Bishop King presides over his first Annual Conference session in South Georgia
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Written: 6/14/2009
They came from Brunswick and Buena Vista, from Macon and Moultrie, from Albany and Americus. More than 1,200 South Georgia United Methodist clergy and laity gathered together June 7 – 10 at the Columbus Civic Center to worship God, conference in the Wesleyan tradition, vote on proposed constitutional amendments and fellowship together.
Bishop James R. King, Jr., presiding over his first Annual Conference session since becoming the resident bishop of the South Georgia area, set the tone for the conference during the opening worship service on Monday morning. He challenged worshippers to grow a Christlike world and to focus on five areas of their spiritual life in order to grow more like Christ: worship, Christian education, fellowship accountability, evangelical witnessing and justice ministry.
In his message, “Rule #1,” Bishop King proclaimed, “Hear this beautiful people – God above all.”
Following the week’s theme of “Seek Ye First,” from Matthew 6:33, and focusing on relationships – with God, others and self – Bishop King said that establishing and developing a right relationship with God was a must.
“When God is above all,” he said, “we have unspeakable joy.”
Bishop King also charged the church leaders with making their churches “love stations.” “If you aren’t filled up with God’s love, you can’t pour out to others,” he said. “The church should be the best place on earth to be.”
During the day’s business session, King delivered the news that a generous donor in Georgia had given $500,000 to further the kingdom efforts of the Central Conference Pension Initiative, with another donation possible if individuals and churches in South and North Georgia show their support by making gifts and multi-year pledges before October 1. Offerings were taken before and during Annual Conference, with more than $32,000 raised towards the effort.
Monday afternoon, the Conference also participated in a worship service to commission 11 Probationary Clergy Members and to recognize 15 Retiring Clergy. As a part of the day’s business session, delegates celebrated with seven pastors who have served 50 years.
To close Monday evening, attendees gathered at St. Luke United Methodist Church for the service of The Order of Ordination. Bishop Marion Edwards, retired Episcopal leader whose home conference is South Georgia, preached at the service.
“God is already at work, using you, shaping you, molding you,” said Bishop Edwards “It is my prayer that at the end of your journey you can say you finished the race and kept the faith.”
Bishop King presided over the ordinal rites for the 14 Elders and was assisted by Bishop Edwards. Mr. Roy Lifsey, interim Conference Lay Leader, represented the laity, and the Rev. Gene Cochran, Chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry, observed the ordinal rites.
On both Monday and Tuesday, Bible scholar Dr. Evelyn Laycock led the delegates in a Bible study, and challenged them to love God holistically – with their heart, soul, mind and strength – and to seek the kingdom of God first.
“The kingdom of God is when we live the life and teachings of Jesus,” she said. “The kingdom of God is breaking in right now and taking us with it!”
Tuesday morning, attendees put their faith into action as they fanned out across the city in the fourth annual Day of Service. More than 400 volunteers became the hands and feet of Christ and served the kingdom of God at 24 Columbus-area mission organizations by painting, knitting prayer shawls, sorting clothes, writing letters, baking cookies, doing yard work and more.
After participants returned from serving the community, they shared in a memorial service to honor the faithful clergy and clergy spouses who have died since last year’s Annual Conference. In honoring them, Dr. Hugh Davis said, “because of their witness, we will all walk that path that leads to life.”
The afternoon’s business session was lively, with voting on the 32 constitutional amendments taking place. In other business, delegates heard the report of the Chair of the Conference Personnel Committee and their decision to terminate the congregational specialist pilot project.
Tuesday evening, the Conference participated in a celebrative worship service at St. Luke UMC’s Ministry Center. The worship experience, designed around the wedding at Cana as chronicled in the gospel of John, celebrated the connection’s union with Christ. Diverse examples of dynamic ministries being conducted all across the Conference were highlighted, including Rose Hill United Methodist Church in Columbus and the Jesus and Meals (J.A.M.) ministry at Nashville United Methodist Church.
On Wednesday, the final day of conferencing, delegates approved a budget of $12,466,755 for 2010, authorized the Conference Office Task Force to build an approximately 8,000 square foot conference center in Macon at a cost not to exceed $2 million, reversed a decision made by the 2008 Annual Conference session which outlined a transition plan for clergy families to provide their own furnishings for the parsonage, and heard the results of the balloting of the Constitutional Amendments.
In the closing Service of Sending Forth, Bishop King challenged each person to live out their faith and grow closer in their relationship with God.
“If we’re going to grow a world that looks like Jesus,” he said, “we’re going to have to first seek a relationship with God, nurture that relationship.
“Yesterday I saw Christlike people doing Christlike things. We’re already living out Jesus Christ – we just need to know that it’s manageable and then magnify it and multiply it!”
Following his message, new appointments were read and it was announced that next year’s Annual Conference will be held in Tifton, Ga., June 6-9, 2010.
Following the conclusion of his first Annual Conference session in South Georgia, Bishop King was exuberant and exhilarated at the Christlike spirit he says he saw pervade the entire conference. He praised the conference’s diversity and inclusivity, noting that throughout the worship services, prayers and Bible passages were read in various languages, including Thai, Spanish and a Native American dialect, and even signed.
“I have felt a deep sense of a Christlike atmosphere from day one,” King said. “I have felt a wonderful Christian spirit here, with a lot of grace and mercy.”
--By Kara Witherow, South Georiga Advocate editor
--By Kara Witherow, South Georiga Advocate editor
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