Mississippi Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church

CHRIST UMC
Christ United Methodist Church, located at 6000 Old Canton Road in Jackson, will host the 2008 Mississippi Annual Conference.

Street map

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FORMS
5K Run/Walk Registration Form
Childcare Registration May 30 deadline

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GUESTS
Bishop William W. Hutchinson serves the Louisiana Area of The United Methodist Church. Bishop Hutchinson will lead morning worship. A native of New Mexico, he was elected bishop in 2000. He previously served as a district superintendent and director of the New Mexico United Methodist Foundation.

Dr. Lovett Weems, a Mississippi native and graduate of Millsaps College, is the director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership and distinguished professor at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. He previously served as president of St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City. Weems will discuss his "10 Provocative Questions" at Annual Conference. When asked by the Council of Bishops to respond to the State of the Church Report, Weems posed 10 questions about the future of The United Methodist Church.

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LODGING
The following Jackson-area hotels near Christ UMC are offering special rates during the Mississippi Annual Conference. The best way to ensure the rate quoted is to call the local number listed.

Cabot Lodge, 120 Dyess Rd., $85.00, 601.957.0757, www.cabotlodgejacksonnorth.com
Cabot Lodge, Millsaps, $85.00, 601.948.8650
Clarion Hotel & Suites, I-55 North, $59.00 plus tax, 601.366.9411, www.choicehotels.com
Comfort Inn, 5709 I-55 North, $70.00 plus tax, 601.206.6161
Courtyard, 6280 Ridgewood Court Dr., Sunday $85.00, Monday and Tuesday $129.00, 601.956.8686, www.marriott.com/courtyard
Drury Inn & Suites, 610 E. County Line Rd., $95.99 plus tax, 601.956.6100, www.druryhotels.com
Hampton Inn, 465 Briarwood Dr., $79.00, 601.956.3611, www.hamptoninn.com
Hilton, East County Line Road, $119.00 plus tax, 601.957.2800, www.HiltonJackson.com
Homewood Suites, 853 Centre St., $99.00 plus tax, 601.899.8611, www.homewoodsuites.hilton.com
Jamison Inn, I-55 North & Beasley Road, $76.00 plus tax, 601.206.8923, www.jamesoninns.com

Additional hotels in the metro Jackson area:
Best Western Jackson North, 601.956.8686
Comfort Inn, 2800 Greenway Dr., 601.922.5600
Comfort Suites, 6485 I-55 N., 601.977.6111
Edison Walthall, 225 E. Capitol, 800.932.6161
Holiday Inn, Greymont & High Street, 601.948.4466
Holiday Inn Express, Flowood, 601.992.7773
La Quinta, 616 Briarwood Dr., 601.957.1741
Quality Inn North, 839 Ridgewood Rd.,601.956.6203
Red Roof Inn, I-55 & County Line Road, 601.956.7707
Red Roof Inn, I-55 & High Street, 800.733.7663

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MISSION OFFERING
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward has designated this year's mission offering for the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund.

Mission Offering Bulletin Insert
United Methodist Global AIDS Fund Web Site
United Methodist Committee on Relief HIV/AIDS Web Site

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PER DIEM
Annual Conference members who may receive per diem from the conference are listed on page 291 of the 2007 Journal, Volume 1. Members eligible for per diem should keep in mind:

As in 2007, per diem will be paid at Annual Conference. No payments will be issued prior to conference.
Eligible members will receive a signed per diem authorization form from one of the following: district superintendent (district officers, equalizing members and seminary students), conference liaison officer (retirees and surviving spouses) or director of Connectional Ministries (conference officers).
Per diem recipients should turn in completed forms to their district superintendent at the pre-conference briefing. Do not mail forms to the conference office; they will be returned.
Checks may be picked up Tuesday, June 10. Per diem recipients who must leave conference early may make arrangements with the treasurer's office to get their checks early.
No checks will be mailed.

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PRE-CONFERENCE BRIEFINGS
Clergy and lay members can get a preview of Annual Conference, register, pick up materials, and ask questions at the district pre-conference briefings. All members are encouraged to attend.

Brookhaven - May 19, 6 p.m., Brookhaven First UMC
East Jackson - May 18, 3 p.m., Brandon Crossgates UMC Fellowship Center (with West Jackson)
Greenwood - May 18, 2 p.m., Greenwood St. John's UMC
Hattiesburg - May 13, 7 p.m., Laurel First UMC Sanctuary
Meridian - May 18, 3 p.m., District Office
New Albany - May 27, 7 p.m., Booneville First UMC
Seashore - May 15, 6:30 p.m., Gulfport First UMC
Senatobia - May 29, 7 p.m., Batesville First UMC
Starkville - May 20, Starkville First UMC
Tupelo - May 22, 7 p.m., Tupelo First UMC
West Jackson - May 18, 3 p.m., Brandon Crossgates UMC Fellowship Center (with East Jackson)

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PRE-CONFERENCE WORKBOOK
Read of print a copy of the pre-conference workbook. Clergy and lay members of Annual Conference will receive their workbooks at the district briefings.

Cover Page
Table of Contents and Section I, Annual Conference Information
Section II, Financial and Administrative Ministries
Section III, Council on Finance and Administration
Section IV, Resolutions

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REGISTRATION
Members should pre-register at the district pre-conference briefings. On-site at Annual Conference, registration will open at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 8, in the gym. Note: Executive sessions for lay and clergy will be held consecutively this year instead of concurrently, with the lay session beginning at 2:30 on June 8 and the clergy session at 4. Therefore, lay members are encouraged to wait until after the Lay Executive Session to register.

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WORSHIP
Worship is an important part of Annual Conference. All services will be held in the Christ UMC sanctuary.

Service of Ordination, 6:30 p.m. Sunday
Morning Worship with Holy Communion and Bishop Hutchinson preaching, 8:30 a.m. Monday
Memorial Service, 2 p.m. Monday
Young People's Service with conference mission offering, 7:30 p.m. Monday
Morning Worship and Bible study with Bishop Hutchinson leading, 8:30 a.m. Tuesday
Service of Commissioning, 11a.m. Tuesday