Vol. 4 • No. 28 
November 2, 2005
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In This Issue of The Link:
Feature Story
--Rosa Parks Remembered
Conference News
--Early Response Team Training Added
--Conference Administrative Office Seeks Assistant Director for Pensions and Health Benefits
--Itinerary set for Rev. Daniel Wandabula's visit to South Georgia
--United Methodist Student Day set for November 27
--November Youth Celebration...List of retreat topics and talks now available
Connection News
--Debris Removal Teams Needed in Florida
--United Methodist Committee on Relief to help FEMA with case management
--Judicial Council makes rulings at Fall meeting
--Shelter Remains Concerns for Earthquake Victims
--Deacons take hope, medicine to Zimbabwe
Resources
--New UMCOR Bulletin Insert Available
--2005 Advent Wreath Candlelighting Meditations
--General Board of Church and Society creates new resource site
--Reformation Day Resources from the General Board of Global Ministries
Mark Your Calendar
--District Charge Conference Dates
--Upcoming Conference Events

Rosa Parks Remembered
Rosa Parks, an African American seamstress, made an enormous contribution to the struggle for justice within human society by her courageous act of refusing to surrender her seat to a white man on a public bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. She emerged from her arrest for that defiance as a powerful symbol of the determination of racial communities and women to gain equal treatment under law, not only in the United States but in all places where freedom and democracy are honored.

Mrs. Parks was more than a weary laborer that day in Montgomery. She was prepared by her church and her own study to represent a better way for the American dream to be shared by all citizens. Her feet may have been tired but her spirit was fresh when she said, "No," refusing to move to the back of the bus. Her experience became a precipitating factor in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and to the non-violent civil rights strategy honed by the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others*a strategy that put a nation on a new, still not yet finished, road toward its promises.

The death of Rosa Parks on October 24, 2005, at age 92 brings a sense of sadness and loss, but it also brings a surge of gratitude for her vision and action.

The General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church counts among its goals the promotion of justice, peace and freedom. We pay tribute to Rosa Parks for her strength of faith, her passion for justice, and her compassion for those who were, and those who are, oppressed. We thank God for her life and witness.

--Randy Day, General Secretary, General Board of Global Ministries

Click here for Resources for Remembering Rosa Parks and Other Prophets from the General Board of Discipleship.


CONFERENCE NEWS

Early Response Team Training Added
An Early Response Team (ERT) training has been scheduled for Tuesday, November 8 at Bethesda United Methodist Church in Guyton, GA (right outside of Savannah). The training will begin at 6:30 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. Click here to learn more about ERT training and to get directions to the church.

Conference Administrative Office Seeks Assistant Director for Pensions and Health Benefits
Professional level position that will implement, oversee administration of, and communicate about the pension and health insurance plans of the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. This position will answer questions related to eligibility for clergy and lay participation in pensions and health insurance as well as communicate features of benefit plans and cost of benefits with both participants and local churches officials. Qualifications and leadership attributes include: College degree in business with emphasis in accounting; experience in benefits administration preferred; strong organizational and communication skills; understanding of clergy compensation and benefits rules; knowledge of the United Methodist Church and it's structure; computer knowledge and skills in financial spreadsheets, presentation software, and word processing software; dependable. Position is open to both clergy and non-clergy applicants. Send resume and three references to miriamh@sgaumc.mgacoxmail.com or Miriam C. Hagan, South Georgia Conference, P. O. Box 52101, Macon, GA 31208-4013. Deadline for applications is Nov. 30, 2005.

Itinerary set for Rev. Daniel Wandabula's visit to South Georgia
The Rev. Daniel Wandabula, District Superintendent in Uganda and overseer of the Sudan, will be visiting in South Georgia November 11 - 15. Rev. Wandabula is currently in the United States on Study Leave at Asbury Seminary where he is participating in  a six week Beeson International Leaders Doctor in Ministry Degree Program.  The program targets international leaders who cannot leave their ministries for extended study, but who still want to advance in leadership and preaching in order to multiply the church in their home countries.  Rev. Daniel will give us an update on the state of the United Methodist Church in Uganda and The Humble Place School, renew acquaintances and visit with attendees during the gatherings.  Everyone is welcome to come and churches are encouraged to send a group.

Itinerary for Rev. Daniel Wandabula's visit to South Georgia
Saturday, Nov 12   
11:00 am    Fellowship Luncheon Pittman Park UMC in Statesboro
$7 per person. Reservations appreciated (912-982-2664 or cristyband1@yahoo.com)
Sunday, Nov 13 
10:00 am  Preaching at M.L. Harris UMC in Columbus                             
12:00 pm  Preaching at South Columbus       		Monday, Nov 14    
6:00 pm   Fellowship dinner Vineville UMC, Macon                 
$7 per person. Reservations appreciated (478-745-3331)

United Methodist Student Day set for November 27
In 2004 the North and South Georgia conferences contributed a total of $53,717 to the Student Day and World Communion offerings.  All of the Student Day offering and part of the World Communion offering goes to provide scholarships to students needing financial aid for school.

In that same year, the United Methodist General Board of Higher Education and Ministry provided $348,147.90 in scholarships and loans to 226 Georgia students in both conferences.

To put it another way, our two conferences provided 15.4% of the scholarship help provided to 226 Georgia students.  The General Church provided the other 94.96%.  Our Georgia students received 5-1/2 times the scholarship funding provided by what our two Georgia conferences gave! Thus far this academic year, 242 Georgia students have received scholarship help.

The Student Day Offering makes such a big difference in transforming the lives of students.  Please receive a United Methodist Student Day Offering on Sunday, November 27th, or another Sunday of your choosing. Thanks so very, very much for you and your church's support last year.  Please give generously this year and continue to make a difference.

Sincerely,

Bill Griffin, Executive Director
Georgia United Methodist Commission on Higher Education and Campus Ministry

November Youth Celebration...List of retreat topics and talks now available
On November 18-20, the South Georgia Conference will be sponsoring Youth Celebration '05 at Epworth By The Sea. “Dare You To Move” is this year's theme intended for 6th -12th graders. Keith Deltano will be the guest speaker this year.
DARE YOU
TO MOVE!
--Register online now--click here
--Download a registration form here
--Click here to view a Retreat Schedule
--Click here to view a list of Weekend Topics/Talks
--Click here to view a list of What to Bring

CONNECTION NEWS

Debris Removal Teams Needed in Florida
The Florida conference's Storm Recovery Center (SRC) telephone volunteers are coordinating offers of help. Volunteers are ready to accept offers of help on the storm center's toll free line, 800-282-8011, extension 149. At this point, the center is recommending that volunteer teams are "self-contained," since housing and supplies are in short supply. For more information, visit www.flumc.org.

United Methodist Committee on Relief to help FEMA with case management
(UMNS) Eight weeks after Hurricane Katrina displaced more than a million Gulf Coast residents, United Methodist Committee on Relief officials said the agency will lead a consortium of providers in a two-year case management grant worth $66 million. The agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency will benefit 300,000 people scattered by the winds throughout the 50 states.

Survivors often have a tough time knowing their rights and understanding the daunting application process, federal officials said. Using a review panel, UMCOR will select up to 12 other agencies with expertise in disaster response to help these vulnerable citizens become self-sustaining. FEMA will supervise the implementation of the grant. In its lead role, UMCOR represents a broad-based coalition known as NVOAD — the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster. NVOAD members are both secular and faith-based organizations. UMCOR plans to choose consortium members from NVOAD as well as from other sources.

UMCOR's specialty in long-term disaster response is case management, which covers the whole spectrum of listening, documenting, connecting survivors with services, helping survivors make individual action plans, and leading all toward self-sufficiency and recovery. More>>

 Judicial Council makes rulings at Fall meeting
The United Methodist Judicial Council conducted oral hearings on three of its docket items Oct. 27 during its session in Houston, including the case of a pastor who has admitted she is a practicing homosexual and the case of a Virginia minister who refused church membership to a gay person. The nine-member court had 14 items on the docket for its regular fall meeting, Oct. 26-29.
-- Judicial Council reverses lower court, rules against Beth Stroud (UMNS)
-- Church court reinstates pastor who denied membership to gay man (UMNS)
-- All Judicial Council decisions

Shelter Remains Concerns for Earthquake Victims
(UMNS) Masood was alone in his house when the earthquake struck his small village in the Battagram district of Pakistan. He escaped the collapsing building, but at least 250 of the 1,200 people in his village died and perhaps as many as 350 were injured. Masood and other villagers were taken to the army relief base camp in Battagram, where he told his story to members of a Church World Service response team. He was waiting there to take tents back to his village, where he estimated that half the houses had been destroyed.

The United Methodist Committee on Relief is working with Church World Service Pakistan/Afghanistan to assist survivors of the Oct. 8 earthquake that particularly devastated northern Pakistan and Kashmir. Between 50,000 and 80,000 people are believed to have died. CWS is helping provide 20,000 families with food packages and shelter kits. The shelter kits include a family-size tent, ground sheet, plastic sheet, two iron poles and four blankets.

For survivors like Masood, the shelter kits are critical at a time when temperatures are dropping. On Oct. 24, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said only about three weeks remained to get disaster assistance to mountain villages before the first snowfall. More>>

Note: Your gifts to UMCOR Advance #232000, Pakistan/Kashmir Earthquake, support these lifesaving efforts.

Deacons take hope, medicine to Zimbabwe
(UMNS) A caravan of United Methodist deacons, searching for a site for an AIDS treatment project, personally confronted the needs of those suffering from the disease.

The team which visited Zimbabwe Sept. 16-Oct. 1, gathered information about AIDS, considered sites for Project Tariro and worked on a partnership with Africa University for the new ministry. Project Tariro will provide treatment and rehabilitation, as well as respite care with home-based care for follow-up, counseling and spiritual support for people living with AIDS. More>>


RESOURCES

New UMCOR Bulletin Insert Available
The latest bulletin insert on the United Methodist Committee on Relief's (UMCOR) response to five major hurricanes that struck the US this year is now available. Read, print, and share this insert to tell others how UMCOR is making a difference in the lives of hurricane survivors. Click here to view.

2005 Advent Wreath Candlelighting Meditations
(GBOD) Click here for a set of brief meditations and Scriptures that may be used in lighting the candles of the Advent wreath in worship at church or home. Each meditation uses one of the 2005 lectionary readings for that day. The readings are divided into sections that may be assigned to various people participating, including children. A suggested hymn from both The United Methodist Hymnal and The Faith We Sing is provided, as an option, to conclude each meditation.

General Board of Church and Society creates new resource site
The General Board of Church and Society has created a new resource site in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita to provide tools and links as our church communities reflect on and wrestle with the aftermath of these disasters.  After the Storm includes:
-- Six new Study Guides to help congregations connect our United Methodist Social Principles to the stories emerging from the storm.
-- A Letter Written to the General Board of Church and Society from William W. Hutchinson, UM Bishop of Louisiana.
-- A Statement and Call to Action by the General Board of Church and Society.
-- An application for special GBCS grants to address the needs of ethnic communities affected by the storms.

Reformation Day Resources from The General Board of Discipleship
(GBOD) Reformation Day has never been a major observance in most United Methodist churches despite its appearance on our program calendars. It is much more important to the Lutherans and Presbyterians than to the Methodists. The reason, of course, is that we trace our heritage back through John and Charles Wesley, both priests in the Church of England, rather than to the branch of Protestantism that comes through the reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin. Nevertheless, there is much about the Reformation for United Methodists to celebrate and learn about today. Here are resources available on The General Board of Discipleship worship-preaching-music web site:
-- Reformation Day: What, Why, and Resources for Worship
-- A Reformation Day Act of Praise
-- "Built On a Rock the Church Doth Stand" (a Reformation hymn)
-- Reformation Day Article

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

District Charge Conference Dates
--Americus District Charge Conference Dates: Click here to view
--Dublin District Charge Conference Dates: Click here to view
--Macon District Charge Conference Dates: Click here to view
--Thomasville District Charge Conference Dates: Click here to view
--Savannah District Charge Conference Dates: Click here to view
--Statesboro District Charge Conference Dates: Click here to view
--Valdosta District Charge Conference Dates: Click here to view

Upcoming Conference Events
Keep up with what's going on in the South Georgia Conference!
 --Sexual Ethics Workshop - November 3
--Eagles Fall Retreat - November 7-9
--Holy Spirit Conference - November 11-13
--Wesleyan College Sunday - November 13
--Discover God's Call Retreat - November 18-20
-- Youth Celebration - November 18-20
--United Methodist Student Day - November 27
-- Annual Georgia Day of Prayer for Moral Leadership - January 8
-- LAOS (Laity Retreat) - January 20-22