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Mission u: on missions with children for children
At the United Methodist Women's Mission u in July, hands-on mission experiences shaped the lives of the young children and older youth who participated in making a positive difference in other children’s lives.
Small churches can make a big difference
Faith UMC, Jacksonville, partners with World Relief Services (WRS) to host a four-week camp for refugee children. This year about 50 children from Asia, Africa and the Middle East attended.
Conference is planting a church in women’s prison
Bishop Ken Carter began discussions three years ago about starting a United Methodist church inside the Lowell Correctional Institute in Reddick, about 15 miles north of Ocala. It houses about 3,000 women, the largest female prison population in the United States.
Opioid crisis series: Clergy embrace becoming foster parents
The Revs. Matt and Beth Johnson in Morgantown, W.Va., answered the call to become foster parents to children living in what Matt called “a rough situation.” After a two-year process, they were able to adopt the brother and sister they were fostering.
Lay ministers are key to congregational care
Certified Lay Ministers serve to enhance the quality of ministry, much like the class leader did in early Methodism, through service in the local church.
Sanford Picnic Project is a 10-year-old Fresh Expression
Celebrating their 10 year anniversary this August, the Picnic Project is a free community meal held every Sunday that is served restaurant style inside the First United Methodist Church of Sanford.
Mosaic jumps right in to help neighborhood school
Look no further than John 1 3:17 to get inspired for the type of project Mosaic Palm Bay has undertaken: “But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?”
Community transformation is long-term commitment
Part of St. Luke's community transformation work in East Winter Garden is named “Door to Curb,” and it helps residents improve the value of their homes and the overall community by enhancing pre-designated homes’ curb appeal.
The path to increased pastoral agency
Pastors serving in congregations have much more freedom in their daily work routines than teachers in classrooms or therapists in counseling centers. Pastors command more sustained attention, through ...
Feeding Tampa Bay ministry blesses all
Think Proverbs 19:17: Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Those volunteering for Trinity Café say it goes way beyond that. They, too, receive blessings for their ministry with those seeking a hot meal.
Bishop Carter's sermon: A New Evangelism, A New Connection
Sisters and brothers, we have to “up our game.” Many have settled for a kind of generic, industrial kind of church. What would it mean for those of us who are leaders in the church of Jesus, which would be all of us, to up our game?
A celebration of spirit-led innovation
Friday’s Annual Conference worship service included ministry reports, along with many and diverse choirs and bands.
Annual Conference concludes with ordination
Annual Conference 2019 concluded on Saturday with the ordination, commissioning and licensing of 52 persons, and on Friday members discussed and voted on eight resolutions.
Remembrance Service photo essay
Photographer Lance Rothwell captured the reverence of Remembrance Service attendees as they celebrated the saints who passed away over the past year.
AC Communion sermon delivered by Bishop Willimon
Retired Bishop Will Willimon delivered the communion sermon Wednesday evening at Annual Conference 2019.
Record breaking: all 2020 delegates selected by Thursday
On Thursday, Conference members selected eight clergy and eight laity delegates to represent Florida in the 2020 Jurisdictional Conference and alternates for both groups. It is thought to be unprecedented for the Conference to complete the entire roster of delegates for General and Jurisdictional Conferences in two days.
Bishop Carter emphasizes unity, acknowledges differences
Reflections with the Clergy Session of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, shared by Bishop Ken Carter at Florida Southern College, Lakeland, Florida, on June 5, 2019 My mother, who...
Conference selects full 2020 GC delegation
Wednesday highlights included the clergy and laity meetings, the Strategic Leadership Team and lay leadership reports and the selection of several 2020 General Conference delegates.
Annual Conference off to a running start
The event is designed to promote faith and fitness among clergy and lay people.
Riverside members’ homes bring ministry to community
Even though it has only about 70 members, many of them just as poor as the surrounding community, Riverside has three buildings on a sizeable lot. They have little money, but they reach out with what they do have—their time, their buildings, a parking lot and even their own homes.
Local partnerships boost Hurricane Maria recovery
As many as 3,000 people lost their lives in Puerto Rico—a number that is believed to be severely under-reported in the early days of the aftermath. The island, already in economic distress before the storm, still struggles with recovery.
‘On Mission Together’ unites divergent churches in ministry
“Tear down the barriers, and we are one church. It was simply about all of us doing the work Jesus set out for us to do.’’ -Kay Wingard, Covenant UMC Port Orange
The purpose of a Just Resolution to a complaint and the purpose of the Annual Conference session
The Just Resolution process takes inspiration from scripture (Matthew 18: 15-16). The Message translation reads: “If a fellow believer hurts you, go and tell him—work it out between the two of you,” before taking a complaint to the whole community.
A Memorial Day remembrance
Two poems are offered to commemorate Memorial Day.
Countdown to 2019 Florida Annual Conference
Conference members will be choosing from over 100 clergy and lay nominees for 44 slots for delegates to the 2020 General and Southeastern Jurisdictional Conferences. Elections begin Wednesday afternoon.
It’s hurricane preparedness season, again
Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science expects as many as 12 named storms with five or more becoming full-fledged hurricanes. They predict that at least two will become major hurricanes with wind levels reaching Category 3 or stronger.
Innovation creates an autism-friendly service for children
The Azalea Park UMC kids run the full autism spectrum from high functioning to those who need to wear head protection to avoid injuring themselves. Pastor Andrew Miller said he learned to think in terms of ability level instead of linear age.
Lifesong, Orlando, receives lemons, makes lemonade
Lifesong’s The Table is a Fresh Expression ministry of the Florida Conference. Fresh Expressions find a different way to form faith communities that reach new people, in new places, by new ways. Some churches host singing at local pubs, kayaking for Christ, bicycling events, or canoeing on a river on a Saturday morning.
Bishops offer pastoral word; make key decisions in May meeting
The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church completed its May 2019 meeting held outside Chicago with a pastoral and prophetic word in response to the decisions of the Special Session and the codification of some of those decisions in the Book of Discipline.
Miami Lakes youth mission: the Holy Spirit in action
“I have been on a lot of mission trips,’’ said Rev. Stuart Bodin, pastor of Miami Lakes UMC. “But I’ve never had a better experience than this one. It was remarkable to feel the Holy Spirit in action and experience that level of faith and love.’’
‘Volunteer Village’ eases volunteer housing crunch in Keys
The housing for disaster recovery volunteers was created by the Monroe County Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG), an organization founded in February of last year and consisting of faith-based organizations, including the Conference, non-profits, businesses and government agencies.
Faith UMC: reaching new people in new ways in new places
Faith United Methodist Church volunteers lead church in Bay Vue Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Bradenton.
Prison ministry leads to ‘House of Hope’
The Hillsborough House of Hope assists women who battled substance abuse or were arrested for prostitution and other crimes.
Bishop Carter announces full-time appointment changes
Bishop Ken Carter and the appointive cabinet of the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church, in consultation with the clergy and authorized lay leaders of the local churches, announce full-time appointment changes, to take effect July 1, 2019.
No matter size or location, congregations need care
Congregational Care Ministries (CCM) is a program aimed to empower lay people to work alongside their ministers. They perform services such as hospital visits, leading grief and divorce groups and even administering communion to home-bound people.
FUMC Gainesville school-church partnership is hands-on
Metcalf Elementary School is small with about 200 students, 98 percent qualified for free and reduced-price lunches. Many students come from single-parent homes, which limits parental volunteerism at the school.
CROS Ministries launches mobile food pantry
In its first three months, 860 individuals were served, 28 percent of whom are children. It reaches an array of people in need: the homeless, the unemployed, the elderly and the working poor who experience food insecurity.
Suntree is ‘a gift of the highest’ to elementary school
When a majority of the school’s students needed new backpacks, Suntree UMC collected 400 backpacks filled with all the official supplies required at every grade level.
A pastoral letter at Holy Week from Bishop Ken Carter
Holy Week is a complicated series of actions, with every variance of human emotion and failure. Life in a denomination can be complicated, but no more complicated than a local church or a family. The same Jesus who is surrounded with imperfect followers is the one who prays for their unity (John 17).
May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Discipleship Ministries and United States agencies provide a wealth of resources for observing the month in services or classrooms.
Camp is an ‘Oasis’ for urban kids
“From being a kid and a camper at Oasis, my biggest takeaway was getting to unplug from that city urban environment and going somewhere where you could be more open and reflective.”
Killearn iServe volunteers are ‘Earth Angels’
iServe is a grassroots ministry that gives church members an outlet to assist people with pressing needs in the community at no cost.
Cuban Methodist church sees massive growth
In the past 16 years alone, Methodist church membership has increased by 306 percent in Cuba, the Communist island nation located 90 miles from Florida’s nearest shore.
Free Youth Leader Summit at FSC Apr. 29
A Youth Leader Summit will be held at Florida Southern College on April 29, 2019, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The event is free for church leaders and youth directors and will include worship, workshops and lunch on campus.
United Methodists lobby at Florida Advocacy Days
Well over 70 United Methodists from across the Florida Conference assembled in Tallahassee in late March for the annual Florida Advocacy Days.
‘We believe the church exists to give itself away’
Hundreds of church members run or volunteer in dozens of missions ranging from a girls’ orphanage in Haiti to an infant rescue station in Kenya to a group of men who teach boys in local high schools how to tie a necktie.
North Florida churches: a hand up instead of a hand out
“People will learn how to live independently in a holistic kind of way. We’d like to tap into after-school programs and job training. We want to get much more organized and help grow this to new levels.’’
General, Jurisdictional 2020 delegate nominees listed
At least 101 clergy and lay members of Florida Conference churches will vie for a total of 46 slots for delegates to the 2020 General Conference and Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference, according to Rev. Cory Britt, chair of the Elections Procedures Committee.
United Methodist Women: 150 years in mission
In celebration of Women's History Month, information and resources about the 150th anniversary and legacy of United Methodist Women is available on its website, and United Methodist Communications released a new video about Mary McLeod Bethune's legacy this March.
Sun City Center bucks the declining trend
At a time when many denominational churches are in decline, the United Methodist Church of Sun City Center is bucking that trend. Attendance there has doubled in the past five years.