Signs and Wonders

 

These days are filled with signs of God's grace and love. We see God's love as we watch God's people:

- Responding to the needs in the wake of tornadoes

- Preparing for rising water

- Planning for summer activities with children and youth

- Honoring graduates

- Meeting new pastors and honoring the work of those who will soon depart

The list goes on and on, signs and wonders of the Holy Spirit at work.

As we gather for Annual Conference, every church is asked to bring a SIGN of your life together in mission. Your creativity is encouraged and anticipated! The SIGNS of local churches and ministries will surround us as we worship, learn and discern together.

Thank you for bringing a SIGN to Annual Conference that proclaims the unique place of your church in mission and ministry. Together, United Methodist churches are a sign of God's grace.

May our life together at Annual Conference be a sign of the new creation, life new and abundant and eternal.

With great anticipation,
Hope Morgan Ward    

 

   To comment, link on the Bishop's Blog page here.  

Volunteers Needed for Annual Conference

Annual Conference is made easier each year by the near many volunteers who offer their time to help. Approximately 40 volunteers are needed this year to serve as greeters/hospitality workers, ushers, meal hosts, information assistants, material handlers, parking assistants, stage hands, and those who help move-in and out of the Convention Complex. If you are interested please contact Brenda McGloster at 601-354-0515 ext. 14 or email Brenda@mississippi-umc.org. You can download a volunteer form by clicking here.

Deadline to submit Healthy Church Awards
is May 15

Applications for the Healthy Church Award are now being accepted. The application deadline is May 15, 2011. The recognition program was developed to promote health ministries, activities and programs in and with the congregations of the Annual Conference. The Mississippi Annual Conference and Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare of Memphis, TN sponsor the program.

The Conference's healthy church initiative is designed to facilitate and recognize intentional health ministries, healthy activities and health programs that promote the spiritual, physical, emotional, social and community health of the Mississippi Annual Conference.

Complete the application today. Give your church this wonderful opportunity to be recognized for their health ministries at the upcoming 2011 Annual Conference. Send applications to Angela Griffin, P.O. Box 931, Jackson, MS 39205-0931 or email angela@mississippi-umc.org. Please download the nomination form here. If you have any questions, just email to angela@mississippi-umc.org.

 

Clergy Spouse Luncheon Registration

Please be sure to let your spouses know about the Clergy Spouse Luncheon at Annual Conference scheduled for Saturday, June 11 at 12:30 p.m. at the Jackson Convention Complex. The theme this year is Showers of Blessings. Deadline for registration is May 27. Link here to download the registration form.

Nudged to Go

There's an old Latin saying, "The single Christian is no Christian." As followers of Jesus, we need one another desperately if we are to understand faith and reach our world. The world needs to see our community -- or maybe better, our communion -- loving, fighting, struggling, celebrating and singing so they can see the life of Christ in us. We need the challenge of differences and the comfort of sameness if our faith is to made evident to the world. In Len Sweet's book, Nudge, he reminds us that, "[Jesus] had three years in which to save the world, and how did he spend those three years? He spent his time... telling stories, sharing meals, healing people, and traveling the countryside building his team while connecting and praying with people that they might have life." (Nudge, page 133).

Jesus spent his life creating a community of people who agreed with him and disagreed with him; a group of people who fought and disagreed while they loved and wept together. As we prepare for annual conference, can we come with the same spirit? the same boldness? Believing that if we do not come as a communion our witness will be witless. I'm praying that this year there will be no single Christians. Just Christians showing the world the power of our communion.

Pray daily this week that all Mississippi Annual Conference churches will be challenged to Go forth in making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

Donations Needed for 2011 Spring Storm Relief -- Follow Disaster Response Online

Tornado over Smithville. (Photo provided by Pat Dearman.)

On April 27, 2011 a State of Emergency was declared for 39 Mississippi counties and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians after severe storms moved across the state. Many of these counties were still in recovery from the spring storms of 2010 and anticipate floodwaters from the overflowing Mississippi and the connecting tributaries.

Mississippi Conference Disaster Response has been on the ground from day one organizing response and recovery efforts. Mississippi Methodist have always been the first to be there and be hope. Our trademark as United Methodist is long-term recovery-the first there and the last to leave.

In an effort to keep you informed of needs we will send out Disaster Response Updates with the latest assessment of damage and information of ways to help. This information is also available online at  www.mississippi-umc.org. This site offers ways for your church or organization to help. Please visit the site regularly for updated information.

Due to the large number of disasters around the world and in our state there will be a great need for funding for the rebuilding and long-term recovery. To donate to MS 2011 Spring Storm Relief link here.

If your church or organization is helping with the recovery, please let us know by sharing your story and photos in the weekly newsletter Connected in Disaster Response and Recovery.

 Email your stories to lisacm@mississippi-umc.org.

Leadership Summit Reports Known Viewership

The April 6 Leadership Summit webcast drew more than 4,000 web connections. The three-hour event marked the first chance for many United Methodists to hear how denominational leaders plan to carry out the recommendations in the Call to Action Steering Team's final report to increase vital congregations.

Of the 4,000 connections, 243 were sites of multiple viewers. As of May 2, 149 sites had reported a total of 3,949 participants; 94 sites haven't reported. Thirty sites were in the denomination's central conferences outside the United States. Of those 30, 16 had 756 participants. The gathering also prompted more than 1,700 tweets from viewers under the hashtag #umclead.

MS Chapter of Methodist Federation
of Social Action Forms       

By Justin White, Starkville District Communicator

On April 30, 2011, a group of United Methodist clergy and lay people came together at Broadmeadow UMC in Jackson for the first official meeting of the Mississippi chapter of the Methodist Federation of Social Action, otherwise known as MFSA (www.mfsaweb.org). At this meeting, it was decided that the Mississippi chapter of MFSA would be for people, for peace, for progressive theology, and for working against poverty. Mississippi MFSA will also be teaming up with DREAM, which stands for Daring to Reconcile and Embrace all in Mississippi.

In our society, there are many fears that manifest themselves as injustices against various groups of God's Children. As one member stated, "Now, more than ever before in my lifetime, there is a tremendous need for people of faith to come together to reject and work towards correcting the oppression and injustices created and tolerated every day. In our own Conference, there are entire groups of individuals who are either denied a voice or told their voice isn't worth hearing. This must be stopped if we wish to continue calling ourselves 'people of God."

Mississippi's chapter of MFSA seeks to be a light to oppressed people- both in word and in action!

Rev. Jon Walters of Choctaw Mission was at the first meeting of MFSA. Rev. Walters is the designer of the current national MFSA logo that has been in use since 1980. The picture is of the plumb line in Amos 7:8. In explaining the use of the plumb line in the logo, Rev. Walters said, "God sets a standard through Amos -- the plumb line -- and lets us know when we do not measure up. That is why MFSA is important to me -- reminding me of the standards for human relationships expected of me by God."

"When we drop fear, we can draw nearer to people, we can draw nearer to the earth, we can draw nearer to all the heavenly creatures that surround us," writes American arthor and social activist bell hooks (this is intentionally lowercase, as bell hooks does not capitalize her name). Taking this sentiment to heart, MFSA seeks to be a group not run by fear, but instead, by light and love where individuals can draw near to all the heavenly creatures that surrounding them.

If you are interested in learning more about the Mississippi Chapter of MFSA, contact Rev. Justin White at dawgwhite2@gmail.com, 601-573-4297, or Ashley Hewitt at arhewitt10@gmail.com, 985-778-3201.

 Rev. Jimmy Jones of Blues Chapel / New Beginnings, Meridian District, is in Rush Hospital. Please keep the Jones family in your thoughts and prayers.

Anderson Chapel CME Church in Holly Springs, is looking for a church musician (organ or piano). If you are interested, please call Pastor Denise Anders-Modest at 662-252-1938 for more information.

Oxford-University UMC, a vibrant and growing 1,700-member congregation in Oxford, Mississippi, is looking for an energetic and passionate full-time Director of Ministry to Youth and their Families. Building on a current core group of about 50 active youth, the Director will be responsible for leading and expanding an integrated youth ministry. The Youth Ministries mission statement is: We exist to experience God by loving and serving God and one another. The program serves youth and their families from seventh grade through twelfth grade. For more information on O-UUMC, visit www.ouumc.org.
The successful candidate will have at least five years total experience in youth ministry, with at least three years at the last church served. Previous experience should also include employment in a medium (+500) member church and experience in facing the particular challenges of ministry in a college town. A master's degree in Christian Education, Divinity, etc. is preferred. Submit resumes by email to ouumcyouthministries@gmail.com.

Diamondhead UMC is now taking applications for the positions of Worship Leader for our Celebration Service and pianist for our Heritage Service. These positions are part-time and one person could fill both positions. For more information or a copy of the job description contact Pastor Oscar McGough at brothero@cableone.net.

Brandon First UMC is seeking a part-time Children's Program Director to plan, coordinate, and implement ministry for children age 2 through fourth grade. Submit resume to Kminshew@comcast.net.

Burks UMC in Chattanooga, Tennessee is looking for a full-time Director of Children's Ministries and a full-time Director of Youth Ministries. A Bachelor's Degree and five years experience of teaching and supervision are required. Send resumes to Business Administrator, 6433 Hixson Pike, Hixson TN 37343 by May 20.