Columns

by Hal Brady   Not long ago an associate pastor gave a children’s message to a large crowd of children at an 11:00 worship service.  Children were packed into every corner of the chancel area. She ended the brief homily by saying, “And God loves you and you and you,” pointing as she spoke in three different directions. Then she paused a moment to let the message sink in. During the silence, a child down at the far end of the chancel behind the baptismal font, toward which she had not pointed, ...

What’s Old Is New Again  By Anne Packard   “Let our rich women arouse themselves to consider the greatest problems of the time.”  --Belle Harris Bennett, Christian Advocate, April 4, 1895   How could the younger daughter of a prominent family in southeastern Kentucky born a decade prior to the Civil War fulfill her dream of educating women for the betterment of God’s kingdom? The answer is simple – prayer.   Belle Harris Bennett was born the daughter of eight children to Samuel and Elizabeth ...

by Hal Brady   A young preacher had given a practice sermon in a seminary class. His preaching professor was giving him a hard time. Finally, the young preacher said, “I thought it was a pretty good sermon.” The professor asked, “Why do you think so?” The student resounded, “I preached it last Sunday in my church and three people cried.” The professor replied, “I almost cried myself.” Now, I’m sure that young preacher lost a little confidence. I know because I’ve been there myself.     Today I ...

by Hal Brady   Since many teachers have officially returned to the classroom, I want to offer a word of thanks to teachers, leaders, administrators, and school staff. These folks carry such enormous opportunities and responsibilities - and sometimes burdens - and the overwhelming majority do so faithfully and effectively. Remembering them in our prayers and expressing appreciation for them is and will be most appropriate.  Honestly, what would we do without our teachers? Like you, I can ...

September Prayer Guide The South Georgia Conference is centering itself around prayer in 2023. September’s prayer guide, written by district lay leaders John Ray (Northeast), Karen Forrester (Southwest), Denise Rooks (South Central), and Scott Cleaveland (Coastal) is now available at www.sgaumc.org/year-of-prayer.   

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton   Has your church dreamed of repairing its sanctuary or remodeling the bathrooms? Have you wondered if you could fix the leaking roof but just did not know where to get the money? In the past two years, South Georgia had churches that received Renfro Grants to help with projects like these.  The first was Pinkney Chapel in Folkston. They needed assistance to finish a bathroom renovation. The Renfro Grant gave them the help they needed to complete the work. The other ...

By Tony Caldwell   Open Hearts, Open Minds, and Open Doors have been the expression of the United Methodist Church since 2001. With this welcoming declaration as our guide, our church takes seriously our mission to the community.   Open Hearts: At the Hinesville First UMC, we aspire to see the divine spark in every person, treating everyone with compassion, kindness, and respect. We are a Christian community that expresses the loving example of Jesus Christ through nurturing and support for one ...

by Hal Brady   Sometime back while driving to a meeting, I passed a florist truck. I couldn’t help but notice the advertisement on the side of the truck. The advertisement read: “Flowers whisper how you feel.”    Undoubtedly, that’s true! Flowers do whisper how we feel. But perhaps even more, compassion whispers how we feel.  Jesus asked, “Which of these three do you think proved neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed mercy upon him.” And then Jesus said to...

By Hal Brady   On a visit to one of the saints of the church, a minister suggested that they might conclude their time together by praying for her recovery. Now in the hospital, the lady had lived a rather full life-at least three score and ten. The quality of her life, however, had diminished considerably. Actually, she possessed little reason or will to continue. So, with immediate and total honesty, the saintly woman replied, “You can pray if you want, but I doubt if it will do any good.” I ...

PATHWAY TO HIS PRESENCE B.J. FUNK   Just that morning, she had been scolded by her younger sister for the constant trail of blood that always followed her. “Can’t you do something about it?”    Softly, she answered, her head down due to embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I try. I really do. And, the doctors have done everything they can do. I’m out of money. I need a miracle.”   She never dreamed adulthood could be so trying. She never dreamed her body’s monthly cycle would turn into a year round cycle,...

What’s Old Is New Again  Anne Packard   Decline in church membership due to population shifts. Great financial loss. A war between Russia and its neighbors involving Allied countries. Anxiety and confusion resulting in a crisis. Is it 1857 or 2023? What’s old is new again!   The North Dutch Reformed Church in lower Manhattan had been losing members due to white Protestants moving out of the area and immigrants and businesses moving in. In an effort to gain membership, outreach began to the new ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON   If John Wesley were here today, he would say, “Let us pray!” He would remind us that God does nothing in this world except in response to sincere, heartfelt prayer. You pray when you repent. You pray to receive salvation. You pray when you surrender to God’s will. You pray asking God to sanctify you. You pray for power to witness. Nothing in the spiritual realm is accomplished without prayer.   John Wesley was a man of prayer. He rose early in the morning and ...

By Dr. D. Craig Rikard    A dear elderly clergyman loaned me one of his robes for my ordination. Robes are very expensive; thus, I was thankful he cared about me enough to see that I would be ordained in proper attire. Forty-five minutes before the service I removed the robe from the garment bag and put in on. The zipper was torn the entire length of the robe. There were also tears here and there due to the fabrics age and brittleness. I then succumbed to fear of embarrassment. I would be ...

By Bishop R. Lawson Bryan   Because I believe science can be a resource for the Christian faith, it was fascinating to me to learn that scientists have developed a tool to measure “awe.” The Bible is filled with stories of men and women experiencing awe as a response to God’s presence: Moses and the burning bush; Isaiah in the temple; Mary at the annunciation; the Samaritan woman at the well; and Peter after the great catch of fish. Many of the Psalms (8, 19, 65, 66, 139) express a sense of awe ...

What’s Old Is New Again  Anne Packard   My sins were a heavy burden. I was tempted to believe there was no mercy for me. I cried to the Lord both night and day. One night I thought hell would be my portion. I cried unto Him who delighteth to hear the prayers of a poor sinner; and all of a sudden my dungeon shook, my chains flew off, and glory to God, I cried. My soul was filled. I cried, enough for me--the Saviour died. Now my confidence was strengthened that the Lord, for Christ's sake, had ...

A Word from Cameron Bishop, CEO, Wesley Glen Ministries   Following a cold winter, the campus of Wesley Glen Ministries is coming to life. The flowers are blooming, the grass is turning green, and leaves are returning to the trees that will soon provide us shade from the summer heat. But it is not just mother nature that is bursting with new life. We too are experiencing incredible growth at Wesley Glen. Not only are the individuals we serve growing spiritually, physically, and socially, our ...

PATHWAY TO HIS PRESENCE B.J. FUNK   Having fried chicken once a week was a given at my house. How well I remember coming in from school, starting my homework and hearing the first sounds of grease popping on the kitchen stove. Soon, the smell of mama’s chicken permeated the air, filling every available space with its mouth-watering aroma. My sister and I practically raced to get the table set, put the ice in the glasses, and pour our sweet tea.   I remember which piece each of us liked the best....

By Anne Bosarge Author and speaker Thom Rainer once did an informal survey on Twitter and asked how much time pastors spend in sermon preparation and exegeting scripture each week. Here is a breakdown of the results:  1-9 hours per sermon: 25% 10-18 hours per sermon: 69% 19-33 hours per sermon: 6% I think we would all agree that spending time on sermon preparation is extremely important. Good pastors spend time exegeting the text to make sure they have an accurate interpretation of the text ...

The following interview was posted on the South Georgia Abide website. Allison Lindsey is a member of St. Mark UMC in Douglas, Ga. and chairs the Conference Nurture Team. She formerly served as the Director of Connectional Ministries.   Where do you see God moving among us?  I have always felt very blessed for the doors that God has opened wide for me through The UMC. I have been given a front-row seat to see Him at work - "here, there, and everywhere". It's been an honor to serve as a Director ...

By Jason Mehl If you are not struggling with anxiety, you know at least one person who is. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 31% of American adults will experience anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. In the U.S., since the coronavirus pandemic, reported cases of anxiety and depression have increased by 6%. When we pray for the sick and the needy, our hearts are bent toward the restoration of the physical and mental health of everyone. Pastors, teachers, ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD   The third article in our series supporting prayer in the South Georgia Conference focuses on Francis Asbury, one of the first two bishops of the newly created Methodist Episcopal Church and the architect of the Methodist movement in America. Asbury spent 45 years in the colonies and young country riding horseback and preaching to anyone who would listen. He was the most recognizable person in America during his time, and it is estimated that he rode 250,000...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON   Ooops! I made a mistake in a recent John Wesley Moment when I stated that John Wesley wrote Notes on the New Testament, but never wrote Notes on the Old Testament. Wesley gave three reasons for not writing Notes on the Old Testament. He was busy with other important things like evangelism. There were things in the Old Testament he did not understand, and others had already done an adequate job on the Old Testament.   Actually, these reasons were contained in the...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN  ANNE PACKARD    The second article in our series supporting prayer in the South Georgia Conference focuses on Charles Wesley, the sometimes-overlooked, younger brother of John. The eighteenth child of Samuel and Susanna, Charles was born prematurely and lay silent for the first few weeks of his life but certainly made up for it later by writing thousands of hymns for the newly formed Methodist movement. Charles, like the rest of the Wesley family, spent much of his life ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON   John Wesley was an evangelist, not a systematic theologian. However, he did stress several basic doctrines: salvation by grace, not by good works; free will, not predestination; sanctification, being made perfect in love in this life; and the power of the Holy Spirit. His passion was to spread scriptural holiness throughout the land. Wesleyan theology stresses personal and social holiness, purity of life.   Some of us tend to come down hard on those who do not ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN  ANNE PACKARD    The South Georgia Conference archives is housed at the Moore Methodist Museum and is responsible for collecting, preserving, and making accessible the historical records and artifacts of the Methodist movement in this area. After 157 years of ministry, there are many wonderful collections in the archives from local churches, conference ministries, and Methodist leaders but available storage space has become quite scarce.    Joel Willis, the CEO and ...

By Denise Rooks This past Christmas and many Christmases previously, Christians all around the world have celebrated the birth of Christ. This isn’t practiced because the Bible teaches us to celebrate Christmas, but because we want to take the time to celebrate and be thankful for the gift of Christ that God gave us. Christmas, like many celebrations, is an opportunity to share our faith and help others to understand it. When the Covid pandemic occurred, we had to change the way we celebrated ...

by Hal Brady   One of the greatest needs of our time and all time is “kindness.” Imagine how different everything would be if kindness prevailed. I started thinking about this when I saw a meaningful definition and explanation of kindness. Initially, though, I was reminded of this when I remembered three signs I saw on a trip to Lake Junaluska, North Carolina a few years back.   The first sign was on a painted plate where we (family) were staying. It read, “Be Kind or Leave.” Nothing confusing ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON   If you asked John Wesley’s advice in handling your money, one of the first things he would advise you would be to make a will. He told one friend, “Go make a will. Do it now, before you go to bed.  With no will your goods will be scattered.”   Do you have a will?   The Rev. Dave Hanson is a retired pastor and John Wesley scholar.  

By Shannon Baxter   John Jones went on his first mission experience this past summer. He loved it so much he wondered what it would be like to do this for longer than a week or two. He didn’t feel called to do this full-time but did feel like he could give a couple months to serving others. He started asking around, but no one knew how to go about doing that. He just knew there had to be a way.  If it did exist, it’s got to be the best kept secret out there! He was ready to graduate from a trip ...

By Hal Brady Whenever I do pre-marital counseling, I usually include the following: role expectation, a good theology of marriage, what the psychologists say about the experience, the importance of communication, the necessity of commitment, and how to deal with conflict or disagreements.  Unless one of the marriage partners is a non-thinking robot every marriage has disagreements. The only question is how we handle those disagreements. Whether it’s in marriage, business, sports, politics, ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN  ANNE PACKARD    As the South Georgia Conference begins 2023, Bishop Graves is focusing our energies to be prayerful people, and the Ministry of Memory will honor this mighty request for the New Year by showcasing how prayer has supported the Methodist movement for hundreds of years.    Prayer…what’s old is new again!   To begin a year of prayer, we must begin at the beginning and move forward in a methodical way if Susanna Wesley is to support our work. Therefore, we ...

By Rev. Abra Lattany-Reed   When God looks at us, I think He looks for a reflection of Himself in our character, choices, as well as our overall lifestyle. But what do we look for when we interact with people? Too often we focus on what's wrong with someone more than we spotlight what they do right. When a person is good, it means that he or she is morally excellent or a person of integrity, kind, friendly, refined, cheerful, and righteous.   This world we live in has a tendency to be very ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON   Samuel and Susanna Wesley named their fifth surviving child “Mehetabel” but everybody called her “Hetty.” She was born in 1697 and was six years older than John Wesley. She probably took care of him and changed his diapers.   If it was said that all the Wesley girls were beautiful, Hetty was gorgeous! Hetty was exceptional in every way. She was so smart that Samuel gave her special instructions in Latin, Greek, and the classics. Because she had such beautiful ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN  ANNE PACKARD  On May 17, 1954, the United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously in Brown versus Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools violated the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits the states from denying equal protection of the laws to any person within their jurisdictions. The decision declared that separate educational facilities for white and African American students were inherently unequal. This ruling overturned the...

How do you feel about books? Some people love them, others would rather watch the movie.  No matter how you feel about reading, the evidence is clear: reading stimulates your thinking, provides stress reduction, improves your memory, strengthens your problem-solving skills, improves focus and concentration along with so much more!    Here are some quotes from book-lovers throughout the years:  Once you learn to read, you will be forever free. – Frederick Douglass We read to know we are not ...

By Hal Brady    How do you spell success? How do I spell it? A retired business executive was once asked the secret of his success. He replied that it could be summed up in these words: “and then some.”     “I discovered at an early age,” he said, “that most of the difference between average people and top people could be explained in three words. The top people did what was expected of them – and then some. They were thoughtful of others – and then some. They met their obligations and ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON John Wesley would remind us that there are four purposes for preaching: to invite…to convince…to offer Christ…and to build up! These should be done in every sermon!  Some other suggestions: Never disappoint a congregation. By this he means “show up”! Begin and end on time!     Be sincere, weighty, and solemn! Suit your subject to your audience!   Do not ramble!    Choose as plain a text as you can!    Keep to your text!    Be sparing of ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries Have you ever heard someone in church ask the question, “Where are our young adults?” Many are in the world quietly, if not apprehensively, serving. This generation of young adults is one that grew up doing things. They did not learn to wait their turn to rise up for their chance. They took it.  One of the ways young adults in The United Methodist Church are serving is through a program called Global Mission Fellows. Young ...

By Alison Evans   If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.  ~ 1 John 3:17-18 (NIV)    As I reflect on 15 decades of healing and hope at The Methodist Home for Children and Youth, I am amazed by the many, many instances where you have loved our children with actions and in truth.      Over the years, your giving ...

By Hal Brady   All of us have felt defeated and dejected. More than once we’ve spread our wings only to have them clipped and disaster happen. Welcome to the human race! Nobody succeeds every time.    Most of us are aware that the great baseball player Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs. But how many of us are aware that he struck out 1,330 times? And most of us are familiar with the success of the biblical character Joshua. He took over from Moses and led the children of Israel successfully into the ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN  ANNE PACKARD  As the South Georgia Conference prepares for the birth of the Messiah, may we remember the wonder and magic of that night, calm our minds and open our hearts in preparation for the miracle.   Luke 2:1-20:  The Birth of Jesus 2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to ...

By Creede Hinshaw   It’s the season in the United Methodist Church when many pastors preach a stewardship sermon. United Methodists have traditionally raised the upcoming year’s budget by seeking pledges in a fall campaign. At least one sermon usually comes into prominent play.   That sermon was delivered last Sunday at the church I attend; it was very well-crafted and biblically solid, leaving the listener personally challenged as to whether he/she is laying a foundation for generosity. The ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries   While it did not directly affect us, Hurricane Ian did have an indirect effect on people in my church. Thankfully their loved ones in Ft. Myers are safe. We wondered what can we do to help those who lost everything? What did we do before? We gave – and can give - to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)!    Where do the funds go? Just a few examples: In 2006 Katrina caused extensive damage along the Gulf Coast. ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS By Dave Hanson   As a serious bridge player, I rejoiced to learn that John Wesley enjoyed playing cards while he was a student and teacher at Oxford University. Later he sought to guide Methodists into Christian holiness and urged them to follow courses which seemed to him like worthy self-denial. Wesley sought to make abstinence from all games a sign of righteousness, though he did except card-playing on the frankly affirmed reason that his mother played cards! It is ...

PATHWAY TO HIS PRESENCE B.J. FUNK   She never stood a chance.  Her dysfunctional home life claimed her soul at the crib, and by the time she was twelve, the lure of drugs added its own addictive claim. At fourteen, she entered a life of prostitution, following in the footsteps of her mother.     One weekend, doped and crazy, she and her boyfriend killed two people. Her weapon, a pickaxe, brought a conviction of murder. She was sentenced in l984 and put to death fourteen years later. She gained ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN  ANNE PACKARD    The following excerpts were written by Rev. Geo. G.N. MacDowell for the Wesleyan Christian Advocate dated September 3, 1881. Rev. MacDowell chronicled his journey while working with Rev. W.D. McGregor in the newly created Cobbtown Mission, which was formed in Emanuel, Tattnall, and Bulloch counties by the South Georgia Conference in 1879. This ministerial work reminds me that we are a people of true faith who went gratefully into the wilderness with ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries   The United Methodist Church continues to reach around the world. While we do not have any official churches in Japan, there is a presence. The Rev. Claudia Genung-Yamamoto is a missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church (GBGM) and serves as the lead pastor of Kobe Union Church in Kobe, Japan. Rev. Claudia has been a missionary for 27 years. She became a GBGM missionary associate in...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON   The Methodist Rule of Life   “Do you know our rule?  Will You keep it?” The Methodist Rule as defined in our Discipline is: “1- Do no harm… 2- Do good… 3- Observe our Ordinances (Worship, Bible Study, Prayer, Fasting, and Holy Communion.” Every Methodist pastor at their ordination answered this question. Every Methodist should also answer this question.   John Wesley believed this rule was the very foundation of the world’s religion. He encouraged us all to ...

By Hal Brady   A well-known minister in one of our largest United Methodist Churches said that when he was in seminary over 15 or so years ago the watchword was “Change the world.”    “Today,” he said, “the question is ‘What do we do when the world changes?’”    Yes, time does change things, sometimes dramatically. Professions change, styles change, expectations change, communication systems change, how we relate to people changes, education changes, and on and on it goes.   But some things have...

By Hal Brady   If anybody had a case not to be kind, it was the biblical character, Joseph. His brothers treated him like dirt and sold him into slavery. This action by his brothers resulted in practically everything going wrong in his life for the next 30 years. What happened next? He was falsely accused of commuting adultery and thrown in prison. But, later, as you recall, Joseph’s fortune reversed, and he became second in command over all of Egypt. Then came the day that Joseph’s father, ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN  ANNE PACKARD    In other parts of this wonderful country, the approaching season is called autumn. In South Georgia, the approaching season is called football, and in many of our coastal communities the approaching yearly cycle is known as hurricane season. Whatever else it may be called, it heralds the beginning of school, and in the Methodist movement the beginning of Sunday School. What’s old is new again.   According to the Sunday School Board’s report in the 1908 ...

By Dr. Hal Brady   Perhaps the single most famous speech given by a baseball player was given by New York Yankee first baseman, Lou Gehrig. Gehrig is remembered for playing in 2,130 consecutive games in 14 seasons with the New York Yankees. He compiled a lifetime batting average of .340 and batted in 150 runs or more in seven different seasons. In addition, he contracted a horrible disease – ALS – that forced his retirement in 1939 and shortly thereafter took his life. On this occasion, ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries   There have been Methodist missionaries in North America sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ before there was even a United States. After John Wesley returned to England, he sent numerous young adults to ride across the colonies to share the Gospel. It was not a role for the faint of heart. Until 1847, almost half of the young men died before the age of 30. Thank God for their willingness to share the message in spite of ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON   John Wesley Mellows   John Wesley was once criticized because he thought he was always right.  His reply was, “Of course I believe that I am right. If I didn’t think I was right I would change my opinion.” Many thought he was stubborn and autocratic.   Later in life he began to mellow. In 1765, at the age of 62, he wrote, “When I was young I was sure of everything. In a few years, having been mistaken a thousand times, I was not half as sure of most things as I ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN  ANNE PACKARD  The historical societies of the Southeastern Jurisdiction and The United Methodist Church met at the Moore Methodist Museum this summer to trace the footsteps of John and Charles Wesley while they ministered to the colonists in Georgia. Highlights of the week’s events included a stop at Peeper’s Island, a walking tour of historical Savannah, and time on the grounds of Christ Episcopal Church and Fort Frederica. While walking in these sacred places, the ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON “Nobody is perfect.” We have heard it all our lives and often said it ourselves to justify some mistake we have made. The Bible even affirms it when it says, “There is none righteous. No, not one, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” It also cautions us by saying, “He who says he is without sin is liar and the truth is not in them.” However, we are also urged to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect. John Wesley believed and taught ...

By Anne Bosarge, Director of Leadership Strategies and Local Church Resources I love icebreaker questions. They are such a great way to begin to get to know people you’ve never met or to get a feel for where people are when you’re leading a group. One of my favorite icebreakers is this simple question, “Would you like to undo, redo, or reset something in your life right now?” Here’s how I define those terms: Undo: One thing you would like to completely erase Redo: One thing you wish you could ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries Many of us remember Rev H. Eddie Fox. He served for 25 years as the executive director of the World Methodist Evangelism. He came from Sevierville, Tenn. near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. He told the world he was from Appalachia and never saw an ocean until the age of 21. Eddie traveled the world, sharing the Gospel wherever he went. One of the places was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in a country many of us did not ...

By Dr. Hal Brady Since my wife and I have recently tested positive for covid, I have been thinking more about health and healing than normal. I am pleased to report that both of us are steadily improving. However, my hat is off to the multitudes of others who have suffered or are suffering the same or similar plight. My best to all of you. At any rate, I am reminded of an incident in scripture where a man suffered with an infirmity for 38 long years. One day Jesus comes to him and asked a very...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD Only a few days after arriving in Savannah in 1736, John Wesley met Sophia Christiana Hopkey, the 18-year-old niece of Mrs. Thomas Causton. Wesley, being determined “to have no intimacy with any woman in America,” understood the temptation Sophia presented and worked diligently to only meet with her in public spaces or when other people were present. However, in early summer, he arranged to tutor Sophia and another young woman in the parsonage after early ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries Did you know there were Methodists behind the Iron Curtain? In what was once the Russian Empire under Czar Nicholas II, the church was quietly formed by Swedish immigrants. It was allowed to become a church in 1905 when the czar signed the Edict of Toleration that made it okay for churches other than the Russian Orthodox Church to operate in Russia. From 1905 to 1917, the Methodists built churches, clinics, schools and ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON John Wesley disaffiliates John Wesley was a part of the Fetter Lane Society in London. The group was made up of Peter Bohler and about 40 Moravian Christians. It was as a part of this group that John went to a prayer meeting on Aldersgate Street and had his “heart-warming” experience. The group was very important to him. However, the society became involved in a movement called “Quietism” which taught that we should wait quietly for the Lord to move in our ...

GROWING IN GRACE BEN GOSDEN The great separation has now begun. 2020 was supposed to be the pivotal year we finally settled the division over inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons in the life of our denomination. After almost 50 years of fighting, we were finally set to end the division and go our separate ways to serve the Lord as we felt God called us. And then a global pandemic caused General Conference to be postponed for four full years, making it five full years between gatherings. Nonetheless, ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year again. There is no snow. Instead, it is 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity and a 20 percent chance of afternoon showers. There are no gifts to buy or presents to wrap. Instead, we are loading up on boxes of ...

PATHWAY TO HIS PRESENCE B.J. FUNK My car broke down and I needed a loaner while it was being repaired. You’ve gotten a loaner before, right? How much gas did it have in it? I thought so. Almost on empty. Mine too. I think they learn that in car school. So, I went to the gas station right away and moved the line way above empty. After a few days, I learned that my car was in worse shape than I thought. I needed a new engine. That would take a while. Meanwhile, I had places to go. A sign ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries There are many worthy projects for mission in our world. We cannot do them all. The best way to decide which project to undertake or fund is to listen to the calling of God. God will reveal to us which mission works best for us. My wonderful role is to highlight the many projects we have in the world. Thus far I have talked of Afghanistan; Korea; Hawaii; Africa; North Katanga; Yemen; Washington, D.C.; North Carolina; ...

By Anne Bosarge, Director of Leadership Strategies and Local Church Resources Have you ever looked at someone’s life and been confused about why they keep making the same mistakes over and over again? Or maybe, if you’re like me, you realize that person is you! Why do we get stuck in a cycle of doing the same failing things over and over again? Why do we keep repeating our missteps and failures? One of the main reasons is we aren’t taking the time to reflect on our experiences. See if you can ...

By Dr. Hal Brady There’s a story of a student at Iowa State University who took to selling magazine subscriptions for additional income. He decided that a likely customer might be the president of the university. The student was greeted at the door by the president’s wife who was able to resist his sales pitch by saying that her husband already received more magazines than he could read. Before turning to leave, the student assured her that he understood. It was then that the president’s wife ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD The Methodist Church has laid upon my shoulders many responsibilities, but it has also given to me a great many honors. Perhaps no man ever stood seeking admission at the bar of an Annual Conference with so little to offer as credentials of his worthiness for the work of the Ministry. But in great kindness, the South Georgia Conference received me “on trial” in 1909. From that humble circuit to which I was sent in that year, I have traveled a worldwide ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON John Wesley came to Georgia in 1736 with one over-arching goal in mind. He wanted to establish a religious community like the early church. He wanted some “Old Time Religion.” He thought the ideal place for this experiment in Old Time Religion would be the frontier of Georgia. To that end, Wesley announced on his first Sunday in Savannah that while he was the pastor things would be done the “Old Fashioned Way!” This included the way babies were to be baptized – ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries We often think of missions as something done overseas or in a distant part of our country. There are multiple missions that happen in places we think would be immune to the effects of poverty. If we lived in Washington, D.C., the seat of our government, we would find Christ House Medical Services Advance #381215. They provide comprehensive and compassionate care for people with acute medical needs who are experiencing ...

PATHWAY TO HIS PRESENCE B.J. FUNK I was around nine when one of our neighbors physically abused me. A couple of years older than me, she had already become a “bully.” I felt safe, however, when my sister was around. My older sister, my only sibling, always looked out for me. I had never been more grateful for her protective nature than when this neighbor tied me to a chair and left me inside her humid playhouse. I could not escape. Not only did she tie me in the chair, but she turned the chair...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD “We had another terrific day over that awful, overheated, windswept land of desolation. Through vast stretches, there are no landmarks by which the pilot can determine his course. He must depend absolutely on his compass. You fly for hours with nothing but sand beneath dust storms which sweep up and hide the sun.” “The Bishop Is In A Hurry!” published by Robert E. Daniel I have received an advanced copy of a new book compiled and edited by Robert E. Daniel ...

By Anne Bosarge, Director of Leadership Strategies and Local Church Resources Do you have decision fatigue? If you’re exhausted after making decisions, procrastinating, impulsive, or indecisive, it may be because you’re experiencing decision fatigue. Psychologists have discovered a correlation between the quality of decisions and the number of decisions that must be made in a short period of time. The more decisions you are required to make, the lower the quality of your decisions. Leaders ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries As part of my role as the Conference Secretary for Global Ministries I have the privilege of researching and highlighting missionaries who might otherwise go unnoticed. Gaston Nkulu Ntambo is based in Luena, Angola, where he serves as a pilot and mechanic with the Wings of the Morning Aviation ministry in the North Katanga Conference. The ministry provides transportation in hard-to-reach areas of Africa, especially in ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON John Wesley wrote “Notes on the New Testament” which, along with his “Forty Standard Sermons” and the Church of England’s “Articles of Religion,” form the theological foundation of the Methodist Church. Many urged him to also write “Notes on the Old Testament,” but he never did so. Why? Wesley gave three reasons for not writing this document:  Others have written on this topic in an adequate way.  If I undertook this major project it would take away massive ...

By Dr. Hal Brady So much has been and continues to be written about leadership. Author Harris W. Lee examined leadership over the past 50 years and learned there are at least 350 definitions of it. From his study of leadership, Lee concluded that “leadership is one of the most observed but least understood phenomena on earth.” To be sure, leadership is difficult to define. There is a certain elusive mysterious quality about it. There is no set formula. But while there is that mysterious quality...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD It’s 1975 and a young boy in third grade shows up to school in his favorite “Jaws” t-shirt. He was in a hurry and didn’t really have time to brush his hair or wash his face, even though he told his mother he had. He may even still have a little grape jelly in the corners of his mouth. You may be wondering how these small details could be remembered 47 years later. Well, I’ll tell you, as luck would have it, it was picture day at the elementary school and ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON John Wesley said, “I am a man of one book,” showing the importance he placed on the Bible. However, Wesley believed in reading many books. He encouraged his followers to read. But there were problems. Books were often too expensive and difficult to read. In an effort to makes books less expensive and simpler he published his “Christian Library” – 50 volumes! He took the writings of others and abridged them – something like “CliffsNotes” today. He made them ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries Many United Methodists have heard of UMCOR. The United Methodist Committee on Relief does great work in places most of us have never been and maybe have never heard of, either. They respond after natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and mudslides. They are working all over the world in places like Haiti and New Orleans, helping to feed and rebuild. What many may not know is that UMCOR also responds to ...

PATHWAY TO HIS PRESENCE B.J. FUNK Occasionally, I look at the beginning process of “America’s Got Talent.” The judges watch the talent and give a pass if the performance is really good. If the person gets that pass there is a big celebration. There’s shouting, dancing, and music as each contestant comes out from the room where he or she performed and tells their waiting parents and friends the good news. And what is that good news? Why, he or she has made the first pass and that person is ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD On January 15, 1891, Vanderbilt Benjamin Simmons was born to Frank and Cornelia Simmons as one of their 22 children. He married Sarah Smith in Brunswick, Georgia in 1914 and went on to father eight children. V.B. Simmons served as a successful lay leader until he was received on trial in the Savannah Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South on November 25, 1931. After being ordained a deacon in 1934, V.B. Simmons was ordained an elder in the newly ...

LEADERSHIP REALLY MATTERS ANNE BOSARGE REV. JAY HANSON Anyone who has been in ministry for much time at all has likely experienced their share of failure – or at least what felt like failure. Lately, I (Jay) have been feeling like a failure and I am finding real value in embracing those feelings. Stay with me for a moment. Feelings are not always accurately connected to facts. It is possible to have feelings that are not supported by facts at all, but that doesn’t negate the feelings. I can ...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries Did you know there were Methodists behind the Iron Curtain? In what was once the Russian Empire under Czar Nicholas II, the church was quietly formed by Swedish immigrants. It was allowed to become a formal church in 1905 when the czar signed the Edict of Toleration that made it okay for churches other than the Russian Orthodox Church to operate in Russia. From 1905 to 1917, the Methodists built churches, clinics, schools ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON We can learn a lot about a person by seeing how they treat their critics. John Wesley received a critical letter from an anonymous person who called himself “John Smith.” Although John Wesley had no idea who “John Smith” was, it is amazing how he handled his lengthy (eight page) response. Here is his introduction in his own words: “I was determined, from the time I received yours, to answer it as soon as I should have opportunity. But it was the longer delayed,...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD Monday, January 1, 1776, entry of Rev. Francis Asbury’s journal: I am now entering on a new year, and am of late constantly happy, feeling my heart much taken up with God and hope thus to live and thus to die. Francis Asbury sailed to America in 1771 at the ripe age of 22 years, unaware that he would never return to his birth country. He served as Wesley’s assistant during that first year, preaching in 25 different settlements. When the American Revolution...

By Dr. Hal Brady Stetson Bennett, IV is the College Football National Champion Georgia Bulldogs’ quarterback and a heartwarming lesson in determination. As you know, Stetson played football at Pierce County High School and was a lightly-regarded two-star quarterback upon graduation. In reality, he had a couple of small colleges interested in him, but, as a boy, Stetson dreamed of playing quarterback at the University of Georgia. So, at this point, Stetson chose the less-glamorous route of ...

GROWING IN GRACE BEN GOSDEN Our world is filled with anxiety. I don’t know if that’s a new thing, but it’s certainly been amplified over the years through vehicles like cable news and social media. And certainly, this anxiety has been ratcheted up during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As Methodists, we bring our own baggage because our General Conference — the one where we finally promised one another we’d solve our 50+ year division over LGBTQ inclusion in the church — has been postponed since...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON In the sermon “The Foundation of City Road Church,” John Wesley gave a brief history of Methodism’s beginnings. He says that in the year 1725 a young Oxford student (himself) was moved by reading two books (Kempis’s “Christian Pattern” and Bishop Taylor’s “Rules of Holy Living and Dying”). He sought to live in accordance of these teaching and sought others to walk along with him, but found no one. But in the year 1729 he found one other person who would join with...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries What is new to us is not really new. Long before we thought to send missionaries into the continent of Africa to share the Gospel message they sent messages and shared the Gospel with the world. Gifted writers, theologians and preachers took what they learned in Africa to the world. One of the most well-known theologians of the early church is St. Augustine of Hippo. Augustine was born in 354 in what is today Algeria, in ...

PATHWAY TO HIS PRESENCE B.J. FUNK Before my mother-in-law left for heaven, she was trapped in her limited body by a debilitating stroke. For four-and-a-half years, she lay motionless in the bed, unable to speak or communicate. Christmas came. Roy and I traveled from sunny South Georgia to the snow laden streets of Burlington, Michigan, our first time to see his mother after her stroke. Mr. Funk greeted us with a huge hug before we walked into the living room of the old farmhouse, the dark ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11) ...

LEADERSHIP REALLY MATTERS ANNE BOSARGE REV. JAY HANSON “What I want for Christmas is…” Forget the two front teeth; what most ministry leaders want are more volunteers!!! We ask, we beg, we plead, we cast vision, we explain, we smile, we laugh, we cry, we cajole, and… sometimes we resort to guilt. It never seems to be enough. We always need more.  Volunteers… they make our world go ‘round or come crashing down. What if you decided to stop the crazy cycle of begging and pleading? What if your...

By Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries Picking up where I left off in my last column, I ask, “Where is the church serving in the world?” How about Korea and Hawaii? If you ever find yourself in Hawaii on a Sunday you can worship in a United Methodist Church. Interestingly, the origins of the Methodist movement in Hawaii started in places like Ohio and Korea. The United Methodist Church and her predecessors have been at work in the mission field for more than 136 ...

By Dr. Hal Brady Have you ever been watching television and the announcer suddenly interrupts and says, “We interrupt this program to bring you an important announcement.” Sure, you have. We’ve all experienced this kind of interruption. Occasionally, the interruption will be good news such as the collapse of the Berlin Wall. But most of the time when we hear that interruption we have to white-knuckle the arms of our chairs. We know it means trouble, storms, disaster, pandemics, and more ...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD Barrett’s Chapel is the oldest surviving church building built by and for Methodists. It was built in 1780 on land donated by Philip Barrett, a successful politician and newly converted Methodist, and is located north of Frederica, in Kent County, Delaware. With the end of the American Revolution and peace at last in the newly formed country, John Wesley sent Thomas Coke to America in 1784 to find Francis Asbury and discuss the future of American Methodism. ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON John Wesley said, “There is one word you will never hear me say!” I was stunned when I read that statement in John Wesley’s writings. I was even more surprised when I discovered the word was “dearest.” He meant that he would never use the word “dearest” in connection with God. He was concerned that many were becoming too familiar when speaking of Almighty God. The word “dearest” was to be used in expressing warm, intimate feelings of affection, especially to a ...

By Rev. Garth Duke Barton, Conference Secretary for Global Ministries As your new South Georgia Annual Conference Secretary for Global Ministries, one of my tasks is to highlight the great mission work we are doing in the world. It will be my pleasure to share news of some of the people and the places we are working to make a difference for the kingdom of God. In this column I mention UMCOR, The United Methodist Committee on Relief. For more information about this agency, visit umcmission.org/u...

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN ANNE PACKARD In 1834, a survey was made between Savannah and Macon for the purpose of establishing a rail route between the two Georgia cities. In 1836, the Central Railroad was granted a charter and the building of the railroad, starting at Savannah, began at once. It took several years to build, and in 1843, the first passenger car arrived at the temporary depot set up outside of Macon. The original road was 190 miles long and, at the time it was completed, was the ...

LEADERSHIP REALLY MATTERS ANNE BOSARGE REV. JAY HANSON Many people from our Annual Conference participated in this year’s New Room Experience. Here are just a few examples of the impact in some of their lives. “The best conference I have attended in years - I fully plan to attend again!” – Rev. Roy White, St. Marys United Methodist Church “After this last season, every pastor deserves the chance to breathe and receive – to breathe in passionate worship and receive Spirit-filled teaching. New ...