The Circuit Rider

Out to Sea

I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly. – John 10

In connection with you all, I am finding wearing a pedometer to be a powerful spiritual practice.  As I put it on my belt, I give thanks for the gift of life in the moment and for the capacity to move, to exert energy, to cooperate with God’s graceful gift of life.

I told myself, “Do not forget to take off the pedometer before going into the water.”  Hot after a walk, I jumped in.  Pedometers do not do well in salt water.  And they disappear in ocean waves.

It seems that this happens every summer since I put on the pedometer in 2006 with you all.

Perhaps it happens annually to remind me of God’s grace that overcomes our weakness, our forgetfulness, our inadequacies.

A new pedometer is on the way from Amazing Pace.  Summer is a good time to add steps!  May our life together in wellness ministries go from strength to strength as we are faithful stewards of these bodies that are ours for a season in this life, God’s good gift.

With gratitude for the gift of life,

Hope Morgan Ward

Sufficiency

“Whenever two or more are gathered, something is born in the soil of our having joined in one another’s open-hearted company.”

I like Wayne Muller’s paraphrase of Jesus’ words.  Whenever we gather, Jesus is in our midst.  And where Jesus is, there is always sufficiency.

Compassion and generosity are born from the sufficiency God gives us for all days, all circumstances.  There is enough – enough wisdom, enough love, enough grace – for us.  We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

I am reading again Wayne Muller’s “A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough” – a book commended to you all some time ago.  Building on the themes of his book “Sabbath”, he urges deep trust in God that transforms our compulsive perfectionism and frantic effort into strong and gentle connection and fruitfulness in our Christian witness.

Wayne Muller is deeply committed to Mississippi, having led groups here many times, particularly since Hurricane Katrina.  He has graciously agreed to lead the annual September spiritual life retreat of the extended cabinet.

I will draw from his work as we gather for district days this fall.  I hope you will read – and re-read – “A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough” – and rejoice in the sufficiency that is ours through the overflowing grace of God.

With gratitude for your partnership in ministry,

Hope Morgan Ward

Gratitude and Transitions

Over 100 of our churches and clergy families are in transition, saying goodbye and then hello, ending and beginning.

As these transitions unfold, I give thanks for the constancy of work of Donna White in the Episcopal Office.  Donna’s joyful and careful work undergirds the ministry and the ministers, the churches and the laity of our Annual Conference.  As you contact the Episcopal Office, Donna responds efficiently and effectively, always embodying the fruits of the spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22).  She works each year tirelessly in the planning and flow of Annual Conference.  She is a gift to us.

Rev. Tim Thompson comes this month to take up a new mantle of ministry after his faithful service as Superintendent of the Meridian District.  Tim will be Assistant to the Bishop for Vital Congregations, with particular gifts for carrying forward the honored tradition of this office while leading us in the future with the entire family of United Methodist people.  Tim has been gifted by the Holy Spirit.  He is a strong pastor, teacher, and administrator.  He will help us continue to move forward in new technologies of communication.

The Discipline states clearly:  The purpose of the Annual Conference is to strengthen local churches by providing a connection for ministry, all to the glory of God.  Tim’s work will focus on helping local churches develop the five indicators of vitality:  increasing worship attendance, professions of faith, small groups, people engaged in mission, and extravagant generosity.

In the 2011-2012 Conference year, I look forward to working with Tim and Donna as we seek to lead our conference forward in vitality and fruitfulness, both gifts of the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

With gratitude for your ministries and prayers for this time in our shared life,

Hope Morgan Ward

Go, Therefore. . .

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations. . . – Matthew 28:19

The Holy Spirit is breathed anew from God in these days after Pentecost.

At Annual Conference last weekend, Jorge Acevedo, John Edgar, The All People Band, and Dr. Dana Robert echoed the glorious Methodist heart of evangelism and mission.  Each witness was unique and authentic, and each message built in a marvelous way on the one before.

Go into the world.  Extend the grace of Jesus Christ to all people.  Breathe in God’s nourishment and breathe out God’s mercy and love to others.

We celebrated the ministries we support together through our Mission Shares:  camps, colleges, campus ministry, youth ministry, community centers, new churches.  We embraced a conference budget for ministry in 2012.  We engaged in debate on 30 resolutions.  We set apart a stage full of persons for licensed, commissioned and ordained ministry.

The appointed text for this next Sunday is the mission statement of the United Methodist Church.  We yearn to be faithful to the final words of Jesus in Matthew:  “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.  And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Triune God is with us as we move into this new conference year.  Arise, shine, go!

Hope Morgan Ward

By Chris Blount & Paige Swaim-Presley

Because of the 2012 General Conference, this year’s Mississippi Annual Conference agenda is stacked with resolutions to petition the General Church on matters ranging from doctrine to affiliation and interaction with other institutions.  A brief recap of the resolutions and the voting results are posted on the Circuit Rider blog. Link here for results…

Resolution #1 (Prayer) asks that we continue our noon daily prayer time for The United Methodist Church in Mississippi and beyond; that we ask God’s help as we face Annual Conference with faith, hope, and love; and to give power to live the life of CHRIST in the world.  The committee on resolutions recommends concurrency with this resolution. ACTION:  Passed.

Resolution #2 (Claremont School of Theology) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to sever all ties with Claremont School of Theology due to its establishment of a clerical education program for non-Christian religions.  The committee recommended non-concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #3 (Episcopal Terms of Office) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to establish eight-year terms for bishops.  The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed with the deletion of all “Whereas” statements.

Resolution #4 (Clergy Pension) The Conference Board of Pension and Conference Benefit Officer asks that the Conference present to the 2012 General Conference a defined contribution pension plan that achieves accountability and sustainability based upon the following principles:

• Plan compensation be determined without a floor or ceiling.
• A defined percentage of plan compensation to be set aside in a range of 4 – 7 percentage points as determined by each annual conference on a yearly basis.
• A one to one matching contribution of 3 – 5 percent as determined by annual conference action.
• Items b and c above would allow conference contributions ranging from a minimum of 4 percent to a maximum of 12 percent based upon actions of the local Annual Conference.
• Vesting requirements for the base contribution defined in b above over a 5-year period with the percentage increasing equally at the end of each year of service in ministry.
• All clergy appointed to the local church, district, or Annual Conference may participate.
• All clergy serving appointments beyond the local Conference (i.e., in the jurisdiction, general church, and Episcopal leadership) shall participate in this defined contribution plan with the agency serving as the plan sponsor.

The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Received

Resolution #5 (Limited Tenure of Bishops) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to limit terms of bishops to no more than two quadrennial terms (eight years.)  The committee on resolutions recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #6 (Sundays) reminds us of the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy and asks that Annual Conference only conduct worship, and no business, on the Sunday of the conference.  The committee recommends non-concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Failed

Resolution #7 (Mandate a Campus Ministry Coordinator) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to add a requirement in the Book of Discipline, “Every local United Methodist Church shall have a Campus Ministry Coordinator to minister to college students, who shall have membership on the Church Board / Council, and list the coordinator’s mandated primary responsibilities.   This resolution has been combined with resolutions #18, #19 and #29 due to similarity.  The committee recommended non-concurrence with these resolutions, since campus ministry is already being effectively coordinated at the conference level. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #8 (Present Language of the Discipline Regarding Homosexual Practice) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to uphold the current language regarding homosexual practice and ordination of practicing homosexuals, that such are ‘incompatible with Christian teaching’.   Due to similarity in content, this resolution has been combined with resolution #16, and the committee recommended concurrence. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #9 (Delete Support for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice: from The Book of Resolutions 2008) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to end financial support and withdraw from this coalition.   The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #10 (Withdraw The United Methodist Church from the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice) asks the Conference to petition the General Board of Church and Society and the General Board of Global Ministries/Women’s Division to withdraw immediately from the membership in the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC).  The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #11 (Amending Paragraph 161J on Abortion) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to amend Paragraph 161J of The Book of Discipline by deleting the fifth sentence “We recognize tragic conflicts of life with life that may justify abortion, and in such cases we support the legal option of abortion under proper medical procedures.”  This resolution was recommended for concurrence, with the addition of an amendment allowing for exceptions made in conversation with medical professionals “when life conflicts with life.” ACTION: Passed

Resolution #12 (Dis-Affiliation of Claremont School of Theology) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to sever all ties with Claremont School of Theology due to its establishment of a clerical education program for non-Christian religions.  The committee recommended non-concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #13 (Amending Paragraph 120 Mission Statement Discipline) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to amend ¶120 in the 2008 Book of Discipline by adding the following phrase in the first sentence, “for the salvation of souls and.”  The amended ¶120 would read: “The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls and for the transformation of the world. Local churches provide the most significant arena through which disciple-making occurs.”  The committee voted concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #14 (Criteria for Affiliation with the United Methodist Church) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to AMEND ¶1415.1 by ADDING the following sentence after the first sentence: No institution that provides officially recognized training for ministry in a non-Christian religion shall be listed as affiliated with The United Methodist Church.  The committee recommended non-concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #15 (Claremont School of Theology) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to sever all ties with Claremont School of Theology due to its establishment of a clerical education program for non Christian religions.  The committee recommended non-concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #16 (Present Language of the Discipline Regarding Homosexual Practice) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to uphold the current language regarding homosexual practice and ordination of practicing homosexuals, that such are ‘incompatible with Christian teaching.’  This resolution has been combined with resolution #8, and the committee recommended concurrence. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #17 (Anesthesia Prior to Abortion Discipline ¶161J) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to amend the 2008 Book of Discipline, ¶161J by adding the phrase at the end of the fourth paragraph: ‘for themselves and for their developing unborn children when the developing unborn child may be sufficiently developed to feel pain.’  So that the amended ¶161J would read in relevant part: We oppose the use of late-term abortion known as dilation and extraction (partial-birth abortion) and call for the end of this practice except when the physical life of the mother is in danger and no other medical procedure is available, or in the case of severe fetal anomalies incompatible with life. Before providing their services, abortion providers should be required to offer women the option of anesthesia [delete period] for themselves and for their developing unborn children when the developing unborn child may be sufficiently developed to feel pain.  The committee has recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #18 (Mandate a Campus Ministry Coordinator) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to add a requirement in the Book of Discipline, “Every local United Methodist Church shall have a Campus Ministry Coordinator to minister to college students, who shall have membership on the Church Board / Council, and list the coordinator’s mandated primary responsibilities.  This resolution has been combined with resolutions #7, #19 and# 29 .  The committee recommended non-concurrence. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #19 (Mandate a Campus Ministry Coordinator) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to add a requirement in the Book of Discipline, “Every local United Methodist Church shall have a Campus Ministry Coordinator to minister to college students, who shall have membership on the Church Board / Council, and list the coordinator’s mandated primary responsibilities.  This resolution has been combined with resolutions #7, #18 and # 29.  The committee did not recommended non-concurrence. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #20 (Nomination of Members to Serve on the Commission on the General Conference – Paragraph 511.1b of the Book of Discipline) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to amend paragraph 511.1b by adding the following sentence after the first sentence: Additional persons who meet the qualifications may be nominated from the floor of General Conference. So that paragraph 511.1b would read: b) Members shall be nominated from the elected delegates to the General Conference by the Council of Bishops at its fall meeting preceding General Conference and elected by the General Conference for a term of eight years. Additional persons who meet the qualifications may be nominated from the floor of General Conference. The commission shall be equally divided between clergy and lay membership to the extent possible with considerations of membership qualifications specified in paragraph 710. Approximately half of the commission shall be elected by the General Conference each quadrennium.  The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #21 (the use of the N-word), points out that the deeply offensive term is still used today by some segments of society, and asks that the Conference oppose the use of this word in any context.  Furthermore, the resolvers ask that the resolution be read aloud at the first Cabinet/leadership team/staff meeting following Annual Conference, and presented to the news media.  The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed as amended

Resolution #22 (immigration reform) recognizes that the immigration situation in the U.S. is deeply complex, and asks that the Conference call for comprehensive national reform.  The resolution calls for a better mechanism for the annual entry of a “reasonable number” of immigrants, and national policy that is “considerate” to immigrants without legal status who are already here in the U.S.   Emphasized in the resolution are the human dignity and sanctity of these persons and their families, and it asks that our own state legislature avoid enacting laws that dehumanize our immigrant neighbors or deny them access to health care, educational opportunities, or public safety.  The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #23 (bringing our troops home from Afghanistan) calls for a re-deployment of our men and women in uniform in Afghanistan, rather than to prosecute the war in an open-ended manner. The resolution calls national leaders to use creativity and influence in gathering the international community to stabilize the government in Afghanistan, and it asks our churches to seek out and practice active hospitality and advocacy for returning troops, to work for their well-being in areas of quality medical care, mental health care, job placement, and family counseling.   Finally, the resolution asks that our churches seek out and minister to families who have lost a loved one in this war.  The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution, but wished to clarify that it does not imply a lack of support for our troops. ACTION: Failed

Resolution #24 (Implementation of General Church Commission on Religion and Race) asks the Conference to fully implement the 11 recommendations adopted by the 2004 Annual Conference, and that the Mississippi Conference Commission on Religion and Race (CORR) monitor the implementation.  The committee recommended concurrence. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #25 (request for reassessment of and change in funding plan of conference-related institutions and agencies – revised) asks the Council on Finance and Administration over the next year to develop a funding plan to return mission share support for camping institutions (Camp Lake Stephens, Wesley Pines Camping and Retreat Center, Seashore Assembly, and Gulfside Assembly) to a minimum of 2010 levels beginning with the 2013 conference budget, and that CF&A complete a formal assessment of the impact of funding reductions on the affected agencies.  The resolution also states, that considering constraints that funding reductions have had on the camps, the Annual Conference should strongly recommend their use for meetings and events of conference groups.  The resolution further states that the affected institutions should be fully supported by the conference in fund-raising efforts and campaigns, through the conference’s administrative resources, including contact information of church leaders in the conference database and continued access to the conference’s communications tools.  The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution with an amendment. ACTION: Passed as amended

Resolution #26 (Cross-Racial and Cross-Cultural appointments: Training) asks that the Conference more thoroughly implement the training resource referenced in the 2008 General Conference legislation.  Specifically, the resolution asks that the training resource info be made available on the Conference website and mailed to every PPRC/PPSRC chairperson.  The committee recommended concurrence. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #27 (On “A Catholic Spirit” in Resolutions) This resolution criticizes the Conference for past resolutions having “frequently failed to reflect a spirit of ‘charity’ toward fellow Christian believers with whom the writers of the resolutions disagree.”  It asks that future resolutions presented for consideration reflect a spirit of generous Christian love and respect for those who may disagree.  The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #28 (Resolution of First United Methodist Church of Lucedale) asks that Conference and District apportionments not be allocated to the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS), on the basis that “some positions advanced by the GBCS are inconsistent with the traditional teachings of God’s Word, the Bible, and with the Christian beliefs and values held by our Congregation.”  The committee, after consultation on the legality of this resolution, has recommended non-concurrence. ACTION: Failed

Resolution #29 (Mandate a Campus Ministry Coordinator) asks the Conference to petition the General Conference to add a requirement in the Book of Discipline, “Every local United Methodist Church shall have a Campus Ministry Coordinator to minister to college students, who shall have membership on the Church Board / Council, and list the coordinator’s mandated primary responsibilities.   This resolution has been combined with resolutions #7, #18, and #19 due to similarity.  The committee recommended non-concurrence with these resolutions, since campus ministry is already being effectively coordinated at the conference level. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #30 (Recording, printing and communicating each General Conference vote) asks that the Mississippi Annual Conference petition the 2012 General Conference to provide the record (for-against-abstain) in the heading of each passed resolution in the Book of Resolutions, beginning in 2012.  The committee recommended concurrence with this resolution. ACTION: Passed

Resolution #31 (Recording and reporting of Clergy and Lay Delegate Vote) asks that the voting record and identify of each voting delegate to General Conference be published and made available to members of all conferences, beginning in 2016.  The committee on resolutions recommended concurrence with this resolution.  ACTION: Failed, in conflict with Judicial decision 592

Joy to the World!

You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence. – Acts 2

Methodist people gather annually for a time of worship, community and decision-making. As we gather for annual conference, we live again our distinctive polity, our distinctive organizing principles.

The annual conference is the basic unit of our church, reminding us that we are not independent but profoundly connected local churches.  Together we are more, together we do more, together we have stronger impact, together we find mutual support; together we are energized for mission in the world.

Local churches are essential places of holy welcome, of proclamation and conversion and nurture, of service and mission.  The annual conference exists to strengthen the local church and to provide a connection for ministry.

The theme of the 2011 Annual Conference Session is “Arise, Shine, Go:  Joy to the World!”  The Lord is come and is with us:  this is the source of our joy.  As we gather on this weekend of Pentecost, we anticipate a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit, God’s latest gift to us!

With great anticipation,

Hope Morgan Ward

Gleaning

Signs and Wonders

“…you will be my witnesses.” – Acts 1

As we gather at the Jackson Convention Complex, we will create an encircling embrace of signs from churches and ministries of the Mississippi Conference.

I hope you will work with others to create a sign that gives witness to your particular mission and ministry.  Your sign needs to be freestanding as it displays your creativity:  Where are you making a difference in your community?  In what ways are you reaching out into the world?  Whose lives are touched by your witness for Christ?

As we are encircled by signs, we will have a new sense of the expanse of our life together in and for the world.  Thank you for adding your sign to the grand display.  We look forward to what we will create together – a lovely space for worship, discernment and joyful community.

With gratitude and great anticipation,

Hope Morgan Ward

Nudge!  “What if?”

Submitted by Rev. Stephen Sparks, Lead Pastor Indianola First UMC

Leonard Sweet recently pointed out to me that John Wesley was on the cutting edge of technology during his day.  Wesley, according to Sweet, was an early adopter of a new means of mass communication that would bring learning and education to the people, burgeoning a growing middle class born out of the industrial revolution, and paving the way for our modern information society where information and education was no longer the purview of a lofty few.  Wesley was one of the first to embrace this cutting edge technology over the objections of more than a few of his pastors.  The technology?  The Book. Wesley was committed to his pastors READING and creating an educated informed laity.  And so began the people called Methodists’ early commitment to reading and in so doing to the Methodist Publishing house and educational institutions throughout the new world.  Methodists blazed the trail in the wilderness of America and wherever they went, they left behind schools, hospitals and educated masses.  And they thus changed America’s destiny.

There is great angst about the future of the United Methodist Church in America as we look to this annual conference and to the General Conference of 2012 and perhaps rightly so.  But in looking for solutions we need only look back to the principles that drove our early movement.  We were a people that thought outside of the box and outside of the four walls of the church.  We were a clergy that were sent and a people that went.  We started schools and colleges, hospitals and seminaries.  We planted them in far off outpost of the new nation in places others were not yet willing to go.  We were the trailblazers, the early adopters and adapters, the innovators and the daring – the first to go, the last to leave and the radical revolutionaries of the day.  The early circuit riders planted hundreds of new churches in new communities.  We did church in new ways. Totally new forms were birthed, including the camp meeting movement that led to the Second Great Awakening.  We were a movement!  A movement that at once called for BOTH a fierce commitment to personal holiness AND to social holiness.  We believed that it mattered BOTH how we lived our personal lives AND how we lived in community.  And we used the new technology of the book and the industrial printing press to spread the good news to all the world.

What if?   What if we as Methodist became as committed to early adoption and innovation in new technologies and forms as we once were?  What if we created new ways of doing church or even doing the business of church and the connection that increased our economies of scale, leveraged technology, brought learning and training by the best thinkers and theologians of our day directly to the local laity, decreased cost and made us more effective, more flexible, more responsive, more organic, and hopefully more connected?  What if we recaptured the passion of a God called, anointed, Holy Spirit driven, movement that was committed to inviting and convincing ALL people to form a life changing relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord AND Savior, in the hopes that they would be “saved to the uttermost” and that they would be convinced to “go on to perfection”?  What if WE became more about those outside of the church than those of us in the church?  What if we could do this without abandoning any of our Doctrinal Heritage? What if we could see lives being changed and hearts being strangely warmed?  What if we could all sing, “My chains fell off; my heart was free. I rose, went forth and followed Thee?  What if…?

Glimpses of Grace

“great grace was upon them all” – Acts 4

This month of May I am witness of the great grace of United Methodist people in Mississippi.  Mike and I have been. . .

- welcomed into celebrations of strong heritage and vibrant mission at Kingston, Pontotoc Parish, Vincent, Ellisville;

- inspired by caring efforts to preserve homes and possessions and to assist and welcome those evacuating the danger of rising rivers;

- strengthened by the generosity flowing as our conference moves ahead of last year’s level of faithfulness in mission shares and pension benefits while giving generously for disaster recovery;

- overjoyed to see communities coming together to respond to the needs in the wake of April tornadoes;

- thankful for the work of leaders of the conference, the districts and local churches as you faithfully exemplify the servant love of Christ.

Great grace is upon us as we prepare to gather for Annual Conference in June.  Let us pray, in the tradition of Methodist people, for the fresh movement of the Holy Spirit among us.

With gratitude for each of you,

Hope Morgan Ward

Extravagant Generosity

I have received. . .the gifts you sent. . . -  Philippians 4:18

The sending of gifts to Annual Conference by local churches is a great Mississippi tradition.  The bringing of gifts by lay and clergy members to Annual Conference lives out the Biblical witness.  Paul writes of receiving gifts, sent by the church and brought by Epaphroditus, in support of Christ’s ministry.

Great need has arisen among us, and God’s people are eager to respond generously.  The Mississippi Conference has the unique distinction of being the only conference in United Methodism with three zones of disaster response in motion – tornado recovery in the center and east, tornado recovery and flood response in the west, and hurricane recovery in the south.

Therefore, we will receive offerings at Annual Conference on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The Friday evening offering is designated for the previously announced purpose, the planting of new churches in Mississippi and in places in which we are engaged globally in mission – Russia, Nicaragua, Africa.

The Saturday evening offering is designated for our continuing ministry with those impacted by tornadoes and flooding here in Mississippi.

Thank you for interpreting these offerings in your churches and for serving as Epaphroditus served, bringing these gifts to Annual Conference in June.

With gratitude for your extravagant generosity,

Hope Morgan Ward