News
February 28, 2018
Commission on a Way Forward clarifies values as it presents two sketches to bishops
DALLAS - What is the Christ’s way forward for doing mission and ministry in the worldwide United Methodist Church? That is the question bishops pondered during their February meeting in Dallas this week as they received ...
February 26, 2018
Holiness & Happiness
By Hal Knight Happiness is something everyone wants but no one can adequately define. One internet site had over 13,000 quotes from famous people on what brings happiness. Suggestions include having enough money (but ...
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February 26, 2018
Let’s be open to Christ changing our minds, Bishop Ough tells fellow bishops
DALLAS - Council of Bishops President Bishop Bruce Ough has urged his fellow bishops to be open to Christ changing their minds as they counter disagreements and to be prepared to lead The United Methodist Church into ...
February 26, 2018
Parting Shot
By Eric Mattson Images change the photographers who capture and create them. Photography as a spiritual discipline asks many contemplative questions at various points we won’t flesh out here. What’s important is that ...
February 26, 2018
Pound Us With School Supplies
By Fred Koenig This summer, Mission, Service and Justice (formerly known as Office of Creative Ministries) will have an amazing new facility to do ministry. We hope you will help us bless this new space with an old ...
February 26, 2018
Unleashed for Ministry
Luke 10:1-9 Luke 10:1 (The Message) Later the Master selected seventy and sent them ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he intended to go. Key Verse: Luke 10:9 (The Message) ‘God’s kingdom is right on ...
February 23, 2018
Bishops to receive, discuss updated report from Commission on a Way Forward
With attention on the missional and theological foundations of The United Methodist Church, the Council of Bishops (COB) is preparing to receive an updated report from the Commission on a Way Forward on possible models ...
February 19, 2018
Reimagined Communitites
I recently heard a presentation by Dr. Richard Flory, the senior director of research and evaluation at the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture. He is a sociologist whose research focuses on religious and cultural ...
February 05, 2018
Rev. Melissa Dodd Named Next Northwest District Superintendent
Rev. Melissa Dodd Rev. Cindy Buhman Rev. Melissa Dodd has been named as the next Northwest District Superintendent. She will replace Rev. Cindy Buhman, who will be returning to serve as a local church ...
February 02, 2018
2018 Mozambique Initiative: Celebrating and Adapting Ministry
Last month, I shared successes of our Mozambique ministry in 2017. I didn’t have final giving support numbers at that time. In 2017, we concluded the highest giving toward the Mozambique Initiative in our history. Total ...
February 02, 2018
Focus on Education: Opportunities Abound
The Missouri United Methodist Foundation continues to bring outstanding educational opportunities to Missouri in 2018. Look for these programs in the next few months!
February 02, 2018
Is it the Spirit, or is it just me?
By Hal Knight We have been looking at dangers to the Christian life, those things that can draw us away from God and our neighbor. The last of these, enthusiasm, may not sound like a danger at all. We might think that ...
February 02, 2018
Parting Shot
By Eric Mattson My photography waits for the coming resurrection. What beauty I see reminds me that Christ brings light into darkness. Darkness cannot overcome that light. Those who live in Christ are not swallowed up ...
February 02, 2018
Robert & Martha Marble Mission Award Criteria
Each year the Robert and Martha Marble Mission Award is given to an individual in the Missouri Annual Conference who exhibits outstanding commitment to mission. This award is given in honor of the Marbles, who served for...
February 02, 2018
The Power of Encouragement
By Cody Collier God calls us to encourage people! Who are those in the New Year you are encouraging with your presence, actions and spiritual practices to live out their faith and invite others to become disciples of ...
February 02, 2018
Unity Award Call for Nominations
The Values Team of the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church is now receiving nominations for the Unity Award. The Unity Award celebrates the spirit and work of an individual in light of the values of the ...
February 02, 2018
Vulnerable
By Fred Koenig The Light at Joplin is drawing a big crowd for a new church start in the middle of a town that already has several outstanding churches. I don’t think it’s because of the name. When I did an internet ...
February 02, 2018
What to do with #metoo.
By Jennifer Moxley The pervasiveness of sexual abuse and assault that last fall’s #metoo movement uncovered has left the Church wrestling with how to minister to those women and men who carry stories and bear wounds in...
January 30, 2018
Commission moderators emphasize mission as key to way forward
The moderators of the Commission on a Way Forward are urging United Methodists to engage in reflections on where they see mission at the heart of the denomination as well as seeing mission as significant for resolving ...
January 29, 2018
Rev. Mi Hyeon Lee to Be Next Mid-State District Superintendent
Rev. Mi Hyeon Lee Rev. Sherry Habben Rev. Mi Hyeon Lee has been named as the next Mid-State District Superintendent. She will replace Rev. Sherry Habben, who will retire after Annual Conference Session ...
January 26, 2018
Communicate Boldly
Rev. Stephen Handy has a criticism of the church: It has stopped telling stories well. Sometimes that may come from a lack of courage. “God, I’m reporting for duty today. Where would you have me go?” Handy said in ...
January 26, 2018
She Who Rises: Releasing the Warrior Chick Within
Lia McIntosh grew up in North St. Louis county, attending Lutheran elementary and high schools. She earned a BA in marketing at the University of Missouri-Columbia, an MBA from the University of Missouri–St. Louis, and ...
January 25, 2018
Christmas Cheer
If you’re looking for an example of a community that rallies around the spirit of giving during the holidays, Clinton has Christmas Cheer. Christmas Cheer is an ecumenical event, and Clinton UMC is at the heart of it. ...
January 25, 2018
Dawning of The Light at Joplin
Resurrection in the Southwest. Two new churches in two new buildings. Both are in the same location as previous United Methodist Churches that were struggling. With former buildings destroyed by wind and fire, new ...
January 25, 2018
Fresh Start
Saint Paul’s United Methodist Church in Joplin has an understanding at its core that part of its purpose—is to help start and restart new faith communities. It has recently leaned into that role in a big way by ...
January 25, 2018
Preparing to Plant
By Roger Ross The Missouri Conference leadership agrees that The Missouri Conference leadership has identified many places in Missouri in need of a new United Methodist Church. Through generous support and careful ...
January 25, 2018
Presence
By Ryan McLouth What kind of presence do you portray when you lead worship? Are you a participant, a performer, a director or something else? Sometimes we focus our attention on the music and text so much, we forget to...
January 25, 2018
Rural Ministry: Matching Assets to Opportunities
By Lori Kiehl As the Mark Twain District Lay Leader, I want to invite you to North Missouri to engage with problem solvers of small rural churches. The Mark Twain District’s Rural Ministry Now conference is meeting the ...
January 24, 2018
Pastoring in Partisan Times
By Fred Koenig There has been much discussion about how people seemed to have become more entrenched in polarized viewpoints regarding politics issues. When the people on opposite ends of the spectrum come together on ...
January 24, 2018
Star in the East
By Fred Koenig When Morning Star United Methodist Church in Dardenne Prairie (near O’Fallon) launched a new site last fall, the launch team was prepared like no other. First, they all committed to being a permanent part...
January 22, 2018
Commission on a Way Forward prepares updated report to bishops
DALLAS - The Commission on a Way Forward is nearing the completion of its task of making recommendations of possible ways forward for The United Methodist Church regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ persons in this global ...
January 18, 2018
Helping the Church Seek Justice
The General Board of Church and Society carries a mandate from General Conference. Its job is to educate, advocate and connect around social justice issues as guided by the Social Principles and the Book of Resolutions. ...
January 16, 2018
Seizing the Moments
Mark 1:14-15 (The Message) After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.” How long has it been since you ...
January 10, 2018
The Lay Leader
By Mitch Ross What does a Lay Leader really do? The United Methodist Church Book of Discipline outlines responsibilities for lay leaders, but that is the easy answer. To answer candidly, we need to recognize the ...
January 07, 2018
The Power of my Grandfather’s Prayer
By Lydia Istomina When you call me, and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:12 In spite of present ...
January 03, 2018
Rev. Molly Moore to be Conference Ministerial Leadership Recruitment Coordinator
Rev. Molly Moore has been named as the part-time Ministerial Leadership Recruitment Coordinator. She will begin in this role on Jan. 1, 2018. Molly is an ordained deacon with years of experience in discipleship ...
December 23, 2017
Advent Reflections from the Mozambique Initiative
By Craig Stevenson The season of Advent is upon us, and as we anxiously await the arrival of our savior, Jesus, I also think about what this time of year conjures up for me. This time of year I am full of nearly the ...
December 21, 2017
Coming Together for Sharing
By Sidney Owens On the third weekend in October, youth through retirees gathered to carry out the work necessary to feed, clothe and comfort our brothers and sisters in need. This 36-year-old tradition was an ...
December 12, 2017
Breathe
As the Advent season begins, remember to breathe. Remember the birth of God’s son Jesus grounds our identity in God’s grace and not in ourselves. Craig Finnestad writes a liturgy prayer “Christmas” in his book, Prayers ...
December 03, 2017
Building for Education
When Ava Swafford approached fellow Community UMC member Sass Tracy about building desks for schools in Nicaragua, he said sure. It would be something to do. “If you aren’t doing something, you’ll just die,” he ...
December 03, 2017
Not So New People
The other day I was in a church with Oliver, my 13 year-old, and he looked around and said, “Dad, have you noticed that everyone here is pretty old.” “Yes,” I replied. “But, like in a few of years, who’s ...
December 02, 2017
Chartering The Way
There are many different models of new church starts, and often as soon as a church launches, it looks and feels like a church to everyone involved. But in the United Methodist Church there is an official process for ...
December 02, 2017
Four Weeks of Advent
By Amy Thompson Advent is the season of the church in which we prepare our lives for the coming of Christ. Growing up, my favorite part of Advent was placing our advent wreath with its three purple candles and one pink ...
December 01, 2017
Formalism
By Hal Knight We have been looking at dangers to the Christian life. This month and next I want to examine what may be for Wesley the greatest danger of all: formalism. In our day this is often called “nominal ...
December 01, 2017
New Hope's Day of Service
New Hope UMC in Arnold has been providing a special day of service in the fall each year for six years. This year was the most successful yet. The church had more than 100 people who worked on eight different mission ...
December 01, 2017
New Scholarship Benefits Five Missouri Candidates
“This connects a lot of dots in support of our Missouri students,” said David Atkins, executive director of the Missouri United Methodist Foundation. “The Lilly Endowment, Wespath, GBHEM, the UM Seminaries, the Missouri ...
December 01, 2017
Parting Shot
By Eric Mattson “All of us are meaning-seekers. We approach every painting, novel, film, symphony or ballet unconsciously hoping it will move us one step further on the journey toward answering the question ‘Why am I ...
December 01, 2017
Sing Along
By Ryan McLouth Have you ever noticed that congregations seem to participate less in singing in recent years? This is a growing challenge that churches should be addressing sooner than later. Part of the issue is that ...
November 22, 2017
Cheap Grace
By Hal Knight Last month we looked at how legalism endangers the way of salvation. Now I want to identify the opposite danger, and to begin not with John Wesley but the 20th century theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a ...