“I am very happy with the church; the church helps us. The government cannot do without the church." — Pascal Mombi Opana, vice governor in Orientale Province.
KISANGANI, Democratic Republic of Congo (UMNS) — United Methodist churches are growing and schools are overflowing in this large district. The churches face many challenges, but evangelism is not one, said the Rev. Litalema Bogega, superintendent of Kisangani 1. Kathy Gilbert and Mike DuBose report.
KISANGANI, Democratic Republic of Congo (UMNS) — The Wagenia village is part of the Kisangani district. For more than 200 years, fishermen have fished in the rapids at Stanley Falls in the Congo River. United Methodist pastors make a pastoral call on the small village. Mike DuBose has the story in pictures.
PORTLAND, Ore. (UMNS) — The sponsorship department of the General Council on Finance and Administration has exceeded its goal of raising $600,000 through the General Conference sponsorship and exhibitors program. As of this month, the program has raised $637,600 to help defray the costs of the denomination’s top legislative assembly, which will be May 10-20 in Portland, Oregon. Altogether, the 2016 General Conference will have 130 exhibit booths.
NEW YORK (UMNS) — At any given moment across the world, more than 663 million people are drinking water that could be contaminated because they lack any other real option. That is why WASH — the water, sanitation and hygiene work of the United Methodist Committee on Relief — is helping more communities than ever before gain access to clean water. Susan Kim reports for UMCOR.
CHICAGO (UMNS) — What do five pastors in five different conferences and four different jurisdictions have in common? Besides the fact that they are all United Methodist elders and graduates of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, they have shared a unique bond for more than 10 years as part of a covenant group. Anne Marie Gerhardt reports for the Northern Illinois Conference.
ATLANTA (UMNS) — Candler School of Theology’s Luke Timothy Johnson was in the right place at the right time in 1996. His book, "The Real Jesus," became a blockbuster of the Lenten season. Johnson, the Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at Emory's Candler School of Theology, recently talked about the book that made him a leading figure opposing the research and scholarship of the widely publicized Jesus Seminar. The seminar was a group of some 200 biblical scholars who sought to verify or disprove sayings and actions attributed to Jesus through historical review and analysis.
Drive-through prayer stations —The Revs. Tenny Rupnick from Ebenezer United Methodist Church and Ernest Frierson from Jeremiah and Mount Seal United Methodist churches, along with their congregations, will host a series of drive-through prayer stations. The location is the parking lot of the Old Don Fenters Chevrolet lot across from Wellman Golf Course in Johnsonville, South Carolina. In addition to Saturday, Feb. 27, the stations will be held March 12, April 9 and April 23 from 10 a.m. to noon. Those requesting prayer may drive through and stay in their cars as others minister to them. Contact: 843-558-3835 or tenhutrup@gmail.com.
North Carolina Preaching Festival — St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Raleigh, North Carolina. The second annual North Carolina Preaching Festival will highlight the diverse styles of preachers from around the country. The Revs. Nadia Bolz-Weber, Tiffany Knowlin, Tom Berlin, Audrey Warren, Brian Combs, Eric Huffman and Juan Huertas will preach on the topic of “Text to Context.” Workshops and plenary sessions round out this three-day event presented by the Academy for Leadership Excellence. Register.