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Today, in Holston Conference News Briefs for November 30:

Wednesday on the Webexclusive – Senior pastor use of Internet in our highest growth churches @ holston.org
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TOP STORY: Christmas gift ideas from Jubilee Project

Here's how to get your shopping done while supporting local farmers and entrepreneurs related to Jubilee Project. The Appalachian Spring Cooperative offers six gift baskets stuffed with pickles, jams, salsa, salve, or soap — all produced near Sneedville, Tenn.

Prices range from $29.95 to $46.95 per basket, plus shipping and handling. Get 5 percent off plus reduced shipping rates on orders of six or more.

Order gift baskets online now

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Advertise your church: Get an Igniting Ministry grant
The Igniting Ministry office in Nashville, Tenn., is now accepting grant applications for the 2006 Lent season. Application deadline is Dec. 1. Under a newly expanded program, churches may request a matching grant for a television, billboard, radio, and/or cinema presence in their communities.

Learn more from the Igniting Ministry site

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What happens on Dec. 1? World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day is traditionally observed Dec. 1. United Methodists are encouraged to observe this event on or near that day. This year’s international theme — “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise” — relates to the eight United Nations Millennium Goals to fight sources of hunger and poverty in our world. Learn more about World AIDS Day at these two sites:

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The Ministers' Wives Retreat is coming
The annual Ministers' Wives Retreat is scheduled for March 23-25, 2006, at Oak Tree Lodge in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Ministers' wives in the conference will receive brochures by mail. Pastor-Parish Committees, United Methodist Men's and United Methodist Women's groups are encouraged to support their ministers' wives' participation with financial assistance. For more information, contact Marion Nation at (276) 979-1075 or Angela Starks at (276) 228-4873.

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Planning to make a charitable donation by Dec. 31?

The Katrina Tax Relief Act provides a "window of opportunity" for year-end giving to charities, the Holston Conference Foundation has announced. The rule changes impact deductions for gifts received Aug. 28 through Dec. 31. Key clauses include temporary suspension of percentage limitations on deductions of cash gifts to public charities, and the ability to make gifts from IRAs and other qualified retirement plans.

For more information, contact Roger Redding by e-mail or by calling (866) 690-4080.

Learn more about end-of-year gifts

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'Narnia' movie opens soon: Resources available now
The Walt Disney production of "The Chronicles of Narnia" opens Dec. 9, but the UMC.org web site offers several resources for studying author C.S. Lewis and his writings now. Available are a seven-week study of "Narnia," TV and radio clips examining Lewis and the upcoming movie, and several related links.

Visit the 'Narnia' site now

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O tannenbaum: Who said that?
"To rename a Christmas tree as a holiday tree is as offensive as renaming a Jewish menorah a candlestick."

— Mathew Staver, president and general counsel for evangelical leader the Rev. Jerry Falwell. Staver was responding to a national trend of renaming the traditional Christmas tree in order to acknowledge other holidays such as Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.

Read The Washington Times article

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Your online calendar: Remember these dates

Divine Rhythm for young adults: Jan. 20-22

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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NOW AVAILABLE

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This message is from the Holston Conference Communications Office.