Communications and News

January 31, 2020 is the deadline to inform Bishop Harvey, your District Superintendent and others, in writing, if you wish to retire during the 2020 Louisiana Annual Conference. If you are planning to retire this Annual Conference year ending June 30, 2020, please send a signed letter to each of the following:   Your District Superintendent: Shreveport, Rev. Wybra Price Monroe, Rev. ...

When the 18th-century poet Robert Burns wrote To a Mouse, he wrote a line that stays with us to this day.  "The best-laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men..."  Today that line is known as the phrase "best-laid plans"; meaning when plans are laid out, they might not go as smoothly as when it was originally planned.  For Rev. Klay Harrison in Haughton, Louisiana, the plans for Embrace Church's ...

The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection will host The Art of Hospitality Conference April 23 – 24, 2020.   The conference takes place at Church of the Resurrection’s Leawood, KS Campus and focuses on the ministry of welcome and intentional hospitality. Participants will learn key principles and methods key to becoming an outwardly focused church, including: attracting visitors, ...

Today, marked a day in history for the people called Methodists as Methodists representing a wide theological spectrum with very diverse thoughts and opinions came together to provide leadership for a future church.   This unprecedented work was undertaken by sixteen United Methodists and is entitled "A Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace through Separation."   I trust you will read all...

There's always a lot going on.  2020 will be no different for the United Methodist Church and for the Louisiana Conference.  From General Conference to Annual Conference...there will be a lot of events in the coming year.  We wanted to take a moment and give you a preview of some of the events that will be happening in 2020, including dates for you to place on that shiny new calendar ...

Have you noticed the United Methodist Church Christmas billboards? If you live in select cities across the nation, including Baton Rouge, you may notice a billboard featuring a manger scene that invites us to 'Find joy together'.  These billboards are part of a larger advertising campaign entitled, “Not the Only One”. The campaign's goal is simple: help offer encouragement through ...

Start off 2020 with a special Nola Ready 2 day training in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery for Houses of Worship! NOLA Ready Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) teaches individuals the important skills needed to help their neighbors and communities respond to different types of disasters, as well as support first responders and community disaster partners in ...

We will once again celebrate innovative ministry happening across our Conference during Annual Conference 2019. Is there a mission, outreach, project, or program from within your congregation or community that has transformed your church and your community?  If so, tell us about it! We will consider you and your church for a Wesley Award. Nominations close February 29, 2020.   ...

During the November meeting of the Council of Bishops in Lake Junaluska, Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey was elected President of the Council of Bishops. Bishop Harvey currently serves as President-designate of the Council and will serve in that role until May when she will become the new President. "I want to thank you for entrusting this important work to me and, frankly, to this great ...

The Louisiana Annual Conference Delegation has begun a process of discerning episcopal candidates from Louisiana for potential endorsement by our delegation and conference and presentation for consideration at the South Central Jurisdictional Conference in July 2020.  Any active ordained United Methodist elder in good standing is eligible to be elected a bishop. An episcopal candidate ...

In 2011, working with United Methodist Missionaries in Honduras, St. Luke-Simpson United Methodist Church sent its first team into Potrerillos, Honduras. This small community is located in the mountains above the city of Siguatepeque. The team consisted of 24 members; specifically, the team had a medical focus. Medical and children’s volunteers were stationed out of the community ...

A Letter From Willie Berman Manos Juntas Director Dear friends and supporters, First of all, I want to thank you for your support in years past to Manos Juntas Mexico and to myself as a missionary from Global Ministries.  Our support base has been the mission teams coming to serve here at Manos Juntas. But life changes and we know that. Mission teams, after some time of partnering ...

United Methodist Men is expanding its mission to enable all men and all youth to have an on-growing relationship with Jesus Christ. As we cast nets in new waters, we are re-tooling our skills-sets to reach younger and more diverse men. As we are expanding our resources for transformational small group experiences, churches are finding a treasury of life-enriching outcomes. Additional ...

The Global Mission Fellows Program is accepting applications through Jan. 7, 2020. This two-year program is a wonderful way for young adults, ages of 20 through 30 to engage with local communities outside of their home context, connect the church in mission, and grow in personal and social holiness. All who fall within the age range and who are passionate about putting their faith into...

“In remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us.” — The Great Thanksgiving. In The United Methodist Church, World Communion Sunday is one of six Special Sunday offerings. On October 6, our designated gifts benefit students around the world by providing ...

Save the Dates! Annual Conference 2020 will be held June 10-13, 2020 in Shreveport in the Shreveport Convention Center. If you would like to stay inside the Shreveport Hilton, which is attached to the Convention Center, you can reserve your hotel room now via this link. More details regarding Annual Conference 2020 will be forthcoming.  

Dallas (SMU) – One of this generation’s leading scholars in homiletics will be the featured speaker at the third annual ArkLaTex (Arkansas-Louisiana-Texas) Lectures in Preaching on Monday, Oct. 7 at Williams Memorial United Methodist Church in Texarkana, Texas.   Rev. Dr. Paul Scott Wilson, noted author, preacher and professor will present “Finding God in Divided Times: Renewing our ...

As I scrolled through the news Saturday afternoon, one particular headline caught my eye and stopped me in my tracks: ”Active Shooter in Midland-Odessa.” As I read the brief story, it stated that persons from Odessa to Big Spring were on high alert and were being asked to shelter in place as the shooter traveled up and down Interstate 20. Big Spring is my hometown. My brother and his ...

You are invited to the 2019 United Methodist College Day, held September 29 from 3-5pm at First United Methodist in Baton Rouge. There is no cost to attend, and high school-aged youth from across the conference, and their friends, are invited to register. This event was last held in 2011 and was a huge help to high school students and parents pursing higher education. This year’s ...

When it comes to church calendars, there are two primary seasons: Easter and Christmas. If you ask any pastor, next on the list might very well be the back-to-school season.    "That's the time when people are ready to get back into a routine," says Rev. Colleen Bookter, pastor of Belle Chasse United Methodist Church. "People are hungry, especially at this time, for a word of guidance, ...

In the aftermath of the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, Council of Bishops President Bishop Ken Carter is calling for United Methodists to help end white supremacy and xenophobia which he says is fueling a culture of violence. In a statement released today, Bishop Carter commended the statements of Bishop Gregory Palmer and Bishop Earl Bledsoe to the people of their ...

Like so many of you, I am growing weary of the violence in our country. California, Texas, Ohio - when will this stop? While we must offer our prayers of condolence and hope that those prayers might lead to transformative change, we must also add action to those prayers - actions that no longer view this crisis merely through the narrow lens of gun ownership, but also through the lenses ...

Ask any pastor, and they will quickly tell you there are moments in ministry that you simply cannot train for or expect.   Right now, several pastors in the Louisiana Conference are adjusting to a new appointment in a new area and, all the while, coping with the arrival of a very unwelcome guest named Hurricane Barry. Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey says the first 90 days are crucial in a ...

All Louisianians have eyes toward the Gulf as we continue to monitor the developments of the storm, which could be named Barry.  The Louisiana Conference Office of Missional Engagement and Outreach is actively working with all of the districts in the affected area.  "We are monitoring the storm hourly and have been in close contact with the District Superintendents, the Distract ...

Registration is now open for Leadership Institute 2019, held September 25-27 at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. The Church of the Resurrection, along with leading bishops, pastors and laity across the US, believes that the decision at the 2019 General Conference does not represent the vast majority of United Methodists in the US, and that it brought ...

From UMCOR: In light of the recent news about children in U.S. government holding facilities along the U.S.-Mexico border, the United Methodist Committee on Relief has received numerous requests to respond. We have heard the plea for action from the church. Unfortunately, the facilities in question are managed in such a way that precludes even UMCOR’s assistance. Access to these ...

The Theme: In Love The theme “Making Disciples, Transforming the World,” which began in 2018, continued at this year’s Annual Conference. The sub-theme for 2019 was “In Love,” with Romans 13:8-10 anchoring our call to love all of God’s people. We are called to make disciples and transform the world in love. Last year, we introduced a three-fold theme “Making Disciples, Transforming the ...

The Louisiana Conference is excited to announce that Serena Eckert will be joining the Office of Congregational Development and Transformation as the Program Coordinator. Eckert brings experience in coaching and consulting in church transformation work with many conferences, including the Louisiana conference. "She will be an invaluable part of the team," says Rev. Gloria Fowler, ...

Every quadrennium at Annual Conference, delegates from all across the connection gather to elect lay and clergy delegates to both General Conference and Jurisdictional Conference.  The number of delegates an Annual Conference is entitled to send to a General Conference is based on two factors: the number of clergy members of the Annual Conference and the number of members of local ...

Even those who disagreed with Andrew Smith’s petition admired the lay delegate from Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church in New Orleans and his courage for proposing Petition #1 to the Louisiana Conference during Annual Conference 2019.   The petition spoke to the work of the General Conference, specifically the passing of the Traditional Plan, which affirmed and strengthened the ...

Can you imagine if you were just a casual observer today? Or what if you stumbled into this space or maybe on the live stream. The pomp and circumstance of it all, big music, choir, robes, a packed house! I am sure that you would wonder: What in the world are they doing there?   Licensing, Commissioning, and Ordination would be the right answer but it still would not express what really ...

The love of God is here!  The love of God is here to stay,  Embracing those who walk God’s way! Embracing those who walk God’s way! All you need is love!  Love is all you need! The scriptures tells us that:  Nothing can separate us from the love of God!   NOTHING!   NOT.   A.   THING! Not general conferences, not the labels we give ourselves or that we give others  (you know ...

This year’s Annual Conference will be a critical time for us to gather as the faithful people called Louisiana United Methodists. Last year we introduced a three-fold theme “Making Disciples, Transforming the World...Together....In Love...Day after Day after Day.” Our first stop was “Making Disciples...Together.” This year we make our second stop “Making Disciples...In Love.” We will...

The Council of Bishops recently sponsored Rev. Jessica Lowe, a young adult from Louisiana, to participate in the UMEIT: Plunge. Jessica shares this brief reflection on her experience: This past November, I spent two weeks in Indonesia conducting an immersive, Interfaith pilgrimage. For part of this trip, I stayed at an Islamic boarding school in the remote mountain village of ...

It isn’t lost on Senior Pastor Bob Deich of Grace United Methodist Church in Ruston that the tragic tornado that devasted his small city struck in the middle of the Easter season. “It’s still Easter,” he said. “It was a celebration of hope, a celebration of resurrection. Storms produce rainbows.” The people of Ruston are ready for rainbows. The EF-3 tornado with estimated winds up to ...

“An Attitude of Gratitude” was the theme at the United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana’s 44th annual meeting and luncheon on April 30 at Juban’s Restaurant in Baton Rouge. The event allowed Foundation leaders and staff to declare their appreciation for the United Methodist pastors, donors and church leaders they have the privilege to serve.   Rob Fairly, president and CEO of the ...

As many of you may have heard by now, the Judicial Council, (the Supreme Court of the United Methodist Church) delivered its rulings on legislation passed at the February Special Called Session of the General Conference 2019.  Portions of the Traditional Plan previously deemed unconstitutional were upheld as unconstitutional and portions previously deemed constitutional remained ...

Recently, the Judicial Council, known as The United Methodist Church’s top court, ruled on portions of the Traditional Plan, adopted by the General Conference during a special called session in February of 2019.  Their ruling - some provisions of the newly adopted plan remain unconstitutional, but others are valid as church law. The Traditional Plan is an effort to strengthen the ...

Nancy Hopkins Local Church Membership: Rayne Memorial UMC District: New Orleans Why Do You Want To Serve? As a delegate to General Conference, I would bring a unique insight of someone who has the prospective of an older adult who has served for years in youth ministry and understands the views and outlook of youth and young adults. I am able to listen to those of different ages and ...

While authorities continue to investigate the fires of four churches in St. Landry Parish, I am deeply saddened as a picture of a disturbing level of hate appears to be unfolding.   We, as Christians, specifically at this time of year know how important churches are when it comes to the practice of worship. In just a few days, we will gather in churches to experience all of the emotions ...

The African American Church Vitality Task Force invites you to Engagement Beyond The Walls Workshop, Saturday, May 4, 2019, from 9am-3pm at St. Matthew United Methodist Church in New Orleans.  Speakers include Sabrina Short - Social Media Engagement, Pastors Robert Johnson and Kaseem Short - Community Engagement.   Register Now →   Mrs. Sabrina Short (Short Speaks ...

Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey is pleased to announce Rev. Elaine Burleigh as the new Director of the Conference Office of Missional Outreach and Engagement.  "I am thrilled that in God’s always perfect timing Rev. Elaine Burleigh will be assuming responsibilities as the Director of Missional Engagement," says Bishop Harvey. "She brings strong administrative presence to the position in ...

After a year of working with pilot churches, the Conference Office of Church Transformation is ready to officially roll out the Church Transformation Process for small membership churches that worship under 100.  If your church is interested in learning more about this process or how you can get involved, please join us for one of our informational meetings held on: May 7th, 9th and ...

Join Bishop Cynthia Harvey & Jim and Lynette DeLaune for this exciting 10-day tour to Germany, Austria, and Prague.  You'll explore Innsbruck, Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, and Berlin. Tickets to the Oberammergau Passion Play are included with time to explore the sites in southern Germany, such as Ettal and more!    The tour departs on July 1, 2020.  About the Oberammergau Passion Play ...

Fill Me Up, Lord Spouses of clergy are often working hard behind the scenes to meet the expectations of so many – their mates, their households, their co-workers, often times their parents and of course... those ‘mixed expectations of the congregation.’   Location: The Wesley Center, Woodworth, La. Date: March 22-23, 2019 REGISTER TODAY! Time: Check-in and registration begins at 4:00...

Most of the 864 delegates arriving in St. Louis, Missouri for the Special Called Session of the General Conference, have been focused on the hard work ahead regarding the issue of human sexuality. And while Louisiana delegate Dr. Sarah Kreutziger is absolutely focused on the mission ahead, she admits there was another objective.  "I met Rev. Aldolphe Kitenge Mukaya from the North ...

Since the flood of 2016, Latasha Zachary of White Castle had endured daily living in a 70-year-old mold-filled trailer with a caved-in roof and a sagging, water-logged floor. “The only safe part was my bedroom and the back bathroom.” Latasha didn’t want to move because the nursing home where her mother lived was across the street, but the situation was dire. The $5,000 from FEMA to fix ...

Join Bishop Harvey & the Louisiana Conference for this exciting 10-day tour to the Holy Land visiting sites from the Sea of Galilee area to Jerusalem including Jericho, the Dead Sea, Shepherds' Field, Cana, the Church of the Fish and Loaves, Nazareth and more!  Add one of the three optional tours to enhance your journey.  See the brochure for more information.  Pricing starts at $2,998*...

Bishop Harvey and the Cabinet of the Louisiana Conference have been in Woodworth this week starting the process known as 'inventory', which is one of the steps in the appointment process. When people new to United Methodism hear that a new pastor will soon be serving their congregation, they may ask: Why don’t we get to choose our pastor? Who makes these decisions? The short answers ...

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the 2005 levee failures, the Louisiana Annual Conference made the difficult decision to sell the heavily flood-damaged property formally known as Napoleon Avenue Methodist Church in New Orleans. Because the stunning stained glass windows that dated back as far as the 1800’s remained virtually intact, the windows were salvaged prior to the ...