Winter Events and Training Opportunities
posted on November 30
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2023 Winter Leadership Training
This year’s Western North Carolina Conference 2023 Winter Leadership Training will take place January 23-26th online in the evenings. This training is designed for and open to all local church leaders including lay leaders, council members, volunteers, and all who lead (or are considering future leadership!). This is an opportunity to connect with other leaders across the conference and learn about roles, best practices, and new ideas for ministry. We are excited to reveal our great line-up of topics and presenters, and that Bishop Ken Carter will be our keynote speaker!
A detailed schedule can be found here.
2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration
"It Starts with Me: The Quest to Create the Beloved Community"
The Western North Carolina Conference will host its annual Martin Luther King Commemoration Service on January 14, 2023 from 10:00AM to 11:30AM. It will stream on Zoom, FB Live, and YouTube Live.
This year's theme is "It Starts with Me: The Quest to Create the Beloved Community." with the focus scripture Micah 6:8.
The keynote speaker will be M. Garlinda Burton, Director for Resource Development for the UMC General Commission on Religion and Race.
The prompt for this year's Youth Art and Essay Contest is "Dr. King’s efforts were about equality and fairness for all, and we remember his hard work and sacrifice. How can I carry on Dr. King’s work?" The deadline for submissions is January 6, 2023.
Click here for more details.
Only 3 Seasons Left for RISE! Anti-Racism Trainings
Antiracism Ethics Training is the Clergy Ethics Training for the quadrennium through June 2024, and is mandatory for all clergy in the Western North Carolina Conference.
Each session has a limited number of seats, please plan accordingly to ensure you are able to participate before June 2024. Every season will have 8 district-hosted options for in-person (2-day workshops) and 1 option for virtual (12-day span workshop). This means there are only 3 virtual options left in the quadrennium and 3 in-person local to you.
Spring 2023 In-Person Dates are as follows:
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January 18-19 - Covenant UMC, High Point (Northern Piedmont)
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January 27-28 - Williamson's Chapel UMC, Mooresville (Metro)
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February 10-11 - Hillsdale UMC, Advance (Yadkin Valley)
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February 24-25 - St. Luke's UMC, Hickory (Catawba Valley)
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March 31-April 1 - Covenant UMC, High Point (Northern Piedmont)
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May 11-12 - Assurance UMC, Huntersville (Metro)
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May 22-23 - St. Luke's UMC, Hickory (Catawba Valley)
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June 9-10 - Covenant Community UMC, Asheville (Blue Ridge)
Spring 2023 Virtual Schedule:
Monday, March 13 | Zoom Orientation Session - 6:00-8:30pm
March 14-17 | Self-Paced eLearning
Saturday, March 18 | Zoom Day 1 - 9:00am-12:00pm & 2:00-5:00pm
March 19-24 | Self-Paced eLearning
Saturday, March 25 | Zoom Day 2 - 9:00am-12:00pm & 2:00-5:00pm
Visit registration here.
Both/And Cohort Begins January 15
This grant process and experience is intended to support churches as they explore and implement best practices for faithfully developing and deploying BOTH In-Person AND Online worship. The foundational core of this grant is about building relationships through Hybrid ministries that create PARTICIPANTS – not viewers.
Applications will be accepted through January 8, 2023.
Learn more and register here.
The Big Silence Retreat – January Registration Open
Experience big spaces of solitude and silence in community for the purpose of tending the inner fire of your soul. This 4-day mostly silent retreat will now be grounded in the writings of Ruth Haley Barton's Invitation to Solitude and Silence and new prayer resources and prayer stations will be offered. January's retreat will be held January 15 - 18 at the St. Francis Springs Prayer Center in Stoneville, NC (North of Greensboro). Spiritual Development Grants are available towards The Big Silence through WNCC Leadership Development Team.
View more information and registration here.
