Those Things We Do
Those Things We Do -- By Tammie Grimm - “I believe that God made me for a purpose…but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure” is probably one of the more memorable lines from Chariots of Fire (cue the inspirational Vangelis soundtrack). The...
How the Nicene Creed shows us Jesus Christ
How the Nicene Creed shows us Jesus Christ -- By Brian Yeich - I grew up in a small town in North Louisiana and our family attended a small Methodist Church. From the time I was born I was blessed to be a part of this spiritual family that included my...
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...
General Conference News Briefs
General Conference News Briefs July/August 2024 - Delegates celebrate success, growth of Africa University By Eveline Chikwanah General Conference delegates, church leaders and alumni celebrated the impact of Africa University and the support from United Methodists...
The “Big Tent” Shrank in Charlotte
The "Big Tent" Shrank in Charlotte By Elizabeth Fink This is not an easy piece to write. The emotions are raw. The future of the United Methodist Church has been set on a path I cannot follow. While many may view the changes as progress, I see them as heartbreaking...
Viewpoints in Charlotte
Viewpoints in Charlotte July/August 2024 • “Needless to say, this is a moment in time when we will not only see some of the dust settle, but we’ll also see new dust storms arise.” –Bishop Thomas Bickerton, New York • “What we are sure of is that many of our delegates...
African United Methodists reSpond in Charlotte
African United Methodists respond in Charlotte What follows is a statement released during the second week of the United Methodist General Conference after the delagates dramatically rewrote the denomination’s definition of marriage. My dear brothers and sisters,...
Tale of a New Church
Tale of a New Church By Thomas Lambrecht The story of the 2024 General Conference meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the story of a new church being born. Two years ago this month, the Global Methodist Church was born, and it is growing and maturing quickly....
United Methodism re-envisions marriage and ordination
United Methodism re-envisions marriage and ordination By Heather Hahn July/August 2024 Without debate, General Conference removed The United Methodist Church’s ban on the ordination of clergy who are “self-avowed practicing homosexuals” — a prohibition that dates to...
Bishop: “You Might Be in the Wrong Place”
Bishop: "You Might Be in the Wrong Place" July/August 2024 Just days before the opening of the COVID-delayed General Conference, Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton told his fellow bishops that he saw the possibility for big changes coming out of The United Methodist Church’s...
Missing questions In charlotte
Editorial: Missing questions In Charlotte By Rob Renfroe July/August 2024 During the recent General Conference of The United Methodist Church, I was interviewed by the Associated Press, The New York Times, and other news outlets. The most intriguing question a...
A Promise Kept and a Promise Spurned
A Promise Kept and a Promise Spurned By Thomas Lambrecht As United Methodists continue to become aware of the actions taken by the 2024 General Conference, responses range from celebration to confusion to disagreement to disenchantment. Many are asking the question:...
