South Carolina Conference Communications

Note to Editors: The letter is available in its entirety at www.umc.org/messageofhope

I received this to share from the General Commission on Religion and Race

The General Commission on Religion and Race has been engaging worship leaders from around the United Methodist Connection in discussing the racially charged events of the week, and ways United Methodists can be involved.

Bishop Gregory Palmer, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishop offers some notes that can help worship leaders answer the question, "Will Wednesday's NY Post Cartoon matter on Sunday?"

While profoundly disappointed with the NY Post and its racially charged editorial cartoon this week, Bishop Gregory Palmer, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, looks at the incident and the subsequent controversy as a fantastic opportunity. "It provides United Methodists with the tremendous opportunity to speak about radical hospitality, revelation and transparent disclosure, all elements of this season of Ephiphany." Bishop Palmer says that during this special season in the life of the church we are called to mirror God's deepest wish for humanity, to see the reflection of God in each other.
Bishop Palmer uses the Gospel text, Mark 9 to set the stage. "The cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud came a voice and the voice said, 'this is my son, my beloved, and listen to him.'"
In the text, God calls out to humanity and says, this is who I am. Look upon Jesus, know him as Beloved, and in turn, learn that we too are beloved. For every culture that has struggled with discrimination, this message - that God sees all of us as the beloved- is significant because it says we are accepted by the Author of our lives. It also calls us to look at our neighbor, the person who "looks like me" and is aligned socially, economically, and perhaps politically with me and see "beloved." But it also calls for us to look at the neighbor, the one who could use some ancient image of hate for the purpose of humor and see that one as beloved of God as well.
Bishop Palmer urges that we remember that as Christians, as United Methodists, we are designed to represent radical hospitality and that includes hospitality to those who may not look like us. We are called to exercise that hospitality in our own spheres of influence whether it's an office space or gymnasium, or on Sunday, in the pew.

The United Methodist Native American committee is sponsoring and providing Native American Representative Training.  The training date is February 7th at Bethel United Methodist Church in Columbia  9:30 a.m.- 2 p.m..  The training provides the following:

1. an in-depth look into the past and present of the South Carolina Native American tribes
2. myths and stereotypes
3. Native American Spirituality
4. the role of the United Methodist Church and our conference
5. the Native American Committee and the responsibilities of the Native American Representative. 
6. Lunch will be provided. 

The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church (2004) (653) provides that each conference establish a Native American Committee to provide Native American ministries and maintain connectional relationships.   “Every local church at charge conference shall designate by nomination and election a minimum of one person per charge (without regard to race or ethnic origin) to represent the need for better awareness of Native American contributions in the local church.”  It is the responsibility of the Native American Committee to provide training to these representatives.   

This training is not limited to Native American Representatives.  Interested church members, District Superintendents, Cabinet Members, and other interested United Methodist members may attend this training.  Each participant will receive a resource book with materials.  Presentations will be made by state tribal people.   The training will conclude with a brief traditional worship service conducted by native peoples from South Carolina. 

New Advance Project Guide Now Available

New York, NY:  Almost a thousand projects and programs in 100 countries are included in the new Giving Resource Guide from The Advance, the United Methodist designated mission giving channel.

Subtitled Strength in Numbers, the 111-page guide, a magazine-style catalogue, lists approved recipients for the quadrennium, or four-year period, from 2009-2012. It also contains other information on mission support, such as how congregations can enter into Covenant Relationships with missionaries.

The Advance represents "second-mile" mission giving, the "first mile" being mission support included in World Service apportionments to congregations.

Some $39 million is given in a typical year through The Advance for a wide range of mission projects, missionary support, disaster relief, and humanitarian service. Funds for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) go through The Advance, officially, "The Advance for Christ and His Church." One hundred percent of every Advance gift goes to the ministry designated by the donor. No administrative costs are taken from the contributions.

"We carefully reviewed hundreds upon hundreds of applicants for Advance designation," according to the Rev. Shawn Bakker, director of The Advance and an associate general secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries. The Advance is part of the international mission agency.

The new giving guide is organized geographically, with a section devoted to general mission topics. It covers all regions of the world except Australia/New Zealand, Canada, and scattered parts of Western Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. One can also search for projects by area, country, name, title, etc. on the online giving page.

"The contents of the print guide and the online database have been coordinated," said Rev. Bakker. "Donors can go online to get more comprehensive information on projects. They can contribute by several means, including credit card gifts online or by telephone, by check directly to The Advance or through their congregations."

Both broad ministries, such as new congregation development, hunger, AIDS prevention/treatment, or specific projects can be supported through The Advance. One new board ministry this year is the Four Hundred Fund, which is being used to start 400 new congregations outside the United States. A new specific project is Church Labor Advocacy and Solidarity Program in the Philippines. This project provides skills training and capacity-building to seasonal workers who are prohibited from forming unions.

Almost all Advance causes and projects originate on local or regional levels as ministry priorities of those related to needs and possibilities. Applications come through annual conferences and other regional organizations and must have the approval of area Episcopal leaders. However, approval as "an Advance" does not guarantee funding. Project goals in the resource guide are just that – goals.

A committee named by the Global Ministries directors oversees The Advance, which operates under financial supervision of the General Council on Finance and Administration and the General Treasurer of the mission agency.

Copies of the guide were mailed in January to all bishops, pastors, associate pastors, diaconal ministers, and a wide range of annual conference officers and staff members. Other mailings are planned.
Persons needing the print guide for their work on congregation, conference, or institutional levels may obtain free single copies through United Methodist Communications by visiting our online store or by calling 888-346-3862 and asking for item number 87400308.  Alternately, you may call Cokesbury at 800-672-1789 and ask for item number 528190. 

Year-end increases for Society of St. Andrew

feed many more of America’s hungry 

Reponding to escalating need, national Advance hunger-relief ministry

made extra push the last four months of 2008; also has year-over-year increases 

Big Island, VA – While U.S. and world economies were tanking and most nonprofit organizations were pulling back to guard against potential declines in donations, the Society of St. Andrew (Advance #801600) was stepping out on faith.  During the last four months of 2008 this national hunger relief ministry was able to dramatically increase the amount of food it distributed to critical feeding agencies around the nation at a time when their shelves are essentially bare.

In direct response to the escalating need faced by the nation’s hungry and the agencies they reach out to for food, the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) made a very hard push in the last few months of 2008. 

Nationwide, 91% more food was distributed by the Society of St. Andrew from September through December 2008 than during the same months in 2007 – from 3.7 million pounds in 2007 to nearly 7.1 million pounds in 2008.

When others were cutting back, SoSA was doing more.  The society’s hunger relief programs had increases year over year, as well.  Excess food gleaned in fields and orchards and from packing houses was up almost 25% from 2007.  Bulk loads of potatoes and other produce salvaged through their Potato & Produce Project were up almost 8%.  Overall, pounds of food saved and distributed during 2008 were up nearly 16% – from 20.2 million pounds to 23.5 million.  All this food nourished hungry Americans with more than 70 million servings of fresh produce.

The number of gleaning events and volunteers were also up by healthy amounts.  SoSA conducted over 3,200 gleaning and Potato Drop events throughout more than 20 states last year.  Nearly 31,600 volunteers picked and bagged that food.

“All of this points to a very healthy ministry,” said Mike Waldmann, SoSA’s executive director. “In order to maintain this much-needed increased level of food salvage and distribution we must depend on the generosity of our donors.  There’s an abundance of food out there that, if not redirected to those in need, will go to waste.  How much food SoSA can redirect to critical feeding agencies throughout the year is directly related to how much financial support we receive year in and year out.  And since we can provide a serving of food for about two cents while keeping our overhead expenses well under ten percent, those who give can be certain their contributions will go further with SoSA than with just about any other organization.”

The Society of St. Andrew is a national, ecumenical, Advance #801600 ministry that gleans America’s fields and feeds America’s hungry. It effectively tackles the problem of food waste and hunger in America through its grassroots Gleaning Network, Potato & Produce Project, Harvest of Hope and Hunger Relief Advocate programs, which salvage fresh produce that will otherwise be wasted and donate it to feed the hungry.  SoSA is one of the nation's largest nonprofit suppliers of fresh produce to the hungry.  For more information about the Society of St. Andrew and its hunger relief programs: call toll free 800-333-4597; e-mail: sosausa@endhunger.org; website: www.endhunger.org.

On September 1, 2008, Hurricane Gustav ripped through South Louisiana, and Terrebonne Parish experienced the eye of the storm. As a strong Category 2 hurricane, Gustav's winds raged at 115 miles per hour, pushing a 12-foot storm surge into coastal Louisiana.  Less than two weeks later, Hurricane Ike, the third most destructive hurricane in U.S. history, came ashore in Louisiana. Ike's 9-foot storm surge inundated hundreds of miles of coastline and thousands of homes in South Louisiana, re-flooding several homes that had already been damaged by Katrina, Rita, and Gustav.  Together, these storms have devastated South Louisiana, leaving thousands in need of help.
In response to the devastating damage in South Louisiana caused by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, First United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge, LA has created Terrebonne Area Restoration Project (TARP).  FUMCBR has participated in several mission projects over the last 25 years and is the creator of Project NOAH, a hurricane relief effort that has involved over 2,000 people from across the country and rebuilt over 30 homes in the New Orleans area following Hurricane Katrina. TARP is the newest youth mission opportunity being offered by FUMCBR. 
TARP provides an opportunity for teens age fourteen and older to participate in the home repair and restoration of those affected by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Youth volunteers will work to repair roofs, floors, siding, and everything in between.  Through their efforts, multiple homes in the Terrebonne area will be restored this summer.
TARP invites you to the home of Cajun culture and the heart of America's wetland, where homes and lives must now be rebuilt.  Youth volunteers who commit one week of their summer to serve with TARP will have the opportunity to apply their faith in life-changing ways by sharing Christ's love through their words and actions.  Volunteers will be immersed in a cross-cultural setting and encouraged to build new relationships across generations, among people from other racial groups, and with those from other denominations. They will truly experience the richness and diversity of God's kingdom.
After each day's work is done, volunteers will experience a true Louisiana-style celebration, followed by a time for reflection and worship.  Designed with the hope of transforming hearts and minds, the TARP experience will not only change the lives of hurricane victims, but also the lives of those who serve.
TARP volunteers will be hosted in the Terrebonne area and will work at one of several work sites recommended by Louisiana Conference Disaster Response, Inc.  TARP will run for seven weeks this summer, between June 14 and August 1, 2009. 
TARP is now accepting applications from interested youth groups.  For more information, please visit www.thebluetarp.com.

The Presidential Inaugural Committee has invited the people of The United Methodist Church to share volunteer opportunities taking place on Monday, January 19th, Martin Luther King Day, through their online database. This nationwide call to service links those who are on school or work holiday with meaningful ways to serve their communities. Many congregations throughout the connection already participate in “A Day On, Not a Day Off” activities. This is yet another way to share those activities and connect with people in your communities.

To participate, go to the volunteer database at http://www.pic2009.org/page/s/DS2 and post your local events. The Presidential Inaugural Committee will work with participating organizations to promote events across the country through the media. If you have questions, please contact Nancy Neelley at nneelley@umcom.org or 615-742-5444

NASHVILLE, Tenn., December 19, 2008/GBOD/ -- Upper Room Books has published The Meeting God Bible as a way to help Scripture become more personal.

Throughout the study Bible there are more than 1,500 “Entry Point” reflections. These will help the reader tap into the vital heart of Scripture through time-tested spiritual disciplines. They include such practices as Lectio divina, Ignatian reading, Franciscan reading, fivefold questions and quotations from respected Christians. Each of these disciplines is fully explained for those new to them.

“In a way it is more like a devotional Bible then a study Bible,” says Robin Pippin, editorial director for Upper Room Books. The Meeting God Bible is a revision of The Spiritual Formation Bible, previously co-published with Zondervan. Pippin says it is designed for “any Christian or seeker who has a desire to connect with Scripture in a more personal way.”

Some of the suggested activities include journaling or working with clay. In all, the idea is to form the reader as a spiritual being over informing. It is about letting the Bible guide who we are as Christians or seekers.

Scattered throughout the study Bible are sections on Meeting God in Prayer, in Service, in Worship, in the Created Order, in Scripture, in Community and in Everyday Life. These articles, written by scholars and church leaders such as Reuben P. Job and Marjorie Thompson, elaborate on “Ways of Meeting God.” Other scholars as well as Upper Room staff contributed to the various “Entry Point” reflections and a section entitled “Getting Started in Spiritual Formation.”

The Meeting God Bible connects with an Upper Room study series entitled Meeting God in Scripture. These studies build on the content in The Meeting God Bible. A study on the Old Testament and another on the New Testament already are available. A Meeting God study on Psalms will be available in 2009, with more coming later.

The various studies as well as The Meeting God Bible may be ordered through the Upper Room Bookstore at www.upperrom.org/bookstore or by calling 800-972-0433. They will also be available in Cokesbury and other bookstores in late January.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., December 19, 2008/GBOD -- The United Methodist General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) is reducing staff  in response to a deteriorating U.S. economy and an effort to align resources around its strategic directions and the four areas of focus approved by the 2008 General Conference. 

Karen Greenwaldt, top executive at GBOD, after consultation with the president of GBOD, Bishop Charlene Kammerer, and other key board leaders, announced staff is being reduced in GBOD’s Upper Room Ministries, which does not receive apportionment dollars, and other apportionment-funded units (those receiving World Service dollars). Overall, this will result in 15 positions being eliminated, five of which are not presently filled.  The staff reductions will begin at the end of January 2009. 

“We deeply regret that this announcement is being made during this Christmas season, and we will miss our valued colleagues.  However, we feel that we must start the New Year ready to serve the denomination with a leaner and focused organization that also recognizes the economic reality facing our churches and the larger society,” said Greenwaldt.  “These changes are being made after a thoughtful and careful review of our operations and a strategic decision to align our ministries around the denomination’s goals for the next four years,” she said. 

Although GBOD will be reducing staff in some areas, New Church Starts, a new unit responsible for training and equipping 1000 church planters to start 650 churches over the next four years, is acquiring four new staff members.  “We are excited about this new area and the direction it is taking the church.  The impact of its service to the denomination has already been felt,” said Greenwaldt.

GBOD’s mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, GBOD is located at 1908 Grand Ave.  in Nashville, Tenn. Visit www.gbod.org for more information or call the Media Relations Office toll free at (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7017.

Carolina tops Clemson $950.54 / $924.19 in Wesley Foundation drop in the bucket rivalry game donations.

Regardless of whether you cheered for Clemson or Carolina in the big rivarlry game, the real winner was the Wesley Foundations on each of those campuses as students and fans of each school were asked to support their team with a "drop in the bucket" following November 23rd church services.

At United Methodist churches throughout the state USC and Clemson buckets were stationed where fans could support their favorite team the Sunday before the big game. The money raised will be used to help campus ministry programs and students at both schools.

The results are tabulated and bragging rights HAVE been issued.

The totals as of 12-18-08 are as follows:
Carolina had a total of $950.54 and Clemson can in close with $924.19

So while Clemson Football may have been dominate in this years game, Carolina fans can still claim some bragging right.

Additionally, contributions may be sent to the Conference treasurer’s office and designated Carolina/Clemson with a notation of the amounts for each school.

For more information contact Tom Wall, campus minister at USC (803-799-7363, WallBrodie@aol.com) or Lane Glaze campus minister at Clemson (864-654-5547, Lglaze@clemsonumc.org)

Calling 2009 Offers Eurasian United Methodists Chance to Consider God’s Call

Calling 2009, scheduled for April 4-5, at the Russia United Methodist Theological Seminary in Moscow will offer United Methodist Christians from all over Eurasia a chance to consider how God is calling them.

“United Methodists from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tadzhikistan, and Kyrgystan, can come and clarify for themselves whether they are called by God to active ministry and in what way,” said the Rev. Dr. Sergei Nikolaev, president of the seminary.

Nikolaev said that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the cultural environment in Russia and other Eurasian countries shifted from religiously open to quite suspicious and confusing. He said it became apparent that The United Methodist Church in Eurasia had to articulate what it means to be ordained in The United Methodist Church.

“Calling events were conceived as one of the means to communicate to potential students at the seminary what God calls you to do when God calls you to ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church,” Nikolaev said.

The Russia United Methodist Theological Seminary, together with the Eurasia episcopal officem initiated the April event. Bishop Hans Växby has taken a personal interest in the event and has spoken at all three previous Calling events.

Nikolaev, former Seminary President Tobias Dietze, and the Director of Extension Course Andrei Kim all have been heavily involved in organizing the events.

“Last year the potential seminary students were addressed, as well, by visiting professors Drs. Gail O'Day and Tom Frank of Candler School of Theology; the year before - by Dr. Robert Kohler from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry,” Nikolaev said.

The 2009 event will feature the Rev. Meg Lassiat, director of Student Ministries, Vocation, and Enlistment at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

“Current full-time seminary students will be fully involved in all the states of preparation and leading of this event,” Nikolaev said.

For more information about Calling 2009, e-mail Nikolaev at
president.msumc@gmail.com.

Just got this in, it's one of those little items that would have easily fallen through the cracks, but not this time!

SAVE THESE DATES!
August 19-22, 2009
FOR A NATIONAL EVENT: GLOBAL PRAISE
EMERSION CONFERENCE

Featuring: Chief Clinician Dr. C. Michael Hawn
Other Leadership includes: Jorge Lockward, Debi Tyree, Eileen Guenther, John Thornburg
3 CEU's will be given for this event.
For more information: http://www.globalpraise-2009.org

Helping Others During the Holidays and All Year Long, State Housing Authority Employees Spread Cheer to the Children of Epworth

Ninety-nine children age six through seventeen at Epworth Children's Home in Columbia, SC will have at least one thing they wished for on Christmas morning, thanks to the generous efforts of the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority employees.

Each year as part of their holiday preparations, employees at the Authority decorate a tree and look for ways to help others. This year, along with the ribbons, lights and ornaments were an assortment of tags giving the age of a boy or girl and an item they would like to have. All 99 had been fulfilled by the end of Friday, December 12.

Employees also donated items for a silent auction that concluded on Friday, December 12. Bidders contributed more than $250 that also went to assist the children of Epworth.

"This has been a regular part of our holiday season for many years." said Director Valarie Williams." Even during these times of uncertainty and difficulty, everyone here pitched in to make the holidays brighter for the children. It has been good for the giver and the recipient."

Helping others is all part of the job for employees at the Authority, who so far this year have assisted 1500 first time home buyers to purchase their own home through the Home ownership program. In addition, they have assisted 20,100 people with rental assistance and distributed more than $8.8 million in funds for emergency home repair, owner-occupied rehabilitation programs and supportive housing activities through the Housing Trust Fund.

The State Housing Finance and Development Authority is a self-supporting agency of state government and operates at no cost to taxpayers.

Communications in the South Carolina Conference have come a long way in the past few years. We have all kinds of new technology to help people connect, as well as old - or rather familiar - media sources like The South Carolina United Methodist Advocate or District newsletters. Each form of technology serves to give us a specific kind of information. For example, the Advocate is now very focused on local church news and the E-link email is focused on new conference related information.

While much of our communications have become very focused, which certainly has its benefits, the problem now is what to do with information that doesn’t fit into those current set ups. What about local church news that doesn’t go into the Advocate because it’s a monthly paper and is either already full of wonderful stories or the timing is just wrong? And what about a news release from one of our National Agencies? Where do they fit in our current communications line up? The truth is they really don’t and so many of those worthy news items fall through the cracks. – UNTIL NOW!

This blog will be the net that catches the information you didn’t know you were missing. Since we are coming up on Christmas, allow me to use a Rudolph example; it is like “The Island of Misfit Toys” of South Carolina United Methodist Information.

In short, be prepared for anything and everything to find its way into this blog. Here you may find a book review, a national job opening, the touching story of a local church, a video, or even just a funny picture. Feel free to comment on everything, or even to submit information. This is really YOUR place also! If you think it’s worth hearing about send it in!

Remember that this blog is a place where news and information is received, not a place where it is created. So we won’t write the story, but we will post it!

God Bless!