Vol. 6 • No. 19
October 4, 2007
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Conference News
--Two Safe Sanctuaries Trainings Coming Up
--'Breathe' is the theme for November Youth Celebration
--Andrew College Homecoming Weekend
--Gammon Theological Seminary Founders Day
--UMM Retreat Set for April
--Ed Kilbourne to speak at Epworth By The Sea
--Web Ministry Training Event will be webcast
--Don't forget to register!
Connection News
--Peace Conference Set for January 31 - February 2
--Liberian president to address United Methodists
--World Methodists to meet next in Durban, South Africa
--Changing demographics affecting church funding
--The Way of the Child' Discipleship Training to be held in Tallahassee, FL
--UMCOR-funded station leads Slidell Katrina recovery
--Survey considers gains for women in the church
--Agency forwards resolutions on pornography, sexual ethics
--Côte d'Ivoire Conference develops health plan
--Mission Officer Calls for Prayers and Action To Foster Peace and Justice in Myanmar
--Help UMCOR Send Relief Supplies
Resources
--UMCOR's 2008 Calendar Now Available
--Mental Illness Awareness Week is Oct. 1-7
--Suggestions for Observing Veterans Day in Worship
--Psalm Singing: Obstacles and Objections
Mark Your Calendar
--All Upcoming Events
--Safe Sanctuaries Training Dates
Classifieds
--Nashville UMC Seeks Assistant to the Pastor
CONFERENCE NEWS
Two Safe Sanctuaries Trainings Coming Up
Please make note of the two upcoming Safe Sanctuaries training dates: October 13 at Albany First UMC in Albany and November 3 at Cordele First UMC in Cordele. Two more have already been scheduled for 2008: January 26 at Pittman Park UMC in Statesboro and February 16 at Waycross First UMC in Waycross. Click here for more information or to register.
'Breathe' is the theme for November Youth Celebration
'Breathe' is the theme for the 2007 November Youth Celebration set for November 30 - December 2 at Epworth By The Sea. Rev. Denise Walton will be the speaker for the weekend. The David Herndon Band will lead the music. Cost for the event, intended for 6th -12th graders, is $125 and is all-inclusive. Adult counselors must accompany each group, and a 1 adult per 6 youth ratio is requested. Make plans to attend as registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here for more information or to register online. Brochures have been mailed to each local church.
Andrew College Homecoming Weekend
All Andrew College alumni and friends of Andrew College are invited to help Andrew College celebrate their Homecoming Weekend October 19-21. Join them as they honor all of their former Homecoming Queens at a special campus-wide lunch on the Saturday, October 20, and as they crown the 2007 Homecoming Queen at the men's soccer game later that afternoon. Also during the weekend will be a celebration of Jimmy and Crispin Gilbert's outstanding careers of service to Andrew during a dedication of the intramural field to them and a dinner in their honor. Don't miss this opportunity to relive your Andrew College experiences, get reacquainted with classmates, mingle with students and faculty, and fondly think of your days at Andrew. Click here for more information.
Gammon Theological Seminary Founders Day
Gammon Theological Seminary will celebrate its 124th Founders Day October 8-10. The theme is "Caring for Community: Commitment to God, Partnership with People.” Visit Gammon's website for more information and registration.
UMM Retreat Set for April
The United Methodist Men's Spring Retreat is set for April 25-27 at Epworth By The Sea. The featured speaker will be Butch Rhodenizer. A true cowboy, Butch hails from Live Oak, Florida and preaches at rodeos all over America. Mark your calendar and make plans to bring a group of men from your church.
Ed Kilbourne to speak at Epworth By The Sea
Well-known singer, storyteller and folk-theologian Ed Kilbourne will be the guest speaker at Warmth in Winter – an event for older adults. This retreat is slated for January 14-16, 2008,at Epworth By The Sea. Ed has become nationally recognized and appreciated for his ability to combine music and spiritual teachings in worship and concert settings. Ed grew up in China, Korea and Japan, where his parents served as missionaries. After finishing his college and seminary degrees in Kentucky, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia and began his career as a United Methodist minister. Ed combines acoustic guitar, keyboards and singing with a storytelling style that has been compared to that of Garrison Keillor of ‘Lake Wobegon' fame. For more information, call 912-638-8688 or visit www.epworthbythesea.org.
Web Ministry Training Event will be webcast
There will be a live audio stream for the following portions of the Web Ministry conference October 12-13 in Gulf Breeze, FL:
--Friday, October 12 @ 6:45 pm to 9:00 pm (CDT) Panel Discussion
--Saturday, October 13 @ 8:30 am to 9:30 am(CDT) Keynote
--Saturday, October 13 @ 12:30 pm to 1:45 pm (CDT) TechShop Show & Tell
--Saturday, October 13 @ 3:30 pm to 4:45 pm (CDT) Wrap-Up Session
To access the webcast, log on to http://umc.acrobat.com/webawf. Enter as “guest.” Enter your name. You're in!
Don't forget to register!
--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
--November Youth Celebration - November 30 - December 2
--SEJ Multicultural Event - December 13-15
--Warmth in Winter with Ed Kilbourne - January 14-16
--Safe Sanctuaries Training - January 26
--Safe Sanctuaries Training - February 16
CONNECTION NEWS
Peace Conference Set for January 31 - February 2
(SEJ) A great opportunity of dialogue on finding the church's voice in a violent world is the first annual Peace Conference set for January 31 – February 2, 2008 at Lake Junaluska. The conference will be lead by some of the best minds in the church today including: Dr. Peter Storey, former Methodist Bishop in South Africa; Dr. Jan Love, Dean of Candler School of Theology and Jim Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society. The goal of the conference is to encourage participants to be advocates for peace, justice and to be the reconcilers that Christ wants us to be in our communities. For more information click here.
Liberian president to address United Methodists
(UMNS) llen Johnson Sirleaf, the president of Liberia, will speak to the United Methodist General Conference during its meeting next spring in Fort Worth, Texas. Johnson Sirleaf, who is a United Methodist, is scheduled to address the denomination's top legislative body on April 28. She accepted the invitation to speak in a Sept. 8 letter to L. Fitzgerald Reist II, secretary of the General Conference. "As a strong and proud Methodist and in recognition of the work that the United Methodist Church has done in Liberia, particularly in providing education and medical services to our rural population, I am pleased to accept and look forward to joining you in Fort Worth on that day," she wrote. More>>
World Methodists to meet next in Durban, South Africa
(UMNS) The World Methodist Council has selected Durban, South Africa, as the location for the 2011 World Methodist Conference. The assembly convenes every five years to bring together members of the worldwide association of churches in the Methodist/Wesleyan tradition. It will meet the first week of August in 2011. The location was chosen by the World Methodist Council's executive committee from among three invitations offered by church bodies, according to the Rev. George Freeman, the council's executive director. The executive committee met Sept. 15-20 in Sydney, Australia, hosted by the Uniting Church of Australia. Durban was a runner-up to Seoul, South Korea, when the location of the 2006 World Methodist Conference was selected. With more than 3 million residents, it is South Africa's second-largest city. More>>
Changing demographics affecting church funding
(UMNS) The face of today's United Methodist is markedly different than it was 40 years ago — a reality that concerns church financial leaders tracking how changing demographics are hitting the denomination in its pocketbook.
In the United States, which provides the lion's share of denominational resources, United Methodists are becoming rarer in a growing population. They are generally older adults above age 57 who attend larger churches. Most are white or African American. And they are
generally wealthier than United Methodists of previous generations. The implications are far-reaching and represent a mixed bag of good news and bad news relating to denominational resources and reach, according to Don House, chairman of a task force that recently completed its study of funding patterns within the church. More>>
'The Way of the Child' Discipleship Training to be held in Tallahassee, FL
(GBOD) The General Board of Discipleship's Upper Room Ministries presents a training event with Wynn McGregor, author of “The Way of the Child: Helping Children Experience God,” November 3, 2007, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Gray United Methodist Church in Tallahassee, Fla. Designed for ages 6-11, “The Way of the Child” helps children develop an intimate, personal relationship with God and provides space for them to experience and practice spiritual disciplines that will nurture their relationship with God for a lifetime. The training targets church educators, pastors, lay leaders working with children, decision-makers on Christian education committees and volunteer lay people who teach children. Register online by clicking here, or contact Janice Neely at jneely@gbod.org; 1-877-899-2780, ext. 1792. Cost is $55.00.
Survey considers gains for women in the church
(UMNS) The "glass ceiling" for United Methodist clergywomen seems to be senior pastor positions at churches with 1,000-plus members. That was one finding of the 2007 local church survey conducted by the United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women. The percentage of female senior pastors in the denomination's largest churches was 7 percent, up slightly from 5 percent in 2003 and 2 percent in 1999. The Rev. Gail Murphy-Geiss, who prepared the survey results, acknowledged the small increase, but noted that "social change is slow. I think that (percentage) is actually good news, despite the small number." More>>
Agency forwards resolutions on pornography, sexual ethics
(UMNS) Sexual harassment and misconduct remains a concern of the church, according to the United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women. As the denominational watchdog on issues of sexual ethics, the agency is submitting updated legislation for the United Methodist General Conference to consider when it meets April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. The legislation was approved by the agency's governing commissioners at their Sept. 20-22 annual meeting. COSROW also has prepared a resolution on what it has determined to be a "disturbing trend": use of Internet pornography by clergy, laity or volunteers, often on church-owned computers. "The use of pornography continues to increase as it becomes more accessible (via the Internet, for example) and allows more immediate, realistic and anonymous sexual contact and gratification," says the resolution on "Prevention of the Use of Pornography in the Church." More>>
Côte d'Ivoire Conference develops health plan
(UMNS) The United Methodist Church in Côte d'Ivoire is developing a strategic plan in health ministries as part of a denomination-wide emphasis on global health. The plan is focused on four priorities: the three diseases of poverty (malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS), strengthening the Methodist Hospital in Dabou, restarting a school of nursing, and establishing community-based, primary healthcare programs in Côte d'Ivoire. "I see The United Methodist Church of Côte d'Ivoire as a pioneer in global health work," said Dr. Cherian Thomas, executive secretary for Health and Welfare Ministries at the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. "The church is strong and vibrant. Through the commitment of the people I met, there is a sense that things will improve for the better." Thomas was the keynote speaker at a Sept. 20-21 workshop held in Abidjan. He introduced the priorities of the new global health focus of The United Methodist Church and assisted the group in mapping the health assets of the Côte d'Ivoire Annual (regional) Conference. More>>
UMCOR-funded station leads Slidell Katrina recovery
(UMNS) In an area that suffered extensive wind and water damage two years ago from Hurricane Katrina, long-term rebuilding efforts are being led by Northshore Disaster Recovery Inc. Northshore is one of the stations of the Louisiana United Methodist Disaster Recovery Ministry, funded by the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The staff provides case management and construction support for households in St. Tammany and Washington parishes and serves as the long-term recovery organization for St. Tammany Parish.
Nearly 90 organizations are part of the station, including 40 faith-based organizations, 27 civic organizations and various government liaison representatives. Organizations contribute financial resources, volunteers, housing, construction materials and warehousing. Northshore director Dale Kimball recently returned from a volunteer-recruiting trip to six states. He received commitments from 28 teams in addition to the three long-term volunteer groups who re-signed and committed to send volunteers each week for the next calendar year. More>>
Mission Officer Calls for Prayers and Action To Foster Peace and Justice in Myanmar
(GBGM) An urgent appeal for actions and prayers to avoid bloodshed and achieve freedom for the people of Myanmar was issued on September 29 by the chief executive of the international mission agency of The United Methodist Church. The Rev. R. Randy Day is especially concerned that current demonstrations against the repressive government of the Asian country not result in a mass slaughter such as happened 20 years ago when protestors challenged the government. Myanmar was formerly known as Burma and is widely recognized as the most repressive country in the world. The current demonstrations are led by Buddhist monks. Day commended President George W. Bush of the United States for bringing sanctions against government figures in Myanmar, and he urged China, Myanmar's chief trading partner, to take positive action. Click here to read the full statement.
Help UMCOR Send Relief Supplies
(UMCOR) Help send relief supplies to Sudan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Haiti and Georgia, as well as Indonesia and Sri Lanka. UMCOR receives requests for supplies such as school kits, bedding kits, and layette kits. They are assembled and packed at the Sager Brown Depot, but without the capability to get shipments to where they are needed most, those resources are useless. The Contain Your Joy Advance covers the cost of the containers and shipping that distributes essential items to those in need. It costs on average $6,700 to ship a 40-foot container of goods from the Sager Brown Depot to its final destination overseas. Help UMCOR bear the cost of shipping and send your gifts to Contain Your Joy Advance (UMCOR Shipping), UMCOR #982730.
RESOURCES
UMCOR's 2008 Calendar Now Available
(UMCOR) The United Methodist Committee on Relief's Calendar, Hands of Hope, is now available. The calendar's rich photo journey and compelling stories show the power of hope. UMCOR produces its annual calendar to share its message of hope with those who brought about extraordinary changes to lives everywhere --committed United Methodists and others who give to our work and ministry in 81 countries. Order your calendar today: www.umcorcalendar.org.
Mental Illness Awareness Week is Oct. 1-7
(UMCOR) Faith leaders are often not informed about mental illness and may not know how to provide appropriate pastoral care to families living with mental illnesses. For this reason, United Methodists are encouraged to observe the first week of October which is designated as Mental Illness Awareness Week. Help United Methodist Church communities prepare educational opportunities and resources to help those in need. Learn more about Mental Illness Awareness Week here.
Suggestions for Observing Veterans Day in Worship
(GBOD) Veterans' Day (November 11, 2007) falls on a Sunday this year and some churches will include it as part of worship. This article offers a brief history of the holiday, suggestions for including Veterans Day in Christian worship, and resources from The United Methodist Hymnal and The Book of Worship. It also includes a litany from the Book of Worship for United States Forces. Read the article.
Psalm Singing: Obstacles and Objections
(GBOD) The 1989 hymnal revision committee and the General Conference that approved it had great hopes for the new Psalter that was developed and included in our hymnal. There was great expectation for renewed interest and practice in congregational psalm singing through a recovery of the historic practices and patterns of singing the psalms. This has clearly not come to be in the 18 year life of this hymnal. The spoken responsive reading of psalms remains the most common method of use in worship, while chanting languishes at a mere 3% of congregations. This article discusses possible reasons for the current use and non-use of our hymnal's Psalter. Read the article.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
All Upcoming Events
Keep up with what's going on in the South Georgia Conference!
--Regional Web Ministry Training Event - October 12-13
--Safe Sanctuaries Training - October 13
--Bible Study with Evelyn Laycock - October 15 - 18
--Andrew College Homecoming Weekend - October 19-21
--UMW Annual Meeting - October 20
--Vashti Sunday - October 21
--GSU Wesley Foundation Alumni Weekend - October 26-27
--Safe Sanctuaries Training - November 3
--Discover God's Call Retreat - November 9-11
--Wesleyan College Sunday - November 11
--United Methodist Student Day - November 25
--November Youth Celebration - November 30 - December 2
--SEJ Multicultural Event - December 13-15
--Warmth in Winter with Ed Kilbourne - January 14-16
--Safe Sanctuaries Training - January 26
--Winter Camp Meeting - February 3-6
--Confirmation Retreat 1 - February 8-9
--Sexual Ethics Seminar - February 14
--Safe Sanctuaries Training - February 16
--Confirmation Retreat 2 - February 29 - March 2
--Spouses Retreat - March 13-15
--UMW Spiritual Growth Retreat - March 28-30
--UMM Spring Retreat - April 25-27
Safe Sanctuaries Trainings
The following Safe Sanctuaries training dates have been set. Click here for more information on Safe Sanctuaries.
--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
CLASSIFIEDS
PLEASE NOTE: 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.
Nashville UMC Seeks Assistant to the Pastor
Nashville United Methodist Church in Nashville, Georgia is seeking a fulltime Assistant to the Pastor. This position will provide the church with a youth director, family life center coordinator, and some pastoral duties. Interested persons can contact Mr. Rob Lovein , email loveinfuneral1@windstream.net. Deadline is November 9.