What if leaders from different walks of life committed themselves to finding ways to build more collaborative, fairer, more equitable economics? What if they worked together in a virtual peer-to-peer network to confront challenges and learn from one another’s experiences?…
The climate canary is dead
I was on my way to a good friend’s installation to a new ministry when the climate crisis whomped me right upside my head. Maybe it was the heat radiating up from the highway overpass I’d just crossed that ignited…
Texas megachurch relents; follows United Methodist rules to exit denomination
One of the largest United Methodist congregations in Texas, which said it would circumvent the denomination’s process on leaving, has relented and allowed its members to vote on the exit. It also has agreed to pay the required departure fees…
Seeing mortality as blessing
Memories have become capricious things as I approach my seventh decade on Planet Earth. Conversations I could swear happened just a few days ago actually stretch back 20 years or more, yet there are days when I can’t remember whether…
Conservative clergywoman claims United Methodist system unjust
Among Protestant denominations, The United Methodist Church admittedly has one of the most complicated, lengthy processes for ordaining its clergy. Now a clergywoman has written a “whistleblower” book claiming the UMC’s ordination process is rife with nepotism, cronyism, bullying and…
Why breaking up is so hard to do for United Methodists: Connectionalism
Why is it so hard for dissident church units to leave the 12-million-member worldwide United Methodist Church? The ties that bind United Methodists together are contained in one arcane word: “connectionalism.” The concept of connectionalism was confirmed May 9 when…
Methodist-related HBCUs draw attention to their distinctive history and contributions
With Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the news — tragically — at the start of Black History Month, The United Methodist Church is highlighting the 11 HBCUs that are supported by its Black College Fund. The UMC supports the…
Who will carry on United Methodism’s legacy of service and community?
When I was a young-ish reporter working on a medium-sized daily newspaper in Florida, one of the more dreaded assignments was the Saturday work known as “bits and ‘burbs.” That jargon stood for the oft-scorned task of collecting suburban news…
United Methodists renewing their vows through annual Wesley Covenant Service may struggle this year
Whatever future 2022 may hold, one thing is certain: Come the first Sunday in January, millions of United Methodists will renew their vows in a beloved tradition known as the Wesley Covenant Service. This year, however, the covenant service takes…