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ASC Newsletter

Association of Smaller Congregations

22nd Annual Conference

May 4-6, 2009

Epworth-by-the-Sea, St Simons Island, Georgia

 

Presents

 

“The Fabric of Our Lives;

Threads of Life, Woven Together

 

 

“Just as smaller congregations often operate like families, so does the ASC. Being rooted and grounded in love is a hallmark of healthy family life and is the cornerstone of being in God’s family as well.”

                                                                                   

 

Keynote Presenter

 

Our Keynote is “Patterns of Life, the Life Cycle of Churches", by Rev. Roe M. Calloway, Honorably Retired.

 

Worship, Music, Workshops, and FUN!

 

 

 

 

 

Workshops

“How Healthy Churches Manage Conflict”

Rev. Ken Meeks, Executive Presbyter, NE Georgia Presbytery

 

“Grants and Financial Management”

Mr. Jerry Dean Webber, Financial Officer, Presbyterian Homes of Georgia

 

“Corporate and Individual Grief in the Church”

Rev. Greg Garis, Interim Executive Presbyter, Savannah Presbytery

 

“Life in the Church after 60+”

TBA

 

“Reaching Youth in the Church”

Rev. Dave Grove, Pastor, Cedartown Presbyterian Church, and former Youth Director 

 
Conference Registrar:
Maurine Resch
PO Box 248, Blythe, GA 30805
Phone: 706-373-9480
Email: ascregistrar@bellsouth.net
 

Check out our website at www.synodofsouthatlantic.org/asc.html

 

2009 ASC Conference Brochure

 

 

Membership in the Association of Smaller Congregations (ASC),

Synod of South Atlantic

 

The Association of Smaller Congregations (ASC) is an organization begun in the late 1980’s to support and encourage smaller congregations (200 of fewer members) within the bounds of the Synod of South Atlantic.  Its vision includes efforts to help identify strengths of smaller congregations and their role in presbyteries and synods, to increase awareness of the needs of smaller congregations, provide opportunities for fellowship and education for pastors and laypersons within smaller congregations, and provide opportunities for creative thinking, planning, and sharing among smaller congregations.

 

ASC sponsors a 3-day conference each May for clergy and laypersons of smaller congregations at Epworth-by-the-Sea, St. Simons Island, GA.   Over the years, conference attendees have found that the conference provides opportunities for fellowship, worship, networking, education, and spiritual refreshment.  The conference for 2009 will be held on May 4-6, 2009.  The conference theme will be “The Fabric of Our Lives; Threads of Life, Woven Together".

 

When ASC was formed in the late 1980’s, Synod of South Atlantic provided for ASC’s basic operating expenses.  With the shift in the vision for the synods, this foundational support was eliminated.  Therefore, ASC must raise its own operating budget.  This is done entirely through the support of the presbyteries and individual churches within our synod.

 

Please consider supporting the ASC's  efforts to promote the mission and ministry of smaller congregations. 

 

If you have any questions about ASC, please feel free to contact Saverne Haynes, Vice President, ASC at dele911@aol.com or 864-882-3471 or Alex Stevens, VicePresident, ASC at 813-951-7950 or alexstevens@bellsouth.net.    

 


Our Purpose: ASC was formed in April, 1987 in order to:

  • Facilitate mutual support and encouragement for smaller congregations and pastors,
  • Become aware of the unique strengths of smaller congregations and how these can be used in presbyteries and synods; serve as a channel of interpretation between presbyteries and their smaller congregations.
  • Increase the awareness and responsibility of the presbyteries for the concerns and needs of their smaller congregations,
  • Provide opportunities for fellowship and continuing education for pastors and laity,
  • Encourage the governing bodies to be more intentional in providing care, training, and leadership for smaller congregations; to enable them to become a viable influence
    within the governing bodies of the PC(USA).
  • Provide opportunities for creative thinking, planning, and sharing among smaller congregations.


 


The 2008 annual conference is 

May 5-7, 2008. The conference theme will be “Together, We Can Do It".  Registration information will be distributed in early 2008.
 

The Evangelism and Church Development Division of the Presbyterian Church (USA) has formed two new ministry networks. They are the Small Church Ministry Network and the Rural Ministry Network.

Board members:

President:   Saverne Haynes - 864-882-3471 dele911@aol.com  (SC)
Vice Pres.:
Alex Stevens 813-951-7950 alexstevens@bellsouth.net  (FL)
Treasurer:
John Hitchcock 706-896-1020 bjhitchcock@breme.net  (GA)
Registrar:
  Maurine Resch 706-592-7576 ascregistrar@bellsouth.net(GA)
Secretary: Mrs. Fern Coutant coutfj@cs.com 
Historian and Photographer:  
Mr. John Hitchcock
Publicity Chairman:
Ms. Linda Nelms, linda.nelms@delta.com Members-at-large: Mrs. Maxine Terry
mg.terry@verizon.net; Mrs. Geneva Phillips ellgen@bellsouth.net ; Rev. Danny Murphy dmurphy@trinity-presbytery.org
 
 
States' contact persons
Florida:
Alex Stevens
Georgia:
John Hitchcock
South Carolina:
Saverne Haynes
 
 

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