REMEMBER GOD'S PROMISES
By Superintendent Amelia Cleveland-Traylor
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“God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.”
Romans 1:2 NLT
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I really admire Mary, the mother of Jesus. I see her as a wholesome teenage girl from a small village that captures the heart of God. I totally understand her bewilderment when Gabriel approaches her with a message from God. She has found favor with God. What? She will become the mother of Jesus, the one who will be called the Son of the Most High! What? How?
Can you imagine the scandal of a pregnant unwed teenage girl in the town of Nazareth? It is the kind of scandal that is not easily forgotten. It’s the kind of scandal that brings shame to families and changes the outlook of a woman’s life forever. This was not the life she had imagined with her betrothed Joseph.
If I were in this situation, I would have a million questions but Mary had only one question. She wanted to know how God would accomplish such an incredible thing through her, a virgin. She did not ask with a heart of doubt but with one filled with curiosity and trust. Gabriel said that God would accomplish this miracle through the work of the Holy Spirit within her. She would bear the Son of God. He reassured her that “the word of God will never fail” (Luke 1:37). In essence, he reminded her that God had promised that the Messiah would come. Now that promise would be fulfilled. Mary then makes a praiseworthy statement that all devoted disciples of Christ should strive to emulate.
“I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.”
Luke 1:38 NLT
Mary declared her willingness to accept the plans of God for her life despite the obvious difficulties she would face. She accepted that the will of God does not always lead to a life of comfort, prosperity, power, or fame. Today we have the privilege of looking back at her life and celebrating the role she had in the life of Jesus. We may be tempted to gloss over the difficulties and challenges she endured but that would be shortsighted. God may be calling each of us to sacrifice our comfort, reputation, and resources to fulfill His unique mission in our lives. Let us consider how God may be calling each of us to do something noteworthy for the benefit of the kingdom. Let us consider how we can respond like Mary. Be a willing servant so that God’s will can be realized in your life. Remember all that God promises.
May the Lord bless you and your family during this holy holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
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May the joy of our Lord and Savior fill you this Christmas Season. May the new year bring you great hope and vision for bringing the Good News to your communities. Below is something that was going around social media and we wanted to share it with you. It is on the lighter side of humor. We hope you get a chuckle out of it.
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM
THE RIVER CONFERENCE STAFF
HOLIDAY EATING TIPS
- Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Holiday spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately.
- Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly, it's rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!
- If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.
- As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.
- Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Holiday party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?
- Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.
- If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.
- Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert, Labor Day?
- Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.
- One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely
in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways,
chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming
" WOO HOO what a ride!"
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Those of you who attended the Leadership Summit this past summer, saw the video that Bishop Whitehead presented on The FM Way. (click here to view). In the next five months, we will highlight one of the values that shape our identity. The information comes from the Free Methodist Way brochure and is available from FMC if you would like to include it in your New Member packets.
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Free Methodists are first and foremost a Kingdom people. Yet throughout church history God has raised up distinct movements like ours to enrich the larger body of Christ. Building on the legacies o John Wesley and B.T. Roberts, but always discerning where God is moving today, our identity is shaped by values that are both historical and aspirational. Of the many values we hold dear, these five lie at the heart of our movement. We view them as a whole, each one bringing necessary balance to the others. In a time of rising polarization in our nation, e resist the pull toward both fundamentalism and theological liberalism, - not out of a spirit of compromise, but from a radical commitment to what Wesley called "the middle way." It is a path that takes the whole gospel seriously and continually calls us to "both/and" convictions in an "either/or" world. We call it The Free Methodist Way.
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Christ-Compelled Multiplication |
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST — the message He proclaimed, the life He lived, and the ministry He modeled — set into motion a redemptive movement destined to fill the whole earth.
Jesus' approach to discipleship was primarily a relational one in which He poured His life into a few with the full expectation that they would follow His example. His aim was not merely the transmission of information, but the transformation of lives by empowering those who followed Him to do what He had been doing. His mission is now our mission. We believe this redemptive movement of multiplication applies to every believer and should permeate our Free Methodist culture at every level: the found reaching the lose, disciples making disciples, leaders developing leaders, churches planting churches, and movements birthing movements.
The Free Methodist Way is to see God's kingdom expand exponentially as ordinary people are equipped by God's power to do extraordinary things.
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RIVER INSTITUTE
REGISTRATION OPEN NOW
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If you are in need of courses to complete your credentialing requirements we have several opportunities for you.
The River Institute
The Spring Cohort begins on February 14, 2022. Registration deadline is January 24, 2022. CLICK HERE to register for the Spring Cohort. The ENROLL NOW button is at the bottom of the page.
Scholarships are available by filling out the River Institute Scholarship Application, which must be to TRC's office by January 10, 2022. Applications can be found on our web site, CLICK HERE.
Free Methodist Church
FMC compiled a list of courses offered throughout the denomination. CLICK HERE to download the document.
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Cutoff Dates for Receiving 2021 Donations |
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For Individual donors, to be included as a 2021 gift the check must be dated in 2021 and postmarked no later than December 31, 2021. Online gifts must be made no later than December 31, 2021.
Church checks that qualify as 2021 missions giving must be dated in 2021 and postmarked no later than January 7, 2022. Online gifts must be made no later than December 31, 2021.
Conference EPP postmarked by January 7, 2022, and clearly marked as 2021 EPP will be counted toward the prior year assessed amount. Electronic transfers must be initiated by January 6, 2022. Please contact Debra Hancock, 800-342-5531 ext. 232 to make arrangements to send funds electronically.
The annual giving statements for donors will be processed and sent by January 31, 2022, for 2021 gifts.
We praise God for his generous provision.
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TRC COVID-19 State Resources
Below are the websites for all the states in The River Conference that have current information on COVID-19. Stay informed. These websites have the most current information for each state. Simply click on the state and it will take you to the corresponding website.
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Be free from pride-filled opinions, for they will only harm your cherished unity. Don’t allow self-promotion to hide in your hearts, but in authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves. Abandon every display of selfishness. Possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests.
Phil 2:3-4 TPT
As physicians and superintendents, we have been carefully observing the trends for COVID-19 including the rates of new cases, rates of vaccinations, detection of new variants, and public health responses. The pandemic is entering its third year, and within that time we have had tremendous social, political, and economic stresses that were all compounded by the anxiety invoked by the pandemic itself. Each region in The River Conference has been affected and we have experienced significant suffering and death due to COVID-19. However, COVID did not sneak up on God and despite adapting to "the new normal", the kingdom of God continues to expand.
Below are some guidelines regarding operations and activities in future surges in COVID. We recognize that the discussion of COVID has been highly politicized, and as a result has become controversial. However, it is one of the greatest health threats of our time. We feel that we are particularly positioned to offer you guidelines that are based upon the best science seen through the lens of Scripture. The Apostle Paul told the church at Philippi to "Be free from pride-filled opinion" and to "possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests." This means putting aside well-meaning politicized opinions and conspiracies, while re-focusing on blessing your communities.
- Develop and articulate an approach to an anticipated community surge that focuses on how your church will be a blessing to your entire community during the surge. a) Determine opportunities for ministry that become evident during a COVID surge. b) Cultivate community-based collaborations that would bless the community. c) Consider using a neighbor centered approach in your COVID strategy.
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There will be surges of COVID in your community this winter. It could be as simple as a small increase in isolated high-risk communities or devastatingly contagious spread that leaves no family unaffected. Please plan accordingly. Here are things that you can do: a) Promote vaccinations for those eligible. Public health data, both nationally and globally, have found that communities with higher immunization rates have lower degrees of sickness and death due to COVID. We know that no vaccine is perfectly effective and side-effect free, but those who are vaccinated and have break-through infections are rarely hospitalized and have significantly fewer symptoms. Treat this vaccine like vaccines that stopped or greatly reduced polio, smallpox, measles, tetanus, and whooping cough. All imperfect vaccines, but effective in reducing illness. b) Promote online worship and small groups for members who are at a higher risk for complications from COVID even if you are still having in-person worship and small groups if COVID levels begin to surge. c) Develop a relationship with your local public health officials and take their recommendations seriously regarding restrictions for gathering or suspension of high-risk behaviors such as singing without mask inside during epidemic periods.
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Avoid using language that politicizes the infection, those who have it, or vaccinations. a) "Faith over Fear" type slogans are insulting to the thousands of people of good faith who have suffered from COVID. Additionally, "faith over fear" unintentionally develops a culture where members reject potentially lifesaving preventative measures because they do not want to appear to have weak faith. b) Pursuing widely unsupported treatments in lieu of recommended preventative and treatment measures puts everyone at increased risk of significant illness. c) Giving medical opinions from the pulpit, other than reinforcing public health recommendations should be avoided. That includes "Dr X in our congregation believes in using XYZ for prevention or treatment" unless that treatment is publicly supported by local public health officials.
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Adopt language that describes the church, and its ministries as a part of the solution to limit and end the pandemic. Examples include: a) Championing a prayer movement. b) Adopting a hospital unit, school, or nursing home and bath it with prayer. c) Operating a mobile pantry for families with food shortages due to COVID. d) Cooperating with local public health officials to offer vaccines or testing at your facilities. e) Tell stories of healing and suffering. Both are occurring and God is involved in each case.
We are praying for each church to allow the light of Christ show no matter what kind of darkness appears. Lastly,
“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart… Live wisely among those who are not believers and make the most of every opportunity.” Col 4:2,4 NLT
Blessings,
Supt Michael Traylor
Supt Amelia Cleveland-Traylor
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PRECAUSTION - Identify the liability in your property
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From time to time we see articles and newsletters that pertain to TRC churches and share them with you. Please take the time to read the attached file.
PRECAUSTION - Identify the liability in your property It’s a cautionary tale that Jonathon Norton likes to tell customers. Not to scare them, but to give them a reason to listen and take action.
Norton is an agent with American Church Group of Utah. The story he tells takes place at a church in his area. One icy evening, the church rented out space to an unaffiliated group for a meeting. When Norton got the call that someone fell in the parking lot, he started to jot down notes. After inquiring about the person’s condition and details of the fall, he asked, “Did you salt the entryway? Did the group sign a facilities agreement? Did they give you a certificate of insurance?”
The answer was no — to all of it — leaving the church potentially vulnerable. READ MORE
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TRC signed up to take advantage of Amazon.com's "give back" campaign. Amazon Smile is a program where you can designate a charity to receive a percentage of any purchase made on Amazon.com.
If you buy things off Amazon, please consider designating TRC as your charity. How to get started:
www.smile.amazon.com - find The River Conference of the Free Methodist Church, Lakewood, CO on the charity list, select it. Now every time you order something from Amazon, you must enter through the smile.amazon.com website, you'll see what charity you're supporting in red letters. Then start shopping. Amazon will automatically deposit donations into our checking account.
If you buy things off Amazon, please consider designating TRC as your charity.
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TRC DISTRICT LEADERS
ARIZONA
BOISE
COLORADO/NEW MEXICO/SOUTH DAKOTA
NORTH TEXAS
SOUTH TEXAS
SPOKANE
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Upcoming TRC Committee Meetings
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
MAC Monthly Video Conference
Thursday, January 6, 2022
MEG Monthly Video Conference
Thursday, January 13, 2022
Property Team Monthly Video Conference
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Finance Team Monthly Video Conference
Thursday, January 20, 2022
Board of Directors Monthly Video Conference
Tuesday, January 25, 2022
District Leaders Monthly Video Conference
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HEY Free Methodist Youth Workers! |
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I hope you’ve heard, FMYC 2022 is happening! We’ll gather on the campus of Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, Colorado June 27-July 1, 2022.
FMYC (Free Methodist Youth Conference) is a week-long event designed for your high school students. (Bringing Middle School students is up to the discretion of the Youth Worker. But again – please know that the event is programmed with high school students in mind.)
The Scriptures tell us that followers of Jesus are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession…” (1 Peter 2:9). We are Marked. Our identity is in Jesus. This next Summer we’ll spend a week together in Colorado, looking at what this means!
On our website you’ll find:
* Promotional material
* Program information
* FAQ & Contact information
We've also encouraged each conference to help with the transportation costs for groups attending FMYC’22. Make sure you contact your local Superintendent for more information!
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Click HERE to hear a message from the Bishops regarding the upcoming conference
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Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy is made up of a group of likeminded denominations who ordain women and promote a biblically-based theology and practice of women in ministry. WHWC’s biennial conference, called E2022, is being held March 10-12, 2022 in Grapevine, Texas. Women who are elders, CMC’s, leading laypersons, students or others exploring a call to ministry or seeking to understand our position on the role of women in the church are encouraged to attend. Men are also welcome—whether husbands, colleagues, superintendents or others looking for an uplifting event featuring excellent women preachers, workshops and fellowship.
AND… “WELL2022” is a Free Methodist women-only event on the day before the conference at the same location. This all-expenses-paid event begins at 1 PM on March 9 and ends at noon on March 10. Women will spend time getting to know other Free Methodist women in ministry and celebrating what God is doing in our denomination—for instance, we now have 571 ordained women, two female superintendents, a female bishop and hundreds of women serving in denominational or conference leadership positions. At this pre-conference event, we will also have time to explore concerns that can be heard together and communicated to denominational leaders to address our acknowledged “room for improvement” reality.
For both WELL and E2022:
If you have already registered for E2022, you can still add on WELL to your registration. Don't use the links above, just email or call Callie Darling, our event services manager
phone 972 724 5184.
P.S. If you are a pastor’s husband or a man in leadership who plans to attend WHWC and would be interested in a gathering of FM men during WELL, contact Soo Ji Alvarez.
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Find out what is happening around the Free Methodist Church. Click below to view the respective newsletters |
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