On December 30, 2024, Otterbein UMC in Lancaster opened its doors in a wide welcome to its unhoused neighbors. The vision began when the Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (LCHRA) was evaluating potential sites for a low-barrier homeless shelter. …
‘Brave the Dark’ celebrates mentoring and EPA sites, including Ranck’s UMC
New Holland, PA You may not know the names Nate and Stan Deen today, but if you like to go to the movies, you may soon know their names and celebrate them like most people connected to New Holland, PA …
The Overlooked virtue of changing your mind
“Who knows? He may turn, change his mind and leave a blessing behind him.” (Joel 2:14a, CJB) The EPA Conference North District and Congregational Team (CDT) partner to bring Bishop Will Willimon to our pastors and other local church leaders as he …
Spotlighting the work of deaconesses and home missioners
Deaconesses and Home Missioners are theologically trained lay women and men who dedicate their lives to full-time lay ministry as part of the United Methodist Church. They live out their call to lay ministry in the vocational field to which …
2024 Church Anniversary Celebrations
As we continue to peer forward into the new year with anticipation, let’s look back at some of the churches that celebrated anniversaries in 2024. Zoar’s 230th anniversary highlights past, present, future in ministry By John W. Coleman* “Emboldened by …
Carrying the spirit of Christmas into the new year
There are lots of ways to engage the community at Christmas. Some churches go into the community to tell the story of Christmas, some tell the story of Christmas in creative ways, and others choose to build relationships by inviting …
2025 EPA Local Pastor Licensing School registration is open
Registrations are open for the next EPA UMC Local Pastor Licensing School. It will be offered via Zoom sessions from February to early April in 2025. The registration fee is $375 The Local Pastor Licensing School is a foundational learning …
Lighthouse Congregations: Embracing All in a Polarized World
St. Mark’s Mount Joy is a Lighthouse Congregation, a faith community that chooses to shine a beacon of radical welcome into our polarized and polarizing world. No matter what you believe or which side of the political aisle you sit …
Resilience and Renewal: The Journey of Tindley Tea Cafe
As churches began to emerge from COVID two years ago, many dreamed of restarting ministries that the pandemic had sidelined. Tindley Temple on South Broad Street was no different. They were looking forward to reopening their feeding ministry that provides …
Camphor Memorial UMC hosts community conversation
On Friday, September 13th, Camphor Memorial UMC hosted a Community Conversation designed to bring church members, neighborhood residents, and business and community leaders together to dream about how Camphor might be in ministry with their community. The conversation opened with …