News
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April 03, 2019
The Man With Many Hats
It’s the kind of the morning only a few are willing to venture into when the brisk February air is blowing you back into your warm bed. The aroma of coffee surrounds you like a blanket when you finally arrive as people ...
April 03, 2019
There to Help
Rev. Jeff Baker was at General Conference in St. Louis to help out. “I was just there to run errands for Kim (Jenne) or Heather (Birge), and help out wherever they needed me,” said Baker, Missouri Conference Director of ...
April 03, 2019
Timely Topics from C2FM: Should A Pastor Buy or Rent?
There is no one answer to this question that fits every situation. There are many factors to consider, and decisions should be made in consultation with local church leaders, and by seeking the advice of trusted ...
April 03, 2019
Traditional In Its Own Right
At 10:58 a.m. the organist at Centenary United Methodist Church took her seat at the foot of the historic Babler memorial organ, its height stretching to towards the sanctuary’s ceiling. A few minutes after 11 a.m., Rev....
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April 03, 2019
Volunteering to Make it Work
In the midst of constant change throughout General Conference, one thing was consistent no matter what was happening on the floor of the Dome: A red shirt emblazoned with volunteer on the back. These red shirts ...
April 02, 2019
Alice Fowler To Be Next Southwest District Superintendent
If the name “Rev. Alice Fowler” sounds familiar, it may be because she was the preacher for the Sunday morning worship service at Annual Conference Session in 2015. It will soon be a name you hear more often, as she will...
April 02, 2019
Mark Statler To Be New Director of Leadership Excellence
Southwest District Superintendent Mark Statler is not leaving the Missouri Conference Cabinet, but he will soon be serving churches in Missouri in a new way. This June he will be appointed to Conference staff as the new ...
March 19, 2019
Cyclone Idai: Ways to Respond
On March 14, Cyclone Idai made landfall at the city of Beira, Mozambique. The cyclone slammed into the southeast African country as a high-end Category 2 storm with 175 kph (110 mph winds) at midnight Thursday, causing ...
March 15, 2019
Bishop's GC2019 District Conversations
Choose one of nine opportunities that works best for your schedule. These sessions will not be recorded. Date District Location Time Thursday, March 14 Mid-State MOAC (Columbia) 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 15 ...
March 11, 2019
Bishops challenge constitutionality of disaffiliation petition
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church (COB) has asked the Judicial Council for a declaratory decision as to the constitutionality and the meaning, application, and effect of Petition ...
March 06, 2019
3 Reasons You Should Explore the Enneagram
The word Enneagram has likely graced your social media feed, and you may have brushed it off as the latest personality type trend. While this style of understanding personality has gained popularity, appearing in many ...
March 06, 2019
5 Things to Learn
Jake McGlothin, former director of Serve Ministries at Floris United Methodist Church in Fairfax County, Virginia, and currently a pastor at Restoration Church in Loudoun, led a webinar elaborating on his book A ...
March 06, 2019
Are We Yet Alive?
I write this not knowing what, if anything, the called General Conference has decided concerning the future of the United Methodist Church. But whatever has occurred, I think it is important to remind ourselves that our ...
March 06, 2019
For Raytown: Campus of Woods Chapel has New Beginning
On March 3 Raytown Chapel is going to launch as a new United Methodist Church. It’s a campus of Woods Chapel UMC in Lee’s Summit and is making a fresh start as a new church focused on community engagement. First ...
March 06, 2019
God Calls All of Us
God calls all of us. Throughout scripture, we are told about God's call on our lives to be in ministry. We hear these words in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6, “There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; and there are...
March 06, 2019
I Don't Know Cotton
I wrote this column two weeks before the special session of General Conference started. If you’re reading the printed version of the magazine, the special session has probably been over for a few days. So, I’m going to ...
March 06, 2019
Parting Shot
This light bulb grabbed my attention on a contemplative walk as I mulled over how to provide pastoral leadership following an incident which sent shock waves throughout the community. My thoughts were swept into ...
March 06, 2019
Pure
A combination of journalistic style, cultural commentary, and memoir, PURE: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free by Linda Kay Klein is a look at the Evangelical ...
March 06, 2019
Thoughts on General Conference 2019
At the end of the month, The United Methodist Church will gather in St. Louis for the Special Session of the General Conference to discern a “way forward” beyond our division related to human sexuality, interpretation of...
March 06, 2019
Up Tempo
Do you think about tempo when making song selections? Though this may not be an obvious initial consideration for church musicians, I propose that it should be. We’re all suckers for a good melody. Think about it. You’...
March 06, 2019
Working Towards the Goal
Last fall the Missouri Conference kicked-off an action plan for tackling three big goals in the areas of New Places for New People, Missional Leaders and Pathway Out of Poverty. On January 29 Conference leaders ...
March 04, 2019
A Pastoral Letter to the United Methodist Church from the President of the Council of Bishops
+Where possible you are asked to read this brief letter in your morning worship service. Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They ...
February 23, 2019
Praying Our Way Forward Arrives at Special Session
The United Methodist Church believes prayer changes things. Soon after the Special Session of General Conference was scheduled in 2016, a Praying Our Way Forward initiative began. Phase 1 involved 84 members of the ...
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February 23, 2019
Spiritual Direction Prayer at GC2019
Len Delony had cancer at age 13. In a few months’ time he lost half of his body weight, dropping from 150 pounds to 75. In this emaciated state he couldn’t go to school, or practically anywhere else besides doctor and ...
February 19, 2019
Jon Thompson to be next Ozarks District Superintendent
Rev. Jon Thompson will be appointed as the Ozarks District Superintendent this June. He will replace Rev. Lynn Dyke, who is retiring. Thompson was born in Geneva, Illinois. At age six he moved to a family farm near ...
February 19, 2019
Robin Roderick Bell to be next Gateway Central District Superintendent
Rev. Robin Roderick Bell will be appointed to be the next Gateway Central District Superintendent in June. She will replace Rev. Londia Granger Wright, who is retiring. Bell was born near Chicago but soon her family ...
February 19, 2019
United Methodists Meet in St. Louis for Worldwide Conference
St. Louis, Mo.: Delegates and observers from around the world will gather at the Dome at America’s Center, February 24-26, 2019, for the Special Session of the United Methodist General Conference. The General Conference ...
February 10, 2019
Now Accepting Award Nominations
Robert and 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...
January 30, 2019
UMCOM Christmas Tour Wraps up in KC
The Brookside Brass Quintet played holiday tunes to welcome visitors when the True Meaning of Christmas Tour pulled into its final stop in Kansas City on December 17. Set up outside Charlecote Antiques at the Crestwood ...
January 24, 2019
Addressing Atheism
At a time when many United Methodists are struggling with the question of whether they can understand each other and get along, Rev. Greg Weeks has set his focus on reconciling two broader groups – atheist and ...
January 24, 2019
Calendar of Events
Rural Ministry Now Saturday, February 9 at 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM Location: Emerson Fields, 35932 US Hwy 63, Excello, MO 65247 Contact: John Pinkston, (816) 520-7841, johnpinkstonii@gmail.com Rural churches are vital to ...
January 24, 2019
Lead So You Can Be Followed
Are you leading music in a way that can be followed? As we all know, the goal of leading song in a worship service is to engage congregation members to sing along. One challenge that the modern church faces is a lack of ...
January 24, 2019
Parting Shot
In Confessions, Augustine wrote: “[People] go abroad to admire the heights of mountains, the mighty waves of the sea, the broad tides of rivers, the compass of the ocean, and the circuits of the stars, yet pass over the ...
January 24, 2019
Ways to Read the Missouri Methodists
Individual Mailed Subscription This magazine is automatically sent to all clergy and selected church leaders, but is also available to anyone for $20 per year. Send checks payable to the Missouri Conference to Susan ...
January 24, 2019
Working Towards Resolution
By Amy Thompson The General Conference of the worldwide United Methodist Church has called a Special Session. It will take place for a few days at the end of February in St. Louis. Methodists from the Missouri ...
January 23, 2019
Blessings Flow: C2FM Gains Momentum
The Clergy and Church Financial Ministry – C2FM – is providing a new level of educational and financial resources in support of Missouri’s pastors and congregations. Two recent developments affirm the progress and value ...
January 23, 2019
Four Ways to Fit Yoga Into Your Day
#1 Breathe When we slow down our breath, we help signal to our bodies that all is well. This can decrease our stress response, lower our blood pressure and calm our minds. Take a moment wherever you are to notice your ...
January 23, 2019
Leadership Practices for a Healthy & Happy New Year
By Cody Collier There is a true crisis concerning the physical, mental and spiritual health of leaders serving the church today. Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell and Jason Byassee’s timely book, Faithful and Fractured, believes...
January 23, 2019
Let Us Hold Fast to Hope
By Brian Hammons As a lay delegate to General Conference, I’ve been reading a lot to prepare for the upcoming special session on February 24-26. Scripture has been a big part of that, seeking God’s guidance in grace and...
January 23, 2019
Meeting God on the Mat
A QA with Jill Wondel, a yoga teacher who specializes in holy yoga as a way to calm the mind and focus on God.
January 23, 2019
Pan-Methodist Emancipation Proclamation Celebration
Missouri Bishop Bob Farr opened his sermon at the Pan-Methodist Emancipation Proclamation Day service with a confession: Prior to his participation in the service his previous year, the concept of celebrating ...
January 23, 2019
Precautionary Measures
Safeguarding your church's finances and taking steps to prevent theft.
January 23, 2019
Twittering Away Your Reputation
A biblical perspective on how to watch what you say on social media.
January 23, 2019
Wesley on Schism
Last month we looked at the question of how Christians should disagree with one another and learned that Wesley believed our controversies should be carried out in a spirit of love and mutual respect. But how should ...
January 16, 2019
Important Year-End Report Information: Vital Signs Simplified for 2019
Vital Signs provides churches and Cabinet members with vital data about the health of our congregations. These revised questions more accurately define vitality in worship. Vital Signs questions have been simplified for ...
January 07, 2019
40 Days of Doubt: Devotions for the Skeptic
Have you ever questioned whether everything you believe in as a Christian is false? 40 Days of Doubt explores questions readers may be asking about their faith in 41 (with bonus day) devotions. Why would God care what I...
January 07, 2019
A Big Year for Old McKendree
Missouri’s only Heritage Landmark of the United Methodist Church is celebrating its 200th birthday
January 07, 2019
Background and Harmony Vocals
In the last few installments, we’ve discussed the practical role of instruments in the contemporary worship ensemble. So far we’ve discussed keyboard, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, and drums. This month ...
January 07, 2019
Beer and Bible
First UMC in Rolla is trying several different approaches to reach out to new people, including small groups that are outside the norm of what many people expect at church. The Beer and Bible small group meets at 6 p.m. ...
January 07, 2019
Check
Last June Rev. Sheila Bouie-Sledge left Annual Conference Session inspired by the urging of Conference leaders for local churches to partner with neighboring schools. She was newly appointed to North Park United ...