CONFERENCE NEWS

Delegation looking for churches to partner in prayer
The South Georgia Conference delegation to General Conference is seeking churches willing to pray for a designated member of the delegation beginning now and continuing through General Conference.  In addition to praying, the church will be asked to write at least ten letters to their assigned delegate for distribution each day during General Conference.  Dr. Charlene Black will assign the delegates beginning with the first elected delegate and will alternate lay and clergy until all delegates have a prayer partner.  The delegation followed this pattern in 2004, and the daily encouragement and uplifting prayers were a meaningful part of each delegate's experience.  You are encouraged to join with the delegation in this important event in the life of God's church.  If your church would like to be a prayer partner, please contact Dr. Charlene Black at charlenerblack@hotmail.com. She will provide you with further details about the partnership.

Safe Sanctuaries Training - February 16, 2008
The next Safe Sanctuaries Training is set for February 16, 2008, at Waycross First UMC. Click here for registration details. Click here for more information on Safe Sanctuaries. Please make every effort for you or a representative from your church to attend if you have not already done so.

Administrative Services Office to Offer UM Benefits Seminars
The Administrative Services Office of the South Georgia Conference, in conjunction with the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits, will be holding Benefits Seminars across the annual conference March 4-8, 2008. This is a great opportunity for clergy and their spouses to learn how the United Methodist Church is helping provide financial security “For Those Who Serve.” Topics for this seminar will include:

•  United Methodist Pension Plans
•  United Methodist Personal Investment Plan (UMPIP)
•  Investment Tools
•  Welfare Plans (Death Benefit, Disability Benefits)
•  Health Insurance Plan (review of HealthFlex benefits)
•  Other benefits offered through the United Methodist Church
•  Incentives—Procheck—Health Risk Assessment

Dates for the seminars are as follows:

Date	Time	Church	City
March 4, 2008	6:30 p.m.	St. Paul UMC	Columbus
March 5, 2008	10:00 a.m.	Albany First UMC	Albany
March 6, 2008	10:00 a.m.	Pine Forest UMC	Dublin
March 6, 2008	6:00 p.m.	Richmond Hill UMC	Richmond Hill
March 7, 2008	10:00 a.m.	Waycross First UMC	Waycross
March 8, 2008	10:00 a.m.	Wesley UMC	Macon

If you would like more information, please contact Rev. Bob Shell at the Administrative Services Office at bob@sgaumcadmin.com or 800-535-4224.

Day of Love and Justice at the Georgia State Capitol - February 11
On February 11, the North and South Georgia Conferences will come together for the fourth annual Day of Love and Justice at the State Capitol. North Georgia Bishop Lindsey Davis and South Georgia Bishop Mike Watson and will be the chaplains for the day of the house and the senate respectively. All Georgia United Methodists are encouraged to take part. Click here for an updated schedule, directions and more information.

Andrew College Sunday - February 17
Andrew College has been designated by the South Georgia Conference for the third Sunday in February. This year, Andrew College Sunday falls on February 17. On this day, congregations are encouraged to take up an offering for Andrew College as a material and symbolic show of support for the college's Methodist roots and current ministry. For more information, please contact Chad Howell, Director of Development, at chadhowell@andrewcollege.edu or 229-732-5940.

UMVIM Sunday - February 24
Support UMVIM Sunday on February 24 in your church with a love-offering (Advance Special #651). You will be helping supply funds, Vacation Bible School, and scholarships for team members who cannot afford the full price of going. For more information about UMVIM Sunday contact Dr. Charles E. Cravey, South GA Chair, United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) at drrev@alltel.net or 912-564-2722.

Cokesbury 2008 Bible School Previews
You are invited to one of the 2008 Bible School Previews. Participants will be able to view the resources, see the crafts, experience the music and receive 20% off on all resources ordered or picked up on that day. BEACH Party: Surfin' Through the Scriptures and Walk it Out: Together in the way of Jesus resources will be available. For more information contact Flo Martin at flosappmartin@aol.com. The dates are as follows:
--Saturday, February 23 – 10:00am – Richmond Hill UMC Sanctuary (9050 Ford Avenue / Richmond Hill / Exit 90 on I-95 - head east)
--Sunday, February 24 – 2:30pm – Liberty UMC Fellowship Hall (6511 Houston Road / Macon)

Also note: VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL and CHRISTIAN EDUCATION SHOWCASE – Get free shipping for phone or online purchases of Christian Education resources and 20% off and free shipping for VBS resources through February 9. Just two days left! Visit www.cokesbury.com.

Servant Leaders Needed to Serve on Conference and District Levels
This district and conference nominations committees are always in search of gifted and willing servants to share leadership responsibilities in our ministries beyond the local church. There is now a form available online that clergy and laity may fill out to offer themselves for consideration by one of these committees.  Please feel free to share this with others in your local church.  The deadline to fill out the form is April 1. 

Older Adult Retreat set for April 7-9
Mark your calendars for the 2008 Older Adult Retreat, “Just As I Am – Today,” set for April 7-9, 2008 , at Epworth By The Sea. This year's retreat promises to be a wonderful experience in fellowship, worship, and outreach and will explore the mystery of God's design to use us at every stage in life, including right now. The retreat speaker will be the Reverend Don Kea and the Bible study leader will be Evelyn Laycock. The retreat will begin on Monday, April 7, at 1pm and will conclude Wednesday, April 9, at 1pm. An additional night's stay may be added to your retreat package for those who cannot get enough of beautiful St. Simons Island. Click here for more information and to download a registration form.

South Georgia gleaning network gets new program coordinator
(SoSA) The Society of St. Andrew, a national, faith-based, nonprofit hunger-relief organization and Advance Special #801600, has named Janet Sheldon as Program Coordinator for the South Georgia region. In her new role, Sheldon will be responsible for expanding and operating the Society's Gleaning Network comprised of Georgia growers, volunteers and service agencies working together to provide fresh food for the poor and hungry throughout Georgia.

The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) salvages excess fresh vegetables and fruits that are perfectly good and nutritious but not commercially marketable. Instead of letting this food go to waste, the Society engages volunteers to glean what's left in farm fields and orchards after the harvest and what's graded out in packing houses. The volunteers then bag or box the food and deliver it to local feeding agencies in the region in which it was gathered. SoSA has 44 gleaning operations in 22 states, including its Tifton, Georgia office. More>>

Evangelism Award Nomination Forms Now Being Accepted
Know a pastor or lay person in the South Georgia Annual Conference who has distinguished themselves in the area of evangelism? If so then you are encouraged to submit his or her name to be nominated for the Denman Evangelism Award or the Carl and Ruth Looney Evangelism Award.

The Denman Evangelism Award recognizes both a pastor and a lay person who are effective in developing true disciples of Jesus Christ in keeping with United Methodist history and tradition. The Carl and Ruth Looney Evangelism Award recognizes a clergy person who has completed their educational requirements, are serving in a full time ministry position, and have the gifts, graces and passion for evangelism and outreach. This award includes a scholarship for continuing their education in evangelism.

Click here to download the Carl and Ruth Looney Evangelism Award nomination form. Click here to download the Harry Denman Evangelism Award nomination form. For questions, contact Rev. Mark Addington, Witness Team Chair, at 478-781-0332.

Time to Subscribe to the Advocate
February is the month to subscribe or renew your subscription to the Wesleyan Christian Advocate, the official newspaper of the North and South Georgia Conferences. Just log on to www.wcadvocate.org. Choose between the print edition, the electronic edition, or both. Churches can also visit the Advocate's website to download bulletin inserts, logos and other promotional material.

Nick Elliott to lead UMVIM Training
Nick Elliott, Director of United Methodist Volunteers in Mission for the Southeastern Jurisdiction, will lead the UMVIM Training Saturday, March 1, 2008, at Statesboro First United Methodist Church from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Whether you want to lead a team or be a prepared team member, this training is for you. Learn about things such as project selection, cross-cultural awareness, building a budget, team spirituality, and a host of other topics from those who have been there and done that. Participation in this event is also a great way to connect with mission team leaders who may be looking for team members. Each person attending will receive a Team Leader Handbook, which contains invaluable information for both team leaders and participants. Leadership for this event will include UMVIM leaders from the Southeastern Jurisdictional United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Office and the South Georgia Conference. The registration fee is $20. For more information or to register, contact Hilda Dutrow at 912-764-6609 or hdutrow@yahoo.com.

CONNECTION NEWS

UMCOR Responds to "Super Tuesday" Tornadoes in Five Southern States
(UMCOR) The United Methodist Committee on Relief and its regional church partners are responding as rapidly as conditions allow to tornadoes that struck five southern states on Tuesday night, February 5. Early response United Methodist teams were involved in debris cleanup on the afternoon of February 7 in areas that were open to volunteer workers. "In some areas, seek and rescue operations are still the priorities," said the Rev. Thomas Hazelwood, director of domestic disaster relief for UMCOR. More than 65 people were known dead and scores were injured, primarily in Arkansas and Tennessee, the states hardest hit. There was also damage in Mississippi, southern Kentucky and northern Alabama on "Super Tuesday," the day of many state presidential primaries. Donations to assist with relief efforts in the wake of the early February tornadoes can be made to UMCOR in a variety of ways. Indicate Advance #901670 and " Super Tuesday Tornadoes." More>>

One Great Hour of Sharing - March 2, 2008
(UMCOR) You and your congregation can join United Methodists worldwide by making a special offering through One Great Hour of Sharing to support humanitarian aid through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). You can be assured that when catastrophes cause suffering, your church, impelled by Jesus' love and compassion, will be in the lead to ease the pain. Gifts to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering underwrite UMCOR's "costs of doing business." That helps them keep their promise that 100 percent of every other gift you make to a specific UMCOR project can be spent on that project - not on home office costs. UMCOR's specialized ministries - responding in disaster, fighting hunger, alleviating poverty, providing relief supplies around the world, and offering hospitality to immigrants and refugees - all assist the most vulnerable people whose need is greatest. To learn more about UMCOR or to order resources to promote the offering, visit www.umcor.org or call 888-346-3862. You can also order Special Sunday offering envelopes and posters from the Customer Service Center at United Methodist Communications. Call (888) 346-3862 or order online at www.umcom.org. Visit www.umcgiving.org for more information and resources.

Recovery Continues in Kenya
(UMCOR) The United Methodist Committee on Relief continues to work with Church World Service and The Methodist Church in Kenya in providing assistance to thousands of people affected by the post-election violence which still continues. UMCOR is helping through the distribution of food and supplies that will benefit about 3,000 people. Various church compounds, police stations, and schools have become safe havens to more than 300,000 Kenyans who have become internally displaced. Several homes have been completely destroyed and hundreds of people have died. The most affected areas are Nairobi, Rift Valley, Nyanza, Western and Coast provinces. Please continue to pray for those in need as tensions in Kenya grow turbulent. Your gifts to International Disaster Response-Kenya, Advance #982450 can help bring more food, water and other necessities to the places where people need it most.

UMW Southeastern Jurisdiction Quadrennial Meeting - "Called By Name"
The Southeastern Jurisdiction Quadrennial Meeting of the United Methodist Women will be April 4 - 6, 2008 in Hampton, Virginia.  The theme for this meeting will be "Called By Name."  Bishop B. Michael Watson will preach on Friday evening, April 4. The Reverend Arnetta Beverly will conduct the Bible Study, and Bishop Charlene Kammerer will preach on Sunday morning.  The purpose of the Quadrennial Meeting is to elect the Directors of Women's Division for the 2008-2012 quadrennium.  A total of fifty (50) directors will serve this quadrennium.  The Southeastern Jurisdiction shall elect eleven (11) Directors and three (3) alternates. The South Georgia Conference UMW has approximately 5 spaces left on the bus and the block of hotel rooms.  If you need a registration packet, please contact Gloria Morgan, President of the South Georgia UMW, at gmorgan40@bellsouth.net or Nancy Bearden Hudson, President of the Southeastern Jurisdiction Core Planning Group, at LadyMusik@aol.com.

Discipleship Agency Invites Methodists to "Turn Aside And See" If God Is Calling
(GBOD) — The United Methodist General Board of Discipleship is sponsoring "Turn Aside and See: Is God Calling?" March 8, 2008, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., in Tempe, Ariz.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Brentwood, Tenn.; and Dallas, Texas. The agency is harnessing the power of the Exodus story of Moses and the burning bush to help churches discern God's call and strive to make disciples of Jesus Christ. More>>

Peace conference: Where is the church's voice?
(UMNS) Seasoned peacemakers, social justice advocates and seminary students spent three days at a peace conference grappling with the question: "How can The United Methodist Church find its voice in a world of violence?"
The Rev. Peter Storey, a renowned peace advocate and the former Methodist bishop of South Africa, set the tone for the three-day gathering as he welcomed 400 participants to "the conference of impossible things." Storey began the opening session of the 2008 Lake Junaluska Peace Conference by asking participants to think about what God they serve. If your God is the God of Jesus, he said, any response to violence must be examined through the cross. More>>

Connection News in Korean
Click here.

Connection News in Spanish
Click here.

GENERAL CONFERENCE 2008: NEWS & INFORMATION

News briefing offers glimpse into assembly changes
(UMNS) When United Methodists convene this spring in Fort Worth, Texas, for their worldwide assembly, they can expect wider international representation, a denominational budget built around four new areas of focus, and carefully choreographed opening sessions aimed at fostering unity through common ministry instead of gridlock over divisive social issues. The 2008 General Conference will meet for 10 days--two fewer than the 2004 gathering in Pittsburgh and with no break--but still must sort through more than 1,500 petitions, which is about the same amount of business conducted at the previous assembly. In addition to hearing opening addresses from a United Methodist bishop and lay person, delegates will hear the first-ever Young People's Address--delivered jointly by six teens and young adults who promise a presentation "different from anything that's ever been presented to General Conference before." The new approaches are among a bevy of changes outlined during the United Methodist Pre-General Conference News Briefing, an informational session attended by more than 200 delegation representatives and church journalists. The Jan. 24-26 briefing, sponsored by United Methodist Communications, was held near the Fort Worth Convention Center, where General Conference will open on April 23. More>>

United Methodists explore church's global structure
(UMNS) Would making The United Methodist Church in the United States a regional body be the best way for the denomination to function as a worldwide body? Ten speakers explored that question during a Jan. 25 panel discussion on "The Worldwide Nature of the Church: What It Means" during the Pre-General Conference News Briefing sponsored by United Methodist Communications. General Conference, which meets every four years, is the denomination’s top legislative body. During its meeting April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, the 2008 assembly will consider proposed structural changes to the denomination that acknowledge the fact that the church is growing outside of the United States and that 30 percent of United Methodist members now live outside the United States. Proponents say the structural changes would make the church more effective and equitably organized for worldwide ministry. Opponents say the changes may actually serve to fragment the denomination into national entities, among other things. More>>

United Methodists explore divestment proposals
(UMNS) Would divestment from companies connected to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land help bring about change in the Middle East? Four United Methodist speakers explored that question during a Jan. 25 panel discussion on "Divestment, the Middle East and Sudan" during the Pre-General Conference News Briefing in Fort Worth, Texas. The Rev. Steve Sprecher, a director of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, called divestment "a time-honored policy" within The United Methodist Church. Sprecher was part of the committee of the Board of Church and Society that led the social action agency to send a petition to General Conference recommending divestment from Caterpillar Inc., the heavy equipment manufacturer based in Peoria, Ill. The petition charges that the company profits from illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian land and contributes to the occupation by supplying Israeli Defense Forces with heavy equipment. More>>

Task force recommends ways to improve health
(UMNS) A new unified effort to improve the health of clergy and lay employees of The United Methodist Church will be recommended by an inter-agency denominational health task force when the 2008 General Conference meets in April. The task force formed after the 2004 General Conference directed the United Methodist Board of Pension and Health Benefits to examine the feasibility of a mandatory health insurance plan for the denomination. Currently, HealthFlex, the denomination's voluntary health insurance plan, covers slightly more than half of the church’s annual (regional) conferences in the United States. After an in-depth study, task force members concluded that they could not recommend a mandatory plan. Instead, they made four recommendations to confront health issues by changing The Book of Discipline, the church's book of rules and by-laws. More>>

Judicial Council to be 'on call' at General Conference
(UMNS) The top judicial body of The United Methodist Church has a light docket of cases for its spring meeting but will be "on call" to handle questions of law that rise from the floor of the 2008 General Conference. The closing of General Conference, the denomination's top legislative meeting, also will serve as the beginning of the new eight-year terms of Judicial Council members who are re-elected or elected by the churchwide assembly.  The nine-member Judicial Council acts as the church's supreme court and often is asked from the floor to make rulings during General Conference, which meets every four years. The 2008 General Conference will meet April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. The council meets twice a year but, during a General Conference year, its spring session coincides with the legislative gathering. More>>

United Methodist ethnic ministries seek $12.3 million
(UMNS) The six ethnic ministries of The United Methodist Church are requesting a $12.3 million slice of the denomination's $642 million pie for the next four years. Representatives of the plans and initiatives highlighted accomplishments and outlined plans to expand their ministries during a Jan. 26 breakfast during the church's Pre-General Conference News Briefing. The $642 million denominational budget proposed to the 2008 General Conference, the church's top legislative body, represents a 1.2 percent annual increase, for a total increase of 4.8 percent over four years. The $12.3 million requested by the Asian American Language Plan, the Korean American National Plan, the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry, Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century, the Native American Comprehensive Plan and the Pacific Islander Ministries would assist in developing new congregations and leadership, partnering with the poor and creating health initiatives. More>>

2008 General Conference to welcome online visitors
(UMNS) People unable to attend the 2008 United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, still can watch the proceedings and gather related information online with Internet access. Since the 2004 assembly in Pittsburgh, United Methodist Communications has expanded and upgraded its Internet capability to meet users' needs and expectations, said the Rev. Larry Hollon, the agency's top executive. More>>

Exploring General Conference - Online Training Course
(UMCom) Anyone wanting to learn more about General Conference and how it works can take a free five-session online course called "Exploring General Conference" through United Methodist Communications. To register, visit http://training.umcom.org.

General Conference Multimedia Resources
(UMCom) Significant multimedia resources related to the 2008 General Conference already are available online at GC2008.umc.org. Among them are video and audio recordings of panel discussions from the Pre-General Conference News Briefing, held in January in Fort Worth and sponsored by United Methodist Communications to provide information to delegates and journalists about significant issues facing General Conference.

Additional informational videos are available about General Conference, and related news stories also are posted at the General Conference Web site, as well as through United Methodist News Service (umns.umc.org). The January-February issue of Interpreter Magazine , the denomination's official ministry magazine, focused on the 2008 meeting and featured stories on how previous General Conference sessions have shaped The United Methodist Church. The articles are available at www.interpretermagazine.org.

Introduction to General Conference
Click here to experience an online interactive introduction to General Conference, courtesy of the General Board of Discipleship.

RESOURCES

Hymnal and Music Resources for Black History Month
(GBOD) In honor of Black History Month, the General Board of Discipleship has put together a list of worship resources.
--United Methodist Hymnal Resources for Black History Month
--Index of Music and Prayers of Africa , Africana, and African Americans in The United Methodist Hymnal
--Index of Music and Prayers of Africa , Africana, and African Americans in The Faith We Sing
--African and African American Songs, Hymns, and Spirituals in The Faith We Sing
--For specific information on authors and composers in The UM Hymnal, see Carlton Young's Companion to The United Methodist Hymnal, click here (currently available at 15% off on Cokesbury's website).
--For a general listing of resources for Black History Month, click here.

Free VBS mission project offered by Advance Special hunger-relief ministry
(SoSA) In this Internet age our children often speak a different language then we do. Website addresses. Text messaging abbreviations, etc. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. endhunger.org is the website address of the Society of St. Andrew. This national hunger-relief ministry is serious about feeding hungry people and in doing so it works hard to educate and relate to children, youth, and adults about how they can make a difference. To do this the Society has developed a Vacation Bible School mission project that can be incorporated into any VBS themed curriculum. This year's mission project is entitled “ endhunger.org – GAF/FAH ” . OK we'll spell it out for you: GAF/FAH stands for Gleaning America's Fields – Feeding America's Hungry, which is what the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) does nationwide. VBS kids, teachers and parents can go to the Society of St. Andrew's website for more information about SoSA's ministry and GAF/FAH.

Walk It Out: Together in the Way of Jesus
(UM Newscope) - Walk It Out: Together in the Way of Jesus is a new multicultural Christian education resource inspired by the ministry of the Rev. Joseph Lowery, often considered the dean of the Civil Rights Movement. Starting with the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1950s, the resource explores the work of those who struggled for freedom and justice. With this resource, church communities will learn how young people such as Ruby Sales and Bernice Johnson Reagon participated in the struggle to create a “beloved community” in which all of God's children could experience God's equity and love and how leaders like James Lawson, Andrew Young, and Dolores Huerta allowed God to use them for the upbuilding of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Walk It Out is suitable for vacation Bible school, mid-week classes, or other youth and children's programs. Click here to learn more about this resource.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

All Upcoming Events
--Confirmation Retreat 1 - February 8-9
--Local Pastors' Licensing School - February 8-15
--Day of Love and Justice at the Capitol - February 11
--Sexual Ethics Seminar - February 14
--Safe Sanctuaries Training - February 16
--Andrew College Sunday - February 17
--Volunteer in Mission Awareness Sunday - February 24
--Confirmation Retreat 2 - February 29 - March 2
--UMVIM Training - March 1
--One Great Hour of Sharing - March 2
--Minister Spouses Retreat - March 13-15
--UMW Spiritual Growth Retreat - March 28-30
--MM Spring Retreat - April 25-27
--Celebration Day for The Methodist Children's Home - April 26
--Mission Restore '08 - May 14-18

Safe Sanctuaries Training
Click here for more information on Safe Sanctuaries.
--Saturday, February 16, 2008 at Waycross First UMC in Waycross