What is happening in growing new churches and redeveloping existing churches? A lot! I remember when I went to Annual Conference…
How to grow vital, disciple-making churches
Primary Focus The mission of The United Methodist Church is to “make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” This is based on the Great Commission of Jesus, found in Matthew 28:18-20. Allowing the transforming grace of …
Network! Network! Network!
Remember the old axiom about the three most important considerations for buying real estate? It’s “Location! Location! Location!” As Coordinator of Congregational Development…
From near-death to life through ‘Vital Merger’
(Jesus) cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” …
Disharmony felt in key resolutions, relations at NEJ Conference
Reflection by The Rev. Jeffrey Raffauf: The NE Jurisdictional Conference was a unique experience for me. I understood going in the importance of this body…
Call to action against racism: Are we really going to do this?
“We will all have to repent, not merely for the hateful words and actions of bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.”
Repentance asks ‘all of us’ to remember
On a sunny day during our Eastern PA Annual Conference in June, several of us entered the historic Fulton Theatre in downtown Lancaster, just a short walk from the Convention Center.
Call to Prayer for GC2016: Social Issues
Among the most important but also the most controversial part of General Conference every four years is the conversation about social issues. United Methodists of good will are at different places around a plethora of social issues facing society today. …
Call to Prayer for GC2016: Pray for those who may determine NEJ episcopal areas
Pray for those who may determine NEJ episcopal areas. On the fifth day of General Conference there is a gathering of the Interjurisdictional Committee on the Episcopacy…
Call to Prayer for GC2016: Prayers for our church and its global Discipline
Prayers for our church and its global Discipline–At our General Conference, which will be held in Portland, Oregon (May 10-20), there will be conversation about a Global Book of Discipline.