Blogs

The World is Our Parish

By: Diane Miller on 3/19/2010
Topics: Mission

 With so much attention focused on Haiti Recovery, many of us have lost site of the many opportunities and needs for mission volunteers in other areas. If you feel called to join a mission team to Haiti, answer that call. But the needs are also great in Zimbabwe and four teams from Western PA will go there this year. 

Haitian Relief Updates

By: Diane Miller on 1/29/2010

Western PA Mission/Volunteers in Mission Director Diane Miller details ways to help relief efforts in Haiti. UMCOR emergency kits needed!

Success: Bearing Fruit or Building a Kingdom?

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 12/21/2009

Success is nothing with successors.  Church leaders must take action to develop principled Christian leaders.

The Discipline: A Call to Action

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 12/14/2009

The Book of Discipline contains some calls to action that, if followed, can address issues facing many local churches today.

A New Connectionalism

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 12/7/2009

United Methodists must rediscover the power of connection to make a difference in the church and the world.

Once Upon a Time in Real Life

By: Erin Eidenshink on 12/1/2009

Erin Eidenshink is a member of Mars UMC and is serving as a General Board of Global Ministries missionary in Mongolia.
To read Erin's Blog "Once Upon a Time in Real Life"  click here

Welcome to Mongolia!

By: Erin Eidenshink on 12/1/2009

Erin Eidenshink spent her first weeks in Mongolia settling in and adjusting to the cold weather.

Happy Thanksgiving from Mongolia!

By: Erin Eidenshink on 12/1/2009

Erin sends Thanksgiving greetings from Mongolia, where a swine flu quarantine is still in effect.

Michael's Missionary Blog

By: Michael Airgood on 12/1/2009

Michael Airgood, of Kane First UMC in Western PA, is serving as an  Individual Volunteer in Mission in Mongolia.
To read "Michael's Missionary blog" click here.

No God? BIG Problem!

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 11/27/2009

There's a new ad campaign urging people to "be good for goodness sake".  Although many good people don't profess a belief in Jesus, many of them come to a point where the going gets rough without God in their lives.

Taking My Turn

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 10/30/2009

Words can cause unintended hurt.  It's important for all Christians to bear faithful witness, be sensitive to the impact of what we say and do, and seek forgiveness when necessary.

Home Demolitions

By: Tina Whitehead on 10/27/2009

Israeli authorities demolished the East Jerusalem home of a Palestinian family of five  the day a team of 13 mission volunteers from Western Pennsylvania arrived to help with the olive harvest. The team met with the family, now homeless, on the last day of their two-week stay. 

"I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink."

By: Tina Whitehead on 9/27/2009
Topics: Mission

Western PA Conference Missionary Tina Whitehead joined Israeli (Jewish) peace activists to bring water to villages in the South Hebron Hills.

Ramadan in Jerusalem

By: Tina Whitehead on 9/7/2009
Topics: Mission

Western PA Conference Missionary Tina Whitehead returned to the Jerusalem one week into Ramadan, the holy of month of prayer and fasting for Muslims, brings thousands to pray at Al Aqsa Mosque in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.  She describes the hardships she sees pilgrim endure to get to the holy site through additional Israeli barriers, checkpoints and security measures.

Connection Responds to Tragedy in Bridgeville

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 8/14/2009

When prayer was needed for people in Bridgeville, United Methodistst from across the world responded. The power of our connection is awesome. 

After Fitness Center Shootings, Let Us Pray!

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 8/5/2009

A shooting spree at LA Fitness in Bridgeville left three woman and the alleged gunman dead, 10 injured and countless others devastated. Two of the victims were United Methodist. Join us in prayer for all touched by this tragedy.

Both/And, Not Either/Or

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 7/27/2009

Partners in the fight against malaria use a both/and approach, not either/or.  It's a strategy United Methodists should adopt in the global health arena and other aspects of ministry.

Basements and Balconies

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 7/11/2009
Topics: Ministry

Basements and balconies are critical for the success of today’s church. Basements provide the foundation for our entire ministry -- our biblical faith, our Wesleyan heritage, our common experience and the trust we build through our fellowship. But if all we do is dwell in the basement, we find ourselves entombed in past realities and successes that often become stale and irrelevant as the culture changes.  

Connecting with Christ in Today's Culture

By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton on 7/2/2009

Using new technology, some pastors have connected with people searching for meaning their lives and are sharing the gospel.  But many have never met face-to-face and they don't necessarily show up in our churches. They may not even be in the same geographic area.  How will they connect to our established churches? Do they want or need to?