Indescribable Compassion

“For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus;
There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female.
For you all are one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:26,28 NLT

About two weeks ago, after reading great reviews on social media, Craig and I began watching The Chosen.  Through the free app, the story of Jesus is beautifully told with engaging depth of characters and conversation. I am moved every time I finish an episode and learn another part of the Story I thought I knew so well. 

In season one episode six, Jesus heals a leper and an Egyptian woman, Tamar, looks on.  She is beautiful in every way.  Moved by this miracle, Tamar hears that Jesus is preaching in a house and because it is so crowded, Mary Magdalene shows her and her friends the way to the roof and they lower their paralyzed friend to Jesus’ feet.  He is healed and the scene is full of indescribable compassion. 

If you read my July newsletter message, you saw that one of the books I’m reading is Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison.  It has been excellent.  When I saw the character of Tamar, a dark-skinned, stunning woman and how the screenplay writer wove her character to be the leading friend who sought healing for her paralyzed friend, I took note.  My reading intersected with what I was watching:

“We all have been given different gifts; we all are different parts of the same body.  In the love of the family of God, we must become color brave, color caring, color honoring, and not color blind.  We have to recognize the image of God in one another. We have to love despite, and even because of, our differences” (Latasha Morrison, Be the Bridge, 23).

Part of the power of Jesus’ ministry was that he saw all people ... we all want to be seen for who we are at our core – a person fashioned in the Image of God.  And then in God’s amazing grace, we are given the opportunity to continue being transformed more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ.  Jesus saw the leper, he saw Tamar, he saw the paralytic ... and he sees you and me.  Thanks be to God!

I hope you are having a great summer.  Stay healthy and safe and thank you for being on the journey with me!

Grace and peace ~

Dionne
Rev. Dionne C. Hammond
Superintendent, Atlantic Central District

Clergy and Laity are invited to join the East Central District for the Anti-Racism event,

"Awakening Hope - Church Beyond the Color Line"
Saturday, October 23, 2021
9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Gathering / Continental Breakfast (8:15 AM)
Speaker: Reverend Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
Location: First UMC - Orlando  l  142 East Jackson Street
Format: In-person with a virtual option
Cost: TBD

Details and Registration will be available soon!

Lay Servant Ministry Course are being offered this Fall. For more information about these courses and to register, please visit our website at:

https://www.flumc.org/aclayservantministry

Contact:

Kathy Megerle, AC District Lay Servant Ministry Director
772-708-0026
kathrynmegerle.lsm.acd@gmail.com

Edgewater United Methodist Church

   -  September 17 and 18, 2021
   -  Basic Lay Servant Training Course
   -  Advanced Course: Biblical Interpretation: A Roadmap
   -  Cost: $25.00 - Lunch Provided on Saturday

First - Port St. Lucie

   -  September 24 and 25, 2021
   -  Basic Lay Servant Training Course
   -  Advanced Course:  Lay Servants as Christian Transformation Leaders
   -  Cost: $25.00 - Lunch Provided on Saturday

United Methodist Church of the Palm Beaches

   -  November 5 and 6, 2021
   -  Basic Lay Servant Ministry Course
   -  Advanced Course: Leading Public Prayer
   -  Cost: $25.00 - Lunch Provided on Saturday

Online Courses are available by visiting BeAdisciple.com

For links to the forms and audits below, please visit the Calendar of Reports Due on the FLUMC website at the link here:

https://www.flumc.org/calendar-of-reports-due-2021

Board of Trustees

• Annual Ministry Protection Property and Casualty Insurance Review (Annual Survey).
  • Trustees review and submit changes in the church dashboard.
  • Due between August 16 - 31, 2021  l  can be completed anytime throughout the year that changes occur. 
  • Documentation may be required for any changes needed. Contact the District Office. 

Finance/Treasurer

• The Annual Workers Compensation Payroll Audit
  • Due between August 16 - 31, 2021 - audit available at the calendar of reports due link above.
  • In August, please be sure to project your payroll by category through the end of 2021 when completing this section. 
  • Audit preformed twice a year as part of Florida Legislature Statute 440-381.

This is a friendly reminder to complete the monthly MVS reports by the 10th of each month. If your church receives Equitable Compensation, this is a requirement in order to receive your monthly payment. If you have any questions about the MVS reports, please contact our office. Here is the link to the form to complete: https://www.flumc.org/covid-19-modified-mvs-reporting

Charge Conference forms will go live on Monday, August 23, 2021. These forms are to be completed annually by each local church. 

The AC District Office will provide trainings and updates on form changes on the following dates and times via Zoom. All who help complete the forms are invited to join us. Please register for the date and time you prefer.

• Tuesday, August 24 at 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM
• Wednesday, August 25 at 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM
• Registration is required. Please register at the link here:  https://florida-reg.brtapp.com/ACDistrictChargeConferenceTraining2021

Now is a good time to begin working on the following areas even though the paperwork is not yet available:

• Leadership and Nominations
• Membership Audit

This year, we will have Fall Charge Conference gatherings by Clergy Peer Learning Groups. Our office is working on setting up dates, times, and locations for each church in our district. These will be announced soon. All gatherings will take place in October. The schedule will be communicated to Clergy and Administrative Assistants. If you have any questions about Fall Charge Conferences, please let us know. 

Atlantic Central District
Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
PO Box 1898  l  Melbourne, FL  32902
772-299-0255
www.flumc.org/atlanticcentral

Rev. Dionne C. Hammond - District Superintendent
Paula McDonald - Senior Administrative Assistant  l  flumc-ac@flumc.org
Marilyn Waldis - Administrative Assistant  l  flumc-ac4@flumc.org
Bruce Kitson - Church Health Advocate  l  bkitson@flumc.org