Vol. 5 • No. 4  
February 21, 2006
Return to Current Issue of the Link
Return to Archives Page

In This Issue of The Link:
Feature Story
--United Methodists increase giving to church by more than 50%
Conference News
--Feb. 22 is Day of Prayer for Appointment Making Process
--Confirmation Retreat still has Openings
-- Wesleyan Christian Advocate: Be informed and inspired
--Comprehensive School for Clergy Leadership: March 21-22
--Faith and Health Symposium Flyer Now Available
--UMM Business Meeting Scheduled for Feb. 25
--Member of Riverside UMC Named Woman of the Year by the Church Women United in Georgia
Connection News
--UMCOR begins response to mudslide in Philippines
--United Methodist hurricane relief exceeds $62 million
--Tampa, not Richmond, to host 2012 General Conference
--United Methodists plan annual sessions
--Volunteers Make a Difference
--Global young people's event set for South Africa
Resources
--Life 101: Tools for Living
--Copyright: Fair Use and Church Music
--FAQ: Recording, Taping, and Broadcasting Church Music and Worship
--General Conference Music and Worship Study
--"We Shall Overcome": The Story
--NCC study guide focuses on poverty goals
--Bulletin Inserts Available for Women's History Month
Mark Your Calendar
--Upcoming Conference Events

FEATURE STORY
United Methodists increase giving to church by more than 50%
(UMNS) Amid a year of natural disasters, United Methodists reached deep into their pockets and increased their total giving to the church's ministries by more than 50 percent over the previous year.

The denomination has much to celebrate in "the overwhelming generosity of the people of the United Methodist Church, who increased giving by 53.6 percent compared to 2004," said Sandra K. Lackore, top executive of the denomination's General Council on Finance and Administration in Nashville. She spoke to United Methodist media by telephone and Web conferencing Feb. 15.

Total giving in 2005 was $244.7 million, which is $85 million more than in 2004, she said. Of that, $80 million was for tsunami and hurricane relief efforts. Total giving in 2004 was $159.3 million. More>>


CONFERENCE NEWS

Feb. 22 is Day of Prayer for Appointment Making Process
Wednesday, February 22 has been set aside as the fourth-annual Day of Prayer for the Appointment Making Process. One of the most significant responsibilities of the Appointive Cabinet is the annual making of pastoral appointments. The Bishop and District Superintendents spend countless hours in conversations with local church committees and clergy. Each participant in this extensive process seeks to discern God's will through Christian conversation and much prayer. Bishop Watson invites every lay person and every pastor to hold the Cabinet in their prayers throughout the whole process, specifically during the Day of Prayer on February 22. It is his hope that persons all across South Georgia will intentionally focus their intercessions on this important matter. Click here for prayer suggestions.

Confirmation Retreat still has Openings
The second Confirmation Retreat scheduled for March 3-5 still has some openings. If you have youth who need to sign up, please contact Diane Giles at the Office of Connectional Ministries, 888-266-7642. Click here for pictures from the first Confirmation Retreat weekend.

Wesleyan Christian Advocate: Be informed and inspired
February is subscription season for the Wesleyan Christian Advocate, the award-winning newspaper of the United Methodist Church in Georgia. Subscribe or renew through your local church this month so you won't miss the valuable information and inspiration contained in its pages. Drop your check for $18 made out to your local church and marked “Advocate” in your church offering plate for a one-year subscription to the print edition. Or subscribe with a credit card to the print edition ($18), online edition ($12) or both ($24) at www.wcadvocate.org. 

Comprehensive School for Clergy Leadership: March 21-22
The South Georgia Conference Comprehensive School for Clergy Leadership will be held March 21-22, 2006 under the theme "Developing Positive Growth Systems within Your Church." Nelson Searcy, founding pastor of The Journey Church of the City in New York, NY, will be the featured speaker. During the seminar participants will be exposed to three essential "positive growth systems" that can be applied to any church: 1) the assimilation process, 2) development of small groups, and 3) how to break growth barriers. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. on March 21, with the first session following at 2:00 p.m. The school will conclude at 3:00 p.m. on March 22. CEUs are available. Course registration is $50. Due to the generosity of Epworth By The Sea, there will be no charge for rooms and meals to the first 50 appointed clergy in the South Georgia Conference. Click here to download the brochure.

Faith and Health Symposium Flyer Now Available
 The South Georgia Conference Outreach Ministries Team is planning a conference-wide gathering of health professionals interested in serving as Health Ministers in their local congregations. A Faith and Health Symposium is scheduled for April 22, 2006 at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in Macon from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. The Faith and Health Symposium will challenge health professionals to help churches build on that understanding by reclaiming the healing and wholeness ministry of the church. A variety of models for organizing, educating, motivating, and advocating for holistic congregational and community health and welfare will be presented. Topics and speakers will include Parish Nurses, Lay Counselors, Lay Health Promoters and Stephens Ministries. Call Brenda Iglehart Eddings at the Connectional Ministries Office, toll free 888-266-7642 or 912-638-8626, for more information. Click here to download a flyer.

UMM Business Meeting Scheduled for Feb 25
The South Georgia Conference United Methodist Men are having their spring business meeting on Feb. 25th at Cordele First UMC at 9:00 a.m.  The spring retreat flyers will be available to pick up for distribution. All South Georgia Conference UMM Officers, Board members, District Presidents and any interested UMM from each district are invited to attend and be a part of the revitalization program for 2006. 

Member of Riverside UMC Named Woman of the Year by the Church Women United in Georgia
Mrs. Jean McCarty Ivey, member of Riverside United Methodist Church in Macon, was honored at a February 11 banquet for being named the Woman of the Year by the Church Women United in Georgia. Church Women United is an ecumenical movement founded in 1941 and perhaps best known for three events: May Friendship Day; World Community Day; and World Day of Prayer. It has offices in the United Nations and in Washington, D.C., and is an advocate for racial and economic justice, health care, the environment and other causes. Mrs. Ivey, who is still registered as a nurse, is very active in the United Methodist church. She is a certified lay speaker and has served on the local, district and conference levels. Mrs. Ivey is married to the Rev. Tom Ivey, a retired United Methodist minister.
CONNECTION NEWS

UMCOR begins response to mudslide in Philippines
(UMNS) The United Methodist Committee on Relief is asking for prayers and financial support as it responds to the mudslide that has buried an entire village in the Philippines. A Feb. 17 mudslide, triggered by days of rain, buried the entire village — including an elementary school — of Guinsaugon, on southern Leyte Island. The island is about 420 miles southeast of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of the village of Guinsaugon on the Leyte Island in this time of tragedy and grief,” said the Rev. R. Randy Day, top staff executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, parent agency of UMCOR. More>>

United Methodist hurricane relief exceeds $62 million
(UMNS) More than $62 million was contributed in 2005 to the United Methodist Committee on Relief for hurricane relief and rehabilitation in the United States and wider Gulf of Mexico region. "Year-end receipts from the annual conferences pushed the figure far, far beyond what we anticipated in the late fall," said Roland Fernandes, treasurer of the Board of Global Ministries, the denominational agency of which UMCOR is a part. UMCOR had received $62.37 million as of Dec. 31. All of the money was or is being applied to relief and rehabilitation, primarily through the church's annual (regional) conferences affected by the strong series of hurricanes that struck the Gulf Coast. Post-hurricane work in Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Nicaragua also was covered. More>>

Tampa, not Richmond, to host 2012 General Conference
(UMNS) The United Methodist Church's top legislative assembly won't be meeting in Richmond, Va., in 2012, as announced last fall, but will convene in Tampa, Fla., instead. In making the change, the United Methodist Commission on the General Conference cited a church policy regarding meeting in cities that are home to professional sports teams with Native American names. The 2012 General Conference will be held April 25 to May 4 in the 600,000-square-foot Tampa Convention Center. At the time of the initial selection, commission members were unaware that Richmond is home to the Richmond Braves, a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Atlanta Braves. More>>

United Methodists plan annual sessions
(UMNS) United Methodists worldwide are preparing for their annual gatherings, where they will examine issues facing the church and strengthen their spiritual life together. In 122 regional areas across the globe, United Methodists will meet to approve budgets, receive reports from conference boards and agencies, review ministries, adopt policy and programs of mission and ministry and pass resolutions. The church has 11 million members worldwide. Click here for dates for all Annual Conferences.

Volunteers Make a Difference
(UMCOR) More than 900 volunteers from nearly every annual conference have taken part in clean up and repair, according to the storm center officials in Mississippi and Louisiana. Another 570 teams are booked through July 2006. One of the many things UMCOR-supported storm centers do is organize work teams to ensure they are appropriately scheduled and help those who need it most. Click here for contact information to schedule a work team from your church.

Global young people's event set for South Africa
(UMNS) Young people will be challenged to "be the salt of the earth and light of the world" at the first Global Young People's Convocation and Legislative Assembly, set for Dec. 26-Jan. 1 in Johannesburg, South Africa. "Our goal is to empower young people to become the world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ that God has called us to be according to Matthew 5," said Kenia da Silva Guimaraes, director with the Division on Ministries with Young People, United Methodist Board of Discipleship. About 500 people are expected at the convocation, which is open to all United Methodist youth, young adults and adult workers with young people. Mandated by the 2004 General Conference, the event will be held every four years, according to the denomination's Book of Discipline. More>>


RESOURCES

Life 101: Tools for Living
(GBOPHB) Life 101 offers relevant and useful articles and information to support the financial well-being and healthy lifestyles of clergy, retirees and their spouses. Helping educate you on financial planning, General Board benefits and other critical life experiences will assist you in preparing for a healthy and secure future. More>>

Copyright: Fair Use and Church Music
(GBOD) FAIR USE is a provision of the copyright law that allows for reproduction of copyrighted material under very limited circumstances, including: for comment, for criticism, and for parody. But be warned that FAIR USE almost never applies to the church, to worship, to choir music in concert in church, to copyrighted hymns in worship, instrumental or vocal or choral music used in the church, or to any use of music in the church, including worship, rehearsal, Sunday School, day care, youth groups, retreats, congregational worship, concerts, devotions, meetings, mission projects, -- almost any situation in the church is not covered by FAIR USE. More>>

FAQ: Recording, Taping, and Broadcasting Church Music and Worship
--Do you want to make a music CD of your choir or church musicians?
--Do you want to record your church's worship services?
--Do you want to broadcast your worship services on the radio or television?
--Do you want to record, give away, or sell videos of your youth musical?
--Do you want to sell recordings of your choir to make money for missions?
(GBOD) If your church is involved or thinking about these kinds of projects, then you need to know about Mechanical Licensing and Synchronization Licensing (PDF file) BEFORE you begin. This is a good place to begin, especially for churches and church musicians. This information is provided free of charge from The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church.

General Conference Music and Worship Study
(GBOD) At the 2004 General Conference a joint research study on music and worship needs in the church was requested, to be conducted by The General Board of Discipleship and The United Methodist Publishing House. They need input from across the country from people with knowledge and interest in the music and worship life of United Methodists. At the link below you will find a questionnaire that covers a wide variety of music- and worship-related issues. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey: http://spss.cokesburyresearch.com/ResearchConsultants/index.htm

"We Shall Overcome": The Story
(GBOD) "We Shall Overcome" (The UM Hymnal, no. 533) is the anthem of the Civil Rights movement in the USA, but in a larger global context it is a freedom, liberation, and political protest song that has carried the hopes of many different people and many different causes. It is listed as an African American Spiritual in our hymnal, which is inaccurate, and there is no copyright citation other than the arrangement, which is also inaccurate. The Spirituals are of unknown origin and were born out of the experience of slavery, many of them originating in the 17th and 18th centuries. "We Shall Overcome" is of much later origin. This article tells the history and continuing story of the song. More>>

NCC study guide focuses on poverty goals
(UMNS) To help churches take action on poverty, the National Council of Churches has released a new guide, Eradicating Poverty: A Christian Study Guide on the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Development Goals are a set of eight goals to end extreme poverty, hunger and disease by 2015, agreed to by world leaders in 2000. The 2004 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination's top legislative body, supported those goals. More>>

Bulletin Inserts Available for Women's History Month
(Newscope) The General Commission on the Status and Role of Women is developing a series of bulletin inserts honoring Women's History Month (March), this year's 50th anniversary of full clergy rights for women in the Methodist tradition, and the 30th anniversary of the commission. The downloadable PDF inserts (at www.gcsrw.org) are free to local churches and cover milestones in women's ordination quest and women pioneers. The commission is encouraging churches to use the inserts throughout the year in order to focus on a diverse group of UM women and topics. For more resources, go to the commission site or the 50th anniversary Web site at www.gbhem.org/clergywomen.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Upcoming Conference Events
Keep up with what's going on in the South Georgia Conference!
 --Appointment Making Day of Prayer - February 22
--Breaking 65 - February 23
--Terry Tekyl Seminar - February 25
--Confirmation Retreat - March 3-5
--Spouses Retreat - March 17-19
--Comprehensive School for Clergy Leadership - March 21-22
--UMW Spiritual Growth Retreat - March 24-26
--Older Adult Retreat - April 3-5
--UMM Retreat - April 21-23
--Faith and Health Symposium - April 22