O For a Thousand!

For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints.
  
October is Pastor Appreciation Month.  You are invited to honor along with your pastor those pastors and spouses who have served your church in the past.  Your honorary and memorial gifts will help insure that all retired pastors and their spouses are continually supported with pension income. 
 
The recession of 2008-2009 brought an abrupt halt to the earning capacity of our capital investments for pre-'82 pension payments to retirees.  Our losses leave us with insufficient capital funds to earn adequate returns to make our annual retiree pension payments without some means of supplemental revenue. 
 
During October -- Pastor Appreciation Month -- we have a vision:  1,000 churches, classes and individuals giving $1,000 to help fund our pension obligation to our retirees and their surviving spouses.
 
Together we can say thank you to those who baptized us, told us Bible stories, welcomed us into church, blessed our marriages, held our babies, talked us through problems, buried our loved ones, preached sermons we will always remember, visited us when we were sick.
 
I hope you will begin now to plan for this fall invitation in your churches and for this particular generosity.  Plan now to join many others so that 1,000 gifts of $1,000 will overflow in praise to God for faithful pastoral ministry across the years.
 
With gratitude for our life together,
Hope Morgan Ward
 
For more information on the "O For A Thousand" project link here.

:: Announcements

 
2010 SEJANAM Plans First Native American Men's Conference

In today's society we are overwhelmed, busy, and facing tremendous social, economic issues, and health concerns.

Do you know the struggles that Native American Men as a group are facing?  That Native people make-up only 1 percent of the total population; for some tribal communities, unemployment rates are at nearly 45 percent; only 11 percent have a bachelor's degree and are twice as likely as non-Natives to drop out of school before reaching the ninth grade.  

What about Native Spirituality?  Is it slowly slipping away?

SEJANAM will discuss these topics in beautiful Western North Carolina for its first historic Native American Men's Conference -- "God's Warrior:  the Man, the Native, the Christian," October 1-3, 2010, Lake Junaluska.  Speakers include Dr. Negiel Bigpond, Bishop Al Gwinn, Rev. Dr. Tim McClendon, and Rev. Dr. Michael Cummings.
 
Explore and be part of well-crafted plenaries and workshops and outstanding teachings from national Native leaders, examine culturally appropriate strategies, and experience wonderful Native worship.

For more information, visit  www.lakejunaluska.com/native-american-men or contact Pam Naplen, Event Registrar; email: pnaplen@lakejunaluska.com; phone: 828-454-6656.

September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month

Join the Voices for Recovery: Now More Than Ever sets the theme for the 21st observance of the National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.

National Recovery Month celebrates people in recovery, those close to them, and the treatment providers that help them; emphasizes the need to use all resources available on the Internet and in communities to better help those affected by addiction and educate people about the disease; educates public and community leaders about the realities of addiction, the benefits of treatment, and the possibility of recovery through community -- and Web-based media.

The General Board of Church & Society (GBCS), on behalf of The United Methodist Church, is a national planning partner for this special observance along with hundreds of public health advocacy and non-profit direct service providers who work on recovery and addiction prevention.

Your congregation can participate Celebrate Recovery Month by hosting a special worship or other educational event in your community, church or online.

Visit www.recoverymonth.gov or call 1-800-662-HELP to receive more information and order or download a planning toolkit and other useful materials.

Visit www.umc-gbcs.org to obtain worship helps and join the GBCS Addictions Network to be informed about other events and actions pertaining to addiction and recovery issues through the United Methodist Church.

A copy of the toolkit for Recovery Month can be downloaded from www.recoverymonth.gov.

Trinity UMC in East Jackson District
Plans Revival

You are invited to join Trinity UMC for a revival Aug. 23 - 25 at 7 p.m. Pastor and author Kevin Murriel will lead the participants through the 3-night series on Life Decisions -- Why Making the Right Choices Matter.

Trinity UMC is located at 649 Luckney Road, Brandon.

Camp Lake Stephens to Host Alumni Picnic

Camp Lake Stephens will host an Alumni Picnic on Saturday, Aug. 28 beginning at 2 p.m.  All past and present campers, past and present staff and friends of camp are invited to come and enjoy the day of fun, family, and food.  The camp and trails will be open for different activities. Bring friends and family, become our friends on Facebook and invite everyone you know to help us make a day of it.
 
Activities available will consist of zip line; canoeing; swimming; camp tours; board games; carnival (cake walk, face painting, golf contest, dunking booth & more); ultimate Frisbee; disc golf and entertainment.  Cost is $10 per person and includes the meal and all activities.

For more information, call the office at 662-234-3350 or email kelli@camplakestephens.com.

September is National Hunger Action Month

Some 49 million Americans now live with food insecurity -- the situation in which one never knows from day to day if they will have enough food for their children and themselves.  And this plight is exacerbated by the nationwide depression affecting just about everyone.
 
Hunger is a year-in-year-out problem.  But during September hunger advocates, agencies and alliances across the country work together to focus attention on the issue of hunger in America. 
  
September is "National Hunger Action Month," which offers the opportunity for your church to become more aware of the need that exists right in your own communities and all across the land, and to rise to the challenge of feeding the hungry.
 
The Society of St. Andrew (Advance #801600) is providing a variety of free, ready-to-used resources to motivate church congregations to step out on faith to follow Jesus' commands concerning the poor and hungry.  These resources can be used in September or anytime during the year to raise hunger awareness and to call your congregation to action. The resources include: scripture readings related to hunger, poverty and justice; five sample sermons; prayers; a prayer calendar; litany; dramatic reading; bulletin insert; "feed my sheep" art; U.S. and world hunger fact sheets; and steps to fight hunger.  The prayer calendar is specially designed as a way to help your congregation get personally engaged, through prayer and action, in the mission of helping our brothers and sisters who are hungry and to work for an end to the needless injustice of hunger.
 
All of these resources are available for free download at http://www.endhunger.org/hunger_action-month.htmor by contacting the Rev. Jennifer Vestal Moore at the Society of St. Andrew at 800-333-4597 or church@endhunger.org. 

For more information about Hunger Action Month worship resources or about the Society of St. Andrew's hunger-relief ministry, contact Rev. Moore or go to www.endhunger.org.

Rev. William (Bill) Thomas Gober  passed away in Corinth on Aug. 8, 2010.  Rev. Gober served several churches in the Jackson area and also served as Executive Director of the Downtown Jackson YMCA.  A celebration of his life will be held at Galloway UMC on Wednesday, Aug. 11, with visitation at 3 p.m. in the Galloway parlor and a memorial service following at 4 p.m. in the Galloway sanctuary.

Funeral services for Rev. Ben Nelson (TUP-Retired) will be at 1p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, 2010, in the Christian Life Center of St. Paul UMC, Tupelo.  Visitation will be Friday, Aug. 13, from 4 - 6 p.m. at St. James UMC, Amory, with family hour from 6 - 7. In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, P. O. Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142. Please continue to remember the Nelson family in your prayers.

Mrs. Catherine Coker, mother of Rev. Tom McCallister, retired, passed away Aug. 5, 2010. Graveside services were held in Greenville on Monday, Aug. 9, 2010. In addition, Rev. McCallister was scheduled for surgery August 10, at Baptist Hospital, Oxford. Please keep this family in your prayers.

Titus Pharis, two year old of son of Rev. Matthew Pharis and wife Charlotte, was taken to Children's Hospital in Jackson last week, with a skull fracture and concussion.Titus fell from a shopping cart. Please keep Titus and his family in your prayers.

Quitman First UMC Trustees Offer For Sale:  Six 16" 225/75 R16 10 ply Michelin low mileage tires.  $20.00 per tire OBO.  Contact Ron Stanley at 601-776-2637 or Rosemary Hopkins at 601-776-2275.

Griffin UMC in Starkville has approximately 50 pews available for $100 each.  These pews are polished oak with cushions in very good condition and will seat approximately 20 people.   For more information, contact Rev. Eddie Lee Jones at 662-324-1060 or 662-617-4177. 
 
Love UMC in the Senatobia District is in need of a piano!  If you have one you would like to sell or donate please contact Wanda Bursi at wbursi@yahoo.comor Cheryl Denley at senatobiadistric@bellsouth.net. They have piano students and a piano teacher and need a newer piano!

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.

St. Matthew's UMCin 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.