posted on September 29

As a spiritual leader on the margin, Rev. Jae Lee has led people from the edge.
From the Edge* will become a voice for diverse perspectives and encouragement among the Smoky Mountain District's churches and leaders. In addition, Jae may ask the district lay and clergy leaders to write a short article from our edges.

 

Rediscover the Love of Jesus in Our Hearts
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?"
He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." (John 21:15)

 
"Do you love me?" When Jesus asks this question, without hesitation, Peter answers, "Yes, Lord, I love you!" Then, Jesus commands, "Feed my lambs." In John's Gospel, Jesus asks this question three times, and Peter answers the exact three times. In his response, Jesus expands Peter's love toward him to love others. That is, loving Jesus Christ is to love others. In this sense, feeding God's sheep begins with rediscovering the love of Jesus in our hearts and growing that love toward others.
 
You may have heard ESL, English as a Second Language. ESL teachers intentionally use simple vocabulary and sentences and speak slowly. I want to introduce you to a different kind of ESL, Evangelism as a Second Language. In the United Methodist Church, we have lost the language of evangelism and need to relearn it by recovering our love for Jesus and others.
 
I invite you to join us on October 27^th- 29^th, Thursday evening to Saturday midday, for our Re-Evangelism Conference at Hinton Rural Life Center. Registering by Sept. 22 costs only $30 for two nights' sleep, six meals, and great learning experiences at the beautiful Hinton Center. Re-Evangelism Conference has simple mindsets: Collaboration and Grassroots. Evangelism must be both clergy and lay-driven and owned by local churches. In other words, your active participation is the key to success in our evangelistic efforts! We will rediscover Wesleyan evangelism in our local context by listening, sharing, envisioning, praying, and planning together. It will grow our love toward others and transform our life, church, and community.
 
Pastors, act now and register for it HERE and invite two or three lay persons from your church.

Lay leaders, act now and register for it HERE and invite your pastor. It is a collaborative and grassroots movement.

I pray that the Wesleyan evangelism movement will renew our love for Jesus and others and grow our churches with the life-giving spirit of God!
 
Blessings and love, Jae

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Don't Miss Out On This Exciting Opportunity!!!
Register Today! 

Grassroot Evangelism in Our Local Context

"Understanding and Practicing
Grassroot Evangelism"

First Session  - October 27-29, 2022
(Starting with Thursday Dinner through Saturday Lunch)

Hinton Rural Life Center in Hayesville

Re-Evangelism pursues to become a collaborative movement of lay and
clergy by renewing our hearts for our neighbors with the Good News. It is not
only a movement that should encourage church growth but a spiritual renewal among United Methodists. By revisiting Early American Methodists in our
mountain communities and confronting our realities with courage and faith,
we will restore our passion and love toward God and others.

Timeline for Re-Evangelism:
First Evangelism Session on Oct. 27-29,
Second Evangelism Session in the spring of 2023,
Evangelism Pilgrimage to South Korea in the early fall of 2023,
Third Evangelism Session in the winter of 2023.

 

Registration and Cost by September 22nd:

The cost includes two nights stay and six meals at Hinton! 
$30 for Smoky Mountain District Lay and Clergy
$100 for Western North Carolina Conference Lay and Clergy

Registration AFTER Sept. 22nd
$80 for SMD Lay and Clergy and $150 for WNCC Lay and Clergy
 

Click Here to Register TODAY!!! ?

 

This discounted cost is possible through a generous grant from 

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September is Suicide Awareness/Prevention Month

Grace Episcopal, Sylva First UMC, and FUMC Waynesville are joining together for an ecumenical service to provide a safe place to talk about the complexities of suicide ideation,  suicide attempt, and suicidal loss. 

We will gather at Grace Episcopal
at 4pm on Sunday, September 18
to share in worship as we reflect, listen, name
our brokenness, and seek God's healing. 

We will gather to talk about something that usually
evokes silence—silence of shock, pain, terror and loss.
We will gather to stand in solidarity about something that often keeps people isolated—in despair, grief or guilt.
We will gather to find hope together that we perhaps
struggle to find alone.  We invite everyone to share in
coffee and snacks following the service.
 

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This will be the only
 in-person training for
the Smoky Mountain District
until 2024
so please try to attend
if at all possible!!

Please Register for this REQUIRED Training!!! 

In-Person Two- Day Fall 2022 Workshop
Franklin First UMC

October 7th and 8th
10am - 6pm both days

Click Here to Register! ? Antiracism Ethics Training is the Clergy Ethics Training for the new qaudrennium through June 2024, and thus it is mandatory for all clergy in the Western North Carolina Conference. The training will be facilitated by RISE! (Race: an In-depth Spiritual Examination) trainers. Each clergy person is to have a lay leader participate in the training. This inclusion of laity will foster more effective change in congregational culture.  Please plan to take advantage of one of these workshops to satisfy your ethics training requirement.  Lunch and Snacks Provided at In-Person Training $100/person to attend Clergy are encouraged to use continuing education money offered through your church(es), if applicable. No, dinner or overnight accommodations provided. No childcare provided. Racial Healing and Reconciliation Learning Cohort This is a wonderful opportunity for clergy and laity who ask "What's Next?" after completing the Antiracism Ethics Training. WNCC Equity and Justice Ministries is excited to offer a new Fall cohort of the Racial Healing and Reconciliation Learning Cohort. The Learning Cohort is a 7-month educational experience beginning in September 2022 through March 2023, and participating churches are represented by a team of up to 10 clergy, laity and community leaders.   Interested churches are invited to complete an application providing basic information and describing their church’s efforts in racial equity and justice. Applications will be received on a rolling basis through August 31, 2022, or until the cohort is full.   Do you or your church have any surplus or unused wireless microphone systems that they may be willing to donate or sell to Piney Grove UMC? They are in need of a handheld wireless microphone  system and/or a body pack wireless microphone system for use in their sanctuary's sound system.   Please reach out to Pastor Jason Smith if you are able to help!!   Email Pastor Jason at: jsmith6@wnccumc.net         Celebrating Andrews UMC   On Sunday, September 25 at our 11 o’clock worship service we will be celebrating all that Andrews UMC has done. We will celebrate the past, present, and look forward to the future. We will celebrate our 100th Anniversary (8/11/1920 at current location); making it through Covid and continuing to serve the community during the pandemic. Our District Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Jae Lee, will bring us the Good News. The meal following our worship service will be catered and paid for as a gift to Andrews UMC. Please invite family, friends, and those who may have wondered off during Covid. We want this to be a fun “Welcome Home.”   A very diligent Mike Bostic at Francis Cove UMC discovered a rate issue with their church's Duke energy bill! After contacting Duke to correct their usage rate, the church saved 40% on their next power bill!  Click here to read all the details!  I have also attached the letter for your use! Thank you Mike for sharing with everyone! That was very kind and helpful of you!  EVERY SUNDAY!!!  It's food for the body and the soul, so we welcome anyone who may need a good meal or some good company!!        An affordable preschool at Maggie Valley United Methodist Church is taking applications now! Classes began September 6th. School director Gail Quick said every day will feel like an adventure for the children. “They will have so much fun they won’t even realize they’re learning,” Quick said. The goal of the preschool is to prepare three- and four-year-olds for kindergarten and beyond, while providing socialization. Each day of preschool is structured around subjects like math, science, phonics and learning age-appropriate skills. The Rev. Cole Altizer, senior pastor at Maggie Valley UMC, said Quick came to him with the idea for a preschool and doors just kept opening. “Children disproportionately feel the impact of poverty in Haywood County. Gail and I met several times to dream about helping the most vulnerable in our community,” Altizer said. Quick has more than 30 years of experience in preschool teaching, including starting a preschool in eastern North Carolina. She retired to Maggie Valley with her husband in 2019, but kept feeling the nudge to teach again. “She is amazingly gifted in all things with children. Her love and warmth, energy and passion is immediately noticeable from the moment she says hello. We are so grateful that she felt called to begin this new adventure for Maggie Valley and Haywood County and think many will be touched by her love and devotion,” Altizer said.   The preschool will be low-cost to make it accessible. The cost per month is $125, and it runs on weekdays Sept. 6–May 24 from 8:30 a.m. until noon. The preschool calendar follows the Haywood County Schools calendar for holidays. “We are able to keep the cost so low because of amazing support from our church community and a grant from the NC Rural Center,” Altizer said. Quick will teach students along with Beverly Ketner, a longtime resident of Maggie Valley and former Haywood County Schools teacher for 39 years. “She may be familiar to some as she loves to walk through Maggie Valley almost every day. She will bring a wealth of experience and love for children as she teaches alongside Gail,” Altizer said. Apply for the preschool by calling the church office at 828-936-8036. Maggie Valley UMC is located at 4192 Soco Road in Maggie Valley.

Called to Preach Class

October 22nd and October 29th
9:00am - 3:00pm
Sylva First United Methodist Church 

$35.00 class fee includes both book 

Click Here to Register! ?

Called to Preach is designed for those who have not had
formal preaching training or who seek a basic refresher course.
It is the required preaching course in the lay speaker track of
study, covering topics like choosing scripture,
finding a focus, writing and presenting the sermon.
 

The classes will be held over two Saturdays.
You must attend both Saturdays for full credit. 
 

The cost is $35.00 for the class,
two books and lunch both Saturdays. 
For more information, please contact
the Smoky Mountain District Office at (828) 454-6820.

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 Wesley Foundation Haunted House
 
The Wesley Foundation at WCU is hosting its 13th annual Haunted House on October 28th and 29th! 

Tickets cost $10 each and all the money goes to support the campus ministry and all of their local mission projects. 

The Wesley Foundation Haunted House has become one of the most unique ways that the Wesley Foundation - and by extension, Cullowhee United Methodist Church, where Wesley lives - reaches out to the local community. There are some people who go through the haunted house that would otherwise never step into a church building.

Enjoy a spooky, fun night with your church's youth group this October and support a local campus ministry at the same time!
 
If your church's youth group would like to come and see
what great, silly, fun a campus ministry has, email
Hannah at hannah@wcuwesley.com and your
youth group can get a $5/person discount! 

 

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Two Exciting Celebrations at Robbinsville UMC!
 

Pastors Eric and Beverly Parker Reece welcomed a new granddaughter!
Savannah Rain was born August 16th!
Everyone is doing well!

 

 

The church was also
featured in the Duke
Endowment Annual Report
for their willingness
to ADAPT!!!
Great job, Pastors and Church!

View the Duke Endowment
article by clicking here! 

 

 

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Cashiers UMC in Cashiers
is looking for a church Accountant and Administrator!

Church administrative position with solid accounting,
book-keeping and payroll knowledge and experience.
College degree in business administration and/or five years experience in business or accounting. 

Microsoft Office experience and ability to learn
church membership and accounting software.
Full-time with benefits. Salary range $40-$50,000/annually. 

Send cover letter and resume to cumcmain@gmail.com
with subject line: CA Position.

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Central UMC in Clyde
is seeking to hire a part-time music person!

This position would play at the 11:00am
service and lead a small choir. 

If you are interested or would like more
information, please contact the church at 828-627-2287
or Diana Little at 828-456-4749. 

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Don't forget! 

We will receive flood offerings through September!

So far 11 churches in our district have made donations!!
Thank you so very much for your generous giving!

Please send your offering money to the District Office.
Be sure your check is made payable to Smoky
Mountain District and include in the memo line,
Kentucky Flood Relief. All money collected will be
sent to the Kentucky UMC Conference.

Checks can be mailed to:
Smoky Mountain District
PO BOX 1269
Lake Junaluska, NC 28745
 

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Hayesville, North Carolina 
   
The Wesleyan Way Adult Confirmation Experience – Nov 18-20, Hinton Rural Life Center. Led by Rev. Dr. Chris Hughes, this adult experience is for newcomers to Methodism and those wanting a refresher course. Includes music, worship, and creative and engaging activities, culminating in a celebration of each one’s place in the ministry of all Christians. Great opportunity for church leaders, teachers and small group leaders, Confirmation mentors, and those exploring membership. For more information and to register (online and pdf form), visit www.hintoncenter.org/retreat . Spots are limited.