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Location:
6425 Jefferson Rd. For
directions, click here.
The
article below is condensed from
remarks made by Bishop Davis on
September 8, 1996, as he began his
first term of
office. The
first is servant. A
United Methodist bishop is
called to be the chief servant
of the Church. Servanthood is
the only authentic model for
episcopal leadership....
As
the chief servant of the
Church, bishops are called to
guard the faith, to seek unity
within the body of Christ, and
to exercise the Discipline of
the Church. Bishops are called
to preach and teach the truth
of the gospel to all of God's
people. We
are called to live out the
truth of St. Paul's words when
he wrote, "My grace is
sufficient for you, for my
power is made perfect in
weakness" (2 Cor.
12:9). The
authority of a bishop is moral
in nature, and is based on
personal integrity and a
consistent witness before
Christ. My joy will be to
follow Jesus Christ who came
not to be served but to serve.
l commit myself to a ministry
of service and sacrifice among
you.... An
episcopal leader is called to
be a clear, evangelistic
witness. There
is a tremendous spiritual
hunger in our nation, our
world, and our Church. This is
no time for us to be timid.
The next few years as we move
into the 21st century afford
us a marvelous opportunity to
proclaim the gospel with
theological clarity and
passion.... Our
Church must reemphasize the
great verities of our faith.
In the words of a beloved
Georgia Bishop, W. R. Cannon,
"Our religion, Christianity,
rests on three historical
events: a manger crib, an old
rugged cross, and an empty
tomb." This is the foundation
of our faith and we must not
hesitate to share it with a
neo-pagan world. Our
primary task is to build vital
congregations filled with
faithful
disciples.... Bishops
of The United Methodist Church
are called to be advocates for
all persons, but
especially...for the least,
the last, and the lost.
Our
beloved Church is called by
Christ to be a means of grace
to the vulnerable and the
marginalized. So I will be an
advocate for the poor, the
homeless, and the
hungry. I
will be an advocate for
inclusiveness. I am committed
to all persons having
opportunity to fully
participate in the life of the
Church.... I
will be an advocate for
renewal within the Church....
Renewal is not easy nor does
it come immediately. But if we
are faithful, the Lord will
lead us as we seek to shape a
shared vision for our ministry
in these days to
come. I
will be an advocate for our
children and youth.... Too
many of our churches today
have neglected the needs of
our youth precisely at a time
when our young people are
increasingly at risk
physically and spiritually. A
United Methodist Church
apathetic about the needs of
young people will be a church
separated from its historic
identity and a church lacking
in vision for the
future. The
principle of teamwork in
ministry is one of my core
values. I believe that persons
who clearly understand the
vision and primary task of the
Church can self-organize and
work together to move toward
that vision. The
church of the future will be
characterized by the full
partnership of lay and clergy,
working as servant teams,
equipped to be creative and
active co-laborers in
ministry. Christ
is alive, and goes before us, to show
and share what love can do. This
is a day of new beginnings; our God is
making all things new.
Gateway
Church gathers
for worship
Sundays
at 10:30 a.m.
(Hwy. 129) in Athens,
Georgia.
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of the
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FROM
THE BISHOP
From
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The
e-magazine of
Gateway Church
FALL
2004
The
role of a bishop
NOTE:
On September 1, 2004, Bishop G.
Lindsey Davis began his third
quadrennium as the episcopal leader
of the North Georgia
Conference.
l
want to share with you...four words
that are central to my understanding of
the role a bishop must play within the
Church.
We are called to walk with
humility, to live our lives
under the tutelage of Jesus
Christ. We are called to
undertake the lifestyle of a
mature disciple -- a life of
prayer, simplicity, and
service. We are called to shun
the trappings of power and
status.
The second word which is central to me
is evangelist.
The third word for me is
advocate.
The fourth word is
teamwork.
We begin today a spiritual journey
together. Sometimes we will run,
sometimes we will walk, sometimes we
will rest and relax and be refreshed
together. We will be companions along
the way.... [A]nd together we
will marvel at the wonderful surprises
God has in store for us....
Serve our God with patience and
passion;
Be deliberate in enacting your
faith;
Be steadfast in celebrating the
Spirit's power;
And, may peace be your way in the
world. Amen.
Bishop G. Lindsey Davis
North Georgia Conference
The United Methodist
Church