“DO ALL THE GOOD YOU CAN. BY ALL THE MEANS YOU CAN. IN ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN. IN ALL THE PLACES YOU CAN. AT ALL THE TIMES YOU CAN. TO ALL THE PEOPLE YOU CAN. AS LONG AS EVER YOU CAN.” - JOHN WESLEY
My dad recently shared with me his new, favorite quote attributed to Helen Walton. “Life is not about
what you gather, it is what you scatter that tells what kind of life is lived.” I have thought a lot about
those words over the past several weeks. My prayer for our church family is that we individually and
collectively seek to honor God by the scattering of His love to a hurt and dying world. Missions through
acts of service in the spirit of love and charity is one of the ways we can honor God in our faith journey.
May we always strive to be a giving church to those in times of intense need and crisis in our
community. Sometimes we might find ourselves on the other side and need the loving arms of our
church family wrapped around us. Lord, help us to learn not only to give but to receive with gratitude
when we are a hurting member of the body. We are all members of the same body. When one of us
hurts, it is up to the rest of us to support each other in times of need. It has been a joy to serve with you
this past year. Some of the mission opportunities our church family participated in over the last year are
as follows:
October 8, 2023 – 5 kids from the Blaze Ministry (5 th /6 th graders) delivered toilet paper donations to the
Ronald McDonald House. The kids participated in a “deep cleaning” of the indoor playroom there. The
Ronald McDonald House provides low cost or free lodging to families with children receiving treatment
in the children’s hospital at UMMC or another area hospital.
October 2023 – CSMC provided rental/utility assistance to a couple both laid off from their jobs. Both
the husband and wife had new jobs lined up in the next month. This assistance was provided through
the gracious giving to the pastor’s discretionary fund (PDF).
October – November 2023 – On 10/29/2023, members of the church family signed a letter of
encouragement to patients receiving treatment for cancer. Each signature was signed in the color
representing the cancer that had affected each church members’ life. A picture of our congregation and
a picture of those in our congregation who were cancer survivors was included in the letter. 72 soft
velvet neck pillows along with the letter and pictures were delivered to Hederman Cancer Center
patients.
December 2023 – The Women’s Circle group adopted a family of 5 for Christmas. The father was
receiving treatment for cancer. Funds were donated for food, utilities, and Christmas gifts for 3 young
children.
December 3, 2023 – The Miracles from the Baddour Center led worship at CSMC. The Baddour Center is
a home for those with special needs requiring supported, supervised living. Each Miracle received two
bags of Christmas goodies and a potluck lunch. The Miracles were a blessing, and their testimony,
music, and presence was a wonderful Christmas gift to our congregation.
December 24, 2023 – The Christmas Eve Offering was designated for cancer patients in the community
with significant financial needs due to a cancer diagnosis.
March 4-7 th , 2024 – Several members of our church family provided lunches for the Nomads. The
Nomads are a group of mostly retirees that travel the country giving of their time and talents to
complete building or repair projects needed at Methodist campgrounds. The Nomads completed several
significant construction projects at Camp Wesley Pines.
March 2024 – Donation given to sponsor a child at Methodist Children’s Home for a Spring Break trip to
Dallas. The child enjoyed an experience at Six Flags, Alley Cats Entertainment, Medieval Times,
Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors NBA game, meals, lodging and a charter bus.
March – April 2024 – Several bags of towels, washcloths, and sheet sets were donated to Grace House in
the Jackson area. This organization provides housing to those living with HIV, mental illness, chemical
dependency, and extremely impoverished. They have housed around 1,200 individuals in the last year.
The towels, washcloths, and sheets were a gift to each person receiving housing.
March 2024 – An elderly woman recently discharged from the hospital returned to her home where
some of her furniture had been stolen. She was sleeping in a recliner. A full-size bed, mattress, and bed
linens were delivered to her home allowing her to rest and recuperate.
April 2024 – A family lost their home to fire in our community. Assistance was given through the
pastor’s discretionary fund to assist the father with gas allowing him to commute to work from the
family’s distant temporary living arrangement.
April 27, 2024 – Camp Wesley Pines had not passed a safety inspection for a climbing tower that
provided a rock-climbing element and part of the zip line activity. A group from CSMC worked to build a
set of moveable stairs allowing safe access to these activities so the activity could be used for the
summer camp months.
June 2024 – In appreciation for their service, 115 Members of the military that were serving at Camp
Kamassa on various construction projects were provided meals to enjoy at the street dance kicking off
the Tomato Festival.
July 1, 2024 – Members of our church family provided breakfast for Camp Kamassa’s inaugural
“Radically Against Dystrophy” (RAD) camp. The kids enjoyed a fantastic life-changing week at camp
celebrating their abilities while experiencing activities provided for them.
July 7 -11 th – 26 volunteers provided a Vacation Bible School worship and discipleship camp called
“Hometown Nazareth”. 50 children from our community enjoyed the Bible studies and fun activities.
July 2024 – Over 150 cans/boxes of food items were donated to the SOS Food Pantry. These items were
collected by the K3 – 6 th participants at Vacation Bible School.
July 2024 – Donation given to Samaritan’s Purse for $76.25 through the efforts of the children
participating in VBS activities. The money was used to bring clean water to a community/village.
June – July 2024 – 407 pairs of men’s pants were collected for the Grace Place Ministry for homeless and
those experiencing food insecurity in the Jackson area. Grace Place provides a daily Bible study for
those who want to participate and a morning meal 4 days a week for around 60 – 80 participants. A
clothing closet is available to the participants in the ministry.
July 18, 2024 – CSMC hosted a youth group from Texas who was traveling on their way back home from
the SIFAT (Science in Faith and Technology) camp in Alabama. They needed a place to stay overnight
and slept at the church. Members of our church family provided the kids with a nacho bar for supper.
Thanks to each of the 23 adults, teenagers, and children who served the SOS Food Pantry throughout
the year on the second Monday of each month. Your assistance packing food boxes and delivering them
to the cars of those who are elderly and disabled is a testimony to your own faith and love for Christ put
into action.
Additional monetary donations given in the past year:
Baddour Center - $1,300
Camp Ministry - $17,800
Cancer Mission Project - $4,140
Feeding the Military working at Camp Kamassa - $1,416
Foundation on the Rock - $400
Gideons – $780
Marines - $4,225
Mercy House Ministries - $400
Methodist Children’s Home - $400
Methodist Senior Services - $345
Rent and Utility Assistance - $4,948
Society of St. Andrews Coin Box Collection - $1,602.50
SOS Food Pantry - $400
VBS - $491
Wesley Foundation at USM, Ms. State, Ole Miss, Delta State, MUW, and Alcorn State - $1,600
Over the past year our church has ministered to the homeless, orphans, those living with cancer, elderly,
persons with disabilities, children in the hospital, those who have lost their jobs, retired Christians
serving the Lord in camp ministry, working poor, single mothers, mentally ill, chemically dependent,
those displaced by fire, members of the military, children in our community, those who are food
insecure, those needing assistance with rent/utilities, a youth group needing a place to stay, elementary
students, and college kids. I would say this all adds up to a good start, but it is time to kick it up a notch!
Up until now, I have asked on many occasions for you to give out of your abundance. This next year, I
ask that you sacrificially give to the Lord for kingdom work. Giving of your heart is what God wants, not
just your time, talents, and resources. Where is God calling you to serve in your own mission field?
Some of you participated in the Communion offering collected earlier in the year for future mission
trips. I am praying that the Lord will open opportunities for some mission trips coming up next year.
Please be in prayer for the future of our church and how we will serve in God’s overall calling to love a
world in need of Savior.
Luke 14:12-14 in the Message translation says this, “The he (Jesus) turned to the host. ‘The next time
you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kinds of people who
will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, those from the wrong side of the
tracks. You’ll be—and experience—a blessing. They won’t be able to return the favor, but the favor will
be returned—oh, how it will be returned! —at the resurrection of God’s people.” All of humanity has
been invited to God’s table. May we be wonderful hosts to those we encounter along life’s journey.
Thanks to you all for loving others and supporting the missions of our church.
In Christ,
Julie Johnson
CSMC Missions Coordinator