Conference News

Deacons can now preside at the sacraments in their appointments without needing explicit permission from their bishop. In what presiding Bishop David Graves called a “historic moment,” General Conference on May 2 passed new legislation granting authority to deacons to preside at the sacraments in their ministry settings. This means deacons can now offer Holy Communion and conduct baptisms where they have been appointed to serve, whether that is a church, outreach ministry or mission.   ... read more

Siblings in Christ, After years of intensive and prayerful debate, the General Conference delegates from all over the world voted to remove language that prohibited United Methodist clergy from performing weddings for same-gender couples. This change allows churches and clergy to operate according to their conscience, without consequence.   There are some important things about this decision that I want you to know. First, pastors have always decided who they will marry. This is based on ... read more

Western Pennsylvania delegates Peggy Ward and Denise-Nicole Stone are well-acquainted with United Methodist meetings and conferences. But this particular General Conference holds special significance; not only are they both attending as full delegates for the first time, they are serving together as mother and daughter.  Peggy began attending Greenstone United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh, PA as an adult. There she discovered United Methodist Women (now United Women in Faith) and her ministry... read more

On the final full day of their Western PA visit last week, GBGM Missionaries Rev. Jean Claude Masuka Maleka and his wife, Francine Ilunga Mpanga Mufuk, were “dressed for the harvest” and working side by side with students in a unique ministry at Leechburg First UMC. The Caring Crockpot Ministry, which began in 2021, builds relationships between church volunteers and students from the local school district, whose campus sits directly behind the church. In consultation with the school ... read more

By Audrey Stanton-Smith CHARLOTTE—Voices carried through the east wing of the Charlotte Conference Center early Saturday afternoon as Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi prepared to serve noontime communion just outside of legislative committee meeting rooms at General Conference. A gathering that quickly grew to nearly 100 joined in impromptu singing of “Let Us Break Bread,” “Sanctuary,” “Father, I Adore You,” and “This is the Day” before Moore-Koikoi led the group in the conference’s daily Eucharist... read more

by Liz Lennox While our delegation diligently does their work at General Conference, there are hundreds of others in attendance who also participate in the life of the conference in various ways. Today, I caught up with a few of those individuals from the Western Pennsylvania Conference and chatted with them about their role at General Conference, their impressions so far, and their hopes for the future of The United Methodist church.      Grace Killian & Jenny Gordon - Connectional Table ... read more

The Western PA Conference has had the honor of hosting two General Board of Global Ministries missionaries in April -- Rev. Jean Claude Masuka Maleka and his wife, Francine Ilunga Mpanga Mufuk, both of whom currently serve in the West African country of Côte d'Ivoire. For the past ten years, the couple has worked with evangelism and church planting, and young girls ministry.   Upon their arrival in western PA, our Conference Secretary of Global Ministries (CSGM) Rev. Bruce Griffith welcomed our ... read more

by Peggy Ward This past weekend, April 18-21, United Women in Faith in the Northeast Jurisdiction gathered under the theme "Let's Come Together." The WPA United Women in Faith 'came together' in Providence, Rhode Island, for the NEJ United Women in Faith Quadrennial meeting. Thirteen women (and a husband) traveled to Providence by car, plane and train. We attended workshops and exhibits of the conferences and mission institutions; participated in worship and music; and experienced the prayer ... read more

by Liz Lennox, Director of Communications On April 8, millions of people turned their faces skyward to collectively witness the long-awaited and much-hyped natural phenomenon - a solar eclipse with a path of totality that stretched across the United States. One of the millions to view the eclipse was Paul Huey, Western Pennsylvania Conference Lay Leader. Earlier that morning, Paul had boarded a church van along with the other members of the WPA coordinating cabinet and some spouses to travel ... read more

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians  5:11 United Methodists in Western PA have an opportunity to host a missionary at their churches in the next couple of months. They are excited to share their experiences in a number of ways. General Board of Global Ministries missionaries Rev. Jean Claude Masuka Maleka and his wife Francine Ilunga Mpanga Mufuk will be available to speak in our conference April 21-24, 2024.  They are currently ... read more

There is something uniquely powerful about sitting in a church pew and allowing the dynamic sounds of a mighty pipe organ to wrap around and flow through you like the ever-present spirit of God. It is a spiritual journey worth taking and sharing.  This Lenten season, four Pittsburgh area United Methodist churches set out to deliver just that. The brainchild of organists Benjamin Bugaile from Ingomar UMC and Mitchell Stecker from Mt. Lebanon UMC, the 412 Organ Recital Series was a unique concert... read more

Beloved community is not only possible here and now, but actually realized this Lenten season thanks to the connectional efforts of six United Methodist churches in the Washington District. Spearheaded by Rev. Bill Lawler, pastor at Avery United Methodist Church in Washington, the churches collected books, toys, stuffed animals, candy, plastic eggs, monetary donations, and more in order to prepare 167 Easter baskets for the children and families served by Community Circle Food Pantry. “I ... read more

by Jay Pendleton, Pittsburgh District Antiracism Team Last May, the Pittsburgh District Antiracism Team (Pittsburgh ART) began a tradition that its team members hope will last a lifetime! On May 18, 2024, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Allison Park, Pittsburgh ART will host its Second Annual Antiracism Award Dinner in honor of Paul Taylor, an elder and former District Superintendent in the Western PA Conference.  Throughout his life, Rev. Taylor labored ... read more

After a mission journey to Haiti, Amber Double joined with others in the community to repurpose the Fairview United Methodist building in Petrolia after its closing. From 2018 until early 2023, a free clothing store named Threads of Hope (TOH) operated out of the former sanctuary. In a recent article in the Leader Times out of Kittanning, the founding member and current program manager shared how it came about. “After going to Haiti on a mission trip, I came home and wanted to start something ... read more

Western Pennsylvania’s General and Jurisdictional Conference delegation has endorsed Rev. Sung Chung, current Johnstown and Indiana District Superintendent, as candidate for bishop. Rev. Chung was the first Asian-American District Superintendent in Western PA and is now the first Asian-American endorsed by a WPA delegation. His name will be forwarded to the Annual Conference, which has the opportunity to also endorse him by vote.   The endorsement was made at the most recent delegation meeting ... read more