Vol. 4 • No. 2  
January 14, 2005
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Walking with King
A Special Report by United Methodist News Service
Read and view this multimedia series here

“He always had … a concern about big issues, but he was equally concerned about what happened to women and to children,” says Dorothy Height, president of the National Council of Negro Women. She met King when he was a gifted, 15-year-old student at Morehouse College. “He had a capacity to bring one into a bigger orbit than you ever dreamed.” King's orbit included United Methodist leaders like Height, as well as bishops, pastors and civil rights activists. Today, a new generation of young people draws inspiration from his passion for equality. For those who knew him personally, walking with King was an act of courage and a test of faith. More>>

South Georgia United Methodists Increase Their Giving
We’ve got something to celebrate! In 2004 South Georgia United Methodists increased their giving over the previous year by $318,462. With a total of $9,555,828 collected in 2004, the percentage amount collected on the apportionments increased from 91.4% in 2003 to 92.38% for 2004.

We also want to celebrate with the Dublin and Statesboro districts who both paid 100% of their conference apportionments. This is the third year in a row that the Statesboro District has paid 100%. The Savannah District and Thomasville District paid 97% of their apportionments. For Thomasville this was an 8% increase over the amount they paid in 2003 and was the largest percentage increase of any district. The Valdosta District paid 92%, an increase of 1%.

We are grateful to all the churches in the South Georgia Conference for your support of the mission and ministry of the conference. We are grateful to God for the generosity and faithfulness of all who share in the dynamic witness of our United Methodist Connection.

UMC Tsunami Relief Updates
**United Methodist contributions to tsunami relief in the Indian Ocean region reached $2 million as of Jan. 10, as officials continued processing donations. The figure incorporates the total of what has been given by online and telephone credit-card donations but only part of the boxes of checks received, according to Roland Fernandes, treasurer of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, the parent organization of the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Fernandes also offered a reminder that the Internal Revenue Service of the U.S. government will allow January donations to tsunami relief to be counted as 2004 charitable contributions.

**UMCOR allocates $750,000 in tsunami relief: The United Methodist Committee on Relief has provided about $750,000 in relief to the tsunami stricken Indian Ocean region as of Jan. 6. Additional aid will be forthcoming, according to the Rev. Paul Dirdak, UMCOR's top staff executive. More>>

**UMCOR sets stage for long-term recovery: In Sri Lanka, United Methodist relief agency staff are looking at ways to plug gaps in longer-term recovery plans, even as aid workers continue responding to the immediate needs of tsunami survivors. More>>

**UMCOR depot serves as hub for aid to tsunami-stricken areas: Thousands of health kits with soap, bandages and other essentials are headed to Asia from the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The kits were assembled by volunteers from around the United States working at UMCOR's Sager Brown Depot in south Louisiana. The depot is a hub for the flow of relief supplies from UMCOR to points around the globe. More>>

**For sixty years, the United Methodist Committee on Relief has responded to world disasters.  The church agency depends on volunteers. That's why college kids from Texas and retired folks from Florida gathered at a warehouse in Louisiana to assemble health kits for the tsunami survivors. If you've ever wondered where donation dollars go, here's an example of faith in action.  Watch the video here.

**United Methodists pour out compassion for victims of tsunami: Read what churches all across the connection are doing to raise money for the tsunami relief. More>>

** Methodists across Europe respond to tsunami: Horrified by what they saw and heard of the destruction wrought by deadly tsunamis in South Asia, Methodists across Europe have lined up to help in whatever way they can. More>>

**African United Methodists pray, raise funds for tsunami victims: United Methodists in Africa are raising money and praying for their brothers and sisters in South Asia, who have suffered most of the deaths and destruction from the earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean. More>>

**Sri Lanka's tsunami victims return to what's left of home: Mary Sriyoyogaveni isn't ready to go home yet. Sheltered in the Holy Trinity Methodist Church in Kaddaively, she is still healing from the lacerations dealt her body by the Dec. 26 tsunami that ripped through the coastal fishing villages in this part of northern Sri Lanka, on the Bay of Bengal. More>>

**The General Board of Discipleship has prepared a number of articles, prayer resources, hymns, and other materials to help local churches respond to the earthquake and tsunami disaster. View here.

As money continues to pour in, United Methodists can rest assured that every dollar given to "South Asia Emergency — UMCOR Advance 274305" goes directly to aid for the affected region. The same is true for all other UMCOR Advance giving thanks to One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. More>>

This year's One Great Hour of Sharing offering is set for March 6. More information can be found at www.umcor.org.

Matching Scholarships Available for United Methodists
The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation (UMHEF) will provide a $1,000 matching scholarship to the first eligible 275 applicants, on a first-come, first served basis. The sponsoring church must remit a check payable to UMHEF for $1,000 with the completed application form. Candidates must be enrolled or enrolling as a full-time student, fall 2005, in a United Methodist related college, university, or seminary and be an active member of the United Methodist Church for at least one year. Doctoral candidates are not eligible. Upon verification of enrollment, UMHEF will transfer $2,000 to the institution. Only one application per church will be accepted. One application per student will be accepted.

Deadline: Applications will be received with postmark dates of no earlier than March 15 and no later than March 16, and scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Incomplete applications or applications not postmarked March 15 or 16 will be returned to the sponsoring church. The program will close when the 275 available scholarships are awarded. All applications and checks received after the program has closed out will be returned to the sponsoring churches. You can download the application here.

Mission agency seeks young adult recruits
(UMNS) The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries is recruiting young adults for its mission intern and US 2 programs in 2005. Application deadline for both programs is Feb. 1. The age range is 20 to 30 years old. For more than 50 years, the US 2 Program has offered young adults the opportunity to serve in mission in the United States. US 2 missionaries live out their faith while doing ministries that focus on social justice and work with people in communities pushed to the margins. A two-year commitment is required for the program.

The mission intern program offers young adults the opportunity to serve in an overseas assignment and an assignment in their home country for a total of three years. Such assignments deal with issues of conflict resolution, community development, education and youth development. Both programs emphasize leadership development and focus on spirituality as it relates to social justice in today's society. Young adults live with and learn from communities that struggle with injustice.

More information is available at the board's mission personnel website. Applications are available online or by contacting the Young Adult Program Office at (212)870-3660 or MIRYAP1@gbgm-umc.org.

Historical Society to meet during Winter Camp Meeting
On Tuesday, February 8 the South Georgia Conference Historical Society will host Mrs. Jeanette Roberson, Curator of the World Methodist Museum. Mrs. Roberson will give a presentation on the collections of the World Methodist Museum from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Arthur J. Moore Museum at Epworth By The Sea. The Historical Society will meet the following day from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for their business meeting. Attendance is requested of all members. Following the business session, Rev. Edwin Green will hold a book reading and signing of his book, St. Simons Island: A Summary of Its History. For more information, visit www.sgchs.org.

South GA Pastors Receive Grants through Columbia Seminary’s S3 Project
Fifteen Georgia pastors, including eight from South Georgia, are members of project teams that have received grants from the S3 Project of Columbia Theological Seminary, in Decatur, GA. Each pastor receives approximately $1,000 per year for two years to fund group projects that focus on aspects of Sabbath, study, and service.

The eight United Methodist pastors South Georgia who received funding for their project, “Thomas Keating Meets Tiger Woods” are Timothy Bagwell, Director of Congregational Development for the South Georgia Conference, and Creede Hinshaw, Mulberry Street Methodist Church, Macon; Jimmy Asbell, Jr., First Methodist Church, Warner Robins; Tommy Martin, Christ Methodist Church, Warner Robins; Patrick Green, Vienna and Shiloh Methodist churches; Ben Martin, Springfield Methodist Church, Springfield; Mike Huling, Pittman Park Methodist Church, Statesboro; and John Stephens, St. Andrew Methodist Church, Columbus.

Their project “Thomas Keating Meets Tiger Woods” will address the problems of burnout, competitiveness, and stress that plague ministers. Group members plan to intentionally remove themselves from the demands of ministry by attending 10 overnight retreats. During the retreats, the group will study the book Open Mind, Open Heart by Father Thomas Keating and will focus on centering prayer using the video series Spiritual Journey. And, as their project name suggests, they will take a little time for recreation, on the golf course.

Columbia Theological Seminary’s S3 Project is funded with a $1.3 million grant from the Lilly Endowment. Now in its second year, the project offers opportunities for pastors of all denominations, working in small groups, to develop models for sustaining excellence in the practice of ministry. To date, funding has been awarded to 100 pastors from 17 states, representing 20 denominations.

The S3 application procedure requires a group proposal and individual applications for each group member. Applications for new projects are due April 22, 2005. For information about the S3 Project or application materials, click here.

Make Sure to Tune In
Rev. Leigh Ann Raynor (Thomasville FUMC) is being featured on CNN American Morning Show. She was one of 5 persons selected nation wide for "The New You Revolution" segment for their journey toward wholeness. The segment is scheduled to air January 17th, 18th and 25th during the 7 a.m. hour and repeated during the 9 a.m. hour. After that, there will be 30 second updates each Tuesday during the 7 a.m. hour.