Mississippi Conference of The United Methodist Church
TheCircuitRider Monthly Newsletter
Back-to-School Community Impact
Matthew Johnson, Communications Assistant
United Methodist faith communities across the state are helping students prepare for the upcoming school year. Churches and
conference benevolences hosted Blessing of the Backpacks, led school prayer walks, fixed meals for teachers and administrators and provided school supplies for students in the church and community. Read More Photo right: Children at Adams United Methodist Church in Summit participate in Blessing of the Backpacks. Photo courtesy of Adams UMC
VISION REVEALED Conference Charts New Course Jasmine Haynes, Communications Specialist
Last year, Bishop Sharma D. Lewis Logan formed the vision task force because it had been over 10 years since conference leadership cast a vision for The United Methodist Church in Mississippi. On Wednesday, June 3—the first day of the 2026 Session of the Mississippi Annual Conference—Lewis Logan and the Mississippi Conference Vision Task Force presented this new vision: Rooted in Christ, the vision of the Mississippi Annual Conference is to build Present members of the vision task force take group photo in front of Methodist Foundation of Mississippi Building.
churches, communities and connections for all through outreach and innovation. Read more about the vision task force’s crafting process. Click here to view the task force’s vision presentation.
Bishop Presents Check to Miss. Food Network Conference to give towards the Mississippi Food Network and their efforts to fight food insecurity across the state. Thanks to connectional giving, the Mississippi Conference raised over $11,600 and funds are still coming in. On behalf of the conference, Bishop Lewis Logan; Rev. Tim Thompson, assistant to the bishop and Rebecca Crosby, administrative assistant for the Capital River District presented Karli Coughlin, Mississippi Food Network’s new CEO and staff with the donation. Click here to view the brief check presentation. Photo right: Bishop Sharma Lewis Logan presents Karli Coughlin, Mississippi Food Network’s new CEO with $11,600 check. Photo courtesy of Jasmine Haynes
IN THIS ISSUE:
Rehab Center Earns High Performing Rating page 2 | La Misión to host Basic Lay Servant School in Spanish page 2 | Register for AALA/ISI Community Service Event page 3 | CFO Updates page 3
August 2026
During this year’s session of annual conference, Bishop Sharma D. Lewis Logan asked the Mississippi
La Misión to host Basic Lay Servant School in Spanish
Representatives of Methodist Rehabilitation take a photo with their Best Hospitals sign.
La Misión, in partnership with the Mississippi Conference, is hosting the first basic lay servant
Rehab Center Earns High Performing Rating
training in Spanish September 1113 at Galloway
Rev. Marta Bolen, center, and La Misión take a photo at the Laity Dinner.
Mississippi Conference benevolence, Methodist
Memorial United
rehabilitation hospital in Mississippi by U.S. News and World
will conduct the training. Interested lay people can click here to
Rehabilitation Center, has been named as the number one Report. Click here to read more about this recognition and the recovery healthcare Methodist Rehabilitation has been doing throughout the state of Mississippi.
Methodist Church. Rev. David Martinez, senior manager of ministry at Global Ministries/General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, register. There is a $20 registration fee that covers the course book. The deadline to register is Thursday, September 3. For additional information on the event, email Rev. Marta Bolen at msobrino@ gmail.com.
MCH Accepting Water Donations for School Year The Methodist Children’s Homes are accepting donations of water and other items as the school year begins. Their goal is to make sure each house on the campus is stocked with supplies so that the young people in their care will be fully prepared for the school year. Water donations can be dropped off at the Jackson campus or click here to find a list of items that can be ordered online and delivered. Photo left: Water lines the hall at Methodist Children’s Homes. Photo courtesy of Methodist Children’s Homes
Moore Community House Helps Women Build Careers Jim Patterson, United Methodist News
The Women in Construction program at Mississippi Conference benevolence, Moore Community House in Biloxi, is helping women build new higher-paying careers in construction. Since its beginning in 2008, more than 1,000 students have completed the program. Click here to read an article from United Methodist News about the Women in Construction program and some of the women who have benefitted from it. Photo right: Instructor Marion McAuley, center, teaches students how to drive screws with an electric drill at the Women in Construction program in Biloxi, Miss. Photo courtesy of Mike DuBose United Methodist News
2 The Circuit Rider Monthly Newsletter | August 2026
Photo courtesy of Greg Campbell Photography, Inc.
Photo courtesy of Methodist Rehabilitation
Connection News
Mississippi Conference News Photo courtesy of Matthew Johnson
Register for AALA/ISI Community Service Event Clergy and lay are invited to register for the community service module of African American Leadership Academy/Iron Sharpens
Iron. The event takes place Saturday, August 29 at Anderson UMC in Jackson. Rev. Jerry Mannery, pastor of We Are One UMC in Jackson, will teach on how our faith and our mission work intersect with our new conference vision. The registration fee for the event is $20. Registration will close on Friday, August 21. After registration closes on August 21, the cost increases to $30, and you can only register on site the day of the event. Click here for more information and to register. Click here to watch a special invitation to the event from Bishop Sharma Lewis Logan.
CFO Updates In her latest notes, conference CFO, Dr. Felicia Gavin, photo left, shares an important tax message
Clery Seminar on AI Engagement
for churches from the General Council on Finance and Administration, GCFA. The message details the recently-issued IRS rules governing group tax exemption rulings and explains the tax-exempt status of United Methodist churches. Click here to read the message.
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons
Photo courtesy of Greg Campbell Photography, Inc.
Mississippi Conference clergy are invited to attend Using AI tools in the Church, an artificial intelligence-focused seminar. The event takes place Saturday, September 12 at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Brandon beginning at 9:00 a.m. Jason
2026 Benedictine Prayer Retreat
Moore, author of the bestselling book AI and the Church: A Clear Guide for the Curious and Courageous, will host the event. The cost
Clergy are invited to a time away to focus on the spiritual discipline of prayer during
to attend the seminar is $65 and 0.5 CEUs
the 2026 Benedictine Prayer Retreat. The retreat takes place November 2 through
will be available to clergy who participate.
5 at St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama. There are only 24 slots available for this
Lunch will be provided. Click here for more
excellent opportunity to spend time away and be present in quiet reflection. The cost
information and to register.
of the retreat is $350 with 3.0 CEUs available for clergy who attend. Click here to register today.
August 2026 | The Circuit Rider Monthly Newsletter 3
Local Church Online Training | Administrative Council As nominations committees across the state begin to discern new leadership for this charge conference season, the Mississippi Conference has resources to help these servant leaders learn their roles and responsibilities. The administrative council is the primary leadership and central programming body of a local church. It serves as the “executive agency” between sessions of the charge conference, coordinating the work of all other committees to fulfill the church’s mission. Watch Rev. Dr. Larry Hilliard’s administrative council training to learn more. To view more resources on other subject areas of local church training click here.
SAVE THE DATES
community in your area, craft invitations and
Labor Day Office Closure – Sept. 7
messaging that actually resonate, translate
Celebrate World Communion Sunday – Oct. 4
and communicate across languages without
Sunday, Oct. 4 is World Communion
The conference and episcopal offices will be
losing meaning and build a communications
closed Monday, Sept. 7 in observance of
plan that extends the momentum well
Labor Day. Offices will reopen on Tuesday,
beyond the month itself. The webinar is free
Sept. 8 at regular business hours.
to attend. Click here to register.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Webinar – Aug. 19
Giving Sunday The Baddour Center – Sept. 20
Join United Methodist Communications
Sunday, Sept. 20 is the special Sunday set
Wednesday, August 19 at 11:00 a.m. CST
aside to receive an offering benefiting the
for a webinar built for church leaders who
Baddour Center. Located in Senatobia, the
want to promote Hispanic Heritage Month
Mississippi Conference benevolence serves
in a way that’s authentic, well-targeted and
adults who have intellectual disabilities.
genuinely welcoming. The webinar will cover
Click here to learn more about the Baddour
how to identify and reach the Hispanic
Center.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES As a courtesy to the Mississippi Annual Conference, job announcements from across the United Methodist connection are featured in The Circuit Rider. To submit an employment notice, send an email to news@mississippi-umc.org. Postings are not guaranteed to appear more than once in Mississippi Conference publications. To read a description of job opening(s) listed below as well as other listings, click here. • Part-Time Administrative Assistant, Red Clay Hills District (Meridian, MS) • Director, Seashore United Methodist Assembly in Biloxi, Miss. • Part-Time Hospitality and Activities Coordinator, Emmanuel UMC (Memphis, TN) • Director of Youth and College Age Ministries, Emmanuel UMC (Memphis, TN) • Director of Communications, Northern Illinois Conference (Chicago, IL) • Conference Benefits Officer (Part-time) Northern Illinois Conference (Chicago, IL) • Campus Minister/Co-Director, NOLA Wesley (New Orleans, LA) • Director of Finance and Administrative Services Illinois Great Rivers Conference (Springfield, IL)
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Sunday in The United Methodist Church. The World Communion Sunday offering supports scholarships, grants and leadership programs that prepare the next generation of church leadership. Click here for the World Communion Sunday pastor and leader kit with helpful resources you can use in your congregation.
CARES AND CONCERNS As you pause to pray this week, take time to ask for strength, peace and comfort for the families and friends of those listed below who have joined the Church Triumphant: • Rev. Preston Jones went to be with the Lord on July 30. • Deborah Glenn, wife of Rev. Grover Glenn III, passed away July 24. • Rev. Ed King joined the Church Triumphant on July 4. • Rev. Jesse Wilkerson finished his earthly service on May 17. • Nancy Ruff, wife of Rev. Gary Ruff, took her earthly rest on April 18.