By Jessica Brodie. What does it mean to pull together during COVID and a time of unrest rather than apart? That’s what United Methodist men across South Carolina are hoping to explore when they gather this month for their men’s spiritual retreat. This year’s event is free and mostly online, though some groups of men are socially distance gathering at host churches, while others are participating from their homes.

Women across South Carolina will gather by Zoom on four days this month to explore issues of advocacy and justice. Normally held one day in person at Epworth Children’s Home, this year’s South Carolina Conference United Methodist Women Legislative Advocacy event will be a virtual program that spans four weeks. Workshops and registration are free.

A new resource has been launched by South Carolina Resident Bishop L. Jonathan Holston and his Cabinet designed to provide tools to address racism.

This spring, the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate newspaper will again hold its annual Advocate Awareness Sunday, a one-day push that helps introduce others in local churches across South Carolina to the 184-year newspaper ministry. This year’s Advocate Awareness Sunday is May 16.

Wesley UMC's Temple Take-Out Ministry is a community-wide meal delivery service. This ministry is now in its fifth year, providing tasty meals once a month to more than 80 seniors aged 65 or older in need or with disabilities who are living in the communities of Johns and Wadmalaw islands.

Applications are being accepted for the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate’s annual 1,000 college scholarship, which has a deadline of March 1.

By Jessica Brodie. Greene Street United Methodist Church closed the sale of its property to the UofSC Foundation for $1.1 million. The foundation plans to lease the space to the university’s School of Music to be used for concert performances, practice space, office space and more.

By Jessica Brodie. This Christmas, people who are incarcerated at Turbeville Correctional Institute will be getting some extra-special help from United Methodist churches and pastors thanks to a cry for help—and a heartfelt response.

By Jessica Brodie. It’s the final stretch, those last few weeks before financial books close on what has been a difficult and tumultuous year. The goal has changed, scaled back from 90 percent to 84 percent with a push toward achieving what can be done over focusing on what can’t. But if conference financial leaders get their Christmas wish, UMCs across South Carolina will send in something—anything—so missions and ministries can get back to a reasonable level of monetary support.

Here, we talk to each of the district lay leaders, new and returning, to learn what they most look forward to in their role, what they believe are the most pressing issues within the local churches, what is one thing a year from now they hope to look back on and know was successful, and a few things about their profession, hobbies, family and more.

By Jessica Brodie. In response to a heart for people struggling because of the COVID crisis, Mount Horeb United Methodist Church is using its bounty as a special blessing. Mount Horeb gave $100 to each family that is a member of or attends the church.

After her nephew’s devastating accident, woman reflects on ‘unimaginable kindness’ shown to her family by United Methodist and other S.C. ‘angels.' By D. Halvorsen.