 Welcome To News Of The St. Marys United Methodist Church St. Marys United Methodist Church is an active, growing congregation serving the communities of St. Marys, Kings Bay Naval Base, and southeast Camden County. | |||||
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How to Find Us We are located at 106 East Conyers Street in downtown St. Marys. This is one block off of Osbourne Street (Highway 40), only a few blocks from the waterfront. Take a left when you see Orange Hall -- that's Conyers St. Our office phone number is (912)882-5505. All the staff have voice mail. If you want information about our Foundation or the Bailey Bequest, do not contact the church office. Click here to find out what the status of our Foundation is, how you can contact their office, and to get the info you seek. Worship We have two Sunday services each week. Our 8:30 a.m. service is a relaxed, less formal worship service. An early service choir sings, and youth and children's choirs bring occasional special music. Nursery for infants and toddlers is provided, and a children's bulletin is available. Our 11:00 a.m. service is held in the main sanctuary. This is a traditional United Methodist service. Our Chancel Choir sings weekly, and the Youth, Children's, and Handbell choirs perform monthly. A fully staffed nursery is available. Children's Church, children's bulletins, and other activities make this an easy service for families (see Children's Ministries, below). Programs We offer a full range of programs and ministries, including specialized ministries to children, youth, women, and men. For additional information about any of these programs and ministries, call our church office at (912)882-5505 or e-mail us using the link below. Children's Programs Our congregation is running over with young families and children. This leads us to employ a Director of Children's Ministries (Mrs. Michelle Simpson; see Staff, below), and offer numerous ministries to children and their families. Nursery: You will find that we offer nursery care at most events, to enable families to participate. Our nursery includes four paid staff and parent volunteers. This means that your child will always have a nursery care-giver who knows the children. We find having the same faces each week makes the children more comfortable. During worship, nursery is open for infants to 3 yr olds (older children go to children's church, see below). Sunday School: Our Sunday School meets at 9:45 each Sunday morning. We offer graded classes from infants through 5th grade for children (see Sunday School section for complete details). Children's Bulletin: We give out two children's bulletins (one for pre-school, one for elementary-age children) during both worship services. Appropriate activities on the bulletin help your children focus on the scripture in a positive, interactive manner. It also gives them something to do so you can focus! Children's Sermon: As part of our 11:00 a.m. worship service, our pastors and staff offer a children's sermon each Sunday. This gives our children something to look forward to during the sermon, and helps them to build relationships with the pastor and staff. Children's Church: For children 4 yrs old through 2nd grade, we offer the Children's Church worship experience in the chapel during the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Children stay in worship through the Children's Sermon, then adjourn to Children's Church. Volunteers provide your child with Christian activities to enhance their spiritual growth. Other Children's Activities: Our Children's Ministry believes in celebration! We believe it is important to learn the joy of Christian faith, and the excitement of being together with God's people. To that end we sponsor a lot of holiday parties, skating parties, and get-togethers at the church. Clues Club, our Wednesday evening activity, is a great deal of fun. During the summer we have a bang-up week-long Vacation Bible School, and usually 4 or 5 Super Thursday events (where kids enjoy some activity, lesson time, and service project together). Preschool: See information on Happy Apple Academy below. Children's Choirs: See information about Joyful Noise, SonShine Singers, Kids of the Kingdom, Primary Bell Choir, and the Children/Youth Handbell Choir under Music Ministries, below. MOMS In Touch: See information on our MOMS In Touch prayer ministry under Women's Groups, below. Youth Programs Our United Methodist Youth Fellowship (UMYF) meets on Sunday evenings at 5:00 p.m. They begin with a light snack supper. Then we have a time of praise music with Seth Howard leading at 5:30 p.m. Our Group Time for the youth is from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The 1st and 3rd Sundays are combined Group Nights for fun, fellowship, skits, laughter and Bible Study. The 2nd and 4th Sundays are Program Groups for Middle School and High School to relate to the needs and interest of youth. Our Midweek Bible Studies are held on Wednesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. We have classes for Middle School and High School. We study issues and topics that are important for the youth of today! Our Breakfast Clubs meet on Tuesdays for the High School Students at Hardee's, on Wednesdays for St. Marys Middle School at Hardee's, and on Thursdays at Chick-Fil-A. The students can be dropped off at 7:00 a.m. and we will drop them off at school by 8:00 a.m. Occasional trips, outings, lock-ins, water wars, 5th Quarters, destination unknowns and many other activities are planned to keep thngs exciting. Jim Morrow, our Full-Time Director of Youth Ministries, leads a team of youth and adults in organizing our youth ministry. Our youth ministry is designed to include fun times, learning, music, drama, mission trips, community service, and other activities to develop a sense of purpose and passion to serve the Lord. We also offer 4 Sunday School classes for youth at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays (Middle School boys, Middle School girls, 9th - 10th grade, and 11th - 12th grade). Our church believes in the importance of Christian Education and fellowship with youth. If you have any questions call Jim at (912)882-6285. Youth Music: Information about our Youth music program is found under Music Ministries, below. Scouting Ministries St. Mary's UMC and Scouting have enjoyed a 40 year relationship. We sponsor Boy Scout Troop 500/222, Cub Scout Pack 222, and several Girl Scout groups. We are in the Osprey District of Okefenokee Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. If you have questions about Boy Scouting in Camden or Charlton counties call Dan Munoz at 576-2457. Boy Scout Troop 222 and Troop 500 are in the midst of joining together. Steve Wise is our scoutmaster. Pack 222 is a very active group. We currently have 7 Dens. We offer Tiger, Wolf, Bear, and Webelos dens. You may click here to visit Cub Pack 222's web site. Several Brownie and Junior Girl Scout groups meet during the week in our facilities. For information about joining Pack or Troop 222 or the Girl Scouts, please call the church office Women's Groups Our United Methodist Women have three circles which meet each month: The Wesley Circle meets monthly on Wednesday mornings at 11:00 a.m. in the church Parlor. Following their program, the ladies go out for lunch together. The Maranatha Circle meets monthly on the third Tuesday evening at 7:00 p.m. Most months they meet in a member's home to share in the program and fellowship. The Mary & Martha Circle meets on the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the church Parlor. Our newest Circle, the Mary and Martha group is working to form supportive relationships. The General UMW meets together on the first Monday evening of each month at 7:00 p.m. They meet in Bailey Hall at our church for program and business. We also sponsor two MOMS in Touch prayer groups. MOMS in Touch teaches mothers to pray for their child in school, and for the needs of the school. Mothers learn how to pray the scriptures for their child. Our group praying for Happy Apple Acacdemy meets at 9:00 am on Tuesdays; the group praying for St. Marys Elementary School meets at 8:00 am on Wednesdays. For more info on Moms in Touch, contact Laurie Lentz through our office. See also information about our Rose of Sharon Women's Sunday School class, and our weekday women's study class (below). Men's Groups Our United Methodist Men meet monthly. We currently meet the third Sunday morning of each month at 7:30 am, sharing breakfast and a program. This gives the men of the church a chance to share together about our life and strengthen one another's faith. We are working on ways to develop godly faith and support for one another. Projects include local missions (we've worked at Camden House and Habitat For Humanity), community service (we clean up the highways) improvements to church property (recently we put in sidewalks and lawn sprinklers), and supporting church activities (we have cooked the annual Mother-Daughter banquet, for example). We also sponsor occasional Father-Son Retreats and outings. Happy Apple Preschool  Happy Apple Academy is our Christian pre-school. We offer classes during the school year for 2 1/2 yr. olds, 3 yr. olds, and 4 yr. olds. We have 2 and 3 day programs available (and a 5 day program for 4 yr. olds). Our day runs from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Happy Apple offers a wonderfully active, learning program for children. This is one of the great assets of our church!Happy Apple Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, or denomination. For more information, check out their page (click on graphic at left), or call Happy Apple Academy at((912)882-3727. Music Ministries We offer choirs for children, youth, and adults. Our Chancel Choir (adults and senior youth) practices on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. This choir sings at the main worship service (11:00 a.m.) on Sundays. This choir provides regular anthems for worship, and seasonal cantatas and special music. A nursery is provided for Choir practice. Dean Slusser leads our main choir (see staff, below). Our Youth Praise Band and Service is for middle and high-school youth. This group works on upbeat, youth-oriented music and dramatic presentations. Presently the group works with a Youth Praise Service at 5:30 pm in Bailey Hall (before UMYF). Joyful Noise is our choir for older elementary children (grades 3-5). This choir practices at 5:00-6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays during the school year, and takes the summer off. They sing at both early and 11:00 worship services. SonShine Singers is our early elementary choir (grades 1-2). They practice from 5:00-6:00 on Wednesdays, learning fun songs and some music fundamentals. They sing at both early and 11:00 worship services. Kids Of The Kingdom is the littlest children's choir (4 yr. old-kindergarten). They practice at 5:00-6:00 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, and sing active music with games. They, too, sing at both early and 11:00 worship services, and take the summer off. Our Beginning Handbells group practices Wednesday evenings at 5:30 pm. Barbara Hall leads this group of young ringers. Our Handbell Choir enjoys ringing our 3-octave set of Malmark handbells. Barbara Hall directs handbell rehearsal on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm. Sunday School We have a complete Sunday School which meets 9:45-10:45 a.m. each Sunday. We have classes for children birth through 5th grade. Our nurseries are well-staffed and equipped to provide for your child. We have 3 yr. old and 4 yr. old classes, a 5 yr. old/Kindergarten class, and 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd-4th grade, and 5th grade classes. Our main goal is to make sure children feel loved and cared for. Children are also encouraged to learn the Biblical faith and to interact with one another in a Christian manner. We offer 4 graded youth classes (Middle School boys, Middle School girls, 9th-10th grade, and 11th-12th-college) The youth classes meet in the Ray Building, except for Middle School boys, which meets upstairs over Bailey Hall. Caring teachers help our youth to examine the gospel and their own faith. Strong peer relationships can make a difference in your youth's life. Our 7 adult classes include varying teaching methods, content, and age groupings. The Wesley Class is a large older class, studying the International Bible Lesson each week with a lecture format. This class meets in the breezeway off the sanctuary. Mrs. Eloise Thompson is the teacher. The Moore Class, a middle-aged class, is studying the Ten Commandments. This class enjoys both lecture and discussion in their scripture study. Their room is next to Bailey Hall. Mr. Charles Thompson is the teacher. The Koinonia Class is a small, mixed-age class. This class is finishing a study of the spiritual life. They began a study of Hebrews in February, 2001. Their room is upstairs over Bailey Hall. Mrs. Karen Perez is the teacher. The Pilgrim Class is a middle-sized, younger class. They have just finished studying the gospel of St. Luke. This class meets upstairs above Bailey Hall. Robert Bennett has the teaching duties. The Rose of Sharon is our Ladies' Class. Many of our women find this class is just right for them! They meet in the parlor, next to the sanctuary. The Seekers Class, one of our newest classes, meets upstairs over Bailey Hall. Lead by Carl Barnhardt, this class is studying what we believe through the Apostle's Creed. The Gleaners Class (our other new class) has begun under the leadership of Pastor Brenda. Designed for folks who never liked Sunday School, this class is enjoying coffee, fellowship time, and study in their room upstairs in Bailey Hall. They are studying the gospel and social concerns. Occasional Classes We offer occasional classes, usually meeting during the week, to provide additional small-group learning opportunities for our congregation and community. We find many of our members want these opportunities to pursue spiritual growth in short-term, small group settings. Previous classes have included couples' HomeBuilder's classes, Experiencing God classes, a 7-week introductory class on prayer, an 11-week Christian Caregiving class, a 6-week class on cults and Christianity, an 11-week study of Bob Briner's Roaring Lambs text, and several Beth Moore women's classes. Missions St. Marys UMC is involved in missions support both at home and across the globe. Our Food Pantry offers free groceries to all in need. Located in our office, this pantry is stocked by our members. The 4th Sunday of each month is "Food Pantry Sunday", the day when we bring our canned goods as part of our offering. Our Altar Fund enables us to help needy persons with light bills, gas bills, water bills, rent, and the like. On Communion Sunday, members of the congregation leave an offering at the Lord's Table when they commune. We use this offering specifically to provide for the needs of the poor. Our Share-A-Meal program is our newest, most exciting ministry. Volunteers deliver a free, hot supper to St. Marys folks who may not be able to cook for themselves. We deliver on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Our Missionaries, David and Jennifer Thompson, are preparing for service in Peru. The Thompsons are now in language school in Costa Rica. once finished, they will work with a seminary in Peru training pastors for thenumerous small, inaccessible villages in the Peruvian mountains. Visit their web site to learn more, or go to the site of their parent organization, the Mission Society For United Methodists. Our Methodist Children's Home is very important to our church. We support this vital work with abused and neglected children all through the year. The climax is "Children's Home Day" in September, when we have a representative from the Home come and talk with us about this year's work. Our Children's Home in Camden County is now open, to serve the needs of children and youth in our area! We will be providing volunteers and other assistance to their ministry. To learn more about the Home's overall ministry, go to their site. To find out about our local Methodist Children's Home ministry, call Mike Duggar at their regional office, 912-882-7770. We are very excited that Magnolia Manor has built a facility in St. Marys. Magnolia Manor has decades of experience serving the needs of older adults. We give to the League Of The Good Samaritan, helping ensure that the bills of older adults will be paid whether they have funds or not. We are also working with Wesley Glen Ministries as they operate a new residential home in St. Marys. Wesley Glen serves mentally handicapped adults through a residential campus in Macon and now St. Marys, GA. This new ministry will really meet a need for families! Nancy Crain, Wesley Glen's local director, would be pleased to talk swith you. Call her at 912-576-6682. Our youth have enjoyed learning about and supporting the Vashti Center in Thomasville, GA. Vashti serves the needs of emotionally disturbed and abused youth throgh it's Therapeutic Group Home, Intermediate Residential Treatment Facility, Charter School, and other programs. You can visit the Vashti web page to learn more about the vital work Vashti does. For the past 4 summers we have sent a team to work with the Appalachia Service Project. This is a great ministry working on home repairs for the needy in Appalachia. This week-long trip allows youth to interact with impoverished peoples and learn some of the root causes of poverty. We've enjoyed working together with our local Presbyterian Church on three of these trips, and hope to continue that partnership in the future Volunteers In Mission We have sent teams to Panama City, Panama, where we worked on the Iglesia Evangelica Metodista Emmanuel in the old Viejo section of Panama City. We re-wired the church, painted it inside and out, re-screened the facility, replaced all termite-eaten wood, held a Bible School for children each morning,and worship services 2 nights. It was a great trip for 14 of our folk. Another Volunteers In Mission team is headed to Mexico in November, 2002. We are planning 2 more VIM trips, one later this year and one next year. Members of our church are also activly involved in the work of Camden House (a local ministry to battered women), our local Habitat For Humanity chapter, the Downtown Ministries Association (area churches aiding transient persons), and our local Salvation Army. Through our Mission Askings, we are involved in other mission work across the globe. We help provide campus ministers at State colleges and universities across Georgia. We are building a major Christian University in Africa to train a new generation of leaders for that war-ravaged continent. We support the UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), a Red-Cross style agency involved in disaster relief across the globe. We are proud of the many mission opportunities we have through which we can serve our Savior. Stephen Ministers Stephen Ministers are trained, competent laypersons who offer distinctively Christian care to persons in crisis, transitional, or just difficult situations. We believe this group will greatly extend our pastoral care ministry. We finished training our first group of Stephen Ministers in May, 2000. They are actively involved with care receivers, helping people work through the problems and seasons of life. We are training our second group of Stephen Ministers in the fall of 2002. Church Staff Randy J. Mosley – Pastor Randy came to St. Marys United Methodist Church in June of 2006 from Baxley First United Methodist Church in Baxley, Georgia. He has held a variety of Pastoral, District and Conference positions in the Valdosta, Statesboro, and now Waycross Districts of the South Georgia Conference. He earned an Associates Degree in Marketing and Management from Brunswick Jr. College, a Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology from Valdosta State University and a Masters in Divinity from Emory University. Randy is married to Sharon, a Second Grade teacher; they have two grown daughters, Heather and Meagan, and three grandchildren. Jim Morrow—Director of Youth and Programs Jim comes to St. Marys United Methodist Church after spending time as a Theatre teacher at Camden County High School. He has a degree in Theatre Education from Columbus State University. Jim is a candidate for ordained ministry in the United Methodist Church and will begin his seminary work at Asbury Theological Seminary in Orlando. Jim lives in Kingsland with his wife Amanda and his dogs, Buddy and Bailey.
Dean came to Camden County High School as the Theatre Director in 1995. It was also at that time that he became Minister of Music for SMUMC. A native of Ohio, Slusser has taught theatre in small college and high school settings in Virginia and Georgia for the past 22 years. In 2003 he was named Fine Arts Director for Camden County Schools, but still spends part of his day in the theatre classroom. Slusser received his Bachelor of Communications degree with a specialization in Theatre in 1982 from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. In 1983 he finished a Master’s degree in Theatre at BGSU. After teaching in small college settings he made the transition to high school theatre in 1989 when he accepted a position at Peach County High School in Fort Valley, Georgia. In 2003 he received his Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Educational Leadership from Georgia Southern University, and is currently a candidate for a Doctorate in Educational Administration at the same institution. He is a past-president and board member of the Georgia Theatre Conference, an active member, and former board member of the Southeastern Theatre Conference, and a former board member of the Georgia State Thespian Society. Locally, he is a charter member and active Board member of Arts Camden, and a member of the Crooked Rivers Committee. All told, he has invested 16 years in his choir ministry, serving three churches: Christ United Methodist Church in Forsyth, Georgia; Reynolds United Methodist Church in Reynolds, Georgia, and, for the past eleven years, here at St. Marys United Methodist. He lives in St. Marys with his wife, Susan, and their three children: Stephanie, Phillip, and Gabe. Coming soon! Christy Kunz – Church SecretaryChristy came to St. Marys in 1986 with her husband Joe, who is in the U.S. Navy, and their children, Brandon, Alysha, Paige, and Tyler. She was born in Tennessee but through military travels has lived in Florida, Hawaii, Connecticut, and Georgia. Christy came to St. Marys United Methodist Church in 2004 bringing with her over 15 years experience in office administration. Sandra Nihiser – Financial SecretarySandra was born and raised in Ohio. She is married to Jeff, who has served in the U.S. Navy for 26 years. They have lived in San Diego, CA, Charleston, SC, Bremerton, WA, St. Marys, GA, Cocoa, FL and are now back to Kingsland, GA. They have two children, Jenny and Brent who are grown and live in South Carolina.
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