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Seven adults and two youths from Jackson Avenue's Spanish-speaking congregation were
baptized recently at Sardis Lake.
By LIANA PEREZ-FELIX Program Ministries Associate for Hispanic and Inclusive Ministries
It was a beautiful day on September 18 when approximately 40 Latinos from the Spanish-speaking
congregation of Jackson Avenue United Methodist Church in Memphis drove to Sardis Lake in Mississippi for
a very special event.
Seven adults and two youths were going to be baptized.
When they arrived at the lake, the ones who were to be baptized changed into beautiful white gowns that were
made by Myriam Rivas.
The Rev. Liana Perez Felix prepared the liturgy and asked all the required questions. Then the Rev. Pat
Clendenen, Jackson Avenue pastor, and the Rev. Ronald Rivas, pastor of the Latino congregation, went into the
water and, one by one, immersed the candidates in the clear waters of Sardis Lake.
"You are baptized 'en el nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espiritu Santo,' said the Rev. Clendenen.
There was crying, laughter, and joy.
All those baptized were then welcomed into the church by all the others present. Their certificates were to be
handed out the next day at the Sunday worship service.
"It was an exciting experience for me, since I had never participated in baptisms by immersion before," said
the Rev. Clendenen.
A very special Latino luncheon followed and some went swimming while others talked and sang.
In the afternoon, when everyone seemed tired and ready to return home, they gathered in a circle in the picnic
area-eager to listen to God's Word.
The Rev. Liana Perez-Felix led them on a Reflection and Bible Study on the Book of Revelation and the New
Millennium.
No one seemed to want to go home-but as they prayed and sang, they began to share "shalom."
It was a great Christian celebration.
By BEN STILWELL
Lambuth University senior and declared candidate for ordained ministry
The phone call home was one every parent dreads: "I love it here and I want to stay!"
When I made the call, I was in Puerto Rico, on a two-week Volunteers in Mission trip.
It all began at Annual Conference in June when Dr. Cecil Kirk, pastor of Dyersburg First, approached me with
the opportunity to serve on a team going to Vieques to help clean up hurricane damage to the island.
Growing up at Northside UMC in Jackson, I had learned a lot about ministry; I entered Lambuth University
with the intention of going to seminary. I knew my call was to preach the good news of Jesus Christ-but the trip
to Puerto Rico was destined to change my view of ministry forever.
At the very first worship service our VIM team attended at the Methodist Church of Esperanza, I felt God
touch my heart in a special way when the pastor of the church prayed for me. At that time, my heart was heavy
with troubles that I couldn't explain. God was calling me to do something, but I just couldn't figure out what. I
prayed for revelation-and then God told me to be ready, for my prayers were about to be answered.
God laid on my heart a desire to serve in the mission field. And it was a shock! I had intended to go to
seminary in the summer of 2000. God told me He wanted me to gain the experience of being in the mission field
before I went to seminary so it would enrich my ministry.
With the certainty that God was not asking me to give up the goal that God and I had set, I began to ponder
what skills I could use as a missionary. I talked with Kelly, the pastor's wife in Esperanza, and she asked if I
would be interested in serving as a missionary in their church.
Kelly told me the congregation wanted to start an English worship service for the people on Vieques who don't
speak Spanish. What was the roadblock? Well, her husband couldn't speak English!
The congregation had been praying for the ministry to take place in their church-and I knew this was
something I could do. After some discussion, the pastor extended an invitation for me to join them.
My parents supported me and organized a prayer circle. Both my pastor David Comperry and my mentor Sky
McCracken agreed I should embrace this gift from God. Nancy Eubanks, the VIM coordinator, endorsed me as
a missionary to Puerto Rico for a year.
I will be solely responsible for travel, food, insurance and incidental costs. Esperanza Church will give me a
place to live. A tax-deductible fund, Puerto Rico Outreach, has been set up at Northside for the trip.
I would be grateful for any help. For more information, Northside's address is 2571 North Highland Avenue,
Jackson, TN 38305.
During the first three quarters of 1999, the Memphis Conference received 40,620 pounds of potatoes and other
fresh vegetables from the Society of St. Andrew. The produce, donated to Memphis food banks, soup kitchens,
food pantries and relief agencies, fed 121, 860 hungry people. That's enough food to give a serving to every
person at a filled-to-capacity U.T -Notre Dame football game in Neyland Stadium plus all the people you could
squeeze in to see the Lady Vols play basketball!
"This year is looking like a very good year for providing potatoes and other produce to the nation's hungry,"
said Marian Buchanan, director of the Society of St. Andrews Potato Project. "Potatoes are ready for shipping
a couple of weeks earlier than usual and we were in a position to ship a good many loads to various locations
across the country."
"The financial support of caring people in your conference makes it possible for SoSA to continue saving food
that would otherwise be wasted and using it to feed the hungry in your area as well as elsewhere," remarked
Buchanan.
For more information about the Society of St. Andrew and its hunger relief ministry, call 1-800-333-4595;
Email: sosausa@mindspring.com
or view their website.
WKNO To feature Lambuth Choir during live lunch
On Friday, December 3, WKNO-FM, the National Public Radio affiliate in Memphis, will broadcast their
"Live Lunch" show from the Lambuth University campus at 12 noon. The hour-long show will feature the
Lambuth University Concert Choir performing excerpts from their Christmas program and pieces written and
arranged by Dr. Ross Bernhardt, the choir's director. The radio broadcast will be held in the Chapel and is open
to the public.
Position Available
Part-time Organist: St. Luke's UMC, Memphis. St. Luke's is proud of its strong traditional music program
and its 3-manual Casavant organ (39 ranks) and Allen electronic in the Chapel. The part-time organist will be
responsible for two Sunday morning services, one Wednesday evening rehearsal. For information, contact Amy
Martin, 901-452-6262 (church) or 901-323-1367 (home).
Part-time Church Secretary: Everett Memorial UMC, Memphis. Will work four days per week for a total
of 20 hours. Work hours are flexible and can be adjusted for school or work schedules. Typing and minimum
computer skills necessary. Send resume to: Mary Stone, pastor, Everett Memorial, 258 N. Merton, Memphis,
TN 38112. Phone: 901-458-0318; fax: 901-755-9237.
VIM dates to remember
January 14-15: Friends of Estonia National Gathering, Louisville, KY, First U.M.C. Phone 606-233-0545.
February 12: Memphis Conference Volunteers in Mission Rally, St. Matthew's UMC, Memphis. Phone: 901-323-2318.
June 29-July 2: SEJ Volunteers in Mission Rally, Lake Junaluska, NC. Phone: 800-222-4930.
Cokesbury Open House
Our Cokesbury Store in the Regalia Shopping Center, 6150 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, will have its Christmas
Open House on November 19-20, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Stock items will be 25% off.
Credit Union selling calendars with money going to miracle network
The Memphis Methodist Conference Federal Credit Union wants you to join them in providing children with
a brighter tomorrow. The credit union purchased Year 2000 calendars-donating all costs of the calendar. For a
$10 donation, you may receive a calendar. The money will go directly to LeBonheur Children's Miracle Network.
Mail personal checks, made payable to LeBonheur to the Credit Union. Or you can stop by the Credit Union,
make a donation, and pick up your calendar. The office is open Mondays or Tuesdays between 9 a.m. and 3:30
p.m. For more information or to make a donation, call Patsy Bailey or Judy Farrell at 800-821-6407.
Need holiday cash?
If you have used your MMC Federal Credit Union Mastercard for at least 6 months and have kept your account
current, you may skip your December payment and pocket the money instead! When you receive your November
statement, there will be a notation stating that no payment is due in December. You will get your December
statement as usual- and there's no fee for the service. It's your reward for being an excellent member of the
MMC Federal Credit Union!
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