Arkansas United Methodist
The Arkansas United Methodist is the monthly publication of the Arkansas Conference, designed to bring the good news of the faith and witness of United Methodists across our state.
Holy Week: Clergy, Don’t Feel it’s All on You!
Holy Week for Christians is a time to spiritually follow the journey of the disciples and Jesus through worship experiences so that we all can be reminded why we feel joy on Easter morning. The tradition of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Saturday...
Momma’s Kitchen Table
I am so thankful for my Methodist mother! Most of my life and ministry have been impacted by my mother’s teaching me about her faith. She played the piano and instilled the hymns in my public and private worship. However, the most important lesson was how important...
Struggling Into Love
To build upon a Jewish Midrash (an art form that Jesus regularly used through parables) there is a story that tries to make sense of this verse. In the story, the angels of heaven are debating about whether or not humans should ever have been created, and the debate...
Central UMC Rogers Operates Largest Faith-Based Childcare in Northwest Arkansas
The job of Kris Mickna, the executive director of child development at Central United Methodist Church in Rogers, is all about priceless opportunities and awesome responsibilities. “Connect with each child and working together for the betterment of this next...
Wrestling With the Bible
My relationship with the Bible has not always been a comfortable one, but it has shaped me at every stage of my life. When I first started reading, the Bible felt like a straightforward manual on how to be a good Christian—it seemed that if I could only read...
Hope Village Gives Homeless in Conway a New Lease on Life
Samantha Hewett was raised in southeastern Detroit by a homeless heroin addict. “I’ve been a child in those circumstances,” Hewett said. “And for children, it is a situation they can’t help, and 588 of the 964 homeless individuals in Faulkner County are minors. “There...
Press, Shake, Run and Pour Blessings During Lent
The Lenten season is one in which we can strip away what keeps us from fully appreciating our relationship with God and realizing just how full of abundance our lives are. Rather than fast from something like chocolate or sodas, Methodist Family Health has a way for...
Out-Preached at the Super Bowl
“The ancient Greeks had four words for love.” That was all I needed to hear to turn my attention away from my Facebook page to the television screen. Like millions of Americans, I was sitting in front of the television with the Super Bowl on, and also like at least...
The Best Laid Plans
Have you ever prepared for a presentation, planning out your key points, creating a PowerPoint, memorizing your wording exactly, and then the day of the event completely scrap your entire plan and just wing it? That’s pretty much what I did a few weeks ago. My mom had...
Stepping up to Supervision Provides Valuable Tools for Church Leadership
Rev. Susan Beaumont, author of How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going and When Moses Meets Aaron: Staffing and Supervision in Large CongregationsIn mid-March, the Rev. Susan Beaumont, a leading voice in resourcing church leaders, will come to Arkansas to...