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“A Fresh Wind Blowing”

Spring 2015 Volume 2 Issue 1

Editor: Charlotte Smith, SEJUMW Secretary

The wind blows where it chooses and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8 NRS

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SEJ PRESIDENT Greetings, to all the ladies of the Southeastern Jurisdiction! Spring has finally arrived and I hope everyone has been able to enjoy the warmer weather and all the beautiful blooming flowers and trees. Everyday there is something new in bloom and I am reminded of God’s glory. The entire SEJ Leadership Team recently met at Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville to continue working on our Quadrennial meeting to be held in Charleston, SC, in 2016. It has been such a joy to travel around the jurisdiction and see our United Methodist Women’s institutions and the great legacy we have. A great way to insure that legacy will continue for many generations is to consider a gift to the Legacy Fund. I know many of you participated in A Day of Giving on March 23. Thank you for all that you have already done! By the time you read this newsletter most of our conferences will have chosen their delegates, nominees for directors, and PAG nominee’s. That is just another indication of how soon June 3-5, 2016 will be here. I am amazed at how fast the time has gone by. There is “A Fresh Wind Blowing” in the Southeastern Jurisdiction. I thank God for each one of you and all you do for United Methodist Women. God bless you and I look forward to meeting you around the SEJ! Patty Stricklin pattystricklin@yahoo.com

SEJ VICE PRESIDENT Just a little over a year from now, the United Methodist Women of the Southeastern Jurisdiction will be gathered together in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina. What an exciting event your SEJ Leadership Team is planning! There will be exciting speakers, meaningful worship experiences, informative workshops, wonderful entertainment, a delicious banquet, and the important business of our Southeastern Jurisdiction. Between now and then your conference will be electing two nominees for Directors, one alternate nominee and three voting delegates. Others having voting privileges are the Bishop from each Conference, current UMW Directors, and the SEJ Leadership Team. Make your plans on joining us in Charleston in 2016. Mary Lou Wurth marylouwurth2@gmail.com

SEJ SECRETARY Thank you to the Conference Secretaries and Presidents of the Southeastern Jurisdiction for providing all of your officer information. The 2015 Directories are printed and have been mailed. These are the corrections: Page 4 & Page 11 – Mark off Rebecca Ernest, Memphis as she no longer is PAG. Page 6 -- Janice Cockfield Eaddy’s home phone should be 843-699-9308 Page 8 -- Florida President, Aggie Reed passed away, so VP is acting President Page 10 – Kentucky Treasurer, Betty Dodson’s email is: vetteso@fuse.net Page 14 – Tonya Murphy, Director, is NOT from North Carolina but should be on the next page (15), from North Georgia. Our Leadership Team is working very hard to have the best-ever Southeastern Jurisdiction Quadrennial Meeting. This will be a SEJ Meeting that you will remember for years to come. You don’t want to miss it---please make your plans to attend! Charlotte Smith charlottesmith@twc.com

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SEJ TREASURER Greetings My Sisters In Christ, As 2015 begins please allow me to say thanks for all that you are doing for your Conference United Methodist Women and the SEJ United Methodist Women! I pray that each of you realize the importance of the position that you serve and that you feel the appreciation from your Conference Mission Teams! First quarter donations are currently due and hopefully you have your report completed. Welcome to all new treasurers and please see below my contact information: Janice Cockfield Eaddy SEJ Treasurer 101 Winners Circle Lake City, SC 29560 jeaddy2@yahoo.com 843-373-1203 cell I welcome your text messages and you will receive a prompt reply. Again thanks for your willingness to assist with fulfilling the PURPOSE of United Methodist Women! Be blessed! Janice Eaddy jeaddy2@yahoo.com

SEJ NOMINATION COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON The Nominations Committee is hard at work to secure a slate of nominees for the next quadrennial. We would like to thank everyone who submitted a profile for nomination and election to the Southeastern Jurisdiction Leadership Team. In preparations for the 2016 Quadrennial Meeting, we ask that each Conference Committee on Nominations submit the names and contact information of their nominees for United Methodist Women Directors to us as soon as possible. Please remember that we all have to work together to make this quadrennial a success and note there will be deadlines in the near future for the nominees to respond. Respectfully, Pat Boatwright patboatwright@bellsouth.net

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Reverend Jasmine Rose Smothers is an Associate Director of Connectional Ministries of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. Rev. Jasmine is a church consultant and is the staff liaison for the Conference ministry teams. Jasmine also has primary responsibility for the Vital Congregations initiative, Black Church Development, Natural Church Development, Multi Ethnic/Cultural congregations, support and training for Cross-Cultural/Racial appointments, and developing Young Clergy leadership. Prior to joining the team in the Office of Connectional Ministries, Jasmine served as the Senior Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church of Atlanta, GA. At Atlanta First, Jasmine primarily served the areas of Education, Age Level Ministries, Young Adults, Worship and Administration. Along with a team, she also created and opened the Atlanta First Day School. Prior to serving Atlanta First, Jasmine was the Assistant Pastor at Powder Springs First UMC (PSFUMC) in Powder Springs, GA. While there, Jasmine led a growing Youth Ministry, the church’s visual technology ministry and various other responsibilities which included worship and administration. Jasmine has also served the St. Paul United Methodist Church in Marietta, GA. Jasmine serves the Church and her community as a workshop facilitator, writer, consultant, advocate and preacher. She is active on all levels of the United Methodist connection. She has served as the President of the North Georgia Annual Conference’s (NGUMC) Young Adult Ministry and is a graduate of the NGUMC’s New Church Leadership Academy. Jasmine also served as the co-chair of Division of Young People’s Ministries for the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the UMC. Currently, Jasmine serves as a board member for the General Commission on Religion and Race of the UMC and as a member of the UMC’s Study of Ministry Commission. Jasmine has represented the North Georgia Conference at the World Methodist Conferences in South Korea and South Africa and the Global Gathering and Legislative Assembly for Young People in South Africa. Jasmine is a native of Atlanta, GA and is a graduate of Spelman College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Jasmine earned a Master of Divinity degree from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. Jasmine is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. Above all, Jasmine loves God, loves the Church, and is committed to “equipping the saints for the work of ministry” so that the world may know and be transformed through Christ!

Rev. Jasmine Rose Smothers

SEJ Quadrennial Meeting Opening Worship Minister

Friday, June 3, 2016

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Dr. Robin Dease was born in New York, New York and raised in Bennettsville, South Carolina. She is the daughter of Clara Dease and one of thirteen children. Dr. Dease felt the call to ministry while a student at Claflin University majoring in elementary education. With a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry in stewardship from Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, D.C., Dease joined the S.C. Conference in 1998 and was ordained an elder in 2001. She first served as pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church, Johns Island (1998-2008), followed by John Wesley UMC, Greenville (2008-2012). Each of these congregations experienced new growth and vitality under her leadership. In 2012, Dr. Dease returned to her alma mater, Claflin University, to serve as the Chair of the Department of Religion. Previously, she served as adjunct professor in the Department of Religion. “I think Claflin’s religious life left an indelible mark on me. I always knew I was going teach here to give back.” When invited by Bishop Jonathan Holston to serve as a member of the cabinet, Dr. Dease offered, “I am humbled and most grateful for the opportunity to serve in such an awesome way,” Dease said. “I pray that through my ministry and service, the church’s mission will be the driving factor for all I do.” Her leadership in the annual conference has included service on the South Carolina Conference Board of Ordained Ministry as a member of the Theology and Doctrine Committee and as Chair of the Continuing Education in Ministry Committee (2008-2012). Dr. Dease has served as the chair of the Committee on District Superintendency for the Charleston District, a member of the Greenville District Committee on Ordained Ministry-(2008-2012), the Conference Connectional Table Task Force (2008-2012), and the District Study Task Force (2011-2013). She has worked with pastors and congregations across the Southeastern Jurisdiction in understanding how Christian stewardship recognizes the interdependencies of economy, community, social justice, environment, and health. She represented South Carolina at the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference and General Conference 2012. Now she comes to serve as the District Superintendent of the Hartsville District. Let us receive her with glad and generous hearts as we seek together to share in the ministry of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Rev. Dr. Robin Dease

SEJ Quadrennial Meeting Bible Study Minister

Saturday, June 4, 2016

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Hope Morgan Ward was born in Suffolk, Virginia, and reared on a seven-generation family farm in the northeastern North Carolina community of Corapeake. She was educated at Duke University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Religion and a Master of Divinity degree. In addition, she studied British literature at Wroxton College, Oxfordshire, UK, and archaeology as a part of an extended excavation in Merion, Israel. Hope discovered a love for ministry and mission as Director of Youth and Missions at Fairmont UMC in Raleigh, North Carolina. She and her spouse, Mike, met on a mission trip to Bolivia in 1975 and married in 1977. They served together as teaching parents at the Methodist Home for Children in Raleigh from 1977-1979. During this time, Hope served as chaplain, leading worship on the residential campus. Regular mission engagement has been a part of her life, serving with her husband and children in the development of local and national missional initiatives and international mission partnerships. Hope was ordained in the North Carolina Annual Conference, where she served under appointment as Minister of Education of White Plains UMC in Cary, as pastor of Broadway UMC in Broadway and Soapstone UMC in Raleigh. In 1997, she was appointed Director of Connectional Ministries of the NC Conference, leading the conference through restructuring, mission development and extended recovery following major storms such as Hurricane Floyd in 1999. She was serving as District Superintendent of the Raleigh District at the time of her election to the episcopacy in 2004. She was assigned to the Mississippi Area. After serving in the Mississippi Area for 8 years, she was assigned to the Raleigh Area in 2012. Hope served as chair of the SEJ Association of Directors of Connectional Ministry and as chair of the Ministry Division of SEJAC. She served on GCOM from 2000-2004 as chair of the Membership Task Force and member of the Servant Leadership Team and the General Secretaries Election Committee. Mike and Hope have two children. Jason and Brooke.

Bishop Hope Morgan Ward

SEJ Quadrennial Meeting Worship Minister

Sunday, June 5, 2016

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The Southeastern Jurisdiction Leadership Team

Scarritt Bennett Center, Nashville, TN

March 20-22, 2015