sc advocate – South Carolina United Methodist Advocate

News July 19, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Ready, set, grow: Shiloh works to keep church ‘like family’ as November expansion nears

By Jessica Brodie. There’s a sign outside the fellowship hall at Shiloh United Methodist Church that reads, “Love grows here.” For pastor Dr. Christopher Greene, that sign encapsulates everything his congregation is trying to do as they live into a major expansion project designed to broaden both building and membership base. “We are growing—but with the intent to keep the bonds of family and community intact,” Greene said. “It’s steady growth, over time.”

News July 19, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Call changed for GC2019

By Jessica Brodie. A footnote in a recent Judicial Council decision has prompted the United Methodist Council of Bishops to amend its call for the human sexuality-focused 2019 Special Session of General Conference. The new call by the COB specifies that the purpose of the special session shall be limited to receiving and acting upon a report from the Commission on a Way Forward based upon COB recommendations—not the report of the COB itself, which had been the thrust of the previous call.

News July 19, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

S.C. mission team, local family home safe after riots strand them in Haiti

By Jessica Brodie. A mostly youth mission team from Chapin United Methodist Church and a United Methodist family with young children from Leesville were among a large group of Americans unexpectedly stranded in Haiti in early July after major rioting there. The team and family are home safe now, and all are thanking United Methodists locally and globally for prayers that kept them and the people of Haiti from significant harm.

News July 19, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Pillowcase ministry comforts children helped by DSS

By Laura Camby McCaskill. God can take the smallest things in life and bless them for His glory. A pillowcase probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, a pillowcase is what He has used in one Upstate church, and He has blessed it tremendously. Through a thriving Pillowcase Ministry, members at Travelers Rest United Methodist Church are working diligently to serve the Lord.

News July 19, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Hartsville District to host free mental illness symposium Aug. 16

To help clergy, laity and community members understand some of the causes and myths concerning mental illness, the Hartsville District is hosting a symposium Aug. 16 called “Clothed in My Right Mind: Mental Illness Prescriptions for Healing and Wholeness.”

News July 19, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Nearly 2,000 children draw close to Christ at Mount Horeb VBS

One of the largest vacation Bible schools in the nation celebrated 1,967 children registered and almost 1,000 volunteers, all there at Mount Horeb UMC, Lexington, to learn more about how Jesus rescues when all else fails.

News July 19, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Ann Hope: a place of hope and help for the needy

What started as an idea about how to clean up the community turned into an amazing morning of outreach for Ann Hope United Methodist Church, Seneca.

Editor's Views July 19, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Thanks for the bad

Editor Jessica Brodie on how bad times (even those facing the UMC as a whole) help us draw closer to God and develop a more Christ-like attitude—humility, faith, and trust in God’s will (“thy will be done”). They teach us things we wouldn’t know otherwise. They help us become patient. They can later help us to comfort others. And when we thank God for these situations, even when it feels ridiculous to do so, we’re acknowledging His sovereignty, His dominion and His power.

Bishop's Corner July 19, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

On the cutting edge

Bishop Jonathan Holston reflects on what it is to be in mission: Being on the cutting edge, figuring out what it means to make disciples. Transforming the world for people where they live. Using our lives to share Christ’s love. Meeting new people and listening to their stories. Growing in an understanding of how God is at work in the world.

News July 18, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Camp Providence again a success

South Carolina United Methodist Camps & Retreat Ministries put on two weeks of day camp at Camp Providence in Anderson recently: June 25-29 and July 2-6, serving more than 30 campers collectively.

News July 18, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Crocker to be first certified lay minister in S.C. Conference

Annie R. Crocker, director of Lay Servant Ministries in Spartanburg, is on track to become the first certified lay minister in the South Carolina Conference.

News July 18, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

S.C. United Methodist meteorologist receives an Emmy Award

An active member of St. Mark United Methodist Church, North, has been honored with an Emmy Award: Lake City native and WIS-TV meteorologist Von Gaskin.

News July 18, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Augusta Road celebrates 61st Heritage Sunday with mortgage-burning, more

Everyone loves a party and on May 20, Augusta Road United Methodist Church was celebrating.

News July 18, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

St. Paul UMC’s 16-year connection with the Red Bird Mission

By Mayo Collier. St. Paul United Methodist Church has been sending teams to the Red Bird Mission, near Beverly, Kentucky, since 2003. What started out as a youth mission trip has now grown into a mission priority in which the entire congregation is involved. There have been 17 mission trips over the past 16 years.

News June 10, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

AC2018 overview: ‘In Mission from Anywhere to Everywhere’

By Jessica Brodie. Calling it “a gathering of people of faith,” South Carolina Resident Bishop L. Jonathan Holston kicked off the 2018 session of Annual Conference with a powerful service of opening worship June 3.

News June 10, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Other petitions beyond COB’s now being accepted for 2019 General Conference

By Jessica Brodie. Other petitions beyond the Council of Bishops’ that are in harmony with the stated call for the 2019 special session of General Conference can be submitted for consideration. That is the ruling from the Judicial Council, the top court of The United Methodist Church.

News June 10, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

AC2018 passes three new resolutions

By Jessica Brodie. In just more than an hour on Day 4 of Annual Conference, the body debated, amended and passed three of its four resolutions and referred the fourth to the General Conference Delegation for 2019.

News June 10, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

AC passes five changes to standing rules

By Jessica Brodie. Annual Conference kicked off early Monday with several new changes approved by the body to the conference’s standing rules, including a change on voting for resolutions from the last day to the second full day and a change to help simplify voting and ensure there will be no situations where a “no” petition vote means “yes” (and vice versa).

News June 10, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

South Carolina re-votes on Amendment I

By Jessica Brodie. South Carolina United Methodists got the chance to re-vote June 5 on Constitutional Amendment I, one of five approved by the 2016 General Conference but that had to be ratified by annual conferences before inclusion in the Discipline.

News June 10, 2018 posted by Jessica Brodie

Mission and health: AC embraces abundant life with hula hoops, health kit packing, more

By Jessica Brodie. Tuesday at Annual Conference celebrated the many ways South Carolina United Methodists engage in missions and global health. From packing health kits to lifting up global and in-state mission work to taking on a world hula-hoop record, it was all designed to celebrate how the Annual Conference works together for healthy bodies, healthy homes and healthy communities.