Lynn Walton presided over the meeting. Richard Topp provided the opening prayer and Sean Priebe led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Lynn led the club in the Four Way Test. The meeting was held at the Holiday Inn in Hattiesburg and via Zoom.
Lynn reminded members that board election has been completed and everyone on the ballot was elected. She also reported that the district conference is coming up on April 19 – 21. She encouraged members to attend the Biloxi event. Hattiesburg will host the 2023 conference on April 21 – 23 on the USM campus. She encouraged the club to work with the Petal and the Sunrise club and provide a table at the food fest next year. Volunteers are needed to work on the conference and the food fest. She also reminded members that it is time to nominate the Rotarian and Non-Rotarian of the year. If you have a candidate for one or both of these awards, please let Lynn know.
Mark Killingsworth then introduced today’s guest speaker, Steve Casteel. Steve is the Senior Pastor at Heritage United Methodist Church. He has been a pastor for the past 42 years. He is a graduate of Mississippi State University and Emory University.
Pastor Casteel has a real passion for leadership development and community involvement. His personal mission statement is “live loved.” He noted that covid eroded much of our community over the past two years and encouraged Rotarians to help him rebuild the community. He has founded a non-profit organization, Store Soup, with a focus on doing just that. He encouraged us to look around and discover a way we can help bring the community back. He notes that every community has needs and needs leaders.
He wants us to use our vision to see where the needs are, the approach the needs with integrity and passion. He encouraged everyone to re-connect to your community. Find a non-profit working on community needs and then invest yourself.
There being no further business to come before the club, Lynn thanked Pastor Casteel for his presentation and then adjourned the meeting with our motto: “Service Above Self.”