We return this month to reflect upon our church statement. We have never branded it as a vision statement, but that is what it amounts to. Among other things, we envision growing together in breadth of mission and service to the world. To me, growing in breadth in this aspect is of at least two different kinds: There is growth in the number of opportunities that Christ UMC can provide and identify for each of us to participate in mission and ministry. There is also the aspect of growing in awareness about the many points of impact we collectively make in our local, state, national, and international communities. For this article, I would like to start with the widest lens. We can narrow or focus in future newsletters….
The New UMC Handbook
The information you just read about financial impact through the denomination was provided in the United Methodist Handbook. During 2026, The United Methodist Church published our official handbook for the 2025-2028 Quadrennium. The handbook is a great document for learning more about our denomination and how ministry is accomplished from the international level to the local level. We will be including sections of the handbook as a part of our monthly newsletter for the next few months. Use this link to access the electronic version of the full handbook. I encourage you to take the time to read through the handbook. We will also have a limited number of hard copies available at the church in the coming weeks.
United Methodist Bishop’s Leadership Gathering
Later this month, The United Methodist Church Council Bishops bring together some 300 United Methodists from around the globe to prayerfully consider the future shape and expressions of the United Methodist Church. The premise is simple: God already has a dream and plan in mind. Our work is to put our own dreams and plans aside and to listen for God’s plans as we listen in prayer and in conversation with one another. I am grateful to have been invited to be one of three voices for the West Virginia Annual Conference at the Bishop’s gathering. We will meet during the week of October 20th in Calgary, Canada.
The work of the leadership gathering will also try to address the challenge of being a worldwide, diverse denomination that both acknowledges and appreciates geographic, cultural, and generational diversity, while trying to identify what our common core will be as the United Methodist Church in the future. This gathering does not serve as or replace a General Conference. The next General Conference will be held in 2028. The 2026 Bishops’ Leadership Gathering will be closely reported by UMNews.org. Articles will update regularly throughout the week of October 20th. Much of the October gathering will also be recorded and livestreamed. These should also be available through UMNews.org or at UMC.org. Please be in prayer that, as the leaders gather, God’s spirit, heart, and will prevail over all our efforts.
All Saints Celebration – Sunday, November 1st
On Sunday, November 1st, we will observe All Saints’ Sunday. A central focus of that worship service will be the naming and remembering of loved ones who have passed on since last November. In addition to the form below, forms will be included in the worship folders through October 25th. If you have loved ones who have passed on since last November that you wish us to include in our celebration on November 1st, please submit names by October 25th. This will allow the worship time to include your loved ones in our worship service on November 1st
All Saints Day Celebration, November 1st
Submissions due by October 25th
Stewardship Sunday – November 22nd
During the month of November, we will focus on financial stewardship and our financial pledge campaign for 2027. Securing pledges of financial participation from our members helps to anticipate the financial means we will have at hand to do the work of ministry throughout the year. In early November, our Finance Committee will be sending out pledge cards to our members. We hope to have those cards, as many as possible, completed and collected by November 22nd. During the November 22nd service, we will have a time in the worship service for pledge cards to be brought forward. Pledge cards may be submitted after this date, but doing so may delay our ability to budget and plan for the coming calendar year. So please make every effort to submit your card on or before Nov. 22nd
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