Bishop names members of Jeremiah Teams
By Dan O’Mara
Jeremiah’s recounting of God’s call on his life reminds us that God has an amazing knack for calling ordinary people to do extraordinary things, especially in moments of deep, necessary change, anxiety and uncertainty.
As God says in Jeremiah 1:7, “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you” (NRSV).
Bishop Leonard Fairley believes the people of the South Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church are living one such moment. That is why he announced in November that he would be forming “Jeremiah Teams” to discern the best way to transform how the conference is structured, how it operates and how it aligns with “Our 4 Priorities,” the conference’s four mission priorities (developing leaders, engaging our communities, connecting with and growing disciples, and measuring and evaluating current realities and missional possibilities).
On Dec. 13, Fairley took another step into that moment by announcing the members of these Jeremiah Teams (see below for the list).
The volunteers represent a cross-section of the South Carolina Annual Conference.
“After deep, prayerful discernment and consultation with the Ministry Advisory Team, the Extended and Appointive Cabinet, and other leaders, I am happy, hopeful and encouraged to share with you the names of those I have called to service on our new Jeremiah Teams,” Fairley said. “I am completely aware that in naming any team, there will always be questions about who was chosen and who was not. Please know again that much prayer has gone into the membership of each team. We trust that God will provide each team member all the grace and resources needed to conduct their work.”
What are Jeremiah Teams?
Jeremiah Teams is Fairley’s plan to develop recommendations in four areas: missional priorities, strategy for the black church and ethnic ministries, district alignment and conference staff alignment.
Their objective: To bring proposals for each of these areas to the 2025 session of the South Carolina Annual Conference for approval.
Leaning into Jeremiah 29:11, in which God reveals plans to give us “a future with hope,” Fairley made it clear to conference leaders that simple survival after a time of separation from the denomination is not the goal of this effort.
The Missional Priorities Jeremiah Team
This team will evaluate the effectiveness of all current ministries and missions to help determine what things are essential for us to live into Our 4 Priorities, including identifying a stop-do list to free us up to reach new people in new places and in new ways.
Rev. Millie Nelson Smith (leader)
Rev. Matt Alexander (Orangeburg District)
Rev. Tiffany Knowlin-Boykin (Columbia District)
Rev. Megan Gray (Spartanburg District)
Steve Stone (Greenwood District)
David Bryant (Anderson District)
David Salter (Greenwood District)
Sylvia Harris-Greene (Columbia District)
The Black Church & Ethnic Ministries Strategy Jeremiah Team
This team will create and resource an effective conference strategy for strengthening the Black church and other ethnic ministries, focusing on new things God is calling for in these areas.
Rev. James Friday (leader)
Rev. Amiri Hooker (Florence District)
Rev. Pattie Gordon (Charleston District)
Rev. George Ashford (Columbia District)
Rev. Claire Van Den Berg (Columbia District)
Rev. Tae Park (Marion District)
Jim Salley (Orangeburg District)
Stephen Gilchrist (Hartsville District)
Marlene Spencer (Rock Hill District)
The District Alignment Jeremiah Team
This team will review district lines and recommend a reduction in the number of districts to create a more nimble, cost-effective structure that will allow district superintendents to spend more time as missional strategists with the people in their communities.
Rev. Cathy Mitchell (leader)
Rev. Scarlett Hester (Walterboro District)
Rev. Will Malambri (Marion District)
Rev. Karen Jones (Greenville District)
Dan Canada (Columbia District)
Sandy Shaffer (Greenwood District)
Bob James (Rock Hill District)
Chandra Dillard (Greenville District)
The Conference Staff Alignment Jeremiah Team
This team will examine the best ways to align conference staff with our missional priorities and resources, to compensate staff properly for their work and leadership, and to create space for staff to be creative and imaginative in their work.
Bishop Leonard Fairley (leader)
Rev. Gracie Singletary (Florence District)
Rev. Brian Gilmer (Greenville District)
Rev. Bernie Mazyck (Charleston District)
Rev. Judy Hames Turner (Orangeburg District)
Lisa Fusco (Orangeburg District)
Michael Jennings (Columbia District)
Betty Void (Columbia District)
Pamela Goodwine-Glover (Walterboro District)
Prayer needed
Fairley invites South Carolina United Methodists to join him in praying for these leaders as they prepare to begin their work in January.
Fairley offered this prayer:
“Gracious God, we acknowledge with joyful and confident hearts your promise to give us a future with hope. We thank you for always calling forth humble, hungry and willing servant leadership to help us journey toward your preferred future.
“We especially pray now for these Jeremiah Teams. Grant them a double portion of your spirit. We pray that you would grant them holy sight and holy imagination to see the possibilities and live the promises.
“Grant them, we pray, non-anxious, collaborative spirits, fill them with courage to think outside the box. We pray that will do their work not from the old adage of, ‘That’s the way we have always done it,’ but with a holy curiosity and attitude of what may be calling us to do that we have done before.
“These things we ask in the name Jesus Christ, who invites us to do a new thing.
“Amen.”
Anyone who has questions about the Jeremiah Teams is asked to email [email protected], and their information will be shared with the appropriate team.