Vol. 6 • No. 18 
September 19, 2007
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In This Issue of The Link
 Conference News
Conference Website Gets New Look
Dialogue with the Delegation
Attention Pastors: Would you like a part of over $200,000?
GSU Wesley Foundation Alumni Weekend 2007
United Methodist Student Day Offering
UMW Tel-a-Woman Now Online
Dates Set for the 2008 Ministers' Spouses Retreat
Web Ministry Training - Limited Space Available
Dr. Evelyn Laycock to Lead Bible Study at Epworth By The Sea
Don't forget to register!
Connection News
United Methodists celebrate Humble School in Uganda
Church budget tightens around four areas of focus
Lackore announces her retirement as finance chief
United Methodist loans can now be paid online
New hurricane season brings need for donations
UMCOR co-sponsors airlift to Republic of Georgia
Centennial event to promote United Methodist Men
United Methodist agencies join anti-tobacco effort
International Day of Prayer is September 21
 Resources
World Food Day - New Church Bulletin Insert 
Worship, Preaching, and Music Resources for Hispanic Heritage Month
 Mark Your Calendar
All Upcoming Events
Safe Sanctuaries Training Dates

CONFERENCE NEWS

Conference Website Gets New Look
The South Georgia Conference website now has a new look! Take some time today to check out the new site and read up on the latest happenings and the upcoming events in the South Georgia Conference. Stay tuned for new looks to The Link e-newsletter and the Conference Concerns and Celebrations e-mails. Visit the site at www.sgaumc.org.

Dialogue with the Delegation
The South Georgia Conference delegation to the General and Jurisdictional Conferences met for the first time in August. Dr. Charlene Black, lay, and Dr. Hal Brady, clergy, are heads of the delegation and will be writing short articles to keep South Georgia United Methodists informed about the delegation meetings. Included in this first article are names of each delegate along with the legislative committee on which they will be serving. Click here to read the article.

Attention Pastors: Would you like a part of over $200,000?
If 70% of the active pastors and spouses in the South Georgia Conference who are enrolled in HealthFlex take the Web MD Health Quotient Assessment and have a Wellness Exam by December 31, 2007, then the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits will give our Conference over $200,000 to divide up among those who participated. If you did a PROCHECK Exam at Annual Conference, then all you need to do is the Web MD Health Quotient Assessment. Don’t miss out on an opportunity not only to get some extra money, but also to take care of yourself. For more information on how to take advantage of this incredible opportunity, call or e-mail Rev. Bob Shell, Asst. Director Pension/ Health Benefits, 800-535-4224.

GSU Wesley Foundation Alumni Weekend 2007
The Georgia Southern Wesley Foundation would like to invite you to attend their 2nd annual Alumni Weekend during the 2007 football Homecoming weekend. The weekend will include: 
Friday, October 26:   Gather at 7:30 PM in the Wesley Foundation Chapel.  Worship service with former campus minister Don Warren and Wesley worship team will be at 7:45 PM.
Saturday, October 27:   Wesley tailgating tent will be available prior to 12:00 PM football game vs. Citadel for those that desire to gather prior to game.
Saturday, October 27:   A room has been reserved for Wesley at R.J.'s Steakhouse for dutch treat meal at 5:00 PM.  Wesley's new campus minister Carl Blackburn will deliver a brief message.  Time to reminisce will also be provided.  Please R.S.V.P. by October 15 if you plan to attend the supper.  Call (912) 681-3136.                             

United Methodist Student Day Offering
November 25th is the day designated by the United Methodist Church for celebrating the United Methodist Student Day Offering.  This offering helps provide scholarships to assist students in attending United Methodist Schools. In 2006, North and South Georgia Conferences contributed $54,292 to the Student Day Offering and World Communion Sunday.  At the same time, the United Methodist Church as a whole contributed $286,006 to scholarships awarded to our United Methodist students from Georgia. As you can see, Georgia students have benefited greatly from the generosity of United Methodists across the country.  Please give generously to this offering.  If the 25th is not a good day for your church to receive the offering, you are encouraged to choose a day that works better for you. If you need to order envelopes, you may contact the United Methodist Communications at 888.346.3862. Remember:  $1 per member makes a big difference! 

UMW Tel-a-Woman Now Online
The latest edition of the South Georgia Conference United Methodist Women Tel-a-Woman is now available online by clicking here.

Dates Set for 2008 Ministers' Spouses Retreat
The 2008 Ministers' Spouses Retreat will be March 13-15, 2008. Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more details.

Regional Web Ministry Training: Limited Space Available
Do you want to develop or expand a Web presence for your local church, district or conference organization? Are you interested in the latest Internet technology for ministry? Then join local church, district, and conference volunteers, staff, webmasters/servants, communicators, editors, and pastors for an exciting training event co-sponsored by United Methodist Communications and the Alabama-West Florida Conference Office of Communications. Weaving a Web of Connections: Using the Internet for Effective Ministry is set for October 12-13 in Gulf Breeze, FL. Space is limited to the first 100 to register. The event is filling up quickly so register today. Click here to download a flyer or click here for more information. For questions contact Kelly Roberson at 888-266-7642 or kelly@sgaumc.com.

Dr. Evelyn Laycock to Lead Bible Study at Epworth By The Sea
"Looking At The Parables Through Middle East Eyes," a Bible study, will be presented by Dr. Evelyn Laycock at Epworth By The Sea October 15 - 18. For accommodations and details visit www.epworthbythesea.org or call 912-638-8688. This event is being sponsored by Epworth By The Sea.

Don't forget to register!
Comprehensive School for Clergy Leadership - September 24-25
Charles Wesley Festival - September 27-29
Regional Web Ministry Training Event - October 12-13
Safe Sanctuaries Training - October 13
Bible Study with Evelyn Laycock - October 15 - 18
UMW Annual Meeting - October 20
Safe Sanctuaries Training - November 3
Discover God's Call Retreat - November 9-11
SEJ Multicultural Event - December 13-15


CONNECTION NEWS

United Methodists celebrate Humble School in Uganda
(UMNS) United Methodists celebrated the commissioning of a Uganda school serving orphans and vulnerable children, and expressed hope it will serve as a prototype for schools in other East African countries. Humble United Methodist School in Mukono was commissioned in August by Bishop Michael Watson of Macon, Ga. Part of the denomination's East Africa Annual (regional) Conference, the school was started in 2004 to serve children from war-ravaged areas and those from homes affected by HIV/AIDS. Guests attended the August ceremony from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Sudan — the five countries in the East Africa Conference — as well as the United States. More>>

Church budget tightens around four areas of focus
(UMNS) The United Methodist Church is facing the "very hard, very painful" work of cutting ministries and shifting resources while building its denominational budget around four newly named areas of focus. After months of reviewing a proposed budget that does not keep pace with inflation, the chief executives of the denomination's program agencies pledged to preserve ministries that address those four areas — leadership development, congregational growth, global health and poverty. However, programs and ministries outside those initiatives will be reviewed for possible adjustments and cuts if the church's top legislative assembly approves the $642 million four-year spending plan next spring, the executives said. The General Conference, which meets every four years, will gather in Fort Worth, Texas.

Agency leaders reported on their budget work Sept. 7 during a joint meeting of the Connectional Table and the governing board of the General Council on Finance and Administration, the two leadership entities that voted in May to send the spending proposal to General Conference. "The agencies have worked very hard to protect the monies allocated for these major cooperative initiatives," said the Rev. Karen Greenwaldt, chief executive for the Board of Discipleship. If General Conference approves the spending plan as proposed, "we will be about the hard work of making very specific internal adjustments." More>>

Lackore announces her retirement as finance chief
(UMNS) Sandra Lackore will retire next June after serving 12 years as chief executive of the agency that administers finances for The United Methodist Church and safeguards its legal rights and interests. She shared the news with her staff at the General Council on Finance and Administration on Sept. 17. Her retirement also was announced churchwide by Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, president of the governing board for the agency. Lackore, 63, will take a three-month family leave beginning Oct. 1 to care for her husband, the Rev. Cecil Lackore, who is scheduled to undergo intensive treatments this fall for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Her retirement is effective June 30. More>>
United Methodist loans can now be paid online
(UMNS) A newly launched online repayment system is making repaying United Methodist student loans easier and will improve efficiency in processing scholarships and loan applications. "We are moving into the 21st century," said Angella Current-Felder of the Sept. 1 online launch by the Office of Loans and Scholarships at the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry. "This is the first step in making all of our services available online and much more convenient for those repaying loans or applying for college aid," said Current-Felder, executive director of the Office of Loans and Scholarships. The system was developed with SunTrust Bank. Beginning in 2008, United Methodist students also can apply for scholarships and loans online. In addition, applicants will be able to go online and track the status of an application. More>>

New hurricane season brings need for donations
(UMNS) — As reports begin filtering in from Nicaragua and Honduras about damage from Hurricane Felix, the United Methodist Committee on Relief is preparing to respond. But donations are needed to provide relief both for victims of Felix and others needing assistance during the 2007 hurricane season, according to the Rev. Tom Hazelwood, UMCOR's domestic disaster coordinator. Felix pummeled the coastlines of northern Nicaragua and southern Honduras Sept. 4 with 160-mph winds and drenching rains. Indigenous people in the area, many unable to evacuate, were expected to be heavily affected by the hurricane and resulting rains and mudslides.

"Our church has responded so generously to the big hurricanes like Katrina … sometimes we forget that the people of Honduras and Nicaragua were devastated by (Felix)," said Hazelwood. Checks for Hurricanes 2007 can be dropped in church collection plates. Write "UMCOR Advance #982511, Hurricanes 2007" on the memo line of the check.

UMCOR co-sponsors airlift to Republic of Georgia
(UMNS) An airlift sponsored by the United Methodist Committee on Relief and Project Hope, with millions of dollars in donated medical supplies, has arrived in Tbilisi, the capital city of the Republic of Georgia. The Sept. 14 flight was the 912th conducted by Project Hope and the U.S. State Department since 1992. The shipment means a healthier life for more than 90,000 vulnerable patients in the Caucasus region. The former Soviet republic is a country of great economic need in the mountains separating Europe and Asia. More>>

Centennial event to promote United Methodist Men
(UMNS) United Methodist Men will mark 100 years of men's ministry in 2008 in a year-long celebration that also aims to grow the organization as it works to move more men into discipleship. Directors of the Commission on United Methodist Men, which met Sept. 15-16, have proposed 12 months of activities for local churches to celebrate the anniversary. More>>

United Methodist agencies join anti-tobacco effort
(UMNS) Two agencies of The United Methodist Church have joined 24 other religious groups in an effort to get Congress to authorize the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products. The Commission on United Methodist Men and the United Methodist Board of Church and Society are urging a congressional subcommittee to back the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The pending legislation would give the FDA authority to restrict tobacco advertising, regulate warning labels, remove hazardous ingredients from cigarettes or reduce nicotine levels. More>>

International Day of Prayer is September 21
(UMNS) Christians around the world will join in prayer Sept. 21 for the International Day of Prayer for Peace. Some congregations also will mark the day on the Sunday preceding or following that date. The World Council of Churches, through its office for the Decade to Overcome Violence, has prayer and liturgical resources available reflecting the decade's focus on Europe for 2007 and its theme, "Make me an instrument of your peace." More information is available online by clicking here.

RESOURCES

World Food Day - New Church Bulletin Insert
(UMCOR) World Food Day is Tuesday October 16. It is a worldwide event designed to increase awareness, bring understanding and encourage year-around action to alleviate hunger. United Methodists are encouraged to observe this important day as foreign aid for agriculture continues to decline. An estimated 854 million people around the world remain undernourished. One way UMCOR is answering this need is through its support for the Foods Resource Bank. FRB is an ecumenical organization where US farmers designate acreage for growing projects. Communities pool their resources to cover the cost of production and then the proceeds from the crop are used to help eliminate hunger overseas through UMCOR and other denominational agencies. Help put an end to world hunger by supporting agricultural educational programs such as this. Download the most recent World Food Day Church bulletin insert. Click here to visit the Foods Resource Bank website.

Worship, Preaching, and Music Resources for Hispanic Heritage Month
(GBOD) According to statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau in May 2007, Hispanics are the largest AND the fastest-growing minority group within the USA, now numbering over 44.3 million and constituting 14.8% of the total population. In the United Methodist Church, September 15-October 15 is a celebration of the rich heritage and cultural contributions of people of the USA who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, and the Spanish-speaking countries of Central and South America and the Caribbean. To encourage all congregations to participate in Hispanic Heritage Month, GBOD has developed a number of resources for worship, preaching, and music that are available as free downloads:

Preaching and Worship Resources
Music Resources
Congregations and choirs will enjoy singing "Amarte Sólo A Ti, Señor," an anonymous Spanish corito, or little chorus, that may be found as a melody-text only download on the GBOD website. It includes both Spanish and English text. It is available with full musical accompaniment in the Spanish language United Methodist Hymnal, Mil Voces Para Celebrar , number 229.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

All Upcoming Events
Keep up with what's going on in the South Georgia Conference!
Safe Sanctuaries Training - September 22
Comprehensive School for Clergy Leadership - September 24-25
Charles Wesley Festival - September 27-29
Regional Web Ministry Training Event - October 12-13
Safe Sanctuaries Training - October 13
Bible Study with Evelyn Laycock - October 15 - 18
UMW Annual Meeting - October 20
Safe Sanctuaries Training - November 3
Discover God's Call Retreat - November 9-11
Wesleyan College Sunday - November 11
United Methodist Student Day - November 25
SEJ Multicultural Event - December 13-15

Safe Sanctuaries Trainings
The following Safe Sanctuaries training dates have been set. 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