Day Two Brings Leadership, Learning, and a Call to Finish the Task

By Rev. Dr. David Wesley Donnan
Communications Director, South Georgia Conference of the Global Methodist Church

Day Two of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church brought a full day of leadership meetings, practical learning, fellowship, and powerful worship at Epworth By the Sea.

The day began early with several important gatherings across campus. Women in Ministry gathered for breakfast with Bishop Leah Hidde-Gregory, while the South Georgia Conference Connectional Council held an in-person meeting.

The Connectional Council conducted its regular business while also celebrating members who completed their terms of service. Among the decisions made during the meeting was a commitment to send $10,000 from the South Georgia Conference Disaster Relief Fund to assist with disaster relief efforts in Venezuela.

A Changing of the Guard

The conference’s Presiding Elders also gathered for a meaningful time of transition and celebration.

Those completing their service as Presiding Elders were recognized, and the gathering marked a more formal “changing of the guard” as the conference continues moving from Area Presiding Elders and Connectional Community Presiding Elders to a Board of Presiding Elders.

Dean of the Cabinet Rev. Jimmy Towson reminded the group that leadership change is sacred. He emphasized that the mission continues without interruption and that leaders serve the mission rather than the mission serving any particular leader.

Drawing from 1 Peter 5, Towson encouraged the Presiding Elders to be examples to the flock.

Conference Superintendent Rev. Jay Hanson also encouraged the group to reflect on what God may be calling them to do and then consider how God is calling them to put that calling into action.

Learning and Growing Together

Following lunch in the Epworth By the Sea dining hall, conference attendees participated in two rounds of breakout sessions designed to provide practical resources for local church ministry.

Topics ranged from Pastor-Parish Relations Committees and church finance to youth ministry, lay leadership, trustees, children’s ministry, and other areas of church life.

The breakout sessions gave clergy and laity opportunities to learn from experienced leaders, ask questions, and take practical ideas home to their local churches.

Later in the afternoon, clergy gathered for the Clergy Session. Candidates for ordination as deacons and elders were presented, and Bishop Hidde-Gregory asked them the historic questions. The clergy then voted to approve the candidates.

The session also included a time of remembrance for clergy members who have died during the past year, along with other necessary business of the conference.

At the same time, Conference Lay Leader Larry Moss led the Laity Session. Moss shared encouraging updates about ministry happening throughout South Georgia. Paige Madden, the conference’s Certified Lay Ministry Coordinator, also shared about the opportunities available through Certified Lay Ministry and the important role laypeople continue to play in the life of the church.

Preparing for General Conference

The final meeting of the afternoon featured a report from the South Georgia delegation to General Conference.

Rev. Jimmy Towson and Mr. Brad Folsom shared the latest information about the Global Methodist Church’s General Conference, which will take place in late August and early September.

They explained the episcopal election process and reflected on the privilege of being part of a truly global church. Members of the South Georgia delegation are developing relationships with fellow Methodists from annual conferences across four continents.

The delegation also spent time answering questions from those gathered.

Worship and a Call to Finish the Task

An hour before the evening worship service, attendees gathered once again for a meaningful time of prayer and worship.

During the evening service, Bristol House led the conference in worship with songs including “The Wonderful Cross,” “How Great Thou Art,” and “Worthy Is the Lamb.”

Rev. Jim Cowart, lead pastor of Harvest Church in Warner Robins, served as the evening’s keynote speaker, focusing on the conference theme, “Finishing the Task.”

Cowart shared about his involvement with the Finishing the Task movement and the vision of working toward fulfilling the Great Commission by 2033, the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of the Church.

He was joined on stage by Hanson and Towson for a conversation about the mission before the Church.

Towson used the image of the “junk drawers” in our lives and reminded the conference that one day God will clear every junk drawer. He spoke about the questions each person must consider: What did you do with Jesus? And what did you do with what God gave you?

Cowart challenged the conference to remember that Jesus did not command his followers to go into all the churches, but to go into all the world.

Hanson reflected on a story shared the previous evening by Rev. Dr. Tom Tanner about a pastor whose ministry helped lead more than 100 people, including Tanner, into vocational ministry.

Hanson challenged those gathered to consider what might happen if they became the kind of pastors and leaders who helped 100 people answer God’s call into ministry.

God is still calling.

One of the evening’s most memorable visual moments came when hundreds of ping-pong balls were thrown through the air from across the congregation toward a small container at the front of the room. From a distance, getting one into the container was nearly impossible. But standing nearby, Jimmy Johnson was able to simply place one inside.

The moment offered a clear reminder: proximity makes a difference. Relationships matter in discipleship, evangelism, and helping others come to know Jesus Christ.

At the conclusion of the service, those gathered were invited to sign a covenant committing themselves to the work of fulfilling the Great Commission and Finishing the Task.

Day Two was filled with meetings, learning, fellowship, prayer, and worship. More than anything, it was another reminder of the joy of being together as the people called Methodist and the mission we share to make disciples of Jesus Christ.