Vol. 6 • No. 10  
May 23, 2007
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Conference News
--A Note From the Bishop
--Get Gleaning! Society of St. Andrews Needs Your Help
--St. Marys Foundation Announces Grant Recipients
--Registration Form Now Available for School of Christian Mission
--Kate Campbell in Concert June 5 at Trinity UMC
--Five Safe Sanctuaries Trainings Added to the Calendar
--There's Room for YOU at Summer Camp
--Don't forget to register!
Annual Conference 2007
--Day of Service -- REGISTRATION EXTENDED UNTIL TOMORROW!
--Letter from SEJ College of Bishops Encourages Diversity in Elections
--Book of Recommendations
--Other AC Information and Reminders
Connection News
--Commission wants further study of church's ministry
--Leadership group fostering churchwide 'culture of call'
--Bishops updating ‘In Defense of Creation' document
--Plan would pave way for U.S. regional conference
--Bishops Examine Roles, Appointments Process
--Mission event at Lake Junaluska to empower people to Connect with God's call
Resources
--New UMCOR at a Glance Brochure
--Resource explores United Methodist-Episcopal ties
Mark Your Calendar
--All Upcoming Events
--Summer Camps
Classifieds
--Georgia Southern Wesley Foundation Seeks Director
--Administrative Services Office Seeks a Full-time Administrative Assistant

CONFERENCE NEWS

A Word From the Bishop
One of the finest opportunities we have to make disciples for Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls and the transformation of the world is available to us through the partnership between the South Georgia Conference and the East Africa Conference of The United Methodist Church.  This partnership can make a positive and eternal difference in the lives of  people, especially children, in the blood drenched Great Lakes Region and Nile Valley of Africa.  Our sisters and brothers in this area are suffering from disease, genocidal conflicts, politico-religious wars and ethnic polarization in Rwanda, Brundi, Eastern Congo, Darfur in Western Sudan, Southern Sudan, and Northern Uganda.  The special offering that is to be received during this year's session of the South Georgia Annual Conference is to go to advance this ministry with our East African Conference.  I sincerely ask every South Georgia United Methodist to contribute to this offering through your local church.  It is my prayer that this will be a major response in Christian love.

Bishop Daniel Wandabula, who has visited with us here in Georgia, has requested that we send a team from South Georgia to East Africa in August.  He needs for us to do several significant acts of ministry there.  There is a desperate need for a reliable means of transportation for the bishop and others in ministry in this part of Africa.  Bishop Wandabula and our General Board of Global Ministries are asking if South Georgia United Methodists can provide a vehicle.

Also, Bishop Wandabula is asking that we commission and officially open our wonderful Humble United Methodist School in Uganda and continue to fund this vital ministry to the 204 children who are now being served there every day.  In fact, this school has become so important to the ministry in Uganda that the session of the East African Conference is being held there this year!  This is remarkable because just five years ago this ministry facility did not exist.  South Georgia United Methodists and others who have partnered with us have brought it into being by the grace of God.

Bishop Wandabula has told me that the people of East Africa are begging us to come and actually live with them for as many days as possible this August.  He says that our physical presence means as much as our financial support because it affirms our real love and care for each other as sisters and brothers in Christ.  He asks that we not just send funds.  He asks that we bring ourselves as well for incarnational testimony of our shared love.  In that spirit, he and his wife, Betty, have asked that, while there, I baptize their newborn daughter, Joyce. 

He has also asked that I speak at a 2-day conference that will bring together people from the entire region around the theme: Church, Politics and Community: The Call To Reconciliation In The Great Lakes Region Of East Africa.  He asks that my topic be: Kairos for East Africa Annual Conference: Call, Commitment, Challenge, Empowerment and Imperative of Reconciliation in the Great Lakes Region. Mission teams from South Georgia in the past have begun a beautiful partnership in East Africa.  The mission team that is preparing to go with me in August is eager to take more of the love of Christ to these dear people.  Your generous gift to this special offering will help our team to go and it also will determine how much we are able to do to answer this call for assistance from some of the least, last, and lost of our world.  Will you make sure that you and your local church contribute generously to this cry for help from East Africa?  Dear God, let it be.

Get Gleaning! Society of St. Andrew Needs Your Help
The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) has the opportunity to salvage nearly 300,000 pounds of fresh green beans in South Georgia over the next six weeks. SoSA needs the help of volunteers with trucks and/or open-top trailers with sides to help salvage the green beans.

So far this year in Georgia, SoSA has salvaged 151,825 pounds of food. This has provided many hungry Georgians with fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables. SoSA looks forward to salvaging many more thousands of pounds of food with the help of volunteers, churches, and civic organizations as the harvesting season is just beginning.

If you are able to help glean please contact Lauren King, South Georgia Program Coordinator, at 229-386-5800 or gleanga@endhunger.org.

St. Marys Foundation Announces Grant Recipients
The Board of Directors of the St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation, Inc. has announced it will be awarding $1,023,900 in grants during the Spring 2007 Grant Cycle. Grants will be distributed during the week of June 4, 2007. Click here for a list of the non-profit organizations receiving grants.

Registration Form Now Available for School of Christian Mission
The South Georgia Conference School of Christian Mission is set for July 19-22, 2007, at Epworth By The Sea. Click here to view the brochure and download the registration form.

Kate Campbell in concert June 5 at Trinity UMC
Kate Campbell will be in concert at Trinity United Methodist Church on Tuesday evening June 5 at 8:00 PM. Sponsored by The Foundery Fellowship, the performance is FREE and open to the public and is scheduled as a gift to the Conference. Not just for “church folk,” the concert is intended for anyone who appreciates live acoustic music in an amazing (and historic!!) venue. Paste Magazine says that Campbell's performances are “a tool to deftly nudge listeners toward a higher purpose; toward tolerance, commitment and understanding”. Campbell 's most recent CD/album, For The Living of These Days, is an eclectic mix of original songs, traditional hymns and covers of tunes written by Woody Guthrie, Kris Kristofferson and Bobby Braddock. Her concert at Trinity Church promises the same eclectic style. She will be accompanied by storied bassist Don Porterfield. Come early, seating is limited. The doors open at 7:00 pm. For more information about the concert contact Trinity Church, 225 West President Street, On Telfair Square since 1848, trinityumcsav@bellsouth.net or 912-233-4766. For more information about The Foundery Fellowship: Another Voice in The South Georgia Conference, contact Enoch Hendry at Trinity Church, hendry_e@bellsouth.net or 912-233-4766.

Five Safe Sanctuaries Trainings Added to the Calendar
The following Safe Sanctuaries training dates have been added to the calendar. Click here for more information on Safe Sanctuaries.
--Saturday, September 22, 2007at Pine Forest UMC in Dublin
--Saturday, October 13, 2007 at Albany First UMC in Albany
--Saturday, November 3, 2007 at Cordele UMC in Cordele
--Saturday, January 26, 2008 at Pittman Park UMC in Statesboro
--Saturday, February 16, 2008 at Waycross First UMC in Waycross

There's Room for YOU at Summer Camp
We're saving you a spot! Don't miss out....click here to register now for summer camps.

Don't forget to register!
-- The Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members Luncheon - June 5
-- Annual Conference Day of Service - July 6
-- Summer Camps - All Summer Long!
-- School of Christian Mission - July 19-22
-- Georgia Pastors' School - July 23-26

CHILDCARE If you have not sent in your registration form for childcare during Annual Conference please do so immediately. Click here for more information and to download the registration form.

HOTELS A list of Savannah hotels can be found here.

SPECIAL OFFERING This year's special offering will be given to the East Africa Initiative. A bulletin insert will be included in the pre-conference mailing or you can download it by clicking here.

LOGO If you would like the Annual Conference logo e-mailed to you for use in your local church, contact Kelly Roberson at kelly@sgaumc.com or 888-266-7642.

TOUR OF CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH The South Georgia Conference Historical Society has arranged for a special Annual Conference tour of Christ Episcopal Church in Savannah. This free, one-hour tour is scheduled for Tuesday, June 5 and will begin at 7:00PM. For more information call Chris Shoemaker at (229) 382-8860 or email at chair@sgchs.org.

GOLF TOURNAMENT As part of the Day of Service, a Golf Tournament will be held Wednesday morning, June 6, to benefit Wesley Community Center, a United Methodist Mission operating a Women's Center, a day shelter, and an award-winning child care center in downtown Savannah. The tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 10:00 a.m. at Henderson Golf Course in Savannah. Click here for more information or to sign up. For questions, contact Hale Bishop at 912-786-449.

Bishops updating ‘In Defense of Creation' document
(UMNS) United Methodists are invited to assist the church's bishops in drafting a statement exploring the problems of and solutions to nuclear weapons, environmental degradation, global warming, endemic poverty and disease. More than 20 years ago, the United Methodist Council of Bishops introduced a pastoral letter called "In Defense of Creation." The 1986 letter responded to the possibility of nuclear war and the potential for extinction of life. "The pastoral letter ... came as an urgent reminder that this world is God's creation, a sacred gift to be received and nurtured with respect," according to an episcopal invitation to the church for conversation on a new creation document. More>>

Plan would pave way for U.S. regional conference
(UMNS) A task force examining the global nature of The United Methodist Church has proposed four changes to the denomination's constitution in an effort to the similar worldwide church structures. The constitutional changes, to be presented to the 2008 General Conference, would pave the way to make the church in the United States a regional body, similar to the church's units in Africa, Europe and Asia. The proposals were presented in a May 3 report to the Council of Bishops by Bishops Ann Sherer and Scott Jones. They are part of a seven-member task force exploring the nature of the church, including relationships among United Methodist annual conferences and bishops, ecumenical relationships, and ties to autonomous and affiliated churches. The interim report from the Global Nature of the Church Committee to General Conference includes legislation calling for continued study of the church's worldwide mission and ministry and the role the denomination could play in modeling a new way of being the church in the world. The United Methodist Church has congregations in 38 countries. More>>

Bishops Examine Roles, Appointments Process
(Newscope) The bishop’s ability to make, or not make, an appointment needs to be revised according to the Council of Bishops and its internal task force on the episcopacy. Bishop Gregory Palmer (Iowa Area), chair of the internal task force, presented the team’s report to the council on May 3. The bishops’ task force identified the concept of “guaranteed appointment” as one of the biggest hurdles to reviving the church. The bishops also addressed the issue of ineffective pastoral leadership. “The greatest drain on our time and energy that keeps us from leading proactively in our mission of making disciples . . . is dealing with ineffective clergy,” said Bishop Robert Schnase (Missouri Area). Although the phrase “guaranteed appointment” does not appear in the Discipline, the bishops will ask the 2008 General Conference to redefine a system adopted in 1956 to protect pastors from arbitrary, sexist, or racist abuses of authority. While not suggesting that the appointment system be completely replaced, the
council is requesting General Conference to amend the appointments section to enable bishops to deal with ineffective pastors. The Discipline (¶¶ 334.2 and 334.3) now places the burden on the board of ordained ministry and the district superintendent to determine a pastor’s ineffectiveness. Palmer said the bishops’ proposal would make pastors more responsible for proving their effectiveness. More>>

Mission event to empower people to Connect with God's call
(SEJ UMVIM) The United Methodist Volunteers in Mission - SEJ would like to announcing an upcoming event called Connect that will take place June 27-29,2007, at Lake Junaluska, NC. The theme of Connect is “learn . go . serve.” Featured keynote speakers include Rev. Jorge Acevedo of the Florida Conference, Rev. Omar Alvarado of El Ayudante, Rev. Clint Rabb of Mission Volunteers, Rev. Denise Honeycutt of the Virginia Conference, and the Zambian Vocal Group. Workshops will be offered on a wide variety of Mission topics, including but not limited to, Families in Mission, Cultural Sensitivity, Hurricane disaster response, and Global Water Crisis. Visit with international and domestic project leaders, sharing first-hand information about work in their countries and states. For more information please visit www.umvim.org or call 404-377-7424.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

All Upcoming Events
Keep up with what's going on in the South Georgia Conference!
--Annual Conference - June 3-7
--The Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members Luncheon - June 5
--Annual Conference Day of Service - June 6
--Moving Day - June 13
--Elementary PK Retreat - July 13-15
--School of Christian Mission - July 19-22
--Teen PK Retreat - July 21-23
-- Georgia Pastors' School - July 23-26
-- Pathways to a Healthy Church - August 18

CLASSIFIEDS

PLEASE NOTE: Beginning with this edition of the Link, a local church can send their job description to kelly@sgaumc.com and it will run one time in The Link. The "Employment" section of the conference website will continue to run your ad for as long as you need.

Georgia Southern Wesley Foundation Seeks Director
The Wesley Foundation at Georgia Southern University is searching for a Campus Minister/Director to lead this vibrant ministry. The Wesley Foundation at Georgia Southern is one of the largest worshiping campus ministries in the nation, with over 400 gathering for worship each week. A University of excellence, Georgia Southern has a student population of 17,000 and a football team with six national championships. Find out more about The Wesley Foundation at www.gsuwesley.com. Applicants may send a resume by June 9, 2007, to: Donna Brigman / 114 Oakcrest Drive / Statesboro, GA 30461.

Administrative Services Office Seeks a Full-time Administrative Assistant
The South Georgia Conference Administrative Services Office in Macon has an opening for a full-time Administrative Assistant. Ability to use Word Perfect or Word and Excel are a necessity. Responsibilities vary from answering the phone, copying information and/or arranging details for meetings, to working with the forms submitted to this office for missing reports or information. For more information or to send a resume, contact Miriam Hagan at (478) 738-0048 or by e-mail, Miriam@sgaumcadmin.com by May 22.