OCTOBER IS: PASTORS APPRECIATION MONTH

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1 SOUTHWEST DISTRICT NEWSLETTER October Goff Circle, Cordele, GA Dr. Nita M. Crump District Superintendent Bishop James R. King, Jr Resident Bishop OCTOBER IS: PASTORS APPRECIATION MONTH Please take the time to give your pastor a special thank you for his devotion to God and to your church. Send a card, say thank you, or plan a small reception. Your pastor plays an important part in the structure, religious growth and provides guidance of his church in God s name.

2 BISHOP S DAY IN THE SW DISTRICT On Thursday, October 22, Bishop King will be in our District. The Clergy Coordinators will gather at noon for lunch in Camilla. From 2pm to 3pm, a reception will be held for clergy and laity to visit with the Bishop. At 7pm, there will be a district-wide worship service at Colquitt UMC. Please encourage as many people as possible to attend. This will be the last official visit for Bishop King as our Bishop. The Kolomoki Cluster will be hosting a reception after the worship service. Even if you are not in the Kolomoki Cluster and would like to help please contact Rev. Rebecca Duke-Barton at Colquitt UMC. OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS Oct 12 Oct 14 Oct 18 Oct 20 Oct 23 Oct 25 Oct 28 Oct 31 Ronnie Boyd- Recovery Jim Houseal- Tyson Memorial Rebecca Duke-Barton- Colquitt UMC Jean Watson- Morningside (Thomasville) Ruth Whittaker-spouse of Duane Whittaker Trinity (Albany) Andy Frazier- Meigs/Ochlocknee Wayne McDonald- Calvary/Bethel/Centennial Frank Danner- Boston/Oak Grove Martin Loyley- Ft. Gaines/New Lowell/Wesley Chapel Debbie Cone- Avalon Marilyn Lewis- spouse of Al Lewis- Norman Park OCTOBER CALENDAR Oct 4 Oct 12 Oct 13 Oct 15 Oct 18 Oct 22 Oct World Communion Sunday Columbus Day- God Bless America District Finance Committee Meeting- 6pm- Camilla UMC District Board of Missions Meeting- 7pm- Camilla UMC Laity Sunday Bishop s Day in the District SEJ Clergywoman s Consultations

3 Charge Conference Preparation Meetings For Pastors and District Superintendent Date Cluster Location Time October 5 Cornerstone Cluster Providence TBA October 12 Ochlocknee Cluster Morningside (Thomasville) TBA October 19 Sowega Flint Cluster Reynolds Chapel TBA November 2 Flint River Flock Cluster Hand Memorial TBA November 9 Kolomoki Cluster Westview TBA November 16 Albany Cluster Christ UMC TBA ** Meetings with pastors will be scheduled individually on the Monday before charge conference. You should have received an with your scheduled time to meet with Nita ** Charge Conference By Clusters Date Cluster Location Time October 4 WoCo Cluster Moultrie FUMC 3:00pm October 11 Cornerstone Cluster Quitman 3:00pm October 18 Ochlocknee Cluster Cairo FUMC 3:00pm October 25 Sowega Flint Cluster Bainbridge FUMC 3:00pm November 8 Flint River Cluster Camilla UMC 3:00pm November 15 Kolomoki Cluster Colquitt UMC 3:00pm November 22 Albany Cluster Avalon 3:00pm ************************************************************************************** O Lord My God, You Are Very Great

4 Preparation of Charge Conference Materials Please have all forms signed prior to the Monday that you meet with Nita. Please mark all the forms that need her signature so that you can through the packets quickly. Please do not put the forms for the office in a booklet. Please leave these forms loose and place in a file folder. Please prepare a booklet for your people to have at Charge Conference: 1) for the pastor; 2) for church records; and 3) for the Charge Conference Secretary. Please put the forms in the following order. Forms with an asterisk(*) require the approval of the Charge Conference. Pastor s Report Celebration of Congregational Ministries prepared by the Lay Leader Discipleship Plan- signed by the Pastor, the Chair of the Administrative Council, and the Lay Leader * Leadership List (Nomination Report) * Pastor s Compensation Form * Accountable Reimbursement Policy Resolution * Housing Allowance Resolution Finance Committee Report- can be budgeted for the next year or a year-to-date budget report for the current year Plan to move to 100% payment of apportionments (if did not do so last year) * Lay Speaker(s) Forms- Lay Speaker Training must be current * Candidates for Ministry to be approved Retired Clergy Report to Charge Conference Safe Sanctuaries Report Trustees Report Accessibility Report (Per Paragraph 2433)- this can be a copy of last year s report with a note that says there have been no changes Parsonage Report Higher Education Report SEXUAL ETHICS IN THE MINISTRY For Clergy Schedule January 21,2016- Thursday: Tifton FUMC- Tifton, GA 10:00am-4:00pm February 25, Thursday: Epworth By The Sea- Nalls Building- 10:00am- 4:00pm April 26, Tuesday: Vineville UMC- Macon, GA- 10:00am-4:00pm This workshop is REQUIRED EVERY THREE (3) YEARS for any person serving under appointment by the bishop (clergy, local pastors, extension ministers, appointed lay speakers). Cost: $35 collected at the door- lunch included Please make checks payable to the South Georgia Confernce To register, cpcassistant@sgaumc.com

5 Pastors Due for Sexual Ethics by Annual Conference 2016 Southwest District Kirk Beckham Susan Beverly Charlie Boyd Joey Cannon, Sr. Jeff Cook Garth Duke-Barton Tammy Fincannon Keith Goodlett John Harrington Nate Lehman Martin Loyley Gary Morris Carrie Myers Ken Myers Linda Osborne Lee Smith David Thompson Jean Watson Duane Whitaker We thank thee O Lord for the beauty of the earth and for the beauty of the sky!!!

6 Mission Trip To Nicaragua This is one of the homes in the community we served. It s a one room home with no running water, no indoor toilets, and no indoor kitchen. We take so many things for granted. We have homes with multiple rooms. We turn on a faucet and water comes out. We can choose whether to cook with gas or with electricity and our kitchens are have far more pieces of equipment than we truly need. We have bathrooms in our homes, usually more than one. Recently the District sponsored a mission trip to Nicaragua. Some in the group worked to dig a well. Others taught the ladies and children hygiene classes and shared Bible stories and faith stories. The small community where we worked had been praying for three years for a constant source of fresh, safe water. When we left, they had answered prayers and fresh water. The first water from the well. Thank you to all the churches who supported the trip financially, with your prayers, and with your comments as you saw the pictures on facebook. Thank you to Hugh and Stephanie Marchant, Beabea Hurt, Chris McKee, Paula Lewis, and Pam Peacock, who represented our district on the trip. Folks are drinking cool fresh water today because of your support. And they know that God answers prayers. The team with the folks from the community. I know that some folks question why we would go to Nicaragua when there are so many needs here. Yes, there are many needs here and we should be working to meet those needs every day that the sun rises. I encourage all the churches in the district to look outside the four walls of the building and find ways to serve the people who live right around the church. As we serve our neighbors, whether near or far, we re serving Christ. Thank you again to all those who gave time and money so that these precious neighbors can have clean water to drink. Nita

7 OUT OF EVERY DOLLAR GIVEN TO A SOUTH GEORGIA CONFERENCE UM CHURCH IN 2014 $ went to Conference Apportionments $ went to District Apportionments $ went to Conference/General Advance mission specials chosen by the church $ stayed in that local church $ 116,401,162 Total reported given to all SGA UMC s in 2014 $ 11,035,304 Total SGC Budget in 2014 $ 9,740,503 Total paid on SGC Apportionments in 2014 $ 1,373,359 Total paid on District Apportionments in 2014 $ 684,594 Total paid on General and Conference Advance Specials 2014 Out of every dollar spent on SGC apportionments in 2013 $ 0.43 was spent on some form of clergy support $ 0.46 was spent on monthly mission (some overhead) $ 0.11 was spent mainly on overhead and administration

8 Lay Servant Training Southwest District: Advanced Training: Oct. 3 rd, Thomasville FUMC- 10am-3pm North Central District: Basic /Advanced: Jan pm, Vineville UMC, Macon, GA- Jan 23-9am-4pm South Central District: Oct 10 th, Park Ave UMC, Valdosta, GA -9am-3pm Coastal District- Advanced Training- Oct 3 rd & Oct 24 th - College Park UMC, Brunswick, Ga- 9am-3pm Ashburn FUMC is looking for a Part Time Youth Director! This person will be working with a small group of youth from 6 th to 12 th grade. The Youth Director will be responsible for planning Sunday evening Methodist Youth Fellowship programs and activities. This includes off campus activities once a quarter and participation in local mission projects. The goal of the youth program is to provide opportunities for spiritual formation as they become fully engaged followers of Jesus Christ. The position requires hours per week with flexibility for special events within the church. This would include Youth Sunday, Confirmation and mission outreach. Salary is $12 per hour. For more information please send a letter and/or resume to: Ashburn First UMC P. O. Box 69 Ashburn, GA Southwest District Christmas Brunch for Pastors and Spouses December 12, 2015 at Thomasville FUMC 10am-12 noon Please mark your calendars and it s not too early to call the District Office to let Martha know who will be attending. This is for pastors and spouses only.