This is where you’ll find the archives of the East District Superintendent’s notes for the Conference-wide newsletter.
“I’m just so tired of the same old-same old,” he said as we talked about the future of the church. When I asked what he meant, the man said that we have known for years that the church needed to move into a greater level of online engagement, but “we wouldn’t do it until the pandemic forced us to change.” Forced us to change…
The news this morning highlighted a few words that Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes II said about one another as they waited for the Super Bowl. Mahomes spoke about how important it was to watch what the older player did on and off the field, saying it would make him a better quarterback. Brady talked about the many gifts the younger player brought to the game, saying he was sure that Mahomes would be in many more championship games in the future. It was a nice moment of character and respect shared in a news interview.
Requests for Bibles are exceeding the numbers we have available at UMOM! If your church has bibles to donate, please contact Patricia Magyar from UMOM New Day Centers at pmagyar@umom.org. Pick up can be arranged for churches in the Phoenix area. Please inform your...
It sat by the front door all night long – lights shining – all night long. My mother-in-law died a day and a half before Christmas. Most of the things that filled her room, the things needed for a woman who had been completely bedfast for 3 years, had been cleared out. The hospital bed went back to the company that provided it. Many items were donated to people or organizations who could use them. The only thing that remained was the fabulous electric wheelchair the home health company insisted was needed. It sat quietly in the hallway, never used because Kay was afraid of it.
Today I want to share with you this moving message from Elaine Brown, printed in Ministry Matters, because what she writes has something to say to us. Dr. Crawford describes the cry of women in pain as a cry of hope. It is an important word for all of us during this time when our nation and our church is dealing with racism, division and great pain. I invite you to read Isaiah 40:1-11 and then read this impactful article, listening for what God may be saying to you. – Your Sister in Faith – Susan
It’s election day in America. The news leading up to this day has not only caused a great deal of division, it has also raised a lot of fear as election results are announced. The news this morning in Phoenix included a story about how there are people who live in the downtown area who are boarding up windows and planning on staying inside their homes to avoid the violent protests they anticipate happening. All of this tells me that it is time to remember who we are.
Politics in the United States are polarizing. Public discourse and our social media feeds are filled with strong opinions from professional and amateur pundits. These feelings of division are not unique to U.S. politics, however. United Methodists around the world know the pain of conflict within their nations, our denomination, churches, families, friend groups, and sometimes within ourselves. Divisions persist, but the Bible teaches that God created us to live in community and that Jesus came to reconcile us to God and one another.
Timely! Useful! Practical! Assemble Cleaning Buckets One five-gallon round bucket with re-sealable lid One 16-40 oz. bottle liquid concentrate household cleaner One 16-34 oz. bottle dish soap One 4-8 oz. pump spray air freshener One 6-14 oz. pump spray...
What has your church learned through the last 7 months? (ok – I imagine that first question was enough to cause you to stop reading, but I invite you to push through the sense of “ugh” and see where it leads.) The initial hypothesis for the series of newsletter...
In today’s world we can no longer be a church that sees itself as separate from the communities around us. We are called to make sense of things in a way that builds the connections between what we hold precious in our faith and our calling to be instruments of hope and healing.
