Two from WPA at Global Event: Two young women from Western PA were among more than 330 United Methodist young adults gathered for five days of conversation, worship and fellowship at the fourth Global Young People’s Convocation from July 18-22 in Johannesburg, South Africa. They are Mollie Landman, who serves as chair of the Northeastern Jurisdiction Council on Youth Ministry Ministry and on the Conference Board of Laity, and McKenna Keltz of Lakeside UMC, who serves on the UMC Division of Young People’s Ministry board. Read about the Convocation
Back the Bikers! On Aug. 13, ten Western PA United Methodists will set off on a five-day, 315-mile bike ride from Pittsburgh to Washington D.C. to raise funds for WPA camping and retreat ministries. Bikers will begin at Boston UMC, travel the Great Allegheny Passage and C&O Canal Trail, and complete the trip with a visit to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. You can help by donating through Crowdrise here.
Learn more about the Bike-a-Thon.
Join the Bikers for a Day! You can join the first day of the Bike-a-Thon from Boston to Ohiopyle (57 miles). The cost of the single day ride is $25, which includes lunch, dinner, snacks and water. For more info, email chris.kindle@wpaumc.org.
Reclaim Mindfulness! Dr. Amy Oden, seminary professor and author, will lead the fall Women’s Spirituality Retreat at Olmsted Manor from Sept. 14-16. It’s called Right Here, Right Now: The Practice of Christian Mindfulness. Learn more and register.
Clergy Spouse Retreat: Register by August 10 for the Clergy Spouse Retreat scheduled for Sept. 21-22 at Olmsted Manor Retreat Center. Get details
Fall Learning Opportunities: Clergy and laity have a lot of options in the coming months to learn and enrich their ministry. Make a commitment today to register for one of them. See the list at wpaumc.org/LeadershipDevelopment
#See All the People: Registration is open for the #SeeAllthePeople training event, offered Friday, Sept. 28 at Glenwood UMC in Erie and Saturday, Sept. 29 at Crossroads UMC in Oakdale. Get details
Download a bulletin insert
Sharing a Pastor? It’s common in Methodism and can help local congregations to realize and reaffirm that their vitality is not about the pastor. “Continued vitality is up to the congregation itself,” writes Dr. Lew Parks. Read more in Leading Ideas.
Leading in a Small Church? Listen to some tips from Dr. Lew Parks, author of Small on Purpose in a Leading Ideas Talks episode.
Reflective Leadership Grants: Duke Divinity’s Reflective Leadership Grant program offers lay and ordained Christian leaders up to $15,000 to step away from their current work to reflect on accomplishments, broaden perspectives and discern next steps. Learn more.
Bread Update: During Annual Conference, 273 people signed letters supporting efforts to ease hunger in the U.S. and around the globe. Southwestern PA Bread for the World leaders, including Myra Mann of Baldwin Community UMC, delivered those letters to our U.S. Senators and Congressmen on June 17, Bread for the World Lobby Day, in Washington, D.C. Learn more.
What Do You Think? More than 700 United Methodists have registered their comments on the draft of the revised Social Principles. Comments are due by Aug. 31, 2018. Come to one of the discussions scheduled at the Conference Center: Saturday, July 28 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. or Thursday, Aug. 2 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. or add your comments online.
Learn more and see revised Social Principles
Prayers, Then Action: “When children are ripped from their mothers and fathers, prayers are important, but so is action,” writes Raggatha Rain Calentine in a commentary for the Native American Comprehensive Plan. She shares how members of the plan's Native youth group, who have a unique understanding of what is taking place, have been moved to action.
Read commentary
Worshipping a Borderless God: “They see God as their only hope; worship becomes very powerful when people have a deep hunger and a very present need for God to intervene on their behalf,” --Rev. Owen Ross, one of the United Methodists who lead worship services for juveniles detained at the U.S. border in El Paso. Learn more.
Standing against Hate: Baltimore-Washington Area Bishop LaTrelle Easterling invites all United Methodists to join in The United to Love Rally on Aug. 12, the one-year anniversary of the death of a counter-protester at a gathering of white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia. The rally is an initiative of the Baltimore-Washington Conference. Learn more
UMCOR Leadership Sharing: Thomas Kemper, top executive of the UMC Board of Global Ministries, and Roland Fernandes, the mission agency’s chief operating officer, have been named co-executive directors of the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
Read press release
Farewell, New World Outlook! The final print edition of the UMC Board of Global Ministries’ mission magazine will be published in October. “What comes next is a matter of serious, prayerful consideration by Global Ministries’ directors and staff,” wrote Thomas Kemper, the mission agency’s top executive, in the magazine’s summer issue.
Learn more in New World Outlook
Ministry with the Forgotten: Put your faith into action by building ministries that welcome and support people living with Alzheimer's or dementia and families. Get started with this free five-party study.
Back to School Resources: New resources are available to help you welcome students and families to worship services and church events this fall. Check out the customizable postcards, banners, invitation cards and social media images. Learn more.
While supplies last, apply a $200 discount code (F18UMC200).
Church Adds Sensory Room: Lakeside UMC in DuBois has added a sensory room for children with autism and the Courier-Express reported on it. Read story.
Albright Saga Continues: A Pittsburgh City Councilwoman is reviving an effort to gain a historic designation for Albright UMC despite a state court ruling against it and the continuing objections of the Western PA Conference, the property owner. Read Trib story.
Summer Merge Concerts: After spending a week spreading God’s love through Music and service to the greater Cincinnati community, partnering with Group Mission Trips, area churches and retirement communities, the youth of Christ UMC in Bethel Park will present concerts on Saturday, July 28, at Calvary UMC in PIttsburgh at 3 p.m. and at Christ UMC in Bethel Park at 7:30 p.m.