Latest News
A UMNS Report By Heather Hahn* Updated: 7:00 P.M. ET May 23, 2013 Boy Scouts of America leaders voted by a substantial margin on May 23, to lift the organization’s longstanding ban on openly gay youth in the Scouting movement. After months of debate and surveys of leaders, Scouting officials recommended allowing openly gay Scouts [...]
By Heather Hahn Oklahoma Area Bishop Robert E. Hayes Jr. said bishops and other concerned United Methodists have called him to say they are keeping the storm-ravaged in prayer and are willing to help in any way they can. “What I would like to say to the United Methodist community and beyond is that we grieve [...]
A UMNS Report By Barbara Dunlap-Berg* It’s annual conference time in the United States and around the world. May and June are the most popular months for United Methodism’s annual (regional) conference sessions, with Eastern Pennsylvania starting the cycle May 16-18. The last U.S. conference to convene will be Desert Southwest on June 27-30. [...]
By Joe E. Pennel Jr., Special Contributor…UM Reporter As one of the retired bishops I join those who are concerned about the active bishops meeting as a closed “forum,” as they are scheduled to do in San Diego from May 5-8. The word “forum” is a public word. Its derivation comes from the open space [...]
When active United Methodist bishops gather in San Diego, May 5-8, that will be the second consecutive large gathering of bishops closed to the press and other visitors—a move that is prompting criticism within the UMC. The Council of Bishops, including retirees, met in private in November at St. Simons Island, Ga. In announcing that [...]
Posted on website of IRD Thursday, February 21, 2013 The Executive Committee of the board of directors of the General Commission on United Methodist Men (GCUMM) has written the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) asking BSA not to proceed with setting aside its current longtime prohibition on open homosexuality. The February 19 letter, addressed to [...]
By Mark Tooley, President of Institute on Religion and Democracy March 15, 2013 New pressure is being applied on church-sponsored scout troops to get with the times. The Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) National Council meeting in May will decide whether to abandon the BSA’s long-time ban on open homosexuality. Early last month, the BSA [...]
By Dr. Bill Bouknight The executive committee of the board of directors of the General Commission on United Methodist Men (GCUMM) wrote to the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) asking BSA not to proceed with setting aside its current longtime prohibition on open homosexuality. The February 19 letter, addressed to BSA chief executive officer [...]
ASBURY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY PRAYS FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH March 22, 2013 Wilmore, KY. Every year, 200 million Christians suffer some form of persecution around the world. And while some cases are widely reported in the media- like American pastor Saeed Abedini imprisoned in Iran- the Western Church remains largely unaware of the suffering taking place. [...]
Are we getting the Bible wrong on homosexuality? Over the past few decades, some Christians have begun to compare the legitimization of homosexuality and the legalization of same sex marriage with earlier struggles in our society over slavery or the status and role of women in the church and society. One of the more recent [...]
March 15, 2013 DALLAS—Julie Chapman doesn’t really have time for sentimentality these days, given that she’s following a six-page email on how to close the Cokesbury store here. The going-out-of-business sale is underway, and Ms. Chapman, as store manager, is charged with selling just about everything, including bookshelves, before the doors lock for [...]
By Dr. Bill Bouknight United Methodist Insight (UMI) is an independent blog that advertises itself as “providing a forum for the most visionary thinkers and ideas in hopes of discerning God’s will for the future of the United Methodist Church.” Recently UMI falsely accused The Confessing Movement of “distributing a manifesto detailing (1) how [...]
Dayton, Ohio (PRWEB) February 23, 2013 At the invitation of United Methodist Bishop John Yambasu of Sierra Leone, representatives from United Theological Seminary, of Dayton, OH, will be visiting the country from March 2 to 11. United’s President Wendy Deichmann will be traveling to this West African nation during the first week of March along [...]
Dayton, Ohio (PRWEB) February 23, 2013 At the invitation of United Methodist Bishop John Yambasu of Sierra Leone, representatives from United Theological Seminary, of Dayton, OH, will be visiting the country from March 2 to 11. United’s President Wendy Deichmann will be traveling to this West African nation during the first week of March along [...]
February 8, 2013 by Heather Hahn, UMNS The new Connectional Table—a United Methodist governing body that had expected to be defunct by now—met to organize for the next four years. The gathering Jan. 15-17 in Nashville, Tenn., set the tone for the denomination’s leadership for the next four years and may have offered a [...]
A UMNS Report By Heather Hahn* 2:00 P.M. ET Feb. 6, 2013 | NASHVILLE, Tenn. The Boy Scouts of America said Feb. 6 that it needed more time for a “deliberate review” of its policy banning gay Scouts and leaders. A UMNS file photo by Mike DuBose. View in Photo Gallery A United [...]
By Heather Hahn* 5:30 P.M. ET Feb. 1, 2013 | NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) United Methodist Men’s top leader said he has faced criticism, questions and confusion since releasing a statement Jan. 29 affirming how changes proposed by the Boys Scouts of America would be implemented. Gilbert Hanke said he has even heard from some United [...]
By Wendy Wright NEW YORK, January 18 (C-FAM) Perhaps as many as a million people marched in Paris last Sunday and at French embassiesaround the world against proposed legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage in France. One of the surprises in the French campaign for traditional marriage is that homosexuals have joined pro-family leaders and [...]
January 15, 2013 Posted by Sam Hodges, UM Reporter Bishop Sally Dyck’s recent statement endorsing same-sex marriage has drawn praise and criticism within the United Methodist Church, which officially holds that homosexual conduct is “incompatible with Christian teaching.” In an interview, she rejected claims by some that her stand will promote disunity in the [...]
The UM Reporter published an article about Bishop Sally Dyck of the Northern Illinois Conference on January 10, 2013. It includes a statement issued by Bishop Dyck in support of same-sex marriage legislation under consideration by the Illinois legislature. READ FULL ARTICLE
By Timothy Tennent From the iconic Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz we learn afresh of the importance of courage. Who can forget those memorable words, “what makes the muskrat guard his musk? What makes the Hottentot so hot, or put the “ape” in apricot? Courage. Like the Lion, we may feel we’re not [...]
A UMNS Feature By Barbara Dunlap-Berg* 2:00 P.M. ET Jan. 3, 2012 | CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) If your congregation is seeking ways to reach out to military families, New Providence United Methodist Church, on the Tennessee-Kentucky border, might inspire you. READ FULL ARTICLE
By Neill Caldwell* ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. (UMNS) — A United Methodist bishop can be placed in involuntary retirement, the denomination’s top court has ruled. The ruling could have implications for the forced early retirement of Bishop W. Earl Bledsoe, which the United Methodist Judicial Council will consider separately next month.That case was one of [...]
Oct. 29, 2012 By Neill Caldwell and Heather Hahn* ELK GROVE VILLAGE, Ill. (UMNS) — The top court of The United Methodist Church has upheld church rules that ensure security of appointment for elders and associate clergy members, striking down legislation passed by the denomination’s lawmaking assembly last spring. READ FULL ARTICLE
A UMNS Report By Linda Bloom* 12:00 P.M. ET Oct. 23, 2012 Denominational discussions on job security for clergy and job evaluations for bishops are among the topics addressed in 18 docket items before the United Methodist Judicial Council at its Oct. 24–27 meeting in Elk Grove Village, Ill. Read Full Article
A UMNS Report By Heather Hahn 4:00 A.M. ET Oct. 22, 2012 Does eliminating guaranteed full-time appointments for elders violate The United Methodist Church’s constitution? The denomination’s top court this week will take up that question. In addition to the constitutional issue, the Judicial Council could weigh whether the church’s top legislative body actually made [...]
A UMNS Report By Heather Hahn* Indiana Area Bishop Michael J. Coyner on Oct. 15 published his criticisms of the Western Jurisdiction’s stand against The United Methodist Church’s teaching on homosexuality. Delegates to the Western Jurisdiction’s meeting July 18-21 adopted a “Statement of Gospel Obedience” that says the denomination is in error in its [...]
By Dr. Bill Bouknight Originally published in the October 2012 E-Newsletter of The Confessing Movement When the Council of Bishops meets in November, they will find it difficult to ignore a retired bishop, Melvin G. Talbert, who has been publicly urging United Methodist clergy to violate the Book of Discipline by officiating at same-sex [...]
timothytennent.com One of the beautiful and cherished features of the Methodist tradition is the way in which the pastors are brought into a shared covenant with one another. The whole appointment system under an episcopal form of government (bishops and district superintendents) is made possible because of a shared covenant. We pledge to stand together. [...]
Read Bishop Talbert’s speech given at the ordination ceremony for Elders and Deacons of the California-Pacific Annual Conference. READ ARTICLE
The Confessing Movement, as a part of the Renewal and Reform Coalition, compiled a legislative summary for issues facing General Conference 2012. To read the summary CLICK HERE. SUMMARY OF ACTIONS AT GC 2012 Positives ELECTIONS Three of the four persons elected to the Judicial Council were recommended by The Confessing Movement (Rev. Dennis Blackwell, Rev. [...]
By Bishop Minerva Carcaño, Special Contributor… On the last day of General Conference 2012 I went by the information booth. I was on my way to my last official responsibility and I wanted to make sure I knew where I needed to go. Our wonderfully kind United Methodist volunteers from the Florida Conference were there [...]
By Talbot Davis In a May 17 column posted on the United Methodist Reporter site, Bishop Minerva Carcano of the Desert Southwest Conference offered her assessment of the recently completed 2012 General Conference. READ FULL ARTICLE
A UMNS Report by Barbara Dunlap-Berg* 2:00 P.M. EST May 27, 2011 From sea to shining sea, United Methodists are finding special ways to observe Memorial Day in the United States. Here is a sampling of ideas. READ FULL STORY
On May 24 each year Christians who practice the Wesleyan/Methodist traditionrecall the day that marked a turning point in John Wesley’s life and ministry. A few months after returning to London after a disappointing mission experience in Georgia, Wesley was discouraged and questioning his own faith. READ FULL ARTICLE
Every day The Confessing Movement staff will provide highlights from General Conference right here. Please continue to pray for our staff and all General Conference delegates and volunteers during this crucial time in our denomination’s history. May God’s will be at the center of everything we do and all decisions made during this conference. You can find [...]
May 4, 2012 By Linda Bloom* TAMPA, Fla. (UMNS) — A compromise restructure plan for The United Methodist Church, adopted earlier this week by the 2012 General Conference, was declared “unconstitutional” May 4. That unanimous ruling came from the nine-member United Methodist Judicial Council, which had been asked by General Conference to make a declaratory [...]
Reprinted from planumc.org Suggested Title: Motion to substitute Plan UMC for CT/IOT pet. 20980 ADCA pages 920-950 Discipline Paragraphs: Various paragraphs to implement connectional restructure Financial Implications: As stated in CT/IOT petition Global Implications: Yes Substitute everything herein following for the existing text of Petition 20980 found in the ADCA on pages 920 to [...]
By Joey Butler* Thursday, May 3, 2012 | TAMPA, Fla. (UMNS) What the May 3 mid-morning session of General Conference 2012 lacked in productivity, it made up for in drama. After attempts to change language regarding The United Methodist Church’s stance on homosexuality failed, dozens of protestors, led by Common Witness Coalition, a gay-rights group, [...]
Wednesday, May 2 – Day 8 of General Conference JUST IN (12:35 pm) After 3 hours of debate, restructuring for The United Methodist Church has passed with a vote of 567 in favor (59.6%) to 384 against. A summary of the plan will be posted as soon as it is available.
A compromise between the IOT restructuring plan and Plan B has resulted in what is being called Plan UMC. You can read the plan in it’s entirety HERE.
April 27, 2012 by Heather Hahn Originally posted on umc.org The General Administration Legislative Committee, by a vote of 56 to 25, has just approved substituting Plan B for the Connectional Table’s petition on the Call to Action proposed restructure. At this point, that means Plan B is just the starting point of debate and will [...]
By Rich Peck* 6:00 PM ET April 25, 2012 Bishop Peter Weaver of the Boston Area delivers the Episcopal Address to the 2012 United Methodist General Conference in Tampa, Fla. Weaver delivered the address on behalf of the Council of Bishops. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose. Click on image to enlarge. View more photos [...]
4:00 P.M. ET April 18, 2012 During a lecture at Emory University, a scholar told a group of young students, “Jesus doesn’t say a lot positive about marriage. In fact he seems to suggest we might be better off without it.” READ FULL STORY
Wednesday, April 18th, 2012 In a matter of days delegates from all over the USA and the world will be arriving for the General Conference of the United Methodist Church. This gathering, occurring only once every four years, is intended to be a time of “holy conferencing” where the church focuses on theological, organizational, procedural and [...]
UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE FILE PHOTO BY MIKE DUBOSE Bishop Goodpaster welcomed viewers to the UMC’s Leadership Summit, a webcast hosted in Nashville, Tenn., in April 2011. By Donald W. Haynes Special Contributor Editor’s Note: At the Reporter’s request, the Rev. Donald Haynes stepped outside his Wesleyan Wisdom column format to interview Bishop Larry Goodpaster, [...]
By Andrew C. Thompson UMR Columnist There should be few things more offensive to Methodists with regard to their tradition than the oft-repeated and vacuous claim that it is “not doctrinal.” READ MORE
By Sam Hodges Managing Editor Plan B has become Topic A for many of those deeply involved in efforts to restructure agencies of the United Methodist Church. With roughly a month to go before General Conference, the main restructuring proposal, offered by the Call to Action Interim Operations Team and the Connectional Table, faces mounting [...]
More than 225 United Methodist clergy and laity as of March 21 have signed an open letter announcing their support for proposals to merge nine general agencies, nurture young leaders and empower bishops.
There have been requests that persons participating in the development of UMC Plan B be identified. Although our earnest hope and prayer is that the plan be considered on its own merits, we understand that curiosity and a seeming lack of trust make this difficult.
A group of church leaders is calling for an alternative to the proposed reorganization of The United Methodist Church’s general agencies.
Bill Fentum, Mar 16, 2012 UMNS FILE PHOTOS COURTESY GENERAL COMMISSION ON ARCHIVES AND HISTORY Evangelical United Brethren Church Bishop Reuben Mueller (l) and Methodist Bishop Lloyd Wicke join hands during the 1968 Uniting Conference. Here’s a review of some General Conference landmarks since the 1968 Uniting Conference that brought together the Methodist Church and [...]
The 2012 United Methodist General Conference will take up legislation this spring that would allow the redistribution of up to $60 million in general church funds.
By Dr. Riley Case Presently proposed legislation to United Methodism’s 2012 General Conference would greatly expand the role of the bishops in UM life. This legislation is as follows: 1) A set-aside bishop, without the responsibilities of an area to serve. This person would serve as a sort of chief executive officer for [...]
Plans to restructure The United Methodist Church’s 13 general agencies could imperil ministries that local congregations need and value, say agency executives. Read Full Article
TAMPA, Fla. (UMNS) — Months before the 2012 General Conference, delegates to The United Methodist Church’s top lawmaking body got a hint of the debate to come regarding restructuring the denomination.
Diverse issues presented at a recent three-day briefing signaled the workload ahead for the lawmaking body of The United Methodist Church, which meets this spring. Read Full Article
That There Might Be No Schism in the Body of Christ. (Click on the title above to read article)
When General Conference meets in 2012, the denomination’s top lawmaking body will consider legislation to consolidate nine of the denomination’s 13 general agencies into a new United Methodist Center for Connectional Mission and Ministry Read Full Article
It all began with a pair of colorful, comfortable, cozy socks.
Kathy Entsminger’s seriously ill brother, Steve Watkins, loved socks. So after he died of cancer in 1999, she decided to use his affinity for socks to honor him. Four years ago, at her workplace — the denomination’s finance agency in Nashville, Tenn. — she started “Steve’s Socks.” At Christmastime, staff members collect socks for men, women and children to benefit three agencies aiding displaced families.
The Rules Committee of the Commission on the General Conference has announced their recommendations for changes to the Plan of Organization and Rules of Order which provides the governance structure for the 2012 General Conference. The changes will be presented to delegates for consideration at the opening session. Read Full Article HERE
The recently announced Connectional Table/Interim Operations Team legislation for the 2012 General Conference amounts to turning the general church over to the bishops. Just the opposite is critical! Our episcopal leaders should be devoted almost exclusively to their annual conferences. Let’s restructure our agencies to focus on assisting the annual conferences in building vital congregations, [...]
The United Methodist Church’s top legislative body next spring will take up a recommended 2013-16 budget of more than $90 million to support the denomination’s 157 active and retired bishops.
The Council of Bishops has responded to the letter from 59 pastors that was written to communicate a deep concern regarding more than 900 ministerial colleagues who have pledged to perform same-sex weddings, despite the church’s prohibition against such ceremonies. READ LETTER
United Methodist Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of Liberia, Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen were awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize for their work on women’s rights. Full Article
More than 300 United Methodist clergy and 500 laity have signed letters urging the Council of Bishops to take a public stand supporting the denomination’s position on marriage and homosexuality.
A group of 59 United Methodist clergy, including from some of the denomination’s largest churches, wants the Council of Bishops to issue a statement promising to enforce church law against clergy who have pledged to conduct same-sex unions.
Bishop Mack Stokes: Holiness in human sexuality Posted by steve On August – 9 – 2011 When God created human beings in his image, God made them male and female (Gen. 1:27). And God called them to be “fruitful and multiply” (Gen. 1:28)…. Therefore, in keeping with the biblical revelation, “we affirm that sexuality is [...]
When the Rev. Deborah Estey took “muck out” training last spring through the United Methodist Committee on Relief, she didn’t realize how important those skills would become.
A United Methodist pastor in Minnesota faces a formal complaint that he may have conducted a ceremony that celebrates the union of a same-gender couple, which church law prohibits.
In the six years that the Rev. Dale Ashby has lived in Downsville, the town in the New York Catskills region has flooded four or five times. This week, as the remnants of Hurricane Irene soaked an already sodden landscape, it’s happening again.
“He died doing what he loved to do, which is flying. Pilots aren’t happy unless they are flying and he was doing it in the most significant arena he ever had before
Members of the Connectional Table, meeting July 25-28, endorsed five proposals that would change The United Methodist Church’s structure and potentially its funding.
I learned that you can worship God in different ways, not just by praying
A United Methodist pastor in Minnesota faces a formal complaint that he may have conducted a ceremony that celebrates the union of a same-gender couple, which church law prohibits. A United Methodist pastor in Minnesota faces a formal complaint that he may have conducted a ceremony that celebrates the union of a same-gender couple, [...]
In an essay near the close of this fine book on renewal in the United Methodist Church, the Rev. Eric Van Meter provides a striking image of Gen-X church leaders. Mr. Van Meter tells about arriving at his conference’s ordination service with several other clergy friends who were also Gen-Xers. They were, by his account, [...]
There is a preponderance of Methodist Bishops and Clergy calling for a change in the moral and standards of our Book of Discipline concerning Gay marriage. The Prophet Haggai asked his people to discern between two hypothetical questions. The first was ” what if something Holy touches that which is ordinary?” The second “what if [...]
By Dr. Maxie Dunnam British intelligence agents hacked into the Islamic jihadist magazine Inspire and changed the directions for making a homemade bomb to a recipe for making cupcakes. Even symbolically a bomb and a cupcake are polar opposites. Imagine the shock of those who thought they were going to find directions for making a bomb and [...]
(UMNS) On June 23, 2011 the trial court imposed the following penalty on Rev. Amy DeLong for performing a same-sex union: Rev. DeLong was suspended from the exercise of the functions of an Ordained elder of The United Methodist Church for a period of 20 days beginning July 1, 2011. The suspension is to be [...]
By Dr. Riley B. Case As of this writing the recommendation will go to General Conference that the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns (GCCUIC) cease to exist as a general agency and that its responsibilities be handled by the Council of Bishops. A commendable idea. We have too many unnecessary agencies in [...]
After two days of testimony and three hours of deliberations, the jury of ministers found DeLong guilty of performing the same-sex marriage but not guilty of being a practicing homosexual — even though DeLong and her partner have filed for domestic partnership rights. (www.wbay.com) Full Article
Please be in prayer for The United Methodist Church as her historical position on homosexuality is, once again, challenged. The trial of self-avowed and practicing homosexual, Rev. Amy DeLong, is being held at Peace United Methodist Church in Kaukauna, Wisconsin Tuesday, June 21, 2011. Please pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for those presiding over and [...]
Dr. Stephen P. Wende, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church–Houston, Texas, urges the election of delegates to the 2012 UMC General Conference “who will represent God-honoring, Kingdom-focused, Christ-first, biblically strong positions.” Full Story & Podcast
Update: 70 Minn. clergy OK same-sex unions (UMNS)
An international panel of United Methodist leaders is offering three ways to make the denomination less U.S.-centric and strengthen its worldwide connection.
May 23, 2011
Several United Methodist churches in Joplin, Mo., were scrambling to provide shelter Monday morning for church members and others whose homes were damaged by a tornado the day before.
May 16, 2011
Members of the Connectional Table, meeting May 9-11, suggested drivers of the Interim Operations Team should proceed cautiously through intersections within The United Methodist Church.
May 10, 2011
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) passed a historic measure Tuesday evening allowing openly gay men and women in same-sex relationships to be ordained as clergy.
May 2, 2011
St. Simons Island, Ga.: Six months ago, Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, challenged his fellow bishops to lean into God’s future.
April 1, 2011
By Rob Renfroe
Two years of study and $500,000 later, the verdict is in. The United Methodist Church is in trouble. That’s the conclusion of the Call to Action report that has begun to dominate discussions about the future of the people called Methodist in the United States.
March 31, 2011
Nashville: Petitions for consideration by the 2012 General Conference may be submitted to the Petitions Secretary beginning April 1 and continuing through September 27, 2011.
By Joey Butler
2:00 P.M. EST Feb. 28, 2011 | LAS VEGAS (UMNS)
When one thinks of Las Vegas, a lot of images come to mind: Bright lights. Palatial casinos. Extravagant music, comedy and magic shows. “Sin City” just doesn’t seem the ideal place to hold a church event.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2011
Nashville, Tenn.: The Council of Bishops and the Connectional Table have named a seven-member Call to Action – Interim Operations Team who will serve to guide change management and work with the Council of Bishops, the Connectional Table, the general agencies and many others to develop and implement work plans in stages leading up to and beyond the 2012 General Conference.
In early February 2011, a group of retired United Methodist bishops issued “A Statement of Counsel to the Church—2011” in which they called upon The United Methodist Church to remove statements in ¶ 304.3 of The Book of Discipline that declare “The practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching” and instruct that “self-avowed practicing [...]
A UMNS Report
By Heather Hahn
2:00 P.M. EST February 9, 2011
A lesbian clergywoman in Wisconsin will face a church trial that could result in her removal from United Methodist ordained ministry.
A UMNS Report
By Linda Bloom
1:30 P.M. EST February 4, 2011
The United Methodist Judicial Council again is being asked to re-consider a 2005 decision allowing a pastor to bar a gay man from joining his congregation.
by Brooklyn Lowery
Dec 20, 2010
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and it’s not just Christians turning December into a festive month of themed décor, gift giving and mailboxes packed with greeting cards.
By Katherine T. Phan|Christian Post Reporter
Dec 20, 2010
Even as drug cartel-related violence and poverty in Mexico’s northern border cities continue to make headlines, members of The Potter’s House kept their tradition of bringing Christmas to the impoverished city of Reynosa.
By Susan Passi-Klaus
December 9, 2010
What if we just stop? Stop the madness. Stop the frustrating pursuit of the perfect present. Stop shopping until we drop. Stop trying to “people please” through gift giving.
