Do you have a heart for college student ministry but do not know how to get started?  There is a simple way to build relationships by bringing meals to gatherings.
     Jordyn Ahlgrim is the contact at the Wesley house. Meals are needed every Tuesday evening during the school semester to feed approximately 20-25 students. We are seeking groups/individuals to sign up for a meal! Please take a look and send us a message if you have any questions:  vlmbaker@gmail.com
     This group of college age young adults seek to spread the Word of God with passion every week and strive to be more and more like Jesus by reaching out to bring others to that same place of passion. Won't you join in the ministry by sharing your ministry of a meal? These meals are dinner only. Thank you and God bless! Victoria Baker

 Click here to view the schedule & sign up

March 26th is UMCOR Sunday (Formerly One Great Hour of Sharing)

When disaster strikes around the globe-Haiti's 2010 earthquake or Typhoon Haiyan in 2013-so many watching the drama unfold on our living room televisions feel entirely helpless. How could any one person make a difference in the wake of such widespread devastation? As responders around the globe scramble to help survivors, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, UMCOR, is prepared to act.

     So don't be fooled by the word committee.

     Since 1940, when UMCOR's forerunner was established to meet the needs of those suffering overseas at the onset of World War II, we've continued to respond to those in desperate need-today throughout more than eighty countries around the world.

The response of UMCOR isn't something "they" do, it's something "we" do.

When You Give You Equip Christ's Body to Serve in His Name

That's because your generous giving to UMCOR Sunday  (formerly One Great Hour of Sharing) is what allows UMCOR to act as the arms and legs of Christ's church, moving toward the most vulnerable in their darkest days. Convinced that all people have God-given worth and dignity-without regard to race, religion or gender-together we are assisting those impacted by crisis or chronic need.

Because you give, the United Methodist Church's compassionate response to human suffering continues today:

• When tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma, we responded
• When children in Zimbabwe lost parents to AIDS, we responded
• When a massive tsunami devastated lives in Japan, we responded
• And when the next mass crisis occurs, we will be prepared to respond

     UMCOR will be able to offer aid in Jesus' name to those who suffer because United Methodists give through UMCOR Sunday,  (formerly One Great Hour of Sharing).  In fact, it's your generous giving that allows us to respond when disaster strikes.

     Not "they."

     We.

     Ensure the United Methodist Church Can Keep Helping

     Will you continue to give to UMCOR Sunday  (formerly One Great Hour of Sharing)? Will you continue to meet the needs of the children, families and communities who've experienced devastation in the wake of disaster?

     When we meet the needs of those who suffer we actually minister to Jesus, who said:

     "I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me.  I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me." (Mt. 25:35-36, CEB)

     As we respond, we recognize Jesus in those who are reeling in the wake of disaster.

Donate Now 

 

Atlanta, Ga.: The second meeting of the Commission on a Way Forward got underway in Atlanta February 27, as commission members spent time in reflection, discussion and work team meetings.
     Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball led the Commission in discussions of accountability and their covenant, the complexity of the work ahead, and building relationships of trust by going deeper in conversation and understanding. These three values-accountability, complexity, trust-are considered essential to taking the steps toward decision-making.

     On Tuesday, the Rev. Jorge Acevedo led a Bible study on Galatians 1, a letter that stirred the fires of the Protestant Reformation and was important to both John and Charles Wesley. "Paul gets to the heart of the matter. He's concerned; very concerned for the church," said Acevedo.

     Learning from history

     Does a divided era of the church's past provide some clues for how to move forward towards the future? Commission members heard from Bishop Woodie White as he reflected on the period that spanned the 1940s, 50s and most of the 60s when African-American churches were segregated and placed into the Central Jurisdiction. That lasted until the formation of The United Methodist Church in 1968.

     "Fifty years ago, the church was -- as everyone knows -- structurally segregated. Annual conferences were segregated, most of our colleges were segregated, our institutions were segregated, and the church said that that had to come to an end," said Bishop White.

     Bishop White likened the church to a family. "I believe we are brothers and sisters in Christ, and because I believe that, I won't let you write me out of the family and I won't write you out of the family. That gives me hope, that we are children of God," said Bishop White.

    Read the full article

About the Commission on a Way Forward

The 32-member Commission on a Way Forward was appointed by the Council of Bishops to assist the bishops in their charge from the 2016 General Conference to lead the church forward amid the present impasse related to human sexuality and resulting questions about the unity of the church.

Media contact:

Diane Degnan ddegnan@umcom.org

615-485-1765

     Church Investments Take on Climate Change 

by Heather Hahn  

Wespath funded d.light solar light in Mathare Slum, Nairobi, Kenya

 

     Apollo Kagwe, an herbalist in rural Kenya, relies on a solar-powered lantern to light his way home from work and illuminate his household into the night.

     "Without it, I would be blind," he told   d.light, the company that sold him his lantern.

     Wespath Benefits and Investments, The United Methodist Church's pension agency, has invested some $30 million in enterprises such as d.light that provide solar-powered lighting and home kits for people who live off the electrical grid.

     The investment in solar lights is just one way Wespath seeks to live out church social teachings while carrying out its fiduciary responsibilities to United Methodist clergy and other investors.

     Here is another. Wespath has joined 13 other global investors   in launching  the Transition Pathway Initiative, an assessment of how companies are making the transition to a low-carbon economy. Carbon dioxide, as a heat-trapping gas, is one of the main contributors to climate change.

     The focus on reducing carbon emissions - both on the ground in individual homes and on the global scale of multinational businesses - is not only about supporting creation care. Wespath staff members say planning for a low-carbon future also makes good financial sense.

     Wespath is the largest publicly reported faith-based pension fund in the world and among the top 100 pension funds in the United States. The agency manages benefit plans for more than 100,000 participants, including United Methodist clergy and lay employees. It also manages the assets of United Methodist-affiliated endowments, foundations and other institutions.

 

Bishop's Prayer for NM Conference Week of "Praying A Way Forward"

Gracious God, by the power of your Holy Spirit, make us one as you and your Son Jesus Christ are one. We praise you as sovereign Lord over all of our lives, even during times in which we may or may not be aware of your presence and acknowledge your power.  We pray for The United Methodist Church around the globe that we might truly become the church you have called us to be and become.  We lift up the work of the Commission in discerning a way forward around issues of human sexuality within the church.  In a spirit of reconciliation, may we seek your peace and justice in the world.  We lift up before you the hurt and harm felt as a result of our division and discord and ask for your comfort and peace, which only you can give as Lord.  We look to you as the author and finisher of our faith, knowing that what we think we know is only partial to the reality of your divine truth and understanding. By the power of your Holy Spirit, grant to us a spirit of humility and servant hood to be the church you have called us to be and to become. May our vision be always focused on your kingdom rather than exclusively on our denomination. Grant us this week the courage to follow Christ in what we say and do, in His Name we pray. Amen.

Click to sign up for prayer vigil 

     Create a welcoming environment for Christian singles in all stages of life with these fresh ideas that will breathe new life and even more excitement into the traditional singles ministry.

     However, before getting into the new ideas, let's identify some of the problems and myths with stereotypical thinking about singles' ministry.

          1. Singles-only events - Church leaders may have good intentions when offering singles-only events. However, the separation can alienate them from the larger church community. Just because a person is single doesn't mean he or she can't or doesn't want to interact with married couples or families.

          2. Not everyone is in their early 20s - Typically, we think of singles as young adults fresh out of college, beginning careers and establishing their own lives, but many vibrant singles are in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond.

          3. Playing matchmaker - Not every Christian single is looking for a mate. And that's OK! There are lots of reasons a person may want to be single. One is a whole number. A single person can be content.

Click here for the full article

Worship Designers - National Convocation - July 24-27th in Little Rock

Online MissionInsite Training

     Knowing your neighbor is a critical step for any congregation attempting to intentionally reach into their community with a message of God's transforming grace. Christians have always been required to translate the good news into a language people in their mission field can understand.  Today, when the mission field is literally just outside our doors, we must strive to better understand our neighbors so that we can better understand how to reach them.

     This three session Webinar focuses on using the  MissionInsite People View tool to better understand your community and how to reach them. It provides the technical information you need to engage in the  Know Your Neighbor small group process, which you may optionally use as a follow-up in your church.  You will receive three copies of the Know Your Neighbor booklet by mail when you register. This webinar is for anyone lay or clergy. If you have used Google Maps to get directions then you can use these tools.

More information visit the   Whole Church website.

     Sessions will run 90 minutes on the dates below. We will use  Zoom.us for the webinar. You will receive an email with a link prior to the meeting.  When you click it you will be prompted to download the free Zoom client. You can join from a laptop, tablet, or smart phone.

Click to Register

Upcoming Events Click here for the Conference Calendar