Volunteers at Wesley UMC in Bethlehem handed out new backpacks, school supplies, clothing, hot dogs and more—including free haircuts—to elementary school children.

Thousands of families attended the annual “We Got Your Back” charity event that gets bigger, more generous and more successful each year.

July 23, 2018–Two Eastern Conference PA Conference churches have appeared in Philadelphia Inquirer stories recently. The Inquirer and www.philly.com featured Wharton-Wesley UMC in a story about our Annual Conference’s historic passage of Resolution 2018-25, which canceled most of the unpaid “prior-years’ balances” of apportionments and certain other billings, as of the end of 2017, for the conference’s 29 African American churches. The action was taken as “an act of justice,” and followed the passage of Resolution 2018-24, which canceled a smaller portion of all church unpaid prior-years’ balances for all churches.

Methodists United, the Shamokin Area Mission Connection collected and donated much-needed school uniforms in January to the Clothing Closet at Shamokin Area Jr./Sr. High School. The Rev. Zachary Hopple, pastor of First UMC Shamokin, and Karyn Fisher, pastor of St. John’s UMC Coal Township, led the effort, which is an ongoing ministry of First UMC.

“Most of the donations came from the 11 churches of Methodists United,” said Fisher, who is president of the coal country mission connection.

The News-Item local newspaper and WNEP-TV both reported on the donation delivery to the school’s students and teachers. Students from low-income families often cannot afford to purchase the required school uniforms.

“This is a great story about how our Methodist connection can work” said Fisher. “The whole project was motivated by a project that originally came out of First UMC.”

EAST BRANDYWINE >> Church members gathered and shared the mission to Remember-Honor-Teach by laying Wreaths on the graves of more than 300 veterans in the Hopewell Cemetery. More than 300… Read more

Like the three kings, or Magi, who journeyed to Bethlehem bearing gifts for Christ’s birth, three Eastern PA Conference Cabinet members will visit Puerto Rico in the coming months bringing aid to residents on the disaster-stricken island. Their journey will follow the launch of a $100,000 conference-wide fundraising campaign to help the Methodist Church of Puerto Rico in its disaster recovery efforts. Read more

Fritz Memorial UMC in in Bethlehem was featured in the Lehigh Valley Morning Call newspaper Nov. 6, as one of the historic architectural marvels on the Bethlehem’s Steeples & Steel… Read more

John Brice was a young, energetic man, fresh out of seminary when he was appointed as senior pastor at St. James United Methodist Church in urban Philadelphia. Eager to meet his first… Read more

Olivet UMC in Coatesville observed “Generations of Faith,” a bicentennial celebration Oct. 6–8 , celebrating the missions and ministries of the church with worship, music and testimony. Included were: a “Celebration of… Read more

Children shared creativity and laughs at Fritz United Methodist Church (in Bethlehem) during the church’s first summer art camp. Twenty-one children ages 5 to 12 spent each night learning different art… Read more

As welfare reform debates continue, people of faith are making tireless efforts to meet the needs of those less fortunate in their communities, making a far-reaching impact in a way, church leaders say, the government never could.

Local church leaders say providing food, clothing, service projects and the like to the struggling in their communities is simply part of what they are called to do as followers of Christ.

“I think that’s what the Lord would have us to do—demonstrate our love,” said Steve Shirk, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Milton.

“It’s really about building relationships and friendships, and giving our church people a chance to meet our neighbors.”