To the beautiful people of South Georgia,

It is my prayer that you are experiencing the grace and peace of Jesus Christ.  

As many of you know, the District Superintendents and I are now immersed in a season of prayer around the placement of clergy for the upcoming conference year. Each District Superintendent made a concerted effort to meet with each clergy person and each local church Pastor Parish Relations Committee in recent months.  These listening sessions are so vital to our discernment process.  Additional conversations will emerge with many pastors and committees in the coming months as the process continues.  We are all seeking God’s guidance as we discern the gifts, graces and spiritual fruits of all clergy; and as we discern the particular needs, potentials and disciple-making context of all our congregations.  Our deepest desire is to discover the anointed place for each pastor and the anointed pastor for each congregation.

At this point I invite you to:

• Pray without ceasing for everyone involved in this process.  The Appointive Cabinet, the Pastor-Parish Relations Committees, the congregations, the clergy and their families all need our prayers.
• Patiently trust that God is at work in this process.  Admittedly, these are anxious days for many.  When we are anxious we are tempted to do something to accelerate the decision-making process so all will be able to answer the who, where, why, and when questions.  The making of pastoral appointments actually occurs on God’s timetable, in what the Church has called, “Kairos” time.  We will take our time to listen, consider, explore, seek, and yield to God’s leading.  Once we have something to share, we will seek to be as transparent as possible, as quickly as possible.

You are invited to monitor the conference website, www.sgaumc.org, for the periodic announcement of firmly projected appointments.  These appointments will be posted once the pastor and congregations involved have had opportunity for additional conversation and notification.

Matching congregations and clergy for optimum disciple-making capacity is at the center of all this spiritual work.  It is through these lay and clergy partnerships, which are forged in each congregation, that we join in God’s redemptive work.

Thanks for all your efforts aimed at “Growing a Christlike World.”  It is my deep joy to join you in this holy endeavor.

Your Bishop,

James R. King, Jr.

Bishop James King

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