For Valentine's Day - Three ways to say "I love you" 
by Susan Passi-Klaus  
 
     A lot of people ask Rev. Jay Tenney for advice on getting married and staying married. As pastor of Tunnel Hill, (Ga) Tunnel Hill United Methodist Church, Tenney-who himself has been married for 13 years-has counseled many in-love couples looking for a marriage made in heaven, as well as advising out-of-love couples who are forced to admit that their marriage is sadly earthbound. He is also founder of MyMarriageCoach.com, which offers online advice for relationships.
Although Tenney offers many tips for keeping the love fires burning, he said it boils down to two things.
  • Learn all that you can about how God loves.
  • Love your husband/wife with that same kind of love. 1st Corinthians 13. Imitate it and unleash it in your marriage.
     In his many years of coaching couples and helping them navigate the pitfalls of love and marriage, Tenney has made some observations and come to a few conclusions about what makes a relationship work and keep working.
Read the full article 

Mid-Year Clergy Retreat 2017



 
 
  

How to Build Relationships with Skeptics 
by Clay Morgan  
This article features a quote from our own Rev. D.G. Hollums.

      When asked about his approach to connecting with atheists, Rev. D.G. Hollums, who works with Rethink Church, says:
     The great commission does NOT say go and convert, but go and disciple. "Disciple" is literally translated as "student," "pupil" or, my favorite, "apprentice." If we are to disciple people, then we are to be creating classrooms for people to be empowered to ask questions, to really desire to learn what Christ said and why he said it. Good professors made me want to learn, not by giving me all the answers, but by joining me in asking questions and working together towards all the potential answers.
     Yes, the great commission goes on to say we should baptize, but that is only after God has done the heavy lifting - inviting them to "declare a major" - to declare Jesus as savior.
Here are some things to consider if your church wants to reach out and connect with skeptics or even welcome them into your faith community as speakers.


 Charity Can Count Toward Your IRA Withdrawal
By Laura Sanders - The Wall Street Journal
 
Want to make required withdrawals from a retirement account and do good at the same time?
Owners of individual retirement accounts can donate a total of up to $100,000 annually from their IRAs to qualified charities, such as a school, church or other group, and have the donations count toward their required minimum distribution. (Owners of traditional IRAs have to start taking distributions from their accounts after age 70½, or face a tax penalty.) 
Click for full article 

Praying Our Way Forward
What Binds us Together
NM Conference Prays April 9-15, 2017

This prayer movement is a response to the Council of Bishops initiative & the formation of the Commission on a Way Forward.  We are surrounded by a culture that focuses on what divides us. As the NM Conference, we do not deny these divisions exist, but we intend to use this prayer time to concentrate on what we have in common - What Binds us Together.  When we join in communal prayer and ask to see things as God sees them, we can better fulfill the mission of the church.  To that end, we have created a prayer vigil sign-up for the week of April 9-15th around the seven historical hours of prayer per day. If your church, community or group would like to host a special service, time of fasting & contemplation, or discussion, please contact Alli Costello, Communications Director so that we can advertise the event: alli@nmconfum.com or 505-255-8786, ext. 111.

Santa Elena Ministries Update & Mission Trip
April 3 - 8, 2017 


Emily Sannebeck Scholarship
Click for Sannebeck Scholarship Application
Wanna get Away? 
Walk in Wesley's Footsteps
November 7 - 15, 2017
 
To be able to fully appreciate the excursion, Will Steinsiek, NM Conference Archivist has volunteered to teach a study group based on Revival: Faith as Wesley Lived it -- a 6 week study by Adam Hamilton.  He will provide materials for 12 people and lead a study group for any church in the ABQ area. Contact Will at nmarchives@nmconfum.com for more information.
Bishop Itineration

Questions?  Contact Randall Partin at (505)255-8786 or randall@nmconfum.com.
Click here for the details 

Upcoming Events

February
Feb. 20-22 - Board of Ordained Ministry Meeting
March
March 3-5 - ROC & CCYM - Sacramento
March 26 - Mountainside UMC's 50th Anniversary - Bishop Preaching
April
April 9-15 - NM Conference Pray Our Way Forward Week
May
May 31-June 2 - Annual Conference, Las Cruces, NM 

Bishop's Itineration Schedule 
February 19 - Center Street-Tucumcari - 3:00 pm
March 4 - FUMC-Childress - 10:00 am
March 5 - St. Stephen's-Amarillo - 2:30 pm 
March 11 - Trinity-First-El Paso - 2:00 pm 
March 18 - FUMC-Odessa - 10:00 am 
March 19 - FUMC-Lamesa - 3:00 pm 
March 25 - St. John's-ABQ - 2:00 pm
April 2 - FUMC-Lubbock - 2:00 pm
April 8 - FUMC-Plainview - 10:00 am
April 22 - FUMC-Roswell - 2:00 pm  
May 13 - FUMC-Farmington - 10:00 am

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.