Bishop Fairley names members of Jeremiah Teams
“Do not say, I am only a boy; for you shall go to all whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.” – Jeremiah 1:7
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:
Bishop Fairley
I believe the people of the South Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church are living one such moment. That is why I announced in November that I 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.”
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.
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.”
The Jeremiah Teams are:
Missional Priorities
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.
- Millie Nelson Smith (leader)
- Matt Alexander (Orangeburg District)
- David Bryant (Anderson District)
- Megan Gray (Spartanburg District)
- Sylvia Harris-Greene (Columbia District)
- Tiffany Knowlin-Boykin (Columbia District)
- David Salter (Greenwood District)
- Steve Stone (Greenwood District)
The Black Church & Ethnic Ministries Strategy:
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.
- James Friday (leader)
- George Ashford (Columbia District)
- Stephen Gilchrist (Hartsville District)
- Pattie Gordon (Charleston District)
- Amiri Hooker (Florence District)
- Tae Park (Marion District)
- Jim Salley (Orangeburg District)
- Marlene Spencer (Rock Hill District)
- Claire Van Den Berg (Columbia District)
District Alignment:
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.
- Cathy Mitchell (leader)
- Dan Canada (Columbia District)
- Chandra Dillard (Greenville District)
- Scarlett Hester (Walterboro District)
- Bob James (Rock Hill District)
- Karen Jones (Greenville District)
- Will Malambri (Marion District)
- Sandy Shaffer (Greenwood District)
Conference Staff Alignment:
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)
- Lisa Fusco (Orangeburg District)
- Brian Gilmer (Greenville District)
- Pamela Goodwine-Glover (Walterboro District)
- Michael Jennings (Columbia District)
- Bernie Mazyck (Charleston District)
- Gracie Singletary (Florence District)
- Judy Hames Turner (Orangeburg District)
- Betty Void (Columbia District)
I invite all South Carolina United Methodists to join me in praying for these leaders as they prepare to begin their work in January:
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.
In Christ,
Bishop Leonard Fairley
Resident Bishop
South Carolina Conference
The United Methodist Church
Missional Priorities
● Evaluating the effectiveness of all our current ministries and missions to identify ineffectiveness and duplication.
● We do so many good things, but what things are essential for us to live into Our 4 Priorities? What are our core values?
● What does an effective stop-do list look like that will free us up for more imaginative, creative ideas that will help us reach new people in new places and in new ways?
The Black Church & Ethnic Ministries Strategy
● Creating and resourcing an effective conference strategy for strengthening the Black Church and other Ethnic Ministries.
● We will not and cannot move into God’s hopeful future without strong leadership in this area.
● What is the new thing, including the lifting up of new leaders, God is calling for in this area?
District Alignment
● Reviewing district lines and reducing the number of districts
● Creating a more nimble, cost-effective structure.
● Allowing District Superintendents to:
♦ truly be a missional strategist in more places, among new people
♦ spend more time in communities, with the people of their areas
♦ develop new ideas to strengthen our witness and work
Conference Staff Alignment
● Aligning our staff with our missional priorities and resources.
● Compensating our staff properly for their work and leadership.
● Creating more room and space for staff to be creative and imaginative in their work.
Bishop Fairley names members of Jeremiah Teams
“Do not say, I am only a boy; for you shall go to all whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you.” – Jeremiah 1:7
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:
I believe the people of the South Carolina Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church are living one such moment. That is why I announced in November that I 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.”
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.
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.”
The Jeremiah Teams are:
Missional Priorities
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.
- Millie Nelson Smith (leader)
- Matt Alexander (Orangeburg District)
- David Bryant (Anderson District)
- Megan Gray (Spartanburg District)
- Sylvia Harris-Greene (Columbia District)
- Tiffany Knowlin-Boykin (Columbia District)
- David Salter (Greenwood District)
- Steve Stone (Greenwood District)
The Black Church & Ethnic Ministries Strategy:
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.
- James Friday (leader)
- George Ashford (Columbia District)
- Stephen Gilchrist (Hartsville District)
- Pattie Gordon (Charleston District)
- Amiri Hooker (Florence District)
- Tae Park (Marion District)
- Jim Salley (Orangeburg District)
- Marlene Spencer (Rock Hill District)
- Claire Van Den Berg (Columbia District)
District Alignment:
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.
- Cathy Mitchell (leader)
- Dan Canada (Columbia District)
- Chandra Dillard (Greenville District)
- Scarlett Hester (Walterboro District)
- Bob James (Rock Hill District)
- Karen Jones (Greenville District)
- Will Malambri (Marion District)
- Sandy Shaffer (Greenwood District)
Conference Staff Alignment:
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)
- Lisa Fusco (Orangeburg District)
- Brian Gilmer (Greenville District)
- Pamela Goodwine-Glover (Walterboro District)
- Michael Jennings (Columbia District)
- Bernie Mazyck (Charleston District)
- Gracie Singletary (Florence District)
- Judy Hames Turner (Orangeburg District)
- Betty Void (Columbia District)
I invite all South Carolina United Methodists to join me in praying for these leaders as they prepare to begin their work in January:
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.
In Christ,
Bishop Leonard Fairley
Resident Bishop
South Carolina Conference
The United Methodist Church
Missional Priorities
● Evaluating the effectiveness of all our current ministries and missions to identify ineffectiveness and duplication.
● We do so many good things, but what things are essential for us to live into Our 4 Priorities? What are our core values?
● What does an effective stop-do list look like that will free us up for more imaginative, creative ideas that will help us reach new people in new places and in new ways?
The Black Church & Ethnic Ministries Strategy
● Creating and resourcing an effective conference strategy for strengthening the Black Church and other Ethnic Ministries.
● We will not and cannot move into God’s hopeful future without strong leadership in this area.
● What is the new thing, including the lifting up of new leaders, God is calling for in this area?
District Alignment
● Reviewing district lines and reducing the number of districts
● Creating a more nimble, cost-effective structure.
● Allowing District Superintendents to:
♦ truly be a missional strategist in more places, among new people
♦ spend more time in communities, with the people of their areas
♦ develop new ideas to strengthen our witness and work
Conference Staff Alignment
● Aligning our staff with our missional priorities and resources.
● Compensating our staff properly for their work and leadership.
● Creating more room and space for staff to be creative and imaginative in their work.
Questions?
Email the Ministry Advisory Team at
mat@umcsc.org
