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The Call March 12 edition
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Breaking news: Drug benefits for United Methodists
Looking for spring golf action? Here’s your chance
SOULfeast: New spiritual conference in North Carolina
‘Holy Land’ seminar on March 11 has been postponed
‘Drama of the Divine’: E&H concert on March 21
Change for Children grant applications due April 15
Call for nominees: Denman Evangelism Awards
Everything you want to know about General Conference
Online calendar: Remember these dates
Hate mail and nasty messages: Who said that?

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Breaking news: Drug benefits for United Methodists

Responding to the escalating cost of prescription drugs, the United Methodist Church has begun making a drug benefit available to all 8.3 million of its U.S. members. Through a partnership with prescription drug and health supply discounter DestinationRx, the denomination is offering a free card that gives discounts of up to 65 percent on most prescription drugs and other supplies. For more information, visit this United Methodist News Service site.

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Looking for spring golf action? Here’s your chance

Camp Wesley Woods will hold its first annual golf tournament Monday, April 26, at Gettysvue Polo, Golf & Country Club in Knoxville. The $100-per-player entry fee includes dinner, prizes, a round of golf with a cart, and range balls. Proceeds will benefit the camp’s capital improvement fund. Entry deadline: April 9. E-mail or call (865) 448-2246.

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SOULfeast: New spiritual conference in North Carolina

This summer, Upper Room Ministries presents a new four-day conference including worship, workshops and “Sabbath rest for those who hunger for a deepening spirituality.” SOULfeast happens July 18-22 at Lake Junaluska, N.C., and features as speakers the Rev. Trevor Hudson, a pastor and author from southern Africa, and the Rev. Luther Smith, professor of church and community at Candler School of Theology. For more information, click here or call 1-800-972-0433.

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‘Holy Land’ seminar on March 11 has been postponed

The Wesley Institute recently announced the postponement of the March 11 seminar, “Christians and the Holy Land: The Role of the Church in a Conflicted Land,” at Cokesbury Center in Knoxville. For more information, contact Caryl Griffin by e-mail or phone (423-928-2156).

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‘Drama of the Divine’: E & H concert choir on March 21

The Emory & Henry Concert Choir will return from a spring tour to present the last performance of “Drama of the Divine” on March 21. The concert begins at 3 p.m. in the E&H Memorial Chapel. Tickets: $8 in advance and $10 at the door. For more information, contact the E&H arts coordinator at (276) 944-6846.

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Change for Children grant applications due April 15

The children’s ministry office will be awarding Change for Children grants at Annual Conference in June. The deadline for applying for a children’s ministry grant is April 15. A promotional flyer, grant information and application are available in PDF format at www.holstonkids.com. Click on “Advocacy.”

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Call for nominees: Denman Evangelism Awards

The Denman Evangelism Awards provide focus on the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ. Awards are made each year at Annual Conference to one lay and one clergy person who are doing vital evangelism work in keeping with United Methodist history and tradition. Nomination forms are available online or from district offices. Nominations are due by April 15 to the Rev. Sandra Johnson, 829 Dallas Road, Chattanooga, TN 37405-2735.

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Everything you want to know about General Conference

"Exploring General Conference," an online course about how General Conference operates and how it can affect the lives of United Methodists, will run March 10-April 9. Enrollment for the course began Feb. 26. For more information, visit http://training.umcom.org.

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Your online calendar: Remember these dates

• March 26-28 – Discovery - a high school youth and young adults call-to-ministry event at Camp Wesley Woods (PDF)
  
  
• April 30-May 2 – Knoxville District’s “Refuge” youth retreat, featuring musician Wayne Kerr, in Tellico Plains, Tenn. (PDF)

New event announcements appear here. Visit our upcoming events page for other events. Be sure you have the newest Acrobat Reader or you may not be able to view PDFs.

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Hate mail and nasty messages: Who said that?

“I had never in my life been attacked in church … We have had hate mail and all kinds of nasty messages on the answering machine. Things like, ‘Go to hell!’ and ‘We will stone you’ and ‘Jesus will stone you.’”

– Doreen Boxer, who recently married her gay partner and was recognized for the union at Santa Cruz Bible Church in California. Boxer and her partner, who had attended the church several times as visitors, won a contest recognizing the most recently married couple in attendance. Later they were lectured by the pastor about the sanctity of marriage, according to the New York Times.

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