Charge Conferences 5 through 7 of the Southeast District
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Wedowee Circuit at Wedowee First UMC
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| (R-L)DS Richard Stryker, Pastors Tommy Burke, Sherrell Smith, Tom Williams, Roundtree, Albertha Boddie Boykin, Richard Smith, Russell Hestley, Jimmy Yates, Barry Milliner, Jacob Wilkerson, Dist. Lay Leader Bob Neighgors and John Terry |
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Sylacauga Circuit at Sylacauga First UMC |
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| (R-L)Pastors James Long, Dorothy Ann Webster, Raplph Barrow, Horace Blount, DS Richard Stryker, Bob Owens, Lay Leader Bob Neighbors, Belinda Rives, James Woody Woodin, Rodney Frost, John Limbaugh, Tommy Bounds, David Tucker, Lewis Archer, Sidne Martin, Mary Quillin |
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Alexander City Circuit at Dadeville First |
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| (R-L) Conf. Lay Leader Steve Lyles, Pastors Warren Ford, Paul Vick, David Sherrell, Hunter Vardaman, Lynn Peters, Dee Dowdy, Bridget Dowdy, Tiwirai Kufarimai, John Wilson, Kevin Payne, David Carboni, Mary Fernandez, Bill Etheridge, DS Richard Stryker, Michael Strong, Lay Leader Bob Neighbors, and Mike Densmore |
Joint Charge Conferences for Wedowee, Sylacauga and Alexander City Circuits concluded the official charge conferences for the Southeast District.
In addition to approving the business plans for the coming year, the churches in these circuits continued to wrestle with three questions:
· What has your church done recently that is making a difference in the life of the congregation?
· What is a major challenge facing your local church?
· What can your church do in the future to impact the mission of making new disciples for Jesus Christ?
Churches spoke about the importance of community mission to their work. Others talked about the value of Sunday school, Bible studies and other small group ministries. Related to building, churches spoke about improvement of their facilities and one spoke about the joy of paying off building debt.
Some of the challenges included how to get youth and young adults into the churches and become responsive to their needs. Another challenge was space for growing churches - when is a good time to build and how much debt can a church get into to improve worship facility to match growing needs?
In addition to congregational songs, there was special music for the conferences. Joyful Sound provided special music at Wedowee Circuit Conference while James and Corene Lackey provided the special music at the Sylacauga Circuit Conference.
Dr. Bob Neighbors, District Lay Leaders challenged the laity and clergy to keep working harder for the kingdom and the church.
For inspiration, District Superintendent Stryker continued sharing from the Seven Words of Christ on the Cross:
· 5th Word – Jesus may be the vulnerable thirsty one on the cross but he is able to quench the thirst that humanity has for God. Help people connect to the thirst quencher.
6th Word - Humanity's evil against Jesus was finished. The work of Jesus was finished when he overcame death and the grave. He can help you overcome the evils of the world.
7th Word - The God on the cross commended his spirit to the God of heaven. He rose again because he came to bring life and not death.