Vol. 4 • No. 7 
February 24, 2005
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Brian Center Inn Now "Magnolia Manor of St. Simons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center"
 Magnolia Manor, Inc. announced that the Brian Center Inn on St. Simons Island will become the Magnolia Manor of St. Simons Nursing and Rehabilitation Center effective Tuesday, March 1, 2005.  The Nursing and Rehabilitation Center joins the Magnolia Manor of St. Simons retirement community located off of Frederica Road.

Magnolia Manor of St. Simons will host a Ribbon Cutting and Consecration Ceremony at 1:00pm on March 1.  South Georgia Conference Bishop Michael Watson will be the featured speaker. 

Magnolia Manor, Inc. is a non-profit organization that operates seven retirement communities in Georgia.  The organization is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and serves 1,300 individuals as an older adult ministry of the Church's South Georgia Conference. More>>

 Emberson's Return from Nepal, ready to share their story
John and Peggy Emberson have recently returned from 2 1/2 years as medical missionaries to Nepal. They will be available to share their story with churches and church groups in South Georgia from March 7-13. Pastors desiring to schedule the Emberson's for a visit should contact Rev. Brenda Iglehart at brenda@sgaumc.com or 888-266-7642.

UMW Retreat Attendees Asked to Bring "Wipes for Wesley"
Those planning to attend the United Methodist Women's Spiritual Growth Retreat at Epworth By The Sea April 1-3 are asked to bring a package of baby wipes (any brand). The wipes will be delivered to Wesley Community Center in Savannah after the retreat. Let's help the center to "wipe out" some of their cost of the huge number of wipes needed daily.  More information on the retreat can be found by clicking here or by contacting Mary Virginia Cox at 229-924-2244 or mvrac@sowega.net .
Vans Needed for Various Ministries in South Georgia: How Can You Help?
Do you know that there are churches in poor neighborhoods in South Georgia where the existence of ministry DEPENDS on a van? It is not a luxury or an option. The people served by these United Methodist congregations do not have transportation. If people attend these churches it is only because someone drives a van and comes to pick them up.

The tragedy is that we have churches that are greatly hampered in serving poor communities because they either have no van or the van which they are using is in extremely poor condition. Sometimes the van cranks, sometimes not. These pastors are missionaries! Yet we fail to supply them with even the most basic resources to do ministry. Transportation is a basic resource rather than a luxury.

There is a great need and there are ways you can help. For more information click here or contact Tim Bagwell at Tbagwell@cox.net or 478-471-7087.

Judicial Council's spring docket includes new pension plan
(UMNS) The United Methodist Church's highest court will hear 12 cases during its spring meeting, with topics as diverse as clergy benefits, handicapped accessibility in local churches and the Girl Scouts. The Judicial Council will meet April 27-29 in Arlington, Va.

The nine-member court will hear again an item related to a new clergy plan developed by the United Methodist Board of Pension and Health Benefits. The item is a request from the 2004 General Conference for a decision on the constitutionality of Petition 40325 as adopted, “in light of the broad new powers that it appears to grant to the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits.” More>>

Iran: UMCOR Plans Earthquake Response
A powerful earthquake razed villages in Iran overnight. Reuters reports estimated the death toll at nearly 400 people and injuries at hundreds more. Many villagers remain unaccounted for. Poor weather conditions have hampered rescue efforts. The mountainous region in southeast Iran is only 160 miles from Bam, devastated a year ago by an earthquake that killed 31,000 people. Temporary shelter will be critical in the wintry rain. UMCOR will send emergency relief supplies and other aid. Your gifts to UMCOR Advance #624315, Iran Earthquake, will assist in a meaningful way.

One Great Hour of Sharing: Updated DVD Shows UMCOR at Work
"Be There" is a thoughtful reflection on the way that the people of the United Methodist Church engage in mission. It provides a great context for receiving the One Great Hour of Sharing offering on March 6. The 7-minute DVD shows UMCOR at work in areas of humanitarian development, refugee and immigration ministries, alleviation of hunger and poverty, and disaster response. The new resource also contains an inspirational music segment that can be used during worship. The One Great Hour of Sharing offering is crucial to UMCOR because it covers our administrative costs - and enables us to dedicate 100 percent of your "second-mile" gifts to the Advance project you select. So act now! Order your free One Great Hour of Sharing DVD, "Be There" by calling toll free, 1-888-346-3862. And then be sure to receive the offering. Your gifts answer Jesus' call to "be there" for others.

National Guardsman helps Iraqis walk again
(UMNS)—Capt. Steve Lindsley was certain his days would be full, arranging logistics for a military police battalion and dodging mortar fire, rockets and snipers while deployed to Iraq.

He never imagined he would have time to help children and a legless Iraqi veteran walk again.

Lindsley, a member of the Mississippi Army National Guard's 112th Military Police Battalion, made the most of the 14 months he spent away from his home and family. With the help of his employer, Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson, Miss., Lindsley volunteered his time and skills to open a prosthetics clinic in Baghdad. More>>

Resources for You: New Bulletin Insert on Iraq, Updated Facts on Global Hunger
Several hundred Baghdad children have some new tools to manage their often bewildering and sometimes frightening world. Gunfire and live munitions threaten such ordinary tasks as walking to school. UMCOR and Save the Children offer role-playing projects in which youth and schoolchildren can work through their fears and gain confidence. A new worship bulletin insert is available online at http://gbgm-umc.org/umcor/print/bulletininserts/iraq.cfm that describes this ministry of compassion, made possible through your donations to UMCOR Advance #623225, Iraq Emergency.

Another resource, "Ten Facts About World Hunger and Poverty," incorporates examples of UMCOR programs with facts that may surprise you and will heighten awareness. Example: Media cover stories abound on the obesity epidemic, but did you know that the leading cause of death in the world is underweight due to malnutrition? Learn more - download the brochure here for printing locally and sharing right away. Or in March, order multiple copies free (plus postage and handling) from the General Board of Global Ministries' Service Center. A donation to UMCOR Advance #982920, World Hunger and Poverty, will help to eradicate suffering through ecologically sustainable, creative solutions.

Join the Blue Tarp Gang - Help With Hurricane Recovery
If you're planning a mission trip this spring or summer, consider joining the "blue tarp gang." You can help speed roof replacement all over Florida and other regions devastated by last year's multiple hurricanes. Thousands of volunteers are needed to do the "heavy lifting" of rebuilding roofs, walls, and interiors for homes in the Southeast. Blue tarps - temporary coverings for damaged roofs - dot the countryside all over the region. Much work remains in areas of Alabama as well. UMCOR's volunteer hotline will act as a clearinghouse for the many sites that need volunteers. To find out where the needs are greatest and obtain a local contact, please call toll free, 1-800-918-3100. Or let your generous contributions go for you-please give to UMCOR Advance #982410, Hurricanes 2004.

Light Media Coverage Means Lack of Funds for Crisis-Plagued Africa
(A UMC.org Feature) After a Dec. 26 earthquake generated a tsunami in the Indian Ocean, extensive news coverage spurred some $6 billion in donations to governments and relief agencies in less than a month. But lack of coverage can mean little money. Although millions of people in Africa continue to suffer from the scourges of war, disease and poverty, people elsewhere who might be inspired to open their wallets don't hear of the need for humanitarian aid. More>>

Campaign focuses on importance of Sunday school
After the tragedy and terror of 9/11, a little girl in New Jersey found comfort in her Sunday school class because someone taught her, “Jesus loves you and everything will be all right.” If you tell Harriett Olson, an executive with the United Methodist Publishing House, that Sunday school is “dead,” she will tell you the story about that little girl or one of the many other accounts she has collected in the past year since the launch of  “Sunday School: It's For Life.” More>>

Scholarships Available for Music Degree Students
Full-time music degree students have until March 1 to apply for a higher education scholarship from the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts. Scholarships include three memorial scholarships (music); one Thom Jones Scholarships (in the arts other than music); and one music scholarship for a rising college freshman or sophomore. Applications can be obtained at the fellowship website at or by e-mailing fummwa@aol.com.

National Gathering of UMM Scheduled for July
The ninth National Gathering of United Methodist Men is scheduled for July 15-17 at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. The gathering, formerly known as the Congress of United Methodist Men, is a quadrennial event that provides more than 4,000 men from across the globe with spiritual renewal, fellowship, instruction and inspiration. For details or to register, visit www.gcumm.org or call 888-245-0176.