We are Witnesses

Fear not, I have redeemed you.  I have called you by name.  You are mine.  When you pass through the waters, you will not be overwhelmed... You will be my witnesses... Behold, I am doing a new thing.  Can you see it? -- Isaiah 43
 
August 29 will mark the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the storm that marked our coast, our lives and our hearts forever here in Mississippi. 
 
August 29 falls providentially on a Sunday, and in the spirit of the resolution for prayer offered by Johnny Dinas, every church is invited to plan for special liturgy and prayers on this day. 
 
Worship ideas and resources will be posted on-line in mid-August, for your use or to begin your own creative thinking and writing. 
 
On this day, five years out from the worst disaster in US history, we will name our continuing lament while giving thanks for thousands of volunteers, countless numbers of prayers, remarkable generosity, and ongoing work for families who are yet to be back home.
 
In marking this day, we are also noting the remarkable ministry of The United Methodist Church in response to natural disaster - tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis and other occasions of destruction.  We are acknowledged as the faith community staying for the long recovery.  We are consistently "the last to leave." 
 
July 25, 2010, is the Sunday in the Mississippi Conference for an annual disaster recovery ministries offering.  Thank you for inviting and receiving generosity this summer for cause, so keenly felt in this year of tornadoes and flooding from Eagle Lake to Hamilton to Corinth, MS.
 
For these ministries in which we are engaged, we give God thanks and praise.  May God continue to use us to heal and restore people, families and communities.
 
With gratitude for your participation in response and recovery ministries of The United Methodist Church,
Hope Morgan Ward

:: Announcements

 
Shiloh UMC Celebrates 178th Campmeeting

Shiloh UMC, located at 2394 Shiloh Rd., in Pelahatchie, will be celebrating their 178th annual Campmeeting beginning Friday night, July 23, and ending with evening services on Sunday, Aug. 1. 
 
Services are held at 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. daily (with no 3 p.m. service on Saturdays).  Dinner on the grounds is the first Sunday following morning services.  There will be a fish fry ($6 and $10 plates) on Saturday, July 24 from 4 to 6 p.m.
 
Rev. Dale Hathorn (Standing Tall Ministries) and Rev. Kelly Pope will be leading our services. On Thursday evening, July 29, there will be a youth service, with activities and food following the service.  All worship services will be held in the outdoor tabernacle.  Everyone is invited to come and reminded to dress cool and comfortable and come to be blessed.
 
For more information, contact the church office at 601-854-8158.

Message & Media -- Resourcing the
Local Church in Communications
By Cheryl Farr, New Albany District Communicator

 
A question often heard when United Methodists get together is: What does the Conference do for our local churches?  The 2010 Message & Media event at The Orchard UMC in Tupelo August 20-21 is an example of one of the ways the Conference helps resource local churches. The various workshops offered will help local churches learn new ways to reach beyond their doors into their communities. Here's how:
 
OUTREACH COMMUNICATIONS: Ways to offer radical hospitality
Five workshops led by the United Methodist Communications (UMCom) team will introduce new ways for local churches to attract and retain new members.  Learn how to develop a "brand image" for your church and communicate your ministry and mission to your church and community in the Local Church Communications & Marketing workshop. Discover ways to offer "radical hospitality" to visitors, and extend that hospitality to all people in Welcoming Ministry session.  The Rethink Church workshop will help local churches expand on "Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors!" and will provide a time for attendees to learn new ministries, and share ministries their churches are providing in their communities.  Have you ever thought that while a website for your church might be nice, your church is not large enough to need it?  The Web Ministry/Social Media workshop will show you ways to reach the world by using the Internet and developing a web ministry.  The Promotion of Giving & Our UM Connection: Together We Can workshop will help people understand where their mission shares are going and how, through connectional giving, we are all joined the common cause of spreading the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
WORSHIP AS COMMUNICATIONS: Ways to present passionate worship
Six workshops will help local churches learn new ways to incorporate different worship formats into their services.  The Multi-Media Worship workshop will show you ways to use various media in your worship services.  In Original Work & Worship learn how to engage the creative members of your congregations by using some of their songs, poems, stories and/or games during worship. Storytelling is an essential part of Jesus' ministry, and the Biblical Storytelling workshop will help you learn how to use Bible stories in your church beyond Sunday School.  The Taize': Alternative Worship workshop will discuss the theology and practice of a town in France and how they have moved beyond just traditional and contemporary worship and developed a worship service that appeals to all.  The workshop, Weaving our Stories into Worship will help people explore worship through liturgy writing. The Africana Hymnal Study Listening Session will provide time for the Black United Methodist churches in the Mississippi Conference to voice their preferences and thoughts for research that is being conducted for the 2009-2012 Africana Hymnal Study.  This discussion will be audio taped, and participants will be able to respond to key questions.
 
The schedule of the event can be found at www.mississippi-umc.org -- so you can make your plans to attend the workshops that interest you.  Lunch will be provided on Saturday with the keynote address given by, author and publisher, Neil White.  Lodging information can also be found on the site....make your hotel reservations soon (by August 9).  For more information click here.

U.S. News and World Report Ranks Methodist Hospital #27 in Orthopedics

U.S. News and World Report magazine Best Hospitals 2010-11 named Methodist Hospitals of Memphis as #27 in the nation for orthopedic care.  Methodist Hospitals of Memphis includes Methodist University Hospital, Methodist Le Bonheur Germantown Hospital, Methodist North, Methodist South and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.
 
The list includes rankings of 152 medical centers nationwide in 16 specialties, including cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, ear, nose, and throat, gastroenterology, geriatrics, gynecology, heart and heart surgery, kidney disorders, neurology and neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, psychiatry, pulmonology, rehabilitation, rheumatology, and urology. Full data is available online at www.usnews.com/besthospitals
 
The rankings in 12 of the 16 specialties were driven by hard data such as death rates, procedure volume, and balance of nurses and patients. In the four remaining specialties--ophthalmology, psychiatry, rehabilitation, and rheumatology--hospitals were ranked on reputation alone.
 
To be considered in any of the 12 data-driven specialties, a hospital first had to meet at least one of four criteria: It had to be a teaching hospital, or be affiliated with a medical school, or have at least 200 beds, or have 100 or more beds and the availability of four or more types of medical technology considered important in a high-quality medical facility, such as a PET/CT scanner and certain precision radiation therapies.
 
Next, the hospitals had to meet a volume requirement, individually calculated for each specialty. The required volume was the number of Medicare inpatients from 2006 to 2008 who had various specified procedures and conditions in the specialty. A hospital that fell short could still qualify if it had been nominated by at least one physician in any of the U.S. News Best Hospitals reputational surveys conducted in 2008, 2009, and 2010.

St. Matthew's UMC in Madison is seeking to fill an eight-hour per week Worship Leader position for its Sunday, 11 a.m., contemporary service, scheduled to begin October 10.  Applications will be received through August 7, interviews conducted August 8, and the position filled by August 12.  Responsibilities would begin August 15.  Applicants should contact Senior Pastor David Carroll (david@stm-umc.org), Associate Pastor Kim Parker (kim@stm-umc.org), or Director of Music Ministries Tim Rigby (timrigby@stm-umc.org) to secure a complete job description or to submit a resume.
 
College Park UMC is seeking to fill the position of Children's Worship leader.  This individual must be a Christian with a good, moral lifestyle. She/he must know in their heart that God has called them to minister to children; must be at least 25 year of age, and willing to submit to a background check.  This position will require the preparation and leading of children's church service.  Salary is dependent upon gifts and experience. Please mail or email your resume to College Park UMC, 1103 Hwy 19 North Meridian, MS 39307 or email to collegeparkumc@bellsouth.net.
 
Alta Woods UMC 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 United Methodist Church, in the heart of downtown Florence, is seeking to fill the position of music director (part-time). Please send resume to lynettemumc@windstream.net.
 
Wiggins First UMC is searching for a Junior and Senior Youth Director. This is a full-time staff position. Candidates should have strong Christian faith and strong Bible knowledge. Salary is based on experience, education and qualifications. Please send resume to First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 278, Wiggins, MS 39577.  For additional information please call the church office at 601-928-4880.