Today (Feb. 16, 2012) we begin a new video series called "Conversations with the Bishop." In the first episode, the Rev. Anne Lau Choy, chairperson of the California-Nevada Annual Conference Episcopacy

Committee, interviews Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr. about his election as President-Designate of the Council of Bishops.

Or click on "REEL Witness – Video Library," the last link under "Areas of Interest" on the right side of the Conference website Home Page at www.cnumc.org. "Conversations with the Bishop – No. 1" is a featured and promoted video, but you can always locate it by typing "bishop" in the search window, or by clicking on the "Videos" tab and selecting the category "Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr."

Bishop's Award Nominations Due March 30

March 30 is the deadline to submit nominations for the Bishop's Award, presented during Annual Conference Session "in celebration of the work and service of lay people within the California-Nevada Annual Conference."

In a letter mailed to clergy and lay leaders, Bishop Warner H. Brown, Jr. has outlined this year's guidelines for Bishop's Award nominations.

The award is given to a layperson who has demonstrated "outstanding service" in his or her local church and beyond the local church – whether in the Conference, the General Church, or the community.

The bishop requests a short narrative (1-2 pages in length) detailing how the nominee "is living as a disciple engaged in transforming the world, and those qualities that bring the nominee forth as a leader among us."

Nominations are kept confidential and recipients are not announced until the presentation of awards at Annual Conference Session in June.

No Registration for ACS This Year for Clergy, Lay and Alternate Lay Members

If you're clergy, or an elected lay member or alternate lay member to Annual Conference Session, you will not need to register to attend, this year!

Why the change? Since the information needed to assign seats and print name badges already is available to Conference staff, we realized that registration isn't necessary.

Therefore, we reasoned – why burden clergy and lay and alternate lay members with the process of registration?

So this year, if you're clergy, or an elected lay member or alternate lay member to Annual Conference Session, please bypass the registration process. In fact, we'll have your name badge printed and ready to go by the end of February! Simply pick up your packet as usual, when you arrive at the Sacramento Convention Center on June 20.

If you previously have requested special needs accommodation, we have that information on file and again will do our best to meet those needs. However, if this will be your first time attending ACS and you have special needs, please email that information to Jane Horstman at janeh@calnevumc.org.

Online registration for everyone else (all observers) will open in mid-March – along with registration for a special event, Thursday evening during ACS. Watch the Instant Connection for details of this special event, and for ongoing coverage of the march toward ACS!

Want to Change the World? Imagine No Malaria!

It likely is no coincidence that The United Methodist Church's annual Change the World event (May 19-20) comes on the heels of World Malaria Day (April 25). From the beginning, Change the World has partnered with the Church's Imagine No Malaria campaign, "to build community locally through service projects, and fight malaria globally."

As World Malaria Day approaches, consider the role that "imagining no malaria" can play in "changing the world." And realize that the United Methodist Church – your Church – is committed to both.

Imagine No Malaria has the audacious goal of raising $75 million to empower the entire African continent to achieve a sustainable victory over malaria by 2015 through prevention, education, communication, and treatment. $75 million! The biggest amount ever raised by the denomination for a single cause.

The California-Nevada Annual Conference intends to help. Already, the Annual Conference Offering for this year has been designated to support Imagine No Malaria – and that is just a first step in building our support for, and involvement with, this life-giving project.

Does your congregation want to be involved in Change the World, but hasn't decided on a project? Consider one related to Imagine No Malaria. Many congregations choose an INM event as their way to participate in Change the World.

Change the World was created by United Methodist Communications (UMCom) – as part of an effort to Rethink Church by utilizing outreach events to make a positive difference in the world beyond our church doors. The event is based on a concept originated by the Rev. Mike Slaughter, author of Change the World: Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus.

Local service projects vary, and include raising funds for worthy causes, feeding the hungry, planting gardens, advocating for peace and justice, and more. Last year Change the World engaged 250,000 volunteers, to impact 3 million lives in a positive way.

"Vital congregations are engaged in mission, and Change the World illustrates the power of our

interconnectedness," says the Rev. Larry Hollon, chief executive of United Methodist Communications. "Last year, more than 2,000 events took place in 15 countries. Change the World presents an opportunity to transform lives in connection with others."

And new research from UMCom reveals that churches that provide opportunities to help their communities are viewed much more favorably because of their active, "outside the church" approach.

United Methodist Communications has created several Change the World resources to help churches with project ideas, information on how to advertise free events, and a sermon series.

Register your event by April 16 to receive a free marketing kit that includes a lawn banner, sermon series DVD, and t-shirt!

To locate an event in your area, go to http://rethinkchurch.org/get-involved. Join the conversation online on Facebook, or on Twitter using the hashtags #CTW2012 and #rethinkchurch.

Other partners in Change the World include United Methodist Publishing House, the General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Women, United Methodist Men, the General Board of Discipleship, and the General Board of Church and Society.

Imagine No Malaria Documentary Nets UMCom Another Award

Nashville, Tenn.: United Methodist Communications has received an Aurora Award for the documentary A Killer in the Dark: An Extraordinary Effort to Combat Malaria.

The documentary received the highest honor, Platinum Best of Show, from the independent film and video competition. Only one in ten entries receives this distinction.

A Killer in the Dark, which appeared on many NBC affiliates last year, was created to increase awareness and action against malaria, a disease that kills a child in Africa every 45 seconds. Hosted by actress Pauley Perrette, the documentary chronicles the daily struggle against malaria in Africa and highlights the remarkable community-based efforts underway to fight this disease through The United Methodist Church’s initiative, Imagine No Malaria.

Judged by panels of previous award winners and film and video professionals, the documentary received high marks for quality, editing, creativity and execution. This is the third international award for A Killer in the Dark. The production received two MarCom awards in 2011.

Second Video in GBOD 'Dreaming' Series Is Released

What's your favorite memory of church? Data suggests people in the US have fewer positive memories of being in church. How do we plant new memories?

Creating New Memories: The Art of Planting New Churches, the second video in a five-part series, is available now. Produced by the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD), the Dreaming of Vital Congregations series is designed to encourage conversation among church leaders as the 2012 General Conference nears.

All of us want to be a part of a church that's vital and vibrant. We dream of a church that touches our soul and sends us into the world to "make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." It's in that spirit that this five-part video series was produced.

Be a part of the growing number of church lay and clergy members to watch and comment on this thought-provoking series!

Watch for the announcement in the Instant Connection when the next videos are released (scheduled to be March 1, April 1, and April 15).

AGAPE Concert Special!

Purchase 10 or more tickets for the Agape (Uh-Gah-Pay) concert at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Manteca by Feb. 29, and receive a 20% discount! Tickets, normally $10 per person, are $8 with the 20%

group discount.

Agape will perform on Saturday, March 3 at 7 p.m., at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 910 E. North Street, Manteca, CA 95336.

Agape (Dave Scherer) is a hip-hop artist who electrified audiences in Sacramento at the Youth 2011 event last summer with his dancing, rap, and storytelling that combines to spread the message of God's love through Christ.

He has been touring full time for 10 years, performing for hundreds of thousands of youth across the US and in six different countries, "Spreading God's love through hip-hop." He has a passion for young people and for helping them to realize their worth and to see themselves through Jesus' eyes.

Check out AGAPE at www.hiphopoutreach.com.

Register on line now. (Or go to www.cnumc.org/register, or click on the "Registrations" tab on the Home Page at www.cnumc.org.)

A Sacramento UMC Steps out in FAITH to Launch Contemporary Service

Faith United Methodist Church in Sacramento is launching a new, contemporary worship service on Sunday afternoons, as an option for people unaccustomed to the routine of Sunday morning worship or unable to attend at that time. The design of the service aims to appeal to those "who want to be casual when they come, and who like energetic praise/contemporary Christian music" – particularly young people – according to the Rev. Barbara Horikoshi-Firebaugh, the church's pastor.

"We are excited about reaching out to the younger generations in our community to help them experience God in this casual, energizing format," she says.

Oasis is defined as a place in the desert where water is found, or a peaceful area in the midst of difficult or hectic circumstances. In the case of the new service at Faith UMC, Oasis stands for a place "Where lives are quenched with Living Water" – water that is refreshing, renewing, and life-giving.

Disaster Recovery Team from Sacramento Japanese UMC Returns to Japan

The Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church (SJUMC) is sending a six-member Volunteers in Mission (VIM) team to Japan this month, to assist with the earthquake- and tsunami-relief effort.

The Tohoku Disaster Center in Japan sent a formal request to SJUMC and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) for mission volunteers to go to Japan early in 2012. SJUMC's team of both English- and Japanese-speaking volunteers will depart Sacramento on Feb. 26 for a 13-day trip. They are due to return on March 9, 2012.

"The team is greatly honored, since the Tohoku Disaster Center does not accept requests from every team that wishes to go to Japan, and has rarely sent out requests for teams outside of Japan," according to the church's pastor, the Rev. Motoe Yamada. "Although the weather will be very cold and the team expects the work to be both physically hard and mentally challenging, everyone is looking forward to the trip and is excited about serving at this important juncture in the relief efforts," she says.

The trip comes at the one-year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the northeast area of Japan.

SJUMC plans to send additional teams to Japan in coming years, also, as part of its continuing commitment to the Japan relief efforts.

SJUMC, formed in 1969 after the merger of two other Christian churches, welcomes and serves all people regardless of race, but long has had special ties with both the Japanese and Japanese-American communities in the Sacramento area.

As the team leader for the Japan Earthquake Recovery Volunteers in Mission (VIM) trip, and as a new face to SJUMC, I would like to introduce myself to you and tell you a little bit about our upcoming journey.

It is through an invitation from Mary Nakamura to attend a benefit concert and worship that I began attending SJUMC in the fall. When I attended my first worship service here, I was struck by the friendliness of the people I encountered. Everyone greeted me with smiles and I genuinely felt welcomed at the church.

A few months after I began coming to SJUMC, Mary and Rev. Motoe mentioned to me that the church was looking for a bilingual team leader for a mission trip to Japan. I offered to lead a trip around the time that I was already scheduled to be there to visit my parents.

In many ways, I feel that God has led me to this church at this time and prepared me to lead this mission trip. My educational and professional background in social work and experiential education, combined with my bilingual/bicultural upbringing, provide me with the skills to lead groups effectively. In addition, I carry with me a faith in Jesus Christ, and a desire to serve as He did to better the lives of others.

The members of the Japan Earthquake Recovery VIM team are busy preparing for our trip. All of us are excited that we will be able to assist in the recovery of the Tohoku region one year following the disasters in Japan.

Along the way, we will stay at the Wesley Center in Tokyo as well as the Asian Rural Institute, and will be conducting six days of volunteer service through the Tohoku Disaster Center.

We appreciate your commitment in the fundraising efforts thus far, and welcome your continued support. We also ask for your prayers of strength and safety as we embark on this journey.

Many of you have been asking us what we might be doing when we are in Sendai/Ishinomaki. Examples of what's going on there now include: continuing the cleanup from the tsunami – in particular, cleaning mud off the floor of a building. They are also painting a series of cottages, and helping a bread store move their business.

Please circle Sunday, March 11 on your calendar. We will be holding a special event in the Sanctuary, called "Sharing Hope: Japan One Year Later." Doors will open at 12:30 p.m. and the program will begin at 1 p.m.

Members of the Japan Earthquake Recovery Team will be sharing stories and photos of our mission trip. Mark McLean will be playing guitar before the event and the Sakura Chorus will be singing two numbers during the program. The Japanese Consulate has been invited.

This event will be open to the public, so please share this information with anyone who is interested in learning more about the work being done in Japan.

To donate, visit SJUMC's Japan relief website at http://www.sacjumc.com/japanrelief.html or send checks, payable to "SJUMC," to Sacramento Japanese UMC, 6929 Franklin Boulevard, Sacramento, CA 95823. SJUMC is a qualified Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and will provide tax-deductible receipts for all donations.

Contact Mary Nakamura at JapanRelief@sacjumc.com or 916.421.1017, or visit the SJUMC website at www.sacjumc.com, if you have questions.

'Small Groups' One Topic in GBOD's Series, Free Webinars for Congregational Leaders

A small groups ministry is one of the key drivers for vital congregations. Leaders of small groups and other settings for adult faith formation can find help in understanding characteristics of adults, and in planning effectively, through a free webinar from the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD).

Help for teachers and leaders of adult groups in understanding some of the characteristics of adults that affect their participation, and in planning more effectively for the members in their class or group. Register at www.gbod.org/adultseminars.

Here are the topics and dates/times for GBOD's other free webinars for church leaders, for the remainder of February and for March.

SPRC has a key role for health of body, mind, and soul for your pastor and leaders. GBPHB's Center for Health shares key factors for a healthy ministry environment.

Churches are setting numerical goals on the UM Vital Congregations website. This event will help leaders use the SMART acronym to meet those goals. Includes examples and tips for specific ministry goals.

Help congregations in a district respond to the Call to Action by developing goals for the future through the Innovative Leadership Project. District superintendents and Conference leaders will learn about connecting congregations through this seven-month process for strengthening leaders and developing skills for successful ministry.

Many United Methodists hear the word "apportionment" and think only of a burden placed upon the local church, but they have only seen it from one side. What if they could see the countless ways lives are touched, and the how their church has made a difference by participating in our global shared ministries? Find out how you can help tell those stories!

The ILP is a seven-month process for congregations to respond to the Call to Action by developing ministry goals for the future. Pastors and congregation leaders will learn how to renew leadership by launching the process.

Responsibilities vary for this position! This webinar will share examples from congregations of all sizes, the Book of Discipline, and actual experiences to make this role effective in your congregation.

Training for new church leaders is available, also. One-hour recorded modules are available for the church council, trustees, nominating committees, finance leaders, and S/PPRC. Individuals may watch at home or church groups may view the modules when they meet.

Free Lenten Devotions Program from SoSA

The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) invites your congregation to participate in its 2012 Lenten devotion and giving program, "Living Proof" – a program of spiritual reflection, prayer, and giving, in keeping with the traditions of Lent. SoSA's Lenten devotion program challenges the reader to take seriously the Scriptural injunctions to care for the poor, while also providing an opportunity to feed our hungry neighbors.

Each day during Lent, through Scripture and prayer, gifted and talented writers share their stories of where they have seen Jesus at work in the world. As you make the journey to the cross this year, use these devotions and prayers to reflect on your own "Living Proof" of Jesus Christ.

Go to http://www.endhunger.org/lent.htm to order SoSA's free Lenten devotion materials and Good Friday Fast, or to learn more. You also may contact the Rev. Jennifer Vestal Moore at church@endhunger.org or 800.333.4597.

The Society of St. Andrew salvages fresh produce that cannot be sold, and delivers it to agencies that feed hungry people in the United States.

SoSA hopes your congregation will make feeding our hungry brothers and sisters a priority during Lent. Through your involvement in the Society of St. Andrew's ministry, you and your church can provide nourishing food to those most in need – especially during these cold winter months and economically challenging times.

Visit the Society of St. Andrew at http://EndHunger.org. You may give to SoSA through United Methodist Advance Special #801600.

March 1 Deadline to Apply to Teach English Language in Vietnam this Spring

College students may apply now to teach English to Vietnamese students at Wesley Theological School in Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnamese students also will learn about and participate in collegiate ministry activities with the English-speaking students.

This English Language Institute program is supported by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry's Collegiate Ministry section. Students must be recommended for the program by their campus minister or chaplain. The deadline to apply is March 1.

"By providing a way to send students who are active in their collegiate ministries and willing to teach their native language, The United Methodist Church is able to extend its collegiate ministries globally, while helping Vietnamese students develop their English language skills," says the Rev. Michael McCord, GBHEM's director of Campus Ministry Resources and Training.

The cost to students who are accepted as teachers is $750 per student, including airfare, lodging at the Methodist Center in Ho Chi Minh City, food, and transportation. Advance training for the teachers is scheduled for May 19-20 in Nashville, Tennessee, and student teachers will be in Ho Chi Minh City from May 21 to June 13.

A student who is accepted as a teacher must pay a $350 non-refundable deposit by March 1, 2012, with the balance of $400 due April 15.

Join the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns (GCCUIC) at the Fourth United Methodist Ecumenical and Interreligious Training (UMEIT), which will be held in conjunction with the 44th National Workshop on Christian Unity (NWCU) in Oklahoma City, April 16-19, 2012.

UMEIT provides training for local leaders engaged in ecumenical and interreligious ministries, and provides a forum for local ecumenists to share ideas and models. Participants are encouraged to engage noted scholars and General Church leaders as they explore the ecumenical and interreligious commitments of The United Methodist Church.

Presentations followed by discussions with noted scholars, General Church leadership, and UMEIT leaders are planned. Some featured events are:

The overall cost for the 2012 National Workshop on Christian Unity is lower than in previous years. Register on or before March 19 to receive a discounted rate of $200 ($225 after March 19). Registration fee includes all the luncheons – Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

The Skirvin Hilton Hotel is offering a base rate of $99 (plus tax) per night until March 22 – so reserve your room now, at 405.272.3040. You MUST book your hotel accommodations separately (apart from workshop registration).

Go to www.nwcu.org to register, and for information about workshops. For UMEIT information, network registration, and homily contest information visit www.gccuic-umc.org.

UMCom Offers Web Ministry, Welcoming Training This Month

United Methodist Communications (UMCom) is offering two online course opportunities this month – a Web Ministry Training series and the Welcoming Ministry 101 Training Course.

More and more people are now on line. Did you know that 1.6 billion (yes, billion, with a "B") people are on line? People are doing more and more this way – they shop on line, do their banking on line, read on line, and search for a church on line. That's why a web ministry is an important and powerful way to reach people.

Starting Feb. 29, 2012 UMCom is offering four customized, instructor-led online web ministry courses to help you integrate a web ministry into the broader picture of your church's outreach.

Course dates are Feb. 29 to April 11. Pre-registration is required and no participants will be admitted once the class begins. Click on the course title to register before Feb. 29.

Once registered, you can access the course anytime you want, 24/7. Expect to log about 20 hours per course. Each course builds upon the previous courses – so please take them in order.

A certificate of completion and up to two (2) Society for the Advancement of Continuing Education for Ministry (SACEM) CEUs will be awarded to those meeting the requirements.

Welcoming Ministry 101 will help you expand your understanding of welcoming, while equipping you to lead your church in establishing and maintaining a ministry of welcoming and radical hospitality.

This course is available Feb. 29 to April 11 for $29, and can be completed in six weeks. Pre-registration is required and no participants will be admitted once the class begins.

CVLI Program Changes

Normally at this time of year, churches in the California-Nevada Annual Conference receive a notice from the Conference Communications Office, reminding them to renew their church video licenses. This year, however, that is not the case.

Communications established an umbrella program with Christian Video Licensing International (CVLI) several years ago, through which churches could obtain a video license at a lower cost than if they purchased one on their own. The program was created with two objectives in mind: to promote awareness of video licensing laws, and to help small churches afford a video license.

We believe that the first objective largely has been met. As to the second – times have changed. Now, although the Conference's cost of administering the program has increased, due to increased demands on the time of staff involved, most churches actually can save money by buying their license through TechShop.*

Therefore, effective this year, churches will be responsible for obtaining video licensing on their own, just as they have been doing all along with music licensing.

To make this transition easier, CVLI has agreed to grandfather the rates paid last year by all the churches that used the Conference's program. CVLI will be mailing invoices within the next four to six weeks, to each church licensed last year through the Conference. Those churches will be charged the same amount they paid last year.

Many Cal-Nevada churches made the transition to TechShop last year. If yours is one of them, expect a renewal notice from CVLI one to two months prior to your license renewal date.

If your church did not purchase a license last year, and you want to obtain coverage, you may access the Tech Shop Church Video Licensing page here – or go to www.umc.org and click on "Tech Shop," found on the bottom right corner of the page, and then select "Church Video Licensing."

If your church upgraded to a ScreenVue Plus membership, please contact ScreenVue at www.screenvue.com to renew.

CVLI grants the license you need to comply with federal copyright law and allows for the public showing of DVDs and videocassettes in your church and childcare program. The CVLI Church Video License® provides copyright protection for more than 400 studios and producers, ranging from Disney to Warner Bros., and from Christian to independent producers. Once licensed, you may show a few scenes for a sermon illustration or sponsor a church movie night, all with the assurance of copyright compliance.

Music Licensing: As a reminder, please be sure to follow appropriate copyright laws with regard to copying and displaying music and music lyrics, as well, including obtaining a license if necessary. Churches must obtain this license and maintain coverage on their own. The companies most commonly used are Christian Copyright Licensing International (CCLI), which is a sister company of CVLI, along with OneLicense, and LicenSing.

News:

'Conversations with the Bishop': Watch First in Series