Africa Initiative’s Pre-General ​​​​​​Conference Prayer Retreat   The Africa Initiative, a biblically-committed and Christ-centered advocacy movement within the three Central Conferences of Africa, convened a prayer retreat for African delegates to the upcoming 2024 United Methodist General Conference. One hundred and fifty (150) African leaders and delegates participated in the retreat held at the Desmond Tutu Conference Center in Nairobi, Kenya, from 8-12 April 2024. The theme of the retreat was, “Reclaiming our Identity,” based on the scriptural text, Matthew 5:13-16. Th ..read more

In Regard to the Dakotas-Minnesota alteration April 19, 2024 It has come to our attention that an anonymous person went on the Dakotas UM Annual Conference website and changed an official document to contain alleged misinformation and divisive rhetoric. (Although we have made a request to Bishop Lanette Plambeck’s office to see the altered document, we have not yet seen it in its altered form. However, we were able to discuss the matter with her office and they walked us through the issues of concern.) No matter the motive, anonymously altering a document is decep ..read more

Fair for Some, Fair for All By Simon Mafunda The recent commentary written by Christine Schneider for UM News of March 28 needs to be addressed. It directly responds to a commentary by Rob Renfroe, the president of Good News, who was addressing criticism regarding the planned presence of Good News at the upcoming GC in Charlotte. However, I find Christine’s article to be lacking in its representation of the facts and attempting to compare two provisions in the UMC Book of Discipline that should not be compared. Firstly, I agree with Rob Renfroe that disaffiliation is still an ongoing ..read more

Fondly Remembering Carolyn Elias (1931-2024) The Good News staff and board of directors were saddened to hear of the passing of our longtime friend and treasured colleague, Carolyn Parrish Elias (1931-2024). The Good News Board of directors presented its eighth annual Edmund W. Robb, Jr. United Methodist Renewal Award to Carolyn Elias at its fall meeting in November 2010. The award, named after long-time Good News board member and renewal leader, Dr. Ed Robb, is given to a United Methodist who has made a significant and lasting contribution to renewal within the United Methodist Church. “Carol ..read more

Radiant Scars By Stephen Seamands The marks of death that God chose never to erase, The wounds of love’s eternal mark, When the kingdom comes, with its perfect sons, He will be known by the scars. –Michael Card As its cover story, the March 27, 2000, issue of Newsweek featured “Visions of Jesus: How Jews, Muslims and Buddhists View Him.” Though he is not considered as in Christianity the utterly unique Son of God, the article showed how Jesus is still greatly revered and admired in all the world’s major religions. Muslims, for example, recognize Jesus as a great prophet. They even believe he w ..read more

The Both/And Solution By Thomas Lambrecht A recent article by Jefferson Knight, a Liberia General Conference delegate, crystalizes the “critical decision” (in his words) facing United Methodists in Africa. He sees disaffiliation in Africa as a threat to “disintegrate the UMC in Africa and erase [it’s] rich history and heritage.” He sees regionalization as “a viable alternative … that promises to uphold the unity and continuity of the church while honoring its legacy.” The title of his editorial speaks of “Embracing Regionalization Over Disaffiliation.” I will engage with some of his arguments ..read more

African Delegates’ Urgent Requests Unanswered By Thomas Lambrecht We are less than six weeks from the opening session of the 2024 United Methodist General Conference. That is why it is troubling that African delegates continue to be beset with delayed responses from the staff running our UM General Conference and are experiencing problems that threaten their ability to participate. For the last several months, the delay in sending non-U.S. delegates their official letters of invitation to attend the General Conference has been noted and criticized, including by Mainstream UMC, the self-id ..read more

He Wants You Back By BJ Funk My oldest son texted words that hit like a large brick thrown at my stomach. He wrote, “My birth mother passed.” I wasn’t prepared for this. I remember that joyous moment when the lady with the adoption agency placed this baby in my arms. She said, “His birth mother had only one request; that he be put in a Christian home.” Grace looked inside my heart that day and whispered, “This child is yours.” He was beautiful and perfect. He was perfectly beautiful. He still is. It was instant love for me. My gratitude to her gained a permanent place in my heart. Though I did ..read more

TMS Global Celebrates 40 Years By Jenifer Jones In November 1983, the Christian missions organization began when 34 United Methodist pastors and mission-minded individuals gathered in St. Louis. They had watched the decline in the number of United Methodist missionaries over the years. Their hearts’ cry was to see more cross-cultural workers sent who would proclaim the message and love of Christ even to the least-reached places of the world. After much prayer, they committed to start a new global missions agency. What would be named The Mission Society for United Methodists was officially inco ..read more

GMC Convening Event to be held in Costa Rica By Walter Felton (Global Methodist Church) “Prayer teams and networks all around the Global Methodist Church are daily calling on the Lord for His empowerment and presence at the church’s convening General Conference,” said the Rev. Laura Ballinger, chairwoman of the denomination’s Prayer Steering Committee. “We firmly believe Jesus spoke the truth when he said, ‘apart from me you can do nothing.’” Ballinger, a pastor in Indiana, is also co-leader of the Prayer Committee of the Transitional Commission on the Convening General Conference. She is just ..read more