Abundant Haul – A Report on New Church Discovery Week
The “Cast Wide the Net--New Church Discovery Week” was a success. The week began with the Path 1 team of Rev. Candace Lewis and Rev. Gary Shockley meeting with various “stakeholders” of new church development from the annual conference. Stakeholder is a term that Path 1 uses to help identify those persons who have a vested interest in new church development. In our annual conference, this includes Bishop Ward, the Cabinet, the conference staff, the Committee on Finance and Administration, the New Church Development Committee, the Parish and Community Development Ministries Committee, the Church Planters’ School, the pastors of potential partner churches, the laity, the clergy, and of course, the new church planters and their families.
The highlight of the week included two events. The first gathering was at Camp Wesley Pines on February 23. One hundred nine persons from throughout the conference met at the gathering and were greeted by Angela Griffin and Donna White from the conference office as well as a legion of hosts and hostesses from the Brookhaven District. The theme of the gathering was evident in the many fish and nets that Rev. Arthur Lewis used to decorate the room. The gathering was led into a time of reflection, renewal of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world through finding new places for new people. Presenters included Bishop Ward, Dr. Steve Compton (who was with us at a similar gathering in 2005), Rev. Clint Gill, Rev. Joe May, District Superintendent Vicki S. Baldwin, Rev. Candace Lewis, Rev. Gary Shockley and Rev. Embra Jackson. Churches that were 50 years or younger, the conference’s nine newest church plants and our partner churches were celebrated and recognized by Bishop Ward. The highlight of the day occurred for many when participants were invited to share their vision of how the new church development process in the Mississippi Annual Conference was evolved. In addition, the current new church planters met with the Path 1 Team and discussed the “life and ministry of new church planters.”
The second event was held the next day, Feb. 24. The Path 1 Team met at Getwell UMC in Goodman, for a regional meeting. The purpose of that meeting was to gather persons from the northern area of the conference for a time of discussion about new church development as it relates in particular to the Senatobia, Tupelo and New Albany Districts. Thirty-five persons met and were introduced to Path 1 and participated in a session on new church development.
The week concluded in the conference office on Thursday, February 25th, when Rev. Candace Lewis led a group of persons who responded to Bishop Ward’s invitation of “Whomsoever Come Opportunity.” This group numbered 16 persons and included Bishop Ward, District Superintendent Henderson Rasberry, District Superintendent Vicki Baldwin, the chair of New Church Development Committee, the dean of the Church Planters’ School, four church planters, conference staff, participants from the Camp Wesley Pines Gathering on the 23rd, etc. The purpose of this meeting was to help the annual conference to begin to develop a strategic plan for new church development. This process will continue with the Path 1 Team serving as our partners over the new 12-18 months.
One person who participated in three of the weeks’ gathering stated that “I learned more about new churches and how important they are to increasing the disciple making role of our annual conference this week than I ever have in over 15 years in ministry or in seminary.”
For more information about Path 1, visit their website at www.path1.org. To become a part of the Mississippi Annual Conference’s “Cast Wide the Net” for New Churches, please contact:
Denise Donnell, Chair, New Church Development Committee – mississippicitypastor@gmail.com or Rev. Embra Jackson, Conference Staff, embra@mississippi-umc.org.