WAVES

 

August 2011

      Newsletter of The Seashore District UMC

 

"Tide"ings from Around the District 

 

What is the first thing on your mind when you awake from a night of sleep?  In Genesis 28, Jacob dreams of a staircase that reached from earth to heaven.  When Jacob wakes up he exclaims, "God live here!  I have stumbled into his home!  This is the awesome entrance into heaven!"  Genesis 28:16-17 The Living Bible

 

On snowy New Jersey mornings I would roll over in the bed, grab the phone and dial the Drew University central number to see if classes were cancelled or if there would be a late start for employees.  By the way, seminary professors never cancel classes.  They simply say, "get there!"  I am sure there is a sermon in those professorial witnesses, but realistically, there is a discipline in that statement that seemingly many professing believers have never discovered about the importance of worship.  It is attendance.  A professing member/believer makes it to worship.  No excuses; worship is an essential part of discipleship.

 

In his amazement or terror, Jacob understands that God lives and is present.  We encounter God in the world and in our families and friendships.  Specifically, we encounter God in worship spaces.  A sanctuary provides Order, discipline, focus and tangible aspect (holding the bread and cup...taking, eating, drinking).  Another important aspect of a sanctuary would be the assurance that God is indeed present.  How often do we forget that God is with us, especially when we wake up and look at the clock and dread the coming day.

 

God is not localized to the sanctuary.  The place never becomes a final objective, where one settles in; the place provides sustenance for the ongoing journey.  Jacob knew this and acknowledges God and claims the promise of God with him:  "If God will help and protect me on this journey..."  (verse 20).  We have those "if" prayers in our lives as well.  The certainty and assurance is this, God will.  We must be faithful to receive the blessing(s).  We must be attentive to God, present with God in all the meanderings of our minds and days.

 

I hope to see you in Sunday School, worship, study groups and fellowship times throughout the month.  And I pray that God is the first thing on each of our minds as we start each day.

 

Emmanuel,

 

Rev. Stacy Douglas

Poplar Head / Saucier Charge

Saucier UMC Country Church Chronicles

District Clergy Family Picnic

August 25

5 - 8 p.m.

Marsha Barbour Community Center

  

Our 2011 district clergy family picnic will be held this year at the Marsha Barbour Community Center in Delisle (6846 Kiln Delisle Road, Pass Christian), which is located directly across from Mt. Zion UMC.  This is a potluck supper, so bring along your favorite dish.  The district will provide tea and lemonade. 

The Center offers a KaBoom playground and pool for the kids.  The cost for each child for the pool is $3.00, which the district will pay.  In order to make arrangements for lifeguards, please let the district office know by August 15 the number of children who will be coming and their ages. 

Mark your calendars to make plans to come out to meet our new Seashore District clergy families and enjoy and evening of fun and fellowship.

 

 

 

 

 

2011 Fall District Day with Bishop Ward

 

All district clergy are encouraged to attend our annual Fall District Day with Bishop Hope Morgan Ward.  The event will be held jointly with Hattiesburg District Clergy on September 15 from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. at H. A. Brown Memorial UMC (200 North Azalea Drive, Wiggins).  The theme for this year's meeting is Arise, Shine, Give:  Extravagant Generosity! 

The Barn Wesley's 3rd Annual Golf Tournament

The 2011 Richard Vogle Memorial Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, October 1.  Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with a shot gun start promptly at 9:00 a.m. Site will be Pine Burr Country Club in Wiggins. 

For more info, become a sponsor or to request a registration form, contact Heidi Adams (228-323-3047), The Barn (601-928-6009), Larry Haley (228-669-0425) or Dale & Susan Vuyovich (601-494-9006).  Start making plans to get your "winning" team together!  Your support will continue efforts to provide great opportunities for leadership and fellowship for Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College students on the Perk Campus.

 

"Offshore" Opportunities

 

Kairos Outside 

is designed to support the families of men and women who are, or have been incarcerated in state and federal correctional facilities, as well as county jails and offender programs.  The purpose is to demonstrate God's grace and love through Christian support for women who have relatives or friends who are or have been incarcerated.  Kairos Outside #2 will be held at Sacred Heart Retreat Center in Delisle August 19-21.  Volunteer team members are needed.  For more info, contact Pam Easterly at 228-234-3034.

 

2011-12 Local Church Administry Training

This financial leadership training provides counsel and guidance to strengthen the administrative and financial abilities of the local church treasurer, financial secretary, finance committee members and church business administrators.  Cost is $15, which covers meals, snacks and supplies.  Locations are Anderson UMC (Jackson), Batesville FUMC, Oakgrove UMC (Hattiesburg) and St. Luke UMC (Tupelo).  For more info and to register, go to the conference website, www.mississippi-umc.org. 

 

 

Choir Music Weekend - 25th Anniversary

October 21-23, Lake Junaluska

Walking the Faith, "Singing Songs of Faith, Hope and Love" is for small and medium adult church choirs (members, directors and accompanists). 

Registration Fee $60 per person

www.lakejunaluska.com/choirmusic

 

 

"Surf"ing the District

 

Biloxi FUMC will make a splash into the new school year with a Back 2 Skool Blast on July 31 from 1 until 6 p.m. at Gulf Islands Water Park. On Sunday, August 7, a special worship service to celebrate the advent of a new school year will take place at 10 a.m.  The service will include a Backpack Blessing for each student, as well as recognizing, honoring and praying for Administrators, Teachers and Students for the 2011-12 school year. 

 

Quench Ministries at Byrd Chapel UMC will hold a Red Beans & Rice fundraiser on August 6 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.  Proceeds will go to the Crossroads Distribution Center. Also, the Golden Cross Choir has been practicing for their upcoming play on August 7.  Admission will be food for the Crossroads Distribution Center.   A Back to School Bash is also planned for August 7.

 

Caswell Springs UMC will hold Revival Services August 6 - 9.  Rev. Martin Case will be preaching Saturday, August 6 (6 - 8 p.m.).  Rev. Case will be presenting his book, Methodism 101, which is a 13 week study of basic Methodist believes "with a challenge for our application in daily living."  On Sunday, August 7, Rev. Case will preach at the 8:30 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. services; a potluck lunch will follow.  Evening service will be held at 6 p.m.  On August 8 and 9 there will be an 11:30 a.m. service (lunch provided) and a 7 p.m. service.  All are invited to attend.
 
The Ladies Fellowship Circle at Cedar Lake UMC is collecting the following items:  Box Tops for Education, Campbell's Soup labels, Sunny D labels, Empty printer cartridges, Aluminum can pull tabs, Front pages of greeting cards and cellphones/accessories.  The group will pass them on to various community organization to assist in their fundraising efforts.  Cedar Lake UMC is also collecting school supplies for children of women in The Center for Non-Violence.  If you'd like to contribute, a collection box has been set up in the narthex.

 

Christ UMC will be offering Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University this Fall.  Classes will begin on September 6 and run for 13 weeks.  Preview sessions will be held on Sunday, August 21 at 11 a.m. or Tuesday, August 23 at 6 p.m.  For more info or to register, call 228-223-3172 or email lkcarver@aol.com. 
 
Gautier FUMC will begin their 2011 Confirmation Class on Sunday, September 18 at 9 a.m. in the Family Life Center.  The class will be for children in the 5th grade and above and will offer information and instruction about how to become a Christian, what it means to be a Christian, what church membership is really all about and the role of the church in the world today. 

 

The youth at Handsboro UMC held a do-nut sale on Sunday, July 24.  Proceeds will go to UMCOR for tornado victims.  Additionally, the Handsboro UMC choir accepted an invitation to sing during the July 11 worship service at Palmer Creek Campground.

 

Heritage UMC will host Happening #64, July 29-31.  There will be over 100 "Happeners" and staff using the church and dorm that weekend. Additionally, the Agape Circle will meet on July 31 at 12 p.m.  The main mission of the Agape Circle is feeding families of the Fisher House on Keesler AFB.  If you'd like to know more about this ministry, please call 228-697-4574 or 228-392-2254. 

 

The annual Art and Soul Art Show & Youth Ministries Fundraiser at Long Beach FUMC will be held August 7 beginning at 6 p.m.  Everyone is invited to submit works of art to the show.  For more info, contact the church office at 228-863-9619.

 

Lucedale FUMC currently has a mission team in Costa Rica.  The group left on July 23 and will return July 30.  They are involved in two areas of ministry, construction and Vacation Bible School.  The group's theme scripture is Phillippians 4:13.  A consecration of missionaries was held on July 17 during the 8:30 a.m. worship service.

 

Volunteers from Main Street UMC are assisting on Wednesdays at the weekly "Soup Kitchen" at Waveland UMC.  Tuesday is a cooking day and begins at 9 a.m.  On Wednesday, work begins at 9 a.m. to complete the cooking.  Those who serve, eat with and talk to the guests come at 10:30 a.m.  Lunch is served between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to all who come.  Volunteers usually finish clean-up by 2 p.m.  If you're intersted in helping out with this ministry, please call Judy Mayer at 228-342-1099 or the church office, 228-467-4538.  Volunteer times can be flexible enough to adjust to your needs.

 

An examination of Paul's letter to the Galatians began Wednesday, July 20 at Mississippi City UMC.  All are welcome to join this Bible Study for a spirited discussion of the text.   Additionally, the Book Club will meet again on August 19 to discuss local novelist, Neil White's book, In the Sanctuary of Outcasts.  All are invited to attend.

 

Picayune FUMC has launched a Come As You Are worship service on Wednesday nights.  The service includes music, praise and prayer and is held in the Chapel from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m.  All are invited to attend. 

 

Poplar Head UMC will host an Acolyte Training on July 30 from 10 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. for rising second through six graders.  Bring your helmets and bicycles for a time of derby races following the training event.  Lunch will be provided. 

 

Poplarville FUMC will host a Back to School Bash on August 7 from 3 until 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall.  Pizza, watermelon and a 30 ft. twin water slide will be available for kindergarten through high school students.  Also, a Prayer Vigil will be held on August 8, which is the first day of classes for the Poplarville School District, to pray for students, faculty, administration and staff for the upcoming school year.

 

Saucier UMC will begin Disciple 1 (New Testament) on August 4 at 7 p.m.  Christian Believer will begin on Wednesday, August 10 at 10 a.m., focusing on classical teachings of the Christian faith (over a 30 week period, participants will examine the writing of ancient and modern Christian commentators and view video presentation by leading Bible Scholars).  For more info, contact Rev. Stacy Douglas at 228-832-3737. 

 

The downtown campus at St. Paul UMC (Ocean Springs) held a community Back-to-School Prayer Service on July 26 at 7 p.m.  There was a time of prayers for Administrators, Teachers, Youth, Children, College Students, Private, Church related and Home School students for the 2011-12 school year.  Dr. Robert Hrisch, Superintendent of Ocean Springs Schools, shared his vision for the future of our educational system.  

 

The Dell Moffat Circle at Trinity UMC (Picayune) is collecting school supplies for needy Pearl River County students during the month of August.  A basket will be available at the front door for donations.  Additionally, the Trinity Trotters have been honored as "Official Christmas Club Members 2011" for their work collecting toys for the Marines' Toys for Tots.

 

Kidz Konnection, at Vancleave UMC and Mt. Pleasant UMC, will have a skating party on Sunday, July 31.  A Book Bag Blessing is also scheduled for August 7.

 

Waveland UMC will host a Power Couponing Class.  Those attending will learn how to increase the money they save on groceries and other items through the special techniques the workshop leader will discuss.  For more info, contact Jeana Weiss at 601-906-2409.

 

Electronic Giving is coming to Wesley UMC (Ocean Springs).  Members will be able to choose direct debit giving, which will enable every household or individual to make their church tithe or offering using electronic funds transfer (EFT), or online giving, which lets you go to a designated website at any time and anywhere you have access to the internet to securely set up an automatic donation plan, change your donation plan, make a one-time donation or view your online giving history. 

What's on the Calendar?

August 12-13

Message & Media

St. Paul UMC (Ocean Springs)

 

August 25

District Clergy Family Picnic

5 - 8 p.m.

Marsha Barbour Community Center (Delisle)

 

September 5

District Office closed for Labor Day Holiday

 

September 15

Fall District Day with Bishop Hope Morgan Ward

1 - 3 p.m.

H. A. Brown Memorial UMC (Wiggins)

 

Project Safe Space Needs

 
Project Safe Space has been very busy lately!  We have been serving anywhere from 50 to 90 people each Monday and Thursday, and our attendance at ACTS Worship has been wonderful, too.  This ministry is special because when people come to Project Safe Space, they don't just receive meals and clothing, a shower and laundry, or even simply the chance to use a phone and check their mail.  We do offer all of these services.  But most importantly, we offer people the chance to know that they still matter -- to God, to us, and to each other.  And that definitely makes a difference.

Project Safe Space needs your help to share God's love with our unsheltered friends.  Our needs are always changing, but right now you can help in the following ways:

Serve:
Serve lunch one Monday, Thursday or Sunday a month.
Serve as a clothing closet volunteer, organizing donations and giving out clothes.
Serve as a front desk greeter, welcoming people and managing the day's services.
Serve according to your own special skills and talents.

Sponsor:
Sponsor a weekday breakfast for $75, or a Sunday lunch for $100.  We'll send you a monthly thank-you card with the number of people you helped feed at your meal!

Donate:
Clothing:
Men's pants (sizes 30 - 36, especially)
Small t-shirts
Flip-flops and tennis shoes
Underwear (men's and women's)
Socks
Sports bras
Rain ponchos  (This is an especially urgent need for us right now, with so much rain in the area.  They are inexpensive, and can usually be found near the camping section of Wal-Mart.)
Toiletries:
Travel/hotel size toiletries
Disposable razors
Supplies:
Paper towels
Napkins
Sturdy paper plates
Plastic utensils
Toilet paper
Gatorade mix

If you have any questions, or ideas for other ways to minister with Project Safe Space, please contact Rev. Paige Swaim-Presley at paige.swaim@gmail.com or (228) 265-1106.  
UMCOR Needs School Kits
The latest shipment of school kits to Haiti has "seriously depleted" the stockpile kept by the United Methodist Committee on Relief, which is encouraging congregations to use kit-making as a group project or activity.  The kits, which cost about $11 each to assemble, provides children with basic supplies such as paper, pencils and other items.  To learn more about assembling the kits or to make a donation, please visit the following website:
http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/getconnected/supplies/school-kit. 

 

10-Fold Toolkit

 

Now that Annual Conference season is over, we wanted to share with you the details for this year's 10-Fold online event. With new United Methodist projects being featured and a more streamlined way to become an advocate to help secure support, we want to reach out to more people earlier and continue to raise awareness of the important work being done around the world.

To make things easy, we have created the 10-Fold Toolkit (10-Fold.org) with all the information you need to know about 10-Fold and suggestions for how you can spread the work to your conference, church, family, and friends.

While 10-Fold begins on October 10th, sharing information about how to be a part of it can start today, in your church newsletter, an email, through social media, or on your website. If you have questions or want to learn more about sponsoring one of the projects, please email Don Temples at dtemples@gbgm-umc.org or call 212-870-3788. 

revival churchUpdate on Revival Church

 

Rev. Jerry Chapman reports that the windows are in and the doors are being installed at Revival Church!

  

The first service in the church will be next Sunday, July 31. Galina says that even though the church is unfinished inside, the congregation wants to have all services from now on in the church and not go back to the old house. It will be used for other things. 

 

About $9000 is needed now to finish a small section of roof over the outlying attached portion of the main building and to put up the fence around the grounds, that they feel is very much needed. Then we can move on to finishing the inside.  By working together, each of us doing and giving what we can, we have come this far, and, with God's help, we will finish this church for the people of the village.

 

To help, contact Rural Chaplains Association,

317 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs, MS, 39564.

 

 

Interpreter Magazine

It's time once again for pastors and church leaders to enroll or re-enroll to receive free subscriptions to Interpreter magazine, the denomination's top-rated resource for ministry tips and tools.  The magazine connects you with God, with other leaders and with ideas and resources.


2012 enrollment forms will be sent directly to each church this year, instead of being included in your charge conference packet.   So sign up to keep this important leadership tool as part of your ministry.

Prayer Requests
  
  • The family of Rev. Max Lightsey
  • The family of Mrs. Jeannie Little