The Rome-Carrollton Newsletter

A Quarterly Publication

Rev. Dr. David S. Naglee

District Superintendent _ December 15, 2016

Zero or Abundance? Years ago, the church I was serving decided that in addition to the long

tradition of having a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service that we ought to have a late

Candlelight Communion Service where we would be having communion in the first minutes of Christmas Day. I actually liked the idea and we planned it. Christmas Eve came and at 11 pm that night, the new service started. I was pleased at the

attendance and the sense of awe and wonder the service provided. It was 1:00 AM

Christmas morning before I left the church to go home.

Waiting for me at home were my duties as Santa. It became apparent quickly that I had underestimated the involvement required that year for Christmas morning to be the joyous success the family was anticipating. In particular, my young son

had asked for Zero Gravity Cliffhangers, a race car set in which the track looped up and down the wall. At 3 AM I just couldn’t make part 13b fit into part 13c. I was

done, exhausted, a zero. With only half the track assembled, I put a note on the track that simply said “Merry Christmas, hopefully your dad can finish putting this

together – I have a few more houses to get to tonight, Santa.”

Almost every Christmas Eve, I recall Zero Gravity Cliffhangers and that moment of pure exhaustion. The demands, the desires, the expectations of the

season can lead us to over extend, over indulge, over run, and/or over commit

leaving us with Zero or a Zero!

It begs the question – for all our busyness – what is truly important? What

should I expend my time, talents, abilities, and resources on? Christmas, the birth of the Christ Child, drives us to ask that fundamental question, “What is ultimately

the most important thing to me?” If it is Christ, this incredible gift of God to us, then

does it show in anyway, anywhere in our life that God is really important to us?

In our busy attention to the trappings and observations of the season, do we ever share the Good News of the angels to someone who is un-churched – “To You is born this day a Savior?” Do we ever invite anyone new to our wonderful Candlelight

Service? Do we offer to pick them up and take them?

If wise men went out of their way to find this child; if shepherds left their

flocks to find this child; why don’t we? The truth of the matter is, we can busy our-selves with lovely services, wonderful acts of kindness and such, but if we aren’t searching for Christ in our life and ways to gift him to others, then we are already

done, zero.

5 Alive DISTRICT TRAINING

Five Topics to add to/build vitality & life In a congregation/community

Rome Carrollton District

2017 Cluster Training Events

Midway - January 8 2:30 pm Old Camp - January 8 6:00 pm Rome First - January 22 2:30 pm

The launch of a new year usually is accompanied by enthusiasm for fresh starts and excitement for what the future holds. By capitalizing on this energy, we can make great strides in church service. In the months leading up to this ROCA training, a team put great effort in developing a program that will provide the tools to help you grow as a church and as a resource for the community – we’re calling it “5 Alive!” – and are hopeful these five areas studied will bring vitality and pump life into your worship and mission efforts.

#1 5 Things to know for healthy children’s ministry - Debby Fox

#2 Developing healthy church leaders - Phil Schroeder

#3 Responsive in your community - Herzen Andone

#4 5 ways to develop a relationship with your pastor - David Naglee

#5 Cokesbury and Seedbed curriculum/resources

Online Sessions The traditional training sessions for Trustees, Finance, and other committees are available at

http://www.umcdisciplesship.org/

Bishop Sue Visits Hurricane Matthew Sites,

Calls for North Georgia Teams

Bishop Sue spent time in both Nichols, SC, and Lumberton, NC - two of the towns where Hurricane Matthew's landfall in October caused the most destruction. Flood-

ing wasn't predicted in either location and the damage was unexpected, devastat-ing, and wide-spread. In Nichols, 85 percent of the homes and businesses were

flooded and are uninhabitable. In Robeson County, where Lumberton is located, 5,000 residents are displaced. This includes a United Methodist church and the long-standing United Methodist ministry, the Robeson County Church and Commu-

nity Center.

Here are some of the details to share with your church.

Where are North Georgia teams needed? There are disaster response sites from Virginia to Florida and from Alabama to

Louisiana and across Tennessee. Teams are spread more thin than leaders can ever remember. North Georgia has targeted Nichols, SC, and Lumberton, NC, to focus our efforts. There are two places were there is great need and where our

teams can currently make the biggest difference. Both are approximately a 5 hour drive from the Atlanta area.

Who can help? Teams of all skill levels are needed in both locations. From college students, to Bible study groups, to experienced mission teams, there is a place you can

serve. What is the timeline?

Teams are needed in the coming weeks and across the entire next year or longer. How do we sign up to help?

For South Carolina, contact Chuck Marshall at 803-386-7217 For North Carolina, contact disasterresponse@nccumc.org or 888-440-9167

Who in North Georgia help me determine the best way to help? The Conference Mission Specialist, Rev. Scott Parrish, can help answer your questions and give you direction, which can be especially helpful for a first time

volunteer! Email him at scott.parrish@ngumc.net. What about giving?

There are two excellent ways to give.

The Robeson County Church and Community Center in Lumberton is a re-

source to the entire region. Gifts to this United Methodist ministry that lost eve-

rything in the flood will have a wide-spread positive affect on the community. Use United Methodist Advance Special #791742.

Giving to UMCOR US Disaster Response helps all our neighbors facing disaster

recovery. Give using North Georgia Conference Fund #4390.

ROCA DISTRICT CALENDAR

JANUARY 1 Epiphany Sunday 8 Cluster Group #3 Training Event @ Midway UMC 2:30 pm 8 Cluster Group #2 Training Event @ Old Camp UMC 6:00 pm 9 End of The Year Training @ District Office 7:00 pm 11 ROCA Retired Clergy Lunch at Bella Roma in Rome, GA 11:30 am 12 DEADLINE FOR CLERGY & SPRC MOVE/STAY FORMS TO BE IN DISTRICT OFFICE 12 Full Connectional Material due in OMS Office at Methodist Center 16 District Office Closed Martin Luther King Day 21 Candidacy Summit at Oak Grove UMC 22 Cluster Group #1 Training Event @ Rome First UMC 2:30 pm

26 ROCA Children’s Ministry Group @ Hope 10:00 am 26 District Strategic Growth Team Mtg. @ Hope 4:00 pm

FEBRUARY 6 District Finance @ District Office 6:00 pm 6 District Trustees @ District Office 7:00 pm 8 ROCA Retired Clergy Lunch TBD 11:30 am 9 Carrollton Area Secretaries Luncheon @ Olive Garden in Carrollton 11:30 am 15 Rome Area Secretaries Luncheon @ O’Charleys 11:30 am 16 District Strategic Mission Team @ Bremen First 6:00 pm 26 Housing and Homeless Special Offering 26 Bishop Sue visits the ROCA District Laity at Cedartown 1st @ 3:00 pm 27 District Clergy Meeting @ Buchanan UMC 10:00 am (Bishop Sue will be with us) 27 District Clergy Meeting @ South Broad UMC 7:00 pm (Bishop Sue will be with us)

Get Connected with

The North GA Conference and the ROCA District

TELL YOUR FRIENDS—You can stay connected by signing up for newsletters, bulletins etc. All you have to do is go to the www.ngumc.net. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on “Subscribe Now” which is located under sign up for newsletters. You will be asked to enter your email address and name. At this point you will receive a notice asking you to check the newsletters/notices you would like to receive. If you have any questions, you may contact our district office at rocangc@bellsouth.net.

Rome-Carrollton District News Move-Stay/Preference Forms - Thank you to the Clergy and SPRC Chairs

who have already turned in their Preference Forms. Please remember that completed forms are due in the district office no later than Thursday, January 12, 2017. You will need to either email or snail mail the forms. Please no faxed copies.

End of Year Reports—These reports will be available online between January 3

- 31st. You can get blank copies from the conference website. We will have a End of the Year Training Event at the District Office on Monday, January 9, 2017 at 7:00 pm. Everyone is invited to attend. If you are new to your position or you have questions concerning the YE report we encourage you to be in attendance.

2016 Apportionment Payments - Your 2016 Apportionments must be

received in the Conference Finance Office no later than Monday, January 9, 2017. We suggest, if you have not mailed it by December 26th, you hand deliver to the Methodist Center so it will be credited by the deadline.

District Office Closed - The District office will be closed December 23rd and

reopen on Tuesday, January 3, 2017. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Bishop Sue to visit ROCA District - Bishop Sue will be coming to the ROCA

District on Sunday, February 26th. All Laity of the District are invited to Cedartown First on Sunday, February 26th at 3:00 pm for the opportunity to meet and greet our new Bishop. She will meet with Clergy on the 27th at both regularly scheduled Clergy Meetings.

Josie and I would like to wish everyone in the Rome Carrollton District a very Merry and Happy Christmas. We are grateful for the opportunity and privilege to be in ministry with you. Thank you for the many expressions of love you have shared with us through-out the year and particularly this Christmas season. May the New Year bring each of you and all our church families peace and joy from sharing the Good News of Jesus with a world in hurt and need. Merry Christmas!

Loving Our Neighbors . . . In Action

During the 2015 Annual Conference of the N. Georgia United Methodist

Conference in Athens, GA. delegates approved many resolutions but one in par-

ticular moved from words on paper to action in the North Georgia Conference.

Resolution in Support of Co-ordinate Action on Behalf of Undocumented

Neighbors.

Following the adoption of the resolution, the Peace for Justice Committee

assigned a Task Force. Initially, the Task Force delineated steps to accomplish the

lofty goals of the resolution, and has met monthly to further the accomplishment

of those goals.

One of the agenda items for the task force is to help educate churches

about the struggles that our undocumented neighbors face and the biblical and

theological foundations that encourage us to partner with them for their good.

The five lessons below are designed for group discussions at churches. These les-

sons are free of charge and we encourage you to print and copy these lessons and

use them at your church as you consider how you might partner with your un-

documented neighbors in this important ministry of the United Methodist church.

1) Is Immigration a Problem

2) Transformative Power of Immigrants

3) Nations of Law

4) From Every Tongue - Tribe - Nation

5) We Were Sojourners in the Land of Egypt

The Task Force has completed only a portion of the action list provided in

the resolution. Look for more news and opportunities for service as the Task

Force brings Action: Love Your Neighbor to a United Methodist Church near you.

For more information, you can visit the website:

undocumentedpartners.com

North Georgia Clergy Spouses’ Retreat March 10-12, 2017

“All Peoples…..All Nations”

Isaiah 25: 6-10

Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center

Terrace Hotel

Lake Junaluska, NC

Speaker – Marjorie Kimbrough

Music Leader – Heather Petero

Come rest and rejuvenate

through spoken word and music! Retreat Details:

Check-in time on Friday, March 10th - 4:00 p.m. Check-out time on Sunday, March 12th - 11: 00 a.m. Meals included: Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast & dinner,

and Sunday breakfast Free time activities on Saturday

Biltmore Estate: $48.00 Nearby shopping Lake Junaluska activities

Registration deadline is February 1st Contact the District Office for registration form