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Plans are coming together for the 2018 South Georgia Annual Conference session, set for June 3 through June 5 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on Jekyll Island. Gathering under the theme of “Alive Together in Worship,” the annual conference session will celebrate the ways South Georgia churches have made efforts and gains over the past year in worship vitality. Towards the end of the conference session, Bishop Bryan will introduce next year’s emphasis.  The annual conference will also be...

The Carl and Ruth Looney Scholarship was established by Bishop Richard C. Looney,  who was elected the first bishop of the South Georgia Annual Conference in 1988 and where he served for 12 years.  After retirement, he served as President of The Foundation for Evangelism and as the Episcopal Director of the Foundation. He continues to serve as Episcopal Director Emeritus for the Foundation since his retirement.  The scholarship funds, up to $1000 per application, are available to South Georgia ...

In the Heart of the Connection Rev. Dr. Matt Woodbery, Director of Connectional Ministries   “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!’ “When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with haste and ...

Watch Bishop Bryan and Rev. Jorge Acevedo discuss what it means to be a missional church in a time of uncertainty in our denomination. Various clergy groups and lay leaders met with Bishop Lawson Bryan and Rev. Jorge Acevedo December 5 and Dec. 6 at Epworth By The Sea on St. Simons Island to talk about the work of the Commission on a Way Forward and what the journey ahead looks like for The United Methodist Church.  Rev. Acevedo, pastor of Grace Church in the Florida Conference and a member of...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Hilton United Methodist Church, just three miles from the Alabama border, is a rural country church deep in Early County. A small congregation organized in the 1860s, the church regularly has eight people worshiping on Sunday mornings. Earlier this year, the congregation discussed ways to reach out into the community and serve their neighbors. They decided to do what United Methodists do so well - host a covered dish meal and feed others. What started as a small ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON On Christmas Day, 1738, just a few months after his Aldersgate Experience when he felt his heart strangely warmed and he trusted Christ and Christ alone for his salvation, John Wesley sat down to write his rules for groups who want to grow in grace together. These rules were designed to help groups who wanted to help members become more Christ-like. It was important that all members covenant together to keep these conversation in strictest confidence. Meet each...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Jeanie Hoffman is an avid crocheter and has kept busy in her 12 years of retirement by making prayer shawls, hats, and blankets.  When a local thrift store generously donated her a large supply of yarn, Hoffman considered what to create. She knew of The Methodist Home for Children and Youth and the ministry it provides to children and families across South Georgia, and decided to make hats for the 140 children served by The Home. “Something told me The Children’s ...

PATHWAY TO HIS PRESENCE B.J. FUNK God came to earth wrapped in an ordinary package. His birthing room had a dirt floor, his crib contained remnants of dried animal feed, and instead of “Lullaby” being played over a hospital loud speaker at the birth of a child, there was a mixed chorus of animals braying loudly, possibly over the intrusion of this couple and their baby. Here is a simple illustration of how that happened. In that land called heaven, the Son, Jesus, stood up one day, gave the ...

By Kara Witherow Midway United Methodist Church is in the heart of Cordele, the self-proclaimed Watermelon Capital of the World. With deep agricultural roots, it makes sense that the church’s congregation, pastored by a former farmer, would begin a food and gleaning ministry in the acre-and-a-half field that sits next to the church. What they didn’t necessarily expect, however, was how the small church would blossom right alongside the crops. What started as a pumpkin patch several years ago...

The Secretary of the General Conference announced today the number of delegates assigned to each annual conference for the 2020 General Conference has been calculated, and certificates of election are on the way to bishops and annual conference secretaries. The computation involves applying a statistical formula contained in The Book of Discipline 2016, which is based on the number of clergy and professing lay members of each annual conference. Since the Book of Discipline caps the maximum ...

LEADERSHIP REALLY MATTERS ANNE BOSARGE REV. JAY HANSON We’ve entered cold and flu season. This is the time of year when germs seem to be lurking, powerful and invisible on every surface. Because of the nature of these sneaky germs, it’s nearly impossible to go through a cold and flu season without at least once coming down with a case of the sniffles. Have you ever thought about the fact that great leadership is caught more than taught? Just by being around a great leader others can “catch” ...

After being revised and “right-sized,” South Georgia’s new Conference Center is $492,000 from being fully funded. That’s a $700,000 savings from the original construction estimate. “Anytime you can save $700,000 and still fulfill a vision, it’s a good thing!” said Bishop Lawson Bryan. The cost savings are a result of a collaborative partnership with Wesleyan College, which recently built Pierce Chapel and the Corn Center, and their willingness to allow the Conference use of those conference ...

FROM THE BISHOP  R. LAWSON BRYAN “Prepare the way of the Lord” is the great rallying cry of the Advent season. The prophet Isaiah gives a vivid description of that preparation: hills and valleys made level, crooked places made straight, and rough places made smooth so that the glory of the Lord may be revealed and all people see it together! Preparing the way is also a good description of the work of laity and clergy in the local churches and communities of South Georgia - we seek to focus ...

Eighteen South Georgia United Methodist students have received scholarships totalling $26,550 from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM).  The students received the funds through the Rev. Dr. Karen Layman Gift of Hope Scholarship, the United Methodist General Scholarship, the Ethnic Scholarship, the E. Craig Brandenburg Scholarship, the Miriam Hoffman Scholarship, the HANA Scholarship, and the UM Allocation. Each scholarship recipient was awarded amounts ranging from $500 ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON Susanna Wesley’s Rules for Raising Godly Children: Eating between meals not allowed. Take medicine without complaining. Obey parents (break their self-will).  How will they ever obey God if they do not obey their parents? Teach them to pray as soon as they can speak. Require all to be still during Family Worship. Teach them to cry softly so as not to disturb others. Give them nothing that they cry for. To prevent lying, punish no fault which is first confessed ...

The 16th Annual South Georgia Conference Join the Journey Confirmation Retreat will be held March 2-4, 2018. Designed for students in the fifth grade and above, the “Join the Journey” Confirmation Retreat will provide churches of all sizes an opportunity to connect with others through worship, study, and fellowship. The event will also include large group gatherings around the church seasons and breakout sessions with topics of grace, United Methodist History and United Methodist lingo as well ...

Conference deacons write prayer and worship guide As The United Methodist Church grapples with issues related to human sexuality and the future of the denomination, United Methodists are being called to pray intentionally and fervently.  The denomination-wide “Praying Our Way Forward” initiative launched New Year’s Day 2017 with 75 weeks of focused prayer for The United Methodist Church. Each annual conference will take one week to pray for the mission of The United Methodist Church to make ...

Dear South Georgia Conference, Last Sunday I had the privilege of baptizing our first grandchild, John Philip Bryan, Jr. It was a thrilling experience. Sherrill and I are so grateful for our wonderful son and daughter-in-law, Philip and Brittany. They are good parents and I am happy this child will be raised in a home where the parents are actively involved in the Christian faith and in a local church.  Since it was the Sunday before Thanksgiving my sermon focused on the lectionary Old Testament...

FROM THE BISHOP R. LAWSON BRYAN Thanks to you I was able to make a special presentation during the Council of Bishops meeting two weeks ago at Lake Junaluska. I gave Bishop Hector Ortiz, our Methodist bishop in Puerto Rico, a check for $30,000 for disaster relief in Puerto Rico. The check was made out to the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico. My heart is full of gratitude to the churches of South Georgia for this—for giving not just the gift of money, but also the gift of hope.  The devastation ...

Carol Banks has followed in her mother’s footsteps in more ways than one. The newly elected United Methodist Women president is carrying on the legacy of service her mother instilled in her from a young age as Banks saw her mother, former United Methodist Women president Eugenia Yawn, attend Woman’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS) meetings and actively serve in missions and ministry. A strong influence in her daughter’s life and faith, Yawn served as the South Georgia United Methodist ...

Some time ago I ran across a statement that is worth pondering. It went like this: “The greatest blessing lacking in life is the willingness to see our blessings.” To my mind, this is something to mull over, not only because it is the thanksgiving season but because this is a true reality. Perhaps this is the point of Jesus traveling through Samaria, when a group of lepers call out to him for help. These lepers desperately desire to be healed. Rather than healing them immediately, however, ...

Bishop R. Lawson Bryan today announced the names of South Georgia clergy and laity who will serve on two task forces approved during the 2017 Annual Conference session: a task force on Coordinated Action on Behalf of Undocumented Neighbors and a task force on multiculturalism. The first, a task force on Coordinated Action on Behalf of Undocumented Neighbors, will look at developing a strategy to educate clergy and laity about the history of immigration and human and civil rights concerning ...

Like many South Georgia congregations, Bonaire United Methodist Church is fortunate to count among its members several law enforcement officers and federal agents. Vigilant and sensitive to their surroundings even during worship services, they keep an eye out for dangers most don’t notice. Still mindful of the need to gird up the Bonaire UMC campus and keep the congregation safe, senior pastor Dr. Scott Hagan attended a church security workshop last April and learned valuable tips that he and ...

In the Heart of the Connection Rev. Dr. Matt Woodbery, Director of Connectional Ministries   “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.” 1 John 4:18, NRSV And though this world, with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, We tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, For lo! his doom ...

South Georgia has seen its share of natural disasters during the past two years: devastating tornadoes and straight-line winds and Hurricanes Matthew and Irma. But even amid their own losses and damage, faithful and generous South Georgia United Methodists have dug deep, giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to others in need. In 2017 alone, more than $500,000 has been given by South Georgia United Methodist congregations and individuals to the conference’s Hurricane Harvey Relief fund and ...

The Board of Directors of the St. Marys United Methodist Church Foundation, Inc. has approved grants for the Fall 2017 Grant Cycle. Grants totaling $794,018 will be made to 14 organizations the week of December 4, 2017. The following is a brief description of each recipient and the purpose of the grant. Organizations serving Southeast Georgia: Skylark (formerly Care Net Pregnancy Center of Coastal Georgia) (www.helloskylark.com)  A $31,768 grant to Skylark to provide funding to upgrade medical...

It’s hard to believe the holidays are right around the corner. That means it’s time once again for UMC #GivingTuesday. On Nov. 28, United Methodists have the opportunity to extend the spirit of giving thanks into the Advent season through gifts to one of the more than 600 church-related Advance projects and more than 300 United Methodist missionaries. And to make a big day even BIGGER, Georgia Gives Day has joined forces with Giving Tuesday. Support South Georgia United Methodist ministries ...

The Council of Bishops (COB) met at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina last week to receive an interim report from the Commission on a Way Forward, elect new officers, and prepare for the 2019 Special Session of General Conference, among other things. From the president’s address to giving feedback on the interim report of the Commission, the bishops stressed the importance of the mission of God, the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the love of Jesus Christ in The United Methodist Church. Here are ...

South Georgia Conference Week of Prayer: January 14-21, 2018 umcprays.org The denomination-wide 'Praying Our Way Forward' initiative launched on New Year’s Day 2017 with 75 weeks of focused prayer for The United Methodist Church. Each annual conference will take one week to have intentional prayer for the mission of The United Methodist Church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and for the work of the Commission on a Way Forward. The effort began in the North ...

Showing the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s (UMCOR’s) support for its partner, the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico (MCPR), members of the UMCOR U.S. Disaster Response (USDR) Advance Response Team (ART) traveled to Puerto Rico this week to meet with leaders and help them chart a path for recovery.  UMCOR’s ART members are Ted Warnock, Luis Morales, Tom Vencuss, and Wade McGuinn, a construction/architect specialist. They are working alongside the MCPR Early Response Team (ERT) volunteer ...

After the terrible tragedy in Texas last week, many of our churches are considering how they can best prepare for an emergency in their community or congregation and how United Methodists can take a stand against gun violence. Below are some of the resources available to clergy, trustees committees, church leaders, and others on this topic.  United Methodist Resources Embracing Love: A Prayer for Texas (UMCOM) http://www.umcom.org/topics/embracing-love-responding-to-violence  Keeping Churches...

November 9, 2017 A note from Bishop R. Lawson Bryan: As we near the conclusion of this week's Council of Bishops’ meeting, I am deeply grateful for the work we have already been doing in South Georgia to equip ourselves for crucial conversations around the recommendations for a Way Forward that will be coming to us in the months ahead. One of the things we will be offering to the churches of South Georgia is a process for meaningful engagement with whatever recommendations come to us. I want ...

Watch Video Puerto Rico is rising up from the devastation of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, but the U.S. territory continues to need The United Methodist Church’s help. Thanks to your generosity, Bishop Bryan presented Bishop Hector Ortiz, bishop of the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico, with a check for $30,000 during the Council of Bishops meeting this week at Lake Junaluska. “The spirit of our people is not destroyed,” Bishop Ortiz told the Council of Bishops. “The people of Puerto Rico are ...

(Lake Junaluska, NC) - Florida Area Bishop Kenneth H. Carter today was officially elected as the next president of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church. Bishop Carter will take over from Dakotas-Minnesota Area Bishop Bruce R. Ough effective at the end of the May 2018 meeting. The United Methodist bishops also elected: •        Louisiana Area Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey as the president-designate. She is currently serving as secretary of the Council. •        North ...

How can I experience anything other than shock, anger, and grief upon learning of the mass shooting at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas? As I am representing the churches of the South Georgia Conference in a meeting of the Council of Bishops at Lake Junaluska, N.C. this week, I am constantly reminded of how much I love the local church. That is why I am so deeply saddened for such a tragedy at a local church. You and I know that local churches are the heart and soul of our ...

Prayer, worship, learning, and reflection are the hallmarks of the five-day Academy for Spiritual Formation, a retreat experience for clergy and laity that is scheduled April 29 through May 4, 2018, at Epworth By The Sea on St. Simons Island. A time for intentional spiritual growth in a disciplined community of prayer, study, worship, and fellowship, the Academy for Spiritual Growth, a program of Upper Room Ministries, provides an opportunity for clergy and laity to deepen their relationship ...

GROWING IN GRACE BEN GOSDEN In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson explore a new territory America had just purchased from the French (known as the Louisiana Purchase) to find a trade route via the Pacific Ocean. At this point, no one had dared to go west of the Mississippi, so Lewis and Clark set out with their expedition party, known as the Corps of Discovery, and canoes to paddle their way to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and Clark were ...

Marriage, family, faith, fun. Those who know Shannon and Rev. Jimmy McIlrath know they’re passionate about those four topics. And now they’re the basis of a lively and engaging weekly podcast – Figuring Our Four – where the McIlraths share four ideas about a specific topic. During a recent episode, Balance, they shared ways to find balance with time, money, faith, and fun. “Make fun a priority,” Shannon McIlrath said, whether it’s a day at the lake or a weekend getaway. “Put it on the ...

JOHN WESLEY MOMENTS DAVE HANSON Near the end of his life John Wesley said that 50 years earlier a good man gave him advice for which he had ever since had reason to bless God. The “good man” was the Archbishop of Canterbury. The advice was: “If you desire to be extremely useful, do not spend your time and strength in contesting for or against things as are of a disputable nature, but in testifying against open and notorious vice, and promoting real spiritual holiness.” Wesley thought that was ...

Program funding opportunities The South Georgia Conference Peace with Justice grant fund provides seed money for the United Methodist local church, district, conference, and agency ministries that have a desire to work and support mercy and justice efforts. Peace with Justice grant opportunities are now being offered for groups that are interested in seeking peaceful solutions through Christian discipleship and living out the love and grace of God. What is its purpose? Assists United ...

Past United Methodist Women gathered at the annual meeting. Pictured, left to right, are Mary Exley, Sara Bankhead, Margaret Creech, Eugenia Yawn, Gloria Morgan, and Charlene Black. After plans for a 2016 annual meeting were thwarted by Hurricane Matthew, the South Georgia United Methodist Women gathered Saturday, Oct. 21 for their 45th annual meeting. “What a wonderful day God has made for us to gather,” South Georgia United Methodist Women president Mary Exley said to the women and handful ...

Today is All Saints Day, when Christians the world over remember and thank God for those faithful servants of Christ who have entered the Church Triumphant. In many local churches this Sunday is a time when those who died in the past year will be recognized and remembered with thanksgiving. In 2 Timothy the Apostle Paul writes to the young pastor, Timothy, whom Paul has appointed to serve the infant church in the pagan city of Ephesus. Paul is in prison and is struggling for a way to encourage ...

The Commission on a Way Forward, which is working to find unity for The United Methodist Church regarding human sexuality, began its sixth meeting on October 30, 2017, with a devotion that challenged the members to be as one in the body of Christ and to see each person as a reflection of God. The Rev. Dr. Tom Salsgiver, of the Susquehanna Annual Conference in the U.S., sharing on Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, told his fellow Commission members: “I must be the reflection of the one who created ...

Meeting at Camp Sumatanga in Gallant, Ala. for their fall meeting, the Commission on General Conference announced the America’s Center Convention Complex will be the venue for the 2019 special session of the General Conference, to be held February 23-26 in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. Sara Hotchkiss, General Conference business manager, reported that hospitality for the 2019 event will be provided by the two annual conferences in the surrounding Greater St. Louis area -- the Missouri Annual ...

The Commission on General Conference announced that the number of delegates for the 2020 General Conference will be roughly the same as the last. There were 864 delegates in 2016, compared to 988 in 2012.  According to the Constitution of The United Methodist Church, the General Conference may have between 600-1,000 delegates. A formula prescribed in the Book of Discipline (¶511.5) determines the number of delegates; however, if the result is above 1,000, then the formula is applied ...

Click on the link below to download the Sunday Advocate. Sunday, October 29 The Sunday Advocate is a weekly printable bulletin insert and supplement to the South Georgia Advocate online newspaper. Loaded with South Georgia Conference and UMC news, event information, tips and more, the Sunday Advocate is a printable PDF that can be printed and distributed through local church communication pieces. It will be published and available for download each Monday afternoon. The Sunday Advocate is ...

Journal includes conference business, directories, reports, appointments, and statistical tables The 2017 Journal of the South Georgia Annual Conference is now available for purchase. As has been our process in recent years, those wishing to purchase a Conference Journal will order their copy(ies) online directly from the printer. The cost of the Journal is $20 each plus tax and shipping. Click here to order your copy of the 2017 Journal of the South Georgia Annual Conference.*  The ...

At a recent meeting, the Annual Conference Program Committee decided to shorten the length of the 2018 Annual Conference session by one day. It is now set for June 3-5, 2018, at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on Jekyll Island. “After last year, some delegates expressed concern over the cost of hotel rooms and meals on the island,” said Dr. Jay Harris, Conference secretary. “We listened and have therefore modified our schedule so that delegates may choose to head home on Tuesday if they ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Colorful carousel horses, balloons, and men in masks are more often associated with Broadway stages instead of church chancels, but on Sunday, Oct. 8 worshipers at Asbury Memorial United Methodist Church were treated to a vibrant and powerful musical display during a special worship service. It’s become an October tradition for the Savannah church to incorporate well-known Broadway numbers into its services. Liturgy, scripture, and a sermon are woven among harmonies ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor It’s sometimes challenging for young adults with disabilities to find meaningful work and live independently after graduating high school, but a unique partnership between a Richmond Hill church and school is helping give students the life skills and confidence they need to tackle adult life. For the past two years, Richmond Hill United Methodist Church has partnered with Richmond Hill High School’s special education class to help students increase their capabilities ...