Disaster Response Teams Needed in Roberta, Ga
Recovery efforts are under way in Roberta after a powerful rotating thunderstorm tracked across 7 South Georgia counties Sunday, February 17, 2008 and spawned at least two confirmed tornadoes. The storm moved through Stewart, Chattahoochee, Marion, Taylor and Crawford counties and generated hurricane-force winds in Bibb and Jones counties.
The first tornado impacted Taylor County at 6 p.m. about a mile south of Mauk. Two mobile homes were destroyed and three other homes damaged. Another tornado touched down five miles southwest of Roberta, in Crawford County, carving an 8 mile long, 250 yard wide path of damage. With wind speeds of 105 mph, the tornado destroyed nine structures and damaged twelve others. Authorities in Crawford County reported eight injuries because of the storm. At least four homes were damages in the Macon area as a result of this same storm system.
GEMA and Red Cross staff and volunteers responded initially for assessment and early-response service. Since their departure, Crawford County officials have begun reaching out to church-affiliated agencies, specifically UMCOR and UM disaster teams to help with long-term recovery efforts. Pastors and mission lay leaders are encouraged to inform volunteer teams of this need.
Contact Rev. Nita Crump, Pastor at Roberta UMC at (478) 550-7091 or robertaumc@pstel.net for more information, or Rev. Scott Hagan, Conference Disaster Relief Coordinator (706) 582-2524 or scott@ellerslieumc.com.
LaGrange College Seeks Servant-Leader Awards Nominations
LaGrange College is seeking nominations for the LaGrange College Servant-Leader Awards to be given at the Celebration of Servant-Leadership dinner during Annual Conference. One clergy, one lay and one youth will be recognized at the dinner. A nomination form is available online at www.lagrange.edu. Please click on "Campus Life," then on "Servant-Leadership" and select "Nominate a Servant-Leader." You may request a paper copy by contacting Mary Weiss at 706.880.8340 or at mweiss@lagrange.edu. The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 14.
Mission Restore
Campus Ministers across the state, with the help of the Georgia United Methodist Commission on Higher Education, are planning a state-wide mission trip to New Orleans May 14-18, 2008. The trip is targeted for college students and young adults. For more information and an application, visit www.gahied.com/restore. Registration deadline is March 31.
Three Sexual Ethics Workshops Available Between Now and June
According to the Conference Sexual Ethics policy, “every church professional or lay person in any status or relationship with the Annual Conference whose appointment is set or approved by the Bishop shall be required to attend a five hour seminar on sexual ethics every three years” [2007 Journal, page 45]. For most persons required to take this training, the three years ends June of 2008. Three workshops have been scheduled between now and June to help meet this three year requirement. The March workshop will be a little different, geared more to some of our extension ministers, but any pastor whose schedule permits may register and attend. All three workshops will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 3:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Participants MUST register for any of these workshops by e-mailing Rev. Deborah Wight-Knight, Conference Pastoral Counselor, at fumcdwk@bellsouth.net. Please note that spouses and lay employees who are not appointed by the bishop are not eligible to attend the workshop. The following are the workshop dates:
--March 18 – The Methodist Home for Children and Youth in Macon
--April 19 – Americus First UMC in Americus
--May 8 – White Bluff UMC in Savannah
Still Time to Register for the 2008 Older Adult Retreat
There is still time to register for the 2008 Older Adult Retreat, “Just As I Am – Today!” This year's retreat is set for April 7-9, 2008, at Epworth By The Sea. The Older Adult 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 Dr. Evelyn Laycock. The retreat will begin on Monday, April 7, at 1:00 p.m. and will conclude Wednesday, April 9, at 1:00 p.m. An additional night's stay may be added to your retreat package for those who cannot get enough of beautiful St. Simons Island. A brochure is available here. For more information please contact Diane Giles or Adam Ricker at the Connectional Ministries Office at (888) 266-7642.
Annual Conference Logo Available
If you would like the 2008 Annual Conference logo e-mailed to you for use in your local church, please contact Kelly Roberson at kelly@sgaumc.com or 888-266-7642.
2008 Annual Conference Special Offering: Touch the Present, Empower the Future
The Special Offering at the 2008 Session of the South GA Annual Conference Session will be used to support the work of the Georgia United Methodist Commission on Higher Education and Campus Ministry (GUMCHECM) within the South Georgia Conference. Visit the GUMCHECM website at www.gahied.com to learn more about the work of The Commission and the plans for the Special Offering!
One part of that offering will be used to provide support for the United Methodist leadership Scholars (UMLS) Program. UMLS is a jurisdictional initiative intended to encourage the enrollment in our United Methodist Colleges and Universities. For more information about UMLS please visit www.umls.umc.org.
The balance of your generous offering will be used to support the Wesley Foundation ministries of the South Georgia Conference. The needs vary all the way from work on deferred maintenance, new construction, property acquisition and support for student interns. Our Wesley Foundations provide the richest and most fertile field for call to ministry among young adults. The Wesley Foundation ministries in South Georgia find themselves in a hopeful and exciting place in their history. As we seek to make disciples for Jesus Christ, in South Georgia and around the globe, your support of this special offering will help us to offer that good work in fresh new ways on our college and University campuses.
Thank you for supporting the Special Offering at this year's Annual Conference Session. Your generous gifts and your prayers will help to connect our United Methodist tradition with a new generation of young women and men, and to make new disciples for Jesus Christ. We look forward to seeing you in Columbus and to celebrating what God is doing among us; as we “touch the present and empower the future” in Jesus name.
Click here to download a poster to help promote the offering.
Third Annual Day of Service
On Tuesday, June 10, the people of The United Methodist Church will open the doors of the annual conference to serve the Columbus community. Opportunities range from knitting prayer shawls to preparing casseroles for the Ronald McDonald House, from participating in blood drive to painting walls at a women's shelter, from sorting items at a clothing bank to writing letters to soldiers in hospitals, from baking cookies for local EMT workers to light yard work at a home for troubled teens. South Georgia laity and clergy will scatter across the Columbus community to be witnesses of our faith in Jesus Christ by serving through word and deed. It is our prayer and intention that we make a positive impact on the community as we live out God's vision that every soul and circumstance be redeemed. The Columbus Local Arrangements Committee is coordinating this morning of service. Click here to check out all of the mission opportunities and to register.
Calling All Artists!
In conjunction with the Day of Service, the Columbus Local Arrangements Committee is seeking donated pieces of original art for a silent auction. All money raised will be donated to Higher Education and Campus Ministries. For more details, contact Beth Brown at 707-580-6379 or seth.brown36@gmail.com.
Golf Tournament
There is a golf tournament scheduled for Tuesday morning, June 10, as part of the Day of Service. Proceeds will benefit Wesley Glen. For more information and to register, click here.
Hotels
Several hotels have blocked rooms for the South Georgia United Methodist Annual Conference and have given us a special rate. You must specify that you are with the United Methodist South Georgia Annual Conference to receive these discounted rates. These rates are only good through May 17, 2008, so reserve your room today! Check out the hotel list by clicking here.
Luncheons/Banquets
Groups wanting to plan a luncheon or banquet during the 2008 Annual Conference session should contact Mrs. Sally Walden at sally1501@aol.com.
Displays
Groups seeking to distribute information should reserve display space as early as possible through Sally Walden at sally1501@aol.com. The conference policy for permissible displays is that a group must have a direct relation to the Annual Conference through the conference structure or be an approved conference advance special.
Childcare
Childcare will be available for children ages newborn-5th grade throughout Annual Conference. Pre-registration is very important. Click here for all the details and the registration form.
CONNECTION NEWS
Kit Supplies are low at UMCOR's Sager Brown Depot: Help Deliver Kits of Hope
(UMCOR) The United Methodist Committee on Relief's relief supply warehouse, UMCOR Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, La., is requesting your help to provide bedding, sewing and layette kits that are urgently needed for Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Sager Brown's kit ministry has been on the decline over the last year. Even when there are no large natural disasters, kits are still needed.
Sager Brown is especially requesting donations to build about 33,000 layette kits, 64,000 sewing kits and approximately 1,000 bedding kits to meet upcoming needs for 2008. Donations for all kits are needed to prepare for uncertain times and future relief efforts. The Sager Brown Depot will accept complete kits as well as bulk items.
Please visit UMCOR's Relief Supplies web page to learn about the specific kit contents, the estimated value, the cost for processing and shipping, as well as shipping instructions. By donating kit supplies or giving financial gifts to purchase these supplies, you make a tangible difference in the lives of others. Please give generously to Material Resources, UMCOR Advance #901440.
Bishop Edward Paup of Seattle Elected as Top United Methodist Mission Executive
(GBOD) A man who wanted to be a missionary when he was young and grew up to become a bishop in The United Methodist Church will soon step into the role of chief executive of his denomination's international mission agency. Bishop Edward W. Paup of Seattle, 62, was elected on March 11 by the directors of the General Board of Global Ministries to serve in the post of general secretary of the organization. Global Ministries has personnel, projects, and partners in 135 countries. He will assume his new position on September 1, 2008, and at that time will resign from the episcopacy, retaining his status as an ordained elder (clergy) in the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference. At the mission agency, Paup will succeed Bishop Felton E. May, who was named interim general secretary in October 2007. More>>
Assembly delegates to consider over 1,500 petitions
(UMNS)––Nearly 1,000 delegates to the United Methodist General Conference are now wading through 1,564 pieces of proposed legislation to be considered during the April 23-May 2 meeting in Fort Worth, Texas. On Feb.15, the United Methodist Publishing House mailed 1,540 copies of the Advance Edition of the Daily Christian Advocate to delegates, first alternates, bishops and others. Portuguese and French editions later were sent to delegates in Africa. Delegates received a 157-page Handbook for Delegates, which includes the proposed plan of organization and rules of order for the assembly and a listing of delegates and committee assignments. They also received the hefty two-volume Advance DCA, which includes reports from churchwide agencies and proposed legislation. The page count is 1,560, up from 1,411 in 2004 when the last assembly was held. More>>
Gates, Sr. to Address United Methodist General Conference
(UMCom) William H. Gates, Sr., co-chair of the Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and father of billionaire Bill Gates, will speak to the United Methodist General Conference during its upcoming meeting in Fort Worth. The Commission on the General Conference extended the invitation at the request of the Council of Bishops. In January 2007, the Gates Foundation provided a challenge grant to the Nothing But Nets malaria prevention campaign to match contributions up to $3 million—a goal that was reached in August due in part to a groundswell of support from United Methodist churches across the U.S. According to the organization's website, the foundation has committed more than $6 billion in global health grants. Gates, Sr. is a retired attorney and co-author of the book Wealth and Our Commonwealth: Why America Should Tax Accumulated Fortunes.
Caucus says empower black churches, communities
(UMNS) African-American United Methodists must engage in the Wesleyan code in their own ZIP codes to help black churches and African-American communities. That was the message to nearly 400 participants at the Feb. 27-March 1 annual meeting of Black Methodists for Church Renewal. The gathering focused both inwardly and outwardly to examine the realities and challenges of following John Wesley's three general rules for a faithful Christian life: doing good, doing no harm and staying in love with God. BMCR represents more than 2,400 black United Methodist congregations and approximately 500,000 African-American United Methodists across the United States. The group serves as a forum for defining issues and develop strategies for change within The United Methodist Church. More>>
Hilliard to work with United Methodist youth
(UMNS) Henry "Hank" Hilliard has been named manager of Youth Ministry Development for Young People's Ministries for the United Methodist Board of Board of Discipleship. He will work to equip youth to become disciples of Jesus Christ through leadership development and Web-based learning resources and also will respond to inquiries related to development of youth ministries. Hilliard was youth and young adult leader for 12 years at Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Memphis.
Church Business Administrators Conference to be held in August
(SEJ) The 55th annual Church Business Administrators Conference will be held at Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center August 3 - 6, 2008. The conference is sponsored by The Southeastern Jurisdictional Chapter of the United Methodist Association of Church Business Administrators. For more information including a copy of the brochure for the 2008 Conference go to www.sejadministrators.com. For housing reservations call the Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center Reservations office at 1-800-222-4930 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Monday through Fridays or E-mail reservations@lakejunaluska.com.
Western North Carolina Conference Opens Deaf Ministry to SEJ
(WNCC) Almost every congregation in the Southeastern Jurisdiction is likely to have members who miss out on full worship experience because of hearing loss. Their communities may have people who are unchurched for the same reason. To help churches reach them, the Western NC Conference UM Deaf Ministry is sponsoring “Visualize Deaf Ministry: Ministering to People with Hearing Loss,” May 2-3, at Christ UMC, Hickory. This ecumenical educational and inspirational event covers ways to begin, some models of deaf ministry, developing a plan, and essentials and challenges. It features Chad Entinger of Deaf Missions and Gary Barrett of Shalom Lighthouse Ministries/Deaf Ministries Worldwide, along with signed worship music by Rock the Silence. Ministry, agency and technology resource exhibits for all levels of hearing loss are planned. The Friday night session is optional. Early Bird registration deadline is April 18, $25 includes lunch. Details: http://www.wnccumc.org/hhs/visualize.htm; Flier and Registration: http://www.wnccumc.org/hhs/pdf/VisualizeDeafMinistry.pdf; Spring 2008 Newsletter, featuring more details and bios: http://www.wnccumc.org/hhs/pdf/Hands.FeetSpring08.pdf.
Connection News in Korean
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Connection News in Spanish
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RESOURCES
Church pension board launches redesigned Pension Initiative web site
(UMNS) The United Methodist Board of Pension and Health Benefits has launched the redesigned Web site for the Central Conference Pension Initiative. The redesign will facilitate online pledges to the initiative, which aims to extend the church's pension reach to United Methodist clergy and church workers in Africa, Europe and Asia. The redesigned site was launched on Feb. 19 and was developed by the board in collaboration with United Methodist Communications. "The new Web site accepts online campaign pledges, facilitating fund-raising efforts," said Dan O'Neill, managing director of the Central Conference Pension Initiative. "Packed with videos, news and personal stories, the new Web site continues to make CCPI information and resources accessible to a global audience." To view the Web site, visit www.ccpi-umc.org.
Connectional Giving Online Course
(UMCom) More than 100 people participated in the inaugural session of "Turning Connectional Living into Connectional Giving," a free online course from United Methodist Communications. To critical acclaim, participants said, "I really enjoyed learning about apportioned giving. It makes a lot more sense to me now. I don't think most people in my church understand this concept, but I do!" Join others March 5-April 16 (open registration) for the next session of this informative and interactive online course. For more information or to register, visit training.umcom.org.
Women's History Month Music and Worship Resources
(GBOD) One approach in celebrating Women's History Month in March is to include hymns, prayers, and liturgy written BY women in worship. Another approach is to include hymns and resources ABOUT women in the Bible and history. Click here to view many different resources for use in worship celebrating Women's History Month.
Resources Available Native American Ministries Sunday, April 6
(UMCom) Native American Ministries Sunday will be observed April 6, when we celebrate the gifts and contributions of Native Americans. The offering received on Native American Ministries Sunday nurtures mission with and provides seminary scholarships for United Methodist Native Americans. Please see the article on page 28 in the March/April Interpreter magazine. Order offering envelopes and posters from Customer Service, United Methodist Communications. Call (888) 346-3862 or order online at www.umcom.org. For more information and resources, visit www.umcgiving.org.
Interpreter Magazine Enrollment
(UMCom) United Methodist Communications asks pastors who have not completed and returned the Interpreter magazine enrollment form to do so as soon as possible. The form may be completed online, sent by fax to (615) 742-5499, e-mailed or mailed to United Methodist Communications, Customer Service - Interpreter Enrollment, P.O. Box 440229, Nashville, TN 37244-0229. For those enrolling online, contact Customer Service, (888) 346-3862, to obtain the customer number and pass code. You also may receive a copy of your church's enrollment form by calling Customer Service.
Thinking About a New Hymnal: What do we want?
(GBOD) The General Board of Discipleship has recommended to General Conference a new official hymnal for United Methodists in the USA. We have completed work on a four-year music and worship study for General Conference (report is available at www.gbod.org/worship/musicstudy), and GBOD is currently engaged in additional research regarding a new hymnal. General Conference will consider the proposal when it meets April 23-May 2, 2008, in Fort Worth, TX. The research conducted as part of the music and worship study as well as the continuing GBOD research has revealed much about what United Methodists think should and should not be included in a new hymnal. This article, the first of a series, discusses what United Methodists are thinking and saying.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
All Upcoming Events
--UMW Spiritual Growth Retreat - March 28-30
--Older Adult Retreat - April 7-9
--Sexual Ethics Workshop - April 19
--UMM Spring Retreat - April 25-27
--Celebration Day - Methodist Children's Home - April 26
--Sexual Ethics Workshop - May 8
--Mission Restore '08 - May 14-18
--Annual Conference - June 8-11