DECEMBER 2018

Rev. Brenda Carroll - District Superintendent

brendacarroll@holston.org
MAILING ADDRESS PHYSICAL ADDRESS
Mary Hawkins - Administrative Assistant P.O. Box 26384 5121 Camelia Road
maryhawkins@holston.org
Knoxville, TN 37912 Knoxville, TN 37912
Lori Hopper - Administrative Assistant, Editor
lorihopper@holston.org Phone : 865.470.7005 and 865.482.3209

People, Look East

By Eleanor Farjeon

1. People, look east. The time is near
Of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
Trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.
3. Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.

2. Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
One more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
That in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the rose, is on the way.
4. Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.

What a joy it is to share with you in this season of Advent preparation.

We are thankful to proclaim with all of you “Love, the Lord, is on the
way.”

Peace be yours in this season and in the New Year!

 News for Tennessee Valley
District Clergy
DISTRICT CLERGY MEETING CEU NEWS
For the latest continuing education news and from
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2019 the Wesley Leadership Institute, please visit:
10:00am (There will be no evening meeting) https://app.robly.com/archive?
id=76e2ccb75003bbc77668892b07af544b
POWELL UMC
323 W. Emory Road, Powell Email: sueweber@holston.org
Phone: 865-293-4135
Completed End-of-Year Report packets are due at Website: Wesley Leadership Institute
this meeting.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

CONVOCATION 2019
February 18-20, 2019
Music Road Resort, Pigeon Forge
We are excited to present the details, brochure and registration information for Convocation
2019. This year's theme is "The Pain & Power of Community." The current period in history seems
fraught with conflict and uncertainty on all fronts, whether spiritual, social or political. As a denomi-
national community we are not immune. The pain of dealing with a challenging environment com-
bined with the potential power and support we can receive from our relationship with Christ, our
colleagues and our congregations are the focus of this year's event.

Please read the following, as there are a few changes and additions for 2019...

Hotel registration this year will be by phone only. There are apparently some issues at Music
Road with group registration software, so please be sure to call well ahead of the event for the
best room selection. Remind them that you are with Holston Conference to get our special group
rate. Your room fee includes a full hot breakfast.

Our plenary speakers this year are:

Dr. James Howell - pastor of Myers Park UMC in Charlotte, NC, author and adjunct professor at
Duke Divinity School
Dr. Kimberly Pope-Seiberling - Teacher at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky, elder in West Ohio Conference, speaker and
recipient of Asbury Theological Seminary’s Beeson Scholarship
Dr. Jerry Russell - retired Holston elder, former pastor of Fairview UMC in Maryville for 25 years and leader of multiple mission trips around
the world

Our music for worship this year includes:

Jerry Butler & the Smoky Mountain String Band - You may have seen them performing at Dollywood this season. Check the links for
info on these great musicians and hear them "live and in person" at Monday night worship. They will also provide a short concert after the
service. Oros Worship - Led by Travis Wills, this group from Kodak UMC will provide music for Tuesday night's worship. Seth O'Kegley -
Seth is the Music Director at First Oak Ridge UMC. He will be coordinating our Wednesday worship and directing our first-ever clergy choir.

Our offering this year during Tuesday night worship will go to the Alabama-West Florida Conference where Panama City is located. They
have experienced quite a few losses in churches. Bishop Graves has issued a special appeal asking for funds to help pay salaries and other
benefits for those ministers whose churches were destroyed. Please give generously for your beleaguered colleagues on the coast.

We think Convocation 2019 may be one of our best ever. Great speakers, inspirational worship, fine music, and, as always, the
fellowship of friends and colleagues - not to mention a full 2.0 CEUs! Register today at: CONVOCATION.HOLSTON.ORG

December 2018 Page 2

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 Tennessee Valley District
Lay Servant Ministries Information 2019

Lay Servant Training: Saturday, January 12, 2019

(The inclement weather day will be February 2, 2019)

Central United Methodist Church of Lenoir City

8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Registration Deadline: January 2, 2019

Basic Course: Rev. John Justice

Advanced Courses
United Methodist Polity: Rev. Dennie Humphreys
Worship: Rev.Dr. Scott Layer
Registration form is found on Page 4.
_____________________________________________________________________
Certified Lay Minister Training will be conducted in the
Tennessee Valley District in 2019.
Dates to be determined.

To become a Certified Lay Minister, you need to complete the following requirements:

1. Be certified as a lay servant, lay missioner (or equivalent as defined by your central conference).

2. Obtain written recommendation from the pastor and the church council or charge conference of the local church in
which you hold membership.

3. Complete a track of study for certified lay ministers relevant to your assignment as defined by Discipleship Minis-
tries or the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry in collaboration with Discipleship Ministries and the conference
committee on lay servant ministries or equivalent structure.

4. Receive a letter of recommendation from your district superintendent.

5. Have all requirements for certification, including appropriate screening and assessment, as defined by the annual
conference, reviewed by the conference committee on lay servant ministries, or equivalent structure, for referral to the
district committee on ordained ministry for examination of persons who have applied in writing to be certified lay min-
isters and to make recommendation for certification (see ¶666.10). After the district committee on ordained ministry
interviews you, the district committee on ordained ministry will make a recommendation to the conference committee
on lay servant ministries for final certification by that committee.

If you are interested in being a Certified Lay Minister,

please contact Bobby Stair at bsstair@comcast.net or 865-776-0580

December 2018 Page 5

 NEWS FOR YOUTH MINISTRIES
FESTIVAL OF GIFTS & TALENTS

CONGRATULATIONS TO NEW GENERATION from MIDDLEBROOK PIKE UMC for being chosen at the Novem-
ber 11 District Festival of Gifts & Talents held at Concord UMC to represent the Tennessee Valley District at
Resurrection 2019.

Special thanks to ALL the beautiful gifts of worship shared:

Solid Rock Youth- Harriman UMC.
Stick with God- Central UMC
Saving Grace- Christ UMC
Kailyn Shipley & Nathan Smith- Fountain City UMC
New Generation- Middlebrook Pike

RESURRECTION 2019 Registration Information

January 25-27, 2019
Regular registration for Resurrection
LeConte Center, Pigeon Forge 2019 is now open! The regular regis-
tration price is $40 per person. Regis-
THEME: VOICES UNITED ter online today at:
SPEAKER: Jorge Acevedo etouches.com/rez19 or
WORSHIP: I Am They download the registration form
VERSE: Romans 15:6 “So that you may glorify and register by mail. The regular
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ registration price is good until
with one mind and one voice.” (CSB) December 31, 2018. After that
date, you must register at the door
for $55 per person.

WINTER YOUTH RETREATS AT LAKE JUNALUSKA

Come to a youth group retreat at Lake Junaluska this winter for adventure, spiritual growth and
worship in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Energized worship with great bands is built
into every program weekend, and groups can choose to ski, do a mission project or participate in
other activities during the day.

Dates:
• December 29 – January 1 New Year’s Weekend: Andy Lambert (Speaker) and Jimmy Atkins (Worship Band)
• January 18–21 Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend: Lowell McNaney (Speaker), The Advice (Worship Band)
• February 8–10: Stephanie Hand (Speaker) and Zachariah Suggs (Worship Band)
• February 15–18: Presidents Day Weekend: Mark Oestreicher (Speaker) and Cameron Moore (Worship Band)

Find more information at www.lakejunaluska.com/winteryouth.

December 2018 Page 6

 Looking for childcare over the Christmas holidays? How about Camp?
 Christmas Day Camp December 8 from 10am to 6pm $55
 Winter Camp
Full session December 27-30 $299
Mini session December 27-28 $149
Want some fun with your confirmation? How about coming to camp?
March 1-2, 2019
Want to use your golf swing to help others? Come to our Golf Tournament April 29, 2019

For more information about these events visit www.campwesleywoods.com

On behalf of Camp Wesley Woods, we want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas, and we want to
once again thank you for the support you have shown us as your Camping and Retreat Ministry. Be-
cause of your support, we have had the wonderful opportunity to create new relationships and
change lives for the kingdom. We would be honored if you would download and view/show the video
found at http://holston.org/cwwchristmasvideo to your congregations during this Advent season.

May the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love of Christ

rest upon each of you during this wonderful time of the year.

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 ALL MEN IN THE HOLSTON ANNUAL CONFERENCE

__________________________________________________________________
TENNESSEE VALLEY DISTRICT JUNE 9-12, 2019
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The housing lottery for Lake Junaluska
housing will be open February 4 – March 1.
You can enter the lottery by following the
link provided at www.ac.holston.org . If
you require a paper copy for the housing
lottery you must contact Lake Junaluska at
1-800-222-4930 before March 1.

Camp in the Community will be in charge

of childcare during this year’s Annual Con-
ference. A link will be provided on
www.ac.holston.org to register chil-
dren. If you need a paper copy, please
contact the conference office to have one
mailed to you.

Members to Annual Conference, watch

mail and email in mid to late January for
more important information and dates re-
garding Annual Conference 2019. All links
will be live by February 4, 2019.

___________________________________________________

____________________________

JUBILATION 2019
Registration opens for Jubilation 2019 on January 8, 2019.
More information can be found at:
http://holston.org/events/2019/may/06/jubilation-2019/ or
by contacting the office of Connectional Ministries of the
Holston Conference 865-690-4080.
We will be blessed by the leadership of Bishop Kenneth L.
Carder, son of Holston Conference and currently serving as
caregiver for his wife, Linda, who is diagnosed with Fronto-
temporal Dementia and volunteer chaplain at Bethany
Memory Care Center at the Heritage at Lowman. He will
provide us a theological understanding of those living with
dementia and ways we, as congregations, care for those
persons and their families.

December 2018 Page 9

 MARK YOUR CALENDARS

JANUARY 2019
1 NEW YEAR’S DAY - DISTRICT OFFICE CLOSED
6 STAFF PARISH/FINANCE COMMITTEE TRAININGS, 3:00pm-4:30pm, Second UMC
10 END-OF-YEAR REPORTS DUE
10 DISTRICT CLERGY MEETING, 10:00am, Powell UMC
12 LAY SERVANT MINISTRIES TRAINING, 8:30am-5:00pm, Central UMC, Lenoir City
17 DISTRICT COMMITTEE ON ORDAINED MINISTRY, 2:30pm-7:00pm, District Office
20 STAFF PARISH/FINANCE COMMITTEE TRAININGS, 3:00pm-4:30pm, First UMC, Oak Ridge
21 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HOLIDAY - DISTRICT OFFICE CLOSED
25-27 RESURRECTION, VOICES UNITED, LeConte Center, Pigeon Forge

FEBRUARY 2019
1-3 DIVINE RHYTHM, Mills Auditorium, Gatlinburg
15 MAN UP MEN’S EVENT, 6:00pm-9:00pm, Concord UMC
18-20 MINISTERS’ CONVOCATION, Music Road Resort, Pigeon Forge
23-26 GENERAL CONFERENCE, SPECIAL SESSION, St. Louis, MO

The Tennessee Valley District Office GENERAL CONFERENCE 2019

will be closed December 21, 2018 - You are invited to pause and pray for your
January 1, 2019. Holston Delegation
The office will reopen Wednesday, to General Conference between
2:23-2:26 a.m. or p.m. each day
January 2, 2019.
between now and the
Merry Christmas and Best Wishes Special Session of the
for a Healthy and Prosperous New Year! General Conference
February 23-26, 2019
St. Louis, Missouri.

HELP US DISTRIBUTE THE DISTRICT NEWS!

You can help share the news from the Tennessee Valley in these ways:
 Please forward, print, share and distribute this issue of the District News with members and friends of your con-
gregations.
 If you know anyone who would like to be added to our newsletter email distribution list, please contact Lori Hop-
per (lorihopper@holston.org) or Mary Hawkins (maryhawkins@holston.org) providing a name and email address.
 If you would like to submit an article or have an event you would like published in the district newsletter, please
submit to: lorihopper@holston.org

December 2018 Page 10