Today, in Holston Conference News Briefs for April 13:
exclusive – Series Begins: Growing Holston Churches Online @ holston.org- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
TOP STORY: New president for Tennessee Wesleyan
Stephen Condon has been selected as the 20th president of Tennessee Wesleyan College, officials announced on April 11. The six-month search involved more than 70 qualified candidates. Condon is currently vice president of student affairs at Gordon College in Barnesville, Ga. See the upcoming April 22 edition of The Call for more information.
Read Tennessee Wesleyan's press release
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Remember May 1: Special offering for Latvia
Holston Conference will raise $125,000 to benefit "Helping Hands for Latvia" during special offerings on May 1 or alternate dates. In addition, each district is currently collecting food, clothing, health or school supplies for missions in Zimbabwe or Liberia.
Read more about Holston's annual missions project
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Grants & scholarships available for 'young people'
The Division on Ministries with Young People is offering grants for local churches as well as scholarships for United Methodist youth.
Grants up to $10,000 are available for ministries that concentrate on critical issues related to young people in local churches, campus ministries, or community organizations. Applications are due July 1, for funding to begin in January 2006.
Two $1,000 scholarships are available for United Methodist youth entering their freshman year of college. Applications for the Richard S. and David W. Self Scholarships for the 2005-2006 academic year are due by June 1.
Download the applications
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Order 'Peace With Justice' worship resources now
One of six Special Sundays in the United Methodist Church, Peace With Justice Sunday is scheduled for May 22. When churches take special offerings on this day, half of the offering supports Peace With Justice ministries globally through the General Board of Church and Society. The other half assists annual conference-related work.
Order free resources
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Read any good books lately? Then try this site
Once a month, UMC.org publishes a critical review of a recently released book of fiction or non-fiction. Books are reviewed through a "spiritual lens, as opposed to focusing on the art of writing itself," according to the web site.
Each review includes a study guide, with questions and activities for further exploration. The most recent book review posted: "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold.
Read the review now
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Three years from now, we'll be watching Fort Worth
The commission that plans the United Methodist Church's top legislative assembly has chosen a theme for the 2008 gathering and has set the dates, shortening General Conference by two days from previous years.
When the 2008 General Conference meets in Fort Worth, Texas, delegates will gather for nine days instead of 11. With a theme of "A Future With Hope," the nearly 1,000 delegates from around the world will meet from April 23 to May 2 to set church policy and conduct other business.
Read the United Methodist News Service report
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Another Catholic challenge: Who said that?
"If you were to ask most people what they think of when it comes to issues for the Catholic Church, you'd probably hear about sexual ethics -- contraception, abortion, homosexuality. But in the trenches, the biggest problem is the priest shortage."
--David Yamane, a Wake Forest sociologist, in a recent Washington Post article about the role of lay leadership in the Catholic Church
Read the Washington Post article
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Your online calendar: Remember these dates