Reminder: Clergy Pre-Retirement Seminars sponsored by the Conference Board of Pensions, will be held on Monday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church, N.Y., and Tuesday, Dec. 8, 10 a.m. to noon, at Shelburne United Methodist Church in Vermont. Seminars are free and pre-registration is not required. Download an informational flyer.

The New England Conference staff has been conducting a variety of practical workshops to give local churches information and resources to help enhance and empower mission work and experiences. This winter, the workshops will come to Vermont. All clergy and local church members are invited to attend.

 

Worships are scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 27 from 6:30 to 9:15 p.m. in Rutland, Vt.; Thursday, Jan. 28, 1:30 to 4:15 p.m., South Burlington, Vt.,; and Thursday, Jan. 28, 6:30 to 9:15 p.m. in Barre, Vt. There are five workshops, each exploring a different aspect of Mission in a New Day. Each workshop will be offered twice during the session, so each participant can choose two of the offerings: 

Click here for more detailed information on the workshop offerings.

Conference Director of Lay Speaking Ministries Vivian Melin reminds pastors and lay speakers that annual lay speaker reports, properly signed, are due. Copies of the reports should be sent to Melin and the District Director of Lay Speaker Ministries. The original form should be filed with the secretary of your church or charge conference. Melin reports that it is important to have accurate records of Lay Speakers as Troy Conference transitions into its new conferences. Download a copy of the annual report form. For more information, contact Melin at (518) 441-2305.

The General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) will host “Fill My Cup, Lord,” the Children’s Ministry Forum, Feb. 23 through 25 at Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh, N.C. Click here for more information and to register.

 

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News from Upper New York 

 

“Casting bread upon the waters: up river and downstream” is the theme of the 2010 New England Annual Conference, which will be held Wednesday, June 16 through Saturday, June 19 at Gordon College in Wexham, Mass. The theme celebrates the gifts and confluence of the Vermont streams and the New England streams into the ministry and mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, with special focus on eradicating poverty. Clergy Session will be held on Wednesday, June 16, and Ordination on Saturday, June 19. Click Here to see specifications, the dates and the deadlines online.

 

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Reminder: the deadline for submitting stories and items for the February Connection is Jan. 15. The deadline for posting information in TAC Bytes is Wednesday noon for publication that week. Send submissions for both publications electronically to Sandra Brands, editor, at sbrands@troyac.org.

 

TO SUBSCRIBE: Visit the Sign-up for newsletter web page http://www.troyac.org/stay_connected.asp at www.troyac.org.

 

Open hearts, open minds, open doors: Troy Conference United Methodists Welcome their Neighbors
©2009 Troy Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
Troy Annual Conference congregations have permission to duplicate the contents herein. UMNS material must include UMNS credit line.

 

This message is coming through the Troy Annual Conference web site. If you wish to be removed from this list or to change the address to which you receive conference e-mail, send a message listing your old email address AND your new email address to the list manager. All Troy United Methodist churches are required to receive messages through this list. Any other interested people may also subscribe at no cost.--Sandra Brands, Director of Communications, Troy Annual Conference