Couples Cookie Exchange is a Great Way to Connect Families
contributed by Melinda Shunk, Children’s Ministry Coordinator Connecting parents with each other is vital to sustaining a children’s ministry that does NOT revolve around the children’s minister! A way to accomplish that as the Children’s Minister is to have caring get-to-know-you kind of conversations with each parent in the hallway, out for coffee, during a […]
Blue Christmas Services From Around the Conference
The holidays aren’t always a happy time for people. Many experience deep sorrow and discomfort during the season that is most often associated with joy. That’s the reasons why many churches have chosen to offer a Blue Christmas or Longest Night service in addition to their traditional Advent and Christmas celebration services. These services allow […]
Ingathering Brings Methodists of All Ages to Little Rock
This year’s Ingathering event, which took place the Saturday before Thanksgiving, brought more than 300 United Methodists from across the Conference to the Arkansas Food Bank in Little Rock. More than 40 churches were represented at the event, where volunteers helped to pack 40,000 pounds of sweet potatoes and 3,500 pounds of dried beans, which […]
Share the Light of Hope and Stability this Season
contributed by Rev. J. Wayne Clark, President and CEO, United Methodist Foundation of Arkansas The Christmas season is certainly one filled with light – candlelight, Christmas tree lights, luminaries. It’s one of my favorite times of the year for many reasons, and the twinkling lights of advent are just one. Advent is a time of […]
The Season of Joy
Last December, I wrote a From the Editor titled “The Season of Outrage.” The idea came to me after observing the craziness on social media and in the news surrounding people who went viral over the so-called “War on Christmas.” Everywhere you looked, there was someone getting outraged over the color of a coffee cup […]
Mt. Carmel Methodist Church Holds Historically-Accurate Candlelight Service
contributed by Sandra Turner Recently retired clergy the Rev. Mary Hilliard — formerly at Asbury UMC Little Rock — is conducting a Christmas candlelight service at the former Mt. Carmel Methodist Church in Dallas County — located off of Highway 9 in Jacinto, Arkansas — on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019. A fellowship hour will be […]
Southeast District Churches Host Mobile Food Pantries for Hungry Communities
Three Southeast District churches recently worked to end childhood hunger in Arkansas by offering mobile food pantries in areas where there is a shortage of low-cost food options for the hungry. First UMC Monticello, St. James UMC Pine Bluff, and First UMC Dumas partnered with the Arkansas Food Bank to host quarterly mobile food distributions […]
ARUMC, UMCOR Announce 2020 Disaster Response Academy
contributed by Janice Mann, Disaster Response Coordinator Arkansas Conference/UMCOR Disaster Response AcademyThis conference-wide mega training event is for anyone wanting to help build capacity for Arkansas United Methodists’ response to disaster events. The academy focuses on being prepared to help because disasters don’t schedule appointments. Attendees will spend 12 p.m. Wednesday through 12 p.m. Saturday […]
Across Generations
contributed by Melinda Shunk, Children’s Ministry Coordinator Children’s ministry can sometimes be thought of as a ministry ONLY for those parents raising young children to serve. It is a great misconception and one that leaves out so much love and experience that intergenerational volunteers who are done raising young children can offer to our children. […]
Home Away From Home
United Methodist Churches in Magnolia Have Worked to Make Students Feel Comfortable at SAU
contributed by Sam Pierce In 2017, in a span of about two weeks, two students at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia committed suicide on campus. In response to the tragedy, Dan Read, the pastor at Greers Chapel United Methodist Church, began a program to pair college students with local families. “I know what it is […]