Dear Pastors, Council Chairs, Lay Leaders and SPRC Chairs, Lay Delegates:
4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6
I cordially invite you to a
What: Training Seminar
Why: To equip pastors and church leaders, as we face both General Conference 2019 and SC Annual Conference 2018. As a leader, you can be an instrument of peace, a conduit of information, and a facilitator of discernment and prayer. This training will provide highlights of the work of the Commission on the Way Forward. Lay Delegates and pastors may stay at the end of the General Conference presentation, to watch the orientation video about the S.C. Annual Conference.
When: May 20, 3:00pm, Trinity UMC, 90 Boney Road, Blythewood
Who: Pastors, Council Chairs, Lay Leaders, SPRC Chairs, and Lay Delegates. PASTORS – Please share this email with your Lay Delegates (we lack sufficient email addresses on these leaders).
Facilitators: Rev. Kathy James, Director of Connectional Ministries; Rev. Cathy Jamieson, DS
To read more about recent news from the Council of Bishops, see the link below –
https://columbiadistrict.wordpress.com/2018/05/05/council-of-bishop-acts-on-way-forward/
In this time of uncertainty and anxiety, it is important to remember that the General Conference of the United Methodist Church is the only body that can speak for the denomination and make changes to The Book of Discipline. The task before the General Conference is challenging and the delegates will need our fervent prayers as they prepare to act on the legislation before them.
Ephesians 4:1-6: I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
uary 23 and January 30, I offered 2 opportunities for pastors to participate in a training related to General Conference 2019. Mark Tidsworth, church leadership consultant, pastor and author, assisted me in the training. Basically, we presented resources to equip pastors in their leadership during this season of our denomination. Those resources included a review of small group curriculum on the topic of human sexuality and the UMC, conflict mediation skills, and updates on Commission on the Way Forward. Mark addressed the role of the pastor in this particular time, and how important spiritual disciplines, prayer and discernment are. Mark described the various ways a pastor can choose to lead, such as directing his/her church toward a particular side, or being a neutral facilitator to foster conversations among different viewpoints.