News

United Methodists Note 20th Anniversary of Opening Berlin Wall

  United Methodists in Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Germany shared memories and greetings Nov. 9 to mark  the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall. The late night opening led to the end of the communist rule in the East that separated families, friends and neighbors and led to reunification of Germany a year later.   To commemorate the anniversary, German Chancellor Angela Merkel retraced the steps she took to go through the barricade...

Bishop Calls for Change at Appalachian Ministry Event

  The Appalachian Ministry Network, like the United Methodist Church and other mainline denominations, has a narrowing window of opportunity to shed some baggage, make substantive changes, and grow into the future, Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton told participants at the 2009 Appalachian Assembly in Bethany, WVA on Oct. 28. Developing new leaders and adapting to reach new people in changing culture are key, he said in the keynote address of the gathering at Bethany College.    &ldqu...

Volunteer NOW for Pittsburgh Light-Up Night

Volunteer NOW to help with our Conference’s biggest sidewalk evangelism event of the year – the Santa Spectacular area of Light-Up Night in downtown Pittsburgh, 6-9 pm, Friday, Nov. 20. Evangelism is a powerful tool in making disciples for Jesus Christ. The harvest is vast at this event. Okay, many people do come for the free, homemade cookies, but others are really looking for something more. As cookies and camp Bibles are distributed, a great opportunity arises to share our...

Find Fellowship, Fine Food, Fun at Mission Gala, Nov. 21

You hold the key to the future of three United Methodist mission agencies struggling to serve the needs of the poor and marginalized in Western PA. You are invited to attend the first Mission Gala sponsored by the Western PA Conference on Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Four Points Sheraton in Cranberry Township. Enjoy an elegant evening of fellowship, food, and inspiration emceed by WTAE-TV news anchor Sally Wiggin. Speaker for the event is Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Tony Norman. Proceeds...

United Methodists Seek End to Budget Crisis

United Methodists in Pennsylvania are praying for a just end to the Pennsylvania budget crisis and  calling their state legislators to urge them to end the stalemate, which is nearing Day 100.    Millions of people are affected by the cutoff of state funding to help children, families, elderly persons, and those in need of vital social services. United Methodist are part of an interfaith effort to convince legislators to move quickly and to ensure...

UM Teen Liturgist for G-20 Prayer Service in Pittsburgh

Standing in St. Paul’s Cathedral in Pittsburgh before about 500 Christian, Muslim and Jewish people and their leaders at an Interfaith Prayer Service for the G20 Summit, 9th-grader Jeannie Choi said she was so nervous her legs were practically shaking. But Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton said Jeannie did a wonderful job representing United Methodist youth in proclaiming Paul’s message from 2 Corinthians 1: 2-4 in Korean. Although it was somewhat intimidating, Jeannie said,...

Holy Land Missionaries Visit WPA

While “there is no moral defense for detonating a bomb in a crowded area, or any other act of violence perpetrated against civilians,” a United Methodist missionary serving in the Middle East told Western Pennsylvanians that there is a double standard that demonizes any Palestinian use of violence while legitimizing that employed by Israel.   The Rev. Alex Awad and his wife Brenda visited churches in Erie and the Pittsburgh area Sept. 17-18 to tell the stories of the...

Christian Education Sunday Helps to Form Disciples

In September,Western PA United Methodist churches celebrate Christian Education Sunday. In the midst of launching new Sunday School classes, begin new ministries, planning for Volunteers in Mission trips, starting new mid-week studies, and  invite and welcoming visitors, we give thanks for all of those who pass on the faith through Christian education and celebrate the ministries that help to form disciples. This year, Sept. 13 is the day set by our annual conference members as...

Conference Young Adult Heads to Mongolia

The question of “what’s next?” is a frequent one for college students facing graduation. As a young adult who became a college graduate this past May, my answer to the” what’s next?” question has changed and shifted over the course of my final two semesters of college, finding its flexible and current home in the words, “I’m moving to Mongolia in mid-October .” Mongolia? Yes, Mongolia. Prayer, reflection, conversations with friends and...

Get Moving for the Health of It!

Walking or other physical activity is good for our physical, spiritual and emotional health, says the Rev. Lisa Grant, director of connectional ministries for the Western PA Conference of the United Methodist Church.    “Research shows it stimulates creativity, makes us more mentally alert, helps our memory, helps us fend off depression and anxiety and makes us more open to the leading of the spirit,” she said. “It’s no accident that Christian spiritual...

Western PA Youth Mission Service Changes Lives

Hundreds of United Methodist youth from across Western PA are helping others and building relationships this summer on mission work teams serving in the region, other parts of the United States and abroad. Some are part of teams formed in their local church. Others join Conference Volunteers in Mission teams or participate in the Youth Ministry Team's weeklong uth4Missions event in Johnstown or Mission Discovery, Mission Adventure and Mission Expedition -- part of the Western PA Cooperative...

Pre-Retirement Seminar for Pastors 55+

Clergy considering retirement in the next few years are invited to a Pre-Retirement Seminar on Oct. 5-6 sponsored by the Conference Board of Pensions. The seminar, for pastors 55 and older, will cover the retirement process, as well as Social Security and Medicare issues. One-on-one retirement meetings with General Board of Pension personnel will include individual pension projections.   Presenters include representatives of the:   • The United Methodist Foundation •...

Hands On Work, Study Mark 2009 School of Missions

United Methodists and friends found inspiration and ideas for ministry focused on easing the burdens of poverty and improving global health at the 2009 Western PA School of Christian Mission. The mid-July school at Grove City College also offered opportunities for people of all ages to do hands-on mission work. Adult participants attended the four-day weekday school, July 13-17, or the July 17-19 weekend school. The Sampler Days –July 14 or 18, were another option. Mission...

United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries, PS Card Join to Cut Prescription Costs

Consumers hit hard by the recession can cut their prescription costs by using the PS Card, a free prescription discount card available from The United Methodist Association of Health and Welfare Ministries.   Millions of the cards are now available through the association’s members and United Methodist churches across the United States, said the Rev. Dr. Mearle Griffith, chief executive of the association.   “Partnering with PS Card to help America’s uninsured is...

UM Flood Buckets, Volunteers Help in Clean-Up

Flood buckets collected from United Methodists during the Western PA Annual Conference session June 11-14 were put to good use less than a week later when severe storms caused flooding in Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs. In the 10 days following the flood, 32 volunteers from 12 United Methodist churches volunteered a total of 260 work hours to help residents., according to Frank Bloise, who worked with his wife the Rev. Cyndi Bloise, pastor of Center Ave. UMC, to coordinate volunteers in...

Annual Conference 09 Ignites Passion for Ministry

Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton challenged the 1,800 members of the Western PA Annual Conference meeting June 11-14 at Grove City College to “take the church out on the open road, give it the gas and see what the old baby can do.”  The old mainline denominational church of today needs to be set on fire like the First- Century church, he said. The conference theme was to ignite and sustain a passionate spiritual connection with Christ among all people. It’s also the WPAUMC...

Fire Up Engine, Bishop Tells Church

In a message entitled “Burn, Baby Burn”, Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton challenged Western PA United Methodists to “take the church out on the open road, give it the gas and see what the old baby can do.” The old mainline denominational church of today needs to be set on fire like the First Century Church, he told the 1,800 lay members and clergy representing more than 800 local churches at the opening session of the 2009 Western PA Annual Conference.  “Some of...

College Student Serves Mission Church

Rebekah Swineford, a Spanish and international communications major at Asbury College, is working as a summer intern at Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church in Alexandria, Virginia . Ms. Swineford is a member of First United Methodist Church in Bradford, Pennsylvania. "I believe that God has called me to a life of service in the church. This internship position will allow me to fulfill this call now and empower me to continue serving in the future, as I learn to be the hands...

Western PA Leaders Endorse Zimbabwe Partnership

The Conference Connectional Network voted May 18 to support our denomination's Global Health Initiative by forming a partnership with the UMC in Zimbabwe. The vote came after the Conference Global Ministries Team and the CCN met with representatives of the General Board of Global Ministries.  The CCN earlier submitted legislation to the annual conference to establish a partnership with an African conference or country “to be named.” Annual Conference members will vote on the...

Counseling Important Service of Keystone Credit Union

Martin Hyland* is a smart guy. He’s a doctor in his final year of residency. As such, he spends most of his waking hours at the hospital doing rounds or studying medical journals and texts. What little free time he has is with his fiancé planning their upcoming wedding. He does not spend much time pondering his credit score. When Hyland recently contacted Keystone United Methodist Federal Credit Union to get a VISA credit card, he spoke with CEO/Treasurer Patti Columbe. Since...