http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_top.aspnothing provideden-usFri, 20 Nov 2009 17:00:00 ESTFri, 20 Nov 2009 17:00:00 ESThttp://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=597http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=597A case management overview class for persons interested in disaster response will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Thursday, January 7, 2010, at Central UMC in Decatur. The class, quot;Introduction to Case Management Following a Disaster,quot; will be led by Dr. Christopher Perry, certified UMCOR disaster response trainer and vice-president of ALVOAD. Dr. Perry is executive director of the Elmore County chapter of Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). The purpose of the class is to familiaTue, 17 Nov 2009 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=596http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=596The Christian Journey, a covenant community for spiritual formation, is accepting applications for a three-year cycle of retreats beginning in January 2010. A program of the Upper Room administered by the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, the retreats will be a gathering of laity and clergy with a special concern for inclusiveness. All events will be held at Blessed Trinity Retreat Center near Phenix City. Twelve retreat weekends spread over the three years will ofThu, 12 Nov 2009 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=595http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=595The following appointments were announced today by Cabinet Secretary, Dale Cohen.These appointments include the realignment of a charge as well as the filling of some churches where retirements or other vacancies are taking place prior to June 2010.The first Sunday in their new appointment for most of these pastors will be January 10, 2010. ldquo;We on the Cabinet are working to be more responsive to churches and pastors and to do our appointive work in a more supple and timely fashion. The proTue, 10 Nov 2009 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=593http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=593United Methodist Bishop William H. Willimon will give a public lecture titled quot;Emerging Evangelicals Among Postmoderns: A Blessing and a Warningquot; at Emory Universitys Candler School of Theology at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 12. Willimons lecture, which will be followed by a question-and-answer session, will be held in room 252 of the theology school building, 1531 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, 30322. The event is sponsored by the Candler Evangelical Society, a student organization. Admission is frSat, 7 Nov 2009 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=594http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=594The North Alabama Conference clergy spouses met at Camp Sumatanga in October for the 2009 Spouses Retreat. The annual event is a time of relaxation and fellowship for the spouses ofUnited Methodistpastors. Award-winning actress and storyteller Dolores Hydock provided the entertainment that brought much laughter as the spouses enjoyed their time together. Other highlights included book club discussion with Edwina Styes; career networking with Sandy Reynolds; facials with Alicia Crew; needle crafThu, 5 Nov 2009 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=592http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=592With the unemployment rate at nearly 10 percent nationally, local churches may be searching for ways to be in ministry to those looking for work. One avenue of assistance is to offer career training, and an organization in Birmingham is offering free or reduced-tuition classes in construction trades. The Construction Education Foundation of Alabama, or CEFA, recently was awarded a Workforce Development Grant which has enabled the group to offer the training to qualified persons. quot;We offer iThu, 5 Nov 2009 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=591http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=591Donald Miller, author of the New York Times bestseller Blue Like Jazz, takes to the road this fall, visiting 65 cities by tour bus to launch his eagerly-awaited new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life (Thomas Nelson, $19.99 hardcover, October 2009). Though in great demand as a speaker, Miller usually does just a few talks each year. ldquo;Donald Miller On Tour: An Evening with Donald Millerrdquo; will give his legion of fans, who turned Blue Like JazzWed, 4 Nov 2009 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=589http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=589In July, Cove United Methodist Church (Northeast District) discovered how social media, including Facebook and Twitter, could help keep their members informed and connected -- especially in a time of a communication crisis. Rev. Matt Jones, Associate Pastor of Cove UMC, first shared this blog of the congregations experience in July and now wants to share their story with other North Alabama Conference congregations. First posted July 31, 2009on http://www.218Consulting.com: The words swineSat, 31 Oct 2009 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=590http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=590On Thursday afternoon, October 29, the North Alabama Conference website, www.northalabamaumc.org, got a bit of an updated look, but more importantly began to offer new features and information to website visitors. Frequent visitors to the site may notice a few changes to the site including that the main navigation menu (the links to click to go to major sections of the site) are now at the top of the site. Also the homepagersquo;s left menu now includes Quick Links to some of the most frequentlFri, 30 Oct 2009 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=588http://www.northalabamaumc.org/news_detail.asp?PKValue=588Rainbow City First United Methodist Church (Mountain Lakes District) is reaching out to the community by offering clothing to people in the area. On the last Saturday of each month, the Clothes Closet opens from 9 a.m.to 12 p.m.. People can come in and look through four rooms of womenrsquo;s, menrsquo;s, and childrenrsquo;s clothing. There is also a section of shoes, housewares, and toys. Every person can take up to 10 items of clothing or other items at no cost. Last month, the Clothes Closet sWed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST