Secretaries and administrative assistants serving in United Methodist churches, districts and conferences are invited to attend the Professional Association of United Methodist Church Secretaries (PAUMCS) Institute July 22-27 at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta.

The Institute provides advanced professional training and enrichment in business concepts, financial operations and relationships within the church.

The cost is $275 per person. Housing is extra. For more information, contact Cynthia Haralson, staff member for PAUMCS at the General Commission on Finance and Administration, at 847-425-6548 or paumcs@gcfa.org.

Jurisdiction offers material for disability awareness

The Southeastern United Methodist Agency for Rehabilitation (SEMAR) is offering materials to help United Methodist churches plan a Disability Awareness Sunday.

Information available to local churches includes Bible texts, hymn suggestions and gleanings on the texts.

For more information, visit SEMAR’s Web site at http://semar-umr.org or contact SEMAR staff at 1-800-52-SEMAR (voice), 828-452-7640 (TDD), or semar@primeline.com.

Volunteers needed abroad

Medical volunteers are urgently needed in Mozambique, according to Walt and Betty Whitehurst, consultants for individual volunteers with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries (GBGM). In addition, professors are being sought for the 2001-2002 school year in Zimbabwe and Lithuania.

The Chicuque Rural Hospital in Mozambique needs board-certified medical professionals in a variety of areas. In Zimbabwe, United Methodist-related Africa University needs professors of psychology and sociology. Lithuania Christian College, an ecumenical school, is seeking professors of English and business for the fall semester, beginning in September, as well as instructors in history, philosophy, sociology, psychology and German.

For more information, contact the Whitehursts at 757-426-2461 or IndVol@aol.com.

Lesson teaches kids they can feed the poor, hungry

Through recently developed Sunday School materials, the Society of St. Andrew will serve as an example to United Methodist students of how Christians of all ages can live out John Wesley’s challenge to "do all the good you can…" and the biblical challenge to "love one another with mutual affection," and "outdo one another in showing honor" (Romans 12:10).

"EXPLORING FAITH: Older Elementary," was developed for fourth- and fifth-grade students by the United Methodist Publishing House and includes a real-life mission lesson in its June 24 student leaflet and teacher’s guide. It describes the hunger-relief work of the Society of St. Andrew and explains how volunteer gleaners, including children of all ages, make it possible to feed hungry people in America with food that is left in farm fields and orchards after harvest.

For more information about the Society of St. Andrew, visit its Web site at http://www.endhunger.org, or contact Dick Mead in the Florida office at 1-800-806-0756.

Workers with children gather in Nashville

United Methodist workers with children will gather in Nashville July 29-Aug. 1 for Focus 2001.

Themed "Hear the Children Praying," the quadrennial event is sponsored by the General Board of Discipleship.

The keynote speaker is the Rev. Paul F. McCleary, a former missionary in Bolivia and worker with ForChildren, an international development agency. He will provide an interactive presentation allowing the audience to test its knowledge of world conditions in "So You Want to Be a World Christian?"

For more information, go to http://www.focus2001.org or call toll-free 1-877-899-2780 or 615-340-7176.