:: Gleanings

 
Joy


Through our conference Web page, you can access interviews of wisdom, courage and determination from servants in Haiti who now find themselves to be earthquake survivors.

In one amazing segment, Sam Dixon and Clint Rabb are described as joyful until the end. Trapped in the rubble, injured and in pain, Sam invited the others to a reunion dinner that he would host. In the midst of tragedy and despair, there was vision and victory.

I travel this afternoon to Raleigh to attend Sam's memorial service tomorrow morning. I go on behalf of us all -- our conference who have benefited so much through Sam's work as leader of UMCOR and our entire United Methodist connection who grieve the loss of these leaders in our mission of generosity, compassion and restoration. I also go as a grieving friend. When Sam was Director of Missions for the NC Conference, he invited me into leadership and shared that challenging, fulfilling and joyful calling generously with me. Sam was always joyful, with a deep laugh and wonderful sense of humor and gentle way of connecting people with God, one another and those in need around the world.

Sam's invitation to a dinner yet to come is there for us all -- the great wedding feast of heaven. In the meantime, we continue the work he lived and loved. In our communities and around the world, The United Methodist Church is a channel of grace, love, hope, and joy.

Thank you for your partnership in this great mission -- the mission of making disciples of all people for the transformation of our world.  May we all be blessed this day by the reminder of the abundance of God's table, of Christ who is Living Water, of the Holy Spirit that is the Wind renewing and refreshing the world.

The season after Epiphany is the season of mission. With Jesus, the United Methodist Church proclaims boldly:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon us, because he has anointed us to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent us to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.   -- Luke 4:18.

 
With gratitude for your partnership in Christ's mission,
Hope Morgan Ward

:: Help Haiti

Each week The Circuit Rider will offer updates of the United Methodist response to Haiti. For daily updates go to the conference Website, www.mississippi-umc.org and click on Help Haiti.  This week, through messages from across the conference, we mourn friends and continue our prayers for those suffering as well as those sent to help.
 
From Rev. David Newton,
MS UMVIM Coordinator:
I met Rev. Clint Rabb two years ago at the Nicaraguan General Conference. We lodged at the same hotel, traveled to and from Conference and shared our love for international mission work.

Clint's college age daughter joined our group toward the end of General Conference. They joined Jorge Navarrette and Nancy Eubanks (a mutual friend from Memphis Conference) and I for most of the next two days following General Conference visiting leaders and members of several Nicaraguan Methodist churches.

As I remember this shared experience images of Clint's presence fill my mind. I remember his laughter and a great love for the people he served so passionately.

From Rev. Wayne Napier,
MS UM Disaster Response Coordinator:
I encourage you to be vigilant about supporting our response to the crisis in Haiti. Be a good steward of the gifts God has blessed you with.  Research any and all solicitations of support for those in Haiti!

Many charitable organizations are burdened with huge overhead and administrative cost limiting the efficacy of any donation given through their organization.
 
UMCOR through your advanced giving is able to insure unequivocally 100% of your gift will be spent as you have directed.

UMCOR and UMVIM have already given of the best we had in the loss of Sam Dixon and Clint Rabb. UMCOR advises that we should be gathering and assembling Health Kits and contributing to the Advance.

As Conference Disaster Response Director I am asking you to honor this request and work through the connection.  You may contribute here. You will be given an opportunity online to credit your local church.  If you are sending your check to the MS Conference office be sure to mark it Haiti Emergency:  Advance # 418325.

A truck will be traveling to the UMCOR Depot Sager Brown in Baldwin, LA in the next two weeks.  We need to gather the kits and move them to the I-55 corridor for pick up and delivery.  If you need more information, please contact Kit Ministry Coordinators, Brenda and Rex Hiatt (bhiatt@comcast.net). Thank you so much for participating.

From Rev. Jerry Chapman:
Here's an unusual "thinking outside the box" idea some young people at a church in Shreveport came up with to raise money to help with the Haiti emergency.

They were on a mission trip in Haiti when the earthquake struck. On arriving back in Shreveport, Britney Winn, one of the group, felt she had to do something.

So, here it is. The links will take you to the Shreveport news article and the Facebook page for what they are doing. News article:  http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20100120/NEWS01/1200336/Shreveport-tent-city-to-raise-money-for-Haiti-relief. Facebook page: http://zh-hk.facebook.com/pages/Cite-Lespwa/287825568551.

UMVIM, SEJ Collecting Contact Information for Individuals Interested in Traveling to Haiti to Assist in Disaster Recovery and Humanitarian Aid

At the request of UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief), UMVIM, SEJ (United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, Southeastern Jurisdiction) is collecting contact information for individuals interested in traveling to Haiti to assist in disaster recovery and humanitarian aid.  Interested missioners can visit www.umvim.org/haiti and enter their contact information into the form on that page. This list of contacts will be activated as soon as UMVIM has news about scheduling a mission trip to Haiti.

At the current time, it is unsafe for UMVIM mission teams to enter Haiti. UMVIM anticipates it being mid-March before the situation will have settled enough to be able to support mission teams.  While the desire to offer immediate help is universal among Christians, prayerful waiting is the most faithful witness missioners can offer at this time. Those wishing to give immediate assistance should continue to contribute to UMCOR.

For continuing information about the situation in Haiti and UMVIM, SEJ's response, visit umvim.org/haiti.

:: Announcements

 
Corinth First
Celebrates 50 Years

On Sunday, March 7, members of First UMC, Corinth will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first service in their present sanctuary.

A number of activities will highlight the day including displays, entertainment, a luncheon, tours of the church and special music.  Activities will begin with Sunday School at 9 a.m. followed by worship at 10 a.m. Former clergy, staff and members will be special guests.  Bishop Hope Moran Ward will be on hand to participate in the festivities.

The 1960 building, designed by Walk Jones of Memphis, is a contemporary design. It features a Celtic cross at the front and a large number of crosses in the interior depicting Christ, his disciples, and the saints of the ages.

The congregation and Dr. Prentiss Gordon, Jr., the thirteenth pastor to serve in this building, invite you to be there for the day of celebration. Information and directions are available by calling the church office at 662.287.3111 or visit www.fumc-corinth.org.

New Church Find, Equip, Plant and
Multiply Discovery Week, Feb. 22- 25

The week of Feb. 22-25 will be a time of discovery and celebration in the Mississippi Annual Conference as the Path 1 team assists us in analyzing our current new church ministry.

Path 1 is an initiative of the 2008 General conference that is designed to assist the United Methodist Church in fulfilling its mission of "making Disciples for Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World". The Path 1 theme is "Creating new places for new people: More people, More Young People, More Diverse People for Jesus Christ".  The Path 1 team members joining us will be Rev. Candace Lewis and Rev. Gary Shockley.   

The tentative plans for this week include meetings with Bishop Ward, the cabinet, conference staff, members of the New Church Development Committee, chaired by Rev. Denise Donnell, former church planters (lay and clergy), current church planters and various focus groups. 

The highlight of the week will come Tuesday, Feb. 23 at Camp Wesley Pines from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.  where a review how far we have come since February 2005. In 2005 over 100 persons (lay and clergy) participated in a listening session with Rev. Steve Compton and Rev. Camille Yorkey as they related their story of the North Carolina Conference new church efforts.  

Also included in the weeklong event Bishop Ward and others will honor and celebrate our new church starts from the past and recognize existing churches that have helped to start new churches in the present.   We will also cast a wide net by inviting existing churches and those lay and clergy who feel called to consider becoming new church planters.

For more information about this week please contact, Embra Jackson, Administrative Assistant to Bishop Ward at 601.948.4561 ext. #23 or email at embra@mississippi-umc.org.

Change the World Event

1. Consider how your congregation currently impacts its community. Do you have a food pantry, a clothing closet, an ESL program, a tutoring program, etc.?
2. Schedule an activity for an existing or new outreach ministry on either April 24 or 25, 2010.
3. Invite both your congregation and local community to be involved.
4. Use the Rethink Church World Malaria Day (April 25) Sermon Starter coming soon to www.rethinkchurch.org/changetheworld.
5. Collect a special offering to combat malaria.

The Foundation offers Generosity Summit -- 2010

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. -- 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NRSV Version)

• February 27, 2010 - Oxford-University UMC, Oxford;
  Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• March 6, 2010 - Heritage UMChurch, Hattiesburg;
  Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.  

Pre-registration is required.  For more information visit: www.ms-umf.org.

:: Cares and Concerns

Rev. Jodie Cothen, pastor at Lumberton and Maxie UMCs,  Hatiesburg District, had knee replacement surgery this week at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg.  Please keep Jodie and Teresa in your prayers.

Pierce Allen Helms, 2 1/2 month old son of B.J. and Leah Helms, died Jan. 15, 2010. The funeral was held Jan. 18.  Pierce was the grandson of  Rev.Travis and Margaret Fulton, Brookhaven District.  Please keep the family in your prayers during this difficult time.

Rev. Cecil Locke, Seashore District, is at University Medical Center in Jackson this week to begin a stem-cell transplant process. He is expected to stay for about three weeks.  He'll have his lap-top (clocke.pastor@gmail.com) for those wishing to stay in touch with him.  He thanks everyone for their continued thoughts and prayers for he and his family during this time.

Rev. David Morris of Parkway Hills, West Jackson District is had a kidney stone removed on January 20. Please pray for his wife and children: Holly, Emily, Presley, and Sophie as he recovers.

"CHILD-SIZED" TABLE NEEDED - Free Springs UMC, Senatobia District, is fortunate to have four little ones (ages 2-4) in need of a Sunday School class. We have a teacher, teaching materials and have cleared a room for them...NOW we need a table 'just their size'. Could you please send out word should anyone have a small table they would either donate or sell contact Jane Thomas at jbthomas@watervalley.net

SALTILLO FIRST UMC CHILDREN'S MINISTER ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCY - Saltillo First UMC, Tupelo District, is seeking a part-time staff member to lead our growing Children's Ministry program. This person will be responsible to the Senior Pastor and the Pastor-Parish Team. The primary duties of the minister will be to nurture the faith development of children from birth to the sixth grade through educational, fellowship and spiritual growth programs and activities as well as administrative duties.  Qualifications and responsibilities are outlined on the attached document. The applicants must be committed to Christ and The Church, be able to work with the church staff as part of a team, and be motivated to fulfill the Mission and Vision of this church.  Send letter of interest, resume and salary requirements to:  Saltillo First UMC, P.O. Box 146 Saltillo, MS  38866   Telephone: 662.869.2956   Or email to: saltillo1stumc@bellsouth.net.    
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:   We see the children's programs of our church as being very specialized and yet a valuable part of the total church. As such, we feel that our children's minister should be just that; a minister to our children, shepherding them as our pastor shepherds the church. First and foremost, our children's minister should have an active, personal relationship with Jesus Christ and be open about it. We also expect the minister to have a secure home life; fresh, new ideas; a vision for the future for our children; to be open-minded to our ideas; family/children ministry minded; open to periodic evaluations; have good leadership skills.

CFO AND DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE WEST OHIO CONFERENCE - In addition to fulfilling the roles and responsibilities of conference treasurer as defined in The Book of Discipline, this person will serve as the Bishop's chief of staff and provide broad administrative leadership on many matters of the conference, including leadership on implementing our vision, goals and objectives; human resources and benefits administration; and coordination of financial and administrative activities across the various conference and district offices. The position description can be found on the conference website at www.westohioumc.org\CFO. Deadline for applications is January 31, 2010. 

2012 GENERAL CONFERENCE WORSHIP AND MUSIC DIRECTOR - The Worship and Music Director, an individual with a high level of organizational and communication skills, is responsible for the overall worship and music program management at General Conference. The Director is responsible to the Commission on the General Conference functioning as a part of the staff coordinated by the Business Manager. The Worship and Music Director receives a modest honorarium with transportation, housing, and food paid through the submission of expense reports to the Business Manager of the General Conference. Applicants should send a brief resume outlining their background and professional references with a brief audition video highlighting music leadership abilities in a variety of settings by February 1, 2010 to: Rev. Alan J. Morrison, Business Manager of General Conference, P.O. Box 340029, Nashville TN 37203 - 0029 or email: amorrison@gcfa.org. The position description provides technical requirements for the audition video.