News

Church Vitality: How Do You Define It?

  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Leaders across the denomination are pondering that question even as they seek to increase the number of highly vital churches. This is the first in an ongoing series of reports. Read complete story here.    ...

Study Finds Common Themes in Congregations Reaching Toward Vitality

NASHVILLE, Tenn.– A new study about how a group of United Methodist congregations successfully dealt with change says three key elements were almost always present: a pastor not afraid to lead, laity who will partner as a team with the pastor and a God-led purpose or vision. Clergy and laity in leadership positions at 158 congregations, representing almost all of the denomination's 63 annual conferences, were interviewed for the Toward Vitality Research Project, said Kim Shockley, the...

Professions of Faith

"I do not remember when I first said yes to God, but I know when I publicly professed my faith. It was Confirmation Sunday," writes the Rev. Kristie Olah, El Camino Real district superintendent, in this week's blog posting on the Vital Signs and Wonders blog site. "We Christians are inspired by each other's faith. Hearing and counting a profession of faith confirms for our churches that we are more than a club; we are more than a calendar full of programs and events," she...

Cal-Nevada Launches 'Vital Signs and Wonders' Blog

The Rev. Dr. Bener Agtarap, Conference Superintendent of Congregational Vitality, has launched a new blog Vital Signs and Wonders (VSW) — an online forum for church leaders and members of new and vital churches to connect with one another through conversations and peer-learning around the topic of church planting and multiplication. "I have been thinking about doing this project for a long time but have always found good excuses to delay it," writes Agtarap. "However,...

New Email Addresses Needed for Vital Signs Reporting

Pastors: If you have a new appointment and your previous church is using your personal email address for Vital Signs reporting, please notify that church to provide the Conference Communications Office with a new email address for Vital Signs. The information should be emailed to Jane Horstman at janeh@calnevumc.org or Cate Monaghan at catem@calnevumc.org. By the way, because of itinerancy, it is preferable that each church have an email address that links to the church, rather than to the...