LEADERSHIP UPDATE of the Southeast Region
Volume 3, Issue 3 March 2008
Pastors: Please distribute
this newsletter to your delegates, leadership & congregation
Check
out our new Southeast Region website:
www.seregionfmc.org
“EMBRACING HOPE”
We gathered for a clergy retreat on
the shores of Panama City
Beach last week. The
shimmering of daybreak upon the waters, and the evening sunsets were nothing
less than spectacular – a wondrous display of God’s artistic magnificence.
How different this view, compared to
the coastal panorama along the Gulf
Coast two years earlier,
following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Then, the magnitude of mud and
destruction that stretched for mile after mile seemed surreal, insurmountable.
But God whispered words of hope into the lives of many believers, and they came
to the coast to help for a week, a month, a season, and more. Relief coordinator
Lewis Bunn was the first champion to coordinate the FM effort. Then Gateway
pastor Greg Nitchman relocated his family to Pass Christian, Mississippi to continue the recovery effort
and lay the foundation for a church plant.
Today, the mud and debris have been
cleared away. An enormous canvas awaits the brush strokes of new homes and
neighborhoods. As this article is being written, 35 volunteers from Lakeland
Light & Life FMC are in the Pass, sharing both their skills and their
witness, raising homes and hope in the lives of displaced residents. On Easter
Sunday, Pastor Greg and Word of Hope FMC will hold their first public worship
service in the Pass. I challenge every congregation in the Southeast Region to begin
praying daily for their “Easter Sunday Launch.” Make sure you send them your words
of encouragement as well as financial gifts to let them know that you stand
alongside them in this difficult place of ministry.
The story of the Gulf Coast
recovery effort is an example to us of tenacious hope in the face of enormous
obstacles. May we each be inspired to likewise go into our local neighborhoods,
doing the hard work of “clearing away the mud and debris” of others’ defenses
and skepticism. May they see in our lives the light of Jesus and our selfless
desire to serve. May we earn the trust of our neighbors and boldly look for
opportunities to introduce them to the God of Hope – the One who can help them
find a way out of hopelessness and despair.
In closing, this Easter prayer by
Ken Gire comes to mind:
Where there is
doubt,
Roll away the stone and resurrect my
faith.
Where there is
depression,
Cast aside the grave clothes and
release my joy.
Where there is
despair,
Chase away the night and bring a
sunrise to my hope.
May we rejoice that no matter how
dark the Friday or how cold the tomb,
that, with You as my risen Savior,
there is always the hope of an Easter morning.
(from Moments
with the Savior, p. 382)
Darrel Riley
SECOND
WAVE OF VOLUNTEERS
For
a free downloadable copy of the three minute DVD “The Second Wave,” which
overviews current opportunities to bring hope to Katrina-displaced residents,
go to the website: www.hopenet.ws.
For information about opportunities to send a work team to Mississippi, email Greg Nitchman at greg@hopenet.ws
or call him at 228-254-0493. Sign up to be a prayer or financial partner, or to
automatically receive his monthly e-newsletter: Embracing Hope.
PREPARE FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE
With great anticipation and
expectation, Superintendent Riley looks forward to Annual Conference gatherings
this spring:
South Atlantic Conference: April 18 – 19; 1:00 pm
Friday – 1:00 pm Saturday
Host pastor: John Hendricks,
at Lakeland Light & Life FMC
Alabama – Georgia Mission District: May 2 – 3;
6:30 pm Friday – 1:00 pm Saturday
Host pastor: Keith
Cowart at Christ Community
Church in Columbus, GA
Gulf Coast Conference: Saturday, June 14, 9:00 am
– noon
At the Church of God
Campground Tabernacle in Pollock, LA
Begin
NOW to prepare for this annual gathering in three ways:
1.
Continue using the On Purpose Process as a tool to help your congregation’s leadership
keep the lines of communication open and your efforts united in living out God’s
unique mission for your church this year.
2.
Begin praying now that the Spirit will
do a fresh work in us as we gather together at Annual Conference
3.
Bring as many of your
lay leaders as possible to attend Annual Conference, that together we might
experience worship, be inspired, and envision a more fruitful future.
LOOKING BEYOND OURSELVES
TO OTHERS:
LOCAL OUTREACH: BAGS
OF LOVE
Ever
wondered how to respond appropriately to street people asking for money at
street corners or around town? After learning about this practical ministry
idea, Pastor Jon Howery at Hope Fellowship (West Palm Beach) is encouraging his
congregation to prepare “Bags of Love”. Here how it works: Fill a lunch sack
with some of the following items:
Add
an encouraging Scripture verse or attractive tract, and you’ve got a helpful,
healthy gift bag. Hold a church-wide collection for items, have volunteers
prepare the bags, then set the bags out in the church foyer for members to pick
up and keep in their cars to distribute.
GLOBAL OUTREACH:
SOUTHEAST REGION MISSIONARIES
We
praise God for His healing touch upon Mike Long; continue to pray that his
health and strength will return quickly, and that the restored function of his
kidneys will be a witness to others. Also send greetings and pray for the
Easter outreach ministries of our conference missionaries:
JFajardoM@aol.com Josh & Susy
Fajardo (Spain)
Longmm@the.forthnet.gr Mike & Maria Long (Greece)
haitiforchrist@yahoo.com Jack & Jeanne Munos (Haiti)
RESOURCE IDEA: FM FLASHPOINTS
Make
sure your church is utilizing the new free FM FLASHPOINTS monthly bulletin
insert (and also free PowerPoint slides). Go to www.freemethodistchurch.org and
download it from the homepage. If you don’t see it, go to the menu bar and
click on NEWS and the first option will be FM FLASHPOINTS. Learn “what is the
world we are doing” as a means to encourage your own creative outreach, as well
as to pray more effectively for front-line ministries around the globe.
2008: EVERY
PERSON A PASSIONATE
PRAY-ER
Pray
daily for the following churches. Use the Southeast Region Pictorial Directory
to visualize each pastor as you pray. Contact info is included for sending
greetings to one another. When you are the prayer focus, please contact the
Rileys to share your personal & church prayer requests.
|
MARCH
|
SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
|
GCC or AL-GA CONFERENCES
|
|
March
2 - 8
|
Davenport: Four Corners Redemp.
H’se
Pastor
Anthony Owens (Lidia)
aowensmia@aol.com
|
Pineville, LA: Edgewood FMC
Pastor
Emitte Belgard (Beverly)
ASP
Dale Robinson (Cassie)
emittebelgard@hotmail.com
|
|
March
9 - 15
|
First Brazilian FMC
of Deerfield Beach
Pastor
Valdir Mateos (Elizabeth)
ASP
Miguel Pereira (Isabel)
ASP
Rubens Rodrigues (Neuseli)
ASP
Aparecida Oliveira (Vangivaldo)
valdirmateos@bellsouth.net
|
Provencal, LA
Pastor
Mike Marbut (Sue)
MProGuns@bellsouth.net
|
|
March
16 - 22
16th:
Palm Sunday
|
HOLY WEEK:
Who are you bringing
to church this week?
Pray for outreach
ministries by our
churches and
missionaries
|
HOLY WEEK:
Who are you bringing
to church this week?
Pray for outreach
ministries by our
Churches and
missionaries
|
|
March
23 – 29
23rd:
Easter
|
Florida City: South Dade Haitian
Pastor
David Dor (Myrlande)
9281 Martinique Dr.
Miami FL
33189
|
Shreveport, LA: Central FMC
Pastor
James Jackmon
1833 Dolphine St.
Shreveport, LA
71109
|
|
March
30 – April 5
|
Ft. Lauderdale
Haitian FMC
Pastor
Jean Claude Novius (Josette)
jnovius@yahoo.com
|
Whitfield, MS: Mississippi State Hospital
Chaplain
Philip Cartrette (Patricia)
pcartrette@bellsouth.net
|
CHURCH HIGHLIGHTS & POSTINGS
SOUTHEAST REGION:
“BIGGIE DATES”
NOW
OVERDUE:
Final call for the following three annual reports:
- 2007 Year End
Statistical Report; file online with Indianapolis, call your DL if you need
help.
- 2008 Confidential
Report;
submit to Supt Riley in preparation for Annual Conf. appointments
- Annual On
Purpose Process;
turn in to your District Leader immediately
“What gets counted, gets noticed.” Let’s pay attention
to these tangible signs of church health
Tues
– Thurs, April 22 – 24: Exponential: The 2008 National New Church Conference in Orlando.
Thurs
– Sat., Aug 7 – 9:
Willow Creek’s Leadership Summit; numerous simulcast sites
nationally
AL-GA CONFERENCE:
News:
·
The
Christ Community
Church VISA trip to Caracas Venezuela
(Feb 8 – 17) was a tremendous time of encouraging the congregation there &
deepening the faith of team members
·
March 3 – 8: Fayette Community Church’s fifth work
team will be in Pass Christian. They made a commitment on their first Katrina trip
2 years ago to return every 6 months until the work is done. Each trip they try
to include some new participants to broaden their congregation’s understanding
of missions. They desire to “do their part” as a partner southeast region
church. Contact Pastor Brad Wilcox if you, or someone you know, would like to
join their work team.
Upcoming Dates:
·
Sat – Mon, March 29 – 31: Supt. Riley will be
in AL-GA for an Executive Team Meeting
& MEG interviews on Sunday, as
well as various individual church visits.
·
Fri – Sat, May 2 – 3: ANNUAL
CONFERENCE at Christ Community Church
in Columbus, GA.
Friday
PM: 6:30: Registration; 7:00:Worship with Bishop Roller; Reception to
follow
Saturday
AM: 9:00 – noon: Annual Conference
Meeting
Bring as many members from each church as
possible to welcome our new bishop
GULF COAST CONFERENCE:
Church Family News:
·
Progress
continues at Provencal FMC (Pastor
Mike Marbut) on the 40 x 80 ft new building which will house their future
sanctuary and educational classroom space. They are also experiencing numerical
growth during this time of facility expansion.
Upcoming Dates:
·
Sat, March 8: District Leader Monty Bower will lead the next Pastor’s Meeting at Liddieville
FMC, 9:00am – noon.
·
Holy Week Gatherings - Everyone is
encouraged to attend:
Thu, March 20: Maundy Thursday Service will be held at
Martha’s Chapel in Deville, 7 pm.
Fri, March 21: A Good Friday Service will be held at
Edgewood FMC in Pineville at 6:00pm.
Following the service,
the Annual Cake Auction will take
place. Please bring cakes,
cookies, etc. to sell.
Proceeds will benefit the Gulf Coast Conference Youth Fund.
·
Sat, April 12: At 9:00am Supt Riley will meet with the Pastors, & Peggy will meet with spouses,
followed by a 1:00pm Administrative /
Camp meeting; location TBD at March
mtg.
·
Wk of April 14: Gulf Coast work team to Pass Christian;
contact Monty Bower to participate.
·
Mon – Fri, June 9 – 13: FAMILY
CAMP at the Church
of God Campground in
Pollock, LA.
·
Sat, June 14: ANNUAL
CONFERENCE will be held from 9:00am – noon at the Church of God Campground
in Pollock, LA
SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE:
News:
·
Congratulations to Pastor Jon & Beverly Howery
(WPB: Hope Fellowship) on the arrival of Benjamin Douglas. He is
welcomed by big sisters Adoniah & Ayla.
·
Please continue praying that Pastor Ruben Brito (Miami:
Melrose) will
completely recover his speech and ability to walk following a stroke. Uplift
his wife Yris and the congregation also.
·
The SAC BOA has approved a new policy for
those desiring to solicit funds from individuals
or other churches within the conference. Individuals now need to first seek
the approval of the conference BOA, and then receive the approval of the
local church pastor.
Reminders:
·
Applications
for a Richard A Lehman Memorial Ministry Grant are due to the SAC
Financial Office March 1. Several thousands of dollars will be awarded at
Annual Conference. Apply now!
Upcoming Dates:
Sat.
March 8:
9:30am: Conf MEG Bd Interviews; 1:30pm:
BOA Mtg. At the Riley home in Orlando
Sat,
April 5:
Hold this date for possible final Conf MEG Bd interviews & BOA
Mtg Location: TBD
Fri
– Sat, April 18 - 19: ANNUAL CONFERENCE at Light & Life FMC in Lakeland:
Let’s have a packed house to welcome new
Bishop David & wife Yvonne Roller.
Sessions begin at 1pm on Friday, April 18 and
will conclude by 1pm on Saturday, April 19.
Housing information will be available
shortly.
MAY REGIONAL TRAINING
EVENT DATES & LOCATIONS:
Bring a copy of your January –
April Trimester On Purpose Form with you:
·
Sat.,
May 10: South Florida. Gather at
9:30am, meeting 10am – lunch; location TBD
·
Sat.,
May 17: West Coast
FL: St. Pete - Cornerstone.
Gather 9:30am, meeting 10am – lunch
·
Mon.,
May 19: Central FL: Orlando
First. Dinner at 6:30pm, meeting 7 – 9pm
Thu
– Sat, May 15 – 17:
SAC LADIES RETREAT at the Wycliffe Center
in Orlando.
Mon
– Fri, June 16 - 20:
SAC YOUTH CAMP at EBM in Summerfield
(near Ocala)
Sat.,
Sept 20:
SAC PASTORS & LEADERS RALLY DAY with Larry Walkemeyer; this is a not-to-be-missed event for all pastors,
delegates, ministry leaders and team members. The event will be held at St.
Pete: Cornerstone. Protect that date on your calendar NOW so you can attend.
