February, 2022

Dear South East District Friends,

Recently I celebrated a “milestone” birthday and chose to spend it riding roller coasters with my teenager and friends at Busch Gardens in Tampa. It seemed fitting to do something very “young” as I was beginning a new decade of life.

Roller coasters are fascinating. I am somewhat surprised that I enjoy them as much as I do. They seem unnecessarily dangerous and typically I stay away from danger. They cause me to scream and I normally try not to scream. They make my heart pound and my stomach turn and, of course, I try to steer clear of things that make me feel that way. What is it about roller coasters that I enjoy?

I have no idea.

However, I ride them and go back over and over again, feeling happy and renewed and windblown after each one.

Being a preacher, I can’t resist the symbolism in all of this. Though many people do not choose to ride roller coasters, we all know that life is full of them. Typically, we do not choose them. We simply find ourselves riding along one day (coasting, shall we say?) and all of a sudden the coasting becomes a large mountain to climb or a very swift fall to endure. Then there is a twist and a turn and a scream and the need to grab the hand of the person sitting next to you.

Does this sound familiar? Have you ridden a roller coaster in your life lately?

It won’t be hard for you to understand that I prefer real roller coasters to those in my everyday life. The real roller coasters come to a quick end! The ones in life often go on and on, seeming interminable, and we never know if another mountain is upon us or if this particular ride (challenge, obstacle, dilemma) is about to end.

This is where our faith in Jesus is such a gift to you and to me. What helps us with our pounding heart and turning stomach and anxiety when we encounter life’s roller coasters? It is our faith in a Lord who knows us, knows our struggles and seeks to live in and through us as we encounter the challenges of this life. Every one of life’s obstacles does not leave us feeling “refreshed” the way I do when the roller coaster ride is over. That is the plain truth. They often leave us feeling beaten and worn down. However, I trust in a Savior, as you do, who came to live among creation in order to know our lives, experience our pain and joy, offer a new way to live and ultimately give us the gift of peace, hope and joy that can only come from our risen Lord.

Friends, if you find yourself on one of life’s roller coasters right now, reach out to someone near you and grab their hand tight! They will hear your scream and help to ease your pounding heart. Allow them to journey with you as a friend in faith, to remind you of the love of Jesus and the hope of our God during trying times.

Peace to each of you as we journey together, 

Cynthia D. Weems

 

 

Join us for a monthly half-hour conversation with various speakers and share your thoughts about anti-racism efforts in our Conference. The first webinar is scheduled for February 2. Please CLICK HERE for more information.

 

 

Anti Racism Event 

With Gilbert King, Author of Devil in the Grove

Wednesday, February 16, at 7pm on Zoom

We are encouraging all to register for this great event. If you are able please read the book, and join the author on February 16, To register, please CLICK HERE.

 

 

 

Calendar of Reports due for February and March

February 4

Year-end local church statistics (Table 1, Table 2, Table 3) close on Friday, February 4 at 5:00 pm. Complete online annually. This form will be available online via the Statistics link at your church dashboard login on the conference website beginning January 1, 2022.

Must be completed by February 4, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.  

 

February 21

Workers Compensation Payroll Audit is to be completed online annually.  Report actual payroll for calendar year 2021.  Must be completed between February 1 and February 21, 2022. In order to comply with State of Florida requirements related to workers’ compensation coverage, we ask that you complete the brief online payroll survey.  Please review your payroll records (941’s etc.) for the calendar year 2021 and complete the form as accurately as possible.  Please note that your responses will not affect your workers’ compensation insurance costs for 2022 as this updated information is simply required to comply with State of Florida regulations. 

February 28

Ensure Lay Member to Annual Conference name and contact information is correct in church dashboard.

March 31 

The following reports are due to the District office by March 31. Please email them to Norma Sayago flumc-se@flumc.org. 

 

The church needs to have a Local Church Employee form signed by each employee and kept in their personnel file. This does not get sent to the District office.

The Fund Balance report is submitted online by Finance. Do not send a hard copy to the District. This report is located in your church dashboard. Report available via the church dashboard login under Fund Balance.

 

 

 

Annual Conference 2022

– Get ready to see one another!

June 9-11

Florida Southern College

 

The Florida Annual Conference 2022 session will be back to an in-person event and will be held on June 9-11 (a general schedule will be released in the new year) on the campus of Florida Southern College in Lakeland. The theme for Annual Conference 2022 will be: Rebuilding the Church, Re-membering the Body: Creating a Spiritual Home for All.

“We have been through an extraordinary season with many complexities and constraints, and all of this has kept us from the joy of coming together, and we likely have taken this gift for granted,” said Bishop Ken Carter. “I am excited about the 2022 Annual Conference, and I believe God will bless us during these days.”
 
Thanks to vaccinations and proper protocols, we feel confident that an in-person gathering can occur in June of next year. While we will still offer a livestream option for those not able to be present in Lakeland, voting on Conference matters will only be available to in-person lay and clergy members.
 
As we have for the past two years, your Annual Conference planning team will continue to follow state and local health guidelines, including those of Florida Southern College as our hosts. It is possible that mask-wearing and social distancing may still be recommended so please watch for more details as we draw closer to June.

For questions, please contact acquestions@flumc.org.

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Florida Annual Conference Planning Team

Pastors: Please forward this to your lay member(s) to Annual Conference and be sure they are entered on the church dashboard!

 

 

South East District DCOM Meetings 2022

dCOM Chair: Rev. David Range miramarpastor@gmail.com
DS: Rev. Cynthia Weems ds-se@flumc.org
dCOM Registrar: Elizabeth Flynn eflynn@flumc.org

 

Note: Certification and Local Pastor applicants may apply at any of the dates above

To schedule a dCOM interview, email Elizabeth Flynn, District Registrar at eflynn@flumc.org.

Click HERE to read about the Candidacy Process.