Snapshots of South Georgia

I was in the Columbus District last month for a District Worship Service at St. Mark’s UMC.

The Conference Leadership Forum met at Vineville UMC on March 23. Bob Brown, the architect working with the Conference Office Task Force on the new conference center to be built in Macon, showed the proposed plans with the group.

To the beautiful people of South Georgia,

Life for many is complicated and stressed these days.
Health failing.  Financial distress.  Loved ones deployed to foreign lands for war.
Calendars overbooked.  Unknown futures and transitions. Grief from loss.
Spiritual numbness.  Distance from God.  Hopelessness.
The list could go on.

We have good news for a hurting world!
God intervened at the darkest moment in human history.
The crucifixion and death of Jesus was not the final word.
The darkness that filled the earth was interrupted by the Resurrection and Light.

Easter is about new life.  Light replacing darkness.  A tremendous gift from our faithful God.
God is always at work producing a Christlike world.
In each life.  In every life.  Redeeming the whole creation.

So, lift up your heads this Easter.  Embrace resurrection hope and reality.
Let the joy of Easter sing out in your lives so others will hear.
Let the hope of Easter fill your lives with Light so all will see.

Easter Joy—Easter Hope!

James R. King, Jr.
Your Bishop

Army Chaplain (Lieutenant Colonel) Matt Woodbery was in Macon this past week as a member of the Conference Board of Ministry.  I had the opportunity to spend some time with Matt while he was here. Matt serves as Deputy Joint Chief Chaplain at the Pentagon.  As an agent of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Matt works with the Army Chief of Chaplains, the Navy Chief of Chaplains and the Air Force Chief of Chaplains, as well as the Combat and Command Chaplains, including the Chaplains of Central Command.  We are proud of Matt and all of our chaplains who serve so faithfully.

Click here to read an article about chaplaincy that appeared in the South Georgia Advocate last November.

The Cabinet met again this week for an appointment making session.  We anticipate having some projected appointments to share on Sunday.

Below is my article in the latest edition of the South Georgia Advocate.  Are you a subscriber?  Click here for more details.

Hello, Beautiful People of South Georgia!

You are making a difference!  Local communities are being transformed and the world is being affected by your faith even though it does not make the evening news.

Yet, there is more work to be done.  Church membership continues to decline in places where the general population is increasing. Many lives remain broken, and too many persons in the church are angry.  Fear and isolation ring out across our communities and nations.  As more disciples are made, the more God’s world will look like Jesus Christ.  Yes, we need more disciples. I encourage you in the name of Jesus Christ to do the following:

Simplify
Let the organizational lines in the church that connect us to one another be simple and easy to understand. Focus on your purpose for being, your mission assignment, and your job.

STOP the power struggles, CUT the politics, MEASURE seniority by faithfulness, BURY outdated traditions, SERVE and let others serve for the GLORY of GOD.

Clarify
We must teach, explain, and repeat over and over the values of the faith. Create space for questions and a deep and clear understanding of what it means to follow as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Edify
Build each other up! Make each other stronger by participation on ministry teams. Be part of  a small group.

Amplify
Increase, expand, and share the gospel. Invite others into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ with Holy Spirit enthusiasm.

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

With love,
Your Bishop,
James R. King, Jr.

To the beautiful people of South Georgia,

I pray this blog post finds you blessed as you seek a closer walk with God during this Lenten season.

God is doing some amazing things through the people, congregations and ministries of the South Georgia Annual Conference.   I am privileged to see many examples of this spiritual fruit as I travel across the whole Conference.  Each expression of faithful witness glorifies God and encourages me beyond words. I wish more people could see these many exciting things first-hand, but that just isn’t practical.

One of the significant tools we have for sharing these many stories of God’s activity is through the South Georgia Advocate, our conference newspaper.  For many in our Annual Conference, the Internet is not a readily available source for conference news.  The printed page is still a highly valued means of communication.

This is where I need your help!

One of my desires is to support the long-term viability of the South Georgia Advocate.  This goal will not require a massive effort on any one person’s part.  However, if each person does a small, but significant, act of subscribing to the Advocate, we can easily reach this goal.

I am fully supportive of the South Georgia Advocate. I am a proud subscriber. If you are too, I am sure you agree with me that it is a valuable resource.   Kara Witherow, our editor, and Kelly Roberson, our communications director, are doing a tremendous job of finding and telling news stories that both inform and inspire.  Our partnership with the United Methodist Reporter has yielded an attractive product.  We have had so many positive comments from our readers about the South Georgia Advocate.

If you do not currently subscribe, I hope that you will purchase a subscription and discover the benefits of reading the many exciting stories of God’s activity in our midst.  You will, also, be able to stay current on important news from our conference and beyond. I believe that Advocate is worth continuing for years to come.

Every pastor and every local church leader would benefit from reading this paper.  To that end, I am asking you to become a subscriber and encourage others to subscribe.  For only $25 a year, I firmly believe every United Methodist in South Georgia should be getting the South Georgia Advocate.

I am urging you to subscribe between now and Easter as a sign of your partnership.  Also, it would be greatly appreciated if you would help promote Advocate subscriptions within your congregation.  Below, you will see information to help you do both.

You might even join me in purchasing additional subscriptions as gifts to others in your congregation and as a sign of your support for this important ministry.

We are blessed to be part of a connectional church, which continually reminds us that we are part of something much bigger than any one local church or ministry.  Your receiving and reading the South Georgia Advocate will remind you of the God’s expansive mission of which we are all privileged to share.

Thank you for giving this your attention today.

Your Bishop,

James R. King, Jr.

Subscribe or Renew A one year subscription is $25 (or $23 for subscribers 65 and older).

By Mail: Mail your check, payable to “South Georgia Advocate,” to P.O. Box 660275 / Dallas, TX 75266-0275.

By Phone: 1.877.465.1685

Online: www.sgaumc.org/advocate

Campaign Materials Visit the Conference website: www.sgaumc.org/advocate or call 912-270-6172 for assistance.

Share News and Photos Email editor Kara Witherow at kara@sgaumc.com or advocate@sgaumc.com with news from your local church.

The Appointive Cabinet met February 23-25 in Macon.  Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, March 10. No new appointments will be posted until Sunday afternoon, March 14 – at the earliest. Please continue to pray for all involved in this discernment process.

To the beautiful people of South Georgia,

It is my prayer that you are experiencing the grace and peace of Jesus Christ.  The Lenten season is a special time in the journey of every Christian.  May each day during Lent find you closer to our merciful God!

As many of you know, the District Superintendents and I are now immersed in a season of prayer around the placement of clergy for the upcoming conference year.

Each District Superintendent made a concerted effort to meet with each clergy person and each local church Pastor Parish Relations Committee in recent months.  These listening sessions are so vital to our discernment process.  Additional conversations will emerge with many pastors and committees in the coming months as the process continues.

We are all seeking God’s guidance as we discern the gifts, graces and spiritual fruits of all clergy; and as we discern the particular needs, potentials and disciple-making context of all our congregations.  Our deepest desire is to discover the anointed place for each pastor and the anointed pastor for each congregation. 

At this point I invite you to:  

Pray without ceasing for everyone involved in this process.  The Appointive Cabinet, the Pastor-Parish Relations Committees, the congregations, the clergy and their families all need our prayers.

Patiently trust that God is at work in this process.  Admittedly, these are anxious days for many.  When we are anxious we are tempted to do something to accelerate the decision-making process so all will be able to answer the who, where, why, and when questions.  The making of pastoral appointments actually occurs on God’s timetable, in what the Church has called,  “Kairos” time.  We will take our time to listen, consider, explore, seek, and yield to God’s leading.  Once we have something to share, we will seek to be as transparent as possible, as quickly as possible.

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

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

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

Your Bishop,

James R. King, Jr.

Below is my article that appeared in the Feb. 5 issue of the South Georgia Advocate.  Not a subscriber?  Visit www.sgaumc.org/advocate and subscribe today!

Yes, you can!

Hello, beautiful people of South Georgia,

Jack Canfield captures the true story that took place in 1977 in Florida. A woman, at the age of 63, picked up the back end of a car to get it off her grandson’s arm. Prior to that experience, the woman had never lifted anything heavier than a 50-pound bag of pet food. What seemed like the impossible became possible.

Yesterday I prayed for two women who were scheduled for surgery on the following day. These two did not know each other. They lived miles apart but were going through similar situations at the same time on the same day. Yesterday I heard about a friend whose family member had lost their job. Yesterday I heard about hundreds of students who are being blessed on one of our college campuses because you have generously given. Yesterday I heard how our St. Mary’s Foundation is not only helping people globally but many of our caring projects in South Georgia as well. Yesterday I heard one of our pastors share a story about a clergy person who seemed to have had little financially but at his death left one million dollars to several agencies that are caring for the least among us. Yesterday I heard a parent talk about being grateful as she led her son to the store to purchase supplies for a health kit for Haiti. This little boy was amazed that there are some in Haiti who do not have water to drink.

For every tragedy there are equally as many good news stories of how the faithful have partnered with God to be light in the world. When an earthquake occurs in our lives as in Haiti it frames our circumstance but it does not define who we are. Paul writes in Philippians 4: 12-13 “In any and all circumstances I have leaned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

I am so thankful for all the pastors, staff and congregations that are doing an excellent job in making disciples of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged over the situations and circumstances that fly in the face of God’s promise. As your bishop, I am deeply committed to being a part of the church that is breaking through the lifeless and lost parts of the mission of the church. I join many of you who are prepared to put it all on the line in the hope that a Christ-like world is possible. What we hope for requires an unshakable faith in God to do what God said God would do in the Bible.

When I think about the woman who picked up the back end of a car at 63, I am reminded that all things are possible when we forget about what we can’t do and focus on what we can do.

I ask you this – what is going on in your life where your current situation is getting more attention than your faith in God to do great and marvelous things?

I am willing to say, “Yes, We Can!” because I believe our congregations can catch on fire and turn the world to God who saves.

Are you willing to say, “Yes, I can!” in spite of some health problem?

Are you willing to say, “Yes, I can!” in spite of some financial barrier?

Are you will to say, “Yes, I can!” in spite of some who say it can’t be done?

Say to yourself today, “Yes, I can!” and then get started or keep going or cross the finish line. Because God is with you, it can be and it will be done. Glory to God! Yes, you can!

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

With love,
Your Bishop,
James R. King, Jr.