RITUAL
We found 243 additional articles filed under ritual. They're listed below, most recent first.
- Waiting to Hear From the Supremes
05/24/2013 -- In late May or early June, the Supreme Court will render a decision in a case brought by Shelby County, Ala., which challenged the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. - Responsively Yours: A Charge to Keep
04/01/2013 -- Sometimes at church during a baptism or a renewal of our vows, I find the language of this covenant startling: “Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world and repent of your sin?” Wow. Those are not challenges... - On the Mountaintop
03/05/2013 -- On a spiritual journey, United Methodist Women can help you reach your peak. - Transforming Lives on the Gulf Coast
03/05/2013 -- At Moore Community House, women learn how to build houses — and their lives. - Prayer Calendar Reflection: March 2013
03/01/2013 -- Did you use the Prayer Calendar today? The Prayer Calendar will both inform you about the work of mission in the world and nourish your soul. - Christ-Bearing People Pressing On Toward the Goal
02/26/2013 -- A little over a year ago, the Dallas Bethlehem Center came to a crossroads in its ability to deliver educational and social services to its constituent community. The center experienced a significant lack of financial support, caused, in part, by the down... - Bearers of the Message of Reconciliation and New Creation
02/25/2013 -- Today is a new day, and we’re trusted to be bearers of this message of reconciliation and hope for all humanity. - We Are Travelers
02/25/2013 -- It is our job to teach the world that we are all guests, travelers, sojourners, and migrants. We humbly rely on the grace of the owner of the land, God, while we travel or sojourn. - Bearing Witness: Being People of One God in Christ Above All Idols
02/09/2013 -- Witness bearing! A term of great significance to the Christian Church, it conjures up many images when we think of the toll that bearing witness for Christ has taken upon Christians throughout the ages. - United Methodist Women Launches Principles to Immigration Reform
02/01/2013 -- United Methodist Women offers core principles on immigration reform to guide us in the intense national debate and negotiations ahead. - Discernment Event for United Methodists
01/10/2013 -- This winter, explore God’s invitation to become a deaconess or home missioner at a special event in North Carolina. - Baptism and Lay Mystique
01/10/2013 -- We must put to rest the perception that only the ordained are called to ministry. Baptism removes the lay mystique, that feeling among many laypersons that they do not have a definite calling and identity. - Mary's Song
12/17/2012 -- Mary’s song is an indigenous honor song. She was a young tribal woman who held within her body the promise of new hope and kept within her heart a deep gratitude for God’s sustaining vision of possibility – the possibility of shalom. - Women of the Manger
12/17/2012 -- Use this mini-retreat to take a journey to the manger to renew our faith in the hope, peace, joy and love of Christmas. - The Joy of the Material and Spiritual Practice of Sharing
12/13/2012 -- During this Advent season, as we share material goods with family members, let us also extend our hand to the needy around us. - Creating and Cultivating Space for God to Move In
12/02/2012 -- During the Advent season, as you pause to make space for Spirit to move within you and give birth to something new in you, also consider making space to be present to those with whom you would be in ministry and the unexpected places you will see Christ. - Affirmation of Faith for Everyday Advent
11/27/2012 -- This Affirmation of Faith can be made into an Advent liturgy. - Introducing Food Justice
11/14/2012 -- Hunger and poverty have a cyclical relationship. - Love is Strong as Death
11/01/2012 -- Use this memorial service to remember loved ones who have passed on. - A Circle of Thanksgiving
11/01/2012 -- What does the national Thanksgving holiday mean for Native American peoples? - What is United Methodist Women Doing, in Heaven's Name?
10/22/2012 -- At their board of directors meeting, Harriett J. Olson asked, “What is going on with United Methodist Women, in heaven’s name?” In other words, how is United Methodist Women’s mission work living into the Gospel to benefit women, children and youth? - Living the Heart of God: United Methodist Women Program Book 2012-2013
09/20/2012 -- Are you ready to start your new program year? The programs in this book will equip you to live the heart of God in the world so that you will be prepared to see the ways in which you can help build up the body of Christ. - Preparing for Our Journey
09/17/2012 -- This program is a translation of the December program from the 2012-2013 Korean Program Book. It reflects on what it means to be an immigrant in the world. - Lord, When Did We See You?
09/14/2012 -- This program is translated from the 2012-2013 Spanish Program Book - Vivir el corazón de Dios. It connects the themes of poverty and immigration, recognizing the Wesleyan concepts of social and personal holiness. - Burn a Candle: Pledge Service 2013
08/29/2012 -- This pledge service features three candles symbolizing faith, hope and love in action. Listen not only with your ears but your heart as well. It is based on 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 and includes the hymns “The Church’s One Foundation” and “Here I Am, Lord.” - Voter Suppression Lament
08/27/2012 -- Gladys Hubbard is a member of United Methodist Women from the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference. She serves on United Methodist Women's Program Advisory Board. She prays for wisdom in the coming election. - Not Yet Arrived: A Reflection on the Oak Creek Shooting
08/16/2012 -- Each violent occurrence has its own particularity. The recent incidence at the Sikh temple at Oak Creek violence has religious, ethnic and economic dimensions. - Teen and Young Women Converge for Leadership Event
08/14/2012 -- Roughly 200 United Methodist Women converged at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina to dance, laugh, learn, pray and plan at an event designed for teen girls and young women. - End Detention of Immigrants
05/17/2012 -- United Methodist Women stand firm against the criminalization of communities of color regardless of immigration status or citizenship. - Steps You Can Take to Welcome Immigrants
05/17/2012 -- The United Methodist Women’s Immigrant and Civil Rights Initiative has actively engaged members in study and action since 2006. The initiative draws on our biblical understandings of God’s reign, where all God’s children, created in God’s image, are value... - Latina Theologian and Justice-Seeker Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz Dies
05/16/2012 -- Professor Emerita at Drew University, she fought for justice in the context of "Mujerista" liberation theology. Read her obituary and watch a video of her at National Seminar 2011. - Journey to Becoming an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation
05/14/2012 -- Serving the needs of immigrant communities continues to be necessary but equally crucial is legislative reform to fix the badly broken immigration system. The current context demands justice for immigrants. - United Methodists Celebrate and Commission 40 New Deaconesses, Home Missioners and Missionaries
04/30/2012 -- A firefighter, a nursing supervisor, a counselor for ex-prisoners, an advocate for Haitian artists, an afterschool chess teacher, and a coordinator of relief volunteers – these were among the 17 new deaconesses and home missioners commissioned on Sund... - The Theology of Glee: A General Conference “Gleetup”
04/26/2012 -- “Glee lifts up spiritual and theological questions, good and bad.” Rev. Becca Clark, clergywoman and a delegate from New England Conference led this MeetUp (one of sevaral to come) of United Methodist Women. - End-of-Day Prayer Meetup, April 25
04/26/2012 -- Every day at General Conference, United Methodist Women is organizing end-of-day prayer gatherings for all–delegates, agency and conference staff, clergy, laity and visitors alike–to center themselves amidst the hectic schedules and grueling meetings requ... - Rest for the Weary: United Methodist Women and Deaconesses Provide Room for Prayer
04/25/2012 -- A quiet space amid the bustle of General Conference is open to all the weary United Methodist delegates and guests looking for sanctuary and peace. - End-of-Day Prayer Meetup, April 24
04/24/2012 -- Thank you for this day, God. Thank you for the new day we will open our eyes to in the morning. Amen. - Sending Prayer Mantles to General Conference: on umcnic.org
04/11/2012 -- Northern Illinois Conference web article: In March, United Methodist Women members from across Northern Illinois Conference created prayer mantles for delegates ahead of General Conference in Tampa, Fla., April 24-May 4, 2012. - Selena Smith, Firefighter, to Be Commissioned a Deaconess at General Conference
04/11/2012 -- She’s young, she’s a firefighter and she’s about to be the first South Carolina woman in years to be commissioned as a United Methodist deaconess during General Conference. - Resurrection Hope: Still Possible Today
04/08/2012 -- The story of Holy Week is a mix of conversations between the closest of companions and the “wide angle” pageantry of festival season in Jerusalem. What do we make of the story’s ending? - Standing by God in a Time of Sorrow
04/06/2012 -- As we continue our journey this Lenten season from the cross of sacrifice and sorrow to the gift of resurrection and salvation, let us not lose hope. - They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love
04/05/2012 -- We are to love others based on Jesus’ sacrificial love for us. Such love will not only bring unbelievers to Christ; it will also keep believers strong and united. - Draw Closer to God
04/01/2012 -- My wish for you and me this Palm Sunday is that we draw closer to God because God’s love and grace is sufficient for all of us to share. - Someone's Praying, Lord
03/27/2012 -- Ask God to give wisdom to the delegates to make decisions that will lift up the presence of the church as an effective witness in the world. - Give Yourself Away
03/25/2012 -- Are we truly followers of the Christ or are we simply admirers of Jesus? - Ramon
03/18/2012 -- Ramon has been in and out of prison for most of his life, mostly for drug-related offenses, both using and selling. He is HIV positive, has mental health issues and has burned most of his bridges with friends or family. - Opening Our Eyes and Hearts to the Needs and Gifts of Women, Children and Youth
03/18/2012 -- At the spring 2012 board of directors meeting, Inelda González, president of the Women’s Division, celebrated the past four years of work and service of the board of directors on behalf of United Methodist Women. - It’s Time to Overturn the Tables
03/11/2012 -- In a Sunday school class I was in years ago we were asked, “Is anger a sin?” The incident described in John 2:13-22, in which Jesus turns over the tables of the moneychangers and those selling goods in the temple, is one of the most often cited examples o... - Getting Our Act Together
03/04/2012 -- Each spring at Alaska Children’s Services a wonderful community event happens. It’s our Spring Banquet and Talent Show. The name of the event is “Get Your Act Together!” It’s a very tongue-in-cheek title that slips by many. - Can a Rainbow Come in the Clouds Without an Ark First?
02/26/2012 -- The last time I saw a bow in the clouds, colorful like a rainbow, was this past January. I was in São Paulo, Brazil, and a summer shower came over us in the streets. Then came the sun. Behind the buildings, there it was: a rainbow. - World Day of Prayer: Creating a World of Justice and Community
02/21/2012 -- The World Day of Prayer service on March 2, 2012, will be guided by women of Malaysia who have prepared and provided the worship, titled “Let Justice Prevail.” - Coming to Terms With God
02/16/2012 -- Time and change are each the other’s measure. A life span may be two millennia for a sequoia tree or a day for a mayfly. But it is still one life. - Micah Moments
01/31/2012 -- Women lead the church and their communities toward justice by organizing for mission. - Lenten Prayers: Expansive Language Resource
01/20/2012 -- Submit or subscribe to expansive language prayers for Lent 2012 - Reflecting on a Heroic Prophet: The Unfinished Work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
01/12/2012 -- True heroes make us better by challenging our misplaced priorities, expanding our vision of a better world, and inspiring us to pursue the vision. Martin Luther King did that for a generation and contintues to inspire long after his death. - How to Make a Bible Study Video
01/10/2012 -- You can make your own Bible study video! It’s easier than you might think. Anyone with a video camera, digital camera, flip camera or smartphone, some basic editing equipment and a little creativity can make a video. - Judges 19
01/10/2012 -- A bible study on Judges 19 for Human Trafficking Awareness Day, January 11. - United Methodists in Nepal Host Women and Youth Event
01/03/2012 -- The Lord has been so faithful and wonderful. I’d like to thank United Methodist Women very much for your prayers and financial support. Without your willingness to assist and trust in us, our two events would have never been possible. Finally we could suc... - Praise God for United Methodist Women!
01/03/2012 -- A supportive fellowship of women is key to spiritual growth for a California woman. - National Seminar: Mission Reconciliation
01/03/2012 -- United Methodist Women taps U.S. civil rights history and new technology to engage the ministry of reconciliation in Birmingham, Alabama. - Mission Theology in Asia
12/08/2011 -- Regional Missionary Emma Cantor shared stark realities confronting Asian women, children and youth and stories of courageous women who make a difference. - Eyes to the Vista
12/07/2011 -- Every day, there are those that set out in migration in every corner of our world. They seek a vista of justice, security and sustainability. - Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus and Other Immigrants
12/01/2011 -- The Christmas story is a lesson on God’s greatest commandments of all. - Thoughts on Migrants and Life
11/30/2011 -- This Advent season as we wait with anticipation to see the Christ child, may we celebrate our migrant status by sharing our lives. - The Price of Motherhood
11/27/2011 -- As we think about the anticipation of motherhood for Mary during Advent, we also think of migrant women who face motherhood under very, very difficult circumstances. - Celebrate International Migrants Day, December 18
11/17/2011 -- In this time of Advent, the United Methodist Task Force on Immigration invites United Methodists to lift up the global and local realities of migrants on December 18 in worship and prayer. - Adventures in Grace
11/15/2011 -- For members and seekers of Grace Adventures United Methodist Church, church happens where it happens, and when and where it happens is an adventure in grace. - The Things that Make for Peace
10/25/2011 -- What are “the things that make for peace”? - Let Your Light Shine
10/24/2011 -- “You and I were made to give light—to put our lives to work, to apply our patience in difficult trying situations—to let our light shine,” said Ms. Inelda González, president of United Methodist Women. - Bible Women in Cambodia; June 2011
10/18/2011 -- The Bible Women program draws on the historical design and concept of bringing leadership training and development to today’s marginalized in remote and urban areas. - United Methodist Women Sunday: Example Service
10/12/2011 -- Prepared by the East Ohio Conference United Methodist Women leadership, this UMW Sunday order of service can be adapted to suit the context and needs of any local UMW organization. - Women's Division Board Meeting Wrapup
10/11/2011 -- The Women’s Division board of directors approved the 2012 budget, received the criteria and application form for incoming national mission institutions that will be used to approve new partnerships, and approved a plan for a consultation with Native Ameri... - Directors Celebrate Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee
10/10/2011 -- Women’s Division directors had a discussion the following evening with Abigail Disney, executive producer for “Women, War & Peace,” a five-part series on PBS, and producer of “Pray the Devil Back to Hell,” a documentary in which Leymah Gbowee is a central... - United Methodist Women News: Volume 4, Number 3 (PDF)
10/06/2011 -- Fall 2011 articles include: Others See Your Good Works and Give Glory to God, Joanna Girls: A Teen United Methodist Women Circle in Tennessee, Start Small and Grow, Deaconess Applicants Rally in Times Square for Fair Trade, United Methodist Women Sunday ... - Responsively Yours: Acting Like Hope
10/05/2011 -- Imagine the United Methodist Church as an influential voice in the local community and the world, inviting change, restoration, healing and a deep Christian spiritual formation that sustains us in addressing injustice and brokenness in the world. - Immigration and the Bible
10/03/2011 -- This study shares the story of the Bible as a narrative of immigrants and migration. - Take a Walk with Christ
10/01/2011 -- As United Methodist Women members we are the body of Christ. Look at the others seated here. Do we all look the same? Do we have similar attitudes? Do we have identical viewpoints? But when we come together in the sisterhood of grace, we become the bod... - Budget 2011: Faith, Hope and Love in Action
09/26/2011 -- God’s mission is for everyone. When we respond to God’s grace in love we are transformed and motivated to become mission-bearers in God’s world. United Methodist Women have been fulfilling God’s mission for the past 140 years. Everything we do is in keepi... - United Methodist Women's Sunday: Sample Order of Service
09/22/2011 -- United Methodist Women's Sunday can be celebrated any Sunday of the year. This resource -as with any United Methodist Women/Women's Division resource - can be adapted to suit your local organization's needs. - Give Us This Day Our Daily Will to Build Peace:
A Reflection for September 21, International Day of Peace
09/21/2011 -- Mentored in peace by God can be an awesome task. I was fascinated by a rabbinic interpretation of this verse. Playing on the original Hebrew word for children, banayik, the Babylonian Talmud says, “Read not banayik (your children) but bonayik (your builde... - Discernment Event for Deaconesses and Home Missioners
09/08/2011 -- A discernment event has been organized in Asheville, N.C., October 28-30, 2011, to enable laypersons of The United Methodist Church who are living in the country to discern whether the deaconess or home missioner calling is for them. - Responsively Yours: Lessons from 9/11
09/01/2011 -- How does what we believe to be true affect what we can actually see taking place? - Cordialmente Suya: Lo que aprendimos el 11 de septiembre
09/01/2011 -- ¿Sabía usted que el testimonio de testigos oculares es el que menos se utiliza como evidencia confiable? No sólo es porque quizás los seres humanos no estén diciendo la verdad, sino también porque “vemos lo que creemos”. - Responsively Yours: Lessons from 9/11: Korean
09/01/2011 -- ...In an intrafaith conversation in May, I learned that American Muslims see a cataclysm affecting them personally — an act for which they had no responsibility and over which they had no control, but which would shape their lives and the lives of their c... - Being in Struggle to be Human in Daily Life: A Reflection on 9/11
09/01/2011 -- Someone once said that we are what we remember. Our memories of 9/11 testify to the influence of those who lost their life and those who survived the calamitous disaster on our personal and national life. - Right Relationships: Video and Study Guide
09/01/2011 -- The tragic events of September 11th traumatized the entire world. In its wake, interfaith dialogue was overshadowed by discrimination, media sensationalism, and a loss of respect for people of different faiths. The Christian community must help re-open th... - Same Difference: Video
09/01/2011 -- An edited sample of the Same Difference documentary that explores interfaith issues. - An Interfaith Dialogue Model in Atlanta, Georgia
09/01/2011 -- In the United States I discovered that Christians knew little about other faiths and considered it unnecessary to learn because Christ’s way was sufficient. As a graduate and then a college professor and a church member, I developed a deep yearning to sha... - National Seminar, From a Participant's View
08/17/2011 -- Sophia Agtarap blogged from National Seminar 2011 on reconciliation. - La Travesía Hacia la Plenitud
08/02/2011 -- ¡Bienvenidas al nuevo Libro de Programa de 2011-2012, La travesía Hacia la Plenitud”! - How do we transform the communities in which we live?
08/02/2011 -- The dean of Emory University’s Candler School of Theology talks about conflict transformation and how people can learn to live with conflict. - Peaceful Remembrance of September 11, 2001: Forty Days of Prayer for Children
08/01/2011 -- Walk this journey with children who have no remembrance of September 11, 2001, but who will see images and hear stories of the devastating loss of that day in the weeks leading up to the 10th Anniversary. We may not be able to answer all of their question... - Prayers From Duluth
07/08/2011 -- A newly retired woman finds another home for her faith and mission. - Disarming Might, Reconciling Enemies, Loving Resistance
07/08/2011 -- What lessons might we in churches learn about the task of reconciliation from these recent popular uprisings? Reconciliation takes place from the bottom up. - Issumagijoujungnianermik: From the Eskimo - "not being able to think about it or remember it any more."
07/05/2011 -- Issumagijoujungnianermik is not a commonly used word. Its use imparts a special kind of forgiveness on the part of the speaker to the recipient. When this word is used, the offender is forgiven to the point in which the offended will never again bring u... - My Understanding of Mission
06/23/2011 -- Keynote Address at Voices: A Transformative Leadership Event for United Methodist Women Language Coordinators and Presidents. - It’s About Relationships
06/20/2011 -- response talks with young women about their involvement in United Methodist Women. - The Peacemakers
06/20/2011 -- JustPeace Center equips the church to engage conflict head on with love - Waging Peace with Prayer and Action
06/13/2011 -- During the summer months of Schools of Christian Mission until International Day of Peace on September 21, 2011, you are invited to participate in Prayers and Actions for Peace as an expression of reconciliation. - Monitoring News Coverage of Religion in Mainstream News Media
06/13/2011 -- We are inviting you to monitor how mainstream media cover religion. - Introduction to 'The Journey'
05/25/2011 -- Glory Dharmaraj introduces 'The Journey' web supplement. - Same Difference: A Study Guide to Facilitate Interfaith Dialogue
05/24/2011 -- Called to Be Neighbors and Witnesses: Matthew 22:37–39; Truth-telling and Listening: Mark 14:17–18; Rehumanizing the Other: Matthew 22:38–39, Matthew 6:12; Called to the Ministry of Reconciliation: 2 Corinthians 5:16–20, Matthew 5:9 - Anne Gallagher's Forgiveness Story
05/23/2011 -- Listen to Anne Gallagher's story of forgiveness as a nurse in the midst of the English-Irish turmoil in Belfast, Ireland. - Listen to "In Your Shoes" by Jenny Youngman
05/20/2011 -- MP3 audio companion piece to Forgiveness and Reconciliaton - the 2011 spiritual growth youth study. - The Journey of Reconciliation
05/17/2011 -- What does the journey of reconciliation look like? - Truth-Telling and the Confrontation of the Other
05/17/2011 -- In telling the truth and confronting the other, boundaries of status are shattered, borders of exclusion are transcended, harms woven into the fabric of one anothers histories are acknowledged, crowds are fed, and those not typically seen and heard are he... - The Importance of Grieving and Facing Our Fears in Journey of Reconciliation
05/17/2011 -- Why is grieving so important? Not grieving the trauma often pushes it deep in our psyche where we medicate it with, for example, drugs or alcohol. - The Journey of Forgiveness, Rehumanizing the Other and the Choice to Forgive
05/17/2011 -- We look more closely at the importance of the other’s story, the one who has harmed, and the power of rehumanizing the other and the gift of forgiveness. - Sample Covenant of Reconciliation
05/16/2011 -- As a community of Jesus’ followers, we covenant to choose grace over pointing fingers. - Reconciled with God and our Neighbors
05/16/2011 -- We have reconciliation with Jesus Christ--we are right before God. - Truth and Reconciliation
05/16/2011 -- Nelson Mandela organized the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which would be the organization to work systemically to heal the country after Apartheid and bring about a new future for South Africa. - The United Methodist Church Seeks Forgiveness
05/16/2011 -- In 2005, the annual conferences of The United Methodist Church focused on confession and healing in the area of racism in the church. - Bible Snapshots of Forgiveness
05/16/2011 -- Broken, forgiven, reconciled. This is the recurring theme throughout the stories of the Scriptures. - Wage Peace for Mother’s Day
05/06/2011 -- President Barack Obama’s announcement on Sunday that a U.S. Navy Seal team had killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan begs the question: Could this be a time for all persons of goodwill to undertake the hard work of waging peace? - Meet Me At the Tomb: An Easter Meditation
04/24/2011 -- For Christians, while the tomb may be a place of sadness, it is also a reminder of God’s amazing love for us. - A Community of Women
04/23/2011 -- It is on this day, this Saturday between Good Friday and Easter, that I truly understand the significance of United Methodist Women and what this bond of community means in my life. - The Gift of Good Friday
04/22/2011 -- Isaiah foretold of God's plan to fix it all. God would have to take on our iniquity. To do so, God had to become a human being who could experience physical death. - Let Us Serve One Another
04/21/2011 -- We have been empowered by the Holy Spirit, just like the disciples, to go out and serve and love others. - A Last Meal
04/20/2011 -- When reflecting on the Last Supper and what's occurring in the world today, how many of our sisters and brothers are having their last meal due to the economy, poverty or unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters? - Honoring God's Creation
04/20/2011 -- There are many ways you can honor the sacredness of Creation. You may already have plans for your UMW unit and congregation. If you do not, here are some ideas. - The Joy That Comes in the Morning
04/19/2011 -- Jesus predicted his death and tells the crowd, "While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light." - Carrying Light and Love: The Beginning of Passover
04/18/2011 -- Like Jesus, owned by God and filled with a gentle encouraging spirit, we declare truth and justice to the world. - The Freedom of Humbleness
04/17/2011 -- Jesus came to Jerusalem some 2000 years ago, humble, and mounted on a donkey, with a colt, the foal of a donkey (beast of burden). Luke tells us Jesus wept "as he came near and saw the city" because they "did not recognize the time of [their] visitation f... - Predictions
04/16/2011 -- Just as Jesus was focused on people, United Methodist Women members are focused on women, children and youth. - Let Us Pray
04/15/2011 -- We live in a world where things can be shaken. - Tending the Sheep
04/14/2011 -- During this Lenten season, let us reflect on our responsibility as United Methodist Women. We have been called by God to tend his sheep. - It’s Not Too Late to Save Creation
04/13/2011 -- Jeremiah teaches us that if we do what God calls us to do, through our modern-day environmental prophets, that we can trust God to do all that God can. - Be the Breath of God
04/12/2011 -- All Christians are called to bring new life into God's world by being channels for the breath of God. - Bring Life to the Dead
04/11/2011 -- We have the opportunity to touch spiritually dead people with the saving grace of the Gospel of Christ. - God's Glory Shines Through You
04/10/2011 -- When we have those moments of "little faith" it is important to reflect and do some soul searching to find out why we are where we are in life. - Quilting a Future in Mission
04/10/2011 -- Women’s Division’s Harriett Jane Olson prepares division directors to consider proposals to restructure the women’s mission organization in an address filled with images of quilting at the division’s spring board meeting in Stamford, Conn., April 7-11. - Helping Fulfill God's Promise
04/09/2011 -- When I look at this community and the people who live here I am reminded of Ezekiel 36:8-16 when God promises the mountains that they will no longer be allowed to kill God's people. - Be Fierce and Unrelenting in Your Pursuit of Righteousness
04/08/2011 -- Ezekiel calls us not to be more fierce in our judgment of others but to be fierce and unrelenting in our pursuit of righteousness. - Set apart, lay people vow a life of service
04/08/2011 -- On April 7 10 deaconess candidates, along with one home missioner, were commissioned in the chapel of the Interchurch Center as part of the spring meeting of United Methodist Women. - Then End of One Journey Is the Beginning of Another
04/07/2011 -- The scripture readings for this day include both interesting and disturbing images, especially to Westerners, of literally eating the scripture, which is both sweet and sour. It conveys the idea that when we digest God's word we experience both comfort... - As Our Bodies, So Our Spirits
04/06/2011 -- In this season of Lent, it is a time of reflection and review of our journey of faith. What emotional and spiritual blindness has come to your life? - Take Your Blinders Off!
04/05/2011 -- It was not until God opened my eyes to observe the world around me and opened my ears to listen to those with life experiences different from my own that I began to truly understand the suffering of poor people in the United States and across the globe. - Come Out From Behind the Stained Glass Window
04/04/2011 -- Gracious God, help us, as Easter people, walk the streets of our towns and cities where we may meet justice that is "standing afar off." No more stained-glass masquerade—only a humble walk of justice with our fellow human beings. - Don't Just Give Up, Look In
04/03/2011 -- This lent year instead of "giving up," let us look in. Let us replace giving up with something more befitting with deeper meaning. - Out of the Darkness Comes Greater Light
04/02/2011 -- Any journey requires a light to show us the way. - Lent—An Invitation to Grow Closer to Christ
04/01/2011 -- Lent is an important season in my life. It helps shed light on what I think about Jesus Christ, his sacrifice on Calvary for the sins of humanity, the end of his earthly ministry, the tragedy that led to his death, and his supreme anguish on the cross. - Responsively Yours: A Ministry of Reconciliation
04/01/2011 -- The Journey, United Methodist Women’s 2011 spiritual growth study, will provide us with a setting in which we can focus on what this implies and how we might appropriate some of the tools of reconciliation. - Cordialmente Suya: Un Ministerio de Reconciliación
04/01/2011 -- La palabra reconciliación expresa un mensaje importante en la Biblia y en la enseñanza cristiana. La Escritura nos dice que Dios a través de Jesucristo estaba reconciliando al mundo en su nombre –es decir, su pueblo, uno por uno... toda la creación o el c... - Responsively Yours: A Ministry of Reconciliation - Korean
04/01/2011 -- The 2011 spiritual growth study will provide us with a setting to focus how we might appropriate some of the tools of reconciliation. - A Ministry of Reconciliation -Listen in Korean
04/01/2011 -- Responsively Yours: A Ministry of Reconciliation - Korean Audio. April 2011 - Missing the Point
03/31/2011 -- Often we rush into actions then think after we are confronted with the consequences. Saul, a God-chosen leader was dwelling in God's favor but lost touch with his purpose of mission and fell out of God's favor in the end. - Be Consumed
03/30/2011 -- Daw Dannu, a petite woman, carries her backpack full of paraphernalia for 10 days. She traveled 7 days to join the four day Bible Women Seminar in Yangon, the capital city of Myanmar (Burma). - We Are All God's Children
03/29/2011 -- Just as God provided daily manna and water for the Israelites wandering in the desert, Christ provides the source of our daily spiritual water. - Above All Things: Love
03/28/2011 -- As we continue in this season of Lent and are attempting to know Jesus better, perhaps this is an area on which we can focus: Loving one another. - The Odd Ones in God's Mission
03/27/2011 -- When God chooses people to use for mission, the human mind cannot even begin to understand. - Why Did Jesus Have to Go to Samaria?
03/26/2011 -- The reason for Jesus going to Samaria is best summed up in the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:28: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ." - God's Faithful Provision in Our Journey
03/25/2011 -- Whether we are in the wilderness like the Israelites or in the Killing Fields of Cambodia during the Khmer Rogue, whether we are in the slums or plush subdivisions and mansions, God listens to our murmurings. - God's Faithful Provision in the Midst of Most Human Complaints
03/24/2011 -- So many times we find ourselves complaining: How am I going to do this? How are we going to pay our rent? Why is God doing this to me? We, like the Israelites, operate on a short-term memory. - A New Heart and a New Spirit
03/23/2011 -- In this time of Lent, we prepare ourselves for the deepest transformation we can go through as human being or institutions: getting a new heart and new spirit that we may have the fruits of the tree in abundance so nobody will go hungry anymore in our glo... - God's New Creation
03/22/2011 -- As God created heavens and earth very good in the beginning (Genesis 1:31), so God is renewing the heavens and earth for the people to rejoice. God will not destroy the earth to make another universe. - A Child's Eye View
03/21/2011 -- During this Lenten season, help us to see the world through the eyes and hearts of children. - God in the Cloud
03/20/2011 -- A cloud seems to sit over the barrio. It is just there, a cloud of poverty, a cloud of domestic violence, a cloud of drug and alcohol abuse, a cloud of illiteracy, a cloud of hunger—blotting out any reason for hope for generations. - God's Plan
03/19/2011 -- Faith in God and God's vision is easy to talk about, but it is more difficult to just turn loose and know that wherever God leads us is where we need to go and to be. - Speak Up/Speak Out for Justice
03/18/2011 -- Today's reading shows how we can find hope for the future by looking to our past relationship with God and others. - A Makeover in the Making
03/17/2011 -- When we live an honest Lent and allow ourselves to walk that hot dusty August road that exists in every heart, may we too be able to acknowledge the "dead ground," the "moonscapes" of our lives. May we be honest enough to find God's Easter joy of "exubera... - Love to the Least, the Last and the Lost
03/16/2011 -- When we consider those who nurtured us then we can ask how can we as individuals and as Christian communities respond with love to the least, the last and the lost so that we are not a stumbling block for others. - A Homeless Wanderer
03/15/2011 -- Many women are homeless or at risk of being homeless when they come to Emma Norton Residence in St. Paul, Minnesota. - Reflections on the United Methodist Seminar Program
03/14/2011 -- The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe is the dean of the Chapel and Religious Life at Emory University. On March 7–8, Ms. Henry-Crowe led a group of students from Emory University for a seminar on education with the United Methodist Seminar Program. - Overcoming Temptation
03/13/2011 -- The Temptation of Christ in the desert is a well-known lesson in the Christian faith. Although the story took place more than 2,000 years ago, all of us, and especially our youth, face Satan's temptations daily. - Give Yourself
03/12/2011 -- During this Lenten season, may each of us examine the condition of our own hearts, humbly seek God's mercy, and shower mercy on others through the giving of ourselves to help meet their needs. - And Also Much Cattle
03/11/2011 -- Why does God care for whom he cares? Why for so much of the time does God's job description seem to be to rescue the perishing, care for the dying? Just how does God snatch them in pity from sin and the grave? Why did Jesus weep o'er the erring one, lift ... - Set Apart for the Gospel
03/10/2011 -- Rev. Fahrmeier became "transformed and reminded that God can touch even the most fragile of little souls and transform them." - Ash and Faith: A Reflection on Ash Wednesday
03/09/2011 -- The images associated with Easter and Christmas are visually more pleasing than those associated with Ash Wednesday. The latter is stuck with images of ashes and sackcloth. Aesthetically speaking, ratings drop at these images. We don't give ashes much tho... - Community Gardens
03/01/2011 -- Creating or maintaining a community garden is a vital, new mission opportunity for United Methodist Women. - Believe Out Loud
02/28/2011 -- We affirm our belief in the inestimable worth of each individual because we are human beings created by God and loved through and by Jesus Christ, and we affirm all persons as equally valuable in the sight of God. - The Faces of the Girls of the Commission on the Status of Women
02/19/2011 -- As I read the report of the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the commission, many faces of women and girls came to my mind. - Fill The World With Love
02/18/2011 -- If there are women here today who are not members, we want you, we need you to join us in our Purpose, in filling the world with love. If there are any men here today, we also need you, your prayers and support as we work together with God. - Being An Officer Is a Community Thing
02/18/2011 -- O God, giver of creative energy, receiver of mission-making, within us and all around us, awaken that spark of divine energy in action. Let our hearts hear the song of transformed lives. Let our eyes see hope again in the walk and talk of free women a... - Women Weaving One World
02/18/2011 -- We each weave our own fabric of faith and life. From the time we are children until we are near the end of our journey, we are creating a pattern or weaving a design. The loom is our life. - Commitment for Leading Together
02/17/2011 -- Read and use an installation service from the 2010 Program Book, "Let's Get Together." - Litany: An Affirmation of Faith
02/17/2011 -- Use this litany as is or as a model to create your own installation service. - Restorative Justice
02/16/2011 -- The goal of this program is to introduce the concept of restorative justice to women and expand on Biblical examples of restorative justice relevant to our world today. - Diana Eck & Kathryn Lohre: Common Ground in the Midst of Differences VIDEO
02/16/2011 -- In an interview from her time as associate director at The Pluralism Project, Harvard University, Kathryn Lohre, now Director for Ecumenical and Inter-religious Relations at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and Pluralism Project Director Diana ... - Escuchemos y dialoguemos guiados por el Espíritu Santo y el mensaje de Dios
02/01/2011 -- A fines del año 2010, alguien escribió en su red de comunicación social que deseaba que la Iglesia Metodista desapareciera. Esto fue en respuesta a un cartel que apoyaba la ley DREAM (Sueño) en el Edificio Metodista de la ciudad de Washington, DC. Quizás ... - Bright Lights: Spiritual Growth Through Service
02/01/2011 -- United Methodist Women at Springfield Gardens United Methodist Church in Queens, N.Y., is active in spirit and deed, offering opportunities for personal spiritual growth and supporting projects that meet community material needs. The 100-member unit meets... - Social Networking: A New Space for Faith
02/01/2011 -- Facebook. Twitter. Blog. Communication today is vastly different than it was even five years ago. Every medium has its advantages and disadvantages, each better at one function or another. But given all the new technology that, in theory, makes it easier ... - An Open Mind Frees the Spirit
01/26/2011 -- First written in 1998, this program introduces Reading Program books from that year. The program could be adapted using current titles. - Not in My Neighborhood
01/10/2011 -- “Not in My Neighborhood” is designed for use in a group retreat or information session about human trafficking. It includes a facilitator’s guide, a PowerPoint presentation and a Bible study. - Not in My Neighborhood!
01/10/2011 -- This text is designed to be used for a group retreat, accompanied by the “Not in My Neighborhood” PowerPoint presentation. - This Is What I Am: Baptism as Ordination of All Believers
01/07/2011 -- It is renewal time. It is time to pick up centering tools of grace for our onward journey. Baptism is one such means. Imagine someone unfamiliar with this Christian practice asks you, "What is baptism?" What is your personal understanding of baptism? Can ... - Human Trafficking Awareness and Action: A Bible Study
01/07/2011 -- The story of the woman from Bethlehem (Judges 19:1-30) is a call for an investigation into the trafficking of the vulnerable. - Faint Not
01/04/2011 -- Surviving breast cancer taught United Methodist Women member Tonya Murphy about faith, persistence and supportive community. - We Are United Methodist Women
12/30/2010 -- We are the women of the Church, the United Methodist Women. We serve a risen Savior. We carry on the traditions that hundreds of thousands of women have passed down in whispers and shouts to their sisters and daughters and nieces and friends. - Hats
12/30/2010 -- Hats have woven their way into society. The phrases "toss your hat into the ring" or "keep it under your hat" are instantly understood. When someone does something significant we give a "tip of the hat" to that person. - Come and Follow
12/15/2010 -- What does it mean to come and follow? We are all called, set apart, to respond in obedience with the love and grace provided through Jesus Christ. - Above, Through, In: Our Deep Connection
12/15/2010 -- Our desire to connect with family and friends reaches a peak during Advent and the holiday season. - Toward the Peaceful Kingdom: A Faith Walk
12/02/2010 -- Kindness matters for creating spaces for a peaceable kingdom to take root in our hearts, in our work places and in our communities. - Hope in the Midst of Struggle
12/02/2010 -- Let us focus on one group of people that needs special help during this happy period of Advent: the aged. - Wesley Bible: A Study Guide
12/01/2010 -- This study guide offers selected journeys of Hope, journeys of Faith, and journeys in Love-inspired Action from the Bible. A key metaphor I have used in this study guide is a journey. A journey with connectives such as "turning points," epiphanies, moment... - Wesley Bible: A Study Guide
12/01/2010 -- God calls Abram to leave the place of his birth, comfort zones of familiarity and known relationships, and go to the land that God is going to show to him. The Wesley Study Bible directs the readers to read the "six clauses," or promises in Genesis 12: 2-... - Wesley Bible: A Study Guide
12/01/2010 -- Within the migrant journey of Abram is the story of Hagar. Journeys of Sarai and Hagar intersect. Sarai's story of infertility and Hagar's story of fecundity intersect at the most elemental level of survival. - Wesley Bible: A Study Guide
12/01/2010 -- Syro-phoenician woman: Scripture-Matthew 15: 21-28, Mark 7: 24-30 - Wesley Bible: A Study Guide
12/01/2010 -- The story of Ruth and Naomi: Scripture Ruth 1: 1-18, 2:1-13, 3: 1-10, 4:13-17 - Wesley Bible: A Study Guide
12/01/2010 -- Luke 13: 10-17 Use the method of divine reading or lectio divina. - Wesley Bible: A Study Guide
12/01/2010 -- Before this Bible Study, the facilitator should visit the website for the Women's Division at http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/wesley/wesleywomen.stm and gather basic information needed on women who worked in early Methodism such as Grace Murray (Bennet), Mary Bos... - Wesley Bible: A Study Guide
12/01/2010 -- The journey of the Samaritan woman John 4: 1-42 Lectio Divina, divine reading - Wesley Bible: A Study Guide
12/01/2010 -- MARY MAGDALENE Scripture: Luke 8: 1-3, Mark 15: 40-41. Use the method of divine reading or lectio divina. - Wesley Bible: A Study Guide
12/01/2010 -- Journey of a white sheet Scripture Acts 10: 1-48 A journey of a sheet? Yes, that can be a key metaphor for this chapter, and a word-picture for our journey ahead. This story is about an intersection of two journeys by two different persons. One, by Pe... - Responsively Yours: Thy Kingdom Come
11/30/2010 -- “The Lord’s Prayer” links the coming of God’s kingdom to God’s will being done on earth just as it is done in heaven. But who exactly are we praying will do God’s will on earth? - The Theology of Mission
11/29/2010 -- Regional Missionary Dr. Catherine Mudime Akale led a bible study at United Methodist Women's Leadership Training Event, Nov. 21, 2010 in St. Louis, Mo. - Being Prepared: A Faith Walk
11/23/2010 -- Once again we stand on the threshold of the Advent season, our expectant hearts excited by the remembrance of the coming of Emmanuel, God with us. - The Silent Path to Foreclosure
11/09/2010 -- United Methodist Women member Dianna Woodlon didn't even tell her family home foreclosure was on the horizon. But with the nudging of the Holy Spirit, she began to talk and learned she was not alone. - God’s Abundance in the Wilderness
11/09/2010 -- The current economy can’t be worse than what our foreparents in the faith faced in the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land. God’s extravagant gifts of abundance broke anxiety’s hold on them then and will do the same for us today. - Interviews with Women from "Voices from the Frontlines"
10/28/2010 -- United Methodist Women spoke to about what would make implementation of UNSCR 1325 effective and how women of faith can implement peace around the world. - The Power of Words: Curses, Blessings and Interfaith Dialogue
09/30/2010 -- Engaging in interfaith dialogue is a way to follow Paul’s guidance and to bless those who are different from us, those who threaten us and even those who we feel persecute us (and be blessed by them in return). - Give Us This Day Our Daily Peace
09/20/2010 -- September 21 is the International Day of Peace, a day to recall the words of Bishop Bromley Oxnam, a leader in the peace movement: “Peace like bread must be made daily.” It is a day to work for peace collectively. - My Work With Imam Feisal Rauf and Daisy Khan
09/15/2010 -- As I listen to the debate about the proposed Cordoba House community center at 51 Park Place in Manhattan, I find it painful to see two highly regarded interfaith leaders dragged through the mud by news commentators and politicians who don’t really know t... - The Hypocenter as Peacemaking
09/15/2010 -- On September 21, 2010, the International Day of Peace will be observed at the Church Center for the United Nation’s Chapel, with an event entitled “The hypocenter as peacemaking.” - For the Living of These Days
09/09/2010 -- This September is the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. We still have not gotten over the raw woundedness of the painful tragedy inflicted on our nation. - Voices of Native American Women
09/07/2010 -- Read an excerpt of three topics highlighted from 'Voices of Native American Women,' a new resource from the Women's Division and now available at the Mission Resource Center. - Reading Program Book List for 2011
09/02/2010 -- View and purchase the Reading Program book list for 2011 for all categories and languages. - Mission-Minded
08/25/2010 -- With more than 50 locations across the nation, Schools of Christian Mission attract more than 20,000 people—including children, youth, church members and non-United Methodists—every year. - Resurrection Women Leader's and Participant's Manual Now Available
08/25/2010 -- Resurrection Women, a retreat for United Methodist Women, is now available for PDF download from the Mission Resource Center. - Laugh Your Way to Grace
07/28/2010 -- A lawyer and stand-up comedian discovers the healing and spiritual powers of laughter and answers God’s call to ministry. - Serving Time with Christian Service
07/28/2010 -- United Methodist Women’s unit at Topeka Correctional Facility touches women’s lives in and outside of prison. - Exercising the Right to Rest
06/18/2010 -- Women retreat for a weekend to rest, reflect and reconnect with God. - The Epistles of John as a Spiritual Guide
06/01/2010 -- The Epistles of John were written to encourage deeper, more meaningful faith, and therefore they speak to us just as much as they spoke to congregations 20 centuries ago. - Reflections on John's Epistles
06/01/2010 -- According to the Letters of John, the community must engage itself in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and the practice of his teachings, and be fully defined as followers of Jesus Christ. - Photos on Light and Darkness
06/01/2010 -- Pat Hoerth shares her photos of light and darkness in nature, expressing 1 John 1:5-10. All photos by Pat Hoerth, used with permission. - Love in Action
05/14/2010 -- Love in the Christian context is not a noun but a verb. - An Easter Reflection on Mary Magdalene
04/05/2010 -- Mary Magdalene is in a unique position to observe the resurrection. Perhaps you can identify with Mary, a true boundary-breaker. - Béjè mouin, sè you Roua d'amou
01/25/2010 -- Pray with the people of Haiti through song. - All Saint’s Day: All Things New
10/27/2009 -- Editor of Response magazine Barbara Wheeler reflects on death and remembrance for All Saint's Day, Nov. 1. - World Day of Prayer
03/04/2009 -- The World Day of Prayer celebrates the communion of Christian women through prayer and service. - Rainbows & Papayas: A Lenten Reflection
02/25/2009 -- "Where is God?” was a question many people asked as Hurricane Mitch pounded Honduras in 1998. The women unanimously answered, “God was with us during the storm.” - Advent One: Are You Awake?
12/16/2008 -- The season of Advent is upon us. Are you awake? - Second Sunday in Advent: Finding Your Peace
12/16/2008 -- How can we begin to consider world peace unless we have peace within ourselves? - An Advent Journey: Being Re-gifted with Peace and Bread
09/22/2008 -- Prophet Isaiah sees a vision. He sees the transformation of one set of tools into a new set of equipments, tools of war-making instruments made into farming tools. - An Advent Journey: Re-gifted with Shalom
09/22/2008 -- One of the Bible Women leaders in the Philippines, a deaconess, once corrected me when I said an Isaiah passage presents an alternative vision of the world. She said, “It is the original vision of God for us,” and she is right. - An Advent Journey: Re-gifted for a Transformed Journey
09/22/2008 -- Is not Advent all about making way for the birth of Jesus? - Managing the Past in this Human Place: A Meditation for the Anniversary of September 11, 2001
09/10/2008 -- Some events are tied to places. September 11, 2001 is one such event. Some names are tied to places. One such name in the gospel is Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene comes to my mind, when I seek to manage the past in relation to September 11, 2001. - Being Repurposed by Grace: A 9/11 Anniversary Reflection
09/02/2008 -- Sep. 02, 2008: During this 7th anniversary of grief observed, it may be helpful to recall a medieval story of the grail. Written in the 12th century, the story is about a quest for the legendary grail, the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper. - The Laborers in the Vineyard
06/12/2006 -- For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. - Mutuality
06/12/2006 -- Mutuality is an attitude. It is an environment. It does not form on its own. It evolves when the partners realize there is love, trust, and acceptance. - Community Dialogue on Immigrants and Immigration Laws
06/12/2006 -- Use this role-playing bible study to better understand the complexities of issues and relationships in communities experiencing growth in immigrant population. - Small Town U.S.A.
06/12/2006 -- Small Town U.S.A. is a rural community in the central Midwest with fewer than 25,000 residents. Recently, a migration of individuals and families from Mexico and Central America has become part of the community. - Love and Faith Make for Healing and Praise
03/25/2006 -- Love and Faith Make for Healing and Praise - Love the One Next to Us, Peace Flourishes
03/25/2006 -- * Kelly Martini is communications director/information officer of the Women’s Division. This meditation is written to help United Methodist Women begin to prayerfully prepare themselves for the United Methodist Women’s Assembly, May 4-7 in Anaheim, Calif...
Return to the original article.
