Opportunities — July 5, 2004 {0103}
e-Review Florida United Methodist News Service Opportunities — July 5, 2004 July 5, 2004 News media contact: Michael Wacht* An e-Review News Item Great American Bake Sale offers fun way to fight hunger Churches have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of 13 million children at risk of hunger in the U.S. through the Great American Bake Sale. The National Council of Churches, as an official Great American Bake Sale Community Partner, has helped develop tips and materials for faith-based teams interested in participating. Nearly 7,000 teams, including about 600 faith-based teams, have already registered to participate in the Great American Bake Sale 2004. The bake sale must be held by July 25. Churches that send in funds on or before July 25 will receive a special gift. Funds are distributed to quality child hunger organizations across the country. Participation is free and simple. For more information visit http://www.greatamericanbakesale.org or call 800-761-4227. The Great American Bake Sale will provide a wall poster with tips and recipes to help groups get started. The Great American Bake Sale is co-presented by PARADE Magazine and Share Our Strength, one of the nation's leading anti-hunger organizations, and sponsored by ABC Entertainment, Betty Crocker and Tyson Foods Inc. SEJ offers online coverage of conference The Southeastern Jurisdiction (SEJ) of the United Methodist Church will provide extensive Internet coverage of its 2004 conference July 14-17. Online coverage will enable people to interact with selected events through live and on-demand audio and video. Expanded online coverage will include interviews, an interactive area for site visitors to post comments and messages, stories from the jurisdictional Daily Christian Advocate, ballot coverage, news bulletins and photograph gallery. The online viewer will be able to experience the conference in an extended way through live video broadcasting, in-depth information, online journal and up-to-the-minute coverage. Biographical material about candidates for bishop is also provided. Ballot results will be posted online and e-mailed to the SEJ mailing list as the six bishops for the SEJ are elected. For more information or to join the mailing list visit http://www.sej2004.org. United Methodist Men holds Rally for Christ The United Methodist Men (UMM) of the Florida, Alabama/West Florida and Georgia conferences will hold their 2004 Rally for Christ Aug. 14 at the Leon County Convention Center in Tallahassee. The theme is "Under the Master's Mandate." Registration costs include lunch and are $25 per person and $15 for students through college. Conference scouting coordinators can provide scouting scholarhsip information and patches. Checks should be made payable to Florida Conference United Methodist Men, Men's Rally, P.O. Box 93370, Lakeland, FL 33804. For more information visit http://www.ummflconf.org or contact John Dowell, Florida Conference UMM president at 813-251-6458; Leland McKeown, committee co-chairman at 352-796-3032; or Don and Sue Heishman, registrars, at 877-815-3692. Willow Creek Association provides leadership training in 80 cities Chrisitians are invited to join 40,000 other Christ-following men and women gathering in 80 cities Aug. 12-14 for one large training event. The Willow Creek Association's 2004 Leadership Summit will help people embrace new challenges and is an excellent opportunity for senior pastors, church staff, volunteer leaders, elders, board members, business and community leaders, students and emerging leaders, and anyone interested with untapped leadership potential. Topics include self-mangement, team building, launching the ministry year and managing change. Speakers include the Rev. Bill Hybels, founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church and chairman of the Willow Creek Association Board; Bishop T.D. Jakes, pastor of the Potter's House in Dallas; Pat Summitt, head basketball coach for the University of Tennessee lady Volunteers; Tim Sanders, leadership coach and former chief solutions officer for Yahoo!, and others. The leadership summit will provide cutting-edge principles to the entire team via state-of-the-art satellite technology. Florida locations include Crossroad United Methodist Church in Jacksonville, Discovery Church in Orlando, First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Spanish River Church in Boca Raton and Van Dyke United Methodist Church in Tampa. The cost is $165 per person for the Willow Creek Association's member group rate of 10 or more people, $205 per person for the Willow Creek Association's member group rate of one to nine people, $255 per person non-members, $95 per person military personnel and $75 per person for faculty and students. Participants may register online at http://www.willowcreek.com; by telephone at 800-570-9812 or 847-765-0070, extension 1980; or by printing the registration form and either mailing it to WCA, P.O. Box 3188, Barrington, IL 60111-3188 or faxing it to 888-922-0035 or 847-765-5046. ### *Wacht is director of Florida United Methodist Communications and managing editor
407-897-1140 mwacht@flumc.org Orlando {0103}
By J.A. Buchholz**
of e-Review Florida United Methodist News Service.
**Buchholz is a staff writer for e-Review Florida United Methodist News Service.