Update -- Ellwood City service cancelled Several United Methodist churches in Western PA planned to host services celebrating the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the weekend of the national holiday honoring him.  Pastor Raphael Koikoi, who serves as the Upper Allegheny Valley Director of Ministry and Community Development, will be the speaker at a 4 p.m., service on Sunday, Jan. 20 at First United Methodist Church in McKeesport. It is sponsored by the Pittsburgh and ...

Pray for Zimbabwe: United Methodists in Zimbabwe request prayers for peace amid violence that has taken lives, shuttered businesses and led the government to block the Internet.  Students from Carnegie-Mellon University’s Engineers without Borders group who were at The Nyadire UM Mission returned home on schedule just before the protests.The Mission and its hospital are reportedly unaffected by the unrest. Read UMNS story. 40 Days of Prayer for General Conference: Beginning Tuesday, January 15,...

Beginning January 15, 2019 -- 40 days before the special called session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church, local church members throughout Western Pennsylvania are invited to join in praying a special prayer each day until the February 23-26 gathering in St. Louis.  The following prayer was prepared by the Rev. Chris Kindle, WPAUMC Director of Discipleship, for use during the 40 Days of Prayer: p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Franklin Gothic'} p.p2 ...

Confirmation Class Events: Registration will open at 9 a.m., January 15  for church leaders who want to bring their Confirmation Classes to one of our 2019 Commit events. Get details at wpaumc.org/Confirmation2019 . Olmsted Director Retiring: Jody Larson has announced that he will retire as Executive Director of  Olmsted Manor this summer after 40 years of service to the retreat center. He served for 21 years as property and facilities manager and has been executive director for 19 years. Jody ...

​All laity and clergy who feel called to prayer are invited to be part of a special Conference-wide prayer initiative which began in January and will continue until the 2019 Western PA annual conference session in June. Gatherings for prayer have been scheduled at churches in five different areas around Western PA each month from January through May. An initial training session was held at the Conference Center on Jan. 5.  The list of locations for January and February gatherings are listed on...

Reserved Parking Could Cost Your Church $$: Provisions In the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 require non-profit organizations to treat “transportation fringe benefit expenses” as unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) for 2018. The IRS issued guidance on the issue on Dec. 10, 2018 and the UMC General Council on Finance Administration (GCFA) followed up with a white paper that includes answers to  frequently asked questions and instructions for churches to assess their own situations. Learn ...

Bishop Calls for Prayer: After spending time in Central Africa with five other United Methodist bishops meeting church and government leaders last month, Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi called for a Day of Prayer for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Dec. 23, the day set for a long-delayed presidential election there. Learn more Clergy Health Insurance Rate: Thanks to the efforts by the Conference Board of Pensions and Health Benefits, the 2019 rate local churches will be billed...

UPDATED Dec. 20, 2018 After spending time meeting with church and government leaders in Central Africa last month, Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi called for a Day of Prayer for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Dec. 23, the day that had been set for a long-delayed presidential election there. On Dec. 20, the country's election commission announced that voting would be delayed until Dec. 30, 2018.  The election should lead to the country's first democratic transfer of power in ...

Fires Destroy Parsonage: Two fires, one Saturday afternoon and the other about 12 hours later, destroyed the parsonage at First UMC in Cambridge Springs over the weekend. No one was injured in either blaze. Get details.   Way Forward Feedback: The last of 20 Listening Posts led by members of the WPA Way Forward Task Force was held Dec. 2. Many attended the events to learn about legislation submitted for the 2019 special session of General Conference in St. Louis, February 23-26, and to give ...

Fire severely damaged five rooms of the parsonage at First United Methodist Church in Cambridge Springs early Saturday afternoon, and a second fire early Sunday morning caused much more extensive damage. No one was injured in either fire. Pastor Joe Samalenge and his family escaped from the first fire and were being cared for by the local congregation with assistance from The Red Cross, said Erie-Meadville District Superintendent Dennis Swineford.  "Many people have been reaching out asking ...

Show Gratitude During Advent: Gratitude is at the heart of the Christian faith. As we move into Advent try some of the daily suggestions in this gratitude calendar.   Church Treasurers Webinar: The UM Foundation of Western PA offers a free webinar “Top Ten Tips for Completing Your Pastor’s W-2”. Designed for local church treasurers and others responsible for completing their pastor’s Internal Revenue Service W-2 Form, it is scheduled for  Thursday, December 13, from 10-11 a.m. Register through ...

Give Thanks with with a grateful heart; Give thanks to the Holy One; Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son. Give Thanks! Truck Slams Wellersburg Truck: Wellersburg UMC on hilly PA Route 160 was knocked off its foundation early Monday when a tractor-trailer descending Savage Mountain slammed into it. The congregation has been meeting elsewhere and was awaiting a demolition permit since a similar incident in 2017. Learn more Church Safety: Rev. Larry Homitsky of Calvary UMC in ...

Historic Mt. Harmony United Methodist Church, which sat about 10 yards off PA Route 160 in the community of Wellersburg, was hit by tractor-trailer for the fifth time in six years on Nov. 19, 2018. No one was injured in the early morning crash. Mount Harmony UMC, a 168-year-old white-frame structure, was condemned after a similar incident in April 2017, and the congregation was awaiting a demolition permit. They have been worshipping elsewhere and  hoping to rebuild on the same property, ...

Adapted from November-December 2017 Interpreter Magazine article "Gratitude is at the heart of the Christian faith," says the Rev. Kent Millard, president of United Theological Seminary. While every day should be a day of thanksgiving to God, the weeks encompassing the seasons of Thanksgiving (U.S.), Advent and Christmas call for a special outpouring of gratitude.  Here is a  calendar to help you engage in daily acts of gratitude and kindness. Most of them can be done alone or with family or ...

United Methodists in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Germany have completed their 2018 Advent Devotional in English and German, which can be downloaded and copied.  Advent begins on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018. The entries for each day contain scripture and the devotional thoughts in both English and German. On even dates (Dec. 2,4,6 etc.) the selection is in English first, followed by the German, On odd dates, the German writings are first and the English translation follows.  The partnership, ...