REPORT DAYS

The first Report Day will be January 10, 2005 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at Plainview First UMC. Each church’s statistical reports for 2004 will be due. (There are three statistical tables for 2004.) On-line reporting is possible. Log onto www.nwtxconf.org to enter your report and run a copy for the District Statistician. Bring your final Pastor’s Report (with section III completed). The second Report Day will be January 11, 2005 from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at Vernon First UMC.

PASTORS AND S/PPRC EVALUATIONS

Pastor and S/PPRC evaluation forms have been mailed to each pastor. The S/PPRC evaluation forms have also been mailed to the 2005 S/PPRC chair. Pastors’ evaluation forms are due two days before consultation session. The S/PPRC evaluation is due before January 24, 2005. Please encourage your S/PPRC to schedule their meeting for early in January.

PASTOR CONSULTATIONS The pastor consultation schedule has been forwarded to each pastor. Please make note of your date and time. If there is a conflict or prior commitment scheduled, please make arrangements with another pastor to trade and then let the District Office know of the change.

S/PPRC TRAINING has been scheduled for January 12 at Vernon First UMC at 6:30 pm and January 13 at Olton UMC at 6:30 pm. Please encourage your committees to attend.

FINAL DAY FOR REMITTANCES AND VOUCHERS FOR 2004 Tuesday January 11, 2005 is the last day for local churches to send in 2004 remittances. The remittances will need to be in the Treasurer's Office by 5:00 pm. Any voucher that is to be processed for 2004 also needs to be in the Treasurer's office by 5:00 p.m. on January 11.

STEWARDSHIP WORKSHOP the Amarillo District and the Texas Methodist Foundation are sponsoring a stewardship workshop that will assist local churches in the area of financial resources and stewardship.  The workshop will be held at St. Paul UMC, 4317 I-40 West in Amarillo from 9:30 am until 12:30 pm Saturday, January 29, 2005.  Dick Young, the resource specialist, will provide leadership for the workshop entitled "Year Round Stewardship - It's a Process Not an Event."   Young states "Too often we confuse the Annual Financial Campaign with Stewardship. This workshop will explore ways to introduce Stewardship as a process for teaching a lifestyle that honors God with our gifts of prayers, presence, gifts and service."  This is a great opportunity for insight and training here in our area.  I hope every pastor and every finance chair will take advantage of this workshop.

TEN BRAVE CHURCHES: I am looking for 10 churches in the Northwest Texas Conference that meet the following criteria. These churches must want to be 100% churches in the next 1 to 3 years. These churches will not be 100% churches for 2004 and these churches were not 100% churches in 2003. This will be a pilot program to start shortly after the first of the year. If you are interested in this pilot program or learning more about it, contact me at the conference office by mail, phone (806-762-0201, Ex 12) or email pittman@nwtxconf.org

GOD LOVES THE SMALL MEMBERSHIP CHURCH (God must because there are so many of them). The NWTX Conference Small Membership Church Committee and the Conference Ministry Team love those churches as well. This team has planned two retreats to encourage, train leadership and identify resources that will help the Small Membership Church be more effective in its ministry. The events are scheduled for January 21-22, 2005, at Camp Butman and February 4-5, 2005 at Ceta Canyon. Each event begins on Friday evening with dinner and will end by 11:30 AM on Saturday. Registration fee is only $25 per person.

Leadership for the event includes Marge Jordan (At Butman), Small Church Consultant for the Texas Conference. Marge will lead two sessions on the theme "From Maintenance to Ministry." Ava Berry, will lead the same sessions at Ceta Canyon. In addition, each participant can choose two workshops to attend. Choices include: Worship in the Small Church, Reaching Men for Christ, Conflict in the Small Church, Small Church Stewardship and Tithing as a Spiritual Practice, Biblical Stories that Guide the Ministry of Your Church.

Friday evening will also be a time for your church to share "What We Do Best" at a Marketplace of Ministry Ideas. Each church is asked to bring at least one idea along with pictures, brief story of how you got started and resources needed to begin this ministry in a church. We have so many wonderful ministries that we need to share. If you plan to attend and bring a display, please call the District Office to let your Superintendent know.

Registration forms will be sent in mid-December and you will also be able to register on-line at www.nwtxconf.org. Be in prayer and make your plans now to attend and bring a team from your church.

PICTURES NEEDED: The 2005 Plainview District Conference has been scheduled for May 1 at Plainview First UMC. As a part of the Conference, we are putting together a Power Point presentation featuring all the churches currently in the Plainview District. It would be greatly appreciated if you would send a current photo of your church to the District Office. You can either send a digital photo or an actual photo and we will scan it into the computer.

FULL TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS AT MCMURRY UNIVERSITY
The McMurry University Honors Program offers full-tuition scholarships for four years to selected incoming freshmen. The deadline for application is February 1, 2005. Applicants must stand in the top 5% of the graduating class or have test scores of 1220 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT. For more information, please be in touch with Dr. Philip LeMasters, Director of the Honors Program, McMurry University, Abilene, TX 79697. (325) 793-3898. plemasters@mcm.edu 

New with Igniting Ministry: Welcoming 101 will be the next online course from UMCom. It is slated to go live mid-Oct. The course is a beginning step for churches wanting to be more welcoming and inviting. It explores the advertising of the denomination, along with the importance of developing a welcoming lifestyle--in your life and in our church. Learn how to live the promise of "Open hearts, Open minds, Open doors." The cost is $12. Enrollment information is at www.training.umcom.org

FREE PROGRAM OPPORTUNITY: Bill Libby, retired Methodist Abilene pastor, has recently returned from a dig in Jordan and a visit to Cairo. He is offering a free program complete with slides. If you can plug this information into a church supper, men’s or women’s group, please contact Bill at 793-4637.

Missionaries in Residence from the General Board of Global Ministry--Jerri and Bill Savuto, are available to promote global ministries and are assigned to our area. Their expense is paid by the GBGM to groups of more than 25 churches--and they are always available to speak to even one church. Your church picks up the travel and lodging expense. The Savutos’ may be contacted at 6900 Preston Road #3823, Plano, TX 75024 or 972-628-3664 or online at jbsavuto@yahoo.com

Couple Communication, led by George Butler, is available to local churches. The program is for any couple who believes in good communication and effective conflict resolution in their marriage. This is an 8 hour program, and can be taught on a Friday evening 7-9 PM, and Sat. 9 AM-6 PM. The cost is $20. For additional information, contact George Butler at 690-1995.

Planned Giving School, Jan. 24-28, 2005, Phoenix AZ, presented by the General Board of Discipleship. Additional information is available at www.gbod.org/stewardship/planned

Steve Holston, interim Matador/Roaring Springs

Felicia and Wesley Putnam, Conference Evangelist, on the birth of their grandson, James

        William Putnam, December 22, 2004

Mary and Henry Sally, Retired Plainview District Superintendent, on their 50^th Anniversary,

        December 19

Eloise and Jeff Symonds, Vernon First, on the loss of his mother, Jeanne McGrath

Mary and Larry Reed-Farris, Ralls, on the loss of his mother, Erleen Martin

Richard Bales, Big Springs District Superintendent, health concerns

Javier Rodriquez, pastor San Juan/Tulia, health concerns

Claire Ichtertz, father of Vergil Ichtertz, Dimmitt, cancer

Libby Ford, wife of Bob Ford, retired pastor, chemo

Russell & Pat Byard, health concerns

Tony Boyd, continuing health concerns

Jay Hollums, son of Randy Hollums, Conference Lay Leader, cancer

JANUARY

January 10 - Report Day - Plainview First UMC - 10:00 - 12:00

January 11 - Report Day - Vernon First UMC - 10:00 - 12:00

January 12 - S/PPRC Training - Vernon, First UMC - 6:30 pm

January 13 - Pastor Consultations - Olton

January 13 - S/PPRC Training - Olton, First UMC - 6:30 pm

January 17 - Pastor Consultations - District Office

January 19 - Pastor Consultations - District Office

January 20 - Pastor Consultations - Littlefield

January 21 - 22 - Small Membership Church Training - Camp Butman

January 24 - S/PPRC Evaluations due back in District Office

January 24 - Pastor Consultations - District Office

January 25 - Pastor Consultations - District Office

January 26 - Pastor Consultations - Paducah

January 27 - Pastor Consultations - District Office

January 29 - Stewardship Workshop - St. Paul UMC Amarillo - 9:30 am

January 31 - February 3 - Ministers Week - Perkins

FEBRUARY

February 4 -5 - Small Membership Church Training - Ceta Canyon

February 6 - District Committee on Ordained Ministry - Plainview First UMC - 9:00 am

MARCH

March 1 - 3 - Cabinet Meeting- Camp Butman

March 15 - 17 - Cabinet Meeting- Albuquerque

March 29 - 30 - Cabinet Meeting- Lubbock