A Worldwide Wesleyan Movement to End Hunger

 

You give them something to eat.

-- Mark 6    

Men are leading the way toward the launch of a worldwide Wesleyan movement to end malnutrition and hunger.

The vision is simple and compelling: that Wesleyan people, at least four million worldwide, be known for their perseverance in ending hunger as they do three things:

1. Fast one meal per week
2. Pray for those who are hungry
3. Give the equivalent of one meal per week

As four million Wesleyan people do these three things as a lifetime sustained commitment, rather than a short seasonal practice, then four million people can be fed every day! The target level of sustained giving is equivalent to 25 cents per day per person, or the cost of a single fasted meal weekly ($1.75). Families are asked to do this together, and thereby support a meal for an equal sized hungry family. A family of four could pledge $1.00 per day as a response to Christ's command.

A resolution will be offered to the World Methodist Council, and presented on August 4 at the World Methodist Conference (WMC) in Durban South Africa. Larry Malone, president of the World Methodist Council men's affiliate, and Ray Buchanan, president of Stop Hunger Now, will challenge the world Methodist/Wesleyan faith family to package 100,000 meals during the meeting in Durban and to personally embrace the three hunger-overcoming commitments to fast, pray and give.

$50,000 is needed for the packaging event in Durban. $10,000 has been raised in the Mississippi Conference for this purpose. Gifts continue to be needed for this purpose. Thank you for your generosity.

Mike and I will be at the WMC, along with Turner Arant, Vickie White, Jimmy Barnes and possibly others from Mississippi. Let us all pray about the next steps for Mississippi in this unfolding vision for a world in which all are fed, as on a hillside long ago in Galilee.

With gratitude for our ministry together,
Hope Morgan Ward    

 

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

   

World Communion Sunday is October 2         

 

World Communion Sunday will be here before you know it. Be sure to order your free offering resources for this Oct. 2 offering. The World Communion Sunday offering provides for three areas: World Communion Scholarships, Ethnic Scholarship Program, and Ethnic In-Service Training Program. This support is a lifeline for many United Methodist students. Gifts are divided as follows:

· 50% - World Communion Scholarships (At least half must go beyond the United States)
· 35% - Ethnic Scholarship Program
· 15% - Ethnic In-Service Training Program

Your generous support through the World Communion Sunday offering prepare leaders for The United Methodist Church and the world. "The Crusade Scholars Program [now World Communion Scholarship] made possible my seminary education," recalls Bishop Joel N. Martinez. "This program is vital to our church's future."

Bishop Martinez's ministry and the work of countless others were made possible because of the gifts of faithful people throughout the years. Order your free offering resources today. Offering inserts, a poster, worship resources, stories and videos are available to download or order at www.umcgiving.org/WCS. If you cannot celebrate this offering on Oct. 2, you can observe this Special Sunday on any day of the year. Give online anytime. You can give online to World Communion Sunday at anytime. Give Now.

GBOD Offers Webinar Training

    

The General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) offers the following online training sessions in August. To register for the sessions go to www.gbod.org/committee_resources.

August 4 - Nominations Committee

WHO: Nominations Committee

WHAT: Basic training for church nominations committees who want to find leaders rather than "fill the lines on the form." Your responsibility is to be the voice of God calling people into ministry!

WHERE: Your own internet connection OR gather at the church with the committee to watch together

WHEN: August 4, 6:30 p.m. CDT

August 18 and 25 - a two part training for Finance Leaders

WHO: Treasurer, Finance Committee, Financial Secretary

WHEN: August 18 6:30 p.m. CDT

WHAT: Fundraising and money BURNOUT!! This webinar will cover the central message of generosity, essentials of an effective program, things that work and things that do not work. Move beyond "the way we have always done it" to lead your congregation in extravagant generosity for the ministry God has for your congregation.

WHEN: August 25, 6:30 p.m. CDT

WHAT: Extravagant Generosity Starts Here: A boot camp for Finance Leaders. This webinar will be a "put-it-to-work" review of the newest program on the marketplace "Extravagant Generosity, the Heart of Giving." One of the authors will describe how to make it work, how it is different, and how to get started. Learn about "heart-change" and marketing and branding concepts to inspire generosity among all age groups.

WHERE: Your own internet OR gather with other finance leaders at the church and watch together.

   

BaseCamp Held in Hattiesburg   

   

Approximately 135 youth (rising 7th - 12th graders) and 76 adults from 13 inter-denominational Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana churches, including Asbury UMC and Oak Grove UMC, met for BaseCamp 2011, June 26-30, to do local mission work in and around the Hattiesburg area.

 

The youth were divided into small groups of three to ten to work on specific projects.  Groups included yard crews, construction crews, an assisted living team, two VBS day camps (Hispanic and inner-city) and camp support. In four days, the kids cut 60 yards, completed eight new construction projects, made seven home repairs, built a gazebo for a local nursing home, and loved on more than 150 children. In addition, the kids wrote 85 letters to prisoners, 55 letters to orphans, and they raised $1,600 for missionary outreach in Indonesia.  

 

The youth met for meals in the morning and a short worship (Morning Show) time and then again for dinner and evening worship, led by Brian Hinnant, Asbury youth pastor.  Worship each night included a message, praise music, drama, videos, games and more.

 

BaseCamp is now being modeled by several other churches and organizations.  Fred Curry (Parkway Heights UMC) of Rice and Beans Ministries is holding BaseCamp International, July 10-14, in Costa Rica, with volunteers from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Bolivia, and seven American states. First Baptist Church in Eclectic, Alabama, and Old Aberdeen Road Church of Christ in West Point, Miss. are also doing local BaseCamps this summer based on the format developed by Brian Hinnant over the past seven years.

Anderson Elected Tribal Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

Phyliss J. Anderson is the newly elected chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI), according to initial returns.

Anderson received about 55 percent of the votes cast in runoff election today against incumbent Beasley Denson. She was the first woman to seek to be elected chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

Anderson is the chair of the Mississippi United Methodist Choctaw Mission Board of Directors, a member of the Episcopacy Committee of the Mississippi Conference, and the congregational leader of the John Memorial UMC in Redwater, (Carthage) Mississippi.

Chief Anderson will take over the duties of chief soon and will be installed at a later date. For more information contact Jon Walters, Executive Director Choctaw Mission at 601-650-8549.  For more information on the Choctaw mission link here.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Art Steinaway, manager of Seashore United Methodist Assembly, on Tuesday July 19 at 1 p.m. at Beauvoir UMC (2113 Pass Road, Biloxi). Art passed away on Sunday, May 22.

Christ UMC in Jackson has many children's music books, including complete sets for children's musical programs, which we would like to share with other churches. Please call 601-914-7108 or email missions@christunitedjxn.org for more information.

Minor Memorial UMC in Walls, MS (near Memphis, TN) is seeking a full-time Youth Minister. This person will assume the responsibilities of developing and implementing programs (including weekly gatherings on Sunday and Wednesday night), activities, and mission opportunities for the youth of our church in grades 7-12. This person will also work with a newly created Youth Ministry Team to ensure that certain values established by the church are met. Candidates should be organized and able to effectively communicate with youth, their families, and staff. Candidates should also have a strong personal commitment to Christ and a desire to lead youth to become disciples of Jesus Christ. Salary is commensurate with experience. Please send resumes to Rev. Amanda Gordon, 6120 Goodman Rd W, Walls, MS 38680 or amandaMMUMC@gmail.com.

Oxford University United Methodist Church, located in the historic district of Oxford, Mississippi, with strong ties and commitment to the surrounding community, seeks a Church Administrator. OUUMC is a community of faith that exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ by letting people know they matter to God by showing them they matter to us so that others will matter to them. For additional information on OUUMC, please visit www.ouumc.org. The Church Administrator is responsible for managing the business and administrative operations of the church and its property, and the Church Administrator will work with the pastoral and lay staff members to achieve the mission and objectives of the church community. The person in this position will extend the ministry of the church to our staff, our members and the surrounding community. For a detailed job description along with job requirements, please visit www.ouumc.org and click on the link for Church Administrator Job Posting.