Abingdon District Office UMC

“SOMETHING WORTH TELLING!” Edition

The Abingdon District Conference

was held on Sunday, September

28th at 3:00 pm.

Damascus UMC , Damascus, Va.

127+ in attendance to celebrate the

Abingdon District Ministries!.

The following persons were elected at District Charge Conference September 28th 2014 by a ballot vote to serve the Abingdon District as At-Large Members to Annual Conference

2015:

Susie Ledger

Joe Garrett

Millie Saunders

Ernie Catron

Carolynn Kidd

Dan Gill

Sarah Adams

Sarah McMillan

Glenda Maine

Greg Herrell

Heda Quillin

Christina Best

Roy Hull

Jane Carter

Tawana Teague

Jacob Countiss

Alma Wheeler –Alternate

Other persons representing Abingdon District:

Prue Oxendine – UMW President

Sue Tilson – District Lay Leader

Amanda Countiss -Young Adult Representative

Olivia Wilson -CCYM Representative

Emily Ballard - Campus Ministry Representative

Fall Digest 2014

District Conference Celebration 1

At Large Members to AC 2015 1

Sermon Academy October 20th –Alcoa, Tennessee

1

Abingdon District to collect Health Kits instead of Food Buckets for 2015 Hands-On Mission Project –(Please print and distribute)

3

Abingdon District Stories / Celebrations / and Ministries Edition: “Something Worth Telling !

2

October Way to Go!-Way to Give Materials Available at www.holston.org

1

District and Conference Meetings / Trainings / Events

4

Inside this issue:

Sermon Academy

October 20, 2014

Holston Conference Center, Alcoa TN

This workshop, sponsored by Congregation-

al Development and Revitalization, will be

led by Rev. Susan Leonard-Ray, Anderson

District Superintendent of the South Caroli-

na Conference. She will focus on preaching

possibilities for Advent and Christmas,

exploring both lectionary and non-

lectionary options. We will also

discuss practical aspects of sermon

preparation that help real faith

connect with real life.

Cost for workshop and lunch is $25.

Registration deadline is October

16th. Attendance is limited to 50

people so register now!

0.5 CEUs will be offered.

Abingdon Advocate

Way To Go Abingdon District!

We are celebrating exceeding our goal of $45,000 for the Abingdon District / Kenyi Orphanage (Greenland Home) Partnership.

As of September 28th, 2014, we had raised $45,143.52!!!!

Remember!

Charge Conference Schedules are available on-line at: www.abingdondistrictumc.org

Poverty Simulation—YWCA

Bristol

Thursday, October 23rd,

2014

Interested? - Call Lisa at

423-968-4912

A BIG THANKS!!!

Abingdon District,

On behalf of the Camp Advisory Committee I thank the District for supporting Camp Ahistadi! The paper products we received at the District Conference on September 28th, 2014 were plentiful to say the least. I also thank the District Conference for the special offering of $851.45 that will go to good use in updating and renewing the camp facilities.

Abingdon District Highlights of Ministry : “Something Worth Telling!”

Bethany UMC of Lebanon Virginia, with a membership of 29

and an average attendance of 10 (with no children) is able to

reach out to the community and have an annual Vacation Bible

School. This year a total of 32 children attended at least one

night with an average nightly attendance of 29 children. 65

Parents and children attended the last night for a picnic and an

awards presentation!

In December 2013, Trinity UMC, Bristol, provided 38 families at Stonewall Jackson Elementary School with Christmas Food boxes, with enough food to feed the families through the 2-week Christmas break. Donors purchased a food box for $100. Besides canned goods, boxed dinners, cereals, peanut butter & jelly, and more, we provided a canned ham, bread, milk, butter, and cheese. Food City partnered with us to make this a huge success!

Reynolds Memorial UMC, Bristol, has started a new ministry this year as a community garden. The garden is on the church grounds. Some of our members planted vegetables and tended to the garden. They distributed the vegetables to low-income community members that live all around the church. They also told these neighbors of the church to come any time to collect vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini, squash, peppers, okra, corn, lettuce, and green beans).

Brumley Gap UMC, Abingdon, start-ed a watermelon outreach ministry! They simply want to reach out and share the love of Jesus Christ with everyone in the community. With the hot summer weather they thought everyone would enjoy a nice, cold watermelon! This ministry has been to deliver watermelons door to door, with the Bible verse "Let brotherly love con-tinue" Hebrews 13:1. Of course, as watermelons were delivered, recipients were invited to church.

First UMC Mountain City started a Covenant Bible Study Group

which was enjoyed by many ! Covenant Bible Study Awards will

be presented on Sunday, November 9th by Ken Fowler,

Cokesbury Representative.

St John and Wesley Chapel of Mountain City join efforts to

help prepare members for winter by cutting wood and

distributing it in the community.

WATERMELON

MINISTRY AT

BRUMLEY GAP

UMC

ABINGDON DISTRICT HEALTH KITS 2015 For LIBERIA

Abingdon – Goal 400

Pack these items in a 2-gallon Zip-Loc bag:

1 hand towel

1 washcloth

2 toothbrushes

2 tubes toothpaste (6.4. oz. or less)

1 bottle shampoo (15 oz. or less)

1 bottle lotion (18 oz. or less)

1 bottle roll-on deodorant (4 oz. or less)

1 small spray perfume/cologne/body mist (4 oz. or less)

Pack these separately in sandwich-size Zip-Loc bag:

1 tube antibacterial ointment (1 oz.)

1 bottle Tylenol/acetaminophen (24 ct.)

Include $5.00 per kit. Do not place money inside the kits.

Churches should write one check for total number of kits payable to Abingdon District.

PLEASE NOTE:

***This is a revised list due to changes at the Holston Conference. The prior list (Food Buckets) that was distributed at District Conference has been changed to reflect the above. If you have collected items for Food Buckets, please call the District Office for instructions for drop off at the nearest location. 276-628-4421

Mark The Date! DCOM Training - There will be a Conference DCOM Training event held on Monday, December 1, 1 PM to 3 PM,

Pleasant View UMC, 18416 Lee Highway, Abingdon, Virginia. Big Stone Gap, Tazewell, and Wytheville District DCOM Committees will be joining us .

Good News Jail & Prison Ministry

Annual Banquet

Dinner and Ministry Presentation

Saturday, October 25th, 2014

6:30 pm

Abingdon Bible Church

16210 Elementary Drive

Abingdon, VA. 24210

Tickets are $12.50 per person

A ministry support offering will be taken.

Contact Danny Thompson, Chaplain 276-739-3520

Early Response Team Basic Training. An Early Response Team Basic Class will be conducted Saturday 25 October, 2014, 9 am - 5 pm, at Cokesbury UMC N Campus, Cokesbury Center, 9919 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922 (use the church offices entrance). This course is a requirement for anyone wanting to be certified to participate in Holston Conference ERT responses to disasters.

Early Response Team Recertification Training. An Early Response

Team Recertification Class will be conducted Saturday 25 October,

2014, 9 am - 1 pm, at Cokesbury UMC N Campus, Cokesbury Center,

9919 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922 (use the church offices

entrance). UMCOR requires ERT members to re-certify every three

years. Recertification is a requirement for any member wanting to be

able to continue to participate in Holston Conference ERT responses to

disasters. The alternative to recertification is to attend again the 8-hr

basic course.

EARLY RESPONSE TEAM TRAINING

Be Known"

2015 Resurrection

January 16-18 and 23-25, 2015

Registration is now available online

(or by mail) at www.holston.org.

Job Announcement – Camp Director

The Holston Conference Camp & Retreat Ministries announces a search for an Executive Camp Director for a new, regional United Methodist camp and retreat ministry in Kingsport, Tennessee. Job responsibilities include: directing ministry start-up activities; overseeing a capital campaign; coordinating site construction; developing and marketing a new ministry; and managing the operations of a new camp and retreat ministry. The position opens Janu-ary 1, 2015. For more information, visit www.buffalomountaincamp.org. Candidates must have Christian faith consistent with standards and beliefs of the United Methodist Church. Bachelor’s degree and certifications in related areas desired. Open to laity or clergy. Benefits include: Salary, medical insur-ance, pension, and housing. Request application from: Randy Pasqua, CRM Office, P.O. Box 850, Alcoa, TN 37701-0850, or at randypasqua@holston.org. Application deadline: Oct. 31.

Special Anniversary Invitation! Recovery at Lebanon Memorial

You're invited to join us for the Recovery at Lebanon 2 Year Anniversary Celebration on Thursday October 23 at Lebanon Memorial United Methodist Church. You'll get to hear testimonies about changed lives and Mark Beebe, Recovery Pastor at Cokesbury UMC, will be with us to share the message live in person. At 8:15pm after the worship service, Mark will be holding a special session for church and community leaders to discuss how we can be in minister to those in need of Recovery on a large scale, small scale, or any scale. Recovery at Lebanon begins at 6pm with a free dinner, a celebration service begins at 7pm, and open share groups meet at 8:15.