News

By Allison Lindsey, Advocate Contributor  When Katie Cawthon attended her first United Methodist Volunteer in Mission (UMVIM) Team Leader Training seven years ago, she had no idea the doors that God would open to serve alongside the people in Subirana, Honduras. But through the United Methodist Church connection, Cawthon, Missions Coordinator at Perry United Methodist Church, has seen a beautiful partnership launch, relationships built, and a deep love planted and nurtured for the people of ...

The South Georgia Conference will elect persons to fill vacancies in its delegation to the postponed 2020 General Conference (to be held in 2024) and the 2024 Jurisdictional Conference during this year’s Annual Conference Session in Tifton, Ga. on June 4-6, 2023. The General Conference is the global gathering of The United Methodist Church where mission and ministry priorities are established and The Book of Discipline is reviewed for possible revisions. The General Conference is the policy ...

By Brandon Robinson, Grice Connect newspaper    A group of local women from the Brooklet United Methodist church are in the business of pillowcase making. The group has been dubbed by local foster care organizations as “The Pillowcase Angels." The coalition of angels come together every third Friday of the month to stitch pillowcases for children in local foster care facilities. The angels begin their work in the Brooklet United Methodist Church Dining Room at 10am.   The angels launched their ...

The South Georgia Conference is centering itself around prayer in 2023. April’s prayer guide, written by South Georgia Certified Lay Ministers Anne Bosarge, Joeli Chance, Sara Fullerton, Gracie Martin, Whitney Weyeneth, Chris Moncus, and Ben Hasty is now available at www.sgaumc.org/year-of-prayer. This month’s prayer guide includes prayers for each day of holy week. A bulletin insert is also available for local churches to use.   District prayer days are also being planned. This year for Annual ...

Bishop David Graves announces the projected appointment of one new District Superintendent to the South Georgia Conference Cabinet, effective June 2023. The Rev. Dr. Scott Hagan, currently serving as senior pastor of Statesboro First United Methodist Church, will be appointed to serve as superintendent of both the Coastal and Northeast districts.  Dr. Hagan was ordained an Elder in The United Methodist Church in 2006. Born in Brunswick, Georgia to Dan and Miriam Hagan, he grew up in Statesboro...

Disaster Response - West Point, GA & Mississippi After an invitation from the North Georgia Conference Disaster Response Committee, early response teams from the Columbus area were some of the first on site in the West Point, Ga community following last week's tornadoes. Glenn Martin, Northwest district disaster response coordinator, led the team. We’re grateful for the quick response of our ERT teams! In addition, we stand ready to assist the communities in Mississippi devastated by the ...

Polly Powers Stramm, Savannah Morning News & Kelly Roberson, Director of Conference Ministries/Communications   With ballet, soccer, basketball and baseball practices in full swing, it’s difficult to imagine that a church would have more than 100 singers in its young people’s choir. But 133 is the number of people – ages three to 18 – who performed a special presentation Sunday, February 26 at historic Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church in downtown Savannah, Ga.   The young people make it...

By Julianna Leverette, Grice Connect newspaper Easily recognized, Pittman Park United Methodist Church is frequently involved with the Statesboro community by serving as volunteers at many events, such as local soup kitchens, and even hosting a few of their own, namely their Trunk or Treat. Recently, however, the church has been striving to serve its congregation and the local community in a whole new way: through prioritizing inclusivity and evaluating the accessibility and comfort of their ...

UMCOR Mustard Seed Migration Grants program accepting applications More United Methodist churches will have the opportunity to help immigrants, migrants and refugees living in their local communities thanks to an expanded Mustard Seed Migration Grants program from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). For 2023, the number of grants awarded will be increased from 50 to 100. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until October 1, 2023, and processed within four weeks of ...

Mulberry Street United Methodist Church located in Macon, Ga. announces the application process for its annual Heard Scholarship. The Heard Scholarship Fund provides scholarships for persons pursuing Methodist ministry, whether seminary or doctoral studies. Because of the generosity of generous donors and their families, Mulberry is able to bless others who are pursuing a "wise heart."  Learn more about each scholarship fund and for instructions to apply. The deadline for spring 2023 is April ...

By Allison Lindsey, Advocate contributor    In 2017, Rev. Leigh Ann Raynor retired after 36 years faithfully serving churches in the South Georgia Annual Conference. Enjoying retirement life between Thomasville, GA and Waynesville, NC, Raynor was content to take things one day at a time, preaching occasionally, caring for her pets, and traveling. Little did she know that God was not finished with her ministry and vow to The United Methodist Church.    This January, Raynor and other United ...

By Hollie Lewis, reporter from WSAV   Tens of millions of Christians from multiple denominations across the globe began observing Lent with the start of Ash Wednesday.   Each year, Ash Wednesday falls 46 days before Easter Sunday. Lent is a 40-day season (not counting Sundays) associated with repentance, fasting, reflection and ultimately celebration.   However, a local Garden City church is adding something new this year in observance.   “We wanted to open up Ash Wednesday to the neighborhood ...

Andrew College has named Dr. William “Rusty” Kennedy, currently the Vice President of Admissions and Athletics at Midway University, as its next president. The announcement comes after a national search that began after Dr. Linda R. Buchanan, who has served as president for the last eight years, announced her retirement in September. “We are really excited about Rusty Kennedy becoming our next president. He brings an array of skills, experience, and character attributes that will serve Andrew ...

Tents, heaters, blankets, warm clothes, ready-to-eat meals and first-aid kits soon will be headed to earthquake survivors in Turkey and northwest Syria through a grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The $10,000 solidarity grant will be handled by International Blue Crescent, a longstanding humanitarian partner of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. According to The Associated Press, the quake death toll soared above 7,200 and still was expected to rise. Donate Now   ...

The South Georgia Conference is centering itself around prayer in 2023. March’s prayer guide, written by Revs. Josh Gale, Jon Brown, Sara Pugh Montgomery, and Teresa Edwards, is now available at www.sgaumc.org/year-of-prayer. A bulletin insert is also available for local churches to use. In addition to the prayer guides, four book studies centered on prayer and hosted by Connectional Ministries, will expand our minds, challenge our hearts and encourage our prayer walks. Click here for a ...

The South Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church will be undergoing budget reductions to appropriately plan for financial implications as a result of local church disaffiliations. Based upon recent trends and detailed predictions, the annual conference is seeking to decrease its 2024 operating budget in order to maximize its sustainability and viability as an annual conference.    In the Fall, the South Georgia Conference’s Council on Finance and Administration (CFA) asked Bishop ...

By Kelly Roberson, Director of Conference Ministries/Communications   Volunteers from the South Georgia Annual Conference have a history of ministry in the 4 Corners area of the Navajo reservation. Rev. John Stephens, III, pastor serving Evelyn UMC and Pavo UMC, is now doing his part to ensure the ministry continues. For the last five years Stephens has traveled to the 4 Corners area with other volunteers from Cairo First UMC and Climax UMC as well as volunteers from other denominations as part...

College students wanting to learn about the audio-video world are encouraged to apply for a summer internship with GNTV, a United Methodist-related ministry. Applicants should have a background in audio production, sound reinforcement, video image magnification, video capture, video editing or presentation graphics. Summer interns should expect a significant amount of travel. Deadline to apply is March 13. Learn more and apply  

The United Methodist Federal Credit Union is offering four college scholarship - $1,000 each – to its four conferences: Florida, North Georgia, South Georgia and Alabama-West Florida. If you are or you know is a member of the credit age 17-35 who is attending or planning to attend college and attend church in in one of the four conferences, let them know about this college scholarship program.    Applicants will need to meet the following requirements: Be a credit union member in good standing:...

A Word from Bishop Graves Colleagues and friends,  Currently the Cabinet, pastors, staff-parish relations committees, and churches are working on the upcoming appointment year which runs July 2023 to June 2024. I have found that Cabinet transparency is vital in building trust. To inform you of our process, but most importantly to ask for your prayers, I want to share the following. The Cabinet, consisting of the six district superintendents, Dr. Jay Harris, and myself, will be working to make...

By Kirsten VanBeverhoudt, Grice Connect newspaper   If you want to know what genuine love looks like, meet David Keene. Keene is a man who believes in giving with his whole heart, and in most cases, no matter the ask, he always says “yes.”    Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Keene moved to Statesboro, Georgia, in 1983. The year after he moved to Statesboro, his oldest brother passed away, and when his parents became immobile, he and his wife, Mary, decided to remodel their house and ...

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) delegates some of its responsibility to central organizations to streamline the process for organizations to be recognized as tax-exempt organizations under the 501(c)(3) tax code. In order to help local churches with tax-exempt status, the General Council and Finance (GCFA) recently launched a new Group Ruling website. Although the functionality of the site remains, it now has more features and coordinates with GCFA’s Chronicles. You can now request to be on ...

When Bishop David Graves arrived in South Georgia he established three priorities for the South Georgia Conference: disrupting and dismantling racism, clergy mental health, and resourcing the local church for ministry. This year he is adding an additional priority: church planting and revitalization.  “God has opened up some new windows of opportunity to plant and revitalize churches,” said Bishop Graves. “With a renewed sense of commitment, I believe God is calling the South Georgia ...

In a focused effort, the South Georgia Conference is centering itself around prayer in 2023. Each month a prayer guide will be developed that contains a specific focus, including a weekly scripture, a breath prayer, and a prayer prompt.  February’s prayer guide, written by the Revs. Michael Culbreth, Michelle Dailey, Cedric Jackson, and Precious Hawkins, is now available at www.sgaumc.org/year-of-prayer. Bulletin inserts are also available for local churches to use. Throughout the year, four ...

By Kelly Roberson In one of the the oldest Methodist churches in Georgia, on Sunday, January 8, 2023, Bishop David Graves and his wife, Nancy, were officially welcomed to the South Georgia Conference as the conference celebrated and gave thanks for his assignment to South Georgia. Bishop Graves was assigned as interim episcopal leader in September 2021 following the retirement of Bishop Lawson Bryan. During the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference in November 2022 it was announced that ...

By Ashtyn Ray, Student, Valdosta State University   “Choose Hope. Take Action. Change Lives.” That’s the motto the Valdosta State University Wesley Foundation recently chose to embody through its partnership with Sole Hope, an organization that works in Ugandan villages.   Students from the VSU Wesley Foundation recently worked with Sole Hope to transform one of their worship services into a night of shoe-making. Altogether, they were able to make 50 pairs of shoes for the vulnerable populations...

By Tara Jones, South Georgia Conference UWF President   The gracious hostesses at Baxley First United Methodist Church in Baxley welcomed United Women in Faith members from across South Georgia October 15, 2022, for quite the celebration. After two years of virtual annual meetings, the women enjoyed a “family reunion” greeting sisters in person.    After beautiful opening music by Sandra Smith and an offering of prayer by Laurie Jo Upchurch, attendees were inspired by Dee Dee Salgado’s lovely ...

By Kelly Roberson, Director of Conference Ministries/Communications   Chris, Jesse, Nathan, and Brian got a big surprise for Christmas, but not one they put on their Christmas list.   Just two days after Christmas, the Macon house these four Wesley Glen residents call home - Vineville Home - found itself with major damage.   Following a cold snap in the middle Georgia area, the Vineville Home suffered a pipe break during the sub-freezing temperatures. To complicate matters, the pipe was part of ...

United Methodist News recently honored 40 notable church leaders and members who died over the past 12 months in an article, “2022: Noteworthy United Methodists remembered.” Among those remembered are Dr. Brad Brady, a clergy member of the South Georgia Annual Conference, and Mrs. Rose King, wife of Bishop James King, former episcopal leader in South Georgia. Read the full article here.  

By Raime Cohen, staff reporter for 13WMAZ in Macon, Ga.   Heritage United Methodist Church in Macon, Ga. celebrated their 11th annual Half Deep Dish Christmas on Sunday, December 25, 2022.   At least 40 different churches came together to make this event possible.   ‘Tis the season for unity.   "Love, fellowship, for the lonely lost and broken,” Director Ray Rover said.   "I know I could be doing other things but this is right where I want to be,” church member Diana Coady said.   Rover started ...

After the news stories subside it's easy to forget about the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Nicole this fall. But South Georgia United Methodists haven't forgotten and keep showing up. Glenn Martin, the Northwest District disaster relief coordinator led a team to Ft. Myers November 28-December 1 to help with the relief efforts. Team members were Glenn Martin and Bob Gilstrap from Wynnton UMC in Columbus; Mike Tovey from Midland UMC; and Larry Thompson from Gray UMC.    The ...

You have been living out the mission of the church this year! Take a look at some of our top stories of  South Georgia United Methodists in 2022!    Quilters make more than 150 stockings for children at The Methodist Home 'Tin can miracle': Perry church builds mobile medical clinic ‘Hands on Homerville’ brightens up a community Pastor steps out in faith and discovers the promise of Ephesians 3:20 Wesley Glen is in the business of spreading joy Cooks Union UMC offers meals to nourish and bring ...

 By Kara Witherow, Advocate contributor    This Christmas, 172 children will smile a little brighter because of a group of South Georgia quilters.   For 15 years, the Stars and Stripes Quilting Guild has made stockings for children and youth at The Methodist Home. Since 2007, the group of about 25 women has made and given away more than 2,000.   While all the women love to quilt and sew, the stockings are more than just a craft project or hobby. The colorful socks, crafted from festive fabric, ...

By Heather Hahn, United Methodist News Service Assistant Editor The United Methodist Church’s highest court ruled that new delegate elections “are not required” for the long-delayed and potentially pivotal General Conference, now set for 2024.  “The delegates duly elected to the 2020 General Conference for the 2020-2024 Quadrennium stand as submitted and certified by the annual conference secretaries,” the Judicial Council said in Decision 1451.  In practice, this means that the same ...

The Rev. Dr. Derek McAleer has been awarded the United Methodist Church’s highest evangelism honor, the Harry Denman Evangelism Award.  The Harry Denman Evangelism Award program honors United Methodists in each annual conference whose exceptional ministry of evangelism – expressed in Word (what), Sign (why), and Deed (how) – brings people into a life transforming relationship with Jesus Christ. Each year Annual Conferences and the Foundation for Evangelism recognize persons in each conference....

The South Georgia Conference Council on Finance & Administration is pleased to announce the new Director of Administration and Treasurer for the South Georgia Annual Conference. Mrs. Suzanne Jones will begin her service to the conference on January 1, 2023.  Jones is currently the Director of Administration and Treasurer for the Alabama-West Florida Conference. She will continue working for Alabama-West Florida while also giving financial leadership to the South Georgia Conference as part of a ...

Rev. Bobby Gale was asked to build 10 OBGYN clinics for them to send to Ghana. He says the clinics help the indigenous, marginalized, and disenfranchised.  By Jessica Cha, WMAZ, Macon It can be easy to take our everyday access to health care for granted.  However, Unto the Least of His, a ministry in Savannah, is working to expand healthcare access in places that need it most, like a number of African countries.  So far, the ministry has formed 10 mobile OBGYN clinics. They've been working on ...

By Kelly Roberson Prayer changes us. That’s what the Rev. Dr. Ted Goshorn, senior pastor of Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in Macon, Ga., writes about in his new book. Goshorn grew up in Rome, Ga. and never expected to become a pastor. Having first pursued a career in higher education, he found a calling for helping individuals grow in their faith and churches to transform their communities. As a result of that call, Goshorn joined the ministry as an ordained United Methodist elder ...

Bishop David Graves announces that the 2023 Annual Conference session will be held Sunday, June 4, 2023, through Tuesday, June 6, 2023. The conference theme will be: When They Prayed, based on Act 4:31. “While it seems so obvious that prayer is the center of our work, sometimes we need to make intentional efforts,” said Bishop Graves. “It is easy to get sidetracked by the business and agenda items of our meetings. We add more to our plates; we find ourselves in a cycle of busy-ness; and we stay...

By the staff of The Methodist Home as published in the Gateway magazine Founded in 1872, The Methodist Home provides care for children and families in need across South Georgia including a continuum of residential care (Children’s Homes), community foster homes, specialized treatment programs and counseling services to better serve our community. The Methodist Home is a faith-based organization working to better equip at-risk youth and families for the future. Their mission is to be a model ...

We are thankful to our South Georgia delegation who faithfully served during the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference Nov. 2-4 at Lake Junaluska, NC. Pictured: Top Row, L to R - Robert Beckum, David Thompson, Bill Hatcher, Chuck Cowart, Richard Shinhoster, Scott Tucker, & Steve Rumford; Bottom Row, L to R - Brenda Adams, Alaina Harrison, Doreen Smalls, & Scott Hagan. Rev. Robert Beckum served as the head of the delegation, and Rev. Don Adams and Mr. Bill Hatcher served as the South Georgia ...

Bishop David Graves has been assigned to the South Georgia Annual Conference and will serve as the Episcopal leader for the next two years. He will also continue giving oversight to the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference. This announcement came on the final day of the 2022 Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference held Nov. 2-4 at Lake Junaluska, NC.  Bishop Graves was elected bishop in July 2016 by the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference. He was assigned to the Alabama-West Florida ...

By Allison Lindsey, Advocate contributor   A drive through rural South Georgia where US Highways 441 and 84 intersect brings you to the heart of Homerville, Ga. in Clinch County. With a population of 2500, this town boasts of its hospitality, quality of living, and spirit of community expressed in their slogan, “There’s No Place Like Homerville.”    The residents take great pride in their town. This pride and the generosity of the people are now showcased through an event called “Hands on ...

The Bishop, Cabinet, Conference Staff, Conference Chancellor, and the Conference Trustees have worked together to develop a timeline around disaffiliations to help guide local churches. View the timeline here. In addition, Bishop Graves and conference leadership have put together a video as well as written FAQs based on questions received at the September gatherings across the conference with laity and clergy.  

Bishop David Graves, episcopal leader of the South Georgia Annual Conference, in accordance with ¶603.5 of the 2016 United Methodist Book of Discipline, calls for a special session of the annual conference on Sunday, May 21, 2023. The meeting will begin at 4 pm using the Zoom Webinar platform in conjunction with an online voting system. The sole purpose of the special called session of the Annual Conference* is to complete the process of ratifying the current requests for disaffiliation of ...

By Allison Lindsey, Advocate contributor   Early each morning you will find Nick Pumfrey live on social media sharing God’s word, offering a word of encouragement, and issuing a challenge for the day. Until recently, as soon as he stopped the live feed he would hop in his car for his morning commute to his full-time job at Gulfstream in Savannah, Georgia.   As a bi-vocational pastor, Pumfrey enjoyed a solid career path in which, professionally, he worked his entire life to fulfill and had ...

A Word from Cameron Bishop, CEO, Wesley Glen Ministries   I have had the privilege of traveling to various churches and community groups over the past month to share about “what’s happening” at Wesley Glen Ministries. Aside from meeting some incredible people during my travels, I have been amazed to learn just how many individuals have a personal connection to someone with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD). Although the stories vary in terms of the who, what, when, and where, one...

Churches, nonprofits, individuals, and families have an opportunity to elevate and advance the mission and ministry of the Methodist Church across Georgia through investments in the Georgia United Methodist Foundation’s Certificate Program. Loan demand is growing as churches renovate and expand existing facilities and as Methodist churches work with the Foundation to refinance with favorable terms. When you purchase 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year fixed-rate certificates, you earn higher returns than ...

Hurricane Ian, whose maximum sustained winds of 150 mph tied it as the fifth-strongest hurricane on record to strike the United States, made landfall in Florida on Sept. 28, 2022. Prior to the hurricane’s arrival, UMCOR and its local partners used a preemptive approach to storm response and recovery. Staff were in close contact with conference disaster response coordinators in states where an impact was expected and helped them plan their response.  As Ian struck Florida, the magnitude of the ...

On September 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast. Storm surges and Category 4 winds caused significant flooding and damage, devastating the southwest area of the state and beyond. Immediately, UMCOR sent supplies to Florida and initial solidarity grants were issued to both the Florida and South Carolina Annual Conferences to address immediate needs. UMCOR and its local partners have been hard at work preparing the storm response and recovery. How to Help Give ...

By Taylor Cooper, The Brunswick News   Two new ministries of Wesley United Methodist Church on St. Simons Island aim to help different people with different issues.   Wesley Arbor gives people with dementia a chance to have some fun while giving their caretakers a break, with the Norma Lucas Academy of Fine Arts at Wesley offering a chance for people with special learning needs and tuition assistance to learn to play a wide array of instruments.   Beth King, the director of Wesley Arbor, started...

By Kara Witherow, Advocate Contributor   Food sustains, nourishes, gives life.    It can also connect, bring hope, and convey love.    Since last September, that’s what Cooks Union United Methodist Church, through its Meals of Love ministry, has delivered to about 20 people each week.    Every Wednesday, Rev. Jean Watson, pastor of Cooks Union UMC in Colquitt, Ga., and church member Kaye B. Cook dedicate their entire day to cooking, baking, packing, and delivering meals. Both women enjoy cooking...

By Kelly Roberson, Director of Conference Ministries/Communications  When disaster strikes, United Methodists have a long legacy of being present to help their neighbors and communities from day one until the very last nail is put in place. At the core of this legacy is the connectional nature of The United Methodist Church.   In December 2021, after a massive high-end EF4 tornado tore directly through the center of Mayfield, Kentucky, members of Mayfield First United Methodist Church reached ...

By Kelly Roberson, Director of Conference Ministries/Communications  Overseeing the finances of an entire United Methodist Annual Conference is a high calling.   The Rev. Dr. Derek McAleer has faithfully lived out this calling as the Director of Administrative Services/Treasurer for the South Georgia Conference, where the amount of information and responsibility is constantly growing and the load of financial, legal, and administrative decision making is a large task.    This week, after 8 ...

LaGrange College welcomed its largest freshman class since 2019, the school announced earlier this month. Final numbers show 226 new first-year students enrolled on campus, an increase of 94 from last year’s freshman class and 48 from the 2020 cohort.   “This influx of new students is a promising sign that we are beginning to return to pre-pandemic numbers after two COVID-19 influenced years,” said college President Susanna L. Baxter. “Our Admissions team and coaches have worked tirelessly to ...

By Dr. Derek McAleer, Conference Director of Administrative Services/Conference Treasurer   One of the questions I heard as a pastor and often get in my role as Conference Treasurer is: “Where does the money I give to my local church go?”   People are interested in how much stays in the local church and how much goes beyond the local church.  People also want to know what the funds sent beyond the local church go towards.  If you gave a dollar to your local United Methodist Church in South ...

By Allison Lindsey, Advocate Contributor   When Rev. Isaac and Mrs. Paty Salgado boarded the plane for the Dominican Republic early one morning in late July 2022, they carried extra baggage. Not baggage in the form of luggage but baggage in the form of worry, busyness of work, church activities, family, and the growing uncertainty of The United Methodist Church. All of this weighed heavily upon them. Leading right up to the time of departure, they even questioned whether now was the appropriate ...

Committed to the shared values of educational opportunities and excellence, Wesleyan College and Duke Divinity School have joined together to offer a program that provides a unique combination of liberal and professional education well suited for those desiring entry to the fields of ordained and lay ministry.  This pathway is designed for highly qualified Wesleyan College students to accelerate their course of study by completing both their bachelor’s degree while taking graduate level courses...

By Kelly Roberson, Director of Conference Ministries/Communications During a special called South Georgia Annual Conference session on August 20, 2022, clergy and lay members voted on matters related to disaffiliation, including ratifying the disaffiliation of 62 congregations and approving an adjusted budget for the 2023 calendar year.  Bishop David Graves, episcopal leader of the South Georgia Conference, opened the 157th session of the South Georgia Annual Conference with a centering moment...

At the called session of Annual Conference on August 20, 2022, a revised 2023 Conference budget was approved. This budget is $223,000 lower than the budget approved at the June Annual Conference session for the 2023 year.   “We did not want those churches which have faithfully remained to bear an extra financial burden,” Rev. Robert Beckum, budget committee chair for the conference’s Council on Finance and Administration (CFA), said in his presentation during the online session. “We lowered the ...

By Kara Witherow, Advocate contributor  Thanks to Leesburg United Methodist Church, more than 200 Lee County schoolchildren walked into school Friday, Aug. 5 with full backpacks, fresh haircuts, and new-to-them clothes.  The church’s inaugural Community Back to School Bash, held Sunday, July 31, was a fun family event designed to help relieve some of the back-to-school burden families may feel.  “We realize that preparing for school can be financially challenging,” said Leesburg UMC Children’...

By Allison Lindsey, Advocate contributor  Soaking up one of the last weeks of summer vacation for youth at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church meant serving God and giving sweat equity for the kingdom through their Local Missions Week. Around 30 middle and high school students and their adult volunteers spent a week doing service projects around Savannah. They sweated through hot days and put in hard work as they put their faith into practice. “The Local Missions Week is great for our ...

In February, Bishop David Graves, episcopal leader of the South Georgia Conference, announced there would be a special session of the Annual Conference held on Saturday, August 20, 2022. The meeting will begin at 10 am and will be held via Zoom and is anticipated to last no longer than one hour.    The purpose of the special session is to vote on any matters related to local church disaffiliations within the South Georgia Annual Conference. Only matters pertaining to the call made by Bishop ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Asbury United Methodist Church in Columbus recently held a graduation for the first 11 graduates of Columbus’ inaugural Jobs for Life program. Part of the Chattahoochee Valley Poverty Reduction Coalition (CVPRC), Jobs for Life is an 11-week evangelical job-readiness program to help those who are unemployed and underemployed find work. Rev. Mike Powell, pastor of Asbury UMC and Stephen’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Lumpkin, is a member of the CVPRC and served as ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Ellabell United Methodist Church has taken to the streets to share the love of Jesus. Every weekday during the third week of each month, church members stand on a busy street outside the local Dollar General and hand out sacks of food. It’s a way to take church to the community, said volunteer and Ellabell UMC member Marilyn Page. Knowing people might be reluctant to go to a church, the Fishes and Loaves ministry team decided to hand out the food bags about a half ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor “Some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers…” Others pancake flippers, some egg scramblers, bacon fryers, or coffee pourers. Maybe that’s not exactly how it’s written in scripture, but that’s the gist of it at Heritage at Houston United Methodist Church. For 884 Sundays – 17 years – the congregation has served breakfast to anyone and everyone who has walked through the Macon church’s doors. The ministry, named Scrambled Eggs ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Hot dogs are synonymous with summer. Long associated with baseball games and summer celebrations, hotdogs are now, at least in one South Georgia town, quickly becoming associated with a United Methodist church. At Bemiss United Methodist Church in Valdosta, the last Saturday of each month is “Hot Dogs and Jesus” day. From about 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., folks can drive up to the church and receive a free hot dog with all the fixings, snacks, drinks, prayer, ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Cordele First United Methodist Church recently hosted a health fair to help bridge the gap between healthcare providers and underserved people by bringing the two together for a three-day event. From cholesterol screenings to COVID-19 tests and car seat checks, Cordele First UMC’s health fair provided free care for those who need it most. “Many people not in the Church think of the Church as only a place to praise God and to read the Bible,” said Rev. Tania Montero, ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Mission work – serving the least, the last, and the lost – is integral to the Isle of Hope United Methodist Church congregation. Whether youth, children, women, or men – all ministry groups are encouraged to be involved in missions. Vacation Bible School is no exception, and the 200 children and 80 volunteers who attended the church’s recent VBS, held June 20-23, raised a total of $3,115 for Wesley Community Centers, Inc. in Savannah. The children raised more than ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Nearly every weekday, from August 2021 through May 2022, a “cute little old couple” sat in their front yard in a pair of green Adirondack chairs, drinking coffee and waving at passersby. Cars, buses, construction vehicles, and landscape trucks would slow as they drove past, honk, wave, and smile. What started as a one-day sendoff to middle school for grandson Jax grew into something much bigger than Janie and Fred Alexander ever imagined. “This is just a way to ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Edwin arrived at The Methodist Home for Children and Youth as a 9-year-old. A “wild creature” with no significant parenting, he was failing school and fighting during recess. At The Methodist Home, he found structure, order, and values. He was no longer able to wander neighborhoods and alleys at will. He found adults who set limits and cared. Today, more than 70 years later, Dr. Edwin Chase credits The Methodist Home for saving his life. “The Children’s Home saved ...

During the 2022 South Georgia Annual Conference session, attendees watched videos highlighting areas in the South Georgia Conference that are thriving and vital and ways our South Georgia United Methodists are faithfully serving their communities and one another. Ministry Moment Snapshots Through several Ministry Moment Snapshots led by Anne Bosarge, Director of Leadership Strategies and Local Church Resources, the Conference was able to see the fruit of God’s faithfulness in various ways ...

On Wednesday, June 8, during the 2022 South Georgia Annual Conference session, Bishop David Graves fixed the 2022-2023 pastoral appointments for the South Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church. 2022-2023 Appointments Click here to download and view the list of appointments by district. For full Annual Conference coverage, visit www.sgaumc.org/annualconference.

During the 2022 Annual Conference session, three of seven resolutions presented to the Conference Committee on Resolutions for consideration and vote by the 2022 South Georgia Annual Conference were approved.  In the Monday morning, June 6 business session, the conference approved Resolution 1, “Say ‘No’ to Single-Use Plastic” and Resolution 2, “Resolution on Wage Equality.” Later that afternoon, Resolution 6, “Resolution to Amend the Disaffiliation Policy of the South Georgia Conference,” was ...

During the 2022 South Georgia Annual Conference session, clergy and lay members voted on several matters related to disaffiliation.  On Monday afternoon, June 6, Conference members approved a report from the Conference Trustees in which a process was affirmed that extends the terms of South Georgia’s current disaffiliation policy through December 31, 2024. Already voted on and approved by the Trustees, the resolution states, “the Trustees wish to provide a means for local churches desiring to ...

Detailed recaps of each day’s events, including listings of who was ordained and commissioned, those who retired, and the ministers and spouses who were remembered during the memorial service, as well as the appointment list, photos, and bulletin insert can be found by clicking here. For the first time in three years, nearly 1,000 South Georgia United Methodists gathered to worship and conduct the business of the annual conference as Bishop David Graves led his first annual conference session ...

South Georgia retirees and those approaching retirement can breathe a little easier.  During the 2022 South Georgia Annual Conference session, delegates approved the establishment of a Retiree Health Care Trust. This trust helps secure retiree healthcare funding as the denomination moves into an uncertain future. It will benefit all clergy and conference staff currently receiving retiree healthcare funding and will also secure funding for those clergy and staff who are 55 and older and who have...

Annual Conference is a special time to celebrate ministry milestones and achievements, from those just entering the ministry to those taking the next step of their journey into retirement. During the Board of Ordained Ministry report Monday afternoon, individuals were recognized for achieving milestones and achievements. Received into their new relationship with the conference as Elders and Full Conference Members were Jonathan William Beckum, Nathan Christopher Lehman, and Jeremiah Haynes ...

A Memorial Service for those faithful servants who served in the South Georgia Annual Conference was held Tuesday afternoon, June 7, at 2 p.m. as conference members gathered at St. Luke United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ga. Rev. Bill Bagwell, outgoing pastor at Pittman Park UMC in Statesboro who retired at this year’s Annual Conference session, reminded those gathered that hope is an important work.  “Hope is in our job description,” he said. “I dearly need hope. Do you? It is the essence ...

At the 2022 South Georgia Annual Conference session, South Georgia United Methodists gave $22,708 to support two North Katanga Conference ministries: Kamina Orphanage and Wings of the Morning Aviation.  On Monday morning, Rev. Garth Duke-Barton, conference secretary of Global Ministries and senior pastor of Epworth UMC in Jesup, presented a check to the Kamina Orphanage and the Wings of Aviation ministry of the North Katanga Conference. Receiving the check on behalf of Global Ministries were ...

The Wesleyan College Board of Trustees proudly announces the appointment of Meaghan Blight as the institution’s 26th president effective July 1, 2022. President-elect Blight comes to Wesleyan from Huron University College, a small liberal arts institution in London, Ontario, Canada. She has spent the last 13 years as an executive in higher education, partnering with industry, private donors, and foundations to identify advancement opportunities for students, faculty, and community and since 2016...

By Kara Witherow, Editor For nearly 51 years, Gail Pollock was Riverside United Methodist Church’s organist. For more than 2,600 Sundays she sat at the church’s Schantz organ and played beloved hymns, soaring symphonies, and moving melodies. Sunday, May 15 was Pollock’s final performance, a swan song to cap off five decades of service to a congregation and church she dearly loves. Her final Sunday morning playlist included “All Creatures of Our God and King,’’ a duet accompanied by Helen ...

ALL ANNUAL CONFERENCE INFORMATION For the first time in three years, nearly 1,000 South Georgia United Methodists will gather June 5-8 at The Columbus Georgia Convention & Trade Center to worship, fellowship, and discuss the future of the South Georgia Conference. Meeting under the theme, “Great is Your Faithfulness,” attendees at the 2022 Annual Conference session will worship five times in four days, will see friends, and make new ones. It will be a homecoming of sorts, conference leaders ...

In response to Judicial Council decision 1445, the Council of Bishops (COB) has formally set the dates for regular sessions of the Jurisdictional Conferences of The United Methodist Church (UMC) to be convened November 2-5, 2022. During a special COB meeting held today, the bishops approved a motion that the jurisdictional conferences will meet for purpose of the election and assignment of new bishops for the limited purpose of effectuating the continuance of the episcopacy in The United ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Last month, a handful of men biked 15 miles to Centerville United Methodist Church’s food bank. The food bank closest to their homes had closed, and they couldn’t afford groceries or gas. Inflation and high gas prices are driving more people to Centerville UMC’s bi-weekly food bank, said Cheri Cox, a member of the church and a food bank volunteer. Wednesday, May 11 was a record day, with volunteers serving more than 300 people. “I think the economy is getting bad. It’...

By Heather Hahn, UM News U.S. annual conferences have no authority under current church law to withdraw from The United Methodist Church, the denomination’s top court ruled. “There is no basis in Church law for any annual conference to adopt stopgap policies, pass resolutions, take a vote, or act unilaterally for the purpose of removing itself from The United Methodist Church,” the Judicial Council ruled in Decision 1444. The church court said only General Conference — the denomination’s top ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor While seven resolutions have been presented to the Conference Committee on Resolutions for consideration and vote by the 2022 South Georgia Annual Conference, there’s an eighth - and perhaps less obvious - resolution contained in the 2022 Book of Recommendations and Reports. Written into Recommendation 1 of the Conference Board of Trustees’ report is a resolution stating the intent of the Conference Trustees to extend South Georgia’s current disaffiliation policy ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Guyton United Methodist Church is a small church with a big heart. The congregation, which averages between 40-50 people a week in worship, recently raised 150 times that to support Ukrainian orphans. In just one week, church members gave $7,500 to support St. Paul United Methodist Church’s Ukraine Orphan Ministry. Familiar with the ministry through former pastor Rev. Daryl Brown’s connection and his past mission trips to the country, the congregation gave generously...

Dear Lay and Clergy Members of the Annual Conference, Conference and Agency Leaders, Thank you again for the attention you are paying to all of the many details of the 2022 Annual Conference session set for June 5-8 in Columbus. Below is highlighted or new information you will find helpful as you prepare for Annual Conference, including:   Timeline and Agenda Report from the Board of Trustees Updates to the Board of Pension and Health Benefits Report Updated Covid Safety Protocols Childcare ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Georgia is home to nearly 1 million Latinos. But the Church hasn’t done a great job to reach out and welcome them, said Rev. David Thompson, superintendent of the South Georgia Conference’s Coastal District and chairman of the Conference’s Task Force on Hispanic-Latino Affairs. “This isn’t just a Methodist problem; the Church in general isn’t great at recognizing the sojourner in their midst,” he said. Originally formed in 2016, the Task Force on Hispanic-Latino ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Landon Martinez was bright, vibrant, fun. He loved to serve and give back to the community for which he cared so deeply. Landon’s Landing, the new playground at The Chapel Midtown in Brunswick, bears his name and honors his life and legacy. With bold, colorful murals from artist Bongang as a backdrop, the playground invites children to run, play, imagine, and enjoy God’s creation. Landon would have loved it, said his mom, Nicole Wright. “Landon loved The Chapel and...

2022 Book of Recommendations and Reports Business items for the 2022 Annual Conference session are contained in the Book of Recommendations and Reports (BOR). One of the purposes of the BOR is to encourage delegates to read the recommendations, reports, and resolutions prior to arriving at conference. A good delegate is a prepared delegate. The BOR is now available* for download as a PDF file at no cost in its entirety or in sections. You can also purchase it for $7 (plus tax and shipping) as a...

Compiled from UMAC publications During the 2022 United Methodist Association of Communicators (UMAC) Annual Meeting, Dr. Don Wood, an ordained elder in the South Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church, was inducted into the UMAC Hall of Fame. From 1977 until his retirement in 2012, Dr. Wood served as executive director of Good News Television (GNTV), a media ministry within the connectional structure of the South Georgia Conference. During his tenure, he helped steer the ministry ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor In what was the most significant tornado outbreak in Georgia since April 2020, at least 25 tornadoes were produced in the destructive storms that crossed the state April 5-6. The most damaging tornadoes occurred in Bryan, Houston, and Dooly counties, and the South Georgia Conference of The United Methodist Church responded immediately to assess, respond, support, and meet needs. “This is the worst disaster that I’ve ever been a part of,” said Coastal District ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor On Sunday morning, April 3, 2022, 87 people gathered to worship and celebrate Encounter Church’s founding and constitution into The United Methodist Church. The mood in the room was expectant and excited as those gathered anticipated an announcement that had for several weeks been teased during worship services and via social media. Preaching on 1 Kings 8 which tells of Solomon dedicating the temple, pastor Damon Hubert told the congregation its purpose is to point ...

Andrew College sustainable agriculture program director Dr. Adam Redhead will receive a grant in the amount of $3,000 to fund an agricultural training program.  The grant was awarded by the southern division of Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) is a U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grants and outreach program. The overall objective of SARE, according to their website, “is to ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Over the past two years, South Georgia has helped the North Katanga Annual Conference build and reconstruct several local churches, host empowerment training events and leadership training conferences, and train local farmers. The mission partnership that began three years ago when a team of six South Georgia United Methodists traveled to the North Katanga Annual Conference, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), continues to develop. During the 2022 Annual ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor Seven resolutions have been presented to the Conference Committee on Resolutions for consideration and vote by the 2022 South Georgia Annual Conference. Resolutions, if approved by the Annual Conference, are statements that represent the position of the conference on a subject. Two resolutions, submitted in 2020 by members of the Advocacy Committee and its ad-hoc teams, will be considered and voted upon by the 2022 Annual Conference session. Discussion and voting on ...

Written and submitted by The Methodist Home Beginning this summer, Reverend Lynn Meadows-White will be officially joining our ministry as the Vice President of Church Relations and Chaplain for our Carpenter’s Way Ranch and Americus sites! She will be available to speak on behalf of The Methodist Home in churches across Georgia and work with folks who want to support our mission in the Columbus area. As a Full Elder, Pastor Lynn has faithfully supported The Methodist Home for many years. Her ...

By Kara Witherow, Editor New name, same mission. For 153 years, women united by their shared love of Christ and desire to serve women, children, and youth have put their faith into action. Over the years, what was first known as the Methodist Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society became known as the Woman’s Society of Christian Service and then eventually United Methodist Women. Today, the organization has rebranded itself again, this time to “United Women in Faith.” The new name, which was ...