The Arkansas United Methodist is the twice-monthly newsletter of the Arkansas Conference that reaches more than 5,000 Arkansas Methodists across our state. Every other week, you’ll receive a newsletter in your inbox packed full of stories from around the Conference, and commentaries from the Bishop, the AUM Editor, clergy, laity and more!
Our goal is to bring hope and inspiration through stories of discipleship. Join us as we share the Good News!
Getting Shots Into People’s Arms
Oaklawn UMC Assists Its Community with Vaccine Sign-Ups
Photo by CDC on UnsplashVaccines from major manufacturers like Pfizer, Moderna, and, recently, Johnson & Johnson are now making their way into the arms of eligible Arkansans across the state. However, a major hurdle that prevents the elderly population from...
Looking Back and Looking Ahead
Photo by Pablo García Saldaña on UnsplashThe United Methodist Church has been filled with people who have significant disagreements for decades about how to involve LGBTQIA+ individuals in the life of the church. The first time the denomination addressed the matter...
Women Have Shaped My Life
Photo by Jude Beck on UnsplashThis month, people from all over the world are celebrating the many inspirational and powerful women who have shaped their lives. March is Women’s History Month, and just like Black History Month before it, we shouldn’t only celebrate it...
Following in Your Children’s Footsteps
DeLano family pursues pastoring from different pathways
Left to right: Kris, Lauren and Steve DeLano at Lauren's ordination in 2016.Legacy clergy families are something that we’re quite used to in the church. There are countless examples of the children of clergy, or their children’s children, deciding to enter into the...
My Journey
Photo by Mantas Hesthaven on UnsplashAs we pause to review black history, let us remember the contribution that the Black church has made and is still making in our society. The Black church has always been the underpinning of our community. Out of our historical...
Lenten Faith Formation at your Fingertips
Photo by Eric Rothermel on UnsplashDuring the last year, we have worked hard to try new things and reach out to families in new and safe ways, during the pandemic. Thanks to technology, we have some new tools to do just that. I am not talking about a video or social...
Vaccines for Food Ministry Workers Essential for Gathering at the Table Again
Volunteers at the Arkansas Food Bank collect food during Ingathering 2020 | File PhotoOne of the things I am looking forward to as we see COVID come to an end is gathering around the table. With masks and distancing, gathering in person for a meal- be it communion, a...
Hot Springs First Opens Gym for People Seeking Shelter from Cold
The gym inside Hot Spring First's Christian Life Center has been setup as a temporary refuge for those seeking shelter from the frigid temperatures this week. Photo courtesy of Cindy English and Hot Springs First UMC.Arkansas is experiencing the biggest winter weather...
Churches Move Ash Wednesday Services Online
Ash Packs and Lent Kits are the norm in ongoing pandemic
Lent Kit from Elm Springs UMC.Ash Wednesday is the annual day of remembrance that kicks off the Lenten season, and while many churches are celebrating the traditional imposition of ashes differently this year, churches around the Arkansas Conference have not slowed...
Intersectionality, Black Potentiality
Photo by Gift Habeshaw on UnsplashBlack Power, Black Power, Black Power. These are words spoken to articulate a cultural reality. We have popularized its use as a political and racial slogan, because on June 16, 1966, in Greenwood, Mississippi, Stokely Carmichael used...