Jeremiah Teams hold first meetings to help transform conference

By Dan O’Mara

The South Carolina Conference’s four new Jeremiah Teams—tasked with helping transform how the conference is structured, how it operates and how it aligns with “Our 4 Priorities”—began their work in January with a series of team meetings centered on prayer, organization and planning next steps.

Bishop Leonard Fairley late last year appointed 34 lay and clergy leaders from across the conference to the Jeremiah Teams:

The Missional Priorities Team is evaluating the effectiveness of 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. (Those priorities are developing leaders, engaging communities, connecting with and growing disciples, and measuring and evaluating current realities and missional possibilities.)

The Black Church and Ethnic Ministries Strategy Team is working to 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.

The District Alignment Team is reviewing district lines and recommending 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 in their communities.

The Conference Staff Alignment Team is examining the best ways to align conference staff with 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.

Fairley met with each team during their initial gatherings, thanking them for helping the conference explore this “prime opportunity to reset” and encouraging them to be “brutally honest about where we are and where God is leading us.”

Fairley has asked the teams to report out of each meeting to ensure transparency and keep the clergy and laity of the conference informed of their work.

Because the schedule of the first round of meetings crossed into the final week of January, the Jeremiah Teams’ first reports will appear in the March Advocate.

Jeremiah Team members:

Missional Priorities Team

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)

Black Church & Ethnic Ministries Strategy Team

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)

District Alignment Team

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)

Conference Staff Alignment Team

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)

Anyone who has questions for Jeremiah Teams is asked to email [email protected], and their information will be shared with the team.