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Capitol Area South District
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Weekly Updates, March 3, 2017
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A Bias Opinion
Another Lenten journey began this week (Ash Wednesday). A
forty-day journey of spiritual reflection. A time set aside to call to the present and to reflect upon God's redemptive work in our individual lives as well as
in the world. One thought I have is that the Lenten Season is a time to
prepare inwardly to express outwardly our loyalty to Jesus.
So part
of this journey focuses upon the inner soundness of our spiritual lives. The journey begins with t
hese words:
"Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding.
"When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure-'play-actors' I call them-treating prayer meetings and street corners alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it-quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?
"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
Matthew 6:1-6 (The Message)
Often when my thoughts turn to what is wrong in today's world and who needs changing, I consider first the terrorists, the bigoted, Wall Street inside traders, political hackers, religious extremists, and others made notorious for their broad and well-publicized wrongdoing.
But Jesus is
speaking to me and to you, his followers. The word spoken here is for those of us who consider ourselves faithful. We need cleansing and changing. The subtlety of our ways is displeasing to God.
I know we do not intentionally call attention to ourselves, yet we like to be recognized. We don't take our posts in front of our church buildings
to loudly proclaim our prayers, but we do use our prayers as instruments to leverage people. I have to confess that I cannot escape the probing judgment of Jesus's
words. I need help in keeping my focus upon what is most important.
The journey begins with an examination of our inner lives. Yet, even starting there misses the point. Jesus and the cross come first. It is Christ himself to whom we look and it is upon him that we set our spiritual attention.
Come, let's journey together through this season of Lent. Let's journey together to the Cross. Let us gather together at the tomb. Let this Lenten Season be a transforming experience in our lives.
O God, we want to be prepared inwardly to express outwardly our loyalty to you. By your grace give us the faith to examine ourselves in the light of your desires for us and our living in the world. We offer ourselves to this Lenten journey in the name of Jesus. Amen
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Special speaker after lunch will be the Rev. Bill Koppert, President of the West Ohio Conference Retired Pastors Association.
Bill and Emma Lee Tolliver are compiling a photo directory of our Central Ohio group and will have a camera to take your photo if you'd like to be included in the directory and receive a copy. Or you can hand or email them a photo if you prefer. Their address: elt1000@aol.com .
Invite other retirees and spouses to the luncheon. It's a relaxing and enjoyable time of fellowship. Go through the cafeteria line then bring your meal to the separate dining room that is visibly adjacent to the main dining room.
Philip Brooks
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Lay Members At-Large to Annual Conference
Every year each District has a number of openings for the election of additional lay members to the Annual Conference. These additional lay members come from the heart of our United Methodist congregations. We invite you, the laity in our churches to consider offering your name to represent our District at Annual Conference. Our goal is to have a diverse group of individuals to represent our district. This means that we will do our best to be diverse in respect to ethnicity, age, demographic context (rural, urban, suburban, small membership church, large membership church) and more. If you are interested in serving in this capacity please contact the district office at
capitolareasouth.org f
or more information or to be placed on the list for consideration.
If you have previously served in this capacity, please contact us to register your continued interest in serving.
For those of you who have already responded, THANK YOU!!
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UMCM 2017 Grant Funds A
vailable !!
If you missed out on the fall 2016 grant application cycle, you may be in luck. United Methodist Community Ministries still has a limited amount of 2017 Local Church and Ministry Partnership grants funds available. Applications can be found on the website at
https://umcommin.org, and are due in the District offices by April 3, 2017. Site visits will take place in April, and the Local Outreach Committee will review and award funds in May with Board approval on May 24, 2017. Grant disbursements will be July 1 and Oct 1. Please call Karen Cook at 614-228-1010, or email her at
kcook@wocumc.org with questions.
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Employment Opportunities In Our District
Intern for Youth Group and Music/Worship Leadership
Chatham Charge UMC is searching for a dynamic musically inclined individual to assist with their weekly Wednesday afternoon youth group as well as...
more
Church Accompanist
Maple Street United Methodist Church in Lancaster, Ohio is in search of an accompanist for piano (mostly) and organ (occasionally). This paid position could start...
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
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* Free Singer Piano *
A
ntique upright Singer piano with a rich history, available for FREE to a Capitol Area District Church who will continue to love it. Located in Dublin in a ground floor apartment, must be moved out by the church before March 31. Contact Jerry Stine @ 614-441-5470.
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Spring 2017 Lay Servant Ministries Courses:
Are you ready to answer God's calling for you as a lay servant leader? Look in the West Ohio Conference's recent
EQUIP resource catalog for upcoming courses! You can take courses offered in any District. You may also take courses online
here
March 31 and April 1, 2017 at Marysville First UMC
April 1, 2017 at Marysville First UMC
Friday, April 21, 2017 - 6:30pm
to
Saturday, April 22, 2017 - 5:00pm
Saturday, April 22 and 29, 2017 - 8:30am to 5:00pm at Hebron UMC
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Benefit Concert to Raise Funds for Schools in African Refugee Camps - March 12th.
Watoto Read invites you to join us on Sunday, March 12, 3:00-4:30 p.m., at Scioto Ridge UMC, 4343 Dublin Rd., Hilliard. Six artists will perform, including Keith Larson, TJ George, Eric Gnezda, Donna Mogavero, Teri Gray, and Jasey Schnaars.
Donations will be accepted.
All proceeds will fund the construction and furnishing of classrooms in refugee camps in Chad, "home" to over 300,000 refugees from the Darfur region of Sudan. For more information visit
here. For the concert publicity flyer visit
here.
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NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP MINISTRY INTERN
It is with great pleasure that we announce the opening of the
Next Generations Leadership Ministry Intern Application process. Since its inception, the Next Generations Leadership Ministry Interns have been able to discern calls to Ministry and Service in a variety of ways.
The pay for the Internship is $4600.00 during the summer, starting May 21 and ending August 7. Internship placements are with engaging local churches throughout the West Ohio Conference and include trips to local Ohio Seminaries as well as those on the East Coast and in the Southern part of the United States. Applicants must be college students who are available for the duration of the Internship.
Please encourage students who have expressed a desire to explore a call to ministry and/or service to apply at
www.westohioumc.org. The Application Deadline is March 29, 2017. For questions, please email Rev. Donnetta Peaks (
dpeaks@wocumc.org) or call 614-505-7334, 314.
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Madison County Coffee with UM Community Ministries
Church pastors and laity are invited for a time of coffee and conversation around visioning for mission and ministry in your area, and how Capitol Area Community Ministries can partner with you!
We welcome everyone to join us for this informal time of visioning and dreaming. We will be joined by special guest Sharon Ware, Assistant Impact Director for the United Way
Tuesday, March 21 at 10:30 am at the London Coffee Peddler, 127 S. Main St., London, 614-578-1040
Map
Contact Rev. Karen Cook, Director, Capitol Area Community Ministries, with any questions,
kcook@wocumc.org, 614-222-0602.
Date:
03/21/2017 (Tue.)Time:
10:30am - 12:00pm ESTLocation:
London Coffee Peddler, 127 S. Main St., London OH Sign up here
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Coming
April 4th & 5th 2017
The Capitol Area South District and Christ United Methodist Church
Featuring: Telley Lynnette Gadson
National Preacher of Preachers
Stand Still & Take Your Position in Christ
"
A T
ime
o
f
S
piritual
R
estoration
a
nd
R
evival"
1480 Zettler Road, Columbus
Tuesday, April 4th @ 7:00 pm -
R
estoration and
R
evival
Wednesday, April 5th @ 6:30 pm - Fellowship Meal
(reservation required for the meal)
7:15pm -
R
estoration and
R
evival
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Academy Registration Is Now Open!
NCJ Volunteer Leadership Academy
Camp Warren,
4225 Camp Warren Lane, Decatur, IL
April 27-30, 2017
Mark these dates on your calendar!
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Dates: June 12-17, 2017
The purpose of the EXPLORE Institute at Ohio Wesleyan University is to provide rising high school juniors and seniors with six days of an academically-solid, spiritually-grounded foundation for discernment of God's calling for their life journey.
Learn More.
...
LIVE YOUR FAITH
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NEW in 2017!
West Ohio Conference "Traction Tracks"
T
o help your congregation gain traction and begin to move forward towards new vitality!
West Ohio's Missional Church Consultation Initiative (MCCI), a focused training/coaching/resourcing initiative of the Episcopal office and cabinet that has included several dozen congregations and pastors over the last six years, has identified a number of key components that we've seen can provide a congregation of any size and setting
with a dose of traction to begin to move ahead in vitality.
Read more
To find events in Equip and register your team
C
lick here
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Praying together with you, in Christ's name, for the unleashing of God possibilities beyond imagination in and through all of our congregations--
Rev. Sue Nilson Kibbey
Director, Office of Missional Church Development
West Ohio Conference
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Visit our website to find:
Classifieds, Calendar, Resources and more!
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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.
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