Input Needed by June 18 for District Realignment

6/9/2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 9, 2022

Brothers and sisters in Christ,

On April 19, 2021, I announced the formation of the 10-person, Mississippi Conference District Realignment Task Force to evaluate whether our current configuration of 11 districts and 11 district superintendents is our best structure for the future. This group was also charged with examining the relationship of the district superintendent with local churches. In short, the group is seeking to ask two questions:

What do local churches most need from their district superintendent?
What do local churches most need from their district office?

Take this brief survey so that the task force can consider and include your input in its findings. The last day to complete the survey is June 18.

The task force is conducting several interviews and surveys to help inform their work. The group envisions making its initial recommendations by November 30, 2022 for consideration at the 2023 session of the annual conference next summer.

For more information and future updates, visit mississippi-umc.org/realignment.

Task Force Member Names listed in alphabetical order:

Name	Status
Donna (DK) Baria	Lay person
Paulette Buford-James	Starkville District Superintendent
Stephen Cook	Dean of the cabinet and district superintendent
Cheryl Denley	District secretary
Mike Hicks	Retired clergy and former district superintendent
Smith Lilley	Associate pastor, Tupelo First UMC
Sandra Rasberry	Lay person and clergy spouse of former district superintendent
Andrew Richardson	Lay person
Emily Sanford	Pastor, Wesley UMC, Tupelo
Vera Thomas	District lay leader, Seashore District
Ex-Officio Members
James Mason	Lay person, conference facilitator
LaToya Redd-Thompson	Conference lay leader
David Stotts	Lay person, conference treasurer and chief benefits officer