Charleston District United Methodist Pastors Come to Rural Mission

Most of the Charleston District pastors and special ministry leaders of the United Methodist Church have known about the Rural Mission and its outreach ministry for many years. It is a familiar place to those who have appreciated its presence and history, its devotion to prayer, the solitude and beauty of the location, and the heartwarming and enriching Sea Island fellowship. On April 24 District Superintendent Rev. Patty Parrish gathered the pastors of this area at the Rural Mission for a time of devotion, sharing, discussion of District and Conference business and a wonderful Sea Island meal prepared by the Mission's longtime cooks and staff. But this was not all that Rev. Parrish had planned.

Rev. Parrish is a committed advocate and believer in missions and outreach as a fundamental purpose of the United Methodist Church. She asked those who could be come prepared to get involved and to work for a part of the day in missions with Rural Mission staff and volunteers. The pastors were teamed with a high school youth team of 56 young people from South Church in Andover, Massachusetts. They worked on two homes, the home of Mrs. Legare and that of Mrs. Stanley, both on Johns Islands. Flooring was being installed inside the Legare home and a new roof was being completed for the Stanley home. The pastors jumped into this work wholeheartedly, enjoying the young people and ministering to the families being helped. Their contributions were greatly appreciated by Anderson Mack, Jr. Director of Special projects with the Mission.