FLORENCE -- United Methodists from across South Carolina attended the denomination's 2007 Annual Conference in Florence, which wrapped up its proceedings Thursday at the Florence Civic Center.

This is the first time the conference, which for years has taken place on the campuses of Methodist-affiliated Claflin University in Orangeburg or Wofford College in Greenville, was held in Florence. Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor presided over the annual event, held June 3-7.

Yearly business discussions, ordinations, Bible studies, worship services, volunteer opportunities and an awards and presentation ceremony were just some of the scheduled activities for the five-day meeting. The theme for this year's conference was "Following Jesus in This Way of Life ... To Serve the Present Age."

Retirees honored at the event included the Rev. Will Rogers Brown of St. Andrews United Methodist Church and the Rev. Jerry Leroy Phillips Sr., pastor of Holly Hill UMC. Brown has served as pastor of St. Andrews since 2003, while Phillips has been with Holly Hill since 1999.

An additional day was added to this year's schedule to elect lay and clergy delegates to the General Conference, which will be held next spring in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference, scheduled for next summer.

The General Conference is the highest legislative body in the United Methodist Church and meets every four years. Ten clergy and 10 lay delegates were elected from this year's Annual Conference to attend.

The Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference will gather in 2008 to elect and assign bishops. Delegates to that conference include General Conference delegates and an additional 20 delegates -- half clergy, half lay -- from South Carolina.

While results were incomplete as of press time, the following people have been elected as delegates to the General and Southeastern Jurisdictional conference:

Clergy representatives

* John Wesley Culp, Virginia Wingard UMC, Columbia

* Ernest C. Etheredge, Walterboro District superintendent

* Haynes T. Gainey Jr., Edisto Fork Charge, Edisto Fork UMC, Orangeburg

* Frank J. Griffith Jr., Lyttleton Street UMC, Camden

* Katherine L. James, congregational specialist, Connectional Ministries

* W. Timothy McClendon, Columbia District superintendent

* Kenneth L. Nelson, Silver Hill Memorial UMC, Spartanburg

* Timothy J. Rogers, coordinator of clergy services/conference secretary

* Stephen P. Taylor, Trinity UMC, Sumter

* Sara Ann White, Rock Hill District superintendent

Lay representatives

* Rubielee L. Addison of Anderson, New Harmony United Methodist Church

* Carolyn Briscoe of Anderson, Clemson United Methodist Church

* Joseph E. Heyward of Florence, Cumberland United Methodist Church

* Elizabeth (Liz) J. Patterson of Spartanburg, Central United Methodist Church

* John A. Redmond of Greenville, Buncombe Street United Methodist Church

* Carolyne G. Rogerson of Marion, Duncan Memorial United Methodist Church

* James H. Salley of Orangeburg, Edisto Fork United Methodist Church

* Kathryn W. Scarborough of Orangeburg, Bethel United Methodist Church (Pelion Charge)

* Kelsey C. Taylor of Hartsville, Trinity United Methodist Church (Sumter)

* June Willson of Charleston, Bethany United Methodist Church (Summerville)

A nearly $17 million budget, up 2.8 percent from the current one, was also presented to delegates, as were at least a dozen resolutions. More information can be found at www.umcsc.org.

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