OUR HISTORY
Ministry of Reconciliation
John 17:23...."complete unity...."
Incorporated in 1993 as a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, Mission Mississippi is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of a balanced mix of blacks, whites, males and females. The board meets at least every two months to provide direction and accountability for the Executive Director.
PRIMARY FOCUS: To build relationships and to call persons of all races and denominational backgrounds to reconciliation
MISSION MISSISSIPPI STATEMENT OF CONFIDENCE: We are confident that reconciliation and unity will have an immediate as well as long-term positive impact on the whole state.
Mission Mississippi began as a prayer movement in Jackson, MS 15 years ago. Initially, a core group of 12-15 Christians met early in the morning once a week to pray in what they considered to be a neutral place: a police precinct in West Jackson, a troubled area of town. Going to that part of Jackson was a challenge for many people who attended, but they were able to overcome their fear and unite with each other in prayer for that community and the city of Jackson.
Folks attending these prayer breakfasts weren't served hot biscuits, eggs, bacon or fruit common at our prayer breakfasts today. They got only the occasional cold donuts if someone brought them. The precinct was a concrete building with no comfortable chairs or carpeting. But despite the Spartan-like conditions under which they met, these prayer warriors kept coming week after week to pray for each other and for racial reconciliation in the city, state, and nation.
Kay Shurden of Cornerstone Church was one lady who faithfully attended these initial prayer meetings at the precinct. In her 70's at the time, she had prayed for 30 years every day for a movement of God's people to be reconciled to one another. Kay had a vision of what this movement would look like, what Mission Mississippi is now: Christians, black and white getting together across racial and denominational lines to pray together and to form lasting friendships. The fulfillment of Kay's God-given vision is a real testimony to His answer to her prayer!
It was during these meetings that Mission Mississippi, as an organization, was birthed. The prayer breakfast attendees chose an Executive Committee. If anyone wanted to be on this committee, he/she could run for it and be appointed democratically. After the Executive Committee was chosen, then six other committees were developed. These seven committees began to plan events to get pastors and business leaders together across racial and denominational lines.
God brought Pat Morley and Tom Skinner to Jackson to help out in the early days. These men had forged a twenty-year friendship that carried them through good and bad times despite their different racial and socio-economic backgrounds. Pat initially came to Jackson to minister to pastors. Later, however, he and Tom came to speak together at the first Reconciliation Rally.
Not long after that first rally, the board of Mission Mississippi added Jarvis Ward as its first full-time Executive Director. For more than three years, he and a small staff carried out the vision of encouraging unity in the Body of Christ.
For a long time, this movement was viewed as an outreach to the greater Jackson area. However, when Jarvis Ward left and a new Executive Director, Dolphus Weary, was hired in 1998, he was commissioned to take this movement statewide.
Prayer continues to be the backbone of the ministry. Presently approximately 40 faithful prayer warriors meet every week at churches, businesses and organizations around Jackson. Each week, the church, business or organization provides breakfast for everyone attending. A leader from the church, organization or business then gives the devotion after which time everyone breaks into small groups to pray for the particular needs expressed on the prayer guide sheet. Prayers are also lifted up for the city, state, nation and world. The breakfast ends with prayer for the employees or members of the church, business or organization.
We are asking God to change Mississippi.....one relationship at a time.
