Category: Methodist

  • Killing Stone to Baptismal Font

    Killing Stone to Baptismal Font By Steve Beard Remarkably, after 45 seasons CBS’s “Survivor” is still a certifiable television hit. Millions of viewers tune in to watch the travails of contestants in a Robinson Crusoe-style tropical setting. Coral reefs, whitecapped waves, pristine beaches, and snuffed-out tiki torches. For the last

  • A Promise Kept and a Promise Spurned

    A Promise Kept and a Promise Spurned By Thomas Lambrecht As United Methodists continue to become aware of the actions taken by the 2024 General Conference, responses range from celebration to confusion to disagreement to disenchantment. Many are asking the question: What does this mean for me and my church?

  • A Love Story

    A Love Story By Bonnie McClure Can I tell you a love story? Lately, I’ve been thinking about different types of love. Culturally, we are trained quite extensively on familial love – the love we have for family, and romantic love – the love we have for a partner or

  • Côte d’Ivoire votes to leave denomination

      Côte d’Ivoire votes to leave denomination Only few days before the 2024 General Conference of the United Methodist Church was held in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bishop Thomas Bickerton of New York told his fellow bishops that they should be prepared for big changes – utilizing phrases such as “seismic

  • Whither Regionalization?

    Whither Regionalization? –  By Thomas Lambrecht At the 2024 General Conference, all the components of regionalization were adopted by nearly three-fourths votes or greater. Those enactments do not take effect immediately, however. What happens next? The next step in the process is for the General Conference secretary to prepare the

  • Room for Traditionalists?

    Room for Traditionalists? Thomas Lambrecht The 2020/2024 General Conference has just concluded its ten-day run in Charlotte, North Carolina. A summary of some of the actions taken by the conference are available in last week’s Perspective, “A Tale of a New Church.” Many participants remarked upon the different atmosphere that

  • A Tale of a New Church

    A Tale of a New Church By Thomas Lambrecht The story of the 2024 General Conference meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the story of a new church being born. Two years ago this month, the Global Methodist Church was born, and it is growing and maturing quickly. This month