Annual Conference Photos by Matt Brodie and Allison Trussell Allison Photos by Matt Brodie And
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sociation • As U s ni s te e d r P WINNER M . e C t . Writing, h S o Photography and d • i s s r t o A t Overall a s c s i Publication o n c u i a m t i o m n o C o f $2 copy or by subscription July 2019 A future of hope: Annual Conference Photos by Matt Brodie and Allison Trussell Allison Photos by Matt Brodie and Clockwise from top left, Bishop Jonathan Holston preaches opening worship. The Greenville District Student Choir and Orchestra plays a hymn. People had much to say during voting for delegates. Cathy Nelson plays the flute during the Native American service of reconciliation and hope. More than 200 elder baskets were assembled and donated by attendees. Crosses from Salkehatchie camps draw attention to their service ministry. Body passes $16.8M budget, elects 32 delegates to General and Jurisdictional conferences By Jessica Brodie “Instead of arming ourselves … let’s seek American elder baskets and 25 filled boxes of GREENVILLE—Bringing a word on holding places of unity instead of disunity,” Holston said, donated food for Harvest Hope, addressed three onto hope even when anger, troubled waters and lifting up hope as an acronym: petitions and elected 32 delegates plus alternates disunity circle, Bishop Jonathan Holston kicked • Hanging onto God’s promises to the 2020 General and Jurisdictional confer- off Annual Conference 2019 with a powerful • Overcoming adversity ences. word Sunday night, June 2, before thousands of • Pursuing truth As Holston preached Sunday night, if we United Methodists from all over South Carolina. • Enduring patiently allow God to work, God will use us to make a “Sometimes to get to where you want to go, “It doesn’t mean we put our heads in the sand, difference in the world.” you’ve got to go through some stuff,” Holston but we can’t forget who we are and whose we said to applause, noting that hope is a four-letter are .” Delegates elected over four days word, and whether we recognize it or not, we A Future with Hope: Seeking a More Excel- Beginning Monday afternoon and ending late subconsciously or deliberately put hope into lent Way was the theme reflected across all five Thursday morning, Annual Conference mem- every single thing we do whether that is students days of this year’s annual gathering, which had bers elected 32 delegates plus alternates who will taking a test or someone having dinner with a spirit of pressing on in unity even as many in represent South Carolina at next year’s General their in-laws. Sometimes when things are dif- the body struggled with feelings of hurt and pain and Jurisdictional conferences. ficult we might think this world is everything. from the denomination’s continued strife over Sixteen (eight lay, eight clergy) plus alternates “But my friends, you might be the best Scrip- issues of human sexuality. will head to General Conference, set for May ture that someone will ever read.” By the time Annual Conference ended Thurs- 5-15, 2020, in Minneapolis. An additional 16 He said what God has done over the centuries day, June 6, the roughly 2,000 clergy and laity (eight lay, eight clergy) will head to Jurisdictional has proven God to be true, and we shouldn’t be had passed a $16.8 million 2020 ministry budget Conference along with the 16 elected for General trying to be God, but rather to lead people to for the church, ordained or commissioned 19 God. deacons and elders, collected hundreds of Native See “Annual Conference,” Page 2 Page 2, July 2019 Advocate Advocate July 2019, Page 3 ANNUAL CONFERENCE: 2020 returns to Florence South Carolina delegates elected From Page 1 Conference. Jurisdictional Conference is set for July 15-18, 2020, at Lake Junaluska, North to General, Jurisdictional conferences Carolina. The Rev. Ken Nelson was the first elected among clergy, and the Hon. Jackie Jenkins was the first elected among laity. Body elects 32 men, women plus alternates to 2020 events Delegates were elected from a pool of Hours/Location Open Monday through Friday eligible people who expressed a desire to be Clergy General Conference Delegates 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. considered as a delegate. There were 35 lay S.C. United Methodist Conference nominees, each selected through their district Center or approved group, and 84 clergy who have 4908 Colonial Drive, Suite 207 Columbia, SC 29203 articulated a desire to be a nominee. A number Deadlines: 10th of each month. of write-in nominees were also considered. See Page 3 for the full story and the list of Contacting Us those elected. Telephone: 888-678-6272 or 803-786- 9486 Fax: 803-735-8168 Budget passes E-mail: [email protected] Thursday morning, the body passed a $16.8 Rev. Ken Nelson Dr. Robin Dease Rev. Keith Hunter Rev. Susan Leonard Rev. Emily Sutton Rev. Will Malambri Rev. Tiffany Knowlin Rev. Karen Jones million ministry budget for the work of the Submissions South Carolina Conference of The United Photo by Allison Trussell Lay General Conference Delegates The Advocate encourages readers to Methodist Church next year. The budget ad- submit for publication items of interest CF&A chair the Rev. Mitch Houston discusses the budget. to South Carolina United Methodists. dresses everything from pastor salaries and There is no charge for running items funds for new churches to campus ministries Outgoing South Carolina Director of Con- involving activities or announcements. and other work of the church in this state to AC2019 Photos and Videos gregational Development the Rev. Sara White Items should be submitted as far as make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transfor- preached a memorial service that remembered possible in advance of the event’s date mation of the world. Photos of Annual Conference are pep- the 58 men and women who died during the or the date of requested publication. pered across this edition. For many The 2020 budget is a 1.1 percent decrease past year. Honored were active pastors, retired Since there is no charge for these more photos of Annual Conference, items, they appear in the newspaper on pastors, pastor spouses and surviving spouses. from 2019 budget of $17 million. The reduced visit www.flicker.com/umcsc. For a space-available basis. Deadlines are budget comes after the conference found out See story, Page 9. the 10th of each month for the following videos, visit www.youtube.com/ month’s paper. general and jurisdictional apportionment re- theumcsc. Dr. Greg Jones, dean and theologian at Duke Jackie Jenkins James Salley Michael Cheatham Herman Lightsey Chris Lynch Martha Thompson David Braddon Emily Evans quests would be a 6.1 percent increase for next Divinity School, and the Rev. Susan Jones, Advertising year. Between that and uncertainty after the ministry associate at Church Transformation Clergy Jurisdictional Conference Delegates Display ads, classifieds and inserts can sexuality-focused 2019 special called General ner agencies that take feeding missions directly Ministries in North Carolina, co-led a Bible be ordered by contacting us at 888- Conference, Council on Finance and Adminis- to those who live in the most economically study each morning of Annual Conference 678-6272 or 803-786-9486, ext. 338, or fragile communities. These partner agencies [email protected]. Deadlines are tration leaders said they felt it would be wise to focusing on the last four lines of the Apostle’s the 10th of each month for the following decrease the Annual Conference budget. include faith-based organizations, family shel- Creed. See story, Page 10. month’s paper. “We recognized it is impossible to predict ters and after-school programs that offer food Annual Conference also licensed 36 as local what giving would look like,” said the Budget pantries, soup kitchens and more. pastors and honored 30 retiring pastors. The Subscriptions Subcommittee Chair the Rev. Walter Cantrell Chris Lynch, a member of the Mission Rev. Chris Lollis recognized retirees, and the The Advocate is delivered to mailboxes Initiatives Team who helped organize the effort, via U.S. mail every month prior to the on Monday when the budget was first intro- service also featured the symbolic “passing of first Sunday of the month. Subscrip- duced. said both ministries were “a tangible way to be the mantle” from the retiring class to the new tions are $15/year for the print and the hands and feet of Christ in our world.” Prior to its passage Thursday morning, class of ordinands. Newly ordained pastor the Rev. Tim Rogers Rev. Cathy Mitchell Rev. Fran Elrod Rev. Connie Barnes Rev. Mary Teasley Rev. Kathryn Hunter Rev. Elizabeth Rev. Richard Reams online version, and $8/year for the CF&A chair the Rev. Mitch Houston lifted up Rev. Meegian Gossard represented the new online-only edition. Church plans are Murray the support and the sacrifices of the people for No vote on GC2020 petitions class and newly retired pastor the Rev. Genova available for as low as $1/member Clergy Alternates: Dr. Stephen Love and the Rev. Sara White (online version) or $10/member (print the missions of the UMC across South Caro- At AC2019, all three petitions to next year’s McFadden represented the retiring class. See version with 10+ subscribers per lina. General Conference were ruled invalid and, story, Page 11. church). To start your subscription, visit “We’ve heard your concerns, and we want therefore, out of order. The petitions each dealt Lay Jurisdictional Conference Delegates www.advocatesc. org, call with credit with various aspects of the decisions made at card to 888-678-6272 or 803-786-9486, you to know CF&A takes all that seriously Offstage happenings ext.