THE STARKVILLE DISTRICT NEWSLETTER

Your Connection to the Starkville District of the Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church

Friday I October 7, 2016

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DISTRICT MISSION SHARESWe are so excited to announce that the followingchurches have made significant contributions to thework of the Starkville District through their Mission FairShares offerings through September 29, 2016.

100% PAID• Crawford• Artesia• Baldwin• Bellefontaine• Bethel• Bevil Hill• Big Creek• Brooksville• Buffalo• Caledonia• Camp Ground• Center Ridge • Columbus: New Hope• Columbus: St. James• Columbus: St. Stephens• Drake Hill• Dumas Chapel• Eupora: Lebanon• Eupora: Liberty• Flint Hill• Flower Ridge• Louisville: Hopewell• Louisville: Whitehall• Kosciusko: Wesley• Liberty Hill• Maben• Macedonia• Macon: New Hope • Mathiston• McAdams• Middleton• Mt. Hermon• Mt. Lebanon• Mt. Moriah (Macon)• Mt. Moriah (Mathiston)

• Mt. Salem (Weir Circuit)• New Zion• NewBellZion• Noxapater• Palestine• Piney Grove• Piney Grove (Louisville)• Plair• Pleasant Grove• Pleasant Hill (Louisville)• Providence• Rocky Hill• Rural Hill• Salem (Weir-Salem)• Shaeffers Chapel• Shuqualak• Shuqualak: Asbury• St. Michael• Starkville: Aldersgate• Starkville: First• Starkville: Griffin• Sturgis• Sturgis: Boyd Chapel• Vernon• Weir• West Point: St. Paul• Wrights Chapel

ON TARGET 66.6%+• First Unity (Weir)• Lindsey Chapel• Military• Pleasant Hill (Starkville)• Columbus: First• Eupora: First

7 Jesus replied, “It isn’t for you to know thetimes or seasons that the Father has set byhis own authority. 8 Rather, you will receivepower when the Holy Spirit has come uponyou, and you will be my witnesses inJerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and tothe end of the earth.” Acts 1:7-8

It is a Glory Sighting to announce that 64.0percent of the 103 churches of the StarkvilleDistrict are “on target” of paying at least66.6 percent of the District Mission sharesthrough August 21, 2016. And, if that wasnot enough encouragement, I can share that60.2 percent of the churches have paid 100percent of the District Mission sharesthrough the same day! Thank you for faithfulwork and ministry that allows us to continueto bear witness throughout the District,Mississippi, to our neighbors both near andaround the world of the POWER of We!

– Dr. Embra JacksonStarkville District Superintendent

BISHOPContinued on page 4...

Bishop James Swanson preaching at theNew Room Conference in Franklin, Tenn.(Photo by Jim Genesee)

Bishoppreaches atNew RoomConferenceBy Hugh Griffith

Bishop James Swanson was a oneof the main preachers at the NewRoom Conference, Sept. 21-23, inFranklin, Tenn.

More than 50 Mississippians,including several from theStarkville Disctict, attended thecontinuing education event andenjoyed three days of preaching,teaching, and worship.

The New Room name is inspiredby the first-ever building that theWesleys built to accommodate their

This Sunday, Oct. 9, at 6:30 p.m., theLay Academy for Rural Church Ministrieswill present tools which will help you andyour church plan worship services thatwill inspire and help your congregationgrow through the Season of Advent andChristmas.

During the webinar, we will begin withan overview of the 2016 RevisedCommon Lectionary for Advent andChristmas. Then there will be four pre-

sentations which will provide you andyour congregation with tools to developmeaningful Advent/Christmas worshipservices.

The presentations will be:1. Decorating for Advent & Christmas:the power of color;2. Liturgy and Advent Candles: the power

Advent/Christmas webinar set for Oct. 9

ADVENTContinued on page 5...

By Dr. Rev. Embra JacksonAs most of us are aware, the mission of the United

Methodist Church is "To make DISCIPLES of JesusChrist for the transformation of the world." However,many of us seem to have forgotten to implement this mis-sion in our local church. During this year's charge confer-ence season, we are strongly emphasizing this missionand asking each church in the Starkville District to sharehow their church is making disciples of Jesus Christ. Thisrequest is not a new one, it is in fact, a continuation, of aquestion posed in the 2015 Charge Conference Reports. Iknow that each church in the Starkville District willrespond to this question and share how they "help leadothers to Christ" in concrete ways. I look forward toreading these responses and collaborating with you toassist you in reaching persons for Christ.

A special message from the Superintendent....Disciple Making for Christ

Dr. Embra Jackson,Starkville DistrictSuperintendent

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OCTOBER 7-8• Conference Annual UMW Meeting at Anderson UMCin Jackson OCT. 8 | NOV. 12 | DEC. 3 • The financial leadership training provides counsel andguidance to strengthen the administrative and financialabilities of the local church treasurer, financial secretary,finance committee members and church businessadministrators. OCTOBER 17-18• At Orange Tour you'll discover how to design a strate-gic experience each Sunday, reach families who don'tshow up this Sunday, craft a message that lasts farbeyond Sunday, help small group leaders stay connect-ed to kids after Sunday, and much more. For more infor-mation, check out The Orange Tour at www.heritage-umc.org, or www.orangetour.org.OCTOBER 22• Starkville District Annual UMW Meeting will be held atColumbus First UMC at 9 a.m. • Calling all youth to a Youth Fall Fling on October 22 atSt Stephen UMC at 800 Tuscaloosa Rd (across fromDollar General) in Columbus, from 4-8 p.m., with musicby AWOL. An offering will be taken for the band. Food,drinks, and hay ride will be part of the fun! Youth of allages are invited to come and enjoy good entertainmentand music.NOVEMBER 5• Starkville District UMW Officers’ Training/Update TBANOVEMBER 11-13• The annual Youth Spiritual Life Retreat is set for Nov.11-13 at Camp Lake Stephens. It is a chance for youth ingrades 7-12 to come and encounter God in a beautifulcamp setting. While in the midst of God's creation, youthwill have the opportunity to attend worship sessions ledby gifted speakers and musicians, participate in smallgroups, and play and fellowship with one another.Leading worship sessions for the weekend will be TreySkaggs, along with Eddie Willis and the Narrow PathBand. For more information, contact Chap Fenwick atchap@camplakestephens.com. NOVEMBER 15• Starkville District UMW Officers’ Training/Update TBA

CALENDAR

CHURCH OF THE WEEK

Mathiston UMCABOUT THE PASTOR

NAME: Bunyan E. “Jeep” PepperCHURCH: Mathiston United MethodistCHURCH ADDRESS/TOWN: P.O. Box 194,Mathiston, MS 39752PASTOR'S BIRTHDAY: November 9PASTOR'S HOMETOWN: BellefontaineFAMILY NAMES & CHILDREN'S AGES:

Spouse: DorothyChildren: Rev. Doug Pepper, 58

Rev. Jeff Pepper, 50Jennifer Pepper Ramsey, 41

Grandchildren: Rev. Wesley Pepper, 32Jackson Pepper Ramsey, 7

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE CHURCH YOUR ARE SERVING?

Although small in number, I love their dedication and enthusiasm inserving the Lord and the community.

ABOUT THE CHURCH:NAME OF THE CHURCH: Mathiston UMCADDRESS/TOWN OF THE CHURCH: P.O. Box 194, Mathiston, MS39752HOW MANY YEARS HAS THIS CHURCH BEEN WORSHIPING GOD

TOGETHER IN THIS LOCATION? 80HOW MANY IN REGULAR ATTENDANCE? 12-15WHAT MINISTRIES IS THIS CHURCH KNOWN FOR? This church hasa very active United Methodist Women’s group and they supportmany local and national missions.

Rev. Bunyan E. “Jeep”Pepper

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CONNECTIONSRESIDENT BISHOP:

Dr. James E. Swanson, Sr.bishop@mississippi-umc.org

DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT:Rev. Embra Jackson

ejackson@mississippi-umc.org

ADMINISTRATIVEASSISTANT:

Tammy CarrollStarkville@mississippi-umc.org

COMMUNICATIONSASSISTANT:Gwen Sisson

gwenwoodssisson@yahoo.com

DISTRICT HEALTH COORDINATOR:Carolyn Jackson

andrewandcarolyn@bellsouth.net

LAY ACADEMY DEAN:Rev. Sarah Windhameswindham@bellsouth.net

Find us on TWITTER @StarkvilleUMC

Find the FACEBOOK group at

www.facebook.com/Groups/

StarkvilleDistrictUMC/

The Starkville District goalfor the Africa Universityendowment is to raise

$130,000 over a three-yearperiod. We have receivedpledges of $36,820, with

$25,289.39 collected to date.Pledges from the StarkvilleDistrict will go to create ascholarship in honor of

Rev. Byrd and Sarah Hillman.Churches are encouraged topledge a minimum of $1,200.

Make your pledge TODAY!Contact the District Office for

more information at(662) 323-0198.

UM WOMEN

Clergy Spouses...

Rosia Jackson with some of the clergyspouses at a special clergy spouse retreatheld last weekend. (Photo submitted)

GRANTSContinued on page 5...

Has your church ever wanted to start a new missionproject for your community and didn't have the moneyat the time, so it had to be put on the back burner? Nowis your opportunity to dream again.

Apply now for the 2016 Connectional MinistriesMission Grants. These grants are established to strength-en missions in the local churches of our annual confer-ence as the church reaches out to their communities inefforts to fulfill the purpose of the Mississippi AnnualConference. Grants range from $500 to $2,500 per proj-

Mission Grants Application

Deadline: Oct. 31

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4CHARGE CONFERENCE DATESAPPOINTMENT COUNTY PASTOR DATE TIME CC ELDERAckerman: Mt. Hermon Choctaw Ronald Jefferson 10/24/16 6 PM Jake Adams-WilsonArtesia Lowndes Gene Merkl 10/20/16 6 PM Tony ProctorBrooksville Circuit Noxubee Aubrey Mitchell 11/7/16 6 PM Embra JacksonColumbus Circuit Lowndes Antra Geeter 10/17/16 6 PM Paul LuckettColumbus First Lowndes Raigan Miskelly 11/18/16 6 PM Raigan MiskellyColumbus: Covenant Lowndes Gene Bramlett 10/23/16 In Worship Embra JacksonColumbus: New Hope-Wesley Lowndes Sarah Windham 10/24/16 6 PM Embra JacksonColumbus: St. James Lowndes Paul Luckett 10/16/16 In Worship Embra JacksonColumbus: St. Stephen Lowndes James Black, Jr. 10/25/16 6 PM Curtis BrayEthel/Tabernacle Attala Gene Bright 10/27/16 6 PM Embra JacksonEupora: Bellefontaine Webster Roger Miller TBA 5 PM Kevin YearberEupora: First Webster Ron McDougald, III11/20/16 After Worship Embra Jackson

Eupora: Lebanon Webster Roger Miller TBA 6:30 PM Kevin YearberEupora: Liberty Webster Rochelle Minor 10/18/16 6 PM Embra JacksonKosciusko Circuit Attala Ronald Thomas TBA 6 PM George BuellKosciusko: First Attala Scott Wright 11/6/16 In Worship Scott WrightKosciusko: Wesley Attala Clinton Gipson 11/1/16 6 PM Scott WrightLouisville: First Winston Mike Childs 11/1/16 6 PM Mike ChildsLouisville: Maple Springs-Piney Grove Winston David Malone 10/24/16 6 PM Mike ChildsLouisville: West Winston Mike Dowd 10/17/16 6 PM Mike ChildsLouisville: Whitehall Winston Jonathan Stokes 10/24/16 6 PM Giles LindleyMacedonia Noxubee Ray Luke 10/10/16 5 PM Tony ProctorMacon: Cooksville Noxubee Glenn Miller 10/10/16 6 PM Kyle IvyMacon: First Noxubee Andy Pearson 11/6/16 After Worship Andy PearsonMacon: St. Paul Noxubee Demetric Darden 10/10/16 6 PM Hugh GriffithMathiston-Mt. Moriah Webster Jeep Pepper 10/24/16 6 PM Scott WrightNanih Waiya Winston Becky Smith 10/24/16 6 PM Stacy ParvinNewBellZion Oktibebeha Eddie Hinton 10/18/16 6 PM Jake Adams-WilsonNoxapater-Mt. Pisgah Winston Jeff Walton TBA 6 PM Hugh GriffithNoxubee Circuit Noxubee Rickey Lawson TBA 6 PM Embra JacksonProvidence: Palestine Clay Cary Sutphin TBA 6 PM Jeff ShannonShaeffer's Chapel Lowndes Curtis Bray 11/9/16 6 PM Curtis BrayShuqualak Noxubee Ray Luke 10/13/16 6:30 PM Tony ProctorShuqualak: Asbury Noxubee Ronald Anthony 10/19/16 7 PM Embra JacksonStarkville First Oktibebeha Giles Lindley 10/19/16 6 PM Giles LindleyStarkville: Aldersgate Oktibebeha Jamie Bailey 10/12/16 6 PM Jamie BaileyStarkville: Griffin Oktibebeha Ozell Landfair 10/17/16 6 PM Embra Jackson*New Light Oktibebeha Ross Crawford 10/17/16 6 PM Embra JacksonStarkville: Lindsey Chapel-Plair Oktibebeha Jimmy Forrest 10/18/16 6 PM Embra JacksonStarkville: New Zion Oktibebeha Tyronne Stallings 10/19/16 6 PM Jamie BaileySturgis-Big Creek Oktibebeha Zack Cox 10/10/16 6 PM George BuellTibee: Jones Chapel Clay Robert Scott 10/27/16 6 PM Darian DuckworthWebster Circuit Webster Nelson Forrest 10/24/16 6 PM Ozell LandfairWest Point: Christ Clay Jeff Shannon 10/25/16 6 PM Embra JacksonWest Point: First Clay Darian Duckworth 10/20/16 6 PM Embra JacksonWest Point: St. Paul Clay Levell Yarbrough 10/17/16 6 PM Raigan Miskelly

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We need photos ofyour church events!The Starkville Districtwould like to featureevents from every churchin each newsletter. Pleasesend us your events andannouncements to gwenwoodssisson@yahoo.com. Thanks so much!

NEWSLETTER DEADLINESARE NOON EACH TUESDAY!

Consider sending groupphotos from your church

conference!

• IMAGINE NO MALARIA --The Mississippi Conference of theUnited Methodist Church isfocusing on Imagine No Malaria(INM), a mission to raise aware-ness and money to stop this pre-ventable and treatable disease.Bishop Swanson has set a goal forour conference to provide 100,000mosquito nets by AnnualConference next June.

For more information orresources, go to www.imagineno-malaria.org.

• IMAGINE NO MALARIACHALLENGE VIDEO --See the challenge videos on thefacebook group page or use thedropbox link for iPhone or iPad,you will need to use this link on aMac or PC to download files:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ltppq;fd135qbfu/AAD19wJhF4jFay6ZmkShDWUra/INM?dl+0.

emergent movement. New Roomhas emerged as a place whereChristians sharing a commonWesleyan-Arminian theologicalperspective can find fellowshipand a valuable resourcing plat-form.

The goal of New Room is to bea community where individualscan remain true to their own tra-ditions—Nazarene, FreeMethodist, Wesleyan, UnitedMethodist, Salvation Army,Pentecostal, nondenominational,etc. while at the same time join-

ing with passionate believerswho share their hope for revivaland renewal.

The New Room Conference isan effort to gather pastors andleaders under one roof to con-vene conversations, curate con-tent, call to prayer, and inspire anew generation of men andwomen who long to be a part of agreat awakening of the historicWesleyan revival.

On Thursday of the New RoomConference, Bishop Swansongathered with the large contin-gent of Mississippi UnitedMethodists attending the confer-

ence for fellowship and conver-sation over the noon meal.

Earlier that morning, ourBishop was welcomed to thestage with a standing ovationbefore his time of preaching, andfollowing his sermon, the crowdof 1,500 once again showed theirappreciation of his leadershipwith another round of enthusias-tic applause.

The dates have been announcedfor the next New RoomConference: Sept. 20-22, 2017.

For more information, visitwww.newroom.seedbed.com.

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ADVENTContinued from page 1...

GRANTSContinued from page 3...

of words;3. Hymns and Christmas Carols: the power of singing;4. Hanging of the Greens: the power of the Hanging of the Greens Service.

Who is invited to join?Pastors, musicians, worship leaders, worship committee, and members of your

congregation interested in learning more about and planning Advent andChristmas worship.

Why a webinar and how will it work?The webinar format cuts cost and time of travel. We feel it is important for

your worship team to take more time planning than driving. The webinar is thebeginning of your church's planning worship for Advent and Christmas and ahelp to your sermon preparation.

To join the webinar you will need a computer, web access, web cam, andphone (preferably a speaker phone if you have a group). The presentations areinteractive. There will be time for questions and answers.

Information on how to access the webinar will be sent after you register for thewebinar.

To register or for more information, contact Rev. Dr. Carl K. Ellis,cellis@larcm.org or call (785) 445-2595.

ect, with one award of up to $10,000. Recipients of the grants andtheir projects are highlighted in our Circuit Riders the followingyear.

Friendly reminder: These grants are for mission and ministry;they are not for bricks and mortar. These grants are available to anyMississippi United Methodist Church. Mission agencies/organiza-tions must have a partner church in order to apply. Please reviewthe grant guidelines carefully. Only one application per church.

Grants are awarded to a project that forms spiritual leaders, devel-op new places for new people, renew existing congregations, orengage in ministry with the poor; therefore, living out the four CoreValues of The POWER of We: love, generosity, justice and appren-ticeship.

Applications are accepted from September 14 through October31, 2016 and must be delivered in person or by mail to: the Officeof Connectional Ministries / Attn: Mission Grants / 320 - CBriarwood Dr. / Jackson, MS 39206. To ensure receipt, it is recom-mended to send certified mail with return receipt, remember to keepa copy of the application for your files. Do not fax or email applica-tions.

Is worship a noun or is it a verb? Is worship something you go to, or is itsomething you live? This year’s theme for Laity Sunday, “Disciples Calledto Action: Living Vital Worship,” calls us to see worship not as passivespectators, but as active participants. Indeed, worship is something that welive! These scripture references for Laity Sunday unfold worship in severaldifferent ways:• Worship as Love: Matthew 22:37-39 (The Great Commandment—to putlove of God and neighbor above all else)• Worship as Discipline: Matthew 16:24 (The Great Commitment—toembody God’s love individually)• Worship as Justice: Micah 6:8 (The Great Requirement—to live God’slove through our actions)• Worship as Evangelism: Matthew 28:19-20 (The Great Commission—togo and take God’s love into the world)

When we look at worship from this perspective, we see that worship justbreathes life and vitality! As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to beengaged in worship through the love of God and neighbor, through person-al spiritual disciplines, through acts of justice, and by going and takingGod’s love into the world. Worship really is transformational discipleship,and the Wesleyan Movement was a vivid example of worship as a verb—living…vital.

Living, vital worship happens when the church acts as a truechurch…laity and clergy living out the Great Commandment, the GreatCommitment, the Great Requirement, and the Great Commission together.Living vital worship is how we make disciples of Jesus Christ. It is howour world will be transformed!

Living, vital worship is active. In The United Methodist Church, laitytake seriously their call to live worship through ministry as lay leaders, layservants, lay ministers, missionaries, deaconesses, home missioners, classleaders, liturgists, lay speakers, congregational care ministers, youth direc-tors, Christian educators, United Methodist Women, United MethodistMen, and in many roles.

On Laity Sunday, we celebrate that true worship can only happen whenwe live it — clergy and laity — together. For without the vital ministry ofthe laity, we would not be The United Methodist Church. We ARE disci-ples called to action, living vital worship!

Is WORSHIP a noun or a verb?Laity Sunday is set for October 16