BETHEL CME CHURCH

(Christian Methodist Episcopal Church)

702-04 Johnson St., Valdosta, Ga. 31601

Phone 912-245-0091

Moultrie-McRae-Brunswick District

South Georgia Annual Conference

Sixth Episcopal District (Georgia)

Rev. Thomas N. Roberts, Pastor

Rev. James N. Greene, Presiding Elder

Bishop Othal Hawthorne Lakey, Presiding Bishop

A loving Christian congregation is serving the Valdosta community,

Valdosta State University and Moody Air Force Base.

We offer a contingent of Christian services:

Regular church services at 11:00 AM Sunday Morning
Adult and Youth Bible Study at 7:30 PM on Wednesday nights.
Sunday Church School at 9:45 AM each Sunday
Communion Services on 1st Sundays.
Youth Services on 2nd Sundays
Men's Choir on 4th & 5th Sundays
Missionary Services on 5th Sundays
Word Of God Study Every Other Fourth Sunday, Come As You Are
Fellowship Dinner The First Wednesday Night of The Month

A Message from the Pastor

It is my sincere desire that you, as an individual, find peace, love and happiness in this world. But since this is a world that is primarily secular with the powers that be and power structures oriented towards materiality, peace, love and happiness is hard to find. Material gain, for it's own sake, cannot give this, for the more we have, the more we want. And none of it can give us that inner peace that we want. Therefore, we must turn towards that which creates all things materiel; that is the source. The source is the creator of all things materiel. And they, as well as our flesh and blood, bodies, must return to the dust from whence it came. To have peace, love and happiness, we must have an assurance of salvation, of life after these bodies of flesh have gone to the grave. To do this we must believe: believe that all things are possible; believe in eternal life; believe that Jesus came to save the world; believe that you must do unto others as you would have others do unto you. If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, then you shall be saved! Have you been saved? Do you have an assurance of salvation? Do you have peace, love and happiness? If you do not, then you need the find the source of you problems. And the source is your unbelief. Study the Word! Find others who study the Word! Come to a place where the Word is preached! Find that Peace! Find that love! Find that happiness! Come to Bethel CME Church if you live near; visit if you are passing through.

Rev. Thomas N. Roberts, Pastor

Church Boards & Auxiliaries

The Steward Board:

Is charged to take care of the temporal affairs of the church.
They are to make sure money is available to pay the bills of the church and assure that the pastor is paid.
As such, they are authorized to solicit money from the membership and other sources.
They with the stewardesses set the pastor's salary.
They are to be men and women of solid piety
They are to know and love the CME Church
They are to have the ability or experience to transact the business of the church.

The Trustee Board

The Trustees are to make the church property available and accessible to the pastor and other duly authorized ministers of the CME Church for use in the religious service or other proper meetings of the church.
They shall be responsible for all the property of the church; assuring of the number of churches, parsonages and other properties of the church.
They are to hold the titles, turn the income of all properties over to the church.
They are to make sure that that the church is properly insured, be responsible for the debts of the church.
There shall be nine, seven, five or three trustees
Must be at least 18 years of age
Vacancies must be filled immediately.

The Stewardess Board

The Stewardess Board is a companion board to the Stewards.
They are to help see that that the church has the proper finances.
In addition, they are to serve the table of the Lord, i.e., to prepare for the Sacrament of the Holy Communion and, along with the pastor, help serve it, each 1st Sunday and for Baptisms and Christenings as necessary.
In addition: To see that the poor are served
To see that the minister is served
To do other work as assigned to them

The Women's Missionary Society

Originally organized when women were not able to be officers in the church and to give them an official capacity and authority within the church.

They are now a General Department of the church with their own General Officer.

Their mission is: To discover the mission and unity of the Church of Jesus Christ.
To make that mission and unity known at home and abroad
To encourage cooperation, fellowship and mutual counsel concerning the spiritual life and religious activities of the Christian Church. To encourage the study of the Bible and to assist in spreading the Gospel To study the needs of society in order to assist society
To work with public and private institutions in the fulfillment of common goals

The Sunday School

Consists of the Adult and Youth departments and meets each Sunday morning.
Is a part of and usually the largest and most important component of the Board of Christian Education.
Has a teacher for each class
Uses approved Sunday school literature
Have it's own activities
Is a feeder program for the local church and greater connectional church
Has a superintendent in charge Other Auxiliaries

The Choir,

Furnishes choral music for the worship service
The Organist/Pianist, who plays the organ or piano for choir and church
Has a Choirister in charge of music

The Ushers,

Maintain order and acts as gracious hosts to members and visitors

The Youth,

who we are charged to train in the ways and knowledge of the church

The Board of Christian Education

is responsible for educational programs in the church

The Lay Council,

acts as a liaison between the pastor and church membership and helps enhance the total church program

The Connectional Church

(The National & International CME Church)

C. M. E. is an acronym for Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

Originally in 1870 when the denomination was founded, it was the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. But in the 1954 General Conference it was changed recognizing the denomination was not completely Colored, but having other races as a part of connectional (International) membership. The denomination was founded in 1870 in Jackson, Tennessee on December 16th. The Colored of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South asked that they have their own church. At the First Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the General Conference meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1866 acted to grant it's Colored members their wish. And in Jackson, TN in 1870 the denomination was born in which the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South consecrated William H. Miles of Kentucky and Richard H. Vanderhorst of South Carolina as the first bishops of the new Colored Methodist Episcopal Church. The new denomination wrote it's own discipline, the document which governs the operations of the church, and drew it's own boundaries. The denomination consists of: Ten Episcopal districts, each of which include Annual Conferences presided over by a bishop, the spiritual leaders of the church;

There Are: Ten Episcopal Districts each with a presiding Bishop, and each with Annual Conferences within the Connectional Church

First Episcopal District, Bishop William H. Graves, consisting of the N. Arkansas, S. Arkansas, W. Tennessee, E. Tennessee Annual Conferences.
Second Episcopal District, Bishop Nathaniel L. Lindsey, Senior Bishop, consisting of the Ohio-Central Indiana, Kentucky Annual Conferences.
Third Episcopal District, Bishop Dotcy I. Isom, Jr. Consisting of the Michigan-Indiana, Kansas-Missouri, Southeast Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin Annual Conferences.
Fourth Episcopal District, Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr., consisting of the Louisiana, Mississippi So., NE Mississippi, S. Louisiana Annual Conferences.
Fifth Episcopal District, Bishop Paul A. Steward, consisting of the Birmingham, N. Central Alabama, SE Alabama, Florida Annual Conferences.
Sixth Episcopal District, Bishop Othal H. Lakey, consisting of the Georgia N., Central Georgia, W. Georgia, S. Georgia Annual Conferences.
Seventh Episcopal District, Bishop Charles L. Helton, consisting of the NY-Washington, Carolina Annual Conferences.
Eighth Episcopal District, Bishop Marshall Gilmore, consisting of the Dallas-Ft. Worth, SE Texas, E. Texas, Central Texas, NW Texas
Nineth Episcopal District, Bishop E. Lynn Brown, consisting of the Northern California, Southern California, Arizona-N. Mexico, Oklahoma-Muskogee, Alaska-Pacific Annual Conferences.
Tenth Episcopal District, Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick, III, consisting of the Ghana, Lagos, Nigerian-Western Zone, Nigerian-Eastern Zone Annual Conferences.

The Connectional Church also consists of Six General Departments & Nine General Officers

Executive Secretary of the CME Church; Atty. Jaunita Bryant (First Female General Officer)
Editor; Christian Index; Dr. Kenneth E. Jones
Department General Secretary Christian Education, Dr. Ronald M. Cunningham
Department Lay Ministry, Mr. Victor Taylor
Department of Evangelism, Missions & Human Concerns, Dr. W. C. Champion
Department of Finance, Dr. Joseph C. Neal, Jr.
Department Publications Services, Dr. William E. George
Personnel Services, Dr. N. Charles Thomas
President, Women's Missionary Council, Miss Judith E. Grant
The Judicial Council rules on the meaning of and interprets the Book of Discipline, and it's nine members, Rev. James A. Hawkins, President; Dr. Joseph Capers, V. President; Honorable Bertina Lampkin, Clerk; Honorable Emma I. Darness, Rev. Claude Johnson, Commissioner Harold Watkins, Rev.O'Neal Shyne, Sr.; Rev. Dr. Charles L. Johnson, Dr. Barbara Boyd; are elected at the General Conference.

The CME Church sponsors, CO-sponsors and/or support five institutions of higher learning and a connectional hospital:

Phillips School of Theology, Dr. Thomas L Brown, Sr., Administrative Dean, Atlanta, Ga.
Lane College, Dr. Wesley McClure, President, Jackson, TN
Miles College, Dr. Albert J. H. Sloan II, President, Birmingham, AL
Texas College, Dr. Haywood Strickland, President, Tyler, TX
Paine College, Dr. Shirley A. R. Lewis, President, Augusta, GA
Collins Chapel Hospital, Dr.. William E. George, Administrator, Memphis, TN

The General Church (Connectional, International) is supported by General Funds assessed to the local church throughout the connection.

The Sixth Episcopal District (CME Church)

Is one of ten Episcopal Districts presided over by Bishop Othal Hawthorn Lakey.
It consists of the whole state of Georgia and both the oldest and largest CME Church with in the denomination is in the Sixth. The oldest is Trinity CME Church, founded before the denomination was begun in Augusta, GA and is presently pastored by Rev. Donald Jordan.. The Largest is St. Paul CME Church in Savannah, Ga. Pastored by Dr. Henry W. DeLaney; its membership is around 4,000.
The Sixth Episcopal District consists of four Annual Conferences with nine Presiding Elders and their Districts:

Annual Conference Districts & Presiding Elders , Sixth Episcopal District

Georgia North

Atlanta - Rev. Jerry Woodfork

Augusta - Rev. Ronzell Mannis

Elberton - Rev. Albert Lee III

Central Georgia

Macon District - Dr. E. P. Pettigrew

Ft. Valley - Savannah - Rev. Raymond Ford

West Georgia

Columbus North-LaGrange - Rev. L. K. Allen

Columbus South-Cordele - Rev. Jesse Averett

South Georgia

Albany-Thomaville - Rev. James A. Hazel

Moultrie-McRae-Brunswick - Rev. Rufus Jolly

Each Presiding Elder (Supervisor) is responsible for about 17 - 33 Churches and their pastors

The Moultrie-McRae-Brunswick District

South Georgia Annual Conference (CME Church)
An Annual Conference District (South Georgia) of the Sixth Episcopal District of the CME Church. Its name is descriptive of the boundaries of the district. It begins at Moultrie, goes northeast to McRae (near Central Georgia) and goes southeast below Savannah to the coast at Brunswick. It then follows the coast south to the Florida State line and follows the line east to about Valdosta, it then goes back northwest to Moultrie. These are the general boundaries of the district.
There are 28 Churches and 20 pastors (some pastors are on a circuit (have more than one church). The Presiding Elder (Supervisor) is Rev. Rufus Jolly.
The Presiding Elder is appointed by and responsible to the Bishop of the Sixth Episcopal District, Bishop Othal H. Lakey.
He is to collect the general funds and generally oversee the general well being of the churches and their pastors.

Each year the Presiding Elder holds a

Planning Meeting,
A Christian Youth Fellowship and Sunday school Convention and
District Conference.

Bethel CME Church, Valdosta, Ga. is in the Moultrie-McRae Brunswick District of the South Georgia Annual Conference of the Sixth Episcopal District of the CME Church.

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