February 15, 2002

Edition

Confirmands from throughout the Florida Conference are invited to attend the Bishop’s Confirmation Convocation 2002 March 2 at First United Methodist Church, Lakeland.

The theme is “Divin’ In,” and participants will be invited to dive deeper into their relationship with God and understanding of baptism while diving into worship and the confirmation experience.

Classes will focus on worship, worship arts, missions and the prayer labyrinth. Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker will lead the afternoon worship, and class participants will participate in the service.

The cost is $7, including lunch. The registration deadline is Feb. 27. For more information, contact Carol Sue Hutchinson, the conference’s director of Discipleship Ministries, at 1-800-282-8011, extension 140, or CHutchinson@flumc.org. 

The Southeastern Jurisdiction (SEJ) Administrative Council is now offering the SEJ Academy, an on-line learning community located at http://www.sejacademy.org. 

The SEJ Academy offers courses and resources to United Methodists throughout the Southeastern Jurisdiction. Its goal is to develop a comprehensive on-line training environment of United Methodist-related courses and resources by working in partnership with annual conferences and SEJ agencies and ministries to produce learning materials and course curricula.

The academy currently offers 12 courses in the areas of ministry and worship, Bible studies, discipleship and spiritual studies, and Methodism.

SEJ is teaching an introduction to on-line learning March 7-8. The class will examine the theory and basic components of on-line learning. The program fee is $30.

For more information visit the academy’s Web site at http://www.sejacademy.org or call Joy Carr, director of the SEJ Ministry Team, or Jerome Smith, academy administrator, at 828-452-2881.

Anyone who has been involved in ministry to children, youth, adults of families, either as a volunteer or church staff member, is invited to the Florida Christian Educators Fellowship Retreat Feb. 18-20 at the Life Enrichment Center in Leesburg.

The Christian Educators Fellowship (CEF) is a professional organization for people involved in Christian education in the United Methodist Church. Its mission is to assist, train, develop and encourage Christian educators.

The focus of the retreat is Wesleyan spirituality. Dr. Paul W. Chilcote, professor of historical theology and Wesleyan studies at Asbury Theological Seminary’s Florida campus, will lead the retreat.

The cost is $101 for a single room or $85 for a double room. CEF members receive a $10 discount. For more information, contact Martha Pierce Graeber at 941-675-0334 or mpierce@strato.net. 

After a four-year absence the Life of Christ Passion Play returns this year to Lake Wales. The play is performed at the 3,500-seat Lake Wales Amphitheater. Performances begin in February, showing Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. During March, the play is performed Tuesday through Saturday at 7 p.m., with a special showing on Easter Sunday. In April, it returns to the Friday and Saturday showings.

Advance tickets are $17.99 plus tax for adults and $12.99 for children, ages 2 to 12. Groups of 20 or more receive a 10 percent discount. For more information, contact the Life of Christ Passion Play at LofCPassionPlay@aol.com or 863-676-9300.

United Methodist Communications is seeking candidates for the Judith L. Weidman Racial Ethnic Minority Fellowship (REM) for the August 2002-July 2003 term. The REM is a fully-funded fellowship created to help prepare a United Methodist racial/ethnic minority young adult for a communications career in an annual conference. The recipient will work in a United Methodist office and be mentored by a communicator.

The application deadline is March 15, 2002. For more information, contact the Communications Resourcing Team at 1-888-278-4862 or visit http://www.crt.umc.org/rem. 

Epworth Elderhostel offers “The Elderhostel Singers: A Choral Music Workshop” March 3-8 at Epworth by the Sea in St. Simons Island, Ga. Participants create a choral ensemble that explores four-part scores celebrating the seasons of the year. For more information, contact Cindy Doehring, Elderhostel Director, at 912-635-8688 or cdoehring@epworthbythesea.org. 

The Florida Conference Disaster Response ministry is looking for a rubber-wheeled forklift. Bill Rhan, disaster response coordinator, said the forklift can be gas, diesel or electric, but needs to be able to be driven on pavement or dirt. For information, contact Rhan at 386-454-7775 or theDisasterGuy@aol.com. 

The Tampa District’s Christian Enrichment School features Dr. Leonard Sweet teaching on the church in the new millennium. The event is Feb. 24, 2:30-6 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, Brandon. There is no cost. For information, contact the church at 813-689-4161.

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© 2002 Florida United Methodist Review Online