Thursday, March 26, 2009 

The Reverend Thomas Laney, Jr., appointed Director of the Turner Center for Church Leadership & Congregational Development, Vanderbilt Divinity School

The Reverend Thomas Laney, Jr. has been appointed, effective April 1, Associate Director of the Turner Center for Church Leadership and Congregational Development at Vanderbilt Divinity School. He will also be Associate Director of the Turner Leadership Scholars Program at the Divinity School.

Tom served as Senior Pastor of West End United Methodist Church in Nashville 1999-2007 and of Druid Hills UMC in Atlanta, 1990-1999. He has also served a country church in Lawrenceville, Georgia and a mid-sized church in Atlanta. He is a graduate of Yale University with a B.A. in American History and has a M.Div. from Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Tom was a member of the Tennessee Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, 2000-2007. He is a member of the Systems Centered Training Institute and has participated in the A.K. Rice Institute on Leadership and Group Life at Columbia University. At Vanderbilt Divinity School he has been a member of the Theology and Practice Teaching Team.

In addition to his administrative work in the Center Tom will employ his expertise in group dynamics, congregational life, and conflict resolution in working with pastors, congregations, and Districts of the Memphis and Tennessee Annual Conferences.

The Turner Center Director, Prof. M. Douglas Meeks, said, “I am excited about the many gifts of leadership Tom will bring to our common work in the Turner Center. He has faithfully and effectively served small, middle-sized, and large churches. He has great empathy for pastors and lay leaders in these challenging times for our churches.”

Friday, March 20, 2009 

McKendree Village Hosts Volunteer State Continuing Education Personal Enrichment Courses For Spring 2009

Continuing Education Personal Enrichment Courses Spring 2009 Schedule

AROUND THE HOUSE

Flower Arranging
Learn to create beautiful floral arrangements to decorate for the holidays and special events. Actual methods, designs, and skills are demonstrated in this course. Materials fees vary.
CEU 035 551; Tuesday, 6:00-8:30PM, April 28-May 19 (4 meetings) $45+ Supplies

ARTS

Calligraphy
This course provides an introduction to writing with pen & ink to create invitations, certificates, artwork. Instruction emphasizes mastery of one alphabet. Supply information is provided the first night.
CEU 109 551; Monday, 6:30-8:30PM, April 13-May 18 (6 meetings) $65+ Supplies

COMPUTER TRAINING

Cool, Free Web Tools
Join us as we explore several open source (free) tools available on the web for your use. These include productivity, photo editing, photo sharing, communication, and video. During the session, we will also use select tools to create a project using each of these items.
CEU 238T 551; Tuesday, 6:00-9:00PM, April 14 (1 meeting) $25

HEALTH AND WELLNESS


Get Healthy! Stay Balanced – Part 1
This course is designed to coach you to better health and healing through nutrition, exercise, water, and rest – as you become more and more fit for daily living. Learn that healthy living is a lifestyle -- not a diet.
CEU 499T 551; Tuesday, 6:00-9:00PM, April 21 & 28 (2meetings) $85

Introduction to Reflexology I
When energy flows freely around your body, you are physically, mentally, and emotionally well, balanced, and in harmony with your environment. Reflexology can provide relief because the whole body is represented on the feet and hands through points that can be individually stimulated to produce a reaction in the corresponding body part. This is not a certification class.
CEU 457 551; Wednesday, 6:00-830PM, April 8-April 29 (4 meetings) $65

Beginning Yoga
This course is based on the tradition of Yoga, meditation in action, and will help promote strength, flexibility, and correct body alignment. Relaxation techniques are included.
CEU 389-051; Thursday, 11:00am-12:00pm, April 16-May 21 (6 meetings) $65


PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Writing/Telling Your Story
Tell your story. Tell them or to write them down for your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and the generations who will come after you. In years past, elderly family members got to share their stories because they were better connected to their families and lived nearby. Stories were a part of conversation in families. Today we are all spread out across states and countries and we’ve forgotten the importance of storytelling. This workshop will focus on getting started in the process of recording our stories and memories for our families. Patsy Hatfield Lawson is a professional storyteller and a college professor who works with seniors to help them tell their stories. The focus of the workshop will be: how to determine which stories are the most important; how to record or write them; whether or not to get a published version; ways to tell the stories to capture interest; how to tell your family that you have a story to share.
CEU 302T-051; Wednesday, 3:00-5:00PM, April 15 and 29 (2 meetings) $50

Magic with Cards and Balloons
Learn about the exciting and entertaining world of magic. A performing magician will teach you magical effects from sleight of hand and learn the secrets to large illusions and hands-on magic with balloon sculpting. Topics also include the history of magic arts and actual tricks you can do. Put some magic in your life as you learn to entertain others.
CEU 142 551; Monday, 6:00-8:00pm, April 13 and 20 (2 meetings) $30

To register for courses, students may print the registration form at http://www.volstate.edu/ContinuingEd/documents/VSCC-CEED-RegForm.pdf and mail it in to Volunteer State. You may also phone-in your registration at (615) 230-3358. Volunteer State handles all course registrations and there is a nominal fee associated with taking the courses. Class size is limited and there is a minimum expectation for participation for the classes to be held. We encourage you to contact friends and family to ask them to participate in these courses with you.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009 

Nominations for 2009 Journal Dedication

The Journal Committee is planning to dedicate the Conference Journal to two persons, one lay and one clergy, whose love for Christ and the United Methodist Church are examples for us all. We are asking for your help in identifying these persons.

There are many local church members and pastors active in the life of the Tennessee Annual Conference who are worthy of this honor. When considering your nomination, please remember to consider age, class, race, gender and physical ability as stated in the Conference Plan of Inclusiveness.

Please make your nomination on the form below. You may use both sides if necessary or attach your own typed nomination to this form.

Send this form to:
Eva M. Gebhart
4343 Lebanon Pike, Apt. T-1610
Hermitage, TN 37036-1254

The deadline is APRIL 27, 2008.

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Nominations for 2009 Journal Dedication

For Person Nominated Circle One:

Laity Clergy

Name­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_________________________________________________________________________

Address­­­_______________________________________________________________________

Church_________________________________________District________________________

Person to contact to get this candidate to Annual Conference for the presentation

Name______________________________ Telephone __ _____________

Person making nomination:

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Nomination statement: (If the nominee is selected, this will be the statement published in the Journal.)
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NOTE: If your nominee is selected, you will be notified so you can submit a photograph for publication. Remember! Your nomination and the photograph will be published in the Journal as submitted.