Pathway Bridges, a Lilly grant-funded program, has been equipping churches to bridge the gap between the church and the community since 2022. New cohorts launched in the spring and fall of 2025. Three years in, there’s still an aura of …
Bringing a God-sized Vision to Life: Help Build Yatosha Deaf School in Tanzania
In Tanzania today, thousands of deaf children live without access to the basic education every child deserves. While the country has made progress in expanding primary and secondary schooling, children with hearing impairments remain among the most underserved and overlooked. In Tanzania, there …
Christ UMC offers dignity & hope to neighbors in need
It is said that good ministry always has a zip code. Christ UMC in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania, is located less than a mile from a homeless shelter. Chartered in 1975 as the result of a merger between two congregations, Christ UMC came into being about the same time …
United Methodists from across Philadelphia gather to advocate for change amidst affordability crisis
On November 12, Philadelphia community leaders, service providers, and residents filled the sanctuary of Mother African Zoar UMC to raise a unified alarm about a crisis they say is devastating the lives of Philadelphians. Affordability of basic needs—housing, food, utilities, …
Eastern PA and Greater NJ United Methodists Respond to Food Insecurity
While SNAP benefits have been restored across EPA & GNJ, food insecurity continues to rise across our communities. Congregations throughout the Eastern Pennsylvania and Greater New Jersey Conferences are stepping forward with compassion and purpose—living out Jesus’ call to “feed my sheep.” From …
Together for Tanzania: Supporting Rehema’s Call to Ministry
This past summer, you rose to the challenge—providing a livable wage for pastors in Tanzania. Your generosity is transforming lives, families, and entire communities. Thank you for your sacrificial generosity. While our team was in Tanzania, we witnessed God’s Spirit …
Soup Angels offer hope through hospitality, one meal at a time.
It began with a voice, a vision, and a chance encounter. Sheila Moore and Anne Reinert both began attending Lampeter UMC in November 2023. The previous spring they had donated a ham to support the food pantry and expressed interest …
Ripple effect: An Expanding Circle of Blessings in Tanzania
Our EPA & GNJ Tanzania team returned home a few weeks ago, exhausted but exhilarated. Their stories are a living witness to the truth Paul proclaims in Acts: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Our team of …
Waiting again: Hurricane Ida survivors face new delays after AmeriCorps exit
It was 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15. AmeriCorps volunteers were cleaning up and saying goodbye to the homeowners in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of Philadelphia that had been damaged by Hurricane Ida. As the day drew to a close, …
Reflection on the 2025 Confirmation Retreats
Professing one’s commitment to live out the United Methodist baptismal and membership covenant vows is an important life decision for our confirmands. This year, Gretna Glen and Pocono Plateau hosted confirmation retreats, providing space for confirmands to join with youth …