Stories of Faith 2023

2023 In Review

STORIES

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FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Aimee Yeager

Graphic made by Aimee Yeager

THIS IS OUR STORY; HOPE As we gather once again in the pages of our annual magazine, I find myself reflecting back to the incredible spirit of unity, connection, and worship that enveloped us during the Western North Carolina Annual Conference in June. It was certainly a powerful testament to the strength and resilience of our community!

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In this year’s magazine, we utilize the theme of 2023 Annual Conference. In the theme "Grace.

Connection. Holiness.," we find not just words but a reflection of the journey we've collectively undertaken throughout the year.

2023 has brought its share of challenges and heartaches, but in the midst of it all, the light

of God's grace and love has shone brightly through the stories of our Conference and the ministries of our local churches. The commitment of faithful United Methodists to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, has never been more evident to me than it has been through all the highs and lows of this year.

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As we enter 2024, we celebrate that we are a diverse connection, comprising 643 local churches, 190 Fresh Expressions of Church, 17 emerging communities, 15 campus ministries, 10 new church plants, 4 retirement communities, and 4 camps. Each one of these entities plays a unique role in our shared mission; and together, we are an undeniable glimpse of the Kingdom of God on earth. It's a testament to the strength of our connection that, even in the face of loss, we stand together as a united force bringing the love of Jesus to our local communities.

The pain we've felt this past year is not ignored or dismissed; it's acknowledged with empathy and shared compassion.

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FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Aimee Yeager Yet, in this acknowledgment, we find the resilience to look forward with hope.

Our collective journey toward holiness is not just an aspiration but a lived reality, as we navigate the opportunities before us hand in hand. This year, we get to welcome the world to Charlotte as we host General Conference! I hope you will make every effort to join us as we seek to offer true North Carolina hospitality to all our guests!

I want to express my deepest gratitude to each member of The United Methodist Church in Western North Carolina. Your commitment to faithfully living out your call to create disciples is a beacon of hope for our community and beyond.

Bishop McClesky and Northern Piedmont District Superintendent Bev Coppley pause for a selfie during Annual Conference 2023 Photo by Rev. Mark Barden

Rev. Juan Julio Paredes wins the Harry Denman Award for clergy during the 2023 Annual Conference.

Photo by Rev. Mark Barden

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FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Aimee Yeager

It is through your dedication and unwavering spirit that we continue to make a positive impact in the lives of those we serve.

As we turn the pages of this magazine, may the stories within remind us of the grace that sustains us, the connections that strengthen us, and the holiness that guides us.

Together, we move forward with hope, knowing that our collective journey is a testament to the enduring power of faith, love, and community.

In Unity & Hope,

Aimee Yeager My sincere thanks go to Associate Director of Communications, Lindsay Hampton.

Lindsay, this magazine would not exist without your hard work and creative passions. You are a true gift to our conference. Thank you!!

Behind the scenes shot of the virtual special session of the WNC Annual Conference in May 2023.

Photo by Aimee Yeager

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Bishop Carter gathers with leaders from the Northern Piedmont District during his 2023 Journey Across the Conference.

Photo by Aimee Yeager

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Vital UMC, Lighthouse, & Duke Endowment

BY AIMEE YEAGER DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

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Rev. Dana McKim poses in front of First UMC, Morganton, a Lighthouse Congregation!

Photo by Rev. Dana McKim

In 2023, the Western North Carolina Conference faced the challenges of disaffiliations and a changing climate with loads of innovative ministries! Two of the most exciting new ministries to come from this year were the commissioning of 118 Lighthouse Congregations and 18 Emerging Community Pastors.

“The Lighthouse churches are safe places, literally sanctuaries for those who may have lost their churches through votes of disaffiliation or been harmed by previous experience of church,” shared Bishop Ken Carter, resident bishop for the Western North Carolina Conference.

During Annual Conference 2023, we celebrated a Duke Endowment grant of $5.25 million over the next five years to reinvest in areas of disaffiliation with a commitment not to abandon our members in these areas.

For areas that will be left without a United Methodist presence nearby, we sent forth a new cadre of emerging community pastors who will serve them.

These emerging community pastors are appointed not to existing churches, but to a community or geographic area. This new initiative harkens back to the origins of United Methodist movement in the United States and the original “circuit riders.”

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Photos from Advent Coloring at Cabella’s coffee shop, a ministry of the Lakeshore Collective, an emerging community.

Photos by Rev. Amy Vaughn

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“These community pastors,” said Bishop Carter, “are assigned to areas and not to existing churches. They are a rediscovery of the circuit riders in early Methodism who shared the gospel with all people, and not only those who gathered in church buildings.”

In the podcasts and stories on the following pages, you will learn more about these welcoming and evangelizing initiatives and the impact they are having in the cities across western North Carolina.

Emerging Community Pastors commissioned at the 2023 Western North Carolina Annual Conference.

Photo by Lindsay Hampton

Means Of Grace: What Does it Mean to be a Vital, Healthy United Methodist Church in 2023?

In this episode, Director of Church Development, Rev. Rob Hutchinson, sits down with Bishop Ken Carter to discuss what it means to be a vital, healthy United Methodist Church in our current context.

They chat about programming vs. discipleship, the importance of being in the community, and the vision for the newly commissioned Emerging Community Pastors in the Western NC Conference.

MOG Vital UMC Embed

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Emerging Communities

BY REV. ROB HUTCHINSON WNCC DIRECTOR OF CHURCH DEVELOPMENT

“Emerging” (i-ˈmər-jiŋ): to become known, to come into being One Sunday morning, a woman walks into a bar and encounters “Beers and Carols” being hosted by Grace Junction, a new Emerging Faith Community in the East Mecklenburg area. This is the conversation that ensues: Woman to the manager: Is this church legit?

Manager: Yep, they meet here every Sunday.

Woman: That's a church I could be interested in!

Amid a transitional yet transformative era for faith communities, the Western North Carolina Conference began forming Emerging Faith Communities (EFCs) in July 2023. Catalyzed by a generous grant from The Duke Endowment, this new movement started as a response to the significant challenges presented by the season of church disaffiliation. Eighteen Emerging Community Pastors (ECPs) were appointed to 17 different projects throughout the Conference and commissioned during the 2023 WNC Annual Conference at Lake Junaluska.

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While experimenting with the role of a “Modern Day Circuit Rider,” Emerging Community Pastors are approaching their appointed communities by exploring the question, "What does it look like to cultivate and lead a healthy, vital United Methodist spiritual movement in this particular region?" As they discern the answer to this question, they will explore, nurture, and generate creative opportunities to form new expressions of UM faith communities.

They may form into a myriad of faith communities that might look like house church networks, Fresh Expressions, digital faith communities, collaborative parishes, multiple congregations using the same physical space, collaborative congregations with other denominations, various types of hybrid worship communities, contextual networks, and perhaps other creative expressions of church that have yet to be discovered.

Graphic made by Lindsay Hampton

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Regardless of how they form, each will ultimately include the basic elements of church: regular worship and sacraments, intentional discipleship, loving service with their community, and Koinonia fellowship.

It's an inexact process, on purpose.

There is no secret formula for starting new faith communities. The only consistent practice is to look and listen for the places, spaces, and people where the Spirit is already at work – and join with those movements.

Dr. Elaine Heath describes it this way: “Show up, pay attention, cooperate with the Spirit, and then release the outcome.”

Rev. Angela Burris describes her EC, Grace Junction, beginning this way: “The first person I met on this new endeavor was a Starbucks barista. I had a t-shirt with a rainbow and the words, ’THIS PASTOR LOVES YOU.’ I introduced myself as a new UMC pastor in the area.

She went on to tell me her mom was really religious and wanted her to go to church with her all the time, but she didn't like to go...especially when they preached against who she is. We exchanged numbers, and I promised to keep her updated on Grace Junction gatherings.

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When I texted a small group of people about our first meeting, she expressed her regrets of not being able to attend because she would be having a baby. I didn't even know she was pregnant! I asked how I could help, and she replied, ‘I'm just glad I have a community of people like me to help raise this baby.’

Our relationship was solely digital until a Faith & Art event in December, where she brought her new baby, partner & mom. She claimed a place in our new community – before I thought it even existed.”

The essence of these exploring communities lies in their commitment to cultivating spiritual movements instead of simply trying to organize people. Each is seeking to be deeply rooted in the United Methodist values of grace, connection, and holiness. They seek to foster an inclusive, thriving environment where all feel welcomed.

Central to this vision is equipping pastors to lead diverse, adaptive faith communities that are not constrained by conventional institutional structures.

EFCs are not just new spaces for worship; they represent an opportunity to take a critical look at how faith communities might form, specifically embracing those distanced by church

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departures, marginalized individuals, and newcomers to faith. By investing in leadership development and fostering a culture of learning and hospitality, the EFC Initiative is exploring alternative paradigms and different avenues for faith communities to gather and form.

They're about creating tangible, meaningful change in communities and congregations. One of the key outcomes is developing learning communities that explore what it looks like to be church in today’s constantly changing world.

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We don’t know exactly what these experimenting faith communities will become. They are still “emerging!” We don’t know which ones will endure or which ones will exist for just a season.

Our focus here at the beginning is simply on what the Spirit is teaching us about how faith communities can form and how the Conference can most faithfully steward the resources we have to ignite more and more Spiritual movements we might call the church. For the moment, we simply celebrate the opportunity to be a part of what is Emerging.

Lighthouse Congregations: Creating Space for Healing and Hope Director of Church Development, Rev. Rob Hutchinson, speaks with several pastors of Lighthouse Congregations. Together, they explore what it means to be a Lighthouse Congregation, how these families of faith are creating space for healing and hope for the individuals who find themselves without a church home after painful disaffiliation votes, and how this care-first initiative is providing opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus for our fellow United Methodists.

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UM News Article on Lighthouse Congregations

MOG Lighthouse Embed

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Emerging Pastors Bridget Thornton

Jeffery Hamrick South Catawba - East Lincoln “Jacob grew up in The UMC but left the church after there was a lot of division (pre-disaffiliations). Since then, he's not found his fit, yet senses God calling him to serve in the church. Hearing about Mosaic he's excited to be a part of the picture God's creating here and to help it take shape using his calling and giftedness for the first time.”

Laura Auten

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Troutman At a community block party in the summer, I heard from a LGBTQIA+ couple: one partner was experiencing stage 4 breast cancer, she asked the UMC Collective to pray for her during her journey. We have been walking alongside her during the healing. The couple is appreciative of the support.

Southpoint & Belmont Response from someone remaining UMC who belonged to a disaffiliated church: "Thank you for being our church while we find our new church."

Response from someone at the Art Afternoon: Spiritual Practices for Advent and Christmas: "This has been the most relaxed and centered I've been since my father's death."

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Susan Ewing

Lucy Robbins Biltmore (Asheville) Biltmore’s connection at Compass Point Village, a permanent supportive housing community for the recently unhoused, included Christmas crafting for their new homes. During one of our visits in December, I had a conversation with James about the highlights of his week over lunch: “Feel free to eat while we talk, James.”

“That’s alright. It will be here later, but you won’t.

I’m really enjoying our conversation. There aren’t many folks here who I can talk to about things.”

North Davie From a Campfire Collective Participant who has repeatedly invited friends to join us either on Friday evenings (Sips & Sighs) and to Sunday afternoon study and conversation (Fireside Chat) : "I am so grateful for the fact that your new position has helped build a community! I am looking forward to seeing you and everyone tomorrow!"

Emphasis on the past tense "helped build"; meaning already established!

The EFC initiative by the WNCCUMC is a bold step towards redefining the church's role in modern society. It’s a commitment to create spaces that are not only inclusive and thriving but also responsive to the evolving needs of the community. As this initiative unfolds, it holds the promise of revitalizing congregations, strengthening community bonds, and rekindling faith in a culture where church and faith are no longer a given.

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THREE VOICES, ONE CONNECTION

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BY KEN GARFIELD FREELANCE WRITER/EDITOR

Rev. Daniel Wilson

Rev. Josh Kurtz

“Assurance was formed in 1996 when two United Methodist churches became one community of faith, resourced and empowered by God, working through connection. When we learned that The Place United Methodist Church needed a permanent home, we began dreaming of what it would look like to gift our Connections campus to The Place in a similar story of connection. By the leading of the Holy Spirit – our Church, District and Conference leadership felt moved to respond to God’s call in this way. We are excited to see how God will lead us into the future as we work together as a connectional people, sharing and seeing Christ in all.”

– Revs. Daniel Wilson and Josh Kurtz, Co-Lead Pastors, Assurance United Methodist Church

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Rev. Charlie Rivens

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“The foundation of The Place is built on Exodus 15:17, ‘You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance – the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established.’ The Place United Methodist Church appreciates all who have supported us through encouragement, love, coaching, outreach, providing space and financial support. The United Methodist connection is what makes us strong in kingdom-building.”

-Rev. Charlie Rivens, Pastor, The Place UMC

Amid the divisions that bedevil us, a story of unity: Assurance United Methodist in Huntersville, N.C., began in 1995 as many churches do, from the merger of congregations whose better days were behind them. In this case, St. James and Chadwick United Methodist churches came together to form Assurance. At the start it went by Northeast Mecklenburg Methodist Mission.

Eventually, it became Assurance, certainly catchier and more inspiring. Take note for this will play a pivotal part in the story: Homestead United Methodist was to be the third church in this merger but backed out.

Today, Assurance serves the kingdom – specifically communities around Northlake Mall in northeast Charlotte – from its home at 9700 Mt. Holly-Huntersville Road.

God’s work is going well. Assurance has 600 members and typically welcomes a combined 325 each Sunday to its two services, one traditional and one contemporary. Lightheartedness is celebrated. The church is led by Co-Lead Pastors (and friends) Daniel Wilson and Josh Kurtz. Check out the cartoon-like illustrations that stand in for their mugshots at www.assuranceumc.org.

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Life, as it does at many houses of worship, revolves around small groups. More than ever people want to connect with God but also with their neighbors. LifeGroups offer the opportunity to find partners with whom to navigate life’s twists and turns. Growth Groups offer short-term studies. Creativity rules. Sunday worship for Grades K-5 is known as The TreeHouse. Charles DiRico is Word on the Street pastor. Jesus, our faith tells us, is at work in sanctuaries but more so on the street, where the lost yearn to be found.

DiRico’s mission takes him to both.

Now begins the story of unity.

Homestead, the church that backed out of the merger with Assurance, was in west Charlotte, at 6729 Old Mount Holly Road. A decade or so after the merger, Homestead closed. The property was given to Assurance to continue its ministry in that part of town. In 2012, Assurance established the Connections campus at that location.

Assurance launched worship there.

Matthew’s Community Closet offered clothing to the needy. Connections was taking root. Then COVID-19 struck and halted the momentum. Assurance wanted Connections to do more. Be more. That’s when The Place entered into the story. Rev. Charlies Rivens has long been a force for reconciliation in the Western North Carolina Conference. For 11 years, he led South Tryon Community Church, a largely African American congregation that

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partnered with largely white Myers Park United Methodist Church.

Rivens helped lead efforts to strengthen African American churches in the Conference. In 2017, he started The Place, a United Methodist church whose informal creed was “Each One, Reach One.” The Place met first at First United Methodist Church in uptown Charlotte, where 5 p.m. Saturday worship typically drew 90. The Place wandered, at one time meeting at Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Huntersville. In 2022, with The Place searching for a place to hold its Christmas extravaganza, Assurance learned of its plight and said “Welcome!”

Thus began a relationship between the churches that quickly extended beyond one Christmas show. The more the pastors talked – Rivens, Wilson and Kurtz – the more they connected. Assurance was mindful that they had been given the Homestead property. Now Assurance was of the mind, “Do that which was done to us.”

Worship scenes from The Place

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Early in 2023, Kurtz called Rivens and asked (this is a paraphrase), “Would The Place take the Connections church building if we gave it to you?” Need we report Rivens’ response?

The glory of The United Methodist connection. What once housed Connections has been home to The Place since July 2023. Its largely African American congregation, whose core group numbers 80, embraces Rivens’ vision of a multiethnic, multicultural church. The journey begins with The Place. With Assurance at its side.

Worship scenes from The Place

Homestead begets Assurance which begets Connections which begets The Place. Amid the divisions that bedevil us, a story of unity.

Worship scenes from The Place

Ken Garfield, former Director of Communications at Myers Park United Methodist Church, is a freelance writer/editor who helps nonprofits tell its stories. He also writes obituaries. Reach him at garfieldken3129@gmail.com.

Worship scenes from The Place

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OPEN HEARTS BAKERY: EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH BAKED GOODS AND EMPATHY

Check out this ministry founded by St. Matthews UMC in the Catawba Valley District called "Open Hearts Bakery". They hire part-time employees looking to get back into the workplace or simply supplement their income. Open Hearts Bakery was launched in 2009 as part of a vision for expanding the ministries of St. Matthews beyond the church walls. Each week, volunteers and staff bake, package, and sell a wide variety of delicious products. All proceeds go to support missions and outreach projects, both in the local community and around the world.

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Photo taken by Lindsay Hampton

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Photo taken by Lindsay Hampton

UNITY AT THE CLT PRIDE PARADE

BY LINDSAY HAMPTON WNCC ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

In the heart of uptown Charlotte, the vibrant and diverse community was gearing up for the annual Pride Parade, a celebration of love, acceptance, and unity. This year, something remarkable was about to unfold. As the event neared, a group of United Methodist churches from the Charlotte area saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between faith and the LGBTQ+ community.

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As the parade was about to begin, a sense of anticipation filled the air.

The churches had set up a colorful booth adorned with banners that read "Love. Empathy. Compassion.

Kindness. Inclusion. Community."

There was also free UMC inclusion fans, temporary tattoos and stickers, pens, coloring sheets for kids, and more! The volunteers, wearing shirts that said "Celebrate Love Today & Everyday", were ready to greet the parade participants.

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The sound of cheers and music resonated through the streets.

Spectators lined the sidewalks, waving flags and displaying signs of support. The churches' booth quickly became a focal point. People from all walks of life, including families, couples, and individuals, were drawn to the booth, curious about the message it conveyed.

The volunteers, representing various churches, stood side by side, embodying the spirit of unity. They handed out popsicles and water with warm smiles and open hearts.

Conversations flowed freely as they shared stories and listened to the experiences of the parade participants. Each interaction was a step toward building bridges between communities that had often felt distant from each other.

Photo taken by Lindsay Hampton

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One parade participant was given a cold water bottle and popsicle and said, "Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this is needed right now. This is really cool that you guys are doing this!"

Throughout the parade, the churches' booth remained a beacon of love and understanding. It became a place where people found not only relief from the summer heat but also a safe space to be themselves. And, as the event concluded, the impact of this gesture rippled through the crowd. Attendees had heard about the booth that was giving out free water and popsicles! With the high temperature being in the 90's that day, it was much appreciated by everyone.

Rev. Michelle Chappell, Senior Pastor at Dilworth UMC in Charlotte reflected on her experience at the Pride Parade: "It was important for me as the pastor to lead my congregation in showing unconditional

Photo taken by Lindsay Hampton

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love and grace to people who have been harmed for far too long.

Dilworth UMC has the privilege of having church members and leaders who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community and we are family together. There is a strong LGBTQ+ presence in the Dilworth neighborhood, as well as South End, and we serve in that context. With the unfortunate message of harm that is out there these days, it's important for my church and The United Methodist Church to counter that by saying AND showing 'you are loved'. That was our focus and I'm pleased that eight local UMCs came together to do that in a unified spirit.

I was overwhelmed with joy when one of my members who is gay and volunteered said with great emotion, 'In a country where LGBTQ homelessness and suicide rates are astronomical, you are paving the way

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for the youth (and non-youth) in our church and community to know that they are loved and supported and have a safe space. It's humbling to realize that as recent as 10 years ago, a church would never have had representation like what was shown by The UMC today. I wish I had grown up in a church like Dilworth UMC and I am proud to be a part of it now.' A safe place, love, support, inclusion and grace --- that's why we serve."

Having churches' support and participation in the CLT Pride Parade was important for several significant reasons:

Symbol of Acceptance: The presence of churches at the Pride Parade sent a powerful message of acceptance and support to the LGBTQ+ community.

Historically, many religious institutions have been seen as unwelcoming or even hostile towards LGBTQ+ individuals. With their presence at this event, these churches demonstrated that there are faith communities that embrace and affirm people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Counteracting Stigma: These United Methodists helped to show that there are voices within faith communities advocating for inclusivity and equality.

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Photo taken by Lindsay Hampton

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Promoting Love and Compassion: We, as United Methodists, emphasize the values of love, compassion, and treating others with kindness. This was a tangible way to live out these values and demonstrate that faith is not incompatible with supporting LGBTQ+ rights.

Healing and Reconciliation: For LGBTQ+ individuals who have experienced rejection or discrimination from religious communities, the presence of welcoming churches is often a source of healing and reconciliation. It offers a chance for them to see that there are faith communities that embrace them for who they are.

Visibility and Representation: The participation of these churches in the Pride Parade provided visible representation of the diversity within the religious landscape. They proclaimed that there are clergy members and congregants who

believe in equality and social justicefor these individuals, and who actively stand up for LGBTQ+ rights.

Overall, the presence of these neighborhood churches at the Pride Parade was a powerful statement that being persons of faith and supporting LGBTQ+ rights are not mutually exclusive. It challenged stereotypes, fostered dialogue, and contributed to a more inclusive and compassionate society.

In the end, the 2023 Charlotte Pride Parade became more than a colorful procession; it became a turning point for the churches involved and a testament to the power of connection and love by eight churches that came together to make this possible: First UMC Charlotte, Dilworth UMC, Matthews UMC, Light Of Christ UMC, Inclusion Community, Hawthorne Lane UMC, Calvary UMC, and Myers Park UMC.

“A safe place, love, support, inclusion, and grace - that’s why we serve.”

-Rev. Michelle Chappell

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HICKORY CRAWDADS & MERLEFEST

BY REV. LORY BETH HUFFMAN & REV. DAVID CHRISTY DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE APPALACHIAN & CATAWBA VALLEY DISTRICTS

Bishop Carter at the Hickory Crawdads game

The Appalachian District Office Staff at the Merlefest tent

“This year, I want us to have some fun just for the sake of having fun together,” Bishop Carter shared with the extended cabinet and the ideas started flowing.

Who says church work has to be all work and no play? In 2023, the Western North Carolina Conference proved that United Methodists can have fun as we gathered together for an old-fashioned American night at the ballpark, and four days of good food and good fellowship at MerleFest.

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Take Me Out to the Ballpark

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BY REV. DAVID CHRISTY DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CATAWBA VALLEY DISTRICT

In early 2023, Bishop Carter asked me about having a “United Methodist Night” at one of our district’s baseball stadiums. This idea from our leader reflects Bishop Carter’s love of baseball and his vision of providing opportunities for us to simply have fun together. Even in the midst of a tumultuous season in the life of the church, we can have fun!

What followed was much more than one night at a baseball game. There was lots of planning, headed by our conference communications staff and our District Vitality Associate, Caroline Wood. It was decided that Friday, August 25, would be the night to go to the Hickory Crawdads baseball game. The Crawdads actively helped us promote the fun evening.

My hope was that we could provide an opportunity for United Methodists to have fun together, share some food, and get to meet our Bishop in a relaxed atmosphere. Bishop Carter threw out the first pitch and personally interacted with lots of attendees. He asked all United Methodists he could find to sign his baseball! We shared food and fun with over 600 United Methodists on a hot summer night.

Events like the United Methodist Night at Crawdad stadium allow us to gather and talk and have fun – all of which are important! We believe that events like this ultimately allow for us to engage in greater mission and ministry together. It’s easier to move forward in ministry when those moving forward have shared a box of Cracker Jacks together!

Handing out water bottles at the game.

Photo by Lindsay Hampton

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Handing out water bottles at the game.

Photo by Lindsay Hampton

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Rev. David Christy doing a promo video for the 2023 UM Night at the Hickory Crawdads Game.

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The UMC Presence at MerleFest: A Reflection

BY REV. LORY BETH HUFFMAN DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT OF THE APPALACHIAN DISTRICT

What a joy the Appalachian District experienced hosting a booth at the annual one and only MerleFest that takes place every year in Wilkesboro usually the last weekend in April. This is a bluegrass festival that draws people from all over the world to come to a 4+ performance stage venue on the campus of Wilkes Community College. This was the first time we invested in reserving a booth space and the idea came from a conversation with Bishop Ken Carter. He posed the question what would it look like to have a booth and offer a space to have conversation about what we notice about how MerleFest is a “mixed ecology” of people that attend. Where can we see both tradition and innovation to the bluegrass music as represented by the wide variations of musical talent that perform? What themes, either implicitly

or explicitly, do you hear about God’s presence in the lyrics? What a fun conversation and opportunity to observe through this specific lens as an opportunity to learn from culture where God might already be present.

Our hope in having a booth was to provide a positive presence and experience of The United Methodist Church in this very public and eclectic setting. Our vision was to use our booth space as a place folks could come and sit if they needed to, and to have prayer if they needed that, and to ask questions about the UMC. We weren’t sure what to expect. We had the usual swag to give out and catch people’s attention. We also had a map and asked folks to pin where they were from on our map. That ended up being a fun way to engage in conversation with folks as we tried to find someone from every state. We hit 36 states and 5 countries! And so many people were filled with such joy being at the event that it was fun interacting with everyone we met. And of course, getting to hear a band every once in a while was awesome! (My favorite is Scythian.)

Last April was in the height of the denominational turmoil over disaffiliation.

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Katie Hutton at the #BeUMC tent

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To our surprise, when folks saw our BeUMC banner at the front of the booth, they just came up to us and started talking. It was as if we were chaplains to United Methodists from all over the country. Many of whom were hurting because of decisions their church was making. Some just wanted to know what was going on and it was great to be able to offer true and accurate information.

Some people shared more personally about the loss of a parent or other stresses in their life. More than once, I had strangers say they had no idea why they were telling me all of this personal information. We were glad to be a pastoral presence simply by putting our sign out and offering a place of hospitality.

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prayer and listening ear if needed again this year. Sometimes it is in the midst of having fun and “playing” together that we let our guard down and share on a real level with one another. Come find us if you happen to attend MerleFest this year, April 25-28, 2024.

It went so well that we are doing it again this year and doubled the size of our booth! We learned a lot about what worked and didn’t work and this year should be a breeze. We look forward to having fun, being a positive United Methodist presence as well as offering

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A group of United Methodists at Merlefest

Rev. Lory Beth Huffman posing with the #BeUMC banner

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“IT’S A LITTLE DIFFERENT. BUT IT’S COOL.” A Story on SouthPark United Methodist Church

BY KEN GARFIELD FREELANCE WRITER/EDITOR The following words of praise from new member Ryan Dixon would go perfectly on the giant digital sign outside SouthPark Church, the one advertising everything from church events to local real estate agents.

“It’s really coming true.”

Indeed it is, for one of the grandest experiments in American church life is connecting the spiritual and the secular, spreading an old message in a bold new way.

“It’s a little different. But it’s cool.”

Again, Thompson…

The next blurb on the sign can come from Rev. Kyle Thompson, who is leading the burgeoning of this new church amid apartments, restaurants and the Hyatt Centric SouthPark hotel.

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“We’re reaching people for Jesus and we’re just getting started.”

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The Vision Coming True If you think you’ve heard a bit about this over the 12 years it’s been in the works, you are correct. Now you’re going to learn how SouthPark Church – formerly Sharon United Methodist Church – is faring two years after opening its doors to people after COVID. Spoiler alert: It’s faring really well.

Founded in 1966 across from the mall’s Sharon Road entrance, then-Sharon United Methodist was known as the ski slope church. Any daredevil who tried to schuss down the steeple can tell you how the name came to be. The congregation was loyal and loving. But attendance had peaked. The church family yearned to be more of a presence in the booming SouthPark area. They agreed to take its place in an urban village and introduce Jesus especially to those who never knew Him. With this vision and the support of the Western North Carolina Conference, The Plan took shape: The church sold its 6.1 acres to Childress Klein for $15 million. The Charlotte-based developer transformed the site into Apex SouthPark. It is home to 347 apartments, 80,000 square feet of retail/commercial space and that 175room hotel with an upscale Japanese

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restaurant on top. Also in Apex SouthPark, Steak 48 has become The Place To Eat. Here’s the spiritual part: The church kept one acre on which it built an 88,000-square-foot, four-story, contemporary-style faith home.

SouthPark Church features ample space for luncheons, dinners and other events, all open to the community (that was the entire idea). There’s a columbarium, classrooms, music suites and patios. The next phase will include a performing arts center, and a partnership with an outside arts group to fill it with concerts and the like.

The church’s cost for all this was $30 million, of which $15 million came from the sale of the property to Childress Klein. In addition to a loan and aboveand-beyond giving by the congregation, the Conference, Metro District and Reynolds Foundation awarded grants. The outdoor digital sign generates revenue. So does leasing the first floor to an orthodontist and two other businesses.

(The church established an LLC for this).

The congregation left the ski-slope church in 2017. It worshiped for three years at the since-closed Regal Phillips Place movie theater.

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It moved to its current home in 2020 – smack dab during COVID, when it was livestream worship only. It finally hosted in-person worship in 2021.

As Thompson says, that’s when the vision began taking shape.

How Is It Going?

Average Sunday worship attendance was 250 when the congregation left its original home.

When people finally entered the new church after COVID, average attendance was 150. Similar declines were experienced by many congregations after the pandemic.

Since then, average combined attendance for the two 10 a.m. services (one traditional, one contemporary) has risen to 165.

Each Sunday typically sees three or four new visitors.

Just as many congregations saw online worship rise among those who preferred “going to church” from home, so has SouthPark Christian Church. Average combined online views of the two services have increased from 248 per week to 438.

Thompson says the church focuses more on participation than joining.

(Current membership is 300.) In that spirit, 40 to 50 new folks have become active in church life.

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The church connects with its neighbors in a variety of ways. Staff and lay leaders meet monthly with managers from the adjoining office and retail businesses to talk about ways to serve the community. The church is involved with SouthPark Community Partners, created to promote the area. Some residents of the Element SouthPark apartments are getting involved in worship and church activities.

Photo from www.southparkchurch.com

Photo from www.southparkchurch.com

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The relationship with Hyatt Centric is close for obvious reasons. Many Sundays find guests walking over for worship. “We had a lady from Dubai who was staying in the hotel,” Thompson says. “She loved the church.”

Charlotte Chinese School has been operating from the church since September 2022. Monthly Wednesday night dinners welcome everyone. So did art shows put on with The Light Factory Photo Arts Center. FullCircle, which works with teens and young adults struggling with substance abuse, is among the nonprofit groups that meet at the church. Choate Construction, which built the church, held its annual meeting there. Then, of course, there are the various church activities, tried-and-true offerings presented in a fresh, new setting.

A new church relishes new sermon material. A series on music combined Bible verses and classic tunes. During “The Gospel According To The Beatles,” “All You Need Is Love” was played to illustrate salvation.

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They must be doing something right.

Thompson says he regularly fields calls from churches near and far interested in doing something similar.

For the Love of Christ The challenges that SouthPark Church faced would have discouraged a lesser faith family.

Church leaders had to convince the congregation to embark on the journey.

The faithful met in a movie theater for three years. The church name was changed. So was the staff and leadership model. There were various building and business snafus to resolve. When it came time to open, COVID struck. And SouthPark Church did all this while swimming against a rising tide: Since 2020, an average of 30 percent of Americans said they attended a church, synagogue, mosque or temple in the past seven days – down 10 percent from a decade ago.

What has kept the dream alive?

The mission. And its shepherds.

Ryan Dixon heard about SouthPark Church from his roommate after graduating from Clemson and moving to Charlotte.

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Photo from www.southparkchurch.com

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“Good people, very welcoming,” the roomie told him. As Ryan says, “We thought we’d give it a shot.” Today, Ryan and his wife, Anna, are active members. They’ve served as Sunday morning greeters. Each participates in young adult small groups.

John and Joan Shamp were here from the start, 1966. They loved their old church. They love the new one. The parking deck, not so much. Give them a good, old church parking lot. Even with John’s health issues, Joan says, “We still get there.” This is where they raised their five children. Where they turn to Christ and their friends in times of joy and sorrow.

It doesn’t matter whether it was in an old church with a skislope steeple or a new church in an urban village. It doesn’t matter whether you are in your 20s like Ryan or 80s like Joan.

Different language. Same spirit.

Ryan: “It’s a little different. But it’s cool.”

Joan: “It’s community. Family.”

Charlotte’s SouthPark Church is at 3151 Apex Drive across from the main entrance to SouthPark mall.

Two worship services – one traditional, one contemporary – are at 10 a.m.

Photo from Southpark Church Facebook page

www.southparkchurch.com

@southpark_church

@SouthParkChurchCharlotte

Ken Garfield, former Director of Communications at Myers Park United Methodist Church, is a freelance writer/editor who helps nonprofits tell its stories. He also writes obituaries. Reach him at garfieldken3129@gmail.com.

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PROJECT AGAPE 30TH ANNIVERSARY Project AGAPE, a ministry to Armenia, is a collaborative effort of the North Carolina and the Western North Carolina Conferences of The United Methodist Church in a joint effort with the Armenian Apostolic Church.

For more than 30 years, Project AGAPE has been one of our best mutual aid programs. A wonderful partnership, Project AGAPE has been serving the people of Armenia, the world's oldest Christian country, since 1993.

Project AGAPE logo

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In this episode of Means of Grace, we take you to Mt. Pleasant UMC which recently hosted a 30 year celebration for the founders, organizers and volunteers that make Project AGAPE special. We speak directly with leadership like Miss Nara Melkonyan, missionary and Project AGAPE Country Director, Reverend.

Allan Van Meter, Chair of the Project AGAPE Board, and Senior Pastor at Mount Pleasant, and Hope Morgan Ward, Retired United Methodist Bishop, about the history of the program, the people it serves, and how you, the listener, can also get involved!

MOG Project AGAPE Celebration

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On October 21, individuals from the WNCC and the NCC convened in Greensboro for a jubilant commemoration of 30 years of Project AGAPE. It was a time of sharing memories, vibrant Armenian dance lessons, delicious food, and compelling narratives highlighting the profound impact of Project AGAPE in Armenia throughout its three-decade journey.

Learn more about Project AGAPE

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MOG STORYTELLING SERIES

BY REV. KIM INGRAM & REV. JESSE ENNISS

Check out the MOG Podcast

The Power of Storytelling Jesse Enniss and Kim Ingram talk with Rev. Dr. Myer Dahn about Rediscovering the Evangelistic Power of Personal Redemptive Storytelling, the title of his Doctor of Ministry dissertation. Myer talks about how he used storytelling as a primary foundation for empowering laity to share their faith and start a Dinner Church. In this podcast, Myer also shares his story and how it has shaped his call and leadership.

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Vitality Through Storytelling “Creativity, innovation, and collaboration are at the heart of rural church ministry.”

In this episode of the Means of Grace podcast, Rev. Dr. Nicole Jones talks with Kim and Jesse about her Vitality through Storytelling initiative that is developing connections and amplifying the stories of rural churches and communities. The learning from her Doctor of Ministry isn’t limited to rural churches. As Nicole said, stories bring “shared delight” to those who participate and the ones who hear and watch the stories.

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OUR CHURCH HAS COME BACK TOGETHER From the rubble, Franklinville finds renewed purpose

BY MATT GARFIELD UMF DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Franklinville UMC after the fire

Something remarkable is happening at Franklinville United Methodist Church.

Six months after a wall collapse left the sanctuary in ruins, the 100-year-old congregation finds itself in a most unlikely season of revival.

Members have found new energy in making plans to rebuild. Former regulars have returned – many for the first time in years - to support a community to which they remain loyal.

Franklinville UMC at Christmas

And newcomers are showing up on Sunday mornings, filling the chairs in a temporary worship space in the fellowship building. There, the church’s new pastor is preaching about hope and resilience to a flock that doesn’t have to look far for examples.

For now, what’s left of the historic sanctuary sits protected behind a fence. A gaping hole reveals where the pulpit once stood. It won’t be this way for long. Church leaders are working with the Western North Carolina Conference on a rebuilding effort that will restore the original beauty while adapting to modern needs.

The United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina collected gifts from people across the

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Pastor Michèle Hill working a shift at the local diner

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Conference to support the rebuilding.

This is all part of what it means to be a connectional church.

To tell the story behind Franklinville UMC’s fall and rise, we spoke to people with unique perspectives on the events of the past six months. It’s clear that Franklinville has something to teach us about God’s healing presence and the power of the Connection.

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The church from its beginning has always served the community – baptisms, graduations, voting, weddings, funerals, parties, and things like that. The foremost thought is, how can we continue to serve the community, and do it even better?

This is not just about having a beautiful building. It would be worth little if the building were not being used for the glory of God.

Rev. Michèle Brown Hill Michèle was in her first week on the job when the collapse occurred. That Sunday, she stood in the local park, leading an outdoor worship service in front of TV news crews, townspeople, and at least eight United Methodist pastors from nearby congregations. For Michèle, whose two-point charge includes Seagrove United Methodist Church, the process of getting settled in her new appointment has been equal parts stressful and inspiring, often at the same time.

Michèle works a shift at the Franklinville Diner on Mondays to see church members and build relationships with the locals. The volunteer role has helped her become a familiar presence around town.

“People are constantly asking me, ‘What’s going on with the church?’ It’s not just the congregation that is invested.

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The new space will reflect the original intent to be a town central landmark.

There will be subtle changes to make it more accessible, particularly for people with physical limitations. Once the sanctuary is complete, the congregation plans to update the fellowship building as well, to allow more ways to meet the needs of the town.”

Rev. Beth Crissman As District Superintendent of the Uwharrie District, Beth helps to guide church leaders and Conference staff to make the right decisions not just for tomorrow, but for 50 years from now.

Beth brings a valuable background to the role, having served as senior pastor of West Market Street in Greensboro. She and her husband, Rev. Kelly Crissman, lead a non-profit called Plowpoint that trains clergy and laity to act as changemakers in their communities.

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“How do we sustain the fervor and energy that has emerged from this?

The answer is by telling the story.

Franklinville UMC's future is fueled by its story of new birth. That’s the power of resurrection. It’s so central to our faith because the story has been told over and over. And over time, the Good News spreads into the community.”

Katie Beverley Katie married into a family that belongs to Franklinville, but she hadn’t been active in recent years. On the night of the collapse, Katie was sitting on her front porch when she heard what sounded like an explosion.

Since then, Katie, her husband, Michael, and their 3-year-old daughter, Ellie Mae, started going to worship and have become cherished among the faithful. Katie wants her daughter to be the first child baptized in the rebuilt sanctuary.

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Priscilla Dunn Born and raised in Franklinville, Priscilla has sat in the pews for more than 80 years, a distinction that earned her the title of matriarch of the congregation.

“I grew up in the church – I’ve never been anywhere else. It was like losing a family member – something that has always been vital in my life.”

“God placed Michèle Hill in our midst at the perfect time. She is a leader. I know the minister is not the church, but all sheep need a shepherd. She’s gotten out in the community, and people know her face and feel her energy.

I’m not hopeful – I am sure that we are going to go forward.”

“I feel like our church has come back together. People are on the same page.

Michèle and I set up some tables and coloring books to create a children’s area in a corner of the fellowship hall. I feel like I can bring my 3-year-old and not have it looked down on. People in church say to me, ‘Don’t ever not bring her.’ They realize she is the future.”

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Franklinville UMC choir worshiping

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Sarah Rigoli On the Saturday after the collapse, Sarah drove to Franklinville from her home near Seagrove, about 30 minutes away. A lifelong United Methodist, Sarah felt called to express support for a group of people she had never met. Six months later, Sarah is still making the same drive. She’s in the process of transferring her membership.

“They welcomed me like I had been there forever. It was just such a warm, welcoming feeling. Even though they had lost their sanctuary, they were still the body of Christ moving forward. So, I decided to keep going.”

In the aftermath of the collapse, crews managed to save parts of the stained glass windows, the cross on top of the steeple, an old church Bible and the baptismal font. These were blessings.

But perhaps the greatest lesson from these last few months is that a church is more than a collection of objects.

As the people of Franklinville sang in a recent gathering hymn: “With Thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for you.”

Franklinville UMC after the fire

Donate to Franklinville

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BENNETT COLLEGE CELEBRATES 150 YEARS!

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BY REV. JIM PYATT WNCC ARCHIVIST/HISTORIAN On October 6-8, 2023 Bennett College celebrated its 150th birthday during its annual Founder’s Day Celebration.

Bennett is distinctive for being one of two private HBCUs that is only for women (Spelman College being the other). Events in this celebration included “Women and Democracy in Morocco,” “Belle Talks,” special events for the classes of 2020 and 2021 and 1970 and 1971 (since such gatherings did not happen because of the pandemic), “Music under the Stars,” “Miss Bennett Coronation,” “Founders Day Convocation,” and “Belles in Ministry.” The weekend was a great time of celebration for Bennett College.

In preparation for this celebration Dr. Suzanne Walsh, President of Bennett College, said, “We are excited to welcome the community to Bennett College to celebrate this historic occasion. For 150 years, Bennett College has prepared women of color for a future of leadership. Our commitment to education as a path to true freedom and libHERation continues to shine brightly.

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Bennett College remains a beacon of hope, guiding countless individuals towards a brighter future. We welcome the community to come out and join us as we celebrate the sesquicentennial of Bennett College.”

Founded on August 1, 1873 in the basement of Warnersville Methodist Episcopal Church (now St. Matthews United Methodist Church) in Greensboro, Bennett was an early institution for higher education for African-Americans. Upon its founding “seventy young men and women started elementary and secondary level studies. In 1874 the Freedmen’s Aid Society took over the school which remained under its auspices for 50 years.”

“By 1878 a group of formerly enslaved people purchased the present site for the school. College level courses and permanent facilities were added. In 1926, The Women’s Home Missionary Society joined with the Board of Education of the church to make Bennett College in

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Greensboro, N.C., formerly coeducational, a college for women. The challenges that were overcome to establish Bennett demand that today’s challenges be met and overcome to ensure her survival.”

In 1926, David Dallas Jones was installed as President of the new women's college and served in this capacity until 1955. “Under his leadership the college expanded, reaching an enrollment of 400. It became known in the black community as the Vassar College of the South, and Jones recruited faculty, staff, and students, from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The school was expanded to a 42-acre campus with 33 buildings, and its endowment increased to $1.5 million.”

“In October 1956 Willa Beatrice Player was inaugurated as President of Bennett College. She was the first African-American woman to be president of a four-year, fully accredited liberal arts college or university. During Player's tenure, Bennett in 1957 was one of the first historically black colleges to receive accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). On February 11, 1958, Player allowed civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to speak at the school;

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he was prohibited by the city from speaking publicly anywhere else in Greensboro. His speech was entitled ‘A Realistic Look at Race Relations,’ and was delivered to a standing-room-only audience at Annie Merner Pfeiffer Chapel on campus.”

The Bennett Belles were actively involved in the lunch counter sit-ins in Greensboro, participating with the students from nearby North Carolina A&T. “On April 21, 1960, Bennett and A&T students were arrested for trespassing at the white S.H. Kress & Co. lunch counter. On April 22, 1960, The Daily News of New York broke the story of the arrests nationally, with front-page headlines and a picture of well-dressed female students entering the back of a paddy wagon without any help from the police officers surrounding it. It reported that Greensboro police were surprised that the ‘Bennett Belles’ had protested, as they were considered refined young women from an ‘elitist finishing school.’

At the peak of the sit-in movement, more than 40% of Bennett's student body was jailed.”

Bennett College Logo

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Bennett College has a rich 150 year history, making a difference in Greensboro, The United Methodist Church, and the world. We in the WNC Conference can be proud of what this school is doing in the realm of higher education. We join in celebrating this milestone in education and ministry.

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Sources: Bennett.edu Bennett College Wikipedia

Join us on a remarkable journey as we commemorate 150 years of excellence, resilience, and empowerment at Bennett College, nestled in the heart of North Carolina. In this special video, we honor a century and a half of pioneering education, impassioned leadership, and unwavering dedication to shaping bright futures. From their humble beginnings to their present-day achievements, this celebration encapsulates the rich tapestry of Bennett's history. Witness the stories of courage, intellect, and trailblazing spirit that have defined generations of Bennett Belles, shaping them into pillars of strength and agents of change. Experience the legacy. Celebrate the impact. Embrace the future. Join us in commemorating 150 years of Bennett College!

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FOSTERING FAITH THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP Rev. Jarrod Davis and the Vision for Creation Care Ministry This past July saw the start of a new position on the Western North Carolina Conference staff: Creation Ministries Coordinator. This is a shared position with the North Carolina Conference, and we are happy to have Rev. Jarrod Davis filling this new role.

“I see myself as a helper,” Jarrod explains. “I’m not a director, not the guy in charge. I’m here to help local churches, Districts and the Conferences to better care for this creation that God has entrusted into our hands.”

Jarrod is an Elder in the NC Conference, where he has been a pastor since 2012. “I grew up outside,” he says, “playing in the woods, being at the family farm,

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Rev. Jarrod Davis

fishing, hunting, climbing trees, all of that. Nature is where I first encountered God, and where I still connect to God most easily.”

Jarrod first became interested in creation care theology while a student at Duke Divinity School. “Gardening and food are what first attracted me.

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I realized that these things I’ve always done in my backyard or in my kitchen, these ways of providing for my family, are spiritual. They are means of grace,” he says. “After all, all life on earth depends on six inches of topsoil and the fact that it rains.”

After joining the North Carolina Conference’s creation care committee in 2017, Jarrod began chairing that committee in 2020.

Shortly after his tenure as chairman began, Jarrod felt called into creation care ministry full time. “I spent a few years looking for an opportunity to answer my call,” Jarrod explains, “but all the doors I knocked on stayed closed. Finally, Jonathan Brake told me he had someone I needed to meet.”

That someone was Brian Mateer, WNCC’s Director of Missional Engagement. Brian had recently been through Global Ministries’ Earthkeepers training, where he developed what he calls ecomission trips. In the summer of 2022 the first eco-mission trips were held in Haywood County in response to the devastating flooding that area saw in 2021. The project was a success, and WNCC wanted to expand it.

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“I loved Brian’s ideas right away,” Jarrod says. “It makes perfect sense to tie disaster response, really all missions, to creation care. After all, we all have to share this planet.”

The eco-mission is a different approach to local missions and disaster response. With a focus on environmental practices for disaster mitigation, it seeks to educate and equip participants who can apply what they learn in their own communities.

A related project Jarrod is excited about is heat resiliency churches.

“High heat and rising temperatures are a disaster we can predict pretty accurately,” he says. “Statistics actually show that our rural areas are at highest risk of heat related illness across all demographics.

Most rural areas do not have much outside help to rely on in times of disaster. But they’ve all got churches.”

Through a partnership with the Nicholas Institute at Duke University, the heat resiliency churches program will equip churches with solar panels and other equipment, as well as training, so that these churches can

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be hubs for disaster response including extreme heat. The churches will also serve as host sites for future eco-mission teams.

“I’m happy to share with anyone willing to listen,” Jarrod says. “I’d love an opportunity to speak at your church, small group, Bible study, whatever it is. I want to help Christians and help churches love their neighbor better by taking care of this place we call home.”

Photo used with permission from Jarrod Davis

Photo used with permission from Jarrod Davis

Photo used with permission from Jarrod Davis

Learn More About Creation Care Ministry

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Photo used with permission from Jarrod Davis

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AC2023

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Reflections with the 2023 Clergy Session of Annual Conference

BY BISHOP KEN CARTER RESIDENT BISHOP OF THE WNCC

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Gratitude I want to begin by saying “thank you” to the clergy of the Western North Carolina Conference. We have lived through, we are living through the effects of a global pandemic—seven million people have died, our patterns of gathering have changed, we were not able to celebrate important events in our lives together—births, graduations, marriages, retirements, deaths— and the pandemic exaggerated fault lines in our culture and communities. This alongside the polarization of our national politics —-the first violent transition of presidential power in my lifetime, not peaceful, not non-violent but one that led to the deaths of women and men. The pandemic and the polarization led to strained relationships. This alongside the murders of black men and women that were documented and continue to penetrate and convict our national consciousness. And this alongside our denomination’s response to the General Conference of 2019, the establishment of an

Photo taken by Lindsay Hampton

Photo taken by Rev. Mark Barden

Photo taken by Rev. Mark Barden

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of alternative Methodist denomination, the legal permission of voting processes in a number of our churches to discern disaffiliation.

You have lived through all of this. We are living through all of this. Ministry in an ordinary time is demanding. This is not an ordinary season. It has required much from all of us. I want to thank you because through it all you have showed up. You showed up for others. You showed up this afternoon, and, a central part of this conference’s purpose is that we have showed up for each other. That is the connection.

As I have written and said in a number of places, the “we” of the United Methodist Church has been contested. I don’t assume it. If there is something you love or need or benefit from in The United Methodist Church, you will have a great voice and influence in whether that endures. The connection is what we make of it. Your presence here, you’re showing up, you’re showing up each week, is a sign of that. Theologically, it is the incarnation. Thank you.

Detachment Next, I want to say that we are on a journey from one place to another. We are experiencing change, from what has been to what will be. It is, Susan Beaumont writes, a “liminal space”.

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Some of where we have been is a space to which we do not want to return. It was a space for racism and exclusion.

And in the last year we have been through a lot. Some would use the language of trauma. Fightings without and fears within. We have lost some of our churches and some of our clergy in the called virtual annual conference this spring. We have lost some of our members, some of our friends, and some of our buildings.

I want to encourage us to detach from all of that. It is a process, but it will be healthy not to stay attached to loss, enmeshed in the grievance, obsessed with the fight. It is time to pivot. Call it metanoia. Let go. Turn toward a new life. We will be a bit smaller, but more focused. Some of what we have lost is a kind of purging. To complete the hard work we have done is for the sake of people we have singled out for exclusion, and for generations of people we are not reaching. We are not going back.

What do you need to detach from? An anger. A resentment. A bitterness. In the language of Hebrews 12, can we lay it aside? In the language of Galatians 5, can we live in the freedom of God?

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of As a part of the pivot, and to repeat guidance from the recent clergy session, we ask that there be no more recruitment presentations in our churches about other expressions of Methodism. We have been through this season. To continue to do so is inconsistent with our ordination promises and membership vows.

Peer Accountability and Support As I have lived in a season in my own life in a role of oversight, I have come to see the logic of our polity in relation to clergy as being one of peer accountability and support. You have voted on persons who will join you in the clergy covenant. That happens in the district and in the conference.

Where there is malpractice or misconduct, it is the clergy session that holds accountability. Where there is an unresolved complaint, and in a worst case scenario, a group of peer clergy would function as a jury in a trial.

A bishop ensures that all of these are fair processes. This is the role of presiding and shepherding. And along with and in tension with accountability is support. A healthy church, a functioning institution has high accountability and high support.

If you are called to depart, do so quickly.

Churches could have left in 2019, 2020,

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2021, 2022, it is now 2023, some are wondering if they might depart in 2024.

Our doctrine is not changing, it will not change. Yes, we are on journey to removing the racism and exclusion as our practice of discipleship and sanctification. If you are called to depart, go quickly and go in peace.

We want you to stay and be a part of this. Help us be a community of accountability and support in the clergy office.

We are here for each other. We are here to speak the truth to each other, in love.

We are here to watch over one another in love. This is not the time or space for heroic solo leaders. We have seen the demise of that leadership model in the non-denominational world. This is the time and space for connectional clergy who will contribute to the health of the body.

Catherine of Sienna was a 14th century spiritual guide who read the Bible to the degree that she memorized the scriptures and dreamed about them.

For context, remember that Sienna is in Tuscany, where they make the best wine in the world from the vineyards that are her land. In a vision given to her as she read Matthew 20, she wrote: “Keep in mind that each of you has your own vineyard. But everyone is joined to

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of your neighbor’s vineyard without any dividing lines. They are so joined together, in fact, that you cannot do good for yourself without doing good for your neighbor, and you cannot do harm to your neighbor without doing harm to yourself.”

Taking Responsibility for Our Own Spiritual Lives In the midst of all of this, we are going to need to up our game. Some of you know that I love coffee. Grinding the beans. In 2016 we were in Portland for the General Conference and staying in one of the large hotels. Now by nature I like to get out, and I am wired not to want to spend the church’s money on breakfast in an expensive setting when I can locate something much more economical and often much better. So we found a place, a diner, we walked there with a couple of friends and sat down to order, and I asked for coffee. It came first, I began to drink it and it was amazing. I took another swallow. The same.

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there, but we realized pretty quickly that we had to up our game.”

We are going to need spiritual lives that will carry us through all of this. We are going to need to up our game. Rooted in grace, sustained by connection, a journey to holiness. And in that we are going to need to take responsibility for our own spiritual lives. There is an abundance of resources, cohorts, spiritual directors, mentors, teachers.

We know enough. We have enough. It is a matter of the will. You and I, if we are going to make it through, we will need to take responsibility for our own spiritual lives.

We are on the way to a better church.

Together with the lay leaders who will join us here in this holy space, you are a crucial part of that.

When the waiter came by I stopped him and said, “When I ordered coffee I was expecting the ordinary kind of industrial coffee. This is an amazingly good.”

The waiter smiled and said, “You know, around here, in Portland, there is a pretty high bar for coffee. We started

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Photo taken by Lindsay Hampton

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of Gratitude So, to conclude, thank you. I give thanks for God for you. You have given the most precious gift you have, your time, your life, to serve God and your neighbor through this church. You did not deserve some of what you have experienced since we last met. You are serving in a particularly complicated season. At the same time I hope you have been present to the people who have blessed you, been a means of grace for you, tried to carry some of the weight with you, tried to show their love for you. I want to add my voice to theirs.

AC 2023 E-Newsletters Click the links below to read the summaries of AC2023 sessions and events.

Photo taken by Aimee Yeager

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Friday, June 16 Sunday, June 18

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Connect @ AC Friday Fun Night!

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Live Music & Kids Fun

Project AGAPE Packing Party Photo taken by Aimee Yeager Photo taken by Rev. Luke Edwards

Yoga

D&D Game Photo by Lindsay Hampton Photo taken by Lindsay Hampton

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Video Highlights from AC23 Rev. Dr. Candace Lewis preaches the Opening Worship Service.

Rev. Dr. Martyn Atkins from the British Methodist Church shares a Bible Study with the WNC Annual Conference.

Congratulations to the 2023 Harry Denman Award recipients: Rev. Juan Julio Paredes and George Henry!

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Bishop Carter preaches at the Ordering of Ministry Service about connection.

VocalSpace moves the Annual Conference during Closing Worship with their cover of "A City Called Heaven".

Bishop Carter leading the Annual Conference in a time of healing during Closing Worship.

View all the livestreams from AC2023

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BY REV. LUKE EDWARDS WNCC ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF CHURCH DEVELOPMENT

Photo by Picnic Table Productionss

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The great Brazilian theologian Leonardo Boff notes that the church is universal (exists as one), and the church is particular (exists in specific locations, contexts, and cultures).1 In the Western North Carolina Conference we experience the gift of this reality. Every June at Annual Conference we come together as one to worship the Triune God. It is always a powerful experience.

In our conference we also get to see how our churches are particular. We are blessed as a conference to include congregations that are Appalachian, rural, urban, suburban, Hispanic, Black, African, Asian, Native American, large, mid-sized, and small. Within broader categories like these each church is unique and specific. Each church is an important part of the greater whole, existing in a particular place formed as a particular expression of church.

A central concept of fresh expressions is that they are contextual. We find culturally appropriate ways to reach out to our neighbors and form church with them. This year, under the leadership of a group of Hispanic/Latino/a clergy and laity from our conference, we launched a cohort called Expresiones de Amor with ten churches and over forty leaders participating.

One of the leaders of the cohort is Jaidymar Smith, who leads a bilingual fresh expression called Creciendo Juntas

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(Growing Together) that gathers women together to learn about God through arts and crafts in Ramseur. According to Jaidymar, “Having a bilingual and multicultural fresh expression is definitely a gift from God! It is such a beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God, to have ladies from different cultures, backgrounds, languages, and ages come together, and find Jesus and friends in this space.”

Churches in the cohort are experimenting with fresh expressions that gather around art, family, soccer, exercise, and sharing traditions from Hispanic/Latino cultures like hosting a celebration of Las Posadas.

The group hopes that this cohort will be a catalyst for more churches to connect with their Hispanic/Latino neighbors.

Andrés Pérez González is one of the leaders of Expresiones de Amor and the student pastor of Brazos Abiertos (Open Arms), a United Methodist Hispanic/Latino/a bilingual community that strives to be the open arms of Jesus in Greensboro. He said, “It is an exciting time to be a UMC church planter serving the Hispanic community! My hope is that we can continue working together to cultivate spaces where the Latino/a community, that has been historically segregated and excluded, can come together and encounter the power of the Holy Spirit that liberates us from the

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yoke of forced assimilation and invites us to experience holy transformation. I believe these fresh expressions in our communities will allow us to open up those spaces, where the richness of heritage, our Latinidad, can be (re)discovered and celebrated and where our wounds and brokenness can be healed and redeemed through the new life breathed by the Spirit unto our communities.”

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The reality is we as a conference haven’t fully lived into our calling to be a contextual church. The percentage of conference members who are Hispanic/Latino is dramatically lower than the geographical area of our conference. Are we willing to listen to the Hispanic/Latino leaders in our conference and be led by them into becoming a more contextual church?

1 Leonardo Boff, Ecclesiogenesis: The Base Communities Reinvent the Church (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 1986) 18.

Check out this ministry led by Jaidy Smith in the Uwharrie District called "Growing Together". This monthly gathering is a chance to grow in our relationships with one another. Crossing cultural and language barriers, we seek to grow in our faith as we learn from each other and create out of our personal stories. This is open to men and women and is a wonderful opportunity to create, share, and grow! Growing Together is a ministry out of Jordan Memorial UMC in Ramseur, NC.

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The Great 50 Days

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BY AIMEE YEAGER DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Out of the season of disaffiliations this past spring, “The Great 50 Days” campaign emerged as a transformative journey for the Western North Carolina Conference.

“The Great 50 Days’ was a way for us to pivot from the hard and at times harmful work of disaffiliations, which were about separation, to the unity that is in the Risen Jesus at Easter and the promise of the Holy Spirit that is poured out on all flesh at Pentecost,” said Bishop Ken Carter. “This was a season for us to tell these powerful stories that occur all around us, if we have eyes to see them!”

"The Great 50 Days" became a dedicated space for sharing compelling stories that unfold all around us, serving as a reminder to pay attention to the powerful narratives of faith and resilience in the midst of change and uncertainty. The campaign celebrated and amplified these stories across the conference, deepening our sense of connection and shared purpose.

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Video Highlights from The Great 50 Days Rev. Lory Beth Huffman, Appalachian District Superintendent, shares her story of celebrating Easter Sunday at the new campus of New Covenant UMC where she baptized SIXTEEN babies and children!

Breaking News! The Holy Spirit is at work through the missions and ministries of Cullowhee United Methodist Church! Check out this ministry update from Adam Mottershead, CUMC ministry intern, and Senior Pastor Rev. Mitch Boughman.

Birthed out of the pandemic, in 2021, the Pineville Academy School of Music was created at Pineville United Methodist Church. Rev. Dr. Mark Curtis, pastor of Pineville UMC, and Martin Dickey, executive director of the Pineville Academy School of Music, share about this unique ministry.

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Check out these Fresh Expressions happening at New Hope UMC in Winston-Salem!

In western Rockingham County, Fresh Expressions are getting more youthful! Check out the grand opening for the West Rockingham Youth Ministry (WRYM), a safe place for teenagers in their community and an extension ministry of the United Methodist Churches in western Rockingham County.

Talk about making a difference in the community! Learn how Williamson's Chapel made a difference for the entire 2023 senior class at Mooresville High School.

View the full playlist

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ALDERSGATE UMC SHELBY SHOWING RADICAL HOSPITALITY AT THE 2023 AMERICAN LEGION WORLD SERIES

What happens when the 2023 American Legion World Series comes to Shelby, NC?! One of our United Methodist Churches, Aldersgate UMC shows radical hospitality to the athletes and families of one of the teams in the tournament. Check out this video showing how Aldersgate UMC went above and beyond for this baseball team!

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Help us welcome the world to Charlotte! Visit https://welcometogc.org/ to learn more about service opportunities and how you can contribute to the success of the General Conference in Charlotte!

Stories of Faith Annual Magazine of The Western NC Conference of The United Methodist Church

The Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church wnccumc.org Created and Edited by: Aimee Yeager, Director of Communications Lindsay Hampton, Associate Director of Communications