Native American Awareness Sunday, which will be observed this year on May 1, “is a church-wide Special Day with an offering to remind the Church of the gifts and contributions made by Native Americans to our society.” (The Book of Discipline, Par. 274.6) Please contribute one dollar or more for this Special Day offering. Envelopes are located on the entranceway table in the narthex. Donations may be made in person, online or via mail. Remember to earmark the contribution amount on the regular church envelope and/or on the special envelope.

The United Methodist Church has designated six church-wide Special Sundays with offerings to allow United Methodists across the globe to offer refuge in times of disaster, promote peace and justice, provide scholarships and student loans, reach out to the community, teach skills to encourage self-sufficiency and share the love of Jesus Christ with God’s people everywhere. Half of each congregation’s Native American Awareness Sunday offering stays in the conference to develop and strengthen local Native American ministries. The other half is used by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry to provide scholarships for Native Americans attending United Methodist seminaries. (The Interpreter, by Barbara Dunlap Berg, p. 13, 1991)

Approximately 130,000 Native Americans reside in North Carolina and approximately 2,200 are United Methodists.

–Religion and Race Committee

Volunteers are needed Saturday, April 23, 9 a.m.-noon, for The Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup. Join in the effort, hosted by Greensboro Beautiful each year in April, to remove litter from our streets, neighborhoods, waterways — anywhere that needs cleaning up.

Volunteers of all ages from scout troops, community organizations, neighborhoods, faith communities, schools, businesses and families are invited to participate!

The Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup is the nation’s largest community improvement program, which takes place annually in an estimated 15,000 community events nationwide. We hope to see you there!

–Creation Care Ministry 

Make your clothes last longer by washing them in cold water, which is less damaging than hot. Wash a full load, which reduces the agitation’s wear-and-tear on the items. Add a few pinches of salt rather than color-“safe” chemical bleaches, which are hard on the materials. Fabrics made of fossil fuels (e.g., polyester, nylon, etc.), fabrics grown with high use of problematic chemicals, fabrics processed with scarce water resources, fabrics that breakdown into microplastics when washed and then enter our water ways and food chain, and fabrics that end up in landfills are environmental hazards. Many times, workers involved in the production of these fabrics are subject to employers that ignore the standards of fair trade and fair wages which is an embodiment environmental injustice. 

Be specific when you contact your lawmakers. They are more likely to respond positively to an ask that is within their scope of authority rather than to a broad demand. If possible, tell your story that prompts your concern. Connect your request to your faith values—and say so. 

Do you know the authority God’s Word gives you as a believer in Jesus the Christ? This eight-week course will explore Paul’s writings in the Bible about your authority and demonstrate ways to live a victorious Christian life. Participants of this course will be expected to read Bible verses and issued materials as well as answer review questions prior to each study session. Classes will be held via Zoom on Mondays, 7 p.m., Feb. 21–April 11. To register (required), contact the church office. 

Listed below are a few things we are planning to do at Saint Matthews UMC in February: 

1. SHARE YOUR STORY. We want to highlight persons who were the first African Americans in their field to accomplish something. If you want to participate, please contact Wanda Royal or Carolyne Burgman by Jan. 31. These stories will be shared during both worship services on Feb. 13 and Feb. 20. Deceased members who were the first in their field will be highlighted Feb. 27. 
2. JERSEY SUNDAY (2/13). Super Bowl Sunday (Feb. 13) will be “Jersey Sunday” at Saint Matthews. Members are asked to wear a jersey that represents their favorite team. Photographs will be taken after both services. 
3. OLD-FASHIONED SUNDAY (2/20). Because our history is so varied, we want to give a nod to our past. On Feb. 20, members are asked to dress from whatever era they wish. It can span from slavery until 1980’s. Photographs will be taken after both services. 

The application period for General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) scholarships ends March 24, for fall term awards only. The application period for Western North Carolina Conference United Methodist Women (WNCC-UMW) scholarships ends March 31.

The GBHEM Office of Loans and Scholarships is partnering with International Scholarship and Tuition Services Inc. (ISTS) to provide an online application and database for its programs. The WNCC-UMW applications can be submitted electronically or via USPS, and interviews conducted by Zoom. 

• Each applicant may apply once per year for a scholarship from GBHEM. Renewals must reapply each year. 
• Review the list of scholarships and select one scholarship program for which to apply. If you are unsure which scholarship to choose, select the “General Scholarship” program. GBHEM will determine the best program with available funds for you. 
• If you are a first-time users, create a username and password using a valid email address that you frequently check. This will be the way we communicate with you throughout the scholarship process. For returning users, enter the username and password that were created previously. 
• The scholarship code on the application for scholarships is ‘GBHEM Scholarship.’ 
• Have the address of your current United Methodist church and the school where you will be enrolled. 
• Have email addresses for your references. You will need your pastor to confirm church membership and a church reference who knows you well. (Some applicants will also need a district committee on ministry (DCOM) member, an academic advisor or clinical pastoral education (CPE) supervisor.) Referring persons must submit their recommendations via a specific link and code generated from your application. Note: The pastor and church reference must be different. 
• Obtain an unofficial copy of your transcript. You will be asked to upload a scanned version of your transcript with grades through December. 
• Some students will need a current copy of their résumé. 

Each year, Bennett College sponsors a Zoom scholarship session for their students, local UMC graduating high school seniors and/or current higher education students, and local international students, to inform them about available Global Board of Higher Education Ministry and United Methodist Women scholarships. Scholarships are awarded for matriculation from the undergraduate to doctorate degree levels. Albertina McGirt is the facilitator and the date will be announced once confirmed. To apply online, visit https://www.gbhem.org/loans-scholarships/scholarships/apply.

To request an application, contact Cathy McCauley. See the Sunday Bulletin (Jan. 9, 2022) for details.

Join the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement in a five-session workshop on LOVING PEOPLE AND PLANET IN THE NAME OF GOD: ENGAGING THE LOCAL CHURCH — Feb. 20, 24 and 27, and March 3 and 10, 7-9 p.m. ET.

This workshop offers practical solutions to greening local church facilities and helping your congregation to understand creation care and climate justice in the Wesleyan tradition. Participants will learn what other churches are doing to care for God’s Creation, how to identify opportunities for local action, and where to find help in achieving results. The training is open to clergy and laypersons; it provides an excellent venue to build green teams. 

The workshop costs $15 and consists of five 2-hour sessions: 

1. Our Theological Grounding 
2. Climate Crisis and Creation Justice: Connecting the Dots 
3. God’s Good Gifts: Called as Stewards and Prophets 
4. What Can Churches Do? 
5. Your Green Team, Your Plan 

The primary text will be CLIMATE JUSTICE: A CALL TO HOPE AND ACTION, edited by Pat Watkins and used in the 2016 and 2017 United Methodist Women’s Mission U curricula. You may be able to borrow a copy from an attendee to Mission U. If not, provide your mailing address to bobdowns@sbcglobal.net no later than Feb. 7, and we will send you a paperback copy. 

More information is available at https://umcreationjustice.org.

Pre-register at https://forms.gle/feCw6R4ahNSPoUu98. 

The annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Service will be Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, 10-11:30 a.m., via Zoom and YouTube Live. The Zoom link will be forthcoming. This year’s theme is “Infinite Hope: Honoring the Legacy – Advancing the Vision – Fulfilling the Dream of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” The Rev. Nelson Johnson, executive director of the Beloved Community Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, will be the keynote speaker.  

• An original picture/drawing
• An original photograph
• An original sculpture
• An original painting
• An original poem 

The contest is open to elementary, middle and high school students. Three cash prizes will be awarded in each category. 

The deadline for contest submissions is Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Submit contest entries to Tina McLendon, tinajmclendon@aol.com. Be certain to include the student’s full name and mailing address, age, grade, school name, church name and pastor’s name. 

Winners will be announced at the WNC Virtual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Service on Jan. 15. 

Contest sponsors: WNCC-Justice and Reconciliation Team (J&R), WNCC Commission on Religion and RACE (CORR) and WNCC Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR). For more information, contact the Rev. Tammy Ingram, tingram@wnccumc.net.

The Combined Watch Night Service will be a prerecorded virtual event with the Rev. William Wright (New Zion Missionary Baptist Church) delivering the message. The service will be uploaded by 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31, and will be accessible at your leisure via Facebook and YouTube. On either streaming platform, look for “Shiloh Baptist Church, Greensboro NC.”