Merged churches inspire hope through mission center

“Hope Starts Here,” penned in colorful letters, is a small sign on the door of a big room where food is prepared at Mission First, a ministry located at the former First United Methodist Church in downtown Pottstown. And that …

As JFON’s immigration cases grow, so does its need for help

Justice for Our Neighbors of the Delaware Valley (JFON-DV) has been operating immigration legal clinics for 13 months in three states, handling a growing docket of cases, as it looks for volunteers, especially language interpreters. The Eastern PA regional office moved …

Communications Learning Week to advance church leaders’ skills

United Methodist Communication (UMCom) announces a week-long ecumenical training opportunity launching this spring for anyone in ministry seeking to enhance their communications skills.  Communications Learning Week: Taking the Next Step will be held May 9-13, and it is designed with busy …

EPA gives $384,000 to missions via Advance in 2021

The United Methodist Church’s Global Ministries agency reports that EPAUMC churches and individuals donated over $384,000 in 2021 to aid global and national missions through The Advance for Christ and His Church, the UMC’s longtime primary giving channel to support …

Church food-sharing ministries to collaborate with EPA’s help

Church-sponsored food-sharing ministries spread across our region are feeding their neighbors; and now they have become a “collective,” thanks to the EPA Conference’s efforts. The Office of Connectional Ministries welcomed dozens of food ministry leaders to a first-time video-meeting on …

UM court answers 2021 EPA Conference question

The United Methodist Church’s supreme court released this week three decisions responding to questions raised during annual conference sessions. One of its decisions responded to a question raised at Eastern PA’s 2021 Annual Conference. The Judicial Council determined that bishops …

Partnership of 2 churches offers children hope for the holidays

St. John’s UMC in Ivyland prepares for Christian holidays by gathering hope…and now members are sharing it with pre-kindergarten children at El Mesias (The Messiah) UMC in North Philadelphia’s tough Kensington neighborhood. The mission-minded St. John’s congregation dives into its …

I thought I was ‘one of the good ones’

I thought I was “one of the good ones.”  You know, the good white people.  A white person who has learned about white privilege and has friends of color and has donated to black causes. A white person who believes …

Celebrate Women’s History Month in March

March is Women’s History Month—or as some call it, Women’s Her-story Month. Women’s History Week, birthed 40 years ago, became Women’s History Month in 1987. Over the years, diverse perspectives have shaped its annual celebration. But the primary goal remains …