John Wesley was a
Campus Minister

The Methodist Church was born on a campus, in Oxford, where John Wesley led the formation of a Holy Club of students who gathered regularly to study scripture, to pray, to encourage and challenge one another, and to be in ministry with the poor.
 
The Methodist Church gave birth to colleges and universities across American in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, seeking to offer education of head and heart and spirit so that young people would be prepared for leadership in our church, our communities and our country.
 
We continue in this great tradition as we support higher education through Wesley Foundations on every college, university and community college in our state.
 
Our campus ministers are a wonderful, creative, faithful, energetic group of leaders.  They have the unique challenge of welcoming students into the life of learning on campuses.  Their congregations continually change as students matriculate, move through their academic programs, and depart to serve and lead.  Theirs is a ministry in motion, a ministry of evangelism, a ministry of hospitality, a ministry of outreaching love.
 
The time crunch at Annual Conference prevented attention to a short DVD prepared by our campus ministers. Beginning Monday, July 5 you be able to view and download this resource through the conference web site. I hope that you will do so and share the story of campus ministry with your church.
 
Campus ministry is an essential, foundational outreach of The United Methodist Church.  Through your Mission Share, you are supporting campus ministry across Mississippi, sharing Christ with young people and supporting the campus ministry. 
 
This summer is a wonderful time to encourage students, to thank college and university teachers and administrators, to prepare high school graduates for this opportunity as they arrive on campus for the fall semester, to pray for our ministry on campuses.
 
Thank you for all that you do in support of United Methodist ministries on college campuses.

Hope Morgan Ward

:: Announcements

 
UMW Needs Your Help Assembling Health Kits

Your support is needed with this year's hands-on mission project during the Annual Meeting at Christ UMC on Friday, Oct. 1, from 2:00 - 4:00 PM.
 
Please send your monetary donations by September 1 to the UMW Conference Treasurer, Virginia Spitzkeit at 1237 Winnrose Street, Jackson MS 39211. This will give time to purchase the supplies for the goal of at least 500 health kits. Keep in mind for each kit packaged cost approximately $10-12 plus $2 for toothpaste and shipping once it leaves Sager Brown.
 
If you are unable to attend the meeting on Friday or help out with the project, local units/or individuals can send or bring kits already packaged. A total count will be given on Saturday.

Discernment and Formation Event

The 48-hour Discernment and Formation Retreat is sponsored jointly by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the General Board of Global Ministries and is for anyone who is seriously discerning a call to United Methodist set-apart ministry, or those in candidacy prior to commissioning for ordained ministry (deacon, elder, chaplain or pastoral counselor) or the lay office of deaconess or home missioner.

The event begins on Thursday evening, Sept. 9, and ends on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 11. For more information or to register, click here. It also contains directions to send the invitation to others whom you think might be interested.

Deadline for registration is August 5.

MSUMVIM Announces Mission
Opportunities in Louisiana

Louisiana Volunteers in Mission (LAVIM) is still scheduling teams to do VBS or youth sports camps in the communities affected most by the oil spill.  We presently have five of ten slots scheduled.  Openings are two locations July 12-16, one location for July 19-23 and two for August 9-13. 

Teams are invited to use materials from their own congregations VBS to effect greater stewardship of this material.  All teaching materials, craft supplies and VBS snacks and team meal supplies need to be carried in by the team due to the increased population in these areas as well as demand on local supplies and distance to markets. 

Each location can house up to 20 volunteers.  LAVIM suggests a gift to the hosting church to cover utilities and housekeeping.  Teams should bring their own bedrolls or linens and towels.  Showers are provided as well as kitchens for teams to prepare their own meals. 
Youth are welcomed on these teams. 

Please contact Larry Norman, LAVIM, 225.346.1646 or LduckN@aol.com  if you wish to schedule.

Haiti Trip

The Alabama-West Florida (AWF) Conference UMVIM team is coordinating a trip to Haiti. The trip date is August 17-25, 2010. (Airline schedule not yet determined.)
 
The cost will be $655 per person plus airfare (currently $595 from Atlanta to Port au Prince), plus they are asking each church provide $350 towards the required $3500 project costs required for each team.  UMCOR is matching the $3500 donation, so that $7000 will actually be available for use in Haiti.
 
The plan is to purchase individual airline tickets (as opposed to group tickets).  Once the team is set and the airline schedule is determined, volunteers will be responsible for purchasing their own airline ticket to match the airline schedule for the AWF team, if possible (AWF team will fly from Atlanta to Miami to Port au Prince -- hopefully on the same day).  If not possible, or substantially cheaper, you must plan to arrive in/depart from Haiti on the same day as the AWF team to accommodate transportation in Haiti.  Some flight schedules require an overnight stay in Miami or if the team leaves early, you may want to overnight in Atlanta.  
 
Please email Glenn Glover at umvim@awfumc.org if you are interested in participating or have questions.  Once an open slot is confirmed, you will receive an email application form to complete.   A $500 deposit will be required with the application.

Building Bridges Through Relationships

Central UMC in Meridian is sponsoring a workshop on developing relationships between the poor and the church, Building Bridges Through Relationships. Featured guests is Pastor Rudy Rasmus of St. John's UMC, Downtown Houston, TX.

The workshop is scheduled for Aug. 27-28, 2010 and CEU's are available. Cost for the event is $25 before Aug. 1 or $30 after Aug. 1 and includes on-site lunch for both days.  Make checks payable to Meridian District UMC.  For more information contact Rev. Kenny McGill at revkennymcgill@comcast.netor by calling 601.485.2419.

:: Celebrations

 
Health Care Awards Well Received
at Annual Conference

This year the Mississippi Annual Conference celebrated two health related firsts: the presentation of the Health Care Award and Healthy Church Awards. 

Receiving the first Health Care Award was Carolyn McRaney (photo right), a member of Prentiss First UMC and the wife of retired minister Rev. Sam McRaney. McRaney was recognized for her participation in the "rail to trail" movement.   Serving on the Longleaf Trace board she was instrumental in making the former railroad track from Hattiesburg to Prentiss, one of the nation's most accessible and pristine bike and walking trails.  A $100 donation was made to the  Longleaf Trace in her honor.  In addition she received a framed Health Care Award poster and a ceramic cup with an inscription that read, "Exercise Daily, Walk with God".
 
In an effort to encourage churches to participate in ministries of health and wellsness, Bishop Ward recognized 30 churches for their participation in health related ministries.  Churches that had a minimum of four health-related ministries qualified to receive the awards.  Activities rewarded were physical, spiritual, relational and emotional in nature.  

Children from the East and West Jackson district presented each winning church a framed poster and a souvenir booklet. Additional copies of the booklet listing the churches and their health ministries may be obtained by contacting Angela Griffin at angela@mississippi-umc.org.

Sally Smith, wife of Rev. Jack Smith, Retired, of Grenada, will have surgery to remove the upper left lobe of the lung because of a malignancy on July 1 at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson.  Tests show that the malignancy is confined to a very small spot in the lung.  Prayers and loving concern will be most appreciated by Sally and Jack.

Alta Woods United Methodist Church in Jackson is seeking a part-time pianist.  Ability to also play the organ is preferred. This position includes accompanying a regular weekly Sunday morning service and a short fellowship service on Wednesday nights followed by Adult Choir rehearsal.  Occasionally, this person will play for special services such as weddings, funerals, etc.  Prior church related music service is preferred. Audition required.  Please send resumes to the church at 109 Alta Woods Blvd., Jackson, MS  39204.
 
Marvin UMC in the heart of downtown Florence is seeking to fill the position of music director (part-time).  Please send resume to lynettemumc@windstream.netor for further information  contact Rev. Lynette Little at 601-813-3992.