On Saturday, February 16, 2025, United Methodists from across EPA & GNJ gathered at Franklin-St. John’s UMC for an impactful Black History Month service. The Rev. Dr. William D. Carter III, Zachary Holder, and Rev. Elijah Brown were the visionaries …
Camphor Memorial UMC hosts community conversation
On Friday, September 13th, Camphor Memorial UMC hosted a Community Conversation designed to bring church members, neighborhood residents, and business and community leaders together to dream about how Camphor might be in ministry with their community. The conversation opened with …
A Day of Joy and Service: Highlights from Sayers Memorial UMC’s Community Day
Sayers Memorial UMC celebrated its third annual Community Unity Day in West Philadelphia on August 17. This celebration originated from a vision that the Lord gave to Pastor Washington in 2019, leading to the creation of an event called Youth …
Empowering Voices: Mobilizing 1,000 Voters for Change in Philadelphia
Thursday August 1st a group of leaders gathered in the basement hall of Mother African Zoar to strategize on how to help 1,000 neighbors register and vote in the upcoming election. The event was organized by the Rev. Dr. William …
Historic church shines a light of service in a place of refuge
In its 230th year of ministry, Mother African Zoar United Methodist Church in North Philadelphia maintains a legacy of loyal service to its community. It will celebrate that 230th anniversary with a banquet and other activities in November 2024. The …
Connecting Our Cultures in Christ
The Eastern PA Conference Economic Justice Council invites all to join and support EPA congregations in celebrating Juneteenth 2024, especially two of our historic Black churches. Mother African Zoar UMC in Philadelphia, Saturday, June 15, 11 am to 3 pm …
Urban Ministry Awards Go to 4 Community-Engaged Churches
In describing the urban ministry challenge today, the Rev. Evelyn Kent Clark, Eastern PA Conference Dean of the Cabinet, may have turned iconic author Charles Dickens’ most famous opening line into a call for mission evangelism. “We think these are …
EPA members, Bishop Schol attend UM Black caucus’ 57th General Meeting
Six members of the Eastern PA Conference’s Black Methodists for Church Renewal caucus, plus Bishop John Schol, attended the national caucus’s 57th General Meeting March 6-9 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the caucus’ birthplace. Bishop Schol spoke to the assembly of over …
Churches honor Black History Month in special ways
A number of Eastern PA churches, especially in Philadelphia, saved the best for last by culminating their Black History Month celebrations on the last Sunday of February. There were oral and visual presentations of African diaspora history and culture, remarkable …
TV news features EPA Lay Leader teaching computer skills to seniors
Philadelphia’s WPVI-TV News featured Eastern PA Conference Lay Leader William Thompson in a recent story about his decades-long business of teaching basic computer skills to seniors. It’s part of the ABC station’s series “The Art of Aging.” “Love them or …