February 2021 Newsletter
February 03 2021
2021 Annual Conference will meet virtually June 7, virtual worship service dates announced. Read more HERE.
Alive Together at the Table with Bishop Bryan
Tuesday, February 16 | Tuesday, February 23
All conversations will be held at Noon via Zoom. | Register now
Vashti Sunday
Click here.
Upcoming Events
| Feb 7 | Vashti Sunday |
| Feb 20-21 | Epworth Storytelling Festival |
| Jun 6-8 | Annual Conference |
You can also find our calendar on the District website: https://www.southwestdistrictumc.org/events
Birthdays
| Feb 11 | Stephen Granthan-Moultrie FUMC |
| Feb 17 | Kirk Beckham-Doerun/Funston |
| Feb 18 | Jorge Moreno-Bainbridge Historic Mission (Casa de Vida y Paz) |
| Feb 23 | Vera McDonald, spouse of Wayne McDonald-Calvary/Bethel/Centennial |
2020 Statistical Tables are now open! READ HERE.
District Highlights
Albany First UMC’s new Alzheimer’s Outreach Center building expands longstanding ministry’s reach
Read the article here.
Ft Gaines UMM processes and delivers venison to help feed those in need at SafeHouse Ministries
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Warwick UMC provides Chick-Fil-A meals, fruit, and snacks for medical staff at Phoebe North
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Scholarship
It can be hard trying to be a great student and wonder how you’re going to pay for COLLEGE all at the same time. Your United Methodist Connectional Federal Credit Union is here to help your students. Please add this to your newsletters and social media outlets from now until April.
Apply for our 2021 Scholarship
What you need to know
- $1,000.00 awarded to one person from each of the United Methodist Conferences (Florida, Alabama -West Florida, South Georgia, North Georgia)
- Application Open: January 1st-April 30th, 2021
- Previous Winners are ineligible to apply
- UMC FCU Members are eligible to apply . Applying online to become a UMC FCU member is easy. Eligibility Requirements ( Be a Member of a UM Church, or Work for a UM Church or Organization within the four (4) conferences listed above, Have a family member who is already a member of UMC FCU)
- Application and essay information are live on www.UMCFCU.com website
- Don’t wait to apply (Applying early does not increase your chances of winning… it’s just good to get things done as soon as possible)
Should you have any questions, please contact anyone at either the Lakeland, FL or Marietta, GA branches.
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Clergy Financial Literacy Academy Winter Cohort Forming Now!Learn faith-based principles and practices of personal finance! Learn to understand your church's financial statements and new tools to make better decisions. Grow your confidence to lead your congregation in challenging financial times. The $50 course is self-paced combining online tutorials and workbooks with Zoom sessions to reinforce concepts and practices. Here is the schedule for the CFLA winter cohort sessions held via Zoom. Sign up for the Clergy Financial Literacy Academy today before the next cohort is full! Details and registration information can be found on our website at www.gumf.org/training/clergy-
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Specific Needs Your Church May Encounter
If there are specific issues affecting your church, please contact the office at 229-273-3119 or swdistrict@sgaumc.com with these general questions. For technology questions (email, online worship options, website, Facebook, etc), please email Mandy at mandy@sgaumc.com.
Please continue to watch our Facebook page, calendar, and emails from us as information is constantly being modified based on new guidelines to keep everyone safe.
The 2020 Conference Journal is available for purchase or download here:
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2021 Sexual Ethics Virtual Workshops
In consultation with Bishop Bryan and the Cabinet, we have made the decision to offer the 2020-21 Sexual Ethics Workshops via a virtual platform. Instead of a day-long, in-person event, participants will be able to complete the necessary requirements by watching videos and participating in a small group Zoom discussion meeting. We feel like this will be the best way to meet the requirements of our Standing Rules around this important topic during a time when a gathering of 90+ clergy is not deemed safe.
Click here to go to the District website page to see a list of who is due for training and register for an upcoming training.
Go straight to the Conference site to register.
Helpful Links
View a list of Certified Lay Servants on our website.
Conference Classifieds
Church Dashboard
Manage Your Mailings
Connect with the Southwest District on Social Media: District Office Facebook Page
Share with us on the Southwest District Facebook group. This group should be used to share pictures, church events, or information on studies and materials.
If you have technology questions...
Please email Mandy (mandy@sgaumc.com) with questions. She can provide ongoing support for your Facebook page/group and/or website, setting up new computers, or updating old ones!