2/17/2025

February is Black History Month, a season to pay tribute to the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans for their role in U.S. history. Organizers chose February for the celebration to coincide with the birth dates of President Lincoln and abolitionist and former enslaved person Frederick Douglass.  The United Methodist Church has benefited enormously from the contributions of African American clergy, laity, and community members.  Here in Georgia, some of the history makers and...

2/16/2025

Commuters in Statesboro are being greeted with uplifting messages of love, community, and openness thanks to a new digital billboard campaign.   Commuters traveling along Northside Drive and Fair Road will notice three new digital billboards near Veterans Memorial Parkway. Throughout February, these billboards will invite passersby to connect with a local United Methodist Church.  "There are countless messages and signs at every busy intersection, each vying for our attention," said the Rev. ...

2/15/2025

The North Georgia and South Georgia Annual Conferences are partnering together for "Normalizing Next," a two-part training series designed to empower African-American church leaders and congregations as they prepare for 2025. Part 2 is set for March 15 at the Methodist Children's Home (304 Pierce Ave., Macon, GA 31204). The cost is $15 (includes lunch and snacks). You can download the flyer or register now. Participants can still be sign up for part 2 of the training even if they were not able ...

2/15/2025

The 2024 Journal of the South Georgia Annual Conference is now available for purchase. The Journal includes conference business, directories, reports, appointments, and statistical tables. Those wishing to purchase a Conference Journal will order their copy(ies) online directly from the printer. The cost of the Journal is $25 each plus tax and shipping.  Order a 2024 Print Journal The Conference is using www.Lulu.com, an online print-on-demand publishing company, to print the 2024 Journal of ...

2/15/2025

Clergy Lenten Study: Lent in Plain Sight The North and South Georgia Conferences are offering a seven-week Lenten study for clergy, running from the first week of March through Holy Week. The Lenten Study will use the book "Lent in Plain Sight: A Devotion through Ten Objects" by Jill J. Duffield. Leaders for the study are Rev. Melissa Traver, Rev. Dr. Elaine Crawford, Rev. Dr. Craig Rikard, and Rev. Dr. Gary Whetstone. Learn more and register here MissionInsite Training - Feb. 19 or March 19 ...

2/15/2025

The Conference Witness Team is now accepting nominations for the Harry Denman Evangelism Awards. The nomination deadline is April 21, 2025. The Harry Denman Evangelism Award recognizes 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.   There are three awards every year - one for clergy, lay people, and youth. Nominations will be ...

2/15/2025

FROM THE BISHOP Bishop Robin Dease   Last Wednesday, I had the honor of serving as chaplain for the day in our State Senate. Here is the message I shared with the senators and my prayer for them. Will you join me in praying for our state's leaders?   **************   There were thirteen siblings in my family. Two parents in the home together raising and nurturing thirteen kids.  And, yet, when my mother was suffering from Leukemia and Alzheimer’s, I came to the realization that 13 children could...

2/13/2025

The North and South Georgia Conferences are offering a seven-week Lenten study for clergy, running from the first week of March through Holy Week. Facilitated by clergy colleagues, the study aims to foster fellowship and spiritual growth. The Lenten Study will use the book "Lent in Plain Sight: A Devotion through Ten Objects" by Jill J. Duffield. Leaders for the study are Rev. Melissa Traver, Rev. Dr. Elaine Crawford, Rev. Dr. Craig Rikard, and Rev. Dr. Gary Whetstone.  Participants need only ...

2/12/2025

In 2025, the Bishop’s Office, Connectional Ministries, and Clergy Excellence are sponsoring a new initiative called Resource Lab. Resource Lab is an opportunity for pastors and laity from the North and South Georgia Conferences to come together for a day of learning around a variety of topics relevant to our churches today. Labs scheduled include: March 13, 2025: Grief and Recovery April 29, 2025: UMC and Community Identity May 21, 2025: Discipleship September 11, 2025: Finances (Personal and ...

2/10/2025

This month, the South Georgia Conference office in Macon will move to a new, but familiar, home. Conference employees - including the Bishop, episcopal and district personnel, and administrative services -  will share space with Riverside United Methodist Church at 735 Pierce Avenue in Macon, Georgia. The conference had been renting space a mile and a half down the road on Riverside Drive.   “This location for the conference office provides the opportunity to locate the conference office on a ...

2/10/2025

A Word from Alison Evans, CEO, The Methodist Home for Children and Youth Hello Georgia United Methodists!   The Methodist Home for Children and Youth was founded in Macon in 1872.  We serve children from across the state of Georgia on five different campuses. Recently, I received an interesting challenge, and Bishop Dease thought everyone in Georgia would want to know about it.     A gentleman from the coast wrote that he saw our capital needs list of $968,000 in our quarterly Gateway magazine....

2/8/2025

Church constitutional amendments head to vote: When United Methodist annual conferences meet this year, lay and clergy voters will determine whether amendments approved by General Conference become part of the denomination’s constitution. The amendments deal with regionalization, church membership, racism and clergy-delegate elections.    Webinar shares regionalization information: The Council of Bishops, Connectional Table and other United Methodist leaders are presenting a webinar Feb. 20 at ...

2/3/2025

In a recent video, Kelly Roberson from the South Georgia Conference and Rev. Dr. Rodrigo Cruz, Assistant to the Bishop in North and South Georgia Conferences, bring you up to date on everything we know so far as our two Annual Conferences study and pursue unification. You're invited to: Watch and share the video Read the transcript  Listen to the update as a Special Episode of the One Georgia UMC Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Podbean

2/2/2025

By Rev. Stephanie Smith In Columbus, Georgia, something remarkable is happening: a group of people coming together to build a new faith community—a space to worship, serve, and grow. This isn’t about looking back; it’s about embracing the future with hope, guided by a shared purpose to bring Christ’s love into the world. Their journey reflects the words of the prophet Isaiah: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not ...

2/2/2025

Foundation for Evangelism local-church grant applications now open The Foundation for Evangelism has opened the 2025 Equipping the Local Church grant cycle. Up to 50 grants of $5,000 or $10,000 are available to small and medium-size churches, or clusters of churches working together, in a Wesleyan-tradition denomination. Learn more   Take an online virtual tour of UM Building  The United Methodist Board of Church and Society, in partnership with the Commission on Archives and History and the ...

2/1/2025

This February, the New Creation Toolkit focuses on “New Growth” and offers a variety of resources to help individuals and churches assess where they are in their spiritual journey and take steps to grow deeper in their faith. Whether you’re leading a church community or seeking personal growth, the following tools can guide you toward new opportunities for transformation.   There are four elements to each monthly toolkit that coincide with South Georgia’s four missional priorities: resourcing ...

2/1/2025

February is Black History Month, and African Americans are—and have always been—an essential and influential part of The United Methodist Church, shaping its history and growth in profound ways. Black History Month has been observed in February in the United States and Canada since 1976. The celebration of Black history was started by historian Carter G. Woodson in 1926 as a weeklong focus to educate American people about African American history.   Black History Month is an opportunity to ...

2/1/2025

Launching Your Church Council Webinar - RECORDINGS Leaders from churches of all sizes came together for the Launching Your Church Council Webinar on Sunday, January 12. This session is designed to equip church councils with the tools they need to lead effectively. Weren't able to be part of the event? The webinar recordings, fact sheets, and slide decks are now available in one place! Head over to www.sgaumc.org/2025-leadership-training to access them. "Normalizing Next" Training – Feb. 15 & ...

1/31/2025

Education is a core value of The United Methodist Church and has been since the 18th Century in England. John Wesley believed education was the key to a fuller, richer life. He believed that everyone should have access to education regardless of gender or class. In 1748, Wesley enlarged Kingswood School, a school he had opened for the children of coal miners. Wesley wanted young people to have a high-quality education so they could go to Cambridge or Oxford. As the Methodist Movement spread in ...

1/21/2025

Hurricane Helene, once a Category 4 storm, roared through the Big Bend area of Florida and into Valdosta, Georgia, on September 26, bringing destruction in the middle of the night. As a Category 2-3 hurricane, its winds reached speeds of 100-111 mph, leaving hundreds of roads impassable, millions without power, and devastating vast swaths of the region’s timberlands. This marked the third hurricane to strike the area in just six months, following Hurricanes Idalia and Debby.   Camp Tygart serves...

1/21/2025

Photo: The Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell (right) stands with the Revs. Martin Luther King Jr. (left) and Virgil Wood on the roof of a Boston public school in 1965. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was the face of the civil rights movement throughout the 1960s until his assassination on April 4, 1968. Many United Methodists joined King in his march toward equality, and in his wake, those United Methodist voices continued to advocate for justice for all, ...

1/20/2025

The North Georgia and South Georgia Annual Conferences are excited to announce "Normalizing Next," a two-part training series designed to empower African-American church leaders and congregations as they prepare for 2025. Event Details Part 1: February 15 Part 2: March 15 Location: Methodist Children's Home, 304 Pierce Ave., Macon, GA 31204 Presenter: Rev. Olu Brown Cost: $15 per event (includes lunch and snacks) Download the flyer | Register Now  Participants will gain practical insights and ...

1/20/2025

Launching Your Church Council Webinar - RECORDINGS Leaders from churches of all sizes came together for the Launching Your Church Council Webinar on Sunday, January 12. This session is designed to equip church councils with the tools they need to lead effectively. Weren't able to be part of the event? The webinar recordings, fact sheets, and slide decks are now available in one place! Head over to www.sgaumc.org/2025-leadership-training to access them. "Normalizing Next" Training – Feb. 15 & ...

1/20/2025

The South Georgia Conference invites laity to participate in a variety of training opportunities in 2025 to deepen their leadership skills and enhance their service within the church. These trainings offer tools for those looking to lead, care, and communicate more effectively in their ministry roles. Online Lay Servant Ministries Training Basic Lay Servant Ministries Training introduces participants to foundational faith principles and leadership skills. The training will be held via Zoom on ...

1/19/2025

In August 2023, Christ United Methodist Church in Warner Robins opened up its Little Angels Attic, a free clothing resource for children from newborn through middle school, as well as some clothing in larger sizes for those into high school. This past November, as an enhancement to the Little Angels Attic, the clothing resource expanded to include free water, snacks, canned goods, and small personal care items with the building of The Blessing Box. The Blessing Box is located on the east side of...

1/19/2025

Camp Connect, the camping ministry of the South Georgia Conference, gives children and youth from rising 4th grade through rising seniors in high school the opportunity to spend a week away from normal everyday life in the beauty of God’s creation. Diving into scripture and sharing life stories will show campers they are created in God’s image and for a purpose. Five camps are scheduled for the summer: one week for high school students, two weeks for middle school students, and two weeks for ...

1/18/2025

Our hearts and prayers are with all in the path of this month's wildfires in California. Thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed. United Methodists in the California-Pacific Conference are offering shelter and serving neighbors, even as they face the total loss of at least two United Methodist churches and the destruction of many church members’ homes. (Read "United Methodists see loss, offer relief" by United Methodist News Service ) UMCOR has awarded two solidarity grants to the...

1/18/2025

The North and South Georgia Conference extended cabinets, several staff, and Bishop Robin Dease took part in the Southeastern Jurisdiction Cabinet Consultation at Epworth By The Sea January 13-16.  With the theme "Holy Spirit Revival," the time included worship, devotionals, plenary sessions, and breakout meetings.  The plenary sessions, led by Rev. Lisa Greenwood and Rev. Dr. Blair Thompson of the Texas Methodist Foundation and Wesleyan Impact Partners, focused on "future back" thinking and ...

1/10/2025

Resolutions to the 2025 South Georgia Annual Conference, meeting June 1-3, will be received through noon on Monday, March 3, 2025. Please be aware of the following requirements listed below for resolutions to be presented to the Resolutions Committee. Highlights are listed here, but full instructions are found in the conference's Standing Rules (see below).   Resolutions must be submitted by the posted deadline of March 3, 2025. Resolutions must be signed by at least five persons, unless ...

1/3/2025

This year as the South Georgia Conference puts focus on its theme of "A New Creation," the Connectional Ministries staff seeks to walk alongside local congregations to provide resources. Each month a toolkit will roll out designed to empower clergy and laity in their mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.    There are four elements to each monthly toolkit that coincide with South Georgia’s four missional priorities: resourcing the local church (new ...

1/3/2025

By Stephanie Smith    A group of United Methodists in Bainbridge, Ga. are beginning an exciting journey as they launch a new faith community: Christ United Methodist Church.    These faithful laity have trusted God to guide them on this journey following the departure of their former church this past summer. Through a partnership with St. John’s Episcopal Church, which provides worship space and a shared spirit of Christian unity for this new congregation, the inaugural service of Christ UMC was...

1/3/2025

Visit GeorgiaUMC.org for Information & Updates   Scripture holds a central place in the faith of United Methodists. One of the primary tenets/teachings of scripture is unity. As we work to live into this teaching, the North Georgia and South Georgia Conferences of The United Methodist Church have officially launched an effort to study and pursue potential unification. This effort, launched under the leadership of Bishop Robin Dease, aims to explore the possibilities and benefits of becoming one ...

1/2/2025

The North Georgia and South Georgia Conferences are beginning to share Administrative Services, a partnership designed to enhance efficiency and reduce costs for both.   This past Fall Allison Berg began serving as Treasurer and CFO of both Annual Conferences. This collaboration will be governed by a Memorandum of Understanding, which is approved by each conference’s Council on Finance and Administration, and allocates the agreed upon percentage of Berg's time between North Georgia and South ...

1/1/2025

Calling all South Georgia and North Georgia United Methodist elders, deacons, provisionals, local pastors, and certified candidates (and your families!): you are invited to the 2025 Georgia Pastors' School. This year’s school is set for July 14-17 at beautiful Epworth By The Sea on St. Simons Island. Come be inspired, rejuvenate, and reignite your inner joy! When we reignite joy, we give ourselves permission to experience the strength of our faith, wisdom, a renewed purpose, and the courage to ...

1/1/2025

"Peacemaking is not a witness to the good of peace. Peace-making is the actual activity of making peace happen." - President Jimmy Carter United Methodists across the state mourn the life of President Jimmy Carter: a justice-seeker, a peacemaker, a faithful follower of Christ, and our neighbor. The Carters had a strong relationship with United Methodists over the years. They were married at Plains United Methodist Church in 1946. United Methodist Bishop William R. Cannon gave the inaugural ...

1/1/2025

By Rev. Abra Lattany-Reed   Our churches and communities can thrive and grow if we continue to strategically and spiritually prepare. African American churches in the South Georgia Conference are doing just that: preparing for the now, next, and new.    Thirty-four clergy and laity from our African American churches are participating in a cohort called “Normalizing Next.” The Normalizing Next philosophy believes we live in the greatest evangelistic season of our lifetime. When leaders and ...

12/14/2024

By Suzanne Akins   From its humble beginnings, the founders of Epworth By The Sea envisioned a place of spiritual renewal along the nearly 100 beautiful acres of the Frederica River. Epworth has since grown into a treasured conference, retreat, and vacation center in ways the founders could have never dreamed.   This October marked a momentous milestone as Epworth celebrated 75 years as a Christian place for worship, study, and fellowship, welcoming hundreds of thousands of guests over the ...

12/14/2024

Leaders from churches of all sizes are invited to the “Launching Your Church Council” webinar on Sunday, January 12, from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm.   This training is for: Church Council chairs SPR Committees Lay Leaders Trustees Finance Committees Stewardship Chairs Nominations Teams  This session is designed to equip church councils with the tools they need to lead effectively. Multiple council members are encouraged to participate together. Even if you can’t join live, everyone who registers will...

12/13/2024

By Joyce Kramer   No one in Seminole County, Georgia will forget the day - 10-10-18 - when the eye of category 5 Hurricane Michael came over and devastated the area. With no cell phone or internet service, electricity or water, the area was helpless. This is when Pam and Dave Lerdal, members of Reynolds Chapel United Methodist Church, felt in their hearts that God was inspiring them.    Thanksgiving was approaching, and the congregation at Reynolds Chapel UMC wanted to do something for their ...

12/13/2024

The Southeastern Jurisdiction (SEJ) faced a challenging 2024, with numerous hurricanes, floods, fires, tornadoes, and other disasters affecting our communities. These events highlighted the critical need for preparedness, collaboration, and effective response strategies. To help strengthen our network and equip us with the tools and training needed to meet future challenges head-on, you are invited to the 2025 SEJ Disaster Academy, taking place January 9–12, 2025, at Warren Willis United ...