Retired bishop to lead Lenten lecture series

     The Foundation at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church will feature Bishop J. Woodrow Hearn at its Owen Lenten Lectures during Holy Week.  His theme for the series, from noon to 1 p.m April 19-21, is “Getting Off to a Fresh Start.”  A lunch in Watson Hall will follow each lecture at the church, 9200 Inwood Road at Northwest Highway, Dallas.      Bishop Hearn was elected bishop of the United Methodist Church in 1984 and assigned...

Sherman to host workshop on music for worship

     He serves as consultant to their Permanent Endowment Fund, which makes grants of over $6 million annually. Bishop Hearn oversees the grant process in support of elderly housing, a community health center in Bolivia, the construction of a church in Russia, salary support for Balkan pastors, seminary scholarships and a medical clinic in Africa. The Owen Lenten Lectures, established in 1985, are endowed through the generosity of Babs and the late Arch Owen. Contact Bettye...

Honors

Congratulations to Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe, his wife Leslie Bledsoe, the Revs. James and Sandra Minor, the Rev. Elzie Odom, Dr. Ouida Lee and Dr. Jeremiah Booker. All have been nominated to win an Epitome award from Epitome magazine for the success of articles that featured them in the November 2010 issue of the magazine, which focuses on spirituality, family, health and finances. For more information, visit www.epitomemagazine.org....

An Invitation from the Bishop

By W. Earl Bledsoe NTC Bishop Spread the word! I am coming to your district to talk about the Conference-wide Strategic Plan that we adopted last year, as well as other changes in the North Texas Annual Conference. I am bringing with me the directors of each of the four centers – Leadership Development, New Church Development, Missional Outreach and Connectional Resources – and the communication officer. We have a lot to share. I promise we won’t waste your time. We want...

Rosenburg retiring after God-fueled career

Northwest superintendent says the flames of faith can’t be doused By SHERON C. PATTERSON Editor  Ignited by the burning bush biblical passage in Exodus 3: 2-6, the Rev. John Rosenburg, superintendent of the Northwest District, has been on fire for the Lord in the North Texas Annual Conference since 1982. The verses have fueled a prolific ministry that has led him from pastor to associate director of the conference to his current position, from which he’ll retire in...

Plymouth Park UMC to sponsor cancer workshop

By DR. JOAN G. LA BARR Special Contributor Plymouth Park UMC in Irving will host “Cancer: To Be Cured, To Be Healed,” a free workshop for survivors, families and friends, from 1-3:30 p.m. March 27. Kathy LaTour, editor at large for Cure magazine will give the keynote speech, followed by a panel of people affected by cancer and experts on the disease. They include: Dr. Robert Mennel, medical oncologist at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, on the perspective of both an...

Distinct varieties of worship blooming across NTC

By JIM OZIER Director of New Church Development What a great time in the North Texas Conference! I just spent a weekend visiting new ministries taking root in Dallas — each as inspiring as the others and each as distinct. Nueva Dia A simple meal, a simple service, a profound experience. Nueva Dia celebrated its worship launch in the New Day style. Shellie Ross, serving as pastor, said so much without speaking a word. As we gathered at Wesley Rankin Center in West Dallas, I laughed...

Around the Conference

Workshop to address church conflicts Outsiders might think all is sweetness and light within church staffs and congregations. Insiders too often know different. And “The Church’s Call to Conflict”, www.ntcleadingfromthecenter.org is all about resolving the sticking points. The workshop, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the North Texas Conference Ministry Center, will cover topics including “Where Two or Three Are Gathered” (theological call to confl ict);...

Marvin Guier to lead Northwest District

BY SHERON C. PATTERSON Editor     Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe has appointed the Rev. Dr. L. Marvin Guier III, director of the Center for Connectional Resources, district superintendent of the Northwest District, effective July 2011. The Rev. Jodi Smith, pastor of Celina UMC, will take the post overseeing the annual conference’s finances that Dr. Guier is leaving. “Dr. Guier has provided our annual conference with remarkable service,” said Bishop Bledsoe....

Love Concert honors Filipino paraclete leader called to work at Parkland Hosp

BY STEPHEN RAYNOR Special Contributor Paraclete: 1. An advocate, intercessor, pleader 2. [P-] Christianity The Holy Spirit, considered as comforter, intercessor or advocate    Filipino members of the North Texas Conference remembered the work of the Rev. Philip Del Rosario, a paraclete at Parkland Memorial Hospital, at the fundraising Love Concert recently.    A paraclete is an advocate and comforter infused with the holy spirit. Rev. Del Rosario had left an important...

Jodi Smith named director of finance

BY SHERON C. PATTERSON Editor The Rev. Jodi Smith, senior pastor of Celina UMC, has been appointed by Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe as director of the Council of Finance and Administration for the North Texas Conference starting in June. Rev. Smith holds a bachelor of business administration degree with a concentration in accounting from the University of Texas at Austin and worked 20 years as an accountant, primarily in tax and financial statement preparation, before answering the call to the...

Worship attendance climbs in NTC

BY JIM OZIER Director of New Church Development      For the first time in years, the North Texas Conference saw an increase in worship attendance in 2010. It’s not much, up (1 percent over 2009)  but it’s a start!      Average worship increased from 59,527 in 2009 to 60,128 in 2010.  In raw numbers, that’s an increase of 601 more than the previous year.      Often the hardest step in any journey is...

Wesley-Rankin cleaning up from flood during ice storm

Burst pipe does significant damage to community center BY SARAH SQUIRES Wesley-Rankin Director of Development     Thanks to Facebook, a neighborhood youth alerted Youth Director William Ford that water was rushing from under the Wesley-Rankin Community Center front door as ice and snow shut down Dallas-Fort Worth last month. The WRCC was also closed, so no one was in the building when a second-floor water heater pipe burst, sending thousands of gallons of water into hallways,...

Around the Conference

Online Lenten studies    The Upper Room and BeADisciple.com are joining together for two Lenten online studies, “A Spiritual Journey for Men” and “The Awkward Season: A Lent Retreat.”     In “A Spiritual Journey for Men,” the United Methodist Men are working with the Upper Room to host an online small group experience through BeADisciple.com. The eight-week study, aimed at men who’d like to participate in an online...

LENT

LENTis the 40-day Christian season of preparation before Easter. It begins with  Ash Wednesday and ends on  Easter.  Sundays are not included in the count.  During Lent many of us  prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting, repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline. We devote time for reflection on Jesus Christ - his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection. United Methodists promote ‘Alcohol Free Lent’ WASHINGTO...

Greenland Hills has new windows on world

Glory Be Hall opens opportunities for ministry     Greenland Hills UMC’s new Glory Be Hall, the first addition to the church since 1953, is designed with 21st-century aesthetics while melding with the 1947 Austin stone main building.     The small urban church, led by Pastor Marti Soper, has big plans for the $1.28 million, 4,700-square-foot addition. In the fall, it will open a four-classroom preschool. It also plans to use the space for regular coffee...

What if we preached what we actually practiced . . .

FromBogota to Burkburnett... by Richard Hearne I envy people who are great at crossword puzzles. I love words and wish that I had a much greater vocabulary. Words have such magic,and a short phrase can produce powerful images and really make you think. In a meeting recently, Keith Payne Boone, director of the Center for Leadership Development, rearranged the words practice what you preach to preach what you practice – a profound different in attitude. What if we really stop giving...

First Gainesville UMC overcomes serious construction problems

A lot of work, a lot of love save 1892 church building by Rev. Dr. Joan G. La Barr Special Contributor Three years ago, the Rev. Don Yeager and the 600-member First UMC Gainesville got some jarring news: The future of the 1892 building was in doubt. An engineering report ordered by church trustees warned that the crumbling brick exterior could collapse and should be replaced. Trustees had ordered the assessment after chunks of limestone accents began falling to the sidewalk and...

109 years young

First UMC Burkburnett, celebrated her 109th birthday Feb. 5 with a party hosted by the Royal Estates Retirement Center in Wichita Falls, where she now resides. Mrs. Caffee has been a faithful member of FUMC Burkburnett since 1912, and her daughter still brings her to special events at the church. ...

Around the Conference

OPENINGS Saint John’s United Methodist Church in Austin is seeking a full-time director of children and family ministries. The director will lead a dynamic, growing program in partnership with a vibrant, creative staff. Previous experience preferred. Contact the Rev. Georjean Blanton at gblanton@stjohnsaustin.org or the Rev. Paul Escamilla at escamilla@stjohnsaustin.org. CAMPS Registration has begun for the summer season of Bridgeport Camp. Early bird registration, for a savings of...