CHICAGO – Dozens of key African-American laity, clergy and episcopal leaders met in Chicago on Thursday and Friday to discern and map out the future of the Black Church in The United Methodist Church as a prelude to the 2020 …

Domestic Violence: The Church Responds II
The Eastern PA Conference Domestic Violence Committee will sponsor “Domestic Violence: The Church Responds II” Saturday, September 28, 9 AM to 3 PM, at Simpson House, 2101 Belmont Ave, Philadelphia, PA. The theme of this seminar is “Breaking Out of …

Breaking Out of the Man Box
A CALL TO MEN to help conference address domestic violence
BY JOHN W. COLEMAN Our society is undergoing dramatic changes in how we see and respond to gender realities and relationships—from fluid sexual identities to the #metoo movement. One stubborn change that many should welcome—including many in the church—is in …

Time to share Christmas greetings with inmates again
BY MARILYN SCHNEIDER Imagine what it would be like to be behind bars this Christmas, with limited contact with family and friends. Receiving a card with an encouraging note from someone “outside” would be such a meaningful gift! Last year …

Bishop promotes Evangelism in District Meetings
At five district meetings, 9/23 to 10/2, Bishop Peggy Johnson will urge churches to engage their communities in outreach for Christ and also discuss General Conference 2020 concerns.

Latino caucus addresses U.S., UMC conflicts
Racism, gun violence, the immigration crisis and internal clashes in The United Methodist Church were discussed at the 48th annual assembly of the Hispanic-Latino United Methodist caucus Aug. 1-4, in Philadelphia. “We know that Hispanic-Latino ministries are going to be …

Training disciples to share their faith through sacraments
Mount Zion UMC in Philadelphia hosted the Eastern PA Conference’s sixth Four Stations of the Holy Spirit training event July 20, extending a growing initiative to teach and embolden lay members to offer sacramental prayer to one another and to …

EarthKeepers trained in environmental stewardship
By John W. Coleman Marion Grayson and her church, Cokesbury UMC in Marcus Hook, Pa., are seeking new ideas to help feed their community, a place with plenty of working-poor families but a lack of good-quality, affordable food. And she …

Conference youth grateful for journey to Youth 2019
Eleven youth, 6th to 12th-graders, and three adults from the Eastern PA UMC Conference trekked to Kansas City, Mo., July 8-15, to join thousands of their peers at Youth 2019, July 10-14, a quadrennial, national convocation of United Methodist youth …

Conference summer camps impact, transform lives
See more photos from the 2019 Summer Camps in our Flickr Album! “God’s Place Apart, Transforming Lives.” At the Eastern PA Conference’s four Camp & Retreat Centers the truth of that motto is most abundantly clear during the 7 of …