Mary’s Devoted Heart
Mary's Devoted Heart By Dick McClain Growing up, I don’t recall having heard a sermon on Mary, the mother of Jesus. She did get dusted off every December for the Christmas pageant. But apart from her annual appearance reincarnated in the form of a budding young...
Iowa Cabinet Jumps the Gun
By Thomas Lambrecht In the sport of track, races are often set off by the firing of a starter’s gun. Racers who cross the starting line and begin the race before the gun fires are said to have “jumped the gun.” That is exactly what the Iowa Appointive Cabinet has done...
The DeLong Challenge
By Rob Renfroe
Within the new edition of Good News you will find several articles describing and reacting to the trial of the Reverend Amy DeLong, a United Methodist elder that was recently brought before a church court in Wisconsin for (1) having performed a “holy union” for a same-gender couple and (2) being a self-avowed practicing homosexual. She was found guilty of the first charge, but not guilty of the second.
The case of Amy DeLong
By Heather Hahn
For the first time in 20 years, a conviction for performing a same-sex union has not resulted in a United Methodist elder’s defrocking or indefinite suspension.
Instead, after seven hours of deliberations, a jury of 13 United Methodist clergy voted 9-4 to suspend the Rev. Amy DeLong from her ministerial functions for 20 days beginning July 1, 2011.
What I would say to Amy DeLong
Commentary by Karen Booth
In 2004, I wrote a column for The United Methodist Reporter entitled, “What I Would Say to Karen Dammann.” A church trial court had just acquitted her of being a “self-avowed, practicing homosexual,” and someone had asked me what I would say if given the opportunity to talk with her.
Church once more faces homosexual divide
By Heather Hahn
Talk to United Methodists of differing views about the church’s homosexuality debate, and they will tell you the recent clergy trial of the Rev. Amy DeLong was just a prologue.
Leadership change for World Methodists
By Linda Bloom
The world was a “fragile” place when the Rev. George Freeman assumed staff leadership of the World Methodist Council a decade ago.
Lambrecht joins ministry of Good News
The Board of Directors of Good News is pleased to announce the appointment of the Rev. Tom Lambrecht as Vice President and General Manager of the 45-year-old evangelical renewal ministry within the United Methodist Church.



