RISEM Lay Speaking Ministries Director moving to New England Conference post
Greetings to All,
This is my formal announcement to you all that I am moving on from the
good job of Director of Lay Speaking Ministries for the RISEM District,
to a bigger job of Conference Director of Lay Speaking Ministries. An
announcement will be forth coming as to whom will be our new Director
for the RISEM District. Thank you all for all of your great help over
the years, especially you Linda! My how you all have worked!
Blessings in His Name,
Rebecca
Rebecca Hewett
19 Van Buskirk Way
Sandwich, MA 02563
508.477.5947
reb29u@aol.com
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May 10, 2008
Lay Speakers' meeting was held at Kingston -- The quarterly meeting was held at Christ UMC in Kingston,
RI with six lay speakers in attendance. Notes have been distributed in
email.
The Rev. Lori Eldredge, an associate pastor at Wesley UMC in Concord, NH has been appointed the new pastor at North Kingstown UMC. Pastor Beverly Stenmark's last Sunday at North Kingstown before she leaves to become district superintendent for the Mid-Maine district will be June 8th, according to the Staff Parish Relations Committee of the local church. Lay speakers from the church will be lead worship and preach at the two Sunday services for the three week period in between: June 15th, Paula Martasian; June 22nd, Bowman Halstead--our newest lay speaker--will preach for the first time; June 29th, Larry Price. Mark Zaccaria will also fill in on April 27th while the Pastor is away at the Walk to Emmaus weekend.
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Local church layspeakers who have not become certified lay speakers are also required to take a course every three years for renewal -- More about it and download PDF of spring course offering
Lay Speakers Lead Small Groups, Advanced Lay Speaker class, Saturdays, March 29 through April 19 from 9 AM to Noon at North Kingstown UMC, taught by Ellen Jacke. Link to download enrollment form for this course.
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Lay
Speaker at North Kingstown UMC announces campaign for US Congress --
Mark Zaccaria, a lay speaker and active member of North Kingstown
UMC, has announced he will challenge U.S. Rep. James Langevin in
Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District. Zaccaria, 59, married and the
father of three, is a former member of the North Kingstown Town Council.
Langevin was first elected to Congress in 2000.
Link to story in Providence Journal Tuesday March 11.
Mark Zaccaria
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Lay Speakers’ of South County Quarterly Meeting Notes – Saturday January 26, 2008
Meeting called to order at 9 AM at North Kingstown United Methodist Church by Co-chair Ellen Jacke.
In attendance:
Grace United Methodist Church, Westerly, RI – Eleanor Wood
North Kingstown United – Steve Brooks, Paula Martasian, Mark DerManouelian, Kevin McGovern, Bowman Halstead, Mark Zaccaria, Ellen Jacke, Larry Price.
Christ UMC, Kingston – No one in attendance due to another conflicting meeting.
Ellen led us in opening prayer. And Mark DerManouelian offered an inspiring meditation on serving as part of the body of Christ based on 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Thanks to Mark for preparing the message.
After a brief introduction of new lay speakers who have joined the group, we had a round robin discussion on what is going on in our lives. Many are participating in weekly Bible study. Eleanor Wood, still active in God’s service at her church and still driving at age 90, told us about Grace UMC’s involvement in a study program called, “Invitation to Romans.” Kevin McGovern, who became a lay speaker last year, is very active in leading a youth group at NK UMC. Bowman Halstead, another new member to the group, is working at Walmart, but disclosed he will soon undergo Army Reserve training in Kentucky to become a drill sergeant. Mark Zaccaria, also joining our group, has accepted several preaching assignments at churches in the district and also has started a new business. To learn more about Mark’s marketing company, go to www.rustinmarketing.com .
Ellen Jacke has been picking up a hammer and working to build homes as she also continues her service on the board for South County Habitat for Humanity; this in addition to her many other servant leadership activities: Project Outreach, SPRC at NK UMC, driving for FISH, and Bible Study. Ellen told us about the Faith Build for Habitat breakfast to be held Feb. 16th from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM at Wakefield Baptist Church. Tickets at $7 for adults and $3.50 for children under 10 will raise funds for the Habitat home building projects. Public is invited. Contact Ellen [email ejacke@bww.com ] if you would like a ticket or purchase at the breakfast.
Paula Martasian continues as lay leader at NK UMC and began a new semester of teaching at Salve Regina. Steve Brooks is an active liturgist and Bible Study student who undertook a new job last year. Steve and Zoe are downsizing and still have their home for sale in a difficult real estate market for sellers. Larry Price continues to publish the website for NK UMC at: www.nkumcri.com . After a welcomed vacation during the holidays, he is back on airplanes traveling each week in his professional career.
The discussion noted that both Grace UMC and NK UMC are transitioning to new pastors at their churches. The Rev Phillip Schnell is retiring from his pastor duties at Grace and The Rev. Beverly Stenmark will be leaving North Kingstown in July to become superintendent of the Mid Maine District of the New England Conference. We urged everyone to keep these pastors in our prayers, pray for the churches as they transition to new leadership, and pray for the unknown pastors who fill the voids left by our two departing ministers.
Some of you expressed interest in receiving the UMCatalyst News Notes from the New England Conference in your email. To subscribe, write an email to info@neumc.org and ask to be added to the email list for UMCatalyst News Notes. The emails will update you on activities within the Conference, including lay speaker course offerings.
Ellen Jacke will teach an advanced course called Lay Speakers Lead Small Groups. Ellen’s course will be offered at North Kingstown UMC on four Saturdays, March 29, April 5, 12 and 19 from 9 AM to 11:30 AM. Email Ellen if you would like to participate. Once approved by the district, the courses will be posted and the sign up registration will be available.
Our prayer concerns on this day were many and varied. We pray for long time lay speaker Jim Seymour who has been ill and is now living in Florida. Jim informed us he chose not to be certified this year, but he will always be in our prayers. We pray for our service men and women serving in Iraq and posts far and wide from home. We pray for those ill, suffering losses or in periods of transitions. God hears all our concerns and knows them before we speak.
Our next meeting will be held at Christ UMC in Kingston, but since no one from Kingston UMC was able to attend the meeting we did not set a date. We are suggesting Saturday May 3 or Saturday May 10 and ask that someone from Kingston let us know which date might be acceptable. Please email co-chair Larry Price by replying to sender in this message to let us know.
Ellen led us in closing prayer and the meeting adjourned about 10:30 AM.
Watch for our next meeting in your email or by visiting the South County Lay Speakers’ web page at http://www.nkumcri.com/nkumcri/layspeakers.html .
October
27, 2007 meeting at Christ UMC in Kingston, RI -- Minutes were
emailed to the mailing list. -- The group celebrated the return
from Florida of former chairperson Jim Seymour and offered prayers for
Jim who is now on a portable oxygen tank 24 hours a day due to his health
issues. We celebrated our joys in life and raised up to the Lord concerns we
have for family, friends and issues in the world. In attendance From Christ UMC,
Kingston, RI: Marcia Miner, David Miner, Mike Havener, Jim Seymour; From
North Kingstown UMC: Mark DerManouelian, Steve Brooks, Ellen Jacke, Larry
Price; From Grace UMC, Westerly, RI: Eleanor Wood. At left and
right, photos from October 27th meeting. 
New
lay speaker preaches first sermon -- Kevin McGovern is the newest and
the youngest lay speaker at North Kingstown UMC. Kevin preached an inspiring
first sermon on Sunday August 12th during Pastor Beverly Stenmark's vacation.
April 2007 meeting
at Christ United Methodist Church, Kingston, RI
prayer concerns and thanked Jim Seymour
(photo at right) from
Christ United Methodist Church for his dedicated service as chairperson of
the group over the last several years. Jim is stepping down as organizer for the
meetings, but will continue to be active in service. Ellen Jacke and
Larry Price (photos below), members of North Kingstown United Methodist Church,
volunteered to co-chair the group. The next meeting has been
scheduled for Saturday, July 21st at 9 AM at North Kingstown United Methodist
Church.
