PUBLISHED BY THE WEST VIRGINIA CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Friends,

The West Virginia Conference has a rich history - one that has been faithfully covered for years by our conference newspaper, The West Virginia United Methodist. When I began my time with

you as conference director of communications, we sent out a newspaper 10 times per year to about 9,300 people. Send-ing that piece out cost about $3500/per edition. In five years, the cost to publish the WVUM has risen 30% - to about $5,000/issue. That has forced us to cut the number of issues we send per year to 6.Due to increased costs, many

conferences no longer print a newspaper at all, and to be honest, we considered that option as well. We have decid-ed on a different strategy.Beginning January 1, 2014,

we will begin work on two pieces of media that will be distributed digitally and in print. The first is a newsletter that will look a great deal like what you are holding in your hands (or reading on your screens) right now. This piece will be the “nuts and bolts” in-formation that needs to be in the hands of United Method-ists all over the conference. It will focus on what is happen-ing and where - think events for clergy and laity, announce-ments regarding special Sun-days, and similar items. We envision this as a piece that can hang on the bulletin board at your local church.

The second publication will be a quarterly magazine that we are calling The Mountain Circuit. We chose this title be-cause it acknowledges the im-portance of the circuit-rider in our history and Appalachian context. It is also inclusive of the churches in our confer-ence that are located outside the state of West Virginia. This piece will be more artistically

and theologically focused, and will include photography, long-form stories, liturgies, sermons, poetry and other items. Think of it as a spiritual anthology of the conference.Both of these pieces - the news-

letter and the quarterly piece - will be offered digitally to any-one, free of charge. All you have to do is provide us with your name and email address.

The communications team is finalizing our strategy for print distribution of these two pieces. We can no longer afford to send print media to 9300 people, for the cost rea-sons I outlined earlier in this note.There will be print subscrip-

tions rates for individuals and for churches who want multiple copies for their con-gregations. We are finalizing those rates now, look for more details in the next edition of this newsletter. Remember, that digital subscriptions will be free of charge. Anyone will be able to receive monthly and quarterly editions of The Mountain Circuit simply by providing their name and email address.Please note that both this

publication and the print newsletter sent later this Fall will be mailed to our current list of 9300 people. Our goal is to provide current subscribers and recipients an opportunity to provide feedback and sug-gestions on our new strategy. Please send your thoughts to me via email: lallen@wvumc.org or by mail to:

Laura H. Allen Director of CommunicationsThe United Methodist CenterP.O. Box 2313Charleston, WV 25328

Blessings and Peace,

Laura

From The ediTor, Laura h. aLLen

United Methodist Men’s Retreat wvumm.orgClergy School wvumc.org/calendarSouthern District Superintendent Installation Service Princeton UMC 4PMMinister’s Mates Fellowship wvumc.org/calendar

Spiritual Formation Retreat wvumc.org/ calendarNew Places for New People wvumc.org/ evangelism

Order of Elders Meeting West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeYouth Fall Workshop Cedar Lakes Conference Center

CaLendar6-8

17-1922

27-29

25-26

30-31

15

22-24

Conference Center Closed November 27-28, December 23-27, January 1

September

October

November

For more information and the full calendar visit wvumc.org/calendar. Email submissions to wvumc@wvumc.org.

The West Virginia Conference celebrates 20 Special Sundays throughout the year to raise awareness and money for causes that show our faith in action.

Special Sundays

815

6132027

31024

September

October

November

Christian Education Sunday*Rural Life Sunday

World Communion Sunday - umcgiving.orgChildren’s Sabbath & Undie SundayLaity SundayMinistry Exploration Sunday

Day of Remembrance*Organ and Tissue Donor AwarenessUnited Methodist Student Day umcgiving.org

* Contact Karen Thaxton at kthaxton@wvumc.org or 800-788-3746 for giving envelopes for Christian Education Sunday and Day of Remembrance. For more information on all Special Sundays, visit bit.ly/SpecialSundays.

Boy Scouts participating in the 2013 National Jamboree took time July 17 to clear brush and spread mulch at the historic Rehoboth Church in Monroe County. Thousands of scouts made time for service projects throughout southern West Virginia during the Jamboree. Rehoboth is the oldest standing protestant church west of the Allegheny Mountains and played a key role in the spread of Methodism throughout the region. Francis Asbury visited the site several times during his circuit riding days in what is now the southeastern United States.

United Methodist Center Holiday Schedule

MarchJoann Dingess Shepherd (Sur-viving spouse of Rev. Douglas N. Shepherd), Robert Johnson (Step-father of Sarah Estep, wife of Rev. Mike Estep), Rev. Violet Reynolds (FE-R)

AprilRetired Rev. Alvin L. Guyon, Mary Susan High (Daughter of late Rev. Charles High), Rev. O. Kenneth Simms, Wilda Tenney Chenoweth (Wife of Rev. Jim Chenoweth), Rev. Carlton James Wilson, Jodie Lynn Foster (Daughter of Oz and Helen Gray), Rev. Orville White (PTLP-R), Ray “Red” Funkhouser (Father of Rev. Michael Funkhous-er), Carlton J. Wilson (AM-R)

MayMary Ann Culbertson (Mother of Rev. Sue Culbertson Jarrett), Rev. Carl D. DeVaughn, Margaret Gar-letts (Rev. Kelly Martin’s grand-

mother and mother of Carolyn Sue Martin), Rev. Dr. Linda Glass (FE), Karl Robert Moll (Father of the Rev. Barry Moll) Maxine Lu-cille Duckworth (Mother of Rev. Michael “Chris” Duckworth), Nettie Mae Sovich (Mother of Rev. Penny Calmbacher), Rev. John “Jay” Tatum (FE)

JuneRev. William deVries Renn Sr., Shirley Ann Mock (Mother of Rev. Amy Shanholtzer), Lucille Holbert (Surviving spouse of Rev. John L. Holbert), Rev. Denver M. Miles

JulyRev. Marsha J. Bishoff, Evelyn Louise Eaton (Daughter of the late Rev. Charles and Zona Sulli-van Burton)

Get We Remember notifications by email by signing up at wvumc.org/enews.

We rememBer

Rev. Tex Sample to speak at 2013 Clergy SchoolHow can clergy lead change in their ministry context? That’s a question the 2013 Clergy School, “Ministry across social and economic boundaries,” will address when it meets Sept. 17 - 19 at Cedar Lakes near Ripley. The Rev. Tex Sample, spent time at last year’s West Virginia

Annual Conference session in Buckhannon. Well-known for his work highlighting the stories of working class people, Sample’s background includes stints as a cab driver and oil-field roust-about before attending seminary and entering ordained ministry. Register online at wvumc.org/info/clergyschool.

New Places for New People, October 30-31, MorgantownAt this event you will gain:• Greater clarity about how God has wired you to connect with

people.

• Understand your leadership style and learn how to share it with others• Learn new questions to help gain clarity on your call to doing

something new• Learn about different types of new church starts• Connect with pastors who have started successful new

churches.• Align your call, vision, and behaviors to start new things,

maybe even a church!If not church planting, then what?Register online at wvumc.org/evangelism by September 30

and save $50! Questions? Contact Rev. Amy Shanholtzer at amyshanholtzer@gmail.com or 800-788-3746.

Walking with JesusJoin the Task Force on Spiritual Formation for an overnight retreat October 25-26 in Charleston. 10 continuing educa-tion credit hours are available. The retreat costs $55, lunch is $10. Learn more and register at wvumc.org/calendar/SpiritualFormationRetreat, or call Carolyn Paschal at 304-590-0504.

neWS BrieFS

The Rev. Dr. Craig Green speaks during the 2012 Clergy School at Cedar Lakes near Ripley.

Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball blesses the elements during a worship service at the Boy Scout Jamboree at The Sum-mit in July. More than 40,000 scouts and leaders attended the 2013 Jamboree. From left to right, Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball, Rev. Joe Kenaston, Rev. Dr. J.F. Lacaria.

KEEP UP WITH US:Facebook: facEbooK.com/WvUmcTwiTTer: @WvUmcPhoTograPhs: flIcKr.com/WvUmce-news: WvUmc.org/EnEWS

Heather Withrow and Paige Gilpin help serve communion at closing campfire this summer..

Was summer camp an impor-tant place for your spiritual for-mation early in life? 70 campers said they wanted to explore full time Christian service after at-tending summer camp at Spring Heights this past summer. Nearly half of them asked

God to help them learn to pray for others daily, and al-most 9% of the 350 kids at camp this summer accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior for the first time.Camp may be over for the

summer, but next season is less than 270 days away! The 2014 summer camp schedule is al-ready online at http://Spring-Heights.org. Mark your calen-dars for your week now! You can also follow Spring Heights on Facebook at http://Face-book.com/SpringHeightsFB

A SUCCESSFUL SPRING HEIGHTS CAMP SUMMER