The Kerusso – October | 2018 Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
EMC’s 2018 Pastor’s Summit (USA Conference) In early August of this year, our newly elected International General Superintendent, Max Edwards, and the USA Cabinet of Superintendents invited credential holders across the US to respond to several key questions: •
Reflecting on your time in the EMC, what is something that has been the most meaningful to you?
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What is something the denomination has done that you'd like to see us do more often?
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What would you say is our greatest need?
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What would you like the EMC to be most passionate about?
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Thanks for considering these structured questions. Is there anything else you'd like to share?
The goal in seeking this feedback was to gain an understanding of where our greatest efforts might be applied in order to stimulate growth and development as a conference. Pastor Max felt a clear leading to invite a cross-section of pastors from around the country to gather to process the responses. Pastors from our nine largest USA church families came, and they were asked to invite a pastor from a smaller church to come with them. 18 pastors from 10 states representing nearly ¾ of our conference membership came to the Heritage Learning Center on August 16 th to meet together for a day to process the responses, and to collaboratively determine our best courses of action. Of the 5 questions asked in the survey, perhaps the most telling were the answers to the second: “What is something the denomination has done that you’d like to see us do more often?” The conclusion of a rich and healthy discussion was that our Superintendents would look to the future with these five priorities in their ministry to the churches and pastors across the US: 1. Localized Journey Meetings 2. Pastor’s Schools and Training 3. Retreats 4. Planting Churches 5. Meaningful Contact with the Superintendents In immediate response to the first priority, the Cabinet of Superintendents proposed to General Council on September 13 th that we host four “Journey” meetings in 2019. The Discipline ¶402 reads, “There shall be at least one Journey session in the districts in each non-General Conference year. The districts may have a joint Journey session.” One of the primary goals of having more meeting locations is so that most people will be able to drive to them rather than have to pay the expense to fly. We are trusting that this will enable more pastors to come, as well as encouraging them to bring more lay people with them to the annual meeting. The four locations and dates for USA Journey meetings in 2019 are: • • • •
Arizona City EMC, Arizona City, AZ | January 10-11 (all day) Refuge Ministries EMC, Copperas Cove, TX | March 19-20 (all day) Kingdom EMC, Westover, WV | May 7-8 (all day) Crossroads Community Church, Nampa, ID | May 20-22 (begins with dinner on the 20 th – concludes at noon the 22nd)
The Kerusso – October | 2018
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Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
USA National Youth Rally The Board of Youth and Children’s Ministries is excited to sponsor and host the EMC National Youth Rally next month. The Rally will be November 2nd-3rd, 2018 and will be held at three locations. The primary host site is Kingdom EMC, 540 Fairmont Road, Westover, WV. Satellite locations are Riverside EMC, 1920 Lucas Street, Salem, VA and Grace EMC, 4740 Western Center Blvd, Haltom City, TX. The theme for this year’s National Youth Rally is “COME ALIVE.” We look for great things, trusting God to inspire, equip, and call students to step up in leadership in their local youth groups and churches. For more information and to register at the location you would like to attend, click the corresponding link below. You will find links on each site to download flyers and a Rally schedule as well as register your group. If you need further information or assistance, please email Pastor Brian Gordon at: bgordon@riversideemc.org. Kingdom EMC, Westover, WV http://www.theedgeatkingdom.com/2017-fall-rally/ Riverside EMC, Salem, VA www.riversideemc.org/youthrally/ Grace EMC, Haltom City, TX www.graceisgreat.com
General Council Report Last month, many of you lifted the EMC’s General Council meetings to the Lord, and your prayers were heard and answered. Council members from around the world came together to share, as well as to confer about upcoming opportunities. In addition to approving four USA Journey meetings for 2019 as noted in the Pastor’s Summit article, the Council also acted to approve a proposed reorganization of the USA Conference into eight geographically-based regions that we hope will foster greater connection between them. The Conference Superintendents will be sharing more about this development in the Annual Church Conference meetings as they travel about the US between now and January. Globally, General Superintendents from our Asia-Pacific, CFAN, Myanmar, and Mexico Conferences each shared progress reports and missional goals. The General Board of World Missions (GBWM) has proposed that our Annual November Missions Offering be expanded in a way that encourages churches to invite their members to give a sacrificial offering more than once a year, leaving the exact timing up to the churches, but encouraging a November Missions offering as well as a Spring (Easter season) offering. Additionally, each Journey meeting in the US will be promoting and receiving a special mission offering to be included in that total annual collection. Last year’s November offering totaled over $8,000, for which we are thankful, but in some former years that number has been much higher, up in the tens-of-thousands of dollars. The Council also approved the GBWM’s plan to distribute the offering evenly across our four global conferences, toward a particular project in each conference. More information will be forthcoming when the board has finished its promotional materials for the offerings.
The Kerusso – October | 2018
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Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done
USA Conference Superintendents’ Regional Assignments One of the actions of General Council in September was to approve the recommendation of the Cabinet of Superintendents to reorganize the USA Churches into eight geographically-based and named regions, instead of the previous structure of fifteen numbered regions. Moving forward, the Superintendents will be working hard to connect the pastors and churches in these regions, using electronic means of communication, as well as face-to-face meetings such as future Journey conferences and other special retreats and gatherings. As you can see in the map pictured here, the eight regions are geographically named, and a helpful distinction should be made: in terms of the structures described in the Discipline, these are not “Districts,” they are “Regions.” At present, there is technically only one District in the USA Conference, and these are the regions within that District. The three black asterisks in Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Missouri represent where the three elected Superintendents reside. Superintendent Brian Hammond will be overseeing the Northeast, Mideast, and Midwest regions. Superintendent Kevin Brouillette will be overseeing the Southeast, and Heartland regions. Superintendent Wes Mackey will be overseeing the South Texas, Northwest, and Southwest regions.
Greetings Ladies! We would love for you to mark your calendars for the 11th of each month.
This is our EMW Wear Blue Day Sunday, November 11th is Wear Blue Sunday
This is to bring awareness to Human Trafficking, so help us get the word out! Our hearts, our prayers, and our concern are with those who have been affected by Hurricane Florence, and for those in the flood path of the storms that swept through the heart of our country the 3rd week of September. We also have information regarding one pastor and family who were rescued as their home was devasted, and their belongings swept away, by an unrelated flash flood in Texas. You can give through the Evangelical Methodist Church’s designated Disaster Relief Fund. You can give online, or by writing a check marked: England-Disaster-Relief. Checks should be sent to EMC Headquarters at P. O. Box 17070, Indianapolis IN, 46217. If you prefer, a Go Fund Me page has been set up by friends of the England family. You can find it by clicking here: Englands GoFundMe Lastly, please let us know what you have going on in your EMW group or happenings around your church. You may send any pictures, news, and information to: Kelly.davis380@gmail.com. May our Lord’s blessings be poured out and fill you to overflowing. 1 Corinthians 3:9a
Thanks for reading! “May the Lord bless you and keep you . . .”
Numbers 6:24