About The Conference
Start the New Year Off Right!
January 10-12, 2025
Join us for three days of exciting events designed to equip and engage church laity, volunteers, servant-leaders, and clergy for effective ministry. The weekend begins on Friday, January 10 with a one-night spirit filled revival service led by Rev. Frank V. James. The service will include uplifting music rendered by the Francis Burns UMC Choir and Praise Team. Saturday, January 11 consists of informative workshops led by District Superintendents Rev. Fran Elrod and Rev. Jeffrey Salley along with Pastor/e-Vangelist Dr. Martin Quick. Saturday will culminate with a keynote address from Dr. Michael Bowie, Executive Director of Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century. On Sunday, January 12, Rev. Geneva Stafford, host pastor, will lead morning worship with blessing and rededication of ministry workers.
AGENDA
Friday, January 10
6:30 p.m. Revival
Saturday, January 11
9:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast
10:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m. Morning Session Workshops
Rev. Fran Elrod-Conference Priorities
Rev. Jeffrey Salley-Leadership Essentials
Dr. Martin Quick-All Generations Matter
12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. LUNCH
1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Keynote Address
Dr. Michael Bowie-Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century
Sunday, January 12
9:00 a.m. Morning Worship
Speakers
Rev. Frank James
Revivalist
Pastor Frank Vertell James is a native of Kingstree, South Carolina. He is a 1970 graduate of Tomlinson High School and a 1975 graduate of Benedict College with a B. A. Degree in Music Education. He had additional studies at University of South Carolina and Georgia State University in Music. He has served as a music teacher in Baltimore, Maryland and also worked in the school systems in Columbia, South Carolina.
After answering the call to preach the gospel, he attended Gammon Seminary Interdenominational Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia, where he earned his Master’s Degree in Divinity. Pastor James is author of the book “The Choice is Yours.” He also served on Florence District Board of Ordained Ministry for three years. He has mentored several candidates for ministry while serving in the Florence District. Pastor James as severed several churches in the SC Conference over the past 30 years. He is currently senior pastor at I. DeQuincy Newman UMC in Columbia.
Pastor James is married to Carolyn Mack James and has four children, eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Pastor James enjoys preaching and teaching God’s Word and encouraging people to become followers of Jesus Christ. Most of all he is a servant of the Most High God!
Rev. Fran Elrod
District Superintendent (Columbia)
The Rev. Fran M. Elrod was appointed by Bishop L. Jonathan Holston as superintendent of the Columbia District in 2022. Rev. Elrod, who most recently served as senior pastor of Clemson United Methodist Church in Clemson since 2018, also serves as secretary of the Cabinet.
Rev. Elrod was born in Columbia, South Carolina, and graduated from Columbia College in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
She was ordained in 2003, after studying at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary and her graduation in 1999 from Erskine Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree. In addition to her appointment to Clemson UMC, Rev. Elrod has served Wesley UMC in Hartsville, St. John’s UMC in Anderson, Trinity UMC in Honea Path, and Calhoun Falls UMC. Her ministry also has included work as an oncology and palliative care counselor for AnMed Health in Anderson.
In addition to Rev. Elrod’s work in local churches, she has served in many ways, including as a member and chairperson of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, and as a member of the Bishop’s Ministry Advisory Team and the Conference Committee on Congregational Development. She has served as chairperson of the Hartsville District Committee on Ordained Ministry and as registrar of the Anderson District Committee on Ordained Ministry. She also has served as a delegate to the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference.
Rev. Elrod is married to Larry Elrod. They have three adult children and four grandchildren. Rev. Elrod enjoys kayaking, reading, hiking, fishing and spending time with her family.
Rev. Jeffrey Salley
District Superintendent (Charleston)
The Reverend Jeffrey Salley is a native of Walterboro, South Carolina, where he completed his primary and secondary education. Reverend Salley received a bachelor of arts degree in English with honors from Claflin University, a master of arts degree with honors in Technical Writing and cognate, Training & Development from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, and the master of divinity degree with honors in Pastoral Care and Counseling from the Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, Georgia.
Reverend Salley has served as the Congregational Specialist for African-American Ministries and Congregational Specialist Columbia-Hartsville Districts, Senior Pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church, Bennettsville, South Carolina; and New Hope & Saint Paul United Methodist Churches, Ridgeville, South Carolina. He is the former director of the Bennettsville-Cheraw Area Cooperative Ministries.
Reverend Salley is actively involved as a clergy member of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He has served as the District Registrar for the Walterboro Committee on Ordained Ministry; the chair of the Marion District Committee on Ordained Ministry as well as a member of the Academy of Pastoral & Theological Enrichment Planning Committee, Marion District; chairperson, Scholarship Committee for the South Carolina Annual Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, a member of the Bible Study Committee, and a member of the Committee on Conference Relations. Reverend Salley also serves as a mentor and coach to several clergy members and candidates for ministry.
Reverend Salley is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church who patterns his life based on John Wesley’s philosophy of life, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
Rev. Dr. Martin Quick
Senior Pastor, author, and e-Vangelist
Martin Luther Quick was born in the Bronx, New York, after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. After his mother saw the smoke from the riots, she named him after Dr. King. He completed his undergraduate studies at Morris College, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, and lettered in baseball. After graduation, he served in the United States Army at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. Martin is married to Kimberly, and they have three children: Jordan, Kymani, and Meyah. He answered his call to ministry in 2010, enrolled in Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, and graduated in 2014 with a Master of Divinity degree. He earned his Doctorate in Ministry focusing on Social Media Evangelism from Hood Theological Seminary in 2018. He recently released a book entitled e-Vangelism: Creating and Implementing a Social Media Ministry for Outreach, and it is available today on Amazon. He is currently working on a new book entitled All Generations Matter. Dr. Quick currently serves as Senior Pastor of Cumberland United Methodist Church in Florence, SC. His favorite Scripture is, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).”
Dr. Michael Bowie
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Michael L. Bowie, Jr. is the National Executive Director of the United Methodist Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century. Since July 1, 2020, Dr. Bowie has utilized more than 20 years of experience as a United Methodist Elder to offer strategic, transformative leadership to clergy and lay that will strengthen black congregations. Dr. Bowie has developed and launched a cutting-edge initiative called “The Black Church Matters” that endeavors to strengthen congregations and ultimately transform communities. He echoes the sentiments of Dr. King, “the local church is still the Hope of the world.”
July 1, 2014, Dr. Michael L. Bowie, Jr. was appointed to St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church in Dallas Texas. He served sixth years as Senior Pastor. Upon Dr. Bowie’s arrival, the church experienced momentum in every facet of ministry. Due to their renewed excitement, members reengaged, reconnected, and recommitted to St. Luke’s vision. Dr. Bowie’s preaching, teaching and leadership increased St. Luke’s attendance by 38%. With the use of technology and the addition of social media, members were more engaged in the ministries of the church.
While in Ohio for 10 years, Dr. Bowie served as teaching pastor of Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church in Tipp City from November 2004 to June 2008, and shared preaching responsibilities with the Lead Pastor to a congregation of more than 5,000 members. He also provided strategic leadership and oversight to the men’s ministry, and to a Bible study that served more than 250 participants weekly. In 2010 Dr. Bowie became the first African American to serve as Lead Pastor of Stonybrook United Methodist Church, in Gahanna, OH a suburb of Columbus.
Dr. Bowie initially served as Senior Pastor of Love United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas, where he was responsible for rebuilding and revitalizing a church in a declining community. Under his six-year leadership, Dr. Bowie empowered Love UMC’s membership to grow from 100 to 800 by providing prophetic preaching/teaching, pastoral care, and implementing new outreach ministries. As a result, both the church and surrounding communities experienced healing and transformation.
Dr. Bowie is an author and has co-written his first book Dare to Shift; Challenging Leaders to new way of thinking with Dr. Stephen Handy. Dr. Bowie holds a Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary, specializing in church administration and congregational development; a Master of Divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology, graduating cum laude, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Texas Southern University. He and his wife, Jeannette, have been married for more than 25 years and have two children and two grandsons.
About Francis Burns
Mission...
To glorify GOD, spread the good news, and make Christian Disciples.
Vision...
To create a diverse Christian community by connecting all generations
Senior Pastor
Geneva Stafford is the daughter of the late Elder Claudia Nesbitt and the late Richard Nesbitt. She was married to the late Brother David Stafford, and to this union three children were born, Crystal, Katara and David. She is the daughter-in-law of Eliza Stafford and the late Luther Stafford. On May 23, 2019, she became the proud grandmother of a beautiful granddaughter, Bella Dior Stafford.
Reverend Stafford is a 1977 graduate of Charles A. Brown High School, Charleston, S.C., and a 198l graduate of St. Augustine College in Raleigh, N.C., where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. She received her Masters of Divinity Degree on May 16, 2004 from Erskine Theological Seminary in Due West, South Carolina.
She accepted Christ in her life, November 25, 1984 and became a minister of the gospel in August 1996. She preached her first sermon on October 6, 1996. On July 1, 200l, she became the Associate Pastor of New Hope United Methodist Church in Huger, S.C. and spent three years there. On June 16, 2004, she became the pastor of the Jeremiah/Mt. Seal charge in Hemingway, S.C. and pastored those churches for nine years. On June 30, 2013, she became the pastor of St. Mark United Methodist Church in Sumter, S.C., and served this church for 6 years.
She has served Francis Burns for the past five years. She is an Elder in Full Connection in the South Carolina Annual Conference. Even though Reverend Stafford has accomplished many things in her life, the most important thing that anyone can say about her is that she is a child of God.May 16, 2004 from Erskine Theological Seminary in Due West, South Carolina.
