The Rev. Gordon Hendrickson has found a new, willing and able partner in his crusade to get more lay people to: 1) pray one-on-one with others; 2) anoint others with oil; 3) serve Communion wherever and whenever people need it; …
2 immigrant families find sanctuary at Philadelphia church
Two immigrant families, both with children who are American citizens, have taken sanctuary inside First United Methodist Church of Germantown (FUMCOG) to resist deportation orders from the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The families, from Honduras and Jamaica, recently had …
Summer camps leave life-changing impact
Summer Camp 2018 offered up to nine weeks of exciting, life-changing adventures for several thousand young minds, bodies and souls at all four of the Eastern PA Conference’s Camp & Retreat Centers. Gretna Glen drew 1,267 campers, while Innabah increased …
Churches in two cities partner in (Kingdom) building ministries
“If you want to do Kingdom-based ministry, you have to learn to love your zip code.” The Rev. Kevin Babcock, pastor of Clifton Heights and Swarthmore UMCs, credits theologian Len Sweet with that axiom. No doubt it means learning to …
Summer issue of NEWSpirit is now online
Read the new summer issue of NEWSpirit now online at: Summer 2018. All issues are found on our NEWSpirit newspaper webpage. Featured in this issue: “Conference, churches rally to recover from recent floods,”…
Laity Academy inspires joyful learning, music, fellowship
The joyful energy and communal spirit of the 35th annual Laity Academy, held August 3-5, seemed to fill the classrooms, corridors, dining/fellowship hall and even the sanctuary of Quakertown UMC, where Caribbean-style steel drums and a lengthening conga dance line …
Conference engages in UMC Way Forward dialogues, prayer
About a hundred people came out to West Lawn UMC August 8 to learn, talk and pray about the seismic changes and considerations that will be proposed to a special session of the UMC’s General Conference next February—changes that could …
Conference, churches helping Puerto Rico ‘rise again’
Both the Eastern PA Conference and several local churches are responding to the ongoing critical needs caused by Hurricane Maria’s devastation of Puerto Rico a year ago in September. The has conference raised over $96,000 from districts, churches and individuals …
Loving others in our family of faith
Galatians 6:10 says, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” These words of the Apostle Paul give us clear direction to be about doing good works…