From the Superintendent:

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1 Resident Bishop: Lawson Bryan Rev. David Thompson, District Superintendent February 2019 Newsletter From the Superintendent: POST-GENERAL CONFERENCE INFORMATIONAL MEETING WHO: WHEN: ALL South Georgia Conference United Methodists Saturday, March 9, 1pm-4pm WHERE: Tifton, GA UGA Campus Conference Center An informational meeting not a special session of the annual conference the gathering is open to everyone in the South Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church. All laity and clergy alike are invited. I encourage everyone to come, and I especially encourage every local church to send a delegation of persons to represent that church at the information session in Tifton, said Bishop Lawson Bryan. The information session is to share with laity and clergy the decisions made during the denomination s special called General Conference, which will be held in St. Louis Feb , South Georgia s delegation will be on hand during the information session and will share information about decisions made during the General Conference session. Bishop Bryan and other conference leaders will also be in attendance to discuss and explore implications for the South Georgia Annual Conference and outline next steps. Our goal is to provide clarity for laity and clergy and all of our churches so that we know what came out of General Conference and what the next steps are in our journey as we move together into God s future for our annual conference, Bishop Bryan said. This is an information session only, and no votes will be taken. Watch a special video from Bishop Bryan at this link: that includes both the invitation and a detailed explanation of this meeting and its importance for us in South Georgia. Contact Information: Coastal District of the UMC (Must use Business name when mailing) 110 Rushing Street, Richmond Hill, GA david@sgaumc.com (Rev. David Thompson) jane@sgaumc.com (Jane Seaman) Phone: / Fax: Website:

2 Lay Speaker Training Basic and Advanced Lay Speaking Courses March 15, 16 Pittman Park UMC March 29, 30 Richmond Hill UMC Lay Speaker A lay speaker is a professing member of a local church who is ready and desirous to serve the Church, and who is well informed on and committed to the Scriptures and the doctrine, heritage, organization, and life of The United Methodist Church. A lay speaker has completed the required training courses in lay speaking and has been approved by a district or annual conference committee on lay speaking. Lay speakers serve the local church by witnessing to the Christian faith through spoken communication, church and community leadership, and caregiving ministries. When certified, the lay speaker may conduct services of worship, preach, and lead study sessions as requested by the pastor or the district superintendent. Schedule of the Day Friday, 6:30 pm 9:00 pm Saturday, 9:00 am 4:00 pm Registration fee for the class is $25. This fee covers all materials and lunch on Saturday. (Note: Basic Lay Speaking class must be completed before taking Advanced Class) Registration: Camp Connect is hiring! It's that time again! Camp Connect is looking for AWESOME college students who love Jesus and want to serve others at camp this summer. Are you one, or do you know one? More information about the job and application process is here.

3 3 rd Annual Multicultural Luncheon South Georgia Conference The third annual Multicultural Luncheon will be held February 9, 2019, from noon until 2 p.m. at Cordele First United Methodist Church. The 2019 theme is Alive Together in Christ, the World. We ask for all to wear their Native Land attire as we celebrate our heritage. The luncheon will celebrate the gifts God has provided in the South Georgia Conference through its local churches as well as the service those gifts and talents provide for the churches and communities. The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Norma Colmenares, Global Ministries, and speakers from around the conference and the connection will present. We will have a special time of prayer over our General Conference Delegation members. There is a small cost of $6 for lunch. Register at For more information, contact Earnestine Campbell at earnestine@sgaumc.com. The 2019 Multicultural (MC) Luncheon is sponsored by The Office of Connectional Ministries and hosted by the 2019 MC Luncheon Design Team. United Methodist Men Annual Retreat & Golf Tournament Friday, April 26, 2019 to Saturday, April 27, 2019 Add to my calendar South Georgia Conference United Methodist Men Annual Retreat April 26-27, 2019 Epworth By The Sea St. Simons Island, GA Download the brochure Click here for housing registration Download a bulletin insert to use in your local church.

4 Connectional Ministries The 2019 Leadership Tour, which has two more stops, offers practical teaching and resources to inspire and help local church leaders lead with confidence. The third annual Multicultural Luncheon will be held Feb. 9 from noon until 2 p.m. at Cordele First UMC. The 2019 theme is Alive Together in Christ, the World. The 2019 Campus Crawl is set for Feb March 3. During the weekend of March 1-3, more than 500 confirmands will gather at Epworth By The Sea on St. Simons Island for South Georgia's annual Join the Journey Confirmation Retreat. The 2019 SBC21 Annual Celebration of Leadership and Development Conference will be held Saturday, March 16. #ServeSouthGA, set for March 23, is our Annual Conference's volunteer day, set aside for churches all over South Georgia to move outside the church building and put our faith in action as we serve those in need in our very own communities. Camp Connect Summer Camps strives to create a meaningful camp experience for campers by engaging in a week of fun, friendship, and close encounters with our Amazing God! 2019 camps run from June 10-July 19. KidzQuest, set for Sept , is South Georgia's annual children s fall retreat. Registration will open this summer. Encounter is a weekend retreat designed for 6th - 12th grade students where everyone will Encounter God, and each in a very unique way. The 2019 retreat is scheduled for November. Other Conference Events The Conference is offering four Lay Speaker Training opportunities this spring, one in January, one in February, and two in March. Join Bishops Sue Haupert-Johnson (North Georgia), Ken Carter (Florida), James Swanson (Mississippi) and Lawson Bryan (South Georgia) for Winter Conference 2019 at Epworth By The Sea on St. Simons Island, Jan Feb. 1. A Sexual Ethics Workshop will be held Feb. 21 at Pittman Park UMC in Statesboro. The 2019 Annual Conference Session will be held June 2-5 at The Columbus Georgia Convention & Trade Center. Wesleyan College to host scholarship competition Recognizing the high cost of attending college, Wesleyan College benefactors have created scholarship programs that provide full-tuition scholarships for selected students. Each year, faculty and staff select students for the Margaret A. Pitts and Mary Knox McNeil scholarships which are designed especially for United Methodist students and those committed to service; Lane scholarships for students who major in theatre, music, and art; Findlay scholarships for humanities or social sciences; Munroe scholarships for sciences or mathematics; and Corn Scholarships for students who live in Columbus, Ga. Additional merit scholarships will be awarded to incoming students, both first-year and transfer students. Competition for these prestigious scholarships will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2019, at Wesleyan College. In order to qualify, students must first apply to, and be accepted by, the college. Students who qualify for various scholarships will be contacted by a member of the admissions staff. For more information, visit

5 2019 Join the Journey Confirmation Retreat set for March 1-3 During the weekend of March 1-3, 2019, more than 500 confirmands will gather at Epworth By The Sea on St. Simons Island for the annual Join the Journey Confirmation Retreat of the South Georgia Conference. Tailored to fifth-grade students and above, confirmands will enjoy learning about their United Methodist heritage in a highenergy, exciting atmosphere. Online registration is now open for South Georgia Conference churches. Beginning Jan. 14, registration will be open to all churches both in and out of conference. The deadline to register is Feb. 11 or until the event reaches maximum capacity. Click here for more information about registration. Click here to register a group. For more information, contact Event Coordinator Suzanne Akins at the Office of Connectional Ministries at (888) or by at suzanne@sgaumc.com. Sexual Ethics Certification Due Adam Balduff (OTB) Shannon James Baxter, Jr. David Randall Cott Wesley Deverger Lynn Drake Rob Grotheer Dr. Thad Harvey Precious Hawkins Clay Loadman Thursday, February 21, 2019 Pittman Park UMC Statesboro, GA 10:00 am 4:00 pm Randy Nease Dan Pegram Karen Prevatt Mike Ricker Devon Goddard Smyth Drew Thompson Jay Tucker Chance S. Ward Tuesday, April 9, 2019 Vineville United Methodist Church Macon, GA 10:00 am 4:00 pm Call Kate Tyler at to register.

6 Clergy Cluster Meetings Schedule Cluster 1 Cluster 2 Cluster 3 Cluster 4 Cluster 5 Cluster 6 Cluster 7 Cluster 8 Feb. 13, Goshen UMC, 10am Feb. 5, 11am at RHUMC Feb. 12, 10am at ConneXion Feb. 21, at 1:30 pm, The Foundery Feb. 27, Noon at College Place Feb. 12, at 10 am, Kingsland UMC Feb. 27, Noon at College Place Feb. 14, 11:30am at TBA Are you a young adult (age 18-28) exploring a call to ordained ministry? Do you know of a young adult who is considering ministry as a vocation, but doesn t know where to start? The Young Clergy Academy offers a nine-month paid internship whereby participants are immersed in a vocational setting with intentional opportunities to deeply discern their call to clergy as a vocation with their specifically assigned mentor. Interns will serve in a variety of ministry areas within their assigned host church. Interns are expected to serve 25 hours per week for nine months and will receive $9,000 over a nine-month period.. Click here to learn more. Personal Spiritual Retreats at Lake Junaluska Marriage Enrichment Retreats at Lake Junaluska We are created for a lifetime of love and intimacy, but relationships can be hard, even for the happiest couples. Distance, frustration and disconnection can enter through any number of life's events. This retreat will help you better understand your partner and learn to cultivate a warmer, more joyful and loving relationship. Learn more at or call Cost: $669 per couple. Includes two nights lodging, five meals and sessions. Dates: - March 10-12, August 18-20, 2019 Part-time Children s Minister Trinity (Savannah) Needed: To oversee and lead our Trinity Kids department as we seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ and empower families as a whole grow in their faith in God. QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Have a personal and active relationship with Jesus Christ. 2. Care deeply about the faith formation of children. 3. Energetic, highly organized, creative, self-starter. 4. Teaching experience and/or a Bachelor s degree or certification in teaching or related area is a plus, but not required. 5. Knowledge of how to differentiate provided children s ministry curriculum to meet needs of all developmental ages and stages in our children s department. APPLY BY CLICKING HERE

7 RESOURCES New video series explores foundations of Methodist faith and traditions South Georgia congregations are invited to Come to the Table to explore the foundations of our Methodist faith and traditions in a six-part video series featuring South Georgia clergy and laity. Focusing on topics from works of mercy and piety to how we are alive together in the world, these videos will look at the simplicity of living out our faith as disciples of Jesus Christ. Gather a group from your church in a small group setting or use this for a Wednesday night Bible study. The videos vary from 10 to 30 minutes long and are accompanied by talking points for group conversation. Each video can stand alone or be used as a series. More information Safe Sanctuaries video available for use in local churches A new Safe Sanctuaries training video, produced by the Office of Connectional Ministries, is available here. This video explores the basics of Safe Sanctuaries and is presented by Allison Lindsey, Associate Director of Connectional Ministries. A handout of the PowerPoint with sections for notes may be downloaded here. Teaching about The UMC (UMCom) If someone were to ask one of your members What is a United Methodist, what would you want them to say? Or not say? We usually don t stop to think about it, but member conversations can have positive or negative effects. Discover ways to help enrich your congregation s knowledge about the denomination so they ll be ready to discuss their church and faith. Share the knowledge Training in 20 minutes?! (UMCom) If you and your team want to learn new skills to help your church grow but don t have a lot of time, microtraining courses are the perfect answer. These free 20-minute "burst of knowledge" experiences equip you with communication practices to apply right away! Explore the fast-track sessions for enhancing your ministry, ranging from effective videos to Facebook outreach. Learn more fast Need a Lay Speaker for a special service or Clergy Absence? You can now access the current Lay Speaker (updated every January) list for the Coastal District with contact information under Resources on Church Dashboard Assistance: Some of you may need help with your church dashboard if you are handling Discipleship Reporting, and some of the Charge Conference forms. You can find a manual on: Also, here is a link for a webinar/video from Connectional Ministries that explains your Church Dashboard step by step: Discipleship forms are due by the 5 th of the month for previous month reporting

8 NEW WEBINARS ON FINANCES, CLERGY TAXES, AND STEWARDSHIP Discipleship Resources announces three new webinars to help you start your new year strong! Stewardship & Finance: Getting it Right at the Starting Line Thursday, January 10, 2019, 7:30PM EST We start each new year with this webinar focused on the new member of the stewardship team, finance committee, or church council those who are looking to get started strong right from the first week! Bathe your work in prayer. Remember, you are not alone; there are places to find help! Register: The Church Audit: You Can Do This! Thursday, February 7, 2019, 7:30PM EST Every congregation needs to do a church audit, but it doesn t have to be a big expense or an insurmountable obstacle. There is a great Local Church Audit Guide, available free for United Methodist churches that will take you through it step by step. Going through the process builds confidence among you financial leaders and projects transparency to your donors. Join us as we explore the tools that can make this process easier than you thought. Register: Clergy Taxes: Keep All You Can! Monday, February 11, 2019, 11:00AM EST Clergy face some unique challenges when it comes to things like social security payments, estimated tax payments, housing allowances or exclusions, and reimbursed expenses. Your corner tax preparer may not understand the unique situation of clergy and finding one who does can save you substantially in money and aggravation. Join us as the Rev. Don Joiner, a certified financial planner, helps us navigate the preparation of taxes and planning for a sound financial future. Register: These webinars are all put on by Discipleship Resources, and our office does not know much more than what we have listed here. If you have questions, you can check out the attached brochure (maybe you need to print it or it to share around your church). For other information, go to the Discipleship Resources website, or contact Ken Sloane. Files: 2019discresourceswebinarflyer pdf

9 The 4th Annual St. Simons Island Storytelling Festival February 16-18, 2019 Bill Lep Regi Carpenter Donald Davis Michael Andy Offutt Irwin Reno Harrell Epworth Housing Registration Form Commuter Registration Form Agenda Confirmation Retreat - Join the Journey March 1-3, 2019 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 as Holy Clubs throughout the weekend. Not meant to be the only confirmation youth go through, the Confirmation Retreat should be complementary to what a church is or will be doing. More Information Spiritual Enrichment Experience March 8-10, 2019 Online Registration Ministers' Spouses' Retreat March 15-17, 2019 Online Registration Spiritual Growth Retreat March 22-24, 2019 Online Registration Living Out Loud! Celebrating Bold Christian Women 150 Years of United Methodist Women Retreat Leaders: Rev. Aimee Baxter, Rev. Devon Goddard Smyth, Rev. Stacy Harwell-Dye and Rev. Kathy Israel McLeod Teen Women's Retreat Leader: Ivy Kratzer Details for all events can be found at or call

10 SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE! A young person between the ages of will have the opportunity to win a $ scholarship towards College within the South Georgia UMC Conference. Deadline to apply is April 30, 2019 and each winner will be notified during the month of prior to each Annual Conference. 2 Ways to apply and Eligibility information here UMCFCU2019COLLEGESCHOLARSHIP February 2019 Birthdays: Precious Hawkins (P) 5 Karen Prevatt (P) 5 Meg Procopio (P) 6 Steve Patton (P) 7 Beverly Clark (RS) 7 Bill Reincheld (P) 10 Hank Perry (P) 17 Gale Haney (S) 18 Ellen Hutchens (WS) 19 Don Proctor (RP) 19 Eddie Conaway (P) 21 Geraldine Roberts (RS) 24 Marcelle Myers (RP) 24 R. Grant Abernathy (P) 26 Stacey Harwel-Dye (P) 26 Rebecca Ramsey (P) 27 Ed Cadle (RP) 27 Josh Duckworth (P) 28 Anniversaries: Darrell & Stella Carter 3 Larry & Janice Stricklin 14 Roy & Kimberly White 20 Prayer Concerns: Rev. Wayne Racz (Epworth By The Sea - Coastal District) had major knee surgery recently due to an accident. He is recovering and undergoing extensive physical therapy. Pray for Patricia Ratcliffe & family at the death of Rev. Eddie Ratcliffe (R) in January, Continue to pray for Rev. Matt Hearn s battle with cancer and all those in our District who are struggling with cancer. Pray for the upcoming General Conference in St. Louis, MO this Feb Leadership Team applications now available Applications are now being accepted for the 2019 Camp Connect Summer Leadership Team at Epworth By The Sea. Applications are open to college students who have completed at least one year of college. The Leadership Team will commit to nine weeks of camping ministry which will include serving at high school, middle school, and elementary camps. These Camp Counselors will minister to hundreds of youth and children throughout the summer while making Christian friendships with other staff members that last a lifetime. For more information, click here or contact Suzanne Akins, Camp Director, at (912) ext. 107, or by at suzanne@sgaumc.com.