Another summer is closing as the new school year is here. Why not mark this transition by having a special Back-to-School Sunday? Your Back-to-School Sunday can be a poignant time in asking the congregation to partner with families to bless …
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Five Books That Will Change the Way You Pray in 2018
One month in, this is the point in the new year where we begin to realize how committed we actually are to our resolutions. How many of us told ourselves on January 1st that this is the year we will …
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Call to the church to observe Global Migration Sunday
Brothers and Sisters of The United Methodist Church, Grace and peace to you in the compassionate name of our Lord Christ Jesus. I write to you on behalf of our Council of Bishops to invite you to observe Global Migration Sunday on …
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Facilitating Difficult Conversations
Leading conversations about difficult topics such as race can be a little scary, but anyone who approaches this work with a loving heart and an open mind can facilitate a conversation. You don’t need to be an expert; you don’t …
The Methodist Way of Making Disciples: 3-5-5-1
A visitor appears in your congregation and is attracted to something that causes him or her to return. The port of entry varies. It might be a friendship or the worship environment or the message or the lived wisdom of …
The earth has put its hope in us.
The next generation in our family rarely attends church but they grew up in the church, not only attending the usual activities in a local church but also annual conference. At critical times over the years as they have become …
Is It Time for a Curriculum Change?
It’s fun to try new things. Modern curricula offer many bells and whistles in the form of graphics, online resources, and music. It’s tempting to move to the next best thing. But how do you really know when it’s time …
Esther: She Persisted
Queen Esther was encouraged by her uncle Mordecai that “it was for a moment like this” that she became part of the royal family (Esther 4:14 CEB). She persisted in her efforts to convince the King to spare the Jewish …
Here, But Not Yet: The Feeling Of Advent
During Advent, Christians sing songs such as, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.” These songs anticipate the hope that God’s people felt as they waited for this Savior. Congregations light candles of hope, peace, love, and …
Staying Focused on Older Adults
The future of our churches, in whatever form they may take, will depend upon today’s young adults. We’ve learned through countless studies, as well as from personal observations, that our congregations are growing older. The realization seemed to hit us …
