Transitional Year Ahead for Districts, District Superintendents, and Conference Staffing
Beginning July 1, the Arkansas Conference will be experimenting with some structural change within our districts, the work of our district superintendents, and the district offices. There will also be expansion of roles by some of the current Annual Conference staff. “In this season, we need to be prayerful, careful, and realistic stewards of our […]
Proposed Ordinands and Provisionals
The Board of Ordained Ministry for the Arkansas Conference has announced the following individuals who have been proposed as Provisionals for 2023: Alyssa Burleson Kuebler Deacon Daniel Lee Curry Deacon Joshua Earl Bland Deacon Annie Mary JoAnn McGregor Meek Elder Chad Everette Bo Hornsby Elder Abbey Lee Maynard Elder Miranda Joy Donakey Hornsby Elder The […]
Arkansas Annual Conference Ratifies 67 Churches to Leave the Denomination
Saturday, May 13, 2023, Hot Springs, AR: A Special Session of the Arkansas Annual Conference was held at the Hot Springs Convention Center earlier today with Bishop Laura Merrill presiding. This special session was called to address the following issue: The consideration of ratification of disaffiliation agreements from the Conference Board of Trustees with various […]
Q&A with Bishop Laura Merrill
In November 2022, Bishop Laura Merrill was elected as a United Methodist Bishop and assigned to the Arkansas Annual Conference. She has recently moved to Arkansas and begun serving in her assignment, and she has plans to travel to meet as many clergy and laity as possible over the next few months. So that you […]
Malvern First UMC served a Thanksgiving Feast
On Thanksgiving day, Malvern First United Methodist Church provided over 700 Thanksgiving meals to members of the community. Many area businesses and non-profits donated food, and church members helped to prepare desserts. About 30 volunteers split between church members and community volunteers came to prepare the food, put the meals together, and deliver to many […]
Q&A with Cathy Blackwood, outgoing Arkansas Conference United Women in Faith President
Amy: The Arkansas Conference Women in Faith Annual meeting was a wonderful success! Please tell me how you feel about leaving the position of president for the Arkansas Conference United Women in Faith. You have navigated a lot of change. Cathy: One thing I can say about my four-year tenure as president, there was never a […]
South Central Jurisdiction Announces Rev. Laura Merrill as New Arkansas Area Bishop-Elect
November 3, 2022 | HOUSTON, Texas The Rev. Laura Merrill, currently serving the Rio Texas Conference, has been assigned to the Arkansas Annual Conference as Bishop for two years, beginning January 1, 2023. Delegates elected Laura Merrill, age 59, at the South Central Jurisdiction’s meeting at First United Methodist Church in Houston, on the first […]
South Central Jurisdiction Votes to Elect Three New Bishops and to Keep Arkansas Episcopacy Area Intact
November 2, 2022, Houston: First United Methodist Church – West Campus The first official day of the South Central Jurisdiction Conference opened at First United Methodist Church – West campus in Houston, with a press conference for media by Bishop Scott Jones of the Texas Annual Conference. During the first voting session, the delegation approved […]
Watch Where You Step!
This past week, I was able to have coffee with several clergy friends in the Northwest District. I was truly blessed by the presence of each person and was inspired by their stories of faith, hope, and mission. One of the pastors that I visited with was Rev. Sara Pair of Sequoyah UMC in Fayetteville, […]
The Vine of NWA is Doing Church Differently
“Do Church Differently” is the concept being shared by The Vine of Northwest Arkansas, led by Rev. Todd Lovell, to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ (read more here). Recently, this newest church plant of the ARUMC teamed up with Spreading Hope NWA to hand out free boxes of donuts to people driving […]