3/31/2014
(How small groups helped the new church start called Water's Edge UMC, in Omaha, build a congregation.) The early Methodist movement was a movement of small groups. John Wesley would not spend time on people if they would not meet in the class meeting: May 26, 1759...”I found the little society which I had joined here two years since had soon split in pieces. In the afternoon I met several of the members of the praying societies: and showed them what Christian fellowship was, and what need they ...
3/31/2014
Church members don’t turn into spiritual leaders by accident. That transformation takes an intentional effort, which might well begin with helping those in your congregation identify their spiritual gifts and passion for service.There are a number of tools available for this purpose, and one of the most popular and effective was developed in the Great Plains United Methodist Conference. “Serving from the Heart,” is a resource first developed as a step in the leadership development program at ...
2/28/2014
After this there was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate in the north city wall is a pool with the Aramaic name Bethsaida. It had five covered porches, and a crowd of people who were sick, blind, lame, and paralyzed sat there. A certain man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, knowing that he had already been there a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”7 The sick man answered him, “...
2/28/2014
Wichita church reaches out to youth in foster care kids Many people look forward to spending time with family during the Christmas season. Teenagers in the foster care system don’t always have a family to call their own. That’s where the United Methodist Church at the Well, in Wichita, steps in. For several years, the church has hosted a Christmas party for teenagers in the foster care system. Also invited are young adults, ages 18-21, who have recently aged out of the foster system. They are ...
2/28/2014
Urban Abbey hosts a coffee house with no strings attached “Why would you give money away?” The reporter looked astonished as he continued, “Couldn’t you just keep it for your own church?” He is right, I thought. We could keep it for our own ministry and we do need it; but that is not who we are or at least who we are trying to be. I explained that faith is about generosity. We are part of a tradition of giving of time and energy. We are founded on the principles that all we have is God’s and ...
2/28/2014
Camp Fontanelle experiences community in unique ways Camp Fontanelle, near Nickerson, Neb., (Fremont is the next largest town), experiences community in a unique way in its rural setting in eastern Nebraska. Each fall the camp hosts a corn maze, pumpkin patch, zip-line, laser tag, archery and more, as activities open to the communities in the area. While it’s a major fund development project for Camp Fontanelle, Trent Meyer, the site director says it’s built community in so many ways. “While ...
2/28/2014
Garden produce creates relationships, helps families with food sustainability Oakley, Kan. — The community garden sponsored, planted, and cared for by the Oakley United Methodist Church was a vision of one member who brought that vision to others. The vision caught on and became a reality in the spring of 2012. With that vision Monday mornings became a time when all volunteers gathered for devotion and prayer time. It was decided to organize the community garden with very few rules to ...
2/28/2014
Cimarron, Kan., UMC joins with the community to reach out to high school youth Wednesday lunch for high school students in Cimarron, Kan., has a special flavor, thanks to a community ministry begun in the 1990s. Through a cooperative arrangement with the school district, students may walk the five blocks to Cimarron United Methodist Church, where a group of women has prepared a home-cooked meal for as many as 120 students. The meal is served family-style by the pastors in the community, ...
2/28/2014
If you or a group in your church would like to read more about connecting with your community, here’s a bibliography of books our staff has found helpful. Perhaps one would be a good study for your church council or mission team. Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, John C. Maxwell, Thomas Nelson publishers, 2010. This is a book for those wishing to improve their ability to connect with others in many different context. It’s described as a practical, step by step guide for relating better. The...
2/18/2014
We rose before 6 a.m., and following breakfast said our goodbyes to our cooks Tina, Gladys and Falza. Mrs. Thomas came by as well to wish us safe journies. Bishop Johnwesley Yohanna let us use his truck and his driver for our road trip from Jalingo to Yola to catch the first leg of our flight. Benji accompanied us and we arrived in Yola about 9:30 a.m., to learn that our 11 a.m. flight was moved to 1 p.m. It's only an hour and half flight to Abuju. Pastor Matthew Dangombe met us again and helped...
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