Past Newsletters

As the move toward the new UMC continues, we want to use this month's newsletter to let you know about four beneficial resources...

(1) UMCommunications has a section on its website entitled, "Committed to the UMC." It has a variety of resources. Here is the link: https://www.umc.org/en/who-we-are/our-people/beumc/committed-to-the-umc

(2) UMsConnected leader, Derrick Scott III, joins with others for a weekly YouTube discussion of lectionary texts. Go to the Studio Wesley website (www.studiowesley.org), and click the "Watch" icon. You will find the series there.

(3) One of the encouraging signs on our "remain in the UMC" journey is the growing number of support ministries within Annual Conferences. Here is the link to the current contact list: https://www.umc.org/en/content/committed-to-the-umc-conference-ministries

(4) If your church is considering disaffiliating from the UMC, and you and others in your congregation want to stay UMC, you will find guidance for doing so in a booklet entitled, "Remaining in the UMC." You can download it using this link: https://www.umc.org/-/media/umc-media/2022/12/15/17/27/beginning-again-digital-guide-for-remaining-umc.ashx?la=en

We hope these resources will encourage you and help confirm the fact that staying in The United Methodist Church is a good decision.

Hello, everyone! Welcome to 2023. We hope the new year will be a good one for you. As always, if we can be of help, be in touch at umsconnected@flumc.org

Things are changing for us at UMsConnected, largely because a growing number of Annual Conferences are developing their own support ministries for those who want to remain in the UMC. That's a good thing.

A list of these ministries has been created. It will grow over time, but you can see the current one by using this link: https://www.umc.org/en/content/committed-to-the-umc-conference-ministries

This resource is part of a larger one called "Committed to the UMC" This site includes additional materials for those whose churches are closing or disaffiliating. This resource will grow too, so revisit it from time to time using this link: https://www.umc.org/en/who-we-are/our-people/beumc/committed-to-the-umc

Here at UMsConnected, we have two resources for you to use as needed: (1) An "Epworth Group" guide if you need to start a spiritual formation group, and (2) "Resources" you can use for studies in a new group or an existing one. Both of these things are here on the website. Click on the two bars at the top of this page to find each of them. Use them yourself and share them with others.

Don't forget to visit the UMsConnected Facebook page. There we offer daily inspiration from the Bible and the Wesleyan tradition, as well as updated information about the UMsConnected movement.

All of this is to encourage you and to support you as you seek to follow Jesus and remain in the United Methodist Church.

Happy New Year!

This past Sunday, we celebrated the Christian New Year with the commencement of Advent. It is a season of light and expectation. Here at UMsConnected we share our version of these two things with you.

We will be six months old in mid-December. We pray that the lights offered by our ministries (website, podcast, Facebook page, and live gatherings) have helped to guide and encourage you. 

Our newest resource is the “Beginning Again” guide. It is an action-oriented resource to help folks navigate their journey when their church closes or disaffiliates. Here is the link to it:

https://1drv.ms/w/s!Au4yY0V8WSl2ln8kr7OyszqxnGDU

Moving into 2023, we will continue our ministries, and engage in the ongoing discernment process of how to serve you even better, for “we are your servants for Jesus Christ’s sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5). The landscape of support ministries continues to change and grow.

Most of all, we join with you in the expectation of Advent, which includes the confidence that the One who has begun a good work in us through Christ is in the process of completing the emergence of a new United Methodist Church. Built on the good foundations of Scriptural Christianity and the Wesleyan tradition, we have Advent anticipation that God is giving us “a future filled with hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).

We pray that you and yours will have a meaningful Advent and a blessed Christmas. See you next month.

There are increasing signs of hope for the emerging UMC, with a growing number of ministries, events, and resources available to encourage, support, and guide us on the journey.

The major ones on the horizon are the Jurisdictional Conferences (November 2-5) at which new bishops will be chosen. They will begin serving on January 1, 2023. Please pray for these conferences, that commitments to remaining United Methodist will be forthrightly declared, with episcopal leaders chosen and appointed to make good on those commitments.

UMsConnected will continue its role in bringing the new UMC into existence through a variety of ministries and resources aimed to foster spiritual formation in the Wesleyan tradition. In this newsletter, we highlight the following,

1. The new website where you are reading this newsletter. Take the time to familiarize yourself with it. Our website is the go-to place for learning about the UMsConnected movement and becoming part of it.

2. Season One of our podcast ministry is complete. Go to the podcast section of the website to listen to the episodes. New seasons will be added as time goes by.

3. The online “Epworth Group’ hosted by Nikki Raye Rice begins on Thursday evening, November 3 rd at 7:00 p.m. ET, USA. This group reflects the spirit of the Methodist Class Meeting. Read more about it in the “Epworth Group” menu item accessed at the top of our website. Here is the link to the first gathering: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81886727813?pwd=cFdoZmFLa1BSVi9xbEhuYlNZQzlxUT09

4. The November “Conversations” program, on November 10 th at 7:00 p.m. ET USA, hosted by Paul Chilcote with guests Steve West and Don Saliers. They will dialog with participants about the role of the Eucharist in the Christian life and in the renewal of the church. Here is the Zoom link to that meeting, https://theofed-cam-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/94821476470?pwd=YkRtZjAvQ2VNeVFzUlVrdktsMERQZz09

As you can see, we have a lot going on. Please take advantage of these ministries, and tell others about them. Share them on your social media. We grow by word if mouth. Follow us on Facebook to receive daily inspiration and information. And most of all, pray for us that we will be faithful to the call God has given.

As this newsletter comes your way, UMsConnected is 3.5 months old. We have reached thousands of people in the United States, and some foreign countries as well. Many of you have been in touch to say that UMsConnected is meeting a need in your life. We thank God for that. We continue the journey with you in this in-between time.

As you read this, Will Willimon’s book, ‘Don’t Look Back: Methodist Hope for What Comes Next’ (Abingdon Press) has just come out. We encourage you to read it soon, use it in one of your small groups, etc. Will’s sentiments and ours here at UMsConnected are very much in sync.

Since the last newsletter, we have moved beyond the website, podcast, and Facebook page to include several live Zoom ministries. “Kindred” is a weekly gathering for young adults, hosted by Christy Holden. It meets at 7:00 p.m. (ET, USA) each Monday. The link for each week’s meeting is in the “Kindred” menu icon on the website homepage.

“Conversations” is a monthly program hosted by various folks with a specific theme and featured guest. The October meeting is on Wednesday, the 19th at 7:00 p.m. (ET, USA). Bishop Ken Carter will join hosts Kim Ingram and Derrick Scott III in a discussion, along with participants, about spiritual practices which have sustained them during these days. We are promoting this gathering on our Facebook page, along with the link for joining the Zoom meeting.

‘Epworth Group,” hosted by Nikki Raye Rice, is a monthly gathering in the spirit and style of the early Methodist Class Meeting. It begins at 7:00 pm. (ET, USA) on Thursday, October 6th. It will meet the first Thursday of each month. The link for the October meeting is included in promotional announcements on our Facebook page.

One additional word: our UMsConnected podcast has completed “season one” with fourteen episodes that explore the formational flow of early Methodism, with applications for today. The three themes in the season are connected, believing, and living. You can listen on the Podbean and Spotify platforms. They have also been posted on our website and Facebook page.

We will hold steady with these ministries through 2022. We have additional things in the works for 2023. Stay tuned! Follow our Facebook page for daily inspiration and information.

If UMsConnected were a spacecraft, we would say that we have had a successful launch, and now we move to establish our orbit, circling our mission to provide spiritual formation in the Wesleyan tradition as the new UMC emerges.

In our first 2.5 months, we have had 9,000 people view the website. Many days we reach over 500 people on the Facebook page, and the weekly podcast audience continues to grow. Emails and comments from participants have confirmed that UMsConnected is meeting real needs. We thank God for this.

And now…we take some new steps in September with new live gatherings via Zoom.

The “Kindred” young adult ministry begins on Monday, September 12th at 7:00 p.m. (ET). The “Kindred” icon on the homepage describes this ministry in more detail, and it has the Zoom link to use in order to join the meeting each week.

The “Conversations” gathering meets for the first time on Thursday, September 15th at 7:00 p.m. (ET). The “Conversations” icon on the website homepage tells you more, and has the Zoom link for the September meeting.

Additional live offerings will be announced soon, here on the website and on the Facebook page. Live interaction is clearly a value-added dimension to the UMsConnected ministry.

Beyond this, we are turning to resource development, recommending existing resources and producing new ones. An upcoming UMsConnected YouTube channel will house many of these resources. Read the “Resources” icon on the home page to see what we already have. More is coming.

Finally, we are working to improve the website, Facebook page, and podcast. Stay tuned for more information.

So, here we are…beginning September thankful to God for what we have been led to do so far, and grateful that you are with us on this journey. In the words of Dr. Seuss, “O, the places we will go!”

There is a lot happening with UMsConnected, including some new things you will want to tell others about…and…put on your calendar. Read on!

But first….if you have read the last two newsletters, you’ll see that “Wesley Windows” is not here this time. Why? Because we want our monthly newsletter to focus on…well…news–news about UMsConnected as a growing movement. We want the newsletter to provide “news you can use” to enhance your participation in the movement. “Wesley Windows” is moving to the Facebook page with a first Monday of each month afternoon post, beginning in September. This month it posts on the second Monday, August 8th.

So, now we move on to the things we are excited to share with you.

Welcome!!

(1) Kim Ingram is now the co-director of UMsConnected. She is a Deacon in the Western North Carolina Annual Conference, serving as the Director of Ministry Services & Leadership, as well as Conference Secretary. In addition to her WNC ministries, Kim serves on the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM), and as a member of the Southeastern Jurisdiction Episcopal Committee. She joins Steve Harper in the oversight of UMsConnected.

(2) Christy Holden joins the Ministry Team, launching “Kindred,” the new Young Adult ministry of UMsConnected (see additional info below). She is an Elder in the Florida Annual Conference, serving as Director of Gulf Coast Wesley Foundation.

(3) Studio Wesley…this media ministry brings its gifts and expertise to the UMsConnected movement, working to enrich our media and expedite our message. Under Derrick Scott III’s oversight, the studio’s assistance will initially focus on our website, and the creation of a UMsConnected channel on YouTube.

UMsConnected Launches “Kindred”

As we see, divisiveness in society and the church threaten to exclude people from access to community and connectedness. Kindred, a brand-new faith community for young adults, offers a time for spiritual growth, deep and open scripture discussion, and access to meet people and develop relationships. We are a safe space for young adults to explore Christianity from a progressive point of view. Young adulthood is often riddled with seasons of constant change and transition. Kindred is a welcoming supportive community that embraces the changes associated with that growth.

In this digital and diverse community, young adults can experience the United Methodist Connection in a fresh way as they engage in worship, discipleship and friendship. If this speaks to you, join our weekly conversations starting Monday, September 12th at 7pm EST via Zoom.

Tell others about Kindred so they can participate too. To learn more about Kindred, contact Rev. Christy Holden at revchristyallenholden@gmail.com

Belonging

We are not two months old, and already people are asking, “How can I become more personally involved with UmsConnected? They are positive about our website, Facebook page, and podcast, but they want to move beyond media to relationships.

If you are a young adult, Kindred (see above information) exists to help you do that.

We are also launching a second live event in September called “Conversations.” It’s for everyone. Our first one-hour gathering will be on Thursday, September 15th at 7:00 p.m. (ET, USA). Each month, “Conversations” will connect featured guests with UmsConnected folks to talk about a variety of things. Our first meeting will engage UmsConnected leaders with our larger community, exploring “A Future Filled with Hope” (Jeremiah 29:11) as the New Awakening continues and the new UMC emerges. We will post the Zoom link for this gathering soon here on the website and on our Facebook page.

In addition to “Kindred” and “Conversations,” we have two more live ministries on the drawing board,

(1) “Epworth Group”—an online group that will reflect a Methodist-style Class Meeting to focus on spiritual formation in the Wesleyan tradition and “watching over one another in love.”

(2) “Living the Wesleyan Way”—an online group that will be hosted by Dr. Paul Chilcote. Combining the spiritual disciplines of common reading and holy conferencing, this group will experience spiritual formation through a reading-group experience.

We will update you on both of these live ministries here on the website, and on our Facebook page and podcast.

Well…at the top of the newsletter we said there is a lot happening at UmsConnected. We hope one or more of these things will benefit you. Please tell others about UmsConnected. And pray that this new movement will encourage and bless all who participate in it.

UMsConnected has existed less than a month, and already we can see that it is meeting needs. Almost every day someone emails to illustrate how this is so. Beyond that, statistics (as of July 2) provide further confirmation. We have had 4,250 views of our website. Our group Facebook page has exceeded 600 views some days, and 112 people are formally following it. We have had only two podcast episodes, but an average of 40 people have listened to each one. We are encouraged and grateful to God.

We begin this edition of the newsletter with the “Wesley Windows” feature and then move on to give you additional information about UMsConnected. Thanks for reading this newsletter and being on the journey with us.

“Wesley Windows”

When the foundation stone for the New Chapel was laid (today called Wesley Chapel) on April 21, 1777, John preached the dedicatory sermon. [1] In it he addressed the question, “What is Methodism?” He responded, It is “no other than love, the love of God and of all mankind; the loving God with all our heart, and soul, and strength, as having first loved us,–as the fountain of all the good we have received, and of all we ever hope to enjoy; and the loving every soul which God has made, every man on earth as our own soul.” [2]

In the larger context, his words confirmed his belief that Methodism, far from being an aberration or something novel was, in fact, the religion of the Bible and of the Church of England. Indeed it was, as a theology of love, “the great medicine of life.” He believed this when Methodism began in the 1740’s, and he continued to believe it thirty-five years later. Time had confirmed the original vision.

John Wesley’s abiding conviction was that God had raised up the people called Methodist to declare God’s inclusive love—love for “all mankind,” love of “every soul God has made, every man on earth as our own soul.” No wonder that the early Methodist movement attracted many “nones and dones” (as we call them today), offering them Christ through hospitality and formation.

The new UMC will increasingly renew (and increase) the Wesleyan theology of inclusive love, loving everyone as we love our own souls. UMsConnected exists to do the same.

With barely one month under our belt, UMsConnected is advancing a theology of inclusive love through this website, our group Facebook page, podcast, and recommended resources. Icons at the top of the homepage describe each of these offerings in more detail.

Two questions have moved to front burner since we began…

First, how do we begin the UmsConnected journey? Whether you are reading this as an individual or as a member of a group, we suggest using the “Foundations Series” described in the “Resources” icon. It lays a good foundation for all that will emerge in UMsConnected.

Second, how do we link to UmsConnected as a small group? The “Belonging” and “Epworth Group” icons at the top of the homepage provide guidance. There are multiple reasons why you may want to do this. We have opened the way for you to do so.

Beyond these things, we envision some new features of UMsConnected in the coming months …

(1) A monthly live Zoom meeting called, “Conversations” each of which will focus on a particular topic and include a special guest. Details about this new ministry will be provided in the August “Connections” newsletter.

(2) A UMsConnected YouTube channel that will serve multiple purposes, including the uploading of studies which advance our mission of providing spiritual formation in the Wesleyan tradition.

(3) A fall Webinar offered live via Zoom and recorded for subsequent use. We will share more about this resource as plans progress.

Well, enough for now. We are under way! And already we can see that the Spirit is at work through UMsConnected. Thanks be to God!

[1] Albert C. Outler, ed., ‘The Works of John Wesley,’ (Bi-Centennial Edition), volume 3 (Abingdon Press, 1986), Sermon #112, “On Laying the Foundation of the New Chapel.”

[2] Ibid , 585.

With this newsletter, we launch the inaugural communication of UMsConnected. Each month “Connections” will gather us at the intersection of Christian formation and the Wesleyan tradition, helping us to “watch over one another in love” as John Wesley put it. We will begin each month’s newsletter with a piece called “Wesley Windows” through which we will look upon our tradition to receive insights that can enrich our life in Christ and for Christ. After that, the newsletter will include additional guidance for our journey.

“Connections” is posted monthly and archived here on the website. From time to time we will post other things that keep us going forward.

Here we go!

“Wesley Windows”

When the Wesleys began Methodism in the early 1740’s, they envisioned it to be a fellowship “united together in the several parts of the kingdom, engaging, in like manner, to be helpful to each other in all good, Christian ways.” [1] For fifty years we can see how the early Methodist movement was faithful to that vision.

Similarly, UMsConnected exists to unite those of us scattered here and there in ways that are helpful and that do good. UMsConnected is not a substitute for the larger Church, just as early Methodism was not. Rather, we exist for those who (for various reasons) have no current affiliation with a United Methodist congregation…and…for those who do have a “church home” but desire an additional means for growing in personal and social holiness.

Then and now, we are describing an “ecclesiola en ecclesia”—a little church in the big Church. That description fueled the early Methodist mission, and it fuels ours today. The Wesleys were faithful to God in creating a movement that enriched the lives of people and simultaneously renewed the Church. We hope that the UMsConnected movement will do the same.

[1] A letter from John Wesley to Mr. T.H. dated December 12 1760, Ted A. Campbell, ed.,,’The Works of John Wesley’ (Abingdon Press, 2015), Volume 27, “Letters III: 1756-765,” 225. [This multi-volume publication is often referred to as the Bi-Centennial Edition of Wesley’s Works because the first volume came out in 1984, the 200th anniversary of the official beginning of Methodism as a denomination in America.]

So….here we are, in the opening days of this movement—taking our first steps on the journey it affords for us. You can find out more by clicking on the icons at the top of this home page. They will tell you what each component of the ministry is designed for.

In this inaugural edition of the Connections” newsletter, we point to the ministry component we call “Belonging.”

UMsConnected is an open-access ministry. You can utilize all its aspects in whatever ways are beneficial to you. We are happy to offer everything to you.

But at the same time, the idea of connectedness is central to our founding vision. In a national poll conducted by the Kaiser Foundation, 20% described themselves as “disconnected.” Within a religious context, 30% of the population now describes themselves in the “nones and dones” category.

Even more specifically, many United Methodists feel disconnected due to a church closure, to their congregation’s disaffiliating from the UMC, or because they live in a location that is not near to a UMC. For other reasons too, they feel adrift.

UMsConnected offers a means for experiencing life together. We do not have members, but we hope you will join the journey. You can do this through both group and individual affiliation. The “Belonging” icon here on the website home page guides you in doing this. We call this option “Epworth Groups,” and there is an informational icon here on the home page to tell you more.

In the future, we will add live and on-demand resources to further enrich your spiritual formation. We will also link with other ministries that you can use. As Christians in the Wesleyan tradition, we understand that knowledge and vital piety are conjoined. So in the UMsConnected movement we will combine information and formation through a growing list of resources.

For now, continue to visit this website. Also, follow the “UMsConnected” group Facebook page for daily encouragement. And listen to the weekly “UMsConnected” podcast either on the group Facebook page or the Podbean platform.

Well, that’s more than enough to share in this first issue of “Connections.” If you have any thoughts or questions about UMsConnected, email Dr. Steve Harper at umsconnected@flumc.org