NOTICE: To download a *print-friendly* pdf of "The Circuit Rider", click here.(Available Wednesdays, after 1:00 p.m.) |
Share your events around the conference. Keep the information brief and include who, what, when and where with a contact for more information. December 9-11: Lake Junaluska's Appalachian Christmas. Join us for the 11th Annual Appalachian Christmas Celebration. Each year, Lake Junaluska brings in seasonal entertainment to ring in the holiday spirit. 2-Night Appalachian Christmas packages start at $174 per person, double occupancy. Tickets are also available for individual purchase. Call 800-222-4930 or visit www.lakejunaluska.com/christmas for more information.
December 10: Heritage UMC, Hattiesburg will sponsor a 5K Run for Hunger Saturday, Dec. 10 with all the proceeds to be used towards a Stop Hunger Now food packaging event later that day. The 5K run will begin at 8:30 a.m. Race day registration will begin at 7:15 a.m. and close at 8:15 a.m. The race will be held in the Bell Grass neighborhood located just west of Hattiesburg. Register online at www.heritage-umc.org.
December 16 & 17: Sandtown UMC will present its first annual Drive-Thru Live Nativity on Friday and Saturday, December 16 & 17, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This presentation depicts the birth of Christ in seven scenes and involves a cast of over 50 people, along with live sheep, donkeys, and camels. Sandtown UMC is located about 7 miles east of Philadelphia, MS. Take Highway 16 east 3 1/2 miles from Philadelphia, turn left on Highway 482 across from Bobby's Country Store, then go 3 ½ miles to church on the right. To get a map, visit the church's website at www.sandtownumc.com.
December 18: The children and youth of St. Mark UMC, Pascagoula will present their Christmas program on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 3 p.m. Everyone is invited. Contact: Rev. Paula Milo-Moultrie at 601-569-4482 or 228-471-4725.
December 20: The United Methodist Women of St. Stephen UMC, Gautier will be hosting a Christmas Fellowship on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 4 p.m. All UMW units are invited. There will be singing, food, and fun. For more information call Myrtle Stubbs, president, at 228-497-9310.
December 24: St. Mark UMC, Pascagoula will host a Christmas Eve "Come as you are" Service at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 24, 2011. No need to dress up, just come as you are and worship with us. Everyone is invited. Contact: Rev. Paula Milo-Moultrie at 601-569-4482 or 228-471-4725.
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Dates to Remember
Listening Session Board of Medical Benefits ChangesNovember 30, 2011 10 a.m. at H.A. Brown UMC, Wiggins
2 p.m. at The Methodist Hour Studio, Clinton
For more information link here. Bishop Ward at Duke University
(Bishop Ward will attend Board of Trustees Meeting and the Episcopal Forum)
December 2 - 7, 2011
Durham, NC
Board of Pensions Meeting December 13, 2011 at 10 a.m. Methodist Foundation Overflow 2012 December 30 - January 1 Youth Retreat for Junior High
and Senior HighCamp Lake Stephens
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Save the Dates!
 
Annual Conference 2012
June 8-10 
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Greetings!
Welcome to your connection for up-to-the minute news and information from the Mississippi Conference. Your Circuit Rider will arrive weekly with announcements, dates to remember, celebration stories from across the conference and employment opportunities. Our hope is for The Circuit Rider to become a tool for building the connection across the conference, strengthening our districts and local congregations as we go forth to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Please e-mail your news and information for us to share with others around the conference to lisacm@mississippi-umc.org.
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:: Gleanings
 Come, Lord Jesus! According to God's promise we are waiting for a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. -- II Peter 3:13
Annie Dillard wrote wonderfully, "When we go to church we should wear crash helmets, receive life preservers, be lashed to pews, in case God shows up."
Her wisdom is just right for Advent. God is coming to this world to radically reshape this world, to set things right, to reorient people to one another and to God.
Advent is powerful and beautiful, and we prepare for God's coming to us in many ways. We make our homes and churches beautiful as a sign of welcome to God and to each other. We feast and prepare gifts for those close to us and those in need around us. We sing and dance. We enact once more the beautiful story that never grows old.
In addition, this Advent let us lash ourselves to our pews and ask God to come in a powerfully new way. We are ready to be over-washed with love and overwhelmed with grace. We are ready to be overshadowed with Mary. We are ready to be made new and to make our world new.
Along with Chrismon trees and garlands and candles in your church, envision a crash helmet and life preserver and a lifeline in your pew.
The Lord Jesus comes, and the world is overwhelmed, never again the same. The old is gone. The new has come.
With great anticipation in this holy season,
Hope Morgan Ward |
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:: News & Announcements
Tune In to the Medical Benefits Listening Session at 2 p.m. Wednesday
Can't make one of the Listening Sessions? You can still be a part! The 2 p.m. session on Wednesday, Nov. 30 will be streamed live from the conference Web site. Just go to www.mississippi-umc.org and link on the Listening Session image at the top of the page. It will direct you to the event. You may also submit your questions or comments by email at david@mississippi-umc.org or text them to 601-955-3912. These questions will be taken in the order received during the presentation. (This session will be recorded and made available online at www.mississippi-umc.org.)
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Deadline approaching for Connectional Ministries Advent Grants
Dec. 15, 2011 is the deadline to apply for the 2011-2012 Advent grants. For more information or an application call 601-354-0515 ext. 14.
Advent is a time of preparing our hearts for the coming of Jesus. Last year we began a tradition of sharing grants with churches preparing for Jesus by serving in one of the four areas of mission focus. We offered grants up to $1,500 for ministry opportunities that developed principle centered leaders; created new places for new people in our congregations; served the poor; or entered the fight against the diseases taking so many lives. The response was glorious! Thirty grants were issued in the 2010-2011 year. Now it's time for the 2011-2012 version of these grants.
Churches who feel called to engage any of these mission foci are encouraged to apply for a grant. The desire of Connectional Ministries is to align resources with the mission of the local church. We hope these grants will help. It is our prayer that God will bless these grants and those who will receive them.
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Summer Internships for Racial/Ethnic Minority, Central Conference Young Adults
Persons, ages 18-22, interested in exploring public policy and social justice advocacy will work in U.S. capital.
Deadline to apply for a 2012 Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) Summer Internship in Washington, D.C., is Feb. 1. The EYA program is for persons, ages 18-22, who have an interest in exploring issues of public policy, social justice advocacy and social change.
Sponsored by the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS), the summer internship is for young adults representing the five ethnic minority caucuses of The United Methodist Church: Native Americans, Pacific-Islanders, Hispanic/Latinos, African Americans and Asian Americans.
The program also seeks to attract United Methodist young adults from the Central Conferences of Africa, Philippines and Europe. Applicants must be full members in The United Methodist Church. Interns will work in social justice placements in the U.S. capital June through July.
Interns participate in weekly devotions and topical seminars to supplement their daily work experience. Interns also will visit the United Nations office of GBCS in New York City. They will participate in seminars that educate interns about the international advocacy work The United Methodist Church does at the United Nations.
Applicants must be in good academic standing at their college or university, demonstrate evidence of their concern for social justice through extracurricular activity, academic study and have some history of involvement in their church and/or community.
If employed full-time, applicants must show active leadership and participation in their local church and community, including involvement in social justice activities.
GBCS will provide round-trip transportation to and from Washington, D.C.; housing during the internship; commuter stipend for travel to work sites; and $1,500 for each intern for the eight-week period.
Applications will be evaluated on an applicant's passion and potential to engage in broad-based social justice ministries. Priority will be given to an applicant's commitment to public policy, demonstrated leadership and potential for leadership within The United Methodist Church and society.
Initial criteria for selection will include a substantial written response, evidence of leadership within the denomination at the local church, conference or general church level. Academic achievements and a readiness to apply university study to the internship will also be considered.
EYA is funded through GBCS's Ethnic Local Church Grant Program.
Participants are expected to return to their schools, churches and communities with an increased commitment to working with and on behalf of marginalized groups in society. Participants are also expected to share their experience with other persons from their community, school and church.
An application form can be obtained online at 2012 Ethnic Young Adult Internship.
For more information, contact the Rev. Neal Christie, assistant general secretary, Education & Leadership Formation, General Board of Church & Society, 100 Maryland Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002, (202) 488-5611, or via email to Cindy Heilman, or Jennifer Gillyard.
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St.Paul UMW Holds Annual Program 
St. Paul United Methodist Women (UMW) held their annual program on Sunday, Nov. 13 at St. Paul in Hattiesburg. This year's theme was "Finding Peace Through Mission." Guest speaker was Rev. Phaedra McLin, assistant pastor at Holly Springs CME Church in Columbia, MS. In addition to the message, participants enjoyed special music performed by St. Paul's male choir and its mass choir. The UMW recognized their scholarship recipients for 2011, and gave specialrecognition and lapel pins to Mrs. Martha Harris and Mrs. Patricia Fluker for their tireless and devoted work to the UMW. After the program, those in attendance enjoyed fellowship and refreshments in the church's Family Life Center.
Some UMW members and their guest speaker posed for a photo after the annual program. Pictured above are, from left to right, back row, Katheryn Dahmer, Alicia Kelly, Jimmie Jones, Cecilia Jones, Ira Breland, and Doris Bass; left to right, front row, Martha Harris, Barbara Thompson, the Rev. Phaedra McLin, guest speaker, Katie Smith, Mae Annie Stewart,and Joann Wynn.
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St. Paul UMC's Living Christmas Tree Features Martin's 'Mystery and Majesty'
The Music Ministry of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Ocean Springs will continue its tradition of presenting a Living Christmas Tree on Dec. 10 and 11 at 6:00 p.m. at the downtown campus on Porter Avenue. Pictured is a rehearsal photo for the 2011 production. The program is free and the public is invited.
Eighty voices, a chamber orchestra, hand bells, and piano will join in concert at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Ocean Springs to present the annual Living Christmas Tree program in two performances, Dec. 10 and 11, at 6 p.m. at the downtown campus.
The program will include traditional and contemporary Christmas selections, and features "Mystery and Majesty," a cantata by Joseph M. Martin," said Mary Elizabeth Sawyer, music director at St. Paul. "Through beautiful music and scripture, we prepare our hearts for the coming of God's great gift to us, Jesus."
The first Singing Christmas Tree program was in 1992. Over the past nineteen years the Christmas tree presentation has grown to be a much -- anticipated service by both our church and the community.
"Many musicians come from other churches along the Gulf Coast to join with us in the presentation of the story of Christmas," said Sawyer. The churches represented in this year's Christmas tree choir are St. Paul UMC, St. John Episcopal, St. Alphonsus, and Christus Victus Lutheran all in Ocean Springs; First Presbyterian, Pascagoula; St. James Catholic Church, Mississippi City UMC, both in Gulfport; and First UMC, Wiggins.
David Allen is pianist and Daniel Martinez is the chamber orchestra director. TheLessye Moore Hand Bell Choir of St. Paul UMC will begin playing the music of Christmas at 6 p.m.
The concert is free and the public is welcome. St. Paul downtown is located at the southeast corner of Porter Street and Rayburn Ave. For more information, call 228-875-5701.
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:: Cares and Concerns
Funeral arrangements for Kevin O'Hara Hughes are as follows: Visitation on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 11:30 a.m. and a memorial service at 1:30 p.m. both in the sanctuary of Main Street United Methodist Church, 712 North Main Street, Hattiesburg. Arrangements are being handled by Moore Funeral Home. Kevin passed away Thursday night. He was pastor of Grandview UMC in Hattiesburg. His wife Vicki Hughes is lead pastor at Main Street UMC. Please remember Vicki and the family in your prayers during this difficult time.
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:: Employment Opportunities Across the Conference
Andrew Chapel UMC, Meridian District, is looking for a Children's Coordinator to work with 20-30 children on Wednesday evenings, Sunday mornings, VBS and outings. Please contact Rev. Gib Prince at 601-681-8583 or 601-259-1786.
Grenada First UMC seeks a full-time Minister to Children. Our Children's Minister will assume responsibility for an existing Wednesday Night program, launch a weekly Children's Worship during our 10:55 service and, eventually, a Sunday Afternoon or Evening program. Salary commiserate with experience. Please contact Henry Brister, SPR Chair, at 662-417-3936.
POSITION AVAILABLE, (July 1, 2011): Director of New Church and Congregational Development, the West Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church. The primary focus of this position will be planting, nurturing, and developing new United Methodist congregations and faith communities. The second focus will be to assist existing congregations in their mission to become more vital and effective. Send resume and cover letter by December 12, 2011 to Rev. Benton R. Heisler, Director of Connectional Ministries at Benton@wmcumc.org
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