Pastor's Page
Rev. Ben Wills
He is also the Pastor at Lewis Memorial UMC
Newsletter
Subject: General Conference Update from Pastor Ben, May 1, 2024
There is a great deal of discussion about the future of the United Methodist Church, especially this week and last with General Conference taking place.
If you’d like to learn more about this important event within the life of our United Methodist Connection, let me encourage you to click the links below and read more.
Road to General Conference
General Conference Q&A
In my opinion, here is what we should watch for. Who is clearing the path for our local churches to be able to reach their community and neighbors with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Who is doing the work of disciple-making and embodying the fact that we are better together? Who is just playing church and church politics?
Truthfully, I won’t be following General Conference all that closely. I must confess to you all that large legislative bodies are not why I chose to pursue ministry and become a pastor. I felt my call to ministry within a local expression of faith in a college ministry, pursued my call in local churches around the North Georgia Conference, and now seek to live out my call now as the pastor of Marvin and Lewis Memorial United Methodist Churches.
As General Conference does the work of the church, I want to encourage us all to pray for our delegates, pray for our leaders, and pray for God’s will to be done. However, I also want us to remember one important thing. I believe we should all remember that General Conference is not the Church. The Church is in the pews and neighborhoods each delegate represents. The Church is best represented by local congregations like Marvin UMC who live into the United Methodist Connection the General Conference is called to steward. I pray the delegates remember that truth, and I pray that we keep our focus on what is most important: our disciple-making mission, our call to love God and neighbor, and embodying the truth that we’re better together.
Remember how much I love you…
It’s an honor to be your Pastor!
Blessings,
Pastor Ben
If you’d like to learn more about this important event within the life of our United Methodist Connection, let me encourage you to click the links below and read more.
Road to General Conference
General Conference Q&A
In my opinion, here is what we should watch for. Who is clearing the path for our local churches to be able to reach their community and neighbors with the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Who is doing the work of disciple-making and embodying the fact that we are better together? Who is just playing church and church politics?
Truthfully, I won’t be following General Conference all that closely. I must confess to you all that large legislative bodies are not why I chose to pursue ministry and become a pastor. I felt my call to ministry within a local expression of faith in a college ministry, pursued my call in local churches around the North Georgia Conference, and now seek to live out my call now as the pastor of Marvin and Lewis Memorial United Methodist Churches.
As General Conference does the work of the church, I want to encourage us all to pray for our delegates, pray for our leaders, and pray for God’s will to be done. However, I also want us to remember one important thing. I believe we should all remember that General Conference is not the Church. The Church is in the pews and neighborhoods each delegate represents. The Church is best represented by local congregations like Marvin UMC who live into the United Methodist Connection the General Conference is called to steward. I pray the delegates remember that truth, and I pray that we keep our focus on what is most important: our disciple-making mission, our call to love God and neighbor, and embodying the truth that we’re better together.
Remember how much I love you…
It’s an honor to be your Pastor!
Blessings,
Pastor Ben
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Rev. Ben Wills is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia, where he majored in Psychology with minors in vocal performance and religion. He began his career in ministry as a youth pastor at Washington First United Methodist Church in Washington, Georgia, and was a small group leader at the UGA Wesley Foundation. While attending seminary, Ben served as pastor in charge at Pleasant Valley UMC in Monroe, Georgia. In 2019, Ben graduated with honors, receiving his Master of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University and was commissioned as a provisional Elder in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. During his time at Candler, he received two awards for pastoral and academic excellence and was the chosen third-year student preacher for Teaching-Parish Day in Chapel. After Seminary, Ben spent three years serving as the Senior Associate Minister at LaGrange First United Methodist Church and was named to the LaGrange Daily News “Twenty under Forty” in 2020.
For fun, Ben loves spending time with his wife and son, consuming all things sports (especially UGA football), playing golf and tennis, singing, hanging out with his family and friends, and playing with his beloved miniature dachshund, Copper. Ben’s wife, Sammi, is also a UGA grad and works as a registered nurse in Piedmont Columbus’s women’s services department. For fun, Sammi loves keeping up with college football, baking sweet treats, reading books, and spending time with Ben, Reid, and Copper. In October of 2021, Ben and Sammi welcomed their first child, Reid, who is the light of their lives and a true blessing! Ben was appointed as the Pastor in Charge at Marvin United Methodist and Lewis Memorial United Methodist in July of 2022. He can’t wait to get connected with the Columbia County Community and is so excited to be serving at Lewis Memorial and Marvin! |
Marvin United Methodist Church 4400 Wheeler Road Martinez, GA 30907 706-863-0510 A United Methodist Family of Faith