Holy Spirit Moving at 2016 Retreat!

VOLUME 69, NUMBER 1 SPRING 2016 Tel A Woman VOICE OF SOUTH GEORGIA UNITED METHODIST WOMEN Holy Spirit Moving at 2016 Retreat! Reverend Lewis annointing participants The Holy Spirit was moving with power and might at the 2016 Spiritual Growth Retreat at Epworth-By-The-Sea! The Reverend Sharma Lewis blessed all those attending with a dynamic, passionate, faith-filled message of God s love. She truly filled everyone s hearts and renewed their spirits while challenging all to do more as women of faith. Music leaders Annie Akins and Debbie McIlrath kept toes tapping and hands clapping as they filled hearts with song. The Morning Watch services were especially meaningful, also, with the Reverends Susan Beverly and Jean Watson leading these worship times. Participants at the retreat raved about the Interest Group leaders and even suggested scheduling more groups for next year! They also enjoyed the Silent Auction, the Book Room, the trolley, and the museum tour. Several people commented on the staff at Epworth being so friendly and helpful. Of course, having the beautiful, peaceful grounds of Epworth as a backdrop only enhanced the entire retreat experience. Of the 191 people registered for the retreat, at least eighteen were firsttimers. They were so Rev. Sharma Lewis amazed and uplifted Retreat Leader by the whole weekend! If you have never attended or even if this is your umpteenth time, please mark your calendar for the UMW Spiritual Growth Retreat on March 24-26, 2017! You will surely be blessed! Latino Group from Bainbridge UMC attends Spiritual Growth President s Message Be Open to God and His Plans During the course of a year in United Methodist Women many decisions have to be made. Sometimes they are large decisions that only I can make, sometimes they are little incidental things that take care of themselves eventually. Once in a while the issue is largely important and requires that the conference team must join together in discussion and decide on a solution. In 2 Samuel 7:11-16 King David tells God that he wants to do something great for Him. He wants to build a grand house for the ark. He wants to build a great temple. David did Mary Exley not get to build that great temple. That was a job God had planned for someone else. God would choose who would build it. One of my personal disciplines is that I meditate each morning, using scripture as a guide. With my heart and head I discuss with God the work I have been called to do for United Methodist Women. I pray for the conference team and the district leaders. I especially pray for the local units; after all, the local units are the backbone of our organization. If not for the hands and resources of local people, there would be no mission work in UMW, and the larger church would suffer for it. Some days I feel the heaviness of responsibility as I lead. I hear God s call for women to be the hands and feet of Jesus. In my poor strength and sometimes stumbling motivation, I fear I attempt to move too fast and get Continued on Page 2 92343_UMWSpring2016.indd 1

Continued from Page 1 ~ President s Message ahead of God s will. And as God often does, He pulls me back to reality and lets me know what I want to happen is untimely. Those things must wait for other hands, later decisions, another leader who will take my place in years to come. Soul searching is a good thing. In this my second term as president, I must do some soul searching. I must ask God to help me finish the course, to keep UMW STRONG so that we will be ready for the years left in this decade. When 2020 gets here, UMW will be a very different organization than we know today. I want to make the organization of six districts and the changes that were brought about because of the new configuration solid and the right thing to take us on into what God wants this organization to be. As long as there are hungry, suffering and needy people there will be a need for United Methodist Women. Nobody does it better or with more fervor. The very first part of our PURPOSE says that we are an organization that knows God. That says it all. God works through us and we must remember to allow him to use us according to His will, not ours. As he has done in the past, God will undergird the strength of the present leaders and will choose the leaders who will follow us. Indeed it is not our place to assume that our decisions are the right ones based on our human experiences. Rather we, all of us, must seek the presence of God in UMW, and gain spiritual knowledge through openness and expectation that God will lead us down paths of strength for the mission work that we have been called to do. Our organization will continue on in some form into the 21st century because of our intentional openness to God and the work He gives us to do. We expect that God has a will for us, and through prayer we can understand what it is. I encourage all to pray and allow God to lead us. Each day, with our coming in and our going out, we must be open to God and the plans He has for UMW. He needs young hearts. He needs old hearts. He needs us all. He needs us now. And, He needs those who will come after us. May the grace and love of our Redeemer be with you. Mary Exley Conference President South Georgia Conference Mission u July 14 17, 2016 Come and experience Life Giving Waters at the South Georgia Conference Cooperative Mission u at Epworth-By-The Sea July 14-17. We have an excellent line up of topics and leaders this year. There will be inspiring Bible study on the healing stories of Jesus, led by Rev. Teresa L. Edwards, associate pastor at Forest Hills UMC. Our world and our hearts are thirsty for healing of body, heart and soul. All adults will participate in this class. There is no text, but be sure to bring your Bible. Our three mission education courses this year are The Bible and Human Sexuality, Climate Justice: Call to Hope and Action and Latin America: People and Faith. Participants may enroll in one of these studies. The Bible and Human Sexuality will be led by Rev. Deborah Wight-Knight, the Conference Pastoral Counselor. We will explore the complexity of the biblical text and our varied understandings of it in light of human sexuality. The purpose of the study is to show us how to help one another make sense of the beauty and complexity of sexuality. Open your minds and hearts, and let s wrestle together. Climate Justice will deepen your understanding and awareness of climate change and its impact on God s creation. The study highlights justice, peace and integrity of creation as important dimensions of partnering in God s mission today. It offers participants biblical, Save the Date! South Georgia Conference United Methodist Women Annual Meeting Saturday, October 15, 2016 White Bluff UMC Savannah, GA theological and ethical insights as the basis of their advocacy on climate justice in churches and communities. Leaders for the study will be Beth Bond, curator of the website southeastgreen.com, and Demarius J. Walker, an intern with Georgia Interfaith Power and Light. They are both active advocates for all things green in the Atlanta area. Latin America will be ably led by Rev. Diane Shedd, newly retired, who has led numerous mission studies in our districts and conference. We are neighbors with and interconnected with the people of Latin America. This study will survey the history, culture and modern issues facing Latin America in order to help us understand the region and be more effective in mission with its people. The children s and youth studies will focus on creation care. Brooke and Aaron Avera will lead the youth, and activities will include not just classroom sessions, but bowling, swimming, mission outreach at Magnolia Manor and a trip to the turtle rescue center on Jekyll Island. Kara Turk will lead the children s study again this year and has many exciting activities planned. A nursery will be provided during adult class time. With such outstanding courses and leaders, there is no way you can miss it! See you at Epworth on July 14! Carol Banks, Dean South Georgia Conference Mission u Have You Bought A Book Yet? God Had a Plan Even for the Little Girl from Dexter by Charlene Elizabeth Rushton Black $20 at any UMW event or through the mail: $25 (includes postage) Dr. Charlene Black 720 Captola Rd. Sylvania, Ga. 30467 sylvaniacharlene@hotmail.com (for ordering book) (all proceeds from the sale of the book goes to missions in South Georgia Conference) 2 Tel A Woman - Spring 2016 92343_UMWSpring2016.indd 2

South Georgia Conference UMW supports stopping Human Trafficking in the world by displaying of umbrellas on Super Bowl Sunday Blakely UMC South Ga. Conference s Officers Springhill UMC Pembroke UMC Howard Chapel UMC Winona Park UMC Brunswick UMC Dawson UMC Tel A Woman - Spring 2016 92343_UMWSpring2016.indd 3 3

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Conference Executive Committee President...Mary Exley Secretary...Charlcie Jones Treasurer...Sandra Simpson Mission Coordinators Education and Interpretation...Lynn Harper Spiritual Growth...Nancy Wilkes Secretary of Program Resources...Agnes McKinney Communications Coordinator...Margaret Wheeler Nominations Committee Chairperson...Nell Calhoun District UMW Presidents Coastal...Shirley Irvine North Central...Paula Newman Northeast...Barbara Fisher Northwest...Karen Hartin South Central...Carol Banks Southwest...Ellen Jeter Meet Our Conference Treasurer Sandra Simpson Sandra has lived in Baxley, GA for forty-three years and attends Harper Chapel United Methodist Church. A long time member of the United Methodist Women, she has held several positions in the Local unit, currently serving as President. On the district level she had served on the Committee of Nominations and as the District Treasurer. At church, she is a Lay Servant, Worship Leader, Chair of the Staff/Pastor Parish Committee, Chair of Christian Education, serve on the finance Committee, and a Sunday School teacher. Sandra serves in her local community, as President of the Appling County Healthcare Auxiliary, Chair of Scholarship Committee of the Appling County Retired Educators, and serves on the Board of Directors of the Art Council. A graduate of Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Early childhood Education, Master of Education from Georgia Southwestern in Americus, Education Specialist Degree from Troy University, and a Leadership degree from Georgia Southern University. She taught second grade for twenty seven years at Appling County Primary, and Appling County Elementary School as a Gifted Resource Teacher for eight years. She enjoys reading, shopping, gardening, traveling and visiting her grandchildren. She was married to Harold, now deceased. She has two sons and five adorable grandchildren. After much prayer, she said yes to serving as Conference Treasurer. Sandra s prayer is that she can be successful serving the United Methodist Women of the South Georgia Conference. 2016 United Methodist Women Conference Calendar June 8-11 Annual Conference July 14-17 Mission U Epworth-by-the Sea September Districts Annual Meeting October 4 DLTE - Centerville UMC October 15 UMW Conference Annual Meeting - White Bluff UMC, Savannah, GA If you would like to subscribe, the cost is $2.00 per year. Please mail subscription to the Conference treasurer. Thank you! Tel A Woman Margaret Wheeler 988 Myers Drive Dublin, GA 31021 PRSRT STD The Tele-A-Woman is published three times a year for the enjoyment of the United Methodist Women of the South Georgia Conference. Submit information for consideration to: Margaret Wheeler, 988 Myers Drive, Dublin, GA 31021. Telephone (478) 275-1042. E-mail: mwheeler@nlamerica.com. The Tele-A-Woman can be accessed on our conference website at: www.sgumc.org/umw. Though we try to avoid duplication in our mailings, sometimes they occur. Should you receive more than one copy of a mailing of Tele-A-Woman, please pass the duplicate to a friend and let Margaret Wheeler know so we can correct our mailing list. Please send address corrections to the above address. 92343_UMWSpring2016.indd 8