On June 6-7, 2021, nearly 2,000 lay and clergy members of Annual Conference will gather online for two days of fellowship, worship, business and more.
Read MoreAnnual Conference to convene 50th session June 6-7
Posts by Category: News
This is the category for Advocate news and feature articles.
Raise the roof: Walterboro churches, people help Congo Methodist churches
To date, the Walterboro District has raised more than $20,000 to roof roughly four churches in the Congo, and they’ve established a new project called the “Raise the Roof Campaign” in the hope other churches and people in the South Carolina Conference of the UMC will help.
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John Wesley UMC renovates sanctuary
The congregation of John Wesley United Methodist Church has a newly renovated sanctuary to enjoy as part of its recently completed renovation project.
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Bishop Holston to continue as S.C. resident bishop into late 2022
Bishop L. Jonathan Holston will stay on as South Carolina resident bishop until late 2022. That’s the word from The United Methodist Church’s Council of Bishops, which approved episcopal supervision recommendations for the Southeastern Jurisdiction May 14.
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Q&A with United Methodist Women district presidents
Here, we talk with the United Methodist Women district presidents about what they are looking forward to, what are the most pressing issues within the local churches, what they would like to look back on as successful a year from now, and a bit about their profession, hobbies or family life. By Jessica Brodie.
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Chapin woman publishes first book on ‘John Wesley Church Mouse’
By Jessica Brodie. A former English teacher and longtime member of Chapin United Methodist Church has penned her first book, a children’s book featuring a church mouse named John Wesley.
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Orthodox Christians gather for WCA legislative assembly, global gathering in Alabama
Wesleyan Covenant Association members across the globe gathered April 30 and May 1 for their third Global Legislative Assembly and fifth Global Gathering, held at Frazer Church in Montgomery, Alabama. There they affirmed the name for a proposed new denomination and approved other resolutions, plus celebrated all God’s people are doing to rekindle passion and hope for the future.
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The gathering of God’s people
As this edition of the Advocate arrives, the 2021 session of the South Carolina Annual Conference will be starting. On June 6 and 7, we will gather virtually for a time of giving thanks to almighty God and celebrating the ways in which we have been seeking and fulfilling God’s purpose for the church. By Bishop Jonathan Holston.
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So much to be celebrated: Annual Conference June 6-7 lifts up growth, future
By Jessica Brodie. Planning has shifted to the final phase for this year’s Annual Conference, a shortened, mostly online event that will be livestreamed from the Florence Center June 6-7. But make no mistake—while the conference will be online, organizers consider it to be no less of a celebration and opportunity for gathering as traditional, in-person Annual Conference has been.
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S.C. helps eye-care mission in Guatemala
By Jessica Brodie. About 350 Guatemalan men and women can see more clearly now thanks to the efforts of a United Methodist medical mission there.
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Vigil offers love, prayer after mass shooting in Rock Hill
By Jessica Brodie. One church opened its arms to the entire Rock Hill community after a mass shooting claimed the lives of a much-loved local physician, his wife and two young grandchildren, and two air conditioning technicians who happened to be working on their home at the time.
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Photo by Dan O’Mara
Shandon man urges help for Haiti after flood, hunger issues plague nation
By Jessica Brodie. One United Methodist in South Carolina is putting out a cry for help in joining him with aid for Haiti.
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New book by UMCSC pastor Rev. Amiri Hooker released: ‘Preaching in the Midst Of’ on Black preaching and COVID-19
This month, the Advocate Press releases its newest book, addressing the need for what the author calls “great Black preaching in the midst of a tri-pandemic of disease, racism and poverty.”
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ERTs help after Alabama twister
By Billy Robinson. South Carolina Early Response Team members responded to a dire call for disaster help from Alabama after several deadly tornados ravaged their state, killing five, injuring many and reaping havoc on homes, farms and businesses. A 15-member ERT team comprising volunteers from across South Carolina, along with two disaster response trailers, responded to Bibb County April 5-8, 2021. Bibb County is just south of Birmingham. The team worked out of Brent United Methodist Church, in Brent, Alabama.
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Photo by Billy Robinson
Advocate wins two more journalism excellence awards
The South Carolina United Methodist Advocate has been honored with two more journalism excellence awards this spring. These latest are from the Religion Communicators Council, an interfaith group of religious communicators founded in 1929.
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World Methodist Council Museum contents to head to Bridwell Library at Perkins
By Jessica Brodie. The contents of the World Methodist Council Museum will head to Texas. That’s the word from the council in its April “First Friday Letter,” which stated the Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology and SMU Libraries at Southern Methodist University in Dallas will receive the contents “in entirety.”
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New Clergy Care ministry: ‘You are not alone’
By Dan O’Mara. The UMCSC has launched Clergy Care, a new ministry designed to help pastors and other ministers access resources and opportunities for support and personal growth.
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Mount Pleasant UMC cleans up
By the Rev. Darlene L. Kelley. We squirm to navigate the armholes of our Day-Glo orange safety vests and pick up our green bags. Pumping the handles of our also-orange “garbage grabbers” that look a bit like giant lobster claws, we make our way along the edge of Mount Pleasant Road, amazed at how much litter lines the asphalt.
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Our Response to Racism: ‘The duty of a generation’
By Dan O’Mara. More than 400 clergy from across the South Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church gathered virtually recently for a wide-ranging conversation about one of the conference’s most important initiatives in recent years: Our Response to Racism.
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Photo by Jessica Brodie
Epworth president John Holler to retire
John Holler will step down after 15 years as Epworth’s President and CEO.
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