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THE STARKVILLE DISTRICT NEWSLETTER

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

Tuesday I November 22, 2016

P . O . B o x 1 3 2 9 , S t a r k v i l l e , M i s s i s s i p p i 3 9 7 6 0 • ( 6 6 2 ) 3 2 3 - 0 1 9 8 • ( 6 6 2 ) 3 2 3 - 0 0 8 6 ( f a x )

CONFERENCE MISSION SHARESWe are so excited to announce that the followingchurches have made significant contributions to thework of the Mississippi Conference and the UnitedMethodist Church around the world through theirMission Fair Shares offerings through Oct. 31, 2016.

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! 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!Please remember, churches have untilDecember 31, 2016 to finish paying theirmission shares.

– Dr. Embra JacksonStarkville District Superintendent

By Gwen Sisson

Since he is new to theStarkville District, Bro. ZacCox said his first goal asDistrict Youth Coordinatoris to get to know our pas-tors and youth pastors.

“I am very excited to bepart of the district in thisway,” Cox said. “I beganmy ministry with the youth.I am extremely honored tohave been asked.”

Starkville District

Superintendent Rev. Dr.Embra Jackson said Coxbrings youth, enthusiasmand energy to the positionof volunteer district youthcoordinator.

“Zac also brings experi-ence as a local churchyouth coordinator,” Jacksonsaid. “Zac has discussedplans to reorganize the dis-trict youth so that the youthin the local churches will

Bro. Zac Cox

Cox named Starkville District Youth Coordinator

YOUTHContinued on page 4...

By Gwen Sisson

Thanksgiving is a time for families tocome together, to eat and show grati-tude for another year of living andbeing together.

But for many international studentsin a college town, the holiday can belonely.

The International ThanksgivingDinner in Starkville began in the 70s inthe home of Armando and Ruth de laCruz. The couple moved to the UnitedStates from the Philippines and knowsfirst hand how it feels to celebrate holi-days and special occasions a long way

Members of Starkville FUMC vol-unteer to serve each year as partof the International ThanksgivingDinner held at noon onThanksgiving Day in the ChristianLife Center.

Giving internationals a sense of familyand belonging on a very American holiday

THANKSGIVINGContinued on page 4...

100% PAID• Pleasant Hill(Louisville)• Artesia• Bellefontaine• Bethel• Bevil Hill• Columbus: St. James• Columbus: St.Stephens• Cooksville• Dumas Chapel• Ethel• Flint Hill• LaGrange• Longview• Louisville: Hopewell• Macedonia• Macon: St. Paul• Mathiston• McAdams• Military• Mt. Hermon• Mt. Lebanon• Mt. Salem (Weir Cir.)• Piney Grove • Plair• Rockport• Rocky Hill• S. Union

• Salem (Sallis)• Salem (Weir-Salem)• Shuqualak• St. Peter• St. Stephen (WebsterCir.)• Sturgis• Sturgis: Boyd Chapel• Tabernacle• Weir• Wright's Chapel

ON TARGET 83.33%+by 10/31/16• Drake Hill• Crawford• Caledonia• Siloam• Columbus: Shaeffer'sChapel• Eupora: First• Eupora: Liberty• Kosciusko: Wesley• Middleton• Mt. Pisgah• New Hope (Macon)• Jones Chapel• New Zion• West Point: First• Big Creek


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NOVEMBER 20• St. James UMC in Columbus will host theirannual Women’s Day Program at 3 p.m. Nov. 20.The guest speaker will be Rose Coffey Graham ofPleasant Hill UMC in Starkville.NOVEMBER 23-25 • District & Conference Offices closed in obser-vance of ThanksgivingDECEMBER 3 • The financial leadership training provides coun-sel and guidance to strengthen the administrativeand financial abilities of the local church treasurer,financial secretary, finance committee membersand church business administrators. DECEMBER 5 • Starkville District UMC Christmas Party at 6p.m. at the Christian Life Center at First UnitedMethodist Church of Starkville. DECEMBER 23, 2016-JANUARY 2, 2017 • District & Conference Offices closed in obser-vance of Christmas & New Year’s DayJANUARY 13-14, 2017 • Pastor’s Retreat at the Jubilee Center inD’Iberville.JANUARY 14-16, 2017 • CAMP LAKE STEPHENS OVERFLOW –Traditionally taking place over New Year's,Overflow has become a Camp Lake Stephensconstant for now over 30 years! Now for the firsttime, Overflow will take place during the MartinLuther King., Jr. weekend. Youth in grades 7-12,either individually or with their youth groups, areinvited to attend. Leading our worship sessions forthe weekend will be Russ Polsgrove, along withMatt King and Austin Black. Additionally, we areexcited to announce the return of Big Al to theCamp Lake Stephens stage. For additional infor-mation, please contact Chap Fenwick [email protected] 14, 2017 • Convocation on the Black Church in theMeridian DistrictFEBRUARY 4, 2017 • Convocation on the Black Church in theGreenwood DistrictFEBRUARY 24-26, 2017• THE GATHERING IMAGINE TOUR 2017–Thevision behind The Gathering is to create a highenergy weekend conference for students to gatherfrom all over Mississippi to celebrate the Lord andSavior. Organizers are committed to create aweekend event that is first-class quality with thebest worship teams and communicators.

CALENDAR

CHURCH OF THE WEEK

First UnityUMC

ABOUT THE PASTORNAME: Lyndon GeeterCHURCH: First Unity UMC in WeirCHURCH ADDRESS/TOWN: 68Coleman Road, Weir, MS 39772 orP.O. Box 221, Weir, MS 39772PASTOR'S BIRTHDAY: November 4PASTOR'S HOMETOWN: Macon, MSSPOUSE:Thelma Brooks GeeterCHILDREN: Daniel, Alana, Crystal,Deidra and AmandaWHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE CHURCH YOU ARE SERVING?

I love how our church is continually growing. We have a constantstream of young people giving their lives to Christ! It gives me somuch joy to witness the love they have for the Lord and their com-munity.

ABOUT THE CHURCH:NAME OF THE CHURCH: First Unity UMCADDRESS/TOWN OF THE CHURCH: 68 Coleman Road, Weir, MS39772 or P.O. Box 221, Weir, MS 39772HOW MANY YEARS HAS THIS CHURCH BEEN WORSHIPING GOD

TOGETHER? First Unity was formed in 2006 and is the result of amerger of three churches. Before the merger, the previous church-es had been in existence for over 100 years. HOW MANY IN REGULAR ATTENDANCE? We have great attendanceat First Unity. On any given Sunday, we have between 100-125members and visitors.WHAT MINISTRIES IS THIS CHURCH KNOWN FOR? First Unity isknown for being a family-oriented church filled with love, generosi-ty and kindness. Our most outstanding ministries are:Thanksgiving at the Jailhouse Ministry, food pantry, clothes closet,United Methodist Women Monthly Potluck, The Health EducationCenter (HEC) exercise program, after-school tutoring and our out-standing music ministry.

Rev. Lyndon Geeter


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CONNECTIONSRESIDENT BISHOP:

Dr. James E. Swanson, [email protected]

DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT:Rev. Embra Jackson

[email protected]

ADMINISTRATIVEASSISTANT:

Tammy [email protected]

COMMUNICATIONSASSISTANT:Gwen Sisson

[email protected]

DISTRICT HEALTH COORDINATOR:Carolyn Jackson

[email protected]

LAY ACADEMY DEAN:Rev. Sarah [email protected]

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.

YOUTHContinued from page 1...

UM WOMEN ANNUAL MEETING

Special recognition certificates given at the recent United Methodist Women’sAnnual Meeting. (Photos submitted)

become more involved in local church, districtand annual conference ministries, including wor-ship services, mission projects, etc.”

Cox said he hopes to see every church andyouth ministry have successful growth, not justin numbers but ministry outreach.

“It's so important to teach the youth aboutspreading and working the Gospel,” Cox said.“Spreading His word is so important and can betaught and used in so many ways. I wish to reallyget to know everyone and set plans for us toreach this goal. I pray each has the mindset togrow and spread the gospel. Our youth are soimportant. With all the evils in this world wemust reach then first. Church isn't just for Sundaywe must teach the youth to have church every-day. Everyone talks about change...we only willreach it if WE become the change.”

Cox currently serves as the pastor for BigCreek UMC in Sturgis.

The Lewis Center for Church Leadership andWesley Theological Seminary have gathered freeresources to help pastors better understand and man-age their personal finances. The resources are avail-able at https://www.churchleadership.com /clergyfi-nances. Managing personal finances is especiallyimportant for clergy who are expected to teach andmodel faithful stewardship within their congrega-tions. Maintaining healthy personal finances is both apersonal and a pastoral responsibility. The freeresources offered can help clergy better meet theseresponsibilities. Topics include: why clergy personalfinances matter, personal finances and budgeting,debt, compensation and taxes, insurance, investingand estate planning.

Resources available for pastors


4CHARGE CONFERENCE DATESAPPOINTMENT COUNTY PASTOR DATE TIME CC ELDERColumbus First Lowndes Raigan Miskelly 11/18/16 6 PM Raigan MiskellyColumbus: St. Stephens Lowndes James Black 11/19/16 6 PM Curtis BrayEupora: First Webster Ron McDougald, III11/20/16 After Worship Embra Jackson

Starkville: First Oktibbeha Giles Lindley 11/20/16 2 PM Giles Lindley

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We need photos ofyour church events!The Starkville Districtwould like to featureevents from every churchin each newsletter. Pleasesend us your events andannouncements to [email protected]. 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 MALARIA

CHALLENGE 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.

from home. Armando de la Cruzis a retired professor of biologyat Mississippi State University.Back in the early days, the spe-cial Thanksgiving Dinner washeld in their home, with only afew students from thePhilippines as guests. And in afew years, other Asian studentsfrom India, Japan, Pakistan, andTaiwan started coming to thedinner. More students fromGreece, Bangladesh, Nepal, andThailand attended in succeedingyears and soon, the de la Cruzfamily was having 15-20 guestsfor Thanksgiving.

They moved the dinner to theirchurch, First United Methodist ofStarkville, (first at theFellowship Hall and later inChristian Life Center) in 1984and requested FUMC to co-spon-sor the dinner with WorldNeighbors Association. Thisevent has been held every yearon Thanksgiving Day with aver-age attendance of 250 guests rep-resenting 25-30 countries.

“We find joy and satisfactionin hosting students during holi-days, not necessarily to feedthem but to give them a sense ofbelonging to a group like a fami-ly,” Armando de la Cruz said.“Holidays, like Thanksgiving,are lonely times especially whenalone in a foreign land.”

“I am always happy to sharewith families and friends, theatmosphere and spirit ofThanksgiving Day - it is a timefor togetherness, a time to forgethomesickness, and a time toshare holiday traditions, suc asfood, practices and stories of dif-ferent cultures and nationalities,”said Ruth de la Cruz.

Armando de la Cruz said avery important outcome of host-ing international students duringThanksgiving and other holidaysis being able to share with themAmerican ways and traditions ofcelebrating the uniqueThanksgiving Day holiday.

“We also want to leave thempleasant and lasting memories of

their experiences in the U.S.,”Ruth de la Cruz said. “Memoriesare important components offriendships, even those tempo-rary relationships.”

The de la Cruz’s said the din-ner serves two purposes – socialand educational. On the socialside, they said it is important forstudents remaining in town to betogether and have a meal, espe-cially in those early years whendorms and cafeterias on theMississippi State Universitycampus, and most restaurants intown, were closed onThanksgiving Day and other hol-idays. On the educational side,the de la Cruz’s said it was aspecial time to share one of themost important family holidaysin America with internationalstudents.

These days, over 250 interna-tional students attend the specialmeal at noon on ThanksgivingDay at Starkville FUMC. Themeal is held in the church’sChristian Life Center with manychurch members serving as vol-unteers at the meal and preparingdesserts and fruit for thecrowd.The meal is complete withturkey as the centerpiece and atleast three vegetable casseroles,pecan and sweet potato pie, andiced tea. At least one dish hasrice in it, such as rice a nd broc-coli casserole. And all vegetablesare of vegetarian preparationonly, because, according to de laCruz, many internationals arevegetarian.

Armando de la Cruz said theThanksgiving Dinner event typi-cally features a cultural programfor a little “after lunch entertain-ment” that always includes abrief history of ThanksgivingDay. They have had varioustypes of presentations, includingslide shows, skits, speakers, sto-ries, a patriotic musical number,as well as songs/music/dancesprovided by children of interna-tional families. Some years, theyhave also had tours of the churchsanctuary when students haveexpressed an interest.

Ruth and Armando de la Cruz

said they know at least two cou-ples who first met at theThanksgiving Dinner and latermarried (a Filipino wife andAmerican husband; a Filipinowife and an Indian husband), andnow celebrate their ownThanksgiving Dinner.

“We have a few Thanksgivingalumni who still communicate byemail or postcards duringThanksgiving to ask about theDinner and send their best wish-es,” Armando de la Cruz said.“Many non-Christian studentsadmitted that it is their first timeto have seen or entered aChristian church. One Indian stu-dent said he used to be afraidwhen Christian Missionariescame to his village.”

Armando de la Cruz said hefeels this event is important toStarkville FUMC because “it ispart of our global ministry righthere in Starkville.”

“It is part of our service to themulti-culture nature of our com-munity that highlights the diver-sity of our society,” Armando dela Cruz said.

“Our church has always triedto be welcoming to the wholeMSU community,” said Rev. Dr.Giles Lindley, pastor atStarkville FUMC. “Thanksgivingis a time when many studentshave gone home, but the interna-tional students are still aroundcampus. It provides a greatopportunity for hospitality andfellowship.”

Other programs at StarkvilleFUMC to reach out to the inter-national community includes: co-sponsorship of, and participationin, the annual InternationalFiesta held on campus; participa-tion in the International Villageheld in conjunction with theCotton District Arts Festival; andsponsorship of the farewell din-ner given to the foreign Fulbrightscholars during culmination oftheir orientation at MSU.

For more information aboutthe International StudentMinistries at Starkville FUMC,give them a call at (662) 323-5722.

THANKSGIVINGContinued from page 1...


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