Nigerian Conflict and Chaos
Nigerian Conflict and Chaos By Thomas Lambrecht This has been a difficult summer for the Good News office. Hurricane Beryl caused two weeks of power outages, preventing us from working in the office or accomplishing much of anything. Technical issues caused our...
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:...
Africans Disenfranchised at General Confernce
The Disconnection of the UM Church By Thomas Lambrecht Monday was the beginning of the second week of the postponed 2020 General Conference of the UM Church, meeting in Charlotte, NC. The tone and atmosphere of this conference is very different from previous...
The Disconnection of the UM Church
The Disconnection of the UM Church A General Conference Progress Report By Thomas Lambrecht April 30, 2024 Monday was the beginning of the second week of the postponed 2020 General Conference of the UM Church, meeting in Charlotte, NC. The tone and atmosphere...
Africans Disenfranchised at General Conference
Africans Disenfranchised at General Conference By Thomas Lambrecht April 26, 2024 Good News is attending the 2024 General Conference of The United Methodist Church meeting in Charlotte, NC, from April 23 to May 3. Our efforts are focused on providing a disaffiliation...
Africa Initiative’s Pre-General Conference Prayer Retreat
Africa Initiative's Pre-General Conference Prayer Retreat The Africa Initiative, a biblically-committed and Christ-centered advocacy movement within the three Central Conferences of Africa, convened a prayer retreat for African delegates to the upcoming...
Fair for Some, Fair for All
Fair for Some, Fair for All By Simon Mafunda The recent commentary written by Christine Schneider for UM News of March 28 needs to be addressed. It directly responds to a commentary by Rob Renfroe, the president of Good News, who...
Fondly Remembering Carolyn Elias (1931-2024)
Fondly Remembering Carolyn Elias (1931-2024) The Good News staff and board of directors were saddened to hear of the passing of our longtime friend and treasured colleague, Carolyn Parrish Elias (1931-2024). The Good News Board of directors presented its eighth annual...
Is a New Disaffiliation Pathway Needed?
Is a New Disaffiliation Pathway Needed? By Thomas Lambrecht Recently, several articles have come out saying that there are already disaffiliation pathways for annual conferences and local churches, so new pathways do not need to be enacted by the 2024 General...
Radiant Scars
Radiant Scars By Stephen Seamands The marks of death that God chose never to erase, The wounds of love’s eternal mark, When the kingdom comes, with its perfect sons, He will be known by the scars. –Michael Card As its cover story, the March 27, 2000, issue of Newsweek...
The Both/And Solution
The Both/And Solution By Thomas Lambrecht A recent article by Jefferson Knight, a Liberia General Conference delegate, crystalizes the “critical decision” (in his words) facing United Methodists in Africa. He sees disaffiliation in Africa as a threat to “disintegrate...
African Delegates’ Urgent Requests Unanswered
African Delegates' Urgent Requests Unanswered By Thomas Lambrecht We are less than six weeks from the opening session of the 2024 United Methodist General Conference. That is why it is troubling that African delegates continue to be beset with delayed responses from...
