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Today, in Holston Conference News Briefs for May 24:

Wednesday on the Webexclusive – Counseling to Cops @ holston.org

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TOP STORY: Annual Conference is 18 days away

Under the theme, "Courageous Past, Bold Future," the Holston Annual Conference meets June 11-14 in Lake Junaluska. Clergy and lay representatives: Are you ready?

* Hands-on mission kits. All congregations are collecting food, school, and health supplies, assigned by district, for missions in Liberia and Zimbabwe. Members should drop off kits to designated locations within their districts prior to Annual Conference.

* Offering for Alaska. If your congregation hasn't yet taken its offering for the work of Church and Community Worker Fran Lynch, you have three more Sundays until Annual Conference. Offerings should be submitted during the afternoon mission presentation on Monday, June 12.

* Change for Children offering. Bring your offering for children's ministry to the "Walk for Change" tent on Tuesday, June 13.

* Fellowship bookmarks. Each attending member is asked to bring three bookmarks to exchange during the scheduled "stand-up breaks."

* Registration card. Don't forget to bring your registration card (which has been mailed to you). Turn it in during registration on Sunday, June 11.

See this year's Annual Conference schedule

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An act of farewell to a pastor

Need a contemporary way of saying goodbye to a transitioning pastor? The General Board of Discipleship offers these songs and a prayer.

Visit the GBOD's "Worship" site now

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Due July 24: Your winning Resurrection T-shirt design
Youth groups should begin now in the quest to design a winning T-shirt for Resurrection 2007. The upcoming theme is "Grace to Believe, Courage to Live," based on 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. The selected youth group will receive all proceeds from sales at the January event for local group activities, after a 10 percent tithe to the Youth Service Fund. Deadline is July 24.

Learn more about the contest

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Have you seen 'The Da Vinci Code'?

The controversial film opened last weekend with record-breaking ticket sales. The United Methodist Church offers its own movie review, as well as a study guide, book review, and related articles.

Read the movie review and other articles now

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Episcopal heat: Who said that?

"Both sides are concerned about the church splitting, and no one wants to see that happen."

— Brother Karekin Yarian of Every Voice Network, quoted in an Associated Press story concerning a critical church meeting. The Episcopal General Convention, which begins June 13 in Columbus, Ohio, is expected to respond to fellow Anglicans worldwide who were outraged by the 2003 consecration of the first openly gay Episcopal bishop.

Read the AP article now

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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.