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Mississippi Annual Conference
June 11-14, Jackson, Miss.
The 18th session of the Mississippi Annual Conference met at Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson with Bishop Hope Morgan Ward presiding. The theme was “Arise! Shine! Live in the Light.”
Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa of the Zimbabwe Area and Bishop Tom Bickerton of the Pittsburgh Area were guest preachers. At opening worship, Nhiwatiwa and Ward signed the “Chabadza Covenant” joining Zimbabwe and Mississippi as partners in ministry. Chabadza is a Shona word meaning helping someone who is already at work.
The Chabadza offering of $131,786 will fund a conference communications center in Zimbabwe, provide support for students and programs at Africa University, and assist the ministry and outreach of the Zimbabwe Area.
The Rev. Marcia McFee led worship throughout the conference, including a moving celebration of 50 years of full clergy rights for women. The Rev. Ruth Wood, the first woman ordained in Mississippi, offered the benediction.
Churches committed to care for Mississippi’s children during the “Congregations for Children” worship service. Hank Bounds, state superintendent of education and a United Methodist, called on churches to move with a sense of urgency to save children and improve public education in Mississippi. “Congregations for Children” is an ecumenical child advocacy network supported by the Mississippi Annual Conference, Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi and Catholic Diocese of Jackson.
Conference members heard how the United Methodist Church continues to respond to people, communities, and churches impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Ed Blakeslee, Mississippi United Methodist Katrina Response coordinator, emphasized the connectional system as vital to recovery efforts. “We still need prayers, and we still need help,” he said. The Rev. Chris Cumbest, church recovery coordinator, shared photos each day of a “blitz build” project to totally rebuild Clermont Harbor Church near Waveland during the week of conference. Only the church’s front steps survived Katrina.
The conference gave thanks for the $4.9 million received as of May 31 through UMCOR and other appeals for Katrina relief and rebuilding.
Workshops and other reports centered on the conference’s five ministry priorities: congregational development, racial reconciliation, mission, small-membership church development, and health and wellness. More than 100 runners and walkers participated in the second annual 5K run/walk. A new wellness event, a bike ride called Circuit Ride, preceded annual conference.
The conference approved a resolution asking Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour to issue a pardon and apology to the family of the late Clyde Kennard. Kennard was falsely convicted of burglary in 1960 as he sought to enroll as the first African-American student at the University of Southern Mississippi. A judge recently threw out the conviction, but Governor Barbour has thus far declined to issue a posthumous pardon.
Members also concurred with resolutions urging that Lake Junaluska (N.C.) Assembly not host events seeking to promote the acceptance and practice of homosexuality; recommending daily prayer for the church; designating a pastoral care week; naming a scholarship already endowed by the conference at Africa University the Clay-Conoway-Taylor Scholarship; requesting the conference develop and local churches adopt Safe Sanctuaries policies and procedures; and calling upon the United Methodist Board of Pension and Health Benefits to revoke the Protected Annuity Rate Balance Account (PARB) initiated in 2003.
Members adopted a budget of $18,605,585 for 2007, the same as 2006.
One deacon and 21 elders were ordained, including a courtesy ordination for Kalaba Chali of the Southern Congo. Ten probationary elders and two probationary deacons were commissioned. Twenty-four clergy retired.
Membership stands at 188,676, down 693. Worship attendance stands at 75,764, down 1,692.
--Gwen Green
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