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July 2020 District Newsletter

Message from the District Office

Have you ever felt uncertain? Uncertain of what is coming next in your life, in your ministry? During this season of change (we are in the appointment transition time of ministry) it can be challenging to figure things out. Things like: where am I and where am I going? Each season we welcome new clergy into our district. It is a huge time of transition for them and their families. While some are staying local but just moving to a new church; others are traveling hundreds of miles for their new ministry. 

Inc. magazine says this about new employees:

"When a new employee reports to their first day on the job, the feeling is quite similar to those first day of the school year jitters we all had as kids. And while it's a challenge for the employee to familiarize him or herself quickly with the office, the job responsibilities, new co-workers and more, it's just as important and stressful for their managers. Making a new hire feel comfortable and a part of the team from day one is imperative to make the employee a successful and productive member of your business."

While we don't use the term new employee to describe a new pastor, essentially that is what a new pastor is equated to in the secular world. No matter if you are in the church or secular world, this change can be stressful. But for pastors, it can be even more stressful. Living in a new place, not quite comfortable enough to call home. If children are involved, worrying about new schools. If a spouse is involved, worrying about them getting a new job. All of this, on top of meetings, new faces, prepping for worship, etc. The list is endless. 

Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622), when he was the Bishop of Geneva is recorded as saying this:

“Truly charity has no limit; for the love of God has been poured into our hearts by His Spirit dwelling in each one of us, calling us to a life of devotion and inviting us to bloom in the garden where He has planted and directing us to radiate the beauty and spread the fragrance of His Providence."

As new clergy and their families venture into the North East District, we welcome you. We welcome you and ask that you bloom where you are planted! God has planted you here and has a plan for your success! We are grateful for you.

Blessings,

Pam Mullay
Senior Assistant

 

Welcome New Appointments

June 30 was Moving Day in the Florida Conference. It is this season of the church where we celebrate new beginnings. We would like to welcome the following new clergy to the North East District:

  • North East District Office - Durwood Foshee as district superintendent.
  • Emmanuel UMC, Palatka - Michael Stephens appointed as senior pastor. (part-time)
  • Mandarin UMC - Martyn Atkins appointed as senior pastor. Martyn is still in England and will be joining us soon. 
  • First UMC, Interlachen -  David K. Miller appointed as senior pastor.
  • First UMC, Starke - Joshua Reinken appointed as associate pastor.
  • Florahome UMC - Elizabeth Layer Boyd appointed as senior pastor. (part-time)
  • St. Paul UMC - Simon Osunlana appointed as senior pastor.
  • Ponte Vedra UMC - Jacqueline Leveron appointed as senior pastor.


Updates from the Conference/District

In an effort to streamline communications, please be sure to visit the Conference website on a regular basis for updates on COVID-19. 

We know that many of you have been missing our Wonderful Wednesday Highlights and Friendly Friday Reminders. With the pause in scheduling in-person meetings, we have put these communications on hold. We plan to resume in August. 


District Vitality Metrics Paused

As we juggle measuring things during this trying time, we have decided to pause the collection of our District Vitality Metrics (First Time Guests & Gospel Invitations) at this point in time. We will let you know when we are able to resume collecting this data. 


History in the Making!

Have you met Abby Preston and C. J. “Carol” Godwin, the new district members to the Commission on Archives & History?  You will be hearing from them soon!  Preston and Godwin are calling churches, asking for names and contact information for your church historian, or those serving in that capacity.  The ministry of memory seeks to connect the past, the present, and the future, and our new commissioners look forward to speaking to you and learning your church’s story. 

You are welcome to the names and contact information for your church historian to the District Office. 


Disaster Recovery

As you know, this is the first year Disaster Recovery was not part of the calendar of reports for our churches. Instead, our conference volunteer coordinators for the Irma Recovery have captured what they’ve learned from you, our local churches, and created an easily searchable database of resources for when the next disaster comes. 

To supplement this information, we have developed a very brief survey - much shorter than our original! – and invite all churches to please complete this survey by July 10th.  

Church Disaster Resources Survey

The information we gather will help us continue our support of you, our local churches, when disaster strikes. Thank you for your help!  


Annual Assessment of Clergy Leadership

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cabinet and the Office of Clergy Excellence has agreed to postpone the deadline for annual clergy evaluations for non-moving clergy to September 30, 2020. For those clergy who have moved, their evaluations should have been completed by June 30, 2020. All completed forms should be emailed to Pam Mullay, flumc-ne@flumc.org.

The clergy assessment process is available on the FLUMC website under Clergy Excellence. 

NOTE: This is required for every clergy appointed to the local church. These evaluations are not required for extension ministers or deacons working beyond the local church setting. If your pastor is retiring, you do not need to do an assessment.


Resilient Church Academy
Learn from N.T. Wright and other leading scholars, pastors, and innovators!

In May, Fresh Expressions US launched the Resilient Church Academy. The academy gathered cohorts from across the country digitally to learn together how to be the church in this challenging time. In response to many of the learning tracks selling out and lots of requests for a second iteration of the academy, we are launching a new session starting the first week of August.  

Registration opens this week!  It will cover many of the same academy tracks as last time, as well as a few new opportunities in response to what else has been happening in the nation the last two months.

Through our partnership between FXUS and FLUMC, you can feel free to use this discount code FLUMC25 (25% off) to distribute to any church/church leader in your district for these academies. Note: The only exception is that we are not able to offer a discount for the Master Class. 

Here is a link to the landing page - https://resilientchurchacademy.com/

CEU’s will be provided through United Theological Seminary. I now serve as the Director of the Fresh Expressions House of Studies at United, where we offer a Doctorate, Master of Divinity, and non-degree certifications in fresh expressions. If you or someone in your congregation is interested in further education, please let me know https://united.edu/fresh-expressions-studies/ 


UMC FCU 2020 Scholarship Winner

It is with great pleasure that the United Methodist Connectional FCU awarded Arleigha Byer with our 2020 UMC FCU Scholarship.

She is with the Florida Conference. She is currently enrolled at the College Academy at Broward College where she is spending her last two years of high school pursuing her Associate’s degree in International Studies. She intends to gain her Bachelor’s degree in International Studies. Arleigha aspires to join the workforce at the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) where she intends to fight for the human rights of children all over the world. 

The UMC FCU continues to serve our Conference members with dedication to spotting and supporting talented individuals who are making a difference in the world. Congratulations Arleigha!


Director of Youth Ministries @ Memorial UMC, Fernandina Beach

Coordinator of Children's Ministries @ Middleburg UMC

If you have a job you would like to post, please submit that on our Classifieds page and then email Pam with the information so she can include it in our emails/newsletters. 


July 2020

July 8, 2020 - 11 a.m. - District KidMin Video Meeting - this is for anyone involved in children's ministry in our district.

September 2020

October 2020