm
 
There is no cost to attend the workshops
 
 
  Workshops and Presenters:
Session 1     9:15 - 10:45 am
Asset-Based Community Development - Rev. Karen Cook
Board of Trustees - Mr. Chris Hogan
Children's Ministries - Ms. Carla Fox-Chiles
Church Lifecycles - Rev. Bill Lyle
Church Revitalization - Mr. Brad Aycock
Finance - Mr. Bill Brownson
Life Groups - Rev. John Wooden
Pension and Health Insurance - Mr. Mike Kremnitzer
Staff/Pastor-Parish Relations - Rev. Tim Bias and Rev. Linda Middelberg
Special Needs Ministry - Rev. Laurie Clark
 
Session 2     11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Community Ministries - Rev. Gregory Kendrick, Rev. Matt Yoder, Dr. Katelin Hansen and Rev. Karen Cook
Discipleship Pathways - Rev. Tim Bias
Door to Core Strategies -  Rev. Todd Richards and Ms. Brandy Merryman
Global Mission Partnerships - Rev. Dee Stickley-Miner
Lay Servant Ministries  - Ms. Judy Hug
Leading Through Prayer - Rev. Curnell Graham and Rev. R. Scott Miller
Multi-Media - Rev. Ryan Grace
Prison Ministry - Ms. Reba Collins
Social Media in Ministry - Mr. Seth Evans
Stump the DS - Rev. Linda Middelberg
   Employment Opportunities In Our District

Director of Children's Ministries
Hilliard UMC has an immediate opening for a Director of Children's Ministry. We are looking for a strong leader that has a passion for children and their families... more

Assistant for Children and Student Ministries
The Assistant for the Children and Student Ministries Pastor is responsible for assisting the Children and Student Ministry Pastor and volunteers in the administrative...  more 
 

Director of Music
Alexandria UMC in Alexandria OH is seeking a Director of Music.  This part-time paid position inc
ludes directing the Chancel Choir and Bell Choir (currently inactive), more
SAFETY & SECURITY IN THE CHURCH - plus
THE DIFFICULTIES OF OPIATE & HEROIN ADDICTION

So what happens in an emergency at your church-lost child, unresponsive adult, accident, disorderly
person, gas line break, smoke, tornado, utility failure, intruder or active shooter?  Who directs the
members?  What's the plan?  Who to call?  We should know.  Come and learn:
  ยท To use the Assessment Tool for safety and security in and around your church.
  •  Develop Emergency Plans for a multitude of emergencies in and around  your church.
  •  Plan for a Crisis Team to handle any emergency, illness, or problem  during worship.
Regarding Opiate & Heroin Addiction: Learn how and why persons, even 12 year olds, are addicted. Why pre-school children are addicted.  Why arrests don't solve the problem. What pain killers does your doctor prescribe to you?  It's important we:
  •  Understand the depth of the opiate and heroin problem in our church's  community.
  •  Offer ways to help families affected by opiate or heroin addiction.
  •  Be more aware of opiates you and family members are prescribed.
On February 18, 2017, in Hebron, Ohio, TARRP (Town and Rural Resource Program) is offering a very
informative workshop to help your church board, mission team, and others learn and be equipped to
help your church to make a difference in the lives of your parishioners and community. 
 
Please see the attached brochure or email Rev. Debbie Ketcham at revdsk@frontier.com for more
information.
Stewardship 101 for the Smaller Church
West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church
Saturday, March 4, 2017
(Check-in begins at 9:30am) Event: 10:00am-2:30pm
Hope United Methodist Church
4183 E. Columbus Street, Canal Winchester, OH  43110
$5.00 per person (includes lunch, refreshments and resources)

Who Should Attend????
Pastors, Finance Committee Members, Stewardship Team Leaders, Church Leaders
Growing Generosity
The smaller church has unique cultural issues to address to grow generosity. The following topics will be addressed, customized to their unique historical practices.
* Biblical foundation for giving to God
* Understanding generosity as a lifestyle
* Holistic approach to stewardship
* Modified local church year-round strategy to grow generous givers
* What is the role of the pastor?
* What is the role of the finance committee?
* Best financial practices
* Address: "But we've always had the money when we need it!"
* Why or why not use CD's (Certificates of Deposit) as stewards?
For more information contact Council on Development at 614-844-6200
Rev. George Cooper - gcooper@wocumc.org
Rev. Stan Ling - sling@wocumc.org
Mrs. Joy Perry - jperry@wocumc.org
Sponsored by the Council on Development
or go to www.westohioumc.org
and click on Register for Events
 
Contact: Joy Perry
A Message for Local Churches: Send Us Your Stories!

Every local church has stories to tell - stories of faith, of community, of sharing God's love with neighbors near and far. We want to help you tell those stories! Here at NewsNET, we are looking for stories with broad appeal (beyond individual congregations) that can inspire other churches across the West Ohio Conference (no fundraisers, please). You can send stories (and photos, if possible) to mychurchstory@wocumc.org. Thank you, and we look forward to telling your stories!
Visit our website to find:  
Classifieds, Calendar, Resources and more!

STAY CONNECTED:
Please share these updates with others in your congregation!

If you have anything you would like to have shared or posted in our Newsletter, feel free to email your request to me by Wednesday at Noon.