Today, in Holston Conference News Briefs for August 4:
exclusive – Are we in the midst of a new Great Awakening? @ holston.org- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TOP STORY: Full speed ahead for new bishop transition
Bishop James Swanson, Holston's new Episcopal leader, is in Knoxville this week, meeting with staff members as he prepares to take leadership of the conference Sept. 1. Meanwhile, outgoing Bishop Ray Chamberlain hosted a luncheon on Aug. 3 for cabinet members and their spouses who served during his eight-year assignment.
Read The Call’s July 30 article about Bishop Swanson.
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Churches in rural areas: Need money?
The Renfro Trust helps support rural churches in the Southeastern Jurisdiction. Grants of up to $5,000 may be awarded to erect or complete buildings, refinance debts, purchase lots, or make repairs. Grants may not be used for parsonages and are only awarded to churches in towns of 10,000 or fewer. Deadline for application is Sept. 1. For more information, email Rev. Mat Merker, conference secretary of global ministries, or call (423) 338-6139.
Visit the conference missions page.
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How to improve your church communications
A new edition of a handbook for church communicators, produced by the Religious Communicators Council, will be available next month. "Speaking of Faith: The Essential Handbook for Religious Communicators," offers advice on identifying communications needs, developing print resources and handling a public relations crisis.
More about the book
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Seminar with Bishop Wilke on Aug. 28
Bishop Richard Wilke, designer of the "Disciple" Bible studies, will lead a workshop for laity and clergy Saturday, Aug. 28, at First-Centenary UMC in Chattanooga. "Building Community With Diverse Voices of Biblical Interpretation" is sponsored by First-Centenary and the Wesley Institute. Download a brochure
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‘I killed his son, but yet he saved my life.’
In 1987, Scott Everett, 24, was murdered with a gunshot wound to the neck. His father, a United Methodist pastor in Hartford, Conn., struggled for years with grief and anger. Rolling Stone Magazine recently told the story of how the grieving father and his son's killer eventually became friends. Read the story
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Numbers: Holston moves up in giving
According to a recent General Council on Finance and Administration report, Holston Conference is in the top five Southeastern Jurisdiction conferences in giving to apportioned funds this year. At the end of June 2004, Holston had given 33.4 percent of its annual apportionment to the general church. That's an increase over June 2003 giving, when Holston had contributed 29.7 percent.
Holston is one of 15 conferences in the Southeastern Jurisdiction. Leading the SEJ in giving to 2004 apportionments are Red Bird Missionary (41.7 percent), South Georgia (37.0 percent) and Virginia (36.4 percent).
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Your online calendar: Remember these dates
Oct 27-29: Wesley & Stewardship (pdf)