Blog
The Conference Blog had its beginnings prior to 2013, but an ongoing, almost weekly version began here: Western North Carolina Conference Blog 2.0. The blog continues in a new place as a part of the conference website.
Opinions expressed in these articles are completely the views of the author and are not an official statement from the conference.
The Gospel of And
By Drew McIntyre We live in a world of either/or, but the gospel demands an and. At our best, Christians in the way of the Wesleys do not choose between caring for bodies and souls. To put it ...
The Most Dangerous...
By Kel Billings This past weekend we were remembering the life and work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A hero of mine, here’s why - King wished to stay in Georgia and pastor a church, ...
Words Matter
By Sally Queen I remember learning the rhyme, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I believe this childhood playground rhyme is simply NOT true. Words matter. ...
A Pro Life Christian
By Paul Brown For as long as I can remember, being Christian also meant being pro-life. Growing up during the culture wars of the 1990s, I have vague memories of the first Gulf War and the Monica ...
Remembering Christmases Past…
by Michael Rich It is hard to believe, but I began working in churches almost 40 years ago. I started right out of high school as a youth and children’s staff person in small churches in Alabama. ...
Incarnation
by Duke Ison There is one week to go before Christmas! There have already been cantata’s, lesson and carols, Christmas parties, and Advent hymns. I could always hold off on Christmas carols until the...
How *Not* to Worry About 2019
by Mary Brown “Do not worry about your life,” Jesus says (Matt 6:25). Easier said than done. My life is heavily invested in the United Methodist Church. I was baptized as a Methodist baby, ...
How are your preparing this Advent?
by Burt Williams It’s that time of year again as we are preparing to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. To say it another way, we are preparing for Christmas. This preparation ...
God's Medicine Bag
by Drew McIntyre The church is more than we usually make of it. The church is not merely a house of worship, a social outlet, a service agency, or a repository of age-level programs. Instead, she ...
Thanksgiving Turkey
by Kel Billings I’m often surprised when and where it hits me, or what triggers it. It was a turkey. Actually, a Syrian boy, a refugee, coloring a thanksgiving turkey. I was in Jordan, a few ...