The Rev. Dr. Kevass Harding had to adjust quickly when stay-at-home orders went into place in Wichita, one of the original hot spots for the coronavirus in Kansas. But he and his congregation at Dellrose United Methodist Church adapted quickly. Now, Dellrose UMC has online worship, online Bible studies and counseling for people who need…Read more »

The Rev. Stephanie Ahlschwede knew worship wouldn’t look the same during our time of sheltering in place. So she chose to embrace a different look and feel. With the Rev. Jerry Brabec on piano and others joining in helping with the worship time as needed, a “piano side” service was born. Then, for a daily…Read more »

In this reflection on John 10:1-10, Todd shares his thoughts on what he sees as a choice we have to make: Be a bandit and continue to put ourselves first, or strive to be a good shepherd who leads our personal flocks toward The Good Shepherd. Download the podcast.

The Rev. Stefanie Hayes of Sargent and Ord First United Methodist churches in Nebraska shares how she decided to get more people involved in recordings of online worship. Instead of just recording herself giving a sermon at her kitchen table, she recruited others in her congregation to record themselves saying prayers, reading liturgy or reading…Read more »

In the conclusion of a series on the seven final sayings of Christ from the cross, special guest Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr., episcopal leader of the Great Plains Conference of The United Methodist Church, provides some reflections on why the resurrection of Jesus Christ was such a powerful story in the first century and how…Read more »

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced churches and pastors to do some things they had never before tried. The Rev. Gary Brooks, lead pastor at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Wichita is one of those people. His church, which has about 500 people in worship on a typical Sunday, had never livestreamed a service before the…Read more »

In the sixth of seven special episodes focusing on the final sayings from Christ on the cross, Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. shares his reflection on Luke 23:36, “Father into your hands I commend my spirit.” The bishop shares his thoughts on how Jesus turned over His spirit to God after being beaten and mocked and…Read more »

Designed for the youth group at Lawrence Central United Methodist Church, this online activity is meant to be completed within a two hour time frame. It must be completed by 4 p.m. Sunday, April 5. Each item is worth a point, with some questions offering opportunities for bonus points. The person who scores the most…Read more »

In the fifth of seven special episodes focusing on the final sayings from Christ on the cross, Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. shares his reflections on John 19:28 and John 19:30, “I thirst” and “It is finished,” respectively. The bishop provides his reflections on these two verses and provides guidance of why the writer of the…Read more »

In the fourth of seven special episodes of the “In Layman’s Terms” podcast focusing on the final sayings from Christ on the cross, Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. shares his reflections on Mark 15:34, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.” The bishop explains how these words from Jesus shouldn’t necessarily be looked at…Read more »