News
August 19, 2019
Looking Through the Lense
After years of photography through personal projects and an education at the Missouri School of Journalism, I’ve found that I experience life differently when I’m looking through the lens of my camera. I pay more ...
August 19, 2019
Parting Shot
"We know we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death [1 John 3:14].” God’s love poured into my heart by the searching and refining fire of the Holy Spirit is not ...
August 19, 2019
Rocks Everywhere
I don’t know about you, but I needed a renewal break this summer from all the events of 2019. The issues and theological polarization within our church and the political polarization within our world can become ...
August 19, 2019
Servanthood Behind Prison Walls
April 16 was a monumental and historical day for the Southeast Correctional Center, Cape Girardeau’s La Croix United Methodist Church and the Missouri Department of Corrections. On the Wednesday before Easter, 159 ...
August 19, 2019
The Bigger Offering Plate
“Will the ushers please come forward…” That single phrase used to be the primary (if not the only) way the church gathered the gifts of the faithful and funded the ministries of the church. While the offertory remains ...
August 19, 2019
Youth Music Opportunities
While the offertory remains a meaningful part of our worship, the practical ways that devoted disciples can give in support of the church have expanded. The ‘offering plate’ is bigger than ever, but church offices need ...
August 09, 2019
Statement Regarding Culture of Violence
Missouri Conference of The United Methodist Church Statement Regarding Culture of Violence In the aftermath of the horrific mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, I call upon United Methodists in Missouri ...
August 06, 2019
Council of Bishops invites applications for two ecumenical programs
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church is inviting applications for the following programs: 2020 Local Initiatives Grants Scholarship to Attend The Ecumenical Institute at Bossey 2020 ...
July 31, 2019
The Sharefests Are Coming!
The first Sharefest is in Macon on September 7th, and the last one wraps up in Ferguson on October 19th. More information on the schedule can be found under the Sharefest tab at www.festivalofsharing.org. This year we ...
July 25, 2019
Congregational Excellence Hires New Missional Strategist
We're pleased to announce that Rev. Geoff Posegate has accepted a part-time role as a Missional Strategist with the Center for Congregational Excellence, beginning on September 1, 2019. Posegate will work primarily with ...
July 25, 2019
Auto-Tune: Technology and Worship
By Ryan McLouth To auto-tune or not to auto-tune, that is the question! If you’re unfamiliar with the term auto-tune, it is a device or technology that can be used to correct errors in pitch or intonation of a vocal ...
July 25, 2019
Back To School: Ministry Ideas for School-Church Partnerships
By Fred Koenig August Barker UMC participates in a back-to-school fair that provides school supplies. September Wayland UMC provides back-to-school supplies. October Nelson Memorial UMC hosts a pumpkin carving and ...
July 25, 2019
Calling Our Missouri Bikers
Hold September 29 to October 1 on your calendar for a ride to support Mozambique! Bishop Farr will be leading motorcycle riders on a loop around the state, and you are invited to join. Ride for the whole three-day loop,...
July 25, 2019
Conflict
By Fred Koenig Most people have kind of forgotten about the big dust up in St. Louis involving a mainline protestant denomination and the prevalent societal issue of the day. No, I’m not talking about General Conference...
July 25, 2019
Hitting the Mark: Fundraising Goal for Puerto Rico Surpassed
By Marsha Egan Our Conference is responsive when we see needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our Bishop challenged the Missouri Conference in the summer of 2018 to be generous with our time and money. He ...
July 25, 2019
On Location
By Fred Koenig The Missouri Conference Ignite Mobile Camp program is in the midst of its largest camp season yet. There are 54 camps across Missouri, made possible through partnerships with Eagle Lake, Heartland Camps, ...
July 25, 2019
Parting Shot
By Eric Mattson We lose our spiritual power if we cease to focus on the right thing. In contemplative photography, photo walks seek to see with fresh eyes and receive what God desires for you to see. Ending this walk, I...
July 25, 2019
Restored: 1901 craftsmanship reigns supreme
By Fred Koenig When you see the object of Rev. Jim West’s affection, you may assume it’s her beauty that drew him to her. You would be wrong – it’s what she has inside that means the most to him. “She plays better ...
July 25, 2019
Sidney Owens Named to New Position
By Fred Koenig Sidney Owens has a drive to help communities have healthier lives, which led her first to a dual-degree in health science and communications and then to a Masters of Science in Public Health from the ...
July 25, 2019
Strategies for Discerning God’s Will for Your Church
“Discernment is the capacity to recognize the presence and activity of God. Paul says that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can discern what the will of God is, that which is good, acceptable, ...
July 25, 2019
The Breath of Our Spiritual Life
Prayer is our road home to a God who loves us, and the way in which, through trials as well as the good things in life, we can continually rejoice in the Lord.
July 25, 2019
The Hedgehog Concept
By Matt Miofsky Perhaps the number one question I get from church leaders is this: “How do you explain the growth of The Gathering?” My answer usually begins with this: Any rapidly-growing church, ours included, is ...
July 25, 2019
Turning the Church Inside Out
By Fred Koenig On an appropriately hot first day of July, Beloved Community UMC buzzed. As various groups headed this way and that, Rev. Kevin Kosh walked around beaming. The church was being turned inside out, and that...
July 05, 2019
GC2020 Petitions Submissions Process Opens
United Methodists can now submit petitions for consideration by the 2020 General Conference to the petitions secretary. The deadline for submissions is September 18. Detailed instructions for submitting a petition are ...
July 05, 2019
A Time of Remembrance
By Fred Koenig A christ candle was lit during the Memorial Service on Saturday morning of annual conference to represent the light of hope that shines on from generation to generation. Those in attendance were invited ...
July 05, 2019
Apportionment Payout Sets Record
By Pam Ekey The Missouri Conference set a record for apportionment giving last year with 89.32 percent of apportionments paid. That is important because 72 percent of all apportionments paid stay in Missouri. A total of...
July 05, 2019
Connecting at Conference
By Fred Koenig If you were a lay member who attended annual conference this year, I have a favor to ask you: Don’t come back next year. Don’t get me wrong, I loved our time together. It’s just time for us to start ...
July 05, 2019
Discovering and Defining Steps
By Pam Ekey The Missouri Conference ordained 10 new elders, commissioned one provisional deacon and eight provisional elders, and recognized two new associate members in a special worship service Sunday morning. ...
July 05, 2019
Elections Go Down in Record Time
By Fred Koenig and Susan Sneed It may be a first for Missouri Annual Conference delegation elections: The entire General Conference clergy delegation was elected on one ballot. In one hour and 15 minutes the Missouri ...
July 05, 2019
Finding Passion for New Place
By Ken Rosenauer “You bloom where you are planted.” That was among the points that the Rev. Joseph Daniels Jr. used to capture the attention of the body during his learning keynote on Friday afternoon. He recalled ...
July 05, 2019
Getting a Jump on Conference
When the Missouri Conference Sessions team decided to slim annual conference down to the three-day schedule, they knew it would be challenging to hold onto that schedule in an election year. To address that, they got ...
July 05, 2019
Giving at Conference
$13,365 for Pathway Out of Poverty This offering was given during the opening worship service on Friday. Empowering the next generation for a different tomorrow is one of the Conference’s priorities. The Pathway Out of ...
July 05, 2019
Healing in Uncertain Times
By Ken Rosenauer John Wesley considered Communion “the grand channel whereby the grace of his Spirit was conveyed to the souls of all the children of God.” Along those lines, it follows that the 2019 Annual Conference ...
July 05, 2019
Holding Fast To Our Purpose
By Fred Koenig In a year of turbulence, Bishop Bob Farr reminded people in his address of the steadfast purpose of the United Methodist Church that binds the churches in Missouri together. This is the 200th year of ...
July 05, 2019
Leaders of the Future Must Adapt
By Pam Ekey If the church is to survive in the future, its leadership must change, says Tod Bolsinger, Ph.D., who is the chief of leadership formation at Fuller Theological Seminary. Unfortunately, most seminaries do ...
July 05, 2019
Love of Christ and Love of Church Adds Up a Millennium of Service
By Susan Sneed It takes a lot of love to follow a call to vocational ministry and build a life around being in service to God’s church. Throughout the retirement service a series love stories videos played with ...
July 05, 2019
Multiplying With A New Place
By Ken Rosenauer “We’ve changed the entire narrative of congregational excellence,” Rev. Roger Ross said. As director of the Center for Congregational Excellence for the past year, Ross has made new places for new ...
July 05, 2019
New Is Easier Than Change
By Fred Koenig Energy needed to create something new is less than energy needed to create change. Campus pastor Mitch Buhman credits Rev. Spencer Smith with that statement. They both agreed it was a motivating factor of...
July 05, 2019
Opening Business
By Susan Sneed Bishop Robert Farr formally opened the 2019 Missouri Annual Conference with the traditional singing of “And Are We Yet Alive.” It is a Charles Wesley hymn that has been sung at an annual conference ...
July 05, 2019
Recovery Progressing in Puerto Rico
By Pam Ekey One year into a partnership with the Iglesia Metodista de Puerto Rico, the Missouri Annual Conference has made considerable progress in helping with the recovery effort from Hurricane Maria. Rev. Lucas ...
July 05, 2019
Resolution for Inclusive Ministry Passes
By Susan Sneed Rev. Tina Harris, director of Mission, Service and Justice Ministry introduced the resolution and invited the author, Rev. Dr. Kyle Butler to formally present it to the Conference. Resolution 1 will ...
July 05, 2019
Service Recognizes Local Pastors
By Susan Sneed There are many types of pastors in United Methodism. The process of being commissioned and then later ordained into full connection as an elder or deacon is one of the highlights of annual conference. But...
July 05, 2019
Shared Streets in St. Louis
By Susan Sneed Missional Communities are described as communities meeting outside the walls of the church without an intention of those persons ever being a formal part of the church. It is being Christ in the ...
July 05, 2019
The Back Story
By Fred Koenig You don’t even have to be United Methodist to be familiar with the debate about how the denomination relates to, regulates, or restricts churches and clergy regarding same-sex marriage and homosexual ...
July 05, 2019
UMW 13th Annual Mission Walk
Each year during Annual Conference Session the United Methodist Women get up early for a neighborhood stroll. Mission Walk t-shirts were sold at the UMW Booth at Annual Conference Session for $20. The shirts were paid ...
July 04, 2019
Thompson Lifts Up Laity Successes
By Ken Rosenauer Conference Lay Leader Amy Thompson put meat on the bones of the 2019 conference goals as she ticked off one set of numbers after another. Most Missouri United Methodists are quite familiar with those ...
June 28, 2019
Missouri Conference Announces Staffing Change with Focus on Rural Poverty
The Office of Mission, Service and Justice has named Sidney Owens as Community Engagement Specialist. In this full-time role, Owens will serve as the primary Conference contact for local churches in the development of ...
June 27, 2019
Sunday of Solidarity for Suffering Children and What You Can Do To End Child Detention
What You Can Do To End Child Detention Firsthand report of ‘inhumane conditions’ at a migrant children’s detention facility in Texas has stirred people of faith to respond. If you’re wondering what you or your local ...