Chris Cumbest has been appointed the new pastor at Shiloh United Methodist Church (UMC) beginning June 1. Now in his thirty-fourth year of ministry, he comes from his most recent appointment at Crossgates UMC in Brandon, where he had served since 2014.
Cumbest said he has had a diverse ministry from small rural to large two-campus churches, an inter-city church and those rebuilding on the Coast after Hurricane Katrina. Originally from Cumbest Bluff in Jackson County, Cumbest grew up at Salem UMC where they had camp meetings like those held at the 350-member Shiloh UMC. He fondly remembers that in 1990, he was the youth pastor for Shiloh Camp Meeting and Sheila was the children’s minister.
Sheila is currently the associate pastor of worship and missions at Christ UMC in Jackson. Their daughter, Elizabeth Byrd, who just graduated from seminary, has been appointed to Peachtree Roads UMC in Atlanta, Georgia. Both were formally recognized by the church in a June 1 ceremony in Jackson. Sheila was ordained as an elder while Elizabeth was commissioned. Cumbest’s brother, David, also served in the ministry. Their son, Jesse, will finish college with a psychology degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in July.
The Cumbest’s have resided in Morton since October 2016. He enjoys most anything outdoors and hobbies include: hunting, fishing, gardening, farming, kayaking, hiking, camping, and mission trips.
He also has an unusual hobby, now an annual tradition, of making cane syrup at his family’s homeplace on the Coast. It began with his dad and two friends always made cane syrup each fall, but it is now a community event. Although his dad and one of his friends have passed on, Cumbest and his family continue to keep the tradition and make sure the legacy lives on. His wife, son, daughter and son-in-law gather each Thanksgiving weekend to mill the cane and make the syrup.