God is Enough
God is Enough: To the Convening General Conference of GMC - By Bishop Mark J. Webb - November/December 2024 - I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen! I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son...
Unleashing Latent DNA
Unleashing Latent DNA - By Paul Lawler - November/December 2024 - The late Dr. William Abraham passed from this life into glory before seeing the birth of the Global Methodist Church, yet while he walked on this earth, he believed the day would come when a reset of...
Is There Room for Traditionalists?
Is There Room for Traditionalists? By Thomas Lambrecht July/August 2024 The 2020/2024 General Conference has just concluded its ten-day run in Charlotte, North Carolina. A summary of some of the actions taken by the conference are available in last week’s Perspective,...
Marriage Decision Provokes Delegates
Marriage Decision Provokes Delegates By Sam Hodges and Jim Patterson African delegates and one African bishop joined in a demonstration after General Conference delegates voted to revise the church’s position on marriage, for the first time approving same-sex couples...
Disaffiliation Ends
Disaffiliation Ends By Heather Hahn July/August 2024 The United Methodist Church’s focus on disaffiliation has come to an end and a new push for regionalization is just beginning. By a vote of 516 to 203, General Conference delegates supported the end of a...
Ukranian Delegate Glad to be United Methodist
Ukranian Delegate Glad to be United Methodist By Sam Hodges The Rev. Yulia Starodubets came to the United Methodist General Conference from Ukraine, which is more than two years into a grinding war with Russia. Because commercial air travel in her country remains...
Reduced Budget Passed
Reduced Budget Passed By Heather Hahn General Conference delegates on May 3 approved a denominational budget with a bottom line that will vary by about $20 million, depending on giving collection rates over the next two years. But no matter what happens, the total...
Eurasia Granted Disaffiliation, Liberia Denied
Eurasia Granted Disaffiliation, Liberia Denied By Sam Hodges, UM News July/August 2024 Early in its Charlotte deliberations, the Standing Committee on Central Conference matters nearly overwhelmingly approved a petition enabling four Eurasian annual conferences to...
Young People’s Address
Young People's Address By Eveline Chikwanah To thunderous applause, Alejandra Salemi of the Florida Conference said the denomination’s lawmaking assembly is being held “in the midst of what feels like an emotional whirlpool that only something like divorce proceedings...
Bishop Wilson: Inspire Next 7 Generations
Bishop Wilson: Inspire Next 7 Generations By Todd Seifert Bishop David Wilson, the denomination’s first Native American bishop, encouraged General Conference delegates to consider the people who inspired their faith in the past while considering how decisions today...
Bishop Holston: Become “who God Needs Us to Be”
Bishop Holston: Become "who God Needs Us to Be" By Jessica Brodie Bringing a word on staying who “God needs us to be” in spite of the ever-changing noise of this world, Bishop L. Jonathan Holston of the South Carolina Conference delivered the Council of Bishops’...
Prayer Room was Sanctuary for Delegates
Prayer Room was Sanctuary for Delegates By Audrey Stanton-Smith At the end of a quiet hallway on the upper floor of the Charlotte Convention Center, delegates and visitors find space to pray. “It is quiet, and it’s sort of away from everybody,” said Amy Steele, dean...