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Today, in Holston Conference News Briefs for March 9:

Wednesday on the Webexclusive – Mission Moments @ holston.org

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TOP STORY: Transformation has new approach in 2005

For the first time, the Wesley Institute is co-sponsoring Transformation with the Board of Laity. The result is that the annual spring event features Bishop James Swanson as keynote speaker, and more church groups might be inspired to participate.

Held April 2-3 at Lake Junaluska, N.C., Transformation offers a weekend experience for the entire family, including age-specific programming, according to Conference Lay Leader Bob Lockaby. Swanson is also an "important component that churches will not want to miss," according to Wesley Institute Director Caryl Griffin: "He has an inspiring charge and message to which we all need to respond as disciples."

Find out more and register online by March 24

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Hiwassee College denied appeal by accrediting body

Hiwassee College President James Noseworthy says the college will continue to "pursue all avenues to sustain its vital mission" after the denial of its Feb. 23 appeal of a decision by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to remove it from membership, based on financial concerns. For more on Hiwassee, see the upcoming March 25 edition of The Call.

Read the United Methodist News Service report

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We know what you want: 38 Holy Week resources
The General Board of Discipleship has a web site devoted to Holy Week resources. Examples include "Worship Planning Helps for Palm Sunday" and "Free Holy Week Clip Art."

Click here for 38 Holy Week ideas

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Whenever you click, you tell us what you like
This e-mail message, "Holston Conferences News Briefs," is prepared by the conference Communications Office. By keeping track of the web links that you click on -- and the links you don't -- we can tell a lot about the information you want.

For instance, our readers are most likely to seek information from the General Board of Discipleship, United Methodist News Service, and sites from outside the denomination. Last week, "Seven tips for creating a man-friendly church" from Saddleback Church in California received an overwhelming response.

With the exception of Resurrection, readers are least likely to seek more information on conference-related or local-church events, perhaps because they receive that information elsewhere. The Holston-related link that readers seem to like on a consistent basis? "Job opportunities."

Revisited: "7 tips for a man-friendly church"

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Deadline for United Methodist scholarships: March 15
United Methodist Communications is accepting applications for three scholarship and fellowship opportunities through the March 15 deadline.

The Judith Weidman Racial Ethnic Minority Fellowship is awarded to one recent college/seminary graduate student each year. The Stoody-West Scholarship is a $6,000 award for a United Methodist student in post-graduate study who intends to pursue a career in religion journalism. The Leonard M. Perryman Communications Scholarship is a $2,500 scholarship for a racial ethnic minority undergraduate student in religion journalism/mass communications.

Get more information

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Stephen Ministries workshop offered at Concord UMC
On Saturday, April 9, Concord UMC will host a Stephen Ministries Workshop designed to help congregations explore ways to expand their caring ministry. The workshop is sponsored by Stephen Ministries, a Christian training organization based in St. Louis. The workshop will be led by the Rev. Michael Welch of Lafayette UMC in Lafayette, Tenn. Concord UMC is located in west Knoxville.

Find out more and register online

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Restoration over vengeance: Who said that?
"It's just savagery, really."

--Jim Winkler, chief executive of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, referring to the execution of juvenile criminals. Winkler and other United Methodist leaders recently lauded the U.S. Supreme Court for outlawing such executions.

Read the United Methodist News Service report

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Your online calendar: Remember these dates

March thru April: Safe Sanctuaries Training

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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This message is from the Holston Conference Communications Office.