Association Liaison Scott Shields, Associational Liaison The Office of Associational Liaison exists to create a Kingdom movement among our 42 Associations impacting our state and beyond . . . so that every life is saturated and transformed by the hope of the Gospel beginning in South Carolina. Association Celebrations • Traveled with leaders from the STRONG-SERVE-SHARE-SEND-START teams to tour six association regions to discuss ADVANCE priorities. • The January Associational Missions Strategist/Directors of Missions (AMS/DOM) retreat was rescheduled for August 12-14, 2021, in Hendersonville North Carolina due to COVID restrictions. • The spring AMS/DOM Summit was held on April 15 at the Lexington Association with the theme We Help the Church Advance the Great Commission. Thirty-six leaders attended. • Partnered with the Church Strengthening Team in March to launch an online training for the revitalization/restart churches through the HOPE FOR CHURCHES website. Twenty-nine AMS/DOMs plus 15 teams were trained at this event. • Started two regional cohorts with AMS/DOMs in August: o One cohort helps grow and inspire the leadership development of the AMS/DOM by providing an environment that will challenge thinking, bring clarity to the strategic approach to their role, and supply tools in alignment with the 12 core competencies of an AMS/DOM to navigate the variety of leadership challenges they face. o The second cohort is in collaboration with Denominee© (Will Mancini). This is a two-year process connecting with four associations in South Carolina and 29 associations around the nation in partnership with NAMB, the local association, and the South Carolina Baptist Convention. • Provided shepherding process to care for and connect with all AMS/DOMs for support, encouragement, and leadership development. • Provided financial resources from Janie Chapman State Missions Offering for intentional training opportunities around the state in alignment with the ADVANCE priorities (Immersion, IMPACT, Restore, NextSteps, RE cohorts, etc.). Prayer Requests • Pray for the Moriah, Aiken, Union, Colleton, Screven, and Woodruff associations as they transition through retirements of current AMS/DOMs and are searching for their next leaders. • Pray for AMS/DOM gatherings or trainings offered for support, encouragement, and prayer. • Pray for our AMS/DOM leaders as they work on the front lines to assist and encourage pastors and churches in their local co-laboring efforts to ADVANCE THE GOSPEL.
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