AMARILLO DISTRICT NEWS
May 2003

PRE-CONFERENCE/DISTRICT CONFERENCE

7:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 14 Polk St. UMC Chapel Amarillo

The slate of district officers will be presented for consideration and election. The budget for the district fund will be presented, voted on and set. Additionally preparation for the business of annual conference will prepare delegates for this year's session. The insurance commission will be presenting information about increasing costs and raising deductibles and participant copays. Insurance continues to be costly and a concern for everyone. The most recent projections indicate a monthy premium increase of $250-$275 beginning in July. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR DELEGATES ARE PRESENT SO THEY CAN BE INFORMED AND INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION ON THIS ISSUE.

A SERVICE OF PRAYER in preparation for Annual Conference

Pentecost Sunday evening, June 8, 7:30pm Westover Fellowship UMC Amarillo

This event in the new building of the Westover Fellowship congregation on the eve of annual conference is sponsored by the district ministry team. Leaders from across the area will lead this time of celebration and prayer in preparation for the beginning of conference the following day. Plan to join the Bishop, members of the cabinet and delegates for this special time of worship. It will also be an opportunity to visit the newest church building in our conference family of churches.

CONFERENCE IN THE PARK

Tuesday, June 10 at the park east of Polk St. UMC Amarillo

Worship begins at 7:00 pm followed by the ice cream social

Invite your congregation to bring their lawn chairs and blankets and join us for this special service

The following churches are asked to assist with ice cream for the event: Kingswood, Pleasant Valley, Polk St, St. Paul, St. Stephen, and Trinity. You need to provide the number of freezers assigned to you and bring persons to serve! Contact Jim Garrett if you have questions or need more information about ice cream.

The following churches are asked to assist with cookies: Buchanan St., Canyon, Community of Grace, Panhandle, San Jacinto, Tenth Avenue, Vega, Westover Fellowship and other churches if you can participate. Please contact Francie Pittman about cookies. Watch for more information about the exact time to set up and serve, but begin now to recruit your workers and helpers.

MISSION IN MOTION TRAILER

The conference Mission in Motion Trailer will be in the Amarillo district from May 25 through June 25. For information about kits visit www.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/kits.cfm and you can get this site from the Conference website under Outreach and then UMCOR. Begin making your plans now for this worthy mission outreach. Rev. Tom Stribling is our district coordinator for this program.

CONFERENCE CAMPING

Summer camping season at our Conference campsites is almost here. Remember that the registration fee is $145 per student and there is a $50 required camp counselor fee. Many churches are having special fund raising events to help provide scholarships for their campers and the counselors they send from their churches. This is the second year registration is made through the campsites. You can find registration forms at www.cetacanyon.org for Ceta Canyon camps; at www.butmancamp.org for camps at Butman or forms are also available at the Conference website www.nxtxconf.org.

A Challenge Course Facilitator Training will be hosted by Ceta Canyon. The four day , forty-hour Challenge Course facilitator training Friday May 30 through Monday June 2, 2003. If you or someone you know, is a lively Christian at least 18 years old and committed to sharing your faith through an active, experiential format, this might be for you! Those interested can contact Steve Venable at www.steve@cetacanyon.org or phone him at 806-488-2268.

THE CALENDAR, CONCERNS, AND CELEBRATIONS

May

1- 3 - Methodist Home in Waco, Board of Trustees

4 - Charge Conference Kingswood Amarillo 3:00pm

5 - Annual Conference Worship Meeting Polk Street,10:00am

5 - Thomas Growth Group 7:00pm

6 - District Nominations Committee, St. Stephen, 5:30 pm

7 - Conference in the Park Planning Session, St. Stephen 10:00am

7 - Foster Growth Group, 12:00 noon

8 - Cabinet Meeting - Lubbock

8 - District Retirees Luncheon

10 - Wesley Community Center Fund raiser/Golf Tournament

10 - Kaisi Foster Wedding

13 - Conference Communications Task Force, Lubbock Conference Office 11am-3pm

14 - District Conference / Pre-Conference Session - Polk St. Amarillo - 7:00pm

18 - Superintendent preaches at Lakeview Dalhart

18 -23 - Licensing School for Local Pastors - Camp Butman

19 - Venable Growth Group

26 - Memorial Day Holiday

27 - Wesley Community Center Board 7:00pm

28 - 31 New Mexico Annual Conference - Glorieta, NM

June

8 - Pentecost Prayer Service in Preparation for Annual Conference 7:30pm

9-12 - Annual Conference Monday, 1:00 p.m. through noon Thursday at Polk St. Amarillo

13-14 - Superintendent performing Rehearsal and Wedding in Sweetwater

18 - Moving Day for Pastors going to new appointments

19-22 - Bishop's Weekend/Cabinet Meeting at Mt. Sequoyah in Fayetteville, Ark

24 - Wesley Community Center Board 7:00pm

29 - Superintendent preaches at Tenth Ave. Amarillo

Our Shared Concerns for:

- The family of Celeste "Billie" Browers on her death. She was the widow of Rev. Walt Browers

- The family of Gloria Nelson on her death. She was the widow of Dr. Thomas Nelson

- Rich Jones, Rotan, and soon to be associate at St. Stephen's on the death of his mother

- Michelle and Jeff Matsler and family, Panhandle, upon the recent miscarriage of a pregnancy

Our Celebrations and Congratulations to:

- Kaisi Foster, WTA&M Wesley Foundation director, and Andy Cunningham on their wedding on May 10. Kaisi will be moving with Andy to serve on the staff of Gulf Breeze UMC in the West Florida Conference while retaining her membership in our conference.

- Kendell Meek, the new director the WTA&M Wesley, was formally approved by the Wesley Foundation Board of Directors on April 26, and will becoming to Canyon in June. He and his wife Aimee are natives of the Tulsa, Oklahoma area. Meek graduated from Asbury Seminary in December and plans on entering the candidacy process for Deacons orders in the future.

- Terry Lowe and Terry Tamplen as they complete their present appointments in the Amarillo district and move to new assignments. Also Rich Jones and Buff Hearn who will be coming to the Amarillo district in June and all our United Methodist pastors who will be moving this year.

If you have a concern, praise, or prayer request please contact the district office.