'The Wesleyan Way'
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$2 Annual Conference-July 2011 Season of Pentecost Gadson on ‘audacity of faith’ Page 10 “Are you ready, South Carolina, for what God will do with us together?” Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor asked in the opening service of Annual Conference. (Photos by Jessica Connor) ‘The Wesleyan Way’ a time of worship, of praise, of fellowship the balance between theme and the busi - 31 commissioned United Methodists elect and of legislation. ness of the conference – and not keep peo - or ordained delegates, set budget, Members left Sunday afternoon after ple stuck in business hours after the event Page 2 what Taylor referred to in her closing ser - was slated to close. Key was the shifting pass legislation at 2011 mon as the “great breeze” of the Holy of the final day of business to Saturday Spirit swept through the arena and led the instead of Sunday, and moving the ordina - Annual Conference body to elect delegates to Jurisdictional tion service to the last day of conference and General Conferences in 2012, deter - (Sunday). FLORENCE – “Can you feel it? Can you mine the 2012 conference budget and vote In addition to election for delegates, sense it?” Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor on a host of resolutions. significant this year were a vote on a new, asked members of Annual Conference. Taylor reported at the event’s close that streamlined structure for the Connectional “Are you ready, South Carolina, for what 1,640 members – 846 laity, 795 clergy – Ministries arm of the conference, a shift to God will do with us together?” were in attendance. a percentage-pay pharmacy benefit for the Arms raised high in welcome, Taylor Leadership development Wesley-style hundreds of clergy and staff insured across led the body in the opening service of was at the crux of this year’s session, with the state, and a more conservative budget worship for the 2011 S.C. Annual new “teaching times” introduced to reach for the coming year. Notable resolutions Conference. on the principles, passions and practices of up for vote centered on a redistricting task More than 1,600 United Methodist cler - strong lay and clergy leaders (see articles, Conference gives See “Annual Conference,” Page 15 2011 awards gy and laity descended on the Florence pages 8-9). Page 12 Civic Center June 8-12 for the event, The five-day ses - which is the denomination’s primary gath - sion attempted to Laity Convocation, ering in this state. have a more organ - July 29-31 With a theme of “In the Wesleyan Way ized structure this – Principles, Passion and Practice,” it was year that improved Rev. Tiffany Knowlin carries the processional banner of one of her Rev. Bob Huggins speaks out about benefits delinquencies. church’s ministries: the Eau Claire Community of Shalon. 4-5 Viewpoints 26 District News 29 Obituaries 30 Classifieds Issue Index: 18-22 Appointments 29 Resource Center 30 Calendar 31 IBS Lessons Page 2, Annual Conference-July 2011 The South Carolina United Methodist Advocate Annual Conference 2011 ‘The time has come’ Thirty-one souls commissioned and ordained for service on Pentecost Sunday By Jessica Connor Hours/Location Open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. FLORENCE – Praising the glorious S.C. United Methodist Conference Center power of the Holy Spirit that came as a 4908 Colonial Drive, Suite 207 great wind during the first Day of Columbia, SC 29203 Pentecost, Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor Deadlines are the 10th of each month. led an ordination service that commis - sioned and ordained 31 people as provi - Contacting Us Telephone: 888-678-6272 or sional or full deacons and elders in the 803-786-9486 United Methodist Church. Fax: 803-735-8168 [email protected] “None of us can think anything, say E-mail: anything or do anything for the sake of God’s kingdom unless we open ourselves Submissions The Advocate encourages up to God’s spirit,” she implored the ordi - readers to submit for publication nands. items of interest to South Carolina United Methodists. There is no charge It’s the spirit that comes and gives us for running items involving activities voice, Taylor said – that is God’s spirit or announcements. Items should that moves within us and helps us to see be submitted as far as possible in advance of the event’s the needs around us. date or the date of requested “And we cannot keep silent about it,” publication. Since there is no charge for these items, they appear in she said. the newspaper on a space-available Conference Lay Leader Dr. Joe basis. Deadlines are the 10th of each Heyward, on behalf of the laity of the month for the following month’s local congregations; the Rev. Kenneth paper. Family members and friends lay hands on the Rev. Josh McClendon as he is ordained Nelson, on behalf of the conference as an elder. (Photos by Allison Trussell) Advertising Board of Ordained Ministry; and the Rev. Display ads, classified ads and inserts Ruth Arant, of the Order of Deacons, pre - july be ordered by contacting us at sented the 31 before the body of Annual 888-678-6272 or 803-786-9486, ext. 338, or [email protected]. Conference. Deadlines are the 10th of each month “Do you trust that they are worthy, by for the following month’s paper. God’s Grace, to be commissioned or ordained?” Bishop Taylor asked the con - Subscriptions ference. The Advocate is delivered to mailbox - es via U.S. mail every month prior to “We do! Thanks be to God,” the mass - the first Sunday of the month. es replied. Subscriptions are $15/year for the print and online version, and $8/year Preaching from Acts 2:1-21, when the for the online-only edition. To start Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost, Bishop your subscription, visit Taylor spoke about the strong wind that www.advocatesc.org, call with a credit card to 888-678-6272 or pushes us to surrender to God’s spirit. 803-786-9486, ext. 335, or send Taylor reminded United Methodists to Bishop Taylor hugs her daughter, the Rev. your check to Advocate, 4908 recognize that wind, to be alert to God’s Bishop Taylor reaffirms the body’s bap - Mandy Taylor Young, whom she had Colonial Drive, Columbia, SC tism during the service. ordained as an elder just minutes before. 29203. showing up. “Your life’s work will never mean any - perately we all need our God. In a moving and symbolic moment, the Photographs thing if you don’t expect God to show Taylor said that she has been feeling bishop and other clergy leaders laid hands Photographs july be submitted up,” Taylor preached. “That’s what it the nudging of the spirit lately to learn on the ordinands, blessing their journey to the newspaper for publication. High-resolution digital images means to be Pentecostal – bring it on!” Spanish so she can communicate in and this new chapter in their lives. are preferred. Photographs should be Recalling the day 35 years ago when another language the passion she feels for The following was commissioned a in focus and should have proper she was ordained an elder in the UMC, exposure. Color or black and Christ. She has gotten the Rosetta Stone provisional deacon: Katherine Amanda white photographs are accepted. and how much it meant to her family and language learning software and even an Brook. People in photographs should friends then, Taylor welled up with tears application for her iPhone that lets her The following were commissioned as be identified with names and ages, and a contact person with as she told the packed arena how today, practice the language wherever she is. provisional elders: Walter Joseph a phone number should be included her own daughter (Mandy Taylor Young) “I’m going to learn how to tell the Cantwell, Jason Daniel Everson, Fadetra in the information. was being ordained an elder. undying love of God in Spanish because I Deonka Harrington, Judith Ann Knox, “I can’t think of a better day to be know that God wants to speak our lan - David Dean McManus Jr., Kurt Anthony Accuracy Policy ordained, can you?” Taylor asked the guage, and I know God wants us to be McPherson, Richard Hancock Reams, The Advocate strives to produce error-free news reports. When mis - crowd to loud applause. able to speak His language, and I know Davie Demetrius Sanders Jr., Steven Paul takes occur, it is our policy to correct She said that during that first Day of that in learning Spanish, it will be possi - Simoneaux Jr., Scott Walter Smoak and them as soon as they are brought to Pentecost, 50 days after the first Easter, our attention. To request a correction, ble to enlarge our ability to share … the Ryan Greasor Spurrier. call Jessica Connor at 888-678-6272 some people thought those filled with the love of Jesus Christ,” Taylor said to wild The following were ordained as dea - or 803-786-9486, ext. 338, or e-mail spirit were drunk. After all, they were applause. cons: Shelly Anne Holder, Karen Hanyea [email protected]. In the event of errors in advertisements, the speaking in a number of different lan - She urged all to pitch their tents in the Lail Jones, Karen Trogdon Kluever and Advocate will be responsible only for guages as the spirit prompted them. land of hope, to know with absolutely Mary Kay Wood. the space occupied by the actual But that is the power of the spirit, certainty that God will always prevail.