We are delighted to welcome the following newly appointed pastors to the SouthWest District:

Ann Mann - Barnesville First
Brian Germano - Cornerstone                                                                   
Yeojin Kwak - Hopewell
Ben Strength - Monticello First
Connor Bell - Newnan First, Associate
Matt Stone - Peachtree City
Brent Ward - Providence
Julie Schendel - Senoia

The following pastors are moving to new appointments within the District:

Tommy Holder - Andrews Chapel & Mt. Carmel
Tim Dees - Caney Head/Roopville/Welcome
Alpheia Murray - Faith
John Norman - Highland
Frank Dean - John Wesley
Michael Jackson - Jones Hill (& Heard Wesley)
Kimberly Dugger - Merrill Chapel
Yolanda Jones-Colton - Mt. Olive
Ron Hill - Mountville/Big Springs
Andrew Chappell - Newnan First, Senior Pastor
John Tompkins - Smith Chapel, Pine Mountain
Danny Tomlinson - Turin

Disaffiliation Update

Dear Friends in the SouthWest District,
 
In these days of June following our 2022 Annual Conference, I am praying for each of you and your congregations. I am also praying for the 70 congregations in our conference that have recently disaffiliated.
  
Because the subject of disaffiliation is still on the table, many congregations are asking what it might mean for them. Since the disaffiliation process (and implementation of the same) was new to all of us, and because there weren't many details to undergird section 2553, we have learned a lot that we didn’t know this time last year. Now, based on our experience, we feel that additional information and guidelines can be offered IF your congregation is seeking to learn more about the subject and/or process of disaffiliation.  
 
However, before you go through the additional information we are providing below; we encourage you to read (or re-read) Paragraph 2553 of our Discipline and the actual Disaffiliation Agreement with the North Georgia Conference — both of which are found at www.ngumc.org/disaffiliation-process-and-information. There`s no question that the first and best step to answering people’s questions is to understand the process, including timelines, expectations and other details.  
 
Additional Information and Guidelines
1.     No church is required to vote or required to consider a vote to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church. For reference, the vast majority of our 700+ churches in the North Georgia Conference have indicated to us that they will not take a vote to disaffiliate. Additionally, the vast majority of the pastors in the North Georgia Conference have confirmed that they will remain in the UMC.
2.     There is no hurry or need to rush the process of discernment if your church is considering disaffiliation. Disaffiliation requests won't be received by the District Office any earlier than January 1, 2023, and will be accepted through February 28, 2023. No DS will prioritize churches that are “first in line” based on the timing of their submission regarding disaffiliation. Please know that no church will be assigned a church conference date prior to February 28. The schedule will be set to ensure completion and efficiency (not based on when a request is made). There is no advantage or disadvantage to requesting earlier or later in the window. So, encourage congregations to use the full amount of time between now and February to pray/discern about any decisions being considered.
3.     We are still working on a checklist of education and types of events that we expect churches to facilitate in the process of discernment, but until those specifics are released in coming weeks, please encourage your congregation to pray, be kind to one another, and do no harm in any way to the Body of their church, District, Conference and the UMC. We have great information at this link: https://www.ngumc.org/beUMC 
4.     There are to be NO secret meetings of any type about disaffiliation; everyone in the congregation must be aware of what`s being discussed – everyone in your congregation should be invited to any/all meeting(s) involving disaffiliation. These meetings should be well publicized with at least two weeks of advance notice. And please notify me of any church-wide sessions you conduct so that I can choose to be present or send someone to be present as it’s helpful.
5.     As UMC pastors who have agreed to clergy covenants, pastors are responsible for making sure there is no misinformation, untruths, skewed facts and/or intentional omission of information allowed in the church as your congregation discerns its future. Remember that assigned pastors to your church have agreed to be the Pastor to ALL who attend and/or seek to be followers of Jesus. Regardless of which perspective a congregant takes, we are called to love them all.
6.     Consider the use of the word “perspective” instead of “side” when alternate or conflicting viewpoints are being presented in the church and/or otherwise. Sometimes just a word change allows us to be a better witness to the world.

If churches have questions or need help with any of this information, have your pastor contact the District Office.
 
With you in the Love of Christ,
Susan