Race and Culture Stories


April 11, 2023

Season Three Faith and Race Podcast Curriculum Now Available

The Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church is excited to announce the release of the companion curriculum for season three of the Faith and Race Podcast, which highlighted the legacies of five of Missouri’s ...

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March 24, 2023

Night to Shine

St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in DeSoto again served as a host of Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. The unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love and celebrating people with ...

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March 24, 2023

Offering Education on the Border

For more than 100 years, the Lydia Patterson Institute has been enhancing educational opportunities at the Texas-Mexico border, serving as a high school for students in Juarez, Mexico, who may not have otherwise had ...

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February 16, 2023

Rev. Dr. Linda Settles to Appear on Kelly Clarkson Show on February 16

Green Trails United Methodist Church’s Pastor, Rev. Dr. Linda Settles, will appear on the Kelly Clarkson show on Thursday, February 16 on KPLR at 3 p.m.   Pastor Settles will showcase the Church’s work in partnership ...

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January 24, 2023

History in the Bricks

Weston UMC partners with Bethel AME in Leavenworth, Kansas, to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and remember local history.

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December 20, 2022

Inclusive History

Church helps to restore the oldest African American school house in the state.

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October 26, 2022

SCJ-BMCR Renews Call for Racial Ethnic Inclusion in College of Bishops

The South Central Jurisdiction Black Methodists for Church Renewal met in St. Louis, MO October 20 - 22, 2022. The meeting theme was Attempting Great Things for God based on Ephesians 3:20.

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September 30, 2022

Conference Leaders Learn About Redlining

Missouri Conference leaders take time to visit a Kansas City area museum to learn about how redlining has impacted how the city developed.

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September 30, 2022

Remembering Tragic Events of the Past

United Methodists participate in a ceremony at the Boone County courthouse to remember the victim of a lynching that took place there 133 prior.

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September 06, 2022

Churches Ring With Freedom Schools

Missouri’s United Methodists supported several Freedom Schools this summer, flipping what could have been a “summer slide” into a season of growth.  The origins of Freedom Schools can be traced back to when African ...

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August 29, 2022

Building a Bridge

Lifebridge Creates Pathway to Change in Community

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August 29, 2022

Helping the Homeless

Church looks for ways to help the unhoused in rural Missouri.

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August 29, 2022

Missouri Youth MOVE Through CIY

Christ In Youth aims to partner with the local church to create moments and conversations that call young people to follow Jesus.

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June 21, 2022

Churches Celebrate Juneteenth

A look at how a few of the churches around the Missouri Conference celebrated Juneteenth.

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May 29, 2022

Juneteenth: Resources and Events for Celebration

Juneteenth (June 19) marks the day in 1865 when U.S. federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure all African Americans were freed.

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May 27, 2022

Pitts Chapel Speaks Out Against Hate Crime at Church

Pitts Chapel holds a press conference in response to a swastika being painted on the church.

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May 25, 2022

Creating a Safe Space in the Image of God’s Kingdom

The following story is part three in the What I’ve Learned series, in which Missouri Conference leaders share what they’ve learned in the past year around issues involving race and culture.

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May 18, 2022

Season Three of the Faith and Race Podcast Releases

Six episodes will highlight the legacies of five of Missouri’s Historically Black United Methodist Churches.

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April 14, 2022

Making Connections at HBCUs

Rev. Emanuel Cleaver III of St. James UMC in Kansas City considered several colleges when he was in high school but had an offer that made his decision easy: a basketball scholarship to Philander Smith for him and his ...

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March 28, 2022

Africa U Proud

Ezequiel Nhantumbo expresses gratitude for AU during it's 30 year anniversary.

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March 25, 2022

Release Date Announced for Season 3 of Faith and Race Podcast

The Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church is excited to announce the release date of season three of the Faith and Race Podcast. Beginning on May 5, new episodes will become available weekly on Thursdays. ...

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March 24, 2022

To Independence from Cuba

A Long Road for the Pastor of Missouri’s Newest Church

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March 24, 2022

Unity and Clashes

Russian Missouri Pastor Share Highs Lows of Culture Divides

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March 04, 2022

LPI to CMU

Relationship between two United Methodist schools is mutually beneficial.

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January 25, 2022

Talking About Faith and Race

Small group works to educate themselves on issues of race.

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December 22, 2021

Keeping the Kids Coming

Open country church has been packing in the kids on Wednesday nights for generations.

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December 22, 2021

Union Memorial: Past, Present and Future

Union Memorial has been a leading presence in its community for 175 years.

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December 22, 2021

Where to Begin When You Don't Know Where to Begin

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

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November 29, 2021

Walk Justly

United Methodists from around Missouri assemble in St. Louis to discuss issues around social justice.

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November 29, 2021

What to do When Racially Charged Events Happen

Nikki Lerner provides some advice on what to do when racially charged events occur.

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November 23, 2021

Churches Prepare to Receive Refugees from Afghanistan

Churches step up to being a neighbor as they prepare to welcome families from Afghanistan into their communities.

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November 17, 2021

Seoul Train

Pastors find their way from South Korea to Missouri

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November 05, 2021

From Mozambique to Northern Missouri

A  friendship that was forged by a Mozambique Initiative Volunteers In Mission team lead to a family relocating to Missouri to serve churches here. Rev. Naftal Naftal had no thoughts of moving to the U.S. when he ...

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July 23, 2021

Planning Worship to Unify the Body

By Nikki Lerner Worship music can be one of the most divisive or unifying tools in the church today. It amazes me how many conversations I have had with fellow worship leaders and pastors centering around the subject of...

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May 24, 2021

Breaking Bonds

Recovery ministry finds a new partner in Missouri church.

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April 29, 2021

5 Ministry Ideas from NextGen Conversations

The NextGen Conversations podcast seeks to empower NextGen leaders to create dynamic, Christ-centered ministries. In its debut season, we spoke with several Missouri ministry leaders about concepts and ideas that are ...

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February 01, 2021

Celebrating Black Missouri Conference Leaders

We’re celebrating a few of Black leaders who were important to Missouri United Methodist History. Rev. Dr. John Doggett Rev. Dr. John Doggett answered his call to ministry on the west coast, where he started a ...

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January 20, 2021

Black Genius School: Learning At Home

By Lauren Miers Parents of school-aged children know keeping kids motivated to continue their online distance learning schoolwork is difficult. Rev. Charity Goodwin and her sister Tramaine Williams encouraged their ...

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December 20, 2020

Open Door Food Pantry Video Story

Hear how University UMC in University City, Missouri, is reaching out and empowering its neighbors through the Open Door Food pantry.

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December 20, 2020

REV (Register Educate Vote) in St. Louis

One St. Louis church set out to make sure Black community members made their voices heard through voting education.  

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December 20, 2020

The Ebb and Flow of Refugees

Della Lamb prepares to welcome new neighbors.

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December 20, 2020

Unity UMC Micro-Loan Program

Hear how Unity UMC is building bridges in and impacting its community through a micro-loan program.  

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