Lent is the church season between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. It is a time of spiritual reflection and examination. It is a time to dig deeper and to receive that grace of God’s love as it works in us and through us – as it draws us closer to Christ and to one another.…
This article was originally published Oct. 25, 2017, from UMC.org. Liberian Mission Station growing rice to fight food insecurity By Julu Swen Oct. 25, 2017 | GBARNGA, Liberia (UMNS) In a quest to help Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr. take the church “back to the soil,” the Gbarnga Mission Station is growing swamp rice that…
“An AMAZING weekend serving and worshiping God!” This is how the 2018 Elkhorn Hills UMC Youth Winter Retreat was described by approximately 30 youth and adult chaperones. This was the sixth year that guest speaker, Lynne (Hennegan) Benik came to Nebraska to share her love of Jesus Christ and inspire us to find where we…
The more I read and learn about John Wesley’s convictions, hard work, and austere lifestyle, the more I believe Methodism’s founder could have made an excellent Jedi.Of course, the Star Wars stories are complete fiction, set “a long time ago in a galaxy, far, far away.” Still, these films contain motifs that resonate with contemporary…
Being thankful is more than just saying a few words of blessing over a meal or celebrating a once-a-year holiday. Encourage gratitude in your church. Thanksgiving should be a way of life. This article by Trisha Brown of the United Methodist Communications, gives us 3 ways to encourage gratitude in the church. Enjoy! 3 ways…
Food Baskets were provided to nearly 500 families in the western Douglas County area this Christmas thanks to the West O Chamber of Commerce. Jim Tomanek and Amy Dritley coordinated the project. Food Basket Contents Each basket contained a complete Christmas dinner. Along with nonperishable food, each basket received fresh fruit, a ham, turkey breast,…
Elkhorn Hills UMC celebrated Epiphany Sunday with the children. Pastor Rebecca opened the service, which led into the special music, the Children’s Epiphany Play, and Children’s time. Following the service, Pastor Rebecca invited the play perfomers to circle the Christmas Tree in the narthex so the congregation could greet them and accept acclamation, which they…
What if John and Charles Wesley could still visit churches? A unique project led by Discipleship Ministries found a way for these founding fathers of the denomination to do just that. More than 700 congregations participated in a program during the summer of 2015 that brought paper dolls of the brothers to spend two weeks at each host church. We followed the pair…
At the beginning of a new year, we offer this prayer from our 250 year old tradition started by John and Charles Wesley. Reflect on the prayer and the invitation. Giving ourselves completely to God is a daily journey that requires courage and vigilance. In one moment we can rest fully leaning on God’s love…
