Posts by Category: News

Nearly 500 men in the Midlands used the extra day of the year to develop some extra spiritual muscle, gathering for the annual Men N Ministry spiritual retreat Feb. 29. Held at Mount Horeb United Methodist Church, the two-day event lifted up the theme “Restored” as a way to help men learn new ways to be restored and made whole in Christ. By Jessica Brodie.

Feedback from all five General Conference listening sessions is now available, and South Carolina delegates are reviewing comments and praying over them as they continue preparing for the quadrennial event. By Jessica Brodie.

The threat of COVID-19 means United Methodists and other people of faith in South Carolina are now planning a virtual gathering to celebrate this year’s Earth Day, April 22. It is the 50th anniversary of the environmental event.

The South Carolina United Methodist Advocate has been honored with two more journalism excellence awards this spring. These latest are from the Religion Communicators Council.

Woman helped by Hopewell United Methodist Church in Westminster says “thank you” by cooking congregation a spaghetti dinner.

Nearly 6 million people each year in the United States live with dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Countless more are affected by its debilitating effects. As an adjunct professor with Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, retired bishop Kenneth Carder has sought to address some of the social and theological issues resulting from the disease in his class, Dementia Through a Pastoral Theological Lens.

When it comes to mental health, the church has a job to do—and it’s a job the church is uniquely positioned to fulfill. That was the key message from a district-wide mental health conference held in Easley Feb. 23, which featured pastors, psychologists and other industry professionals working to educate Christians about mental illness and how to help.

Jerry Blassingame’s testimony, which he told before hundreds of South Carolina United Methodist Women gathered Feb. 11 for their annual Legislative Advocacy Day, helped underscore one of the group’s action themes: the problem of mass incarceration.

A group of Christian environmentalists who are helping to plan a major awareness, education and action event at the South Carolina Statehouse to help people live into what it means to be good stewards of the earth in the way God intended. Organized by the Columbia Circle of GreenFaith, Earth Day at the Dome is set for Wednesday, April 22, from 3-7 p.m. at the state government building on Gervais Street in downtown Columbia.

ERT disaster volunteers and three ERT trailers were deployed to zones 1 and 2 of the tornado’s path. Crews focused on clearing debris out of driveways, making access routes into people’s homes and placing tarps on damaged roofs.

By Jessica Brodie. A county with one of the highest unemployment rates in the state is now getting much-needed food assistance throughout the year thanks to the efforts of a small, rural United Methodist church in Blenheim, SC.

By Jessica Brodie. Southeastern Jurisdiction lay and clergy delegation heads signed a statement affirming the work done on the “Protocol of Grace and Reconciliation through Separation.” South Carolina was not among the signers, citing not enough time to fully consider—or share with rest of the S.C. delegation.

By Jessica Brodie. What does a congregation do when they have three pieces of unused property next to their church parking lot and no plans to use it? They shine the light of Christ by donating it to Habitat for Humanity so people in need can have a place to live.

The deadline has been extended to April 3, 2020, for submissions for a book, to be published by the Advocate Press. The title is “Testify: How I Came to Know Jesus.” The book will focus on how South Carolina United Methodist individuals came to know the Lord. All people, lay or clergy, are invited to share their story for possible publication. Stories should be 500-1,000 words in length. You should be a South Carolina United Methodist to participate.