Vol. 6 • No. 7  
April 4, 2007
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In This Issue of The Link
Conference News
--Magnolia Manor Sunday is May 13
--PK Retreats Set for this Summer
--Methodist Children's Home Celebration Day
--Vision of Jesus UMC Empowered for Community Action
--VIM Teams Needed
--Don't forget to register!
Connection News
--Nothing But Nets Campaign Update
--Prayer Conference set for September
--Become a Biblical Storyteller
--Church Attorney: Keep Politics out of Pulpit
Resources
--Are you prepared for all of your Easter visitors?
--FREE Tool for Editing Pictures
--Bulletin Insert for World Health Day - April 7
--Resources for Native American Ministries Sunday - April 22, 2007
--Upcoming online workshops at BeADisciple.com
Mark Your Calendar
--All Upcoming Events
--Summer Camps


CONFERENCE NEWS Magnolia Manor Sunday is May 13
Celebrate a special mother in your life by giving a gift to Magnolia Manor in her honor on May 13. Click here to download a flyer for use in your local church.

PK Retreats Set for this Summer
Two PK retreats are set for this summer at Epworth By The Sea. The older elementary retreat is scheduled for July 13-15 and the retreat for teenagers will be July 21-23. The theme will be, “PK's Meet Harry Potter: Discovering the Magic Within.” For more information or to make reservations, contact Deborah Wight-Knight at williamscenter1@yahoo.com or (478) 929-1032. This event is being sponsored by the Commission on Pastoral Counseling.

Methodist Children's Home Celebration Day
You are invited to the 17th Annual Celebration Day at The Methodist Home for Children and Youth on April 21 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. The day will be filled with auctions, arts & crafts, children's carnival activities, delicious food and lots of fun for th eentire family. Special guests include artist Mark Ballard and Chuck Leavell, on of the most sought after pianists and keyboardists in modern music. You don't want to miss out on this day of fun! All proceeds will benefit The Methodist Children's Home. If you would like to donate an item for the silent and live auctions or bake sale, please contact Ann Keadle at 478-751-2827. For general information about the event, please visit www.celebrationday.org.

Vision of Jesus UMC Empowered for Community Action
Vision of Jesus United Methodist Church has developed a new community ministry, “CAPS: Community Advocating Positive Solutions.”

CAPS is a program that will offer a community forum around issues of teen pregnancy, drugs, violence and education. In addition, the program will recruit young women to be a part of a mentoring project and implement a community social action group to empower the community to address its own needs.

The idea for CAPS came about after leaders from the congregation attended the conference sponsored Black Church Summit in September. The theme of the summit was “Can We Talk? – Conversations and Challenges to Wholistic Congregational Health.” The focus was on wholeness and health in the African American church and wider community. Vision of Jesus leaders felt empowered to go back to their local setting and continue the discussions around health disparities among teenage girls within marginalized communities.

Vision of Jesus has partnered with agencies/organizations in their area to accomplish these goals.

VIM Teams Needed
Volunteers In Missions teams are needed to work on the Day Care Center at Taylors UMC in Brunswick. The church is constructing the building on faith . . . using volunteer teams for the construction. The church will feed and house any team that needs these services. Contact persons: Rev. George Herndon 912-267-0589; Rev. Jim Emery (O) 912-265-224, (H)912-265-1694 or 912-617-4875.

Don't forget to register!
--Older Adult Retreat - April 16-18
--UMM Retreat - April 20-22
--Safe Sanctuaries Training - April 28
--Sexual Ethics Workshop - May 3
--The Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members Luncheon - June 5

Prayer Conference set for September
(GBOD) The General Board of Discipleship and Aldersgate Renewal Ministries will sponsor “Becoming a People of Prayer,” September 21-22, 2007, at Brentwood United Methodist Church in Nashville. The purpose of the prayer conference is to call The United Methodist Church to prayer and to strengthen and empower our ability to pray: as individuals, as families, and as congregations. A prelude to General Conference 2008, the prayer conference is expected to attract some 300-500 persons.

The conference design team is hopeful participants will leave with an increased awareness of the importance of prayer in their personal life and in the life of the church; with one goal being to equip persons within the church to establish prayer ministries. Participants will hear from a variety of leaders and will have the opportunity to pray together in a rich variety of traditions, including Native American, Euro-American, African-American, Hispanic, and Asian.

The conference includes plenary speakers and interactive workshops on various styles of prayer; times of corporate prayer and praise; and a prayer room, which will provide space for spiritual reflection and private prayer. Among the plenary speakers are: Terry Teykl, Becoming a Praying Church, Suzette Caldwell, Giving My Heart to God, Windsor Village UMC, Houston; Marjorie Thompson, Seeking the Heart of God, GBOD; and Taylor Burton-Edwards, Giving Prayer and Worship Back to the Congregation, GBOD.

Registration for the event includes all lodging, meals, and full program schedule and is $475 if you register before May 15. Basic membership in NOBS is $50. More information and online registration can be found if you visit the NOBS Web site at www.nobs.org or call the NOBS Business Office at 1-800-355-NOBS.

Church Attorney: Keep Politics out of Pulpit
(UMNS) As election season intensifies and politicians line up at the church door to shake hands and stump for their campaigns, an attorney for The United Methodist Church advises churches and clergy against endorsing or opposing candidates for elected office.

"Churches should take stands on appropriate issues, but it cannot be a substantial part of their ministry," said Jim Allen, general counsel of the United Methodist Council on Finance and Administration.

In the United States, candidates from all political parties often are seen in pulpits or at church functions delivering their messages or seeking endorsements. However, after investigating numerous complaints of inappropriate political activity by nonprofits during the 2004 presidential campaign, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service has stepped up efforts to enforce laws that limit churches and charities from involvement in partisan campaigns.

In 2005, the IRS began warning churches and nonprofits that political campaign activism could endanger their tax-exempt status. More>>

Bulletin Insert for World Health Day - April 7
(UMCOR) World Health Day is observed on April 7. The 2007 theme, Invest in Health, Build a Safer Future, draws attention to the need to seek long-term solutions to serious health problems such as HIV/AIDS and malaria that ruin the quality of life for many around the world--especially those who are poor. Learn and share what United Methodists are doing in these areas in the World Health Day bulletin insert available by clicking here. You can participate in this important day by giving to one of the following health programs: -Malaria Control, UMCOR Advance #982009 -United Methodist Global AIDS Fund, UMCOR Advance #982345 -Mother and Child Survival, Global, UMCOR Advance #982645

Resources for Native American Ministries Sunday - April 22, 2007
April 22, 2007, has been designated as Native American Ministries Sunday in The United Methodist Church, a Sunday to recognize the contributions of Native Americans to society. A special offering that day helps fund Native American ministries, the Urban Initiative, and seminary scholarships. Native American Ministries Sunday Worship Resources from UMCGiving.org

Upcoming online workshops at BeADisciple.com
Enroll now for these upcoming workshops by visiting www.beadisciple.com.

Maximizing Disciple in Your Church
Register soon for this online workshop which will begin April 9, 2007. It is intended for pastors and lay persons who already facilitate, and would like to grow, DISCIPLE Bible Study in their home church. With the use of a wonderful DVD featuring Dr. Wilke, we will explore the need, purpose, structure, and expectations of DISCIPLE.

The Mysterious Documents of Methodism
This workshop will explore the use and purpose for the UM "Journal," "Book of Discipline," and "Book of Resolutions." Begins April 30, 2007.

Liturgy Out of the Box: Patterned by Grace—How Worship Shapes Us
This workshop is offered by author, Daniel Benedict, as a study of his new book, "Patterned by Grace--How Liturgy Shapes Us." Begins May 14, 2007.

Questions and comments may be directed to Lisa Buffum at beadisciple@sckans.edu.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

All Upcoming Events
Keep up with what's going on in the South Georgia Conference!
--Older Adult Retreat - April 16-18
--UMM Retreat - April 20-22
--Safe Sanctuaries Training - April 28
--Sexual Ethics Workshop - May 3
--Magnolia Manor Sunday - May 13
--Annual Conference - June 3-7
--The Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members Luncheon - June 5

Summer Camps
--Mid-High Mania 1 - June 11-15
--Mid-High Mania 2 - June 18-22
--Elementary Camp 1 - June 25-29
--Elementary Camp 2 - July 9-13
--Elementary Camp 3 - July 16-20