Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 8:30 –5:00 Phone 276-628-4421 / Fax 276-628-2947 Email-abdist@holston.org www.abingdondistrictumc.org

Resident Bishop: Mary Virginia Taylor

District Superintendent: Rev. Sandra Johnson

Administrative Assistant: Cindy Fleenor

Abingdon Advocate

In this Edition:

1. Year-End Reports Due

2. General / Jurisdictional Conference Delegates

3. Conference Initiative Update

4. Convocation 2016

5. Resurrection 2016

6. Divine Rhythm 2016

7. RezKidz 2016

8. Health Kits 2016

9. Annual Conference 2016

10. Lay Servant Training

Abingdon District -

WEBSITE !!!

You can access District information by visiting our website at:

abingdondistrictumc.org

Individual church information, Clergy Directory, Newsletters, Holston Conference News, Missions, Calendar of Events, Links to District UMW, District Youth, Camp Ahistadi, and much, much more!

Pastors: 2015 Year -End Reports are due on

Tuesday, January 12th, 2016.

Details inside…

Page 2

January / February

2016

Martin Luther King Day Parade

The annual Abingdon Martin Luther King Day parade and celebration will be Saturday, January 16, beginning at Charles Wesley UMC and marching on Main Street to Abingdon UMC where there will be a program and reception. The march starts at 1.30 pm and the program will begin at 2 pm. This year’s theme is ‘Celebration Amidst Frustration—where are race relations today?’ Let us join together and be part of the solution.

For more information please call 276-476-3191

Looking for a New Year’s Resolution?

Consider *Colossians 3: 12-17 as your guide…..

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Prayers and blessings to you and your family in 2016.

Sandra

* Colossians 3 “New Living Translation” (NLT)

Page 2

HEALTH KITS for 2016 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 (11 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 antibiotic ointment (1 oz.)

1 bottle Tylenol/acetaminophen (24 ct.)

Kits will be picked up in June of 2016 before Annual Conference at a location to be announced at a later date.

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.”.

Start Collecting Today! Feel free to copy, distribute , and use as a bulletin insert

CLERGY MEETING REMINDER:

Clergy Meeting: January 12th 2016

Pleasant View UMC -Abingdon

Gathering 9:30 am /Worship 10:00 am

Pastors will turn in 2015 Year-End Reports at this meeting in the following order:

Last name begins with A - K -

8:30 am -10:00 am (Pastor’s Office)

Last Name begins with L -Z - (Pastor’s Office)

11:00 am - 1:00 pm

**NO District Clergy Meeting in February (CONVOCATION FEBRUARY 22 -25 2016)

NO EVENING CLERGY MEETING IN JANUARY

Think……

Convocation 2016 -with *Clergy Gathering

Fresh Water Brings Joy to the Thirsty. Isaiah 12:3 Preaching in a Time of Change

February 22-25, 2016 - Music Road Resort, Pigeon Forge, TN **Clergy Gathering, Tuesday, February 23 - 1:30pm

Note: Cancellations must be made before February 20, 2016, to receive a refund.- Early Bird Rate ends January 22, 2016

Register online for Convocation (Paypal account not needed) or download brochure and mail in the form.

To make your hotel reservation, go to Holston Conference Convoca-tion 2016.

(Note: same great rates as last year!)

RESURRECTION 2016 - Junior and Senior High Youth

Although Resurrection has become a large gathering over its 30-year history, the focus of the event has remained constant: the individual young person and his or her response to Jesus Christ. We recognize the leadership of their parents, their peers, their leaders in their local churches, and youth groups to grow in radical discipleship that can change the world. We invite you to come and be with us and experience the life-changing power of Jesus Christ—the One who is The Resurrection and The Life.

Phone: 865-293-4137 Email: resurrectionyouth@holston.org Location: LeConte Center –Pigeon Forge

Annual Conference 2016

AC.Holston.org

Annual Conference will be June 5-8, 2016 (Sunday - Wednesday) at Lake Junaluska, NC

Look for 2016 On Line Registration and other details coming soon.

May each New Day find us still mindful of our mantra to 'Imagine" what God is doing and will do through and in us by the power and person of

the Holy Spirit.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015

The following persons were elected at District Charge Conference September 13th 2015 by a ballot vote to serve the Abingdon District as At-Large Members to Annual Conference 2016:

Tom Taylor

Candice Gurley

Jacob Countiss

Lynn Johnson

Connie Hayes

Millie Saunders

Heda Quillin

Yolanda Miranda

Matthew Hamilton

Greg Herrell

Shawn Grigsby

Glenda Maine

Fay Kegley

Alma Wheeler

Mark Asbury

Jane Carter

3 Alternates were elected:

Emily Salyers

Dick Grayson

Shea Clingerman

Other persons representing Abingdon District:

Prue Oxendine – UMW President

Sue Tilson – District Lay Leader

Young Adult Representative –Amanda Countiss

CCYM Representative – Andrew Wilson

Campus Ministry Representative -Emily Ballard

Divine Rhythm

January 29-31, 2016

Young adult retreat for adults ages 18 to 35. Registration deadline: Dec. 31 for $40 per person. Late registration begins Jan. 1 for $55 per person. Mills Auditorium, Gatlinburg, Tenn. Visit www.holston.org “events” for more information.

RezKidz:

A Family Worship Event -January 23 –24, 2016

LeConte Center – 2986 Teaster Lane, Pigeon Forge TN 37863

For more information and to register for this event visit: www.holston.org “events”

Plasterco Scholarships

Applications and information for this scholarship are available in the District Office or you can get the application on line at : www.abingdondistrictumc.org.

Call: 276-628-4421

Holston Conference 43rd Annual

Minister’s Spouses Retreat

March 3-5, 2016 at The Oak Tree Lodge in

Sevierville, TN.

Contact Lisa Black at : lisabchattdistrict@gmail.com

Abingdon District Office PO. Box 263 Abingdon, Virginia 24210

Contact Information: abdist@holston.org

With Special Thanks………..

A new year is here and the Holston Conference Coun-cil on Finance and Administration thanks you for your giving through the tithe and second mile giving. For a special message for your church, visit www.waytogive.holston.org. You will find a video and bulletin insert to use during the month of January that will rejoice in the many ways we have been in ministry together during 2015 as we welcome a new year of opportunities. Thank you, Holston. You’ll never know how many lives you have changed. Way to go! Way to give!

Reminder: Have you recorded your hours of service for children in poverty ?

CHILDREN IN POVERTY IN THE HOLSTON CONFERENCE INITIATIVE

Addressing the needs of children in poverty continues as a priority of the Holston Conference. Through the second mile generosity of our congregations, over $188,000 was raised for this effort through our 2015 mission offering. Twelve churches have received grants from these funds so far. Churches are challenged to meet our goal of $10 and 10 hours of service per average worship attendance so that we can change one life at a time right here at home. Please visit way-togive.holston.org to find new monthly bulletin inserts and videos to tell your congregation about our progress.

Thank you, Holston, for caring for children in poverty in our Holston conference communities. You will never know how many lives you have changed. Way to go! Way to give!

(A RESOURCE SHEET IS AVAILABLE AT: WAYTOGIVE.HOLSTON.ORG )

2016 General and Jurisdictional Conference Delegates The following persons were elected at Annual Conference 2015:

LAY DELEGATES Del Holley

Emily Ballard Becky Hall John Tate

Bob Lockaby Karen Wright Joyce Moore John Eldridge

Charlotte McKee Carolyn Kidd Anne Travis

Sam England John Powers Justin Haynes

CLERGY DELEGATES David Graves Kim Goddard

Sandra Johnson Carol Wilson Wil Cantrell Randy Frye Mark Flynn Paul Seay

Dennie Humphreys Eddie Fox

Jerry Russell Lauri Jo Cranford Kristen Burkhart Catherine Nance

The delegation will participate in decisions made at General Conference -May 10-

20, 2016, in Portland, Ore., and Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference– July 13-16, 2016, in Lake Junaluska, N.C. Let’s remember to prayer for the General and Jurisdictional Conferences and delegates.

A Note from the Foundation……….

The Holston Conference Foundation asks

“How can we serve you and your church”?

More than investment services, we offer many other facets of minis-try to the local church. For more information please visit the Foun-dation at www.holston.org/foundation or call 865-690-8124.

ABINGDON DISTRICT LAY SERVANT TRAINING

Lay Servant Training in the Abingdon District has been set for the weekend of April 29-30, 2016. The

training will begin on Friday evening for 2-3 hours, resume on Saturday morning and complete on Saturday afternoon about 4:30 PM. The courses listed below will be offered as there is sufficient demand. If you are being recommended as a Lay Servant by your Charge Conference for the first time, you should register for the Basic Course. If you are being recommended as a Lay Speaker by your Charge Conference for the first time, it is suggested that you register for “You Can Preach”. The course registration form with more details will be available in a few weeks. If you have not yet been recommended by your Charge Conference as a Lay Servant, these courses are still available to you.

BASIC COURSE

Lay Servant Ministries BASIC Course

This course is foundational for all courses in Lay Servant Ministries. Participants are encouraged to discover and employ personal spiritual gifts as God intended and to consider the importance of exercising servant leadership, developing future leaders, remaining rooted in consistent spiritual practices, and being part of a group that holds members accountable in their discipleship

ADVANCED COURSES

Heritage and Polity

Accountable Discipleship

This course focuses on the concept of the household of God, the importance of scripture as divine revelation, Wesleyan understandings of grace, and the importance of the office of class leader in the development of the Methodist movement. You are encouraged to look at your own faith community and see how it is (or is not) a reflection of genuine Christian community.

Preaching

You Can Preach!

This course is designed for those who have not completed formal preaching training, for pastors seeking a basic refresher course, and for others who are called upon to preach in a pastor’s absence.

Preaching

From Your Heart to Theirs: Delivering an Effective Sermon

Moving beyond the basics of public speaking and the foundations necessary for preparing an engaging sermon, this course also includes types of sermons – from exegetical to topical to children’s sermons – as well as how to find a story, use the hymnal, and how to move from communication on paper to beyond the paper.

Discovering Spiritual Gifts

Discover Your Spiritual Gifts

This course helps participants understand spiritual gifts and how the church can use them to fulfill its mission

and ministry. Participants will also learn what it means to be a spiritual leader and will be equipped to lead

others in exploring and using their spiritual gifts.