Believing that churches should be places to play as well as pray, two United Methodist churches in EPA & GNJ are providing indoor pickleball courts as inviting gifts to their communities. West Lawn UMC in Reading, PA, and St. Paul’s …
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 …
Helping people feel they Belong
Open hearts, open minds, open doors. United Methodists of Eastern PA have special ways of making guests of all ages feel special, to feel like they Belong. That’s our 2024 Annual Conference theme. We asked churches to share some of …
EPA to graduate 7 new CLMs June 2
Eastern PA will celebrate the 2024 Class of Certified Lay Ministers at their graduation ceremony on Sunday, June 2, at 3 p.m., at Bickley’s New Beginning United Methodist Church, Philadelphia. The Rev. Andrew Foster III will preach at the event. …
How do you help people Belong?
Our 2024 Annual Conference theme is Belong. EPA&GNJ Communications wants to celebrate that theme by inviting churches to tell us, so we can tell others, how they help people—members, nonmembers and guests—feel they Belong. “People go where they are welcome,” …
Hundreds find learning, encouragement, connections at Tools for Ministry
“I give thanks for Tools for Ministry events that provide us with learning, encouragement and connections for this journey,” said the Rev. Dawn Taylor-Storm, Assistant to the Bishop for Leadership Development and the Eastern PA Conference’s Director of Connectional Ministries. …
Celebrating Clergywomen during Women’s History Month, Part 2
For Women’s History Month, the Rev. Julia Singleton shared in her essay last week responding clergywomen’s memorable “Wow” moments of their ministries. In part two this week, she shares their answers to her second question: “All clergy face challenges in …
Leadership Academy adds 4 new Teachable courses, now totaling 7
The EPA&GNJ Leadership Academy has launched four new online courses to help church leaders learn more about the challenges and growth opportunities in church leadership, United Methodist racial history, community outreach for missional engagement, and the work of lay leaders …
Use Breakthrough’s new Lenten worship series to guide your church ‘Through the Valley’
Thanks to the new 2024 Breakthrough Worship Series, many churches in Eastern PA and Greater New Jersey started the New Year digging into the “Roots” of their faith to find nourishment from our shared spiritual legacy as the people called …
3 Tools for Ministry academies will offer learning for leaders
Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding. —Proverbs 3:13 Several hundred lay and clergy members of Eastern PA will spend three brief but full Saturday mornings in February and March drilling down into a deep well in …