More people, younger people, more diverse people…

There are over 50,000 Hispanics in the state of Mississippi, according to government statistics, and they certainly fit the description listed above. By and large these are younger, working people from many countries in Central and South America and the Caribbean the majority of who are not churched. In order to reach this significant number of folk our office in conjunction with the General Board of Discipleship will be conducting the first of 3 Module training events leading to certification as a lay missioner.

The overall purpose of Pastor/Mentor Lay Missioner Training Module 1 is to equip lay missioners and pastors in a team work style in the development of faith communities, creation of new and revitalization of existing congregations and community ministries. The curriculum of the training program will focus on training clergy and laity to work together to reach the Hispanic community. Hispanic and non-Hispanic clergy will have a crucial role in this partnership and this training will provide tools that will strengthen and present methods and principles to develop successful ministries with Hispanics communities.

This module consisting of five units is, usually, presented in the course of a week but will be presented in 30 hours in the course of 3 days and one evening. Each unit is self-contained and all 5 should be completed before proceeding to Modules II and III.

Basic requirements to Enter Training

• Personal experience and commitment to the risen Christ and the Hispanic community. Openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit;


• Active participation in and commitment to a local UMC and demonstrated appreciation for its tradition and doctrine;


• Recommendation from the local pastor or appropriate local church committee or group, in which participant is a member;


• Upon termination of this training, the participants shall receive a certificate of completion of Module I of the initial training.

God’s Economy and World Communion Sunday

These are fascinating times. The financial sector in our country is in the midst of incredible turbulence. In the face of these challenges it is good to remember the faithfulness of our God.

Sunday is World Communion Sunday and the special offering will help provide international and ethnic scholarships. Two years ago I was in Zimbabwe at the Hilltop UMC serving communion to a group of people who were beneficiaries of this offering. I will never take this Sunday for granted. To be in another country, breaking bread with perfect strangers who become my family through this sacrament of love was life changing. I heard the hymns sung in a different tongue, but to the same tune. I heard the order shared in a different language, but at the same table with the same elements. “One Body” is such a powerful phrase now!

Did you know that last year we gave $16,690 through the World Communion Offering? Did you also know that Mississippians received 33 Ethnic scholarships to the tune of $34,900? As a matter of fact, last year Mississippians gave $23,857 to be used for student aid through the General Church and 105 students in our state received $152,579 in loans and scholarships! What a return on investment.

In times of scarcity God reminds us that the Kingdom economy operates differently! God needs no governmental bailouts…it is all God’s. Come to the Table Sunday and break bread with the World. Come to the table Sunday and give your offerings to the one who can multiply fish, loaves, and student financial aid…cool…way cool! I cannot wait to see the numbers.

Live Loved,
Steve

Tag, You’re It!!!

It is a great idea!!!

We have designed a specialty car tag for MS United Methodist and the proceeds go to the community centers this year.

All you have to do is go to the Conference web site and click on the sample tag then follow directions or you can call the conference office and ask about it.

All you have to pay now is $31 and if we get 300 people to register before October 15 the community centers will get a little boost.

With over 180,000 United Methodists in Mississippi we can do this.

Right now we have about 165 people who have committed.

I did…so tag….you’re it!

Don’t wait, get yours today and ask a friend to get one too.

Live Loved,

Steve

National Observance of Children's Sabbath

National Observance of Children’s Sabbath
October 17-19, 2008

As you prepare for the Observance of Children’s Sabbath in your congregations, I offer these Top 10 Ideas to you and your congregation. I would love to receive your pictures and stories of Children’s Sabbath. We are a creative conference that engages in ministry in such unique and varied ways! Let’s celebrate our ministries even as we seek to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

1. Fulford UMC, in Miami Beach, Florida, included in their bulletin a history of the Children’s Defense Fund and highlighted the quote from Marian Wright Edelman: “If every one of us looked at each child as a child of God, we wouldn’t stand for the injustice that kids suffer.” They observed a moment of silence at the start of the worship service. The church bell chimed once at 10 seconds, then at 35 seconds, at 36 seconds, 41 seconds. Next, someone stood and stated: “Every 10 seconds a high school student drops out. Every 35 seconds a child is abused or neglected. Every 36 seconds a baby is born into poverty. Every 41 seconds a baby is born without health insurance.” The service concluded with a blessing of the children at the altar. Resources and representation from various community organizations that meet children’s needs were available after worship.
2. Christ Episcopal Church, in Springfield, Missouri, used lessons from the National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths manual. The Executive Director of the Community Partnership of the Ozarks spoke to adult classes. Following worship, there was a community BBQ dinner. The afternoon featured a Fun Day of games and events in the park for children in the community. Other members of the congregation did basic home repairs and clean-up for community residents.
3. Shakeel Syed, Executive Director of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, reports that over twenty mosques participated in the National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths Celebration on Friday, October 19, 2007. Khutbahs focused on the more than nine million children in America without health coverage and statistics were used from the 2007 National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths manual to illustrate the need for Muslims to encourage their state and federal elected officials to pass comprehensive health legislation that covers all children. The success of the National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths Celebration led the Shura Council of Southern California to host a follow-up conference highlighting the voiceless plight of children from faith perspectives.
4. The Benedictine Sisters of Mt. Angel, in Oregon, held a prayer service for the welfare of children that raised awareness for children’s advocacy.
5. Temple Emmanu-El in Edison, in New Jersey, invited a speaker from the Children’s Defense Fund to speak for their Children’s Shabbat. The ongoing refrain was, “How is it for the children?” Following the service, people signed-up for a writing campaign to elected officials. The Social Action Committee of the synagogue will focus on children’s justice for their upcoming Mizpah Days event and are planning a community Children’s March.
6. Greater St. Mark AME in Georgetown, in South Carolina, had an entire weekend of events with a Friday “Night Out of Fun” for community children and a Saturday community “Harvest Fest.” Children led the Sunday Worship service. School supplies were collected and sent to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
7. Newport Lutheran Church, in Newport, Minnesota, involved the youth group in the worship service. The youth made and presented a Power Point presentation on the needs and concerns of children. The Sunday School classes made quilts that included positive messages of hope and blessing to children. These quilts were displayed during the service, blessed, and then given to the local St. Joseph Home for Children. The congregation made the Children’s Defense Fund their mission focus for the month of October. Money raised during this time will be split between the Children’s Defense Fund and the St. Joseph Home for Children.
8. Everyone was welcome at the Interfaith Children’s Sabbath service celebrated in Elmwood Park, Virginia! The service was drawn from the National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths manual and enlivened by the talents of the Praise Dancers and Youth Choir of Kingdom Life Ministries, the Children’s Choir of Louden Avenue Christian Church, and music from the Kemp family. The outdoor event included a host of children’s activities under tents, from storytelling and crafts to a juggler and face painting. The coalition of community groups and places of worship that sponsored the service included Mental Health America, Temple Emmanuel, Clarence Sabree Islamic Center, Old Southwest Congregation in Action, National Alliance of the Mentally Ill-Roanoke, Local Colors, New Horizons, and Valley Character. An article in the Roanoke Times noted, “Representatives of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist faiths were on hand for the afternoon gathering. ‘This is a symbolic effort to show a commitment to unity,’ said the Rev. Kirk Ballin, chairman of the interfaith committee for Valley Character, one of the sponsoring organizations. ‘Hopefully this is the beginning of an annual event. The idea is that as a diverse community made up of diverse faith groups, there are certain values that we share in common,’ he explained, specifically citing, ‘the health and welfare of all the children of our community.’”
   
9. The United Methodist Women of First United Methodist Churches of Beach Haven Terrace and Kynett, in Longbeach Township, New Jersey, coordinated their 2007 National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths Celebration and incorporated its theme, “My Boat Is So Small: Creating a Safe Harbor of Hope and Health Care for All Children” throughout their service. A string of colored origami boats with children’s drawings was hung from the altar rail, alongside life jackets, fish nets, and oars. During the Children’s Sermon, the leader folded an origami boat as she talked with the children about our nation’s nine million children without health insurance. At the conclusion, each child received a boat as a reminder to pray for children. The church convened a team to follow up on the National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths Celebration by finding ways they can help connect eligible families with the state Children’s Health Insurance Program.
10. The United Church of Hayward, United Church of Christ, in Hayward, California, has a long and strong National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths Celebration tradition upon which they continue to build. In 2004, forty backpacks filled with school supplies were collected, blessed, and sent to Fresno International Refugees Ministries for Hmong refugees; in 2005 they adopted an inner-city Oakland classroom as one of their members; and in 2006 they explored unique ways in which they could respond to their young neighbors. This past year, they collected food and funds for an Emergency Food Pantry serving hundreds of children and their families each month. The Children’s Sabbath comes after 40 days of Prayer, a UCC- and Disciples of Christ-sponsored event which culminates in the Children’s Sabbath each year. The sermon, prayers, and music all focused on children and justice. The church prepared a news release to share their inspiring observance with the broader community.

Water, Water Everywhere

Water, water everywhere.

From the Midwest flooding to Hanna to Gustav to Ike, our country has been buffeted by the forces of nature this Spring and Summer. In good old fashioned Christian Methodist tradition our people in Mississippi have responded with generosity with almost $19,000 in cash aid and with hundreds of flood buckets and emergency kits.

Additional flood buckets are beginning to be stored within the state to help with internal and neighboring conferences needs. Contact Brenda Hiatt at 601-917-7094; bhiatt@comcast.net if your church has flood buckets or kits to contribute.

In terms of volunteers many have already inquired about the need for folks and I think at this time I may want to quote our State Disaster Coordinator CJ Caulfield “ Patience! In the immediate aftermath of disasters, our inclination to provide assistance can sometimes become a piece of frustration as we look for avenues of ministry. We work diligently with the locally impacted community to provide to them what they need rather than overwhelming them with potentially unneeded resources.” Once needs assessments have been conducted the affected coordinators will let us know and we will help pass the word around.

On the subject of storms more that 500 people have been reported dead and more than 650,000 have been affected in Haiti according to the food relief ministry Stop Hunger Now. This poorest of the poor island country has been hit by Hurricane Gustav, Hurricane Fay and Tropical Storm Hanna. This organization is responding to Haiti’s crisis by providing much needed relief for the victims who are facing life threatening situations. It is feared more deaths could emerge since aid is trickling slowly into the country. Stop Hunger Now is working to send four shipments of life saving food and clothing valued at $1 million, but is asking for help in raising $28,000 to finance the costs of shipping these containers. This potential partner in ministry is asking for help in their ongoing work in disaster and hunger relief. See the following link to their web site We need your help today. Please click here.

The subject of hunger seems to keep popping up all over the place especially since the cost of food and its transportation component have gone up substantially in the last year. I would like to share with you the following link which presents the extremes to which people are forced to go to when they are so poor they cannot afford to pay for their food; the article details the real life situation of thousands of Haitians (even before the recent hurricanes) who purchase and eat dirt cookies, literally! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22902512/from/ET/ By means of comparison the weekly mix of groceries for a typical family and their cost varies according to the standards from country to country … $500 in Germany, $342 in the USA and $317 in Japan. If you would like to receive an eye opening e-mail which illustrates this point more clearly let me know and I will send it right away (it has a picture of the typical family, their groceries and their cost). Not as insidious, but just as real, it goes without saying that hunger also exists in our country and in our state.

More than ever … Pray, Give Do!!!

Jorge.

PACT is closer than what you think...

PACT will be in the Mississippi area... Learn more...

Join us!!!
Thursday, September 18 through Saturday, September 20
Twin Lakes Conference Center
155 Milner Road
Florence, MS

PACT Registration $80
Two (2) Night Hotel Stay and five (5) meals: $92
Two (2) CEUs

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2008
3:00 – 5:00 Registration, Fellowship
6:00 – 7:00 Supper
7:30 – 9:00 PACT 101 – An Orientation to the Ministry Protection
Program & Resources for the Local Church

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2008
8:00 – 9:00 Breakfast
9:30 – 10:30 Checks & Balances – Minimizing Fidelity Losses
11:00 – 12:00 Real Property Management
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 Safe Sanctuaries Screening Staff and Operations
3:30 – 5:00 Employment Practice
6:00 – 7:00 Supper
7:30 – 9:00 Safe Sanctuaries Reporting and Response

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2008
8:00 – 9:00 Breakfast
9:30 Questions, Worship and Wrap-up

For more information, feel free to contact Michelle Foster at 601 3540515 or the PACT Service Center at 1 877 UMCPACT.

Inspiration From Within

Greetings:

What a blast to have our Connectional Leadership Team in one room! We are truly grateful that you all gave up your Friday evening and Saturday to be with us. Your feedback was tremendously insightful. I was truly inspired by everyone’s enthusiastic support for our work together.There are so many people who worked incredibly hard to make this retreat what it was for us all.

Once again, thank you so much for your time and expertise you so graciously offered to us. Let us keep on plugging and plowing along the exciting journey ahead. There are so many people who worked incredibly hard to make this retreat what it was for us all.

Firstly, I need to thank the professionals who joined us, our retreat team leaders Susan Graebe and Carlin Johnson. I want to offer our heartfelt gratitude to Rev. Steve Casteel and his staff for making everything works so well for this retreat.

As our Connectional Leadership Team continue to work in peace and harmony to raise the bar in the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church, I hope you are able to ask yourself what is important in the work that you do – what is essential. You are then able to make all else secondary. You sacrifice the small points and forego the credit to make sure that the one thing that is really important gets done the way it needs to get done.

So, using this ability as a guide, I ask myself: what is essential for our church as a whole to grow and flourish? What do we have to do? What is God asking each of us to do? I have worked closely with many of you who came to the retreat and know what kind of leaders you are. There are so many generous people on this Connectional Leadership Team – people who have really committed themselves body and soul to our church. What more can the Mississippi Conference ask of you?

We need to connect more people to the United Methodist Church in more ways than we have thought of. We all know that over 50% of our communities are not affiliated with any church organization and do not FEEL the need to become connected. So let’s get busy getting them connected.

We need each of you to find ways to reach out and bring more people in. More people, younger people, and more diverse people. I say that as I turn to you, esteemed leaders, and ask what the hallmark of our leadership will be. What are you passionate about? What will be the legacy you leave for the next generation of the United Methodist Church? What trait do you have that is so exemplary that everyone on your prospective committees and tables wishes they could embody it?

We all came to the retreat this weekend committed. We each came to our prospective tables to think about what our next level of leadership is because leadership is not a one-size fits all proposition. It comes in different styles, different roles, and is suited to different needs.

We each have to challenge ourselves to get to that next level of leadership.

We have been giving the green light to go make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. And I say, let’s have a fun time doing it. Wherever you are, there is always somewhere else to go. Whatever your sphere of influence is, you can always expand it to include more people, more ideas, more breadth and more depth.

We’ve had an extraordinary retreat together. It has been a God-send for me as a way to begin this new journey on a high. We feel connected. Let’s translate our solidarity to a church that so desperately needs it. We have a motto at my home church. That motto is White Oak United Methodist Church is the church where Jesus Christ is in the center and his love is all around.

The message is clear: put Jesus in the center of your prospective tables and his love will –spill over into your teams. Let this retreat – all of its inspiring moments and positive energy – spill over into the ordinary days ahead and make them extraordinary. We each hold this challenge. I challenge myself continually and am asking you to do the same. Thank you for coming and thank you in advance for leaving this retreat with a personal challenge to strengthen your leadership and take it to new heights.

Blessings to you all,
Timothy Crisler
Conference Lay Leader