A Future With Hopeimages.acswebnetworks.com/1/2810/August2019Epistle.pdf · 2019 South Carolina...
Transcript of A Future With Hopeimages.acswebnetworks.com/1/2810/August2019Epistle.pdf · 2019 South Carolina...
Seeking A More Excellent Way
A Future With Hope 2019 South Carolina United Methodist Conference, led by Bishop Jonathan Holston, was held this year at the TD Convention Center in
Greenville from June 2nd through June 6th. Bishop Holston opened Annual Conference on Sunday evening by declaring “Hope is a four-
letter word.” He said, whether we recognize it or not, we subconsciously or deliberately put hope into every single thing we do. Bishop
Holston used the following explaining A Future With Hope:
H-Hanging on to the promises of God O-Overcoming adversity P-Pursuing truth, and E-Enduring patiently.
In addition to spending time in worship and prayer, delegates conducted plenty of business during the Annual Conference. Delegates used
an electronic voting system to elect 16 delegates to the 2020 General Conference and 16 delegates, plus 2 alternate delegates, to the 2020
Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference. Below are some of the Conference highlights, for complete information including a list of all
elected Clergy and Lay delegates go to www.umcsc.org/ac2019.
• Bible study each morning was led by husband and wife team Dr. Greg Jones, dean and theologian at Duke Divinity School, and the
Rev. Susan Jones, ministry associate at Church Transformation Ministries.
• 36 men and women were licensed as local pastors Monday morning. Retired Bishop James R. King Jr. preached an ordination service
Monday night that commissioned or ordained 19 men and women as clergy.
• The Rev. Sara White brought a word on Monday, “In the Midst of Life,” for the Annual Conference Service of Thanksgiving and
Memory honoring the 58 men and women who died during the past year.
• The Service of Recognition and Celebration of Retiring Pastors on Tuesday honored the ministry and mission of 30 retiring pastors and
other ministers, capped off by the ceremonial “Passing of the Mantle.”
• Embracing a spirit of awareness, love and inclusiveness, Annual Conference delegates participated in a Service of Reconciliation and
Healing on Tuesday. Worship included Native American music, a drum circle by the Keepers of the Word, and prayers and messages
centered on healing and coming together as Christians.
• Annual Conference did not vote on any petitions to General Conference 2020 this year as all 3 proposed petitions submitted in response
to actions taken during the 2019 General Conference were ultimately ruled out of order.
• A Conference sexual ethics policy was approved, The Sexual & Professional Misconduct Policy for Ministerial Leadership, written to
bring the conference in alignment with Paragraph 605.9 of the Book of Discipline.
• Delegates approved an overall 2020 Annual Conference budget of $16,828,850, which represents a decrease of 1.1 percent over the
2019 Annual Conference budget.
• Nearly 3,000 lbs. of food was collected to donate to Harvest Hope Food Bank – enough to provide nearly 2,500 meals for families in
need in our host community of Greenville. Also Delegates assembled and donated more than 200 “elder baskets” – baskets filled with
non-perishable items to be given to elderly Native Americans.
• More than $27,000 was donated during 2 offerings - $13,827.47 for the United Methodist Women’s Legacy Fund and $13,887.54 for
UMCSC Seminary Students Scholarship fund.
The 2020 South Carolina Annual Conference is scheduled for June 7 – 10 at the Florence Center in Florence, SC.
We extend a warm welcome to Rev. Scott Bratton starting as our new pastor
Saint Paul UMC Delegates,
Gail Creel, Emily Harding and Virginia Baird
The Way I See It
Happy Summertime and welcome to August! I am still trying to “find my feet” but overall I report to you my joy in serving as your Pastor here at Saint Paul. We are
mostly settled but yet still learning our way around. Thank you for your gracious welcoming to me and my wife, Dottie.
The way I see things, we have an excellent church in an excellent city, in an excellent location, in an excellent state. You have provided me with an excellent staff who
are supported by excellent volunteers. I have been busy doing both familiar things like preaching and visiting, but also some unfamiliar things like overseeing the
Child Care Center and authorizing bills to be paid.
I used the word “excellent” above six times so you might reasonably conclude that everything is “excellent”. On balance, there are many things which need work but
overall they impact things like attendance and financial health. Consider these:
We have almost 600 members but less than 150 on an average Sunday. Where are the lost sheep? What shall we do to call them home? My attendance goal is 220.
We have struggled to make budget and failed to fully pay our apportionments to the conference. How can we be better stewards of our resources?
We have had issues in the Child Care Center and await confirmation of a new Director. We have a long-standing relationship with the Child Care Center yet have
zero families in worship on Sunday from there. We recently approved a 10% reduction in tuition for active members to provide that conduit.
We have many neighbors whom we don’t know who are potential members of the church family. We need to open the door and welcome them. I hope you will
invite your neighbors, close and far, to join us. We will promote “Wonderful Wednesdays” soon to include a worship component in addition to a reasonably
priced meal and engaging study.
Overall, we need to look forward to excellent ministry together while healing past hurts and offering hope.
In Christ’s Name,
Scott Pastor Scott
Stewardship Report OFFERINGS & TITHES ORSHIP ATTENDANCE
Amount received week of 06/09: $ 7,364.14 June 9: 100
Amount received week of 06/16: $ 12,542.02 June 16: 83
Amount received week of 06/23: $ 8,640.00 June 23: 97
Amount received week of 06/30: $ 9,282.68 June 30: 160
Needed Weekly: $13,000.00
To give online, go to our website www.stpumcflo.org and click on the give online tab.
This takes you to the giving page.
Click on the give online tab and follow the instructions to set-up one-time or recurring giving.
We have “Autumn Adventure” information posted on the bulletin
board in the office building. We also have
registration forms available in the office.
Come by to learn more about “With Respect and Honor”
“With Respect and Honor”
Event at Epworth By The Sea - September 23-26, 2019
Visit the Savannah History Museum, the Georgia State
Railroad Museum, and the Massie Heritage Center
Walk to Pier Village, sit by the ocean, visit historic Christ
Church, and so much more.
www.epworthbythesea.org or call 912-638-8688
Non Profit org.
U.S. Postage
Paid
Permit # 48
Saint Paul United Methodist Church 1629 West Palmetto Street Florence, SC 29501 Phone: (843) 669-3134 Fax: (843) 669-5876 Email: [email protected]
Submit News Articles & Pictures for the September Epistle by August 8th to: stpmed@ bellsouth.net (please put EPISTLE in the subject line)
Youth @ St Paul Summer break has been great! School starts back, not yay. Youth Wednesdays and Sunday
nights start back, YAY! Something special on the 10th. Blessings of the book bags on the
18th during service. “Neighborhood Trash Walk & Talk” on the 24th! Parent meeting on the
25th at 4:30pm. Welcome back Ice Cream social on the 28th at 6:00pm!
Jay [email protected] Salk 2019!
Kids Corner
Bible verse: Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
August 6th (Tuesday) Family skate night 6-8pm at Skateland USA
August 18th (Sunday during Worship Service)
Promotion Sunday, Blessings of the Book Bags, 3rd Grade Bible Presentation
August 25th (Sunday) Parent Information Meeting
Melody [email protected] Please continue to collect Piggly Wiggly receipts!
Upcoming Events
A monthly publication of Saint Paul United Methodist Church - Florence, South Carolina, 29501
The Epistle August 2019
WORSHIP SERVICE HELPERS
August 4, 2019 Lay Leader: Michael Grady
Greeter: Virginia Baird Head Ushers: Danny Braddock/Johnny Hamer Monday Counters: Janet Howell/Nancy Kittrell
August 11, 2019 Lay Leader: Joan Daniels
Greeters: Carole & Glen Neil Head Usher: Worth Adams
Monday Counters: Virginia Baird/Pat Willis
August 18, 2019 Lay Leader: Jay Beck Greeter: Rodney Cox
Head Ushers: David Tomlinson/Wayne Catoe Monday Counters: Janet Howell/Nancy Kittrell
August 25, 2019 Lay Leader: Patsy Slice
Greeters: Sandra & Robert Harris Head Ushers: Howard Cross/Tom White
Monday Counters: Gwen Jeffords/Pat Willis
UNDER SPECIAL CARE
Doreen Copeland at home
Arlene Crouch The Manor
Doris Hammond at home
Don Handley Florence Place
Gary Handley at home
Robert Lowman Sr. at home
Lieze McDaniel Presbyterian Home
Hazel McGee at home
Ellison Messick at home
Norma Phillips The Manor
Eleanor Odom McLeod Hospice House
MEMORIALS AND HONORARIUMS
Memorials were given in memory of Charles T Hodges by: Gladys Hodges
Memorials were given in memory of Charlie Mims by: Carole & Glen Neil
Memorials were given in memory of Brenda Ham Caudle by: Connie & David Askins
The pastor and congregation express their deepest sympathy to the friends and family of the following
Faye Higgs’s brother, Harry Newbern , August 6, 1939—July 5, 2019
Debra White Runion’s daughter, Allison Suzanne Jones — August 22, 1982—July 14, 2019
Wonderful Wednesday’s resume in September!
The Children’s Ministry will be preparing and serving a wonderful meal on
September 4th. Come join us and bring a friend!
Please Pray for our Outreach Ministries & Ministers
Rev. Rick Howell, Winthrop Wesley Foundation
Lou Jordan, Francis Marion Wesley Foundation
John and Susan McGee, The CRU Foundation
Rachel Hudson, Youth with a Mission
Alejandro Betancur, Ministerial Internship
Corners of Your Field
Cleaning-out closets, drawers, garages or spare
rooms? Be sure to take the things you are giving
away to one of the House of Hope Mission Marts and tell them
you are from Saint Paul UMC. We will receive gift cards to give
to those in need, because of your generosity.