News
Bishop's Committee explains Sexual Ethics Plan details
6/22/2007
The Bishop's Committee on Sexual Ethics envisions making all churches safe sanctuaries for the proclaiming and living out of God's gracious, redeeming love for all humans. The churches should be places of healing, but Chairperson Alice Zaccarello, reminded the annual conference that, sadly enough, sexual abuse is present in the world and sometimes in the church.
The Bishop's Committee on Sexual Ethics was created for the purpose of preventing the tragic occurrence of clergy sexual...NTC Annual Conference Opening Worship Service Celebrating - The Grace of Our Differences
6/15/2007
JOE DAN BOYDSpecial Correspondent
The pews were packed in First UMC, Richardson's, new sanctuary Sunday evening, as Rev. Clayton Oliphint welcomed members of 2007 North Texas Annual Conference to the first-ever annual conference worship service in this church’s 127-year history.
Graceful dancers geared style and step to the sound of bagpipes, tin whistles, hand bells, didgeridoo and music from each of the world’s seven continents. They quickly established a dominant theme: The Holy...Mission declared 'the heartbeat of the church'
6/15/2007
BY JOHN A. LOVELACE
The United Methodist Church's highest - ranking missions officer spoke twice during NTC sessions June 4, referring repeatedly to the regional body as "a mission-minded conference."
"Your ears should burn," Rev. Randy R. Day said. "We talk about you a lot."
Addressing the first plenary session, he explicitly commended this conference for its long-standing support of missions, including, currently, Jerri Savuto and William (Bill) Savuto in Kenya and Wes and Leah Magruder...15 commissioned candidates for ordination
6/15/2007
"Throughout Christian history, the church has commissioned people for leadership and service..."
With that introductory phrase of explanation, NTC commissioned 15 candidates for ordination as a first item of business June 4 at the Plano Centre. Marjorie Bishir was commissioned on track to become a deacon, the other 14 on track toward becoming elders.
For their scriptural admonishment, candidates heard Rev. Bart Smith read from Paul's instructions to Timothy to "hold to the standards of holy...UMPACT covers all NTC churches
6/15/2007
Scott Smith,chair of the Property and Liability Insurance Committee, reported that all churches in the North Texas Annual Conference are receiving property and liability insurance through United Methodist Property and Casualty Trust, UMPACT, a denomination wide provider of insurance.
Currently the value of all church property insured in the North Texas Annual Conference is $1 billion.
In addition to property insurance, all personal and professional liability coverage is also obtained...NBN scores big at annual conference
6/15/2007
Bishop Alfred L. Norris takes a turn at the Annual Conference "Pop the Shot" fund raiser. ...Around the Conference
6/15/2007
NTC Ministry ArtSpirit announces "Open Mic Night," June 16, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at The Center for Spirituality. For more information, please call 214-288-5225, or e-mail Linda McLemore linda@artspiritdallas.org.
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Lambuth UMC, Dallas, announces its Annual Prayer Breakfast, June 23, 8;30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. For more information, please call Betty Ervin, 214-372-6650.
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Lambuth UMC, Dallas, with Dallas South District Lay Speakers as special guests announces "Women's Annual Day," June 24...Rev. Joe Pool reflects on year's challenges
6/15/2007
Making the first report of the 2007 Annual Conference, Rev. Joe Pool, Chairman of the Committee on the Episcopacy offered reflections on what was a challenging year for the Episcopacy committee.
With the death of Bishop Rhymes H. Moncure, Jr., members of the committee coordinated the effort in offering a ministry of care and comfort to the Moncure family, members of the annual conference, and the general denomination. Rev. Pool thanked the churches that opened their hearts and facilities in...CCYM chair Becca Walters presents report via video
6/15/2007
Outgoing Chair of the Conference Council on Youth Ministries (CCYM) addressed the conference Monday from a hotel room, a room of girls on her church's choir tour, that is.
A member of the Credo Choir---a youth choir at First UMC, Denton, currently on tour---Becca Walters reported via a video recording that CCYM members traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa, for the first Global Young People's Assembly. She said that the North Texas Youth Annual Conference gave their support to a legislative...Archives and History Commission reports that now is the time to write your church history
6/15/2007
Rev. Bill Bryan, chair of the NTC Commission on Archives and History, was apologetic, disappointed and insistent when he presented his 2007 report from the Archives and History Commission.
"The Texas United Methodist Historical Association gave no Kate Warnick Award for local history to any church in the North Texas Conference this year," he reported. "On the other hand, two churches in the Texas Conference received Kate Warnick Awards.
"The bottom line is that NTC churches have to get busy...2007 Laity Session hears candidates Welcomes Shaun Bakker
6/15/2007
BY JOHN A. LOVELACE Special Correspondent
Ensconced in the colorful, comfortable sanctuary of First UMC, Richardson, North Texas Conference lay members paid close attention as 40-plus candidates presented themselves Sunday afternoon, June 3, for election as delegates to the 2008 United Methodist General Conference and the 2008 South Central Jurisdictional Conference.
It's a large field for 18 spots: Six to the 2008 General Conference in Fort Worth next April, six alternates to those 10-day...NTC 2008 delegate elections make history
6/15/2007
It took 24 ballots for NTC clergy to elect the full slate of delegates to the 2008 General and Jurisdictional Conferences, while the laity elected their representatives in exactly half that total.
From the beginning the elections made history. For the first time women will lead both the clergy and lay delegations. Rev. Kathleen Baskin-Ball, Suncreek UMC, Allen, was elected to lead the clergy, and NTC Director of Connectional Ministries Mary Brooke Casad was elected to lead the laity.
Rev....NTC Retirees provided 210 years service NTC
6/15/2007
Eight clergy members --- three women and five men --- totaling 210 years of service retired from the North Texas Conference during the June 3-6 sessions in Plano Centre.
Five delivered their memories and thanks in person. One, temporarily confined with illness, e-mailed her message and two were not present but were recognized.
Rev. Donna Whitehead introduced Rev. Betsy Alden in absentia, calling her a pioneer among women to attend seminary and saying that both men and women "liked...2007 Inclusiveness awards
6/15/2007
Recipients of the 2007 Inclusiveness Awards presented by the NTC Accountability Group include, from left, Carson Hall, accepting for his father, Ron Hall; Richard Hearne; Mary Beth Garcia; Denver Moore; Rev. April Bristow, and Rev. Diana Holbert. Ron Hall and Moore, who was once homeless, have co-written a book, Same Kind of Different as Me. They will be at First UMC, Richardson at 7:00 p.m., June 13 to discuss the book and issues it raises. ...Town and Country Fellowship 30th Anniversary Churches receive the Marvin T. Judy Awards
6/15/2007
JOE DAN BOYDSpecial Correspondent
A celebration of rural ministry was the ongoing theme of Tuesday's Town & Country Fellowship (TCF) luncheon, chaired by Rev. Bob Walker, TCF President, at First UMC Plano.
After an invocation by Rev.Fred Durham, Superintendent of the Sherman-McKinney District, who also recalled this as the Conference's 30th Town & Country Luncheon, five churches received Marvin T. Judy awards for excellence in rural ministry:
Aubrey UMC, representing the...NTC Memorial Service honors servants
6/15/2007
By John A. LovelaceSpecial CorrespondentThirty people - 15 clergy and 15 spouses - were remembered and celebrated in a traditional NTC Worship Service, June 5 at the Plano Centre.
Rev. Thomas Q. Robbins took his sermon text from Psalm 116:15: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.
"Is't that an audacious statement?" he asked. "How dare God do that!"
"But ... But," he said. "As followers of Christ, we live and die differently...We celebrate life and death...2007 Service of Ordination Membership has its privileges
6/15/2007
JOE DAN BOYDSpecial Correspondent
"Then Jesus said to the disciples, 'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life'." --Matthew 16:24-26 NLT
Visiting Bishop Robert E.Hayes, Jr., a native Texan now serving the Oklahoma Conference and the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, prefaced his ordination...Conference honors longtime member
6/15/2007
Members of the Annual Conference shared a poignant moment as Dr. Bill Lawrence, Dean of Perkins School of Theology, SMU, moved that the bar of the Conference be moved to include the home of Rev. William T. (Bill) Stephenson. The Conference affirmed the motion with a standing ovation for Rev. Stephenson, who signed in for the 63rd time when Rev. Jeff Hall, Highland Park UMC, Dallas, brought the papers to his home.
Fellow clergy honored Rev. Stephenson during their Sunday session by singing a...Ordination sermon issues challenge
6/15/2007
