Building bonds, bridges theme of Summit on the Black Church 2012

COLUMBIA – Three leaders in ethnic church concerns will join new S.C. Conference Resident Bishop Jonathan Holston in the conference’s Summit on the Black Church this month.

Set for Oct. 11-13, clergy and laity from across the state and beyond will gather at the Holiday Inn & Suites in Columbia for a conference on strengthening the ministry of African-American congregations in the S.C. Annual Conference.

Jennifer Davis, the director of discipleship ministry for the Western North Carolina Annual Conference; and the Rev. Stephen Handy, pastor of McKendree United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn., will serve as keynote speakers at the Summit.

The Rev. Vance P. Ross, the pastor of Gordon Memorial UMC in Nashville, will be the banquet speaker.

Holston will also speak.

Praise and worship will be led by Jarvis Wilson and Robert McMichael of Atlanta, and dynamic and effective leaders from across the conference will lead workshops exploring eight quality ministry tools that are found in vital and effective congregations.

“The summit is being held to train, strengthen, and equip our local congregations in their disciple making ministries,” said the Rev. Ken Nelson, event coordinator. “It asks such questions as how can we build new bonds and bridges between our congregations and the communities that they serve? How can we build bonds and bridges with new and more diverse populations across generations, ethnicities and social and economic strata?”

Workshops include “Stewardship in the Local Church: How to Raise all the Money You Need,” by the Rev. Robin Dease, Jim Salley and Walter Kimbrough; “Building Bridges to the Next Generation: Children, Youth and Young Adults,” by Jasmine Smothers; “New Wine, New Wine Skins: Evangelism in the Black Church,” by Dr. F. Doug Powe; “Partnership Between the Clergy and Laity,” by Jennifer Davis; “Planning For Sermon Series: Topical and Thematic Preaching,” by the Rev. George Ashford; “Building Bonds and Bridges Between Congregations and Communities,” by the Revs. Patti Parish and Dickie Knight; “Using Media and Technology in Your Ministry Setting,” by Shannon Jones and Tyrus Williams; and “Coaching as a Model of Leadership Development: Understanding the Value of Coaching,” by Fred Allen and Jeffrey Salley.

The goal of the summit is to help congregations continue to grow in becoming vital congregations where disciples are made and communities are transformed.

Registration is $100/person ($75/person for SBC21 teams).

For additional details or to register, visit www.umcsc.org, call 803-786-9486, ext. 315 or 317, or email [email protected].