St. John UMC Revelations
Volume XX Issue VII July 2024
Report of the Lay Delegate to 2024 SC United Methodist Annual Conference
Meeting in Greenville, SC June 9 – 12, 2024
David Salter was the Lay Delegate to Annual Conference. David arrived in Greenville on the morning of Saturday, June 8th as he is a member of a team which sets up and prepares for all worship at Annual Conference.
Key business happenings at AC2024
• Passed a $10 million dollar budget which is significantly lower than the last few years. (It is really a $11.7 million budget.
However, monies from churches which separated last year significantly lowered the amount which is to be apportioned to $10 million.)
• Forgave approximately $3.3 million in direct billing debt owed by churches experiencing hardship. (These debts were many years old, and these churches are now paying their full direct billing, but constantly under the shadow of the original debt.)
• Considered, then withdrew, three requests for declaratory court decisions; (These decisions mainly were about the use of Paragraph 2549 as a means of separation from the UMC. After much discussion, the delegates recommend to the Conference Board of Trustees that the use of Paragraph 2549 to separate come to a close after the Annual Conference of 2025. (Note: Paragraph 2549 was only used by South Carolina and another conference to separate. This paragraph is the paragraph used to close churches which are no longer viable. This paragraph has been, and will continue to be in The Discipline. However, it was never intended to use for separation. What this decision does is only suggest to the Trustees that it continue to be used for this purpose one more time. It is only a suggestion. The Conference Board of Trustees, along with the Bishop’s input, make those decisions.)
• Passed two motions regarding funds from separating churches. (These funds are used for missions, helping new church starts, helping struggling churches which remain UMC, etc.)
• Approved a 3.2 percent cost of living increase in 2025 to the minimum salary for clergy across South Carolina;
• Elected new quadrennial conference officers;
• Changed several Standing Rules;• Ordained or commissioned 16 clergy; (This included the Commissioning of Rev. Kendell Linh Healy as a Provisional Elder.)
• Licensed 17 local pastors;
• Celebrated 36 retirees;
• Remembered 62 people who passed away; (This service included remembering Rev. Alan Quarles who was pastor of St. John & Warrenville, Rev. J. Herbert Thomas, who was a pastor at Warrenville 1955 – 1960, and Connie Fowke, surviving spouse of Rev. J. Louie Fowke, who was a pastor at Warrenville 1950 – 1955.)
• Passed changes to pensions, health benefits; (These changes reflected what had been previously passed at General Conference.)
• Approved the separation of 112 churches across the state from the denomination. (The smallest of which has 11 members and the largest 2100 members.)
A few churches were closed under normal circumstances where the church had become so small that it could no longer function as a church due to membership, financial hardship, and missional inability. Belvedere United Methodist Church was closed because of this.
• Raised more than $15,000 in offerings: $7,601 Sunday night for seminary scholarship fund and $7,509 Monday morning for South Carolina Camps and Retreats Ministry.
• Set date for next Annual Conference as June 8-11, 2025, in Greenville.
Bishop L. Jonathan Holston “fixed” the appointments on Wednesday afternoon, and as anticipated, The Rev. John M. Williams, III was appointed to the St. John – Warrenville Charge for 2024 – 2025 conference year. Moving day is June 26th, and Rev. Williams will officially become the pastor at Noon on that day. His first Sunday in the pulpit will be June 30th. The Greenwood District will receive a new District Superintendent as well. The Rev. Chris Lollis will be the Greenwood DS. His wife, Rev. Donna Lollis, will also serve as pastor of Aldersgate UMC in Greenwood. The Rev. Dr. Stephen Love has been appointed to serve St. John United Methodist Church in Anderson.
Worship Opportunities at Annual Conference
The Annual Conference began with the Service of Ordination, Commissioning, and Retirement on Sunday evening, June 9th, at 7:00 pm. As stated earlier, Rev. Kendell Linh Healy was commissioned as a Provisional Elder during this service.
Rev. Will Harper who served Warrenville UMC retired during this service.
The Opening Worship on Monday morning at 9 am officially began conference business. Holy Communion was celebrated and Bishop Holston preached. Monday afternoon at 5 pm was the Evening Prayer and Praise Service. Rev. Kendell Healy had a significant part of this service by playing his own arrangement of “How Great Thou Art” as the opening music. He was very well received.
On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 7 am, Holy Communion was celebrated.
On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 9 am, Morning Praise and Prayer was held to open the business sessions. Newly ordained clergy were the preachers for these services.
On Tuesday afternoon at 5 pm, The Memorial Service was held. I already mentioned our connection to this service.
On Wednesday at 1:30 pm The Service of Sending Forth and Fixing of Appointments was held with Bishop Holston preaching, and each District Superintendent and District Lay Leader announcing the appointments.
David Salter served as volunteer organist for the 5 pm Monday service, the 9 am Tuesday service, the 9 am Wednesday service, and the Wednesday Sending Forth service, as well as playing to accompany the singing of a hymn to begin each business session after breaks, etc.
Respectively Submitted,
David Salter, Lay Delegate, St. John-Warrenville Charge
Bishop Holston stressed to the Conference attendees the following after General Conference:
- Local churches can choose to open their sanctuary for a same-sex wedding, but they are not required to do so.
- Pastors can choose to officiate a same-sex wedding, but they are not required to do so.
- Bishops will continue to make appointments, in consultation with local church leaders, to ensure the best pastoral leadership for the church’s ministry context.
What has changed:
The General Conference removed restrictive language in The Book of Discipline pertaining to human sexuality.
What has not changed:
The General Conference did not add any language requiring local churches or pastors to host or preside over same-sex weddings and did not add any language requiring annual conferences and boards of ordained ministry to commission or ordain openly gay candidates for ministry.
The United Methodist Church’s Theology & Doctrine did not, and will not change.