February 2021 Pastors Letter

Noteworthy

Budget Information

To view the latest update of the 2020-2021 Budget Schedule, you can CLICK HERE

Fuel 2021: I am with you ALWAYS

In the midst of this difficult season, people are longing for real connection. If you would like to bring your team and experience FUEL in a safe environment with other leaders and still have the information for viewing later, you can join together with everyone at New Covenant! Youth and Children's Pastors, bring your leaders and any volunteers!

FUEL 2021!

February 20, 2021

9:30AM - 3PM

New Covenant Church

4708 Alliance Church Rd.

Pleasant Garden, NC 27313

Cost: $20 *Payment taken in cash or check the day of.

Breakfast and Lunch Included.

If you are unable to attend in person, you download the content to watch from your home, by clicking the yellow link. However, we hope you will opt to join in person for fellowship and round table discussions.

It's time to start planning for Lent and the upcoming Easter season. Ash Wednesday is February 17, 2021 this year and Easter is Sunday, April 4, 2021. There are many resources available to help you prepare your heart and the hearts of your congregation for the upcoming season and to focus on the sacrifice made for the atonement of our sin, so that we may have eternal life with Christ.

You may CLICK HERE to view those resources and begin planning.

Free Downloads of the ECFA’s 2021 Tax Guide Books

Our General Treasurer has provided the below three links, which contain important tax information for your church and for pastors. These books, originally prepared by Dan Busby and updated for nearly 30 years, are now available as a free download. There also links to some excellent videos based on various topics covered in the downloads. We hope you find them useful.

Nonprofit and Church link: https://www.ecfa.org/TaxBooks/ChurchNPGuide.aspx

Minister Tax Guide: https://www.ecfa.org/TaxBooks/MinistersGuide.aspx

Video Page: https://www.ecfa.org/TaxBooks/Videos.aspx

Recruitment of vulnerable children and adults for sex and other forms of trafficking happens in all our communities. Youth who have experienced trauma, foster youth in unstable or group home situations, and those who have aged out of the system without a permanent family are particularly vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers. But there is hope! Local churches and Christians, often in partnership with local organizations, can be a powerful force for prevention as well as rescue and restoration, for those whose lives have been ensnared by human trafficking. Using the insights of several Wesleyan pastors who work in the area of anti-trafficking ministry every day, Hephzibah62:4 has developed this simple one-page resource to help church leaders and congregants increase their awareness and hands-on involvement in anti-trafficking efforts.

Resources

With the ongoing effects of the pandemic on churches and pastors, Kingswood University wanted to do something to help.

Dr. Steve Lennox, President of Kingswood University and his team, created a Google Drive "care package" containing several free resources to churches and pastors. The resource package includes the following as sent to us from Dr. Lennox. We hope you will utilize the offerings:

Sermons: We've recorded two sermons which churches can use to provide a respite for those preaching. We plan to provide more sermons in the coming weeks.
Greeting and update: We have included a brief video update on how God has been working at Kingswood University during the past 10 months. Churches deserve to know how we're stewarding their investment.
Free classes: Pastors may welcome the opportunity to sit in on a virtual class session to learn more about a topic of interest. The care package contains a list of classes and syllabi for those classes. Anyone interested can contact our Registrar for more information or to register ([email protected] or 506-432-4406).
Seminar on Personal Wellness: We've provided a video file to a seminar presented by Dr. Allen Lee, Professor of Christian Counselling at Kingswood University
Youth group: Seasoned youth speakers, Shaun Miller and Zach Painter, are happy to lead a virtual youth service for an evening. Anyone interested should contact [email protected].

Here is the link to the Care Package:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HLh4ceNYawt8YGDXkCXjyM0iyEfMHanZ?usp=sharing

We pray these resources help lift the load for churches or pastors in challenging times. If anyone has questions, they can contact me at [email protected].

Wesleyan Pension Fund (WPF) is beginning a monthly emailing to hopefully assist with questions you might have about WPF. This email can be forwarded those who handle your staff pensions (Financial Admins, HR Directors, Treasurers, Accountants, Payroll personnel, Bookkeepers, Secretaries, Volunteers, etc.).

The topics we plan to touch on this year are: WPF Basics and Terms, Enrollments, the Online Payment System, Group Long-Term Disability and Life Insurances, Employer and Employee Contributions, Housing Allowance, Investment Portfolios/WIF Option, Beneficiary information, Rollovers, Required Minimum Distributions and Accessing your funds/types of distributions.

If you are not receiving the emails and would like to, you may be added to the distribution list by contacting WPF at the information below. In the meantime, you can CLICK HERE to read the January Email.

DEBRA LEVITE

DIRECTOR OF BENEFITS

WESLEYAN PENSION FUND INC

P: 317.774.3954 T: 800.595.4131 F: 317.774.3955

wesleyanpensionfund.com — [email protected]

Discipleship Opportunities

Discipleship Focus Through Reading

Below is a list of books that some from headquarters are reading. You might find them helpful in your discipleship ministry.

A book from Discipleship leader, Kim Gladden:

1. The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus by Rich Villodas

Two books Wayne Schmidt is currently reading:

1. Future Church by William Mancini and Cory Hartman

2. A Stained Beauty: The Church Ancient and Present by John Stumbo

Three books David Drury is currently reading:

1. Contagious Disciple Making by David Watson and Paul Watson

2. A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

3. The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Four books Anita Eastlack is currently reading:

1. Reappearing Church: The Hope for Renewal in the Rise of Our Post-Christian Culture by Mark Sayers

2. Contextual Intelligence: Unlocking the Ancient Secret to Mission on the Front Lines by Leonard Sweet and Michael Beck

3. Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison

4. Hinds Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard (reading again)

Five books selected from the discipleship recommended reading list from Bobby Harrington, Point Leader, Discipleship.org

1. Disciple-Making Culture: Cultivate Thriving Disciple-Makers Throughout Your Church by Brandon Guindon

2. Deep Discipleship by J. T. English

3. Replicate: How to Create a Culture of Disciple-Making Right Where You Are by Robby Gallaty and Chris Swain

4. The Great Opportunity by Dave Buehring

5. The Cost of Cheap Grace: Reclaiming the Value of Discipleship by Bill Hull and Brandon Cook

Events

Save the date for Camp! We are planning an awesome camp for this coming year! DO NOT miss it! We can't wait to see you!

Save the date for an awesome Kids Camp! more details will follow about the camp. We look forward to seeing your kids this year!

RADIANT GIRLS

SAVE THE DATE

April 23-25, 2021

Cost: $95 - Register by March 31- No late registrations!

Please note the change to payment processing this year. All payments must be made through the church and by church checks. All church checks must be mailed in by 4/7.

Mail to: Radiant Girls Retreat

PO Box 368, Seagrove, NC 27341

Mark your calendars for Follow 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 28th - 30th. For email updates, go to: followconference.org.

For Your Calendar

February, 2021

17 : Ash Wednesday

19 - 20 : Fuel 2021

March, 2021

April, 2021

4 : Easter Sunday

23 - 25 : Radiant Girls Retreat

*30 : End of District Conference Year

May 2021

**15 - Reports due in the district office. *Please note date change voted by DBA at 6-23-20 mtg. Prepare ACCORDINGLY!

JUNE 2021

6 - 9 : General Conference (Rescheduled)

21 - 23 : Annual District Conference - Ridgecrest

JULY 2021

5 - 10 : Youth Camp (Grade level TBA)

12 - 17 : Youth Camp (Grade level TBA)

GENERAL CONFERENCE

MAY 22 - 25, 2022

Several of our Hispanic Ministries are looking for good, reliable, used vans. If you have one or know of a good resource, please contact the district office with the information.