Have you ever been lost?

While traveling this summer during my renewal leave I was following the directions of the little voice inside my GPS. When the voice said, “you have reached your destination” I was sitting beside a corn field with a dead end sign staring me in the face. When I asked a man and woman working in the field for directions they said that I was on the wrong mountain, and then gave me excellent directions. Once I started out again with the right directions, headed in the right direction, my frustration with being in the wrong place diminished.

When it comes to the South Georgia Annual Conference, I believe the following are a few indicators that we are headed in the right direction.

Apportionments
Our 2011 apportionment giving was more than 81 percent – an almost two percent increase over 2010’s apportionment giving.

We are aligning our conference budget to match patterns of giving. A revenue-driven budget is our aim.

Disciple Plans
We are focusing on the most important job of the church, and that is making disciples of Jesus Christ. Every baptized United Methodist in the South Georgia Conference is being asked to develop a disciple plan.

Project Turnaround
Project Turnaround is a work in progress that is a positive, faith-based initiative highlighting financial and budgetary concerns and the decline in membership. This initiative is being used as the primary stepping stones to turn our negatives into positives by becoming more efficient and effective by being a disciple making annual conference. I have identified  some funds that Bishop Watson earmarked to hire a consultant, Dr. Randy Capps with Leadership Strategies, to assist in assessing how we can become more efficient and effective reaching our mission goals. Turning negatives into positives defines Project Turnaround.

District Superintendents: More than administers
The role of a District Superintendent is both spiritual and temporal.   All across the connection the District Superintendent has been seen as an administrator or someone who needs to be freed to emphasize the more spiritual and missional aspect of the church. I have been prayerfully building a team (the appointive cabinet) that is willing to learn and grow with me as spiritual leaders.  The point is that I am expecting more from the District Superintendents and we are just getting started. Some of the new expectations include: an emphasis on leadership more than management, developing a leadership team made up of lay and clergy who will assist in focusing on discipleship in the district, nurturing clergy through a supportive cluster system, employing a cluster system to encourage and support disciple plans, freeing laity by empowering and engaging them to have a more active role as disciples who are called to make disciples, being a coach and mentor and identifying other able clergy and laity who can also serve in this area, guiding pastors and congregations to have celebratory and engaging charge and district conferences and assisting me in holding the baptized and ordained in loving accountability systems. From these expectations hopefully you can see that I am expecting more contact, not less, in building relations and leading through wonderful connections.

New Church Starts
Our new church starts are paying off in a big way.

Our New Conference Center
Our new Conference Center is going to be a wonderful facility that will assist us in being more effective in coordinating our work as well as being better stewards of our resources.

Disciple Covenant Conference
There are more indicators that we are headed in the right direction but for now I will just add one more and that is the Disciple Covenant Conference, or the DCC. I hope to see you there. Register today!

Until next time, remember – God’s will for us is good. We must do the rest.

With love,

Your Bishop,

James R. King, Jr.

Hello, beautiful people of South Georgia!

One of the common well wishes exchanged during December and January of each year includes the phrase “Happy New Year.” It is a wonderful expression of goodwill. It conveys to the recipient an implied hope that the future will be good. A happy New Year is a terrific hope but how do you have one? What would be among your list of ways to have a happy New Year? Would your list include good health, a job, family wellbeing, more money, good friends, or a dream vacation?

When I think about what would make for a happy New Year I pondered what Jesus would say to those who believe in him. Below are a few suggestions that come to mind when I think of how Jesus would instruct us to have a happy New Year.

1. Live one day at a time.
2. Keep in mind that God made you, loves you and wants to bless you so don’t worry.
3. Happiness is an inside job … the way you choose to think about your situation determines your happiness.
4. Love God completely and you will be filled completely with the love of God.
5. Love – Love – Love.
6. Rest.
7. Laugh.
8. Cry when joy leads you to do so or sorrow carves a path in your heart.
9. Pursue your passion and offer the results as your contribution to the world family.
10. Count your blessings and start giving.
11. You cannot please everyone so focus on what is most important.
12. Enjoy the things of life but do not worship them, for happiness comes from within.
13. Stay close to people who support your greatest values and your noblest hopes.
14. Forgive yourself and others just as God forgives you.
15. Love discipline which permits you to sow that you may bear the fruit of your heart.
16. Adjust.
17. Pray all the time.
18. Say Hallelujah anyway!

These are some of the suggestions I hear from Jesus as I listen to him through Matthew Mark, Luke and John. What do you hear him saying to you as you listen to the word of God?

Have a Happy New Year and let’s grow a Christlike world. See you next month at the Disciple Covenant Conference.

Until next time, remember – God’s will for us is good. We must do the rest.

With love,

Your Bishop,
James R. King, Jr.

“Why take a holiday break,” asked a relative. “I feel so tired and have more work now than ever … the pile of things on my desk has multiplied and I seem more behind than before my break.”

When I thought about that statement and considered some of the news during this season in the life of the world family it is easy to ask, “When does it ever end?” Strains from too much work, no work, family and business worries, financial restrictions, and responsibilities in general appear to be daunting and exhausting with few signs of joy or a sense of fulfillment. Tsunamis are a part of life. Disaster happens. There is always a cloud on the way to steal your brightest hope if you let it.

Center your mind on God. The values that flow out of joyful obedience to God will enable you to say, “It is well.”

The truth that is so simple is often covered with sheets of complex formulas. When our mind is in the right the place, the body will follow and contentment will be unshakeable.

When you think right your life will change. Think then on God and you will be better and feel better because you will have discovered that the creator of heaven and earth is constantly pouring out blessings just for you. In other words, “you are too blessed to be stressed.”

Yes blessed. Think about how good God has been to you.

God loves you more than you love yourself.

He allowed Jesus Christ to die for your sins.

God gives you air to breathe, food to eat, and more clothes than you need.

This God opens the secrets to all healing and equips you with power from on high to accomplish whatever you are to do on this earth.

God gives dreams to guide you and visions to show you the future.

When someone fed you because you could not feed yourself, that was God at work. When someone befriended you when you felt all alone, that was God. You made it home today, and if you didn’t, God has another home “not made with hands eternal in the heavens.”

Yes, you are very blessed. Start right now counting your blessings and see what God has done for you. As you count, start giving God thanks and something will come over you and whatever was bothering you won’t bother you anymore, the mountain you had to climb will become smaller, or you will grow taller or the mountain may not matter any more.

God’s word gives us the answers, but too many of us are too busy to count our blessings. We are busy being angry over past hurts, busy struggling at jobs that fit our wallet more than our calling and buying things we do not need to impress people we do not like. To get all the things of little value accomplished we become too busy to be a part of a rich and rewarding fellowship in church.

There is another dimension to blessings and that is the lessons we learn. Sometimes we need a painful lesson to untie us from something we should not be doing because we are unable to stop going down the wrong road in search of peace and joy. Counting your blessings is so wonderful because you have to pause and stop focusing on counting your problems and all that is not right in the world.

Focusing on your blessings shifts your thinking and shifts your attitude.

Stress is reduced, priorities change and energy is used in more fruitful ways.

With a new attitude you realize your priorities are in the wrong place. Much of what you are doing and worrying about isn’t worth the time of day.

Here the word of God today. Jesus said: “… do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them … strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matt. 6:25-33)

In other words, align your values with God.

Stay focused on God.

Pray! Praise! Study! Get in a fellowship group! And serve!

Until next time, remember – God’s will for us is good. We must do the rest.

With love,

Your Bishop,

James R. King, Jr.

As we continue to focus on growing a Christlike world it is important that we affirm those reaching identified goals, treat everyone special and encourage disciples to become confident leaders. Highlighting the five stars, the small membership church and emphasizing the coaching role of a disciple will hopefully remind us that being Christlike requires us to be intentional.

Five Stars

The Five Star accountability system focuses on discipleship making and identifies five indicators as benchmarks for being a healthy Annual Conference. The five stars are: teaching, self care, giving 100 percent of apportionments, a 5 percent membership growth and being a participating connectional leader. We acknowledged Five Star pastors during the 2011 Annual Conference session and the District Superintendents will be working with their leadership teams to develop Five Star plans for individuals, laity and congregations.

These 22 pastors received the Five Star medallion during the 2011 Annual Conference session: Jim Cowart, Jim Davis, Garth Duke-Barton, Joe Flowers Jr., Bryan Gerstel, Chip Grantham, David Griffin, Jay Hanson, Mark Hardin, Lamar Harper, Jack Key, Larry Kent Miller, Randall Nease, Barbara Nelson, Tyler Plaxico, Donna Sue Roberts, H. Lynn Roberts, Ernie Rogers, G. Randall Spicer, John Stephens, Denise Walton and Karen Zeigler. 135 pastors were acknowledged for receiving four stars.

The small membership church

In a Christlike culture every aspect of God’s creation is valued and appreciated for its contribution to the whole. It is important for all of us who are part of the connection to do all we can to be intentional about showing our support and appreciation for all of God’s people regardless of membership size or location. In addition to being more kindhearted and inclusive toward the small membership church I would like to lift up some reminders:

·      I am the product of a small membership church. A three-point charge with a full time local pastor and very involved lay people blessed my early spiritual formation.

·      Regardless of the size of the church, all of us have access to the same size God, Bible and Holy Spirit.

·      Great ideas need to be tailored to fit your situation. Learn from the best regardless of membership size. When it comes to learning, effectiveness should be the primary consideration.

·      Success is not about context but rather what you do with what you have where you are. The person with one talent is just as important as the one with five in a Christlike culture. As a bishop I have given more five stars to small membership congregations than to large membership congregations.

The Coach

If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ it may be helpful to think of yourself not only as a Shepherd but also as a coach. Both a shepherd and coach have similar goals: lead, direct, nurture, protect and be a constant guide in and through troubling times. If you are feeling timid or confused about your role as pastor or lay person it may helpful to see yourself as a loving coach. The church is God’s vehicle for mission. It is your job to make sure that God’s vehicle is functioning at its best. So put on your coaching cap and take more responsibility for how you engage and challenge the congregation where you serve to establish goals that constantly train, practice, encourage and measure as we grow in grace to be more Christlike.

Until next time remember, God’s will for us is good. We must do the rest.

With love,

Your Bishop,

James R. King, Jr.

As we begin this session of Annual Conference we are continuing an old tradition that is at the heart of Methodism. The first conference that formed The Methodist Episcopal Church began in Baltimore’s Lovely Lane Chapel on Christmas Eve, 1784. This conference took place 47 years after Rev. John Wesley had spent a year and nine months in the new colony of Georgia. Although a preacher was assigned to the settled portion of Georgia in the 1785 Conference it took another 45 years before the Georgia Conference was created in 1830.

The point is that we have been conferencing in America for 227 years and that is a long time. Conferencing is at the root of who we are as Methodist. Bringing together itinerant preachers and lay members from the various congregations to consider the business of the church is something that is old and yet remains a meaningful part of our identity as Methodist.

This year there will be services of Ordination and Commissioning. We will hear reports and adopt a new budget. We will take up an offering and join others around the world who also desire to help eradicate malaria. We will celebrate ministries that are making a difference as well as hear sermons to bless us and speakers to help us get better. This is the year when we will elect delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conference for 2012. There will be special gatherings at breakfast, lunch and dinner where information will be shared and action taken to further ministries in the midst of rich fellowship.

And speaking of fellowship – this year our conference will center around the theme “Never Alone” as we focus on the disciple value of fellowship. As we nurture the vision to grow a Christlike World it is so important to teach and practice fellowship as an essential value of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. In fellowship we find loving support as a sign of the kingdom of God.

In addition to all the matters that we will address at this conference there are some new experiences I would like to lift up.

First, we will acknowledge the Five Star Pastor award this year. Our hope is to make our goals clearer and affirm those who reach these benchmarks as a way of giving more attention to what we consider important to the life and work of the church.

Another new experience this year will be the way we will fix the appointments during our Sending Forth Service.  Each clergy under appointment will receive a covenant token from me and each lay member of annual conference will receive a token from the conference lay leader. Also every pastor under appointment will have their picture displayed as I read the name of their appointment.

Regarding new experiences, my prayer is that when the 2011 session of the South Georgia Annual Conference  is over we will be able to say that this was the best conference ever … not because everything was carried out perfectly but because we receive a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The world is looking to us to see if we mean what say about Jesus. Are we truly seeking to follow Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior? Have we received God’s forgiveness? Have we forgiven our brothers and sisters (who are a part of the church) for things that were said or done that caused hurt and left deep scars? Unless the world can see how we love one another the mission given to us as the church will be weaker and a Christlike world will be delayed.

Praying for the best conference ever.

I love you South Georgia,
Your Bishop,
James King

Dear Members and Friends of the South Georgia Conference,

My heart has been heavy as I consider the various storms and other natural disasters that have occurred nearby as well as around the world.  As I see the faces of displaced people and hear about the stories filled with pain and loss, it seems so overwhelming.  In times like these I turn to God in prayer seeking understanding for what seems so unthinkable.  I am sure that many of you have been touched by the people who are suffering due to these calamities.  I am aware that some of you have been on the site in some of these situations helping out in a personal way.

I ask you to continue to pray for those who have been affected by what appears to be an unusual amount of devastation due to natural disasters.

If you are not presently involved in helping those who are trying to rebuild their lives and would like to get involved, the following information may be of help.

One way we can all help is to give money to the UMCOR Advance number 3021326, which is the U.S. Spring Storms offering.  You can send gifts through our Conference Treasurer marked with the Advance number.

Teams interested in working in one of the nearby disaster areas can contact Jamie Gibson, our Disaster Response Chair, jamie720@aol.com.   Rev. Doreen Smalls, our conference staff person, may also be of assistance (doreen@sgaumc.com).  Please feel free to email Jamie Gibson or Rev. Doreen Smalls with any questions you may have.  I hope you will continue to watch our conference website for information regarding volunteer opportunities.

Now may the same faith that we have in God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ give us the strength to love and care for our brothers and sisters who desperately need us.

With love,

Your Bishop,
James King

Every morning I pray for you. A part of my prayer includes these words, “… and God bless the South Georgia Annual Conference and my role as a bishop here.  Help us to have better health, clearer goals and make more disciples that the world may be more Christlike.”

As an Easter people, we look forward with hope and excitement as we are being propelled into a wonderful future knowing firsthand how much God loves us through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

God is good and merciful and those who receive God’s love have started their faith walk. Immediately the person of faith enters a war zone where the spiritual life is challenged by the way of the world. I find it interesting that as soon as Jesus starts his ministry on earth, following his baptism, he was tested by Satan. As we seek to do the work of God with joy and thanksgiving in our hearts, the ways of the world shout back with a loud voice, “we will not give up our ways,” and thus begins the spiritual battle.

The Bible teaches us that after Jesus had arisen he met with the disciples and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:46-49

Jesus reminds us today, just as he did the first disciples, that we need the Holy Spirit to guide us, comfort us and give us strength for growing the kingdom of God (a Christlike world) because it will not be easy.

A well-known author was quoted as saying that the average person has 60,000 thoughts per day and of these more than 80% are negative. Hurt and pain are pervasive in the world today. The church must recognize that if hurt and pain are not reconciled by God’s grace they will have a strong presence in the center of our Christian fellowships. What we are to accomplish as disciples of Jesus Christ cannot be done without the spirit of God empowering us.

In the near future many of us will gather in Tifton for our annual conference. Regarding the annual conference I would suggest to you that one of the primary purposes is to highlight the importance of staying spiritually centered as disciples of Jesus Christ. For when we gather for conferencing we will bear witness to the challenges of our faith as we point to our battle scars but also as we sing Victory in Jesus.

Beautiful people, stay connected to God by practicing the spiritual disciplines of our faith.

Until next time, remember, God’s will for us is good. We must do the rest.

With love,

Your Bishop,
James R. King, Jr.

When we started the appointment process for this year, I joined the appointive cabinet in checking off every pastor under appointment in South Georgia. There are more than 600 pastors who have appointments. Then I thought about all the congregations in the South Georgia conference. There are well over 100,000 clergy and laity who identify themselves as United Methodist in our area alone. Wow! What an awesome witness you are to the glory of God. There are so many of you who are dedicated disciples of Jesus Christ and who share the love of Christ every day of your life. What a difference you are making in this world today. Below are some of the pictures I see as I allow my mind to take a panoramic view of our conference.

• Clergy preaching and teaching the gospel throughout the week
• Mission teams around the world from Africa to Japan
• Sunday school teachers helping to shape disciples of all ages
• Children in our Sunday school and during the children’s sermon learning about the will of God
• Clergy and laity visiting the sick at home and in the hospitals
• Midweek ministries where people gather for dinner fellowship and learning
• Dedicated choirs and praise bands who practice every week to assist us in having a meaningful worship experiences
• Children serving as acolytes, singing in the choir, participating in day care and making mission baskets for the needy
• Youth gathered in colorful rooms that capture their creative and exploring spirit
• Ushers and communion stewards who assist in our worship experiences
• Food pantries and soup kitchens for the hungry;
• Shelters built especially for the homeless
• Churches and houses being built for those who need a helping hand
• Individual care given to those with special physical and emotional needs
• People being healed and restored through counseling and medical assistance
• Generosity being expressed through financial giving and service
• Those who cook, sew, write, clean and make phone calls to support important ministries
• Those who visit the jails, prisons, hospitals and nursing homes to express love and support

Jesus said in John 14:12, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these …”

I recently saw a car sticker that read, “Get rich quick – count your blessings.” When I start counting my blessings, I think about the people called United Methodist in South Georgia, where I see amazing disciples of Jesus Christ growing a Christlike world.

Thanks for the wonderful works of God through you. Thanks for making the world a better place.

Until next time remember, God’s will for us is good. We must do the rest.

With love,

Your Bishop,
James R. King, Jr.