

Empowering United Methodists for Inclusive Mission & Ministry
Inclusiveness VII Webinar
November 18, 2023 – 8:30 am to 12:00 pm (Mountain Standard Time)
Join us by Zoom for the seventh annual inclusiveness conference on Saturday morning, November 18, 2023. It is free and you can register clicking the button below:
If you wish to become a sponsor, click the button above right, then scroll down to second row and click on UMARC.
Keynoting the webinar will be two episcopal leaders: Bishop Daniel Schwerin, Chicago (Northern Illinois Conference) and Bishop Karen Oliveto, Denver (Mountain Sky Conference). A third keynoter will be Dr. Randall Miller, Oakland (California-Nevada Conference), a well-known lay spokesman in United Methodism.



Local church pastors will share their perspectives on how to help congregations become more inclusive. Speakers to be announced will come from more rural churches. Scheduled are Rev. Sam Beaves-Fisher of Billings, MT, Rev. Jamielee Demske of Laurel, MT, Rev. Mark Feldmeir of St. Andrew UMC, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and Rev. Elizabeth Macaulay, Hennepin Avenue UMC, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Other speakers include Rev. Dr. Joretta Marshall, TBD, Rev. Dr. Harvey Martz, Retired Lead Pastor, St. Andrew UMC, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, and Dr. Don Messer, President Emeritus, Iliff School of Theology, Denver, Colorado. The author of Jesus and John Wayne, Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez, has agreed to share a video. Justin Bullis will provide the music.









Retired pastors step up amid disaffiliations
By Jim Patterson, April 5, 2023 | UM News
Key points:
-
United Methodists who want to remain with the denomination are in need of leadership in the wake of disaffiliations over sexuality issues.
-
Retired United Methodist pastors are putting their golden years on the back burner to help congregations that have been displaced.
-
Some of the former retirees report that enthusiasm is evident as United Methodists refocus on the basics of their faith.

Growth for some churches staying United Methodist
By Sam Hodges -- Feb. 27, 2023 | DALLAS (UM News)

Key Points
-
Some United Methodist churches are growing by welcoming denomination members whose previous church disaffiliated.
-
One church, Strawbridge United Methodist near Houston, has doubled in worship attendance over the past year, thanks largely to people coming from disaffiliated churches.
-
Those arriving from disaffiliated churches tend to be knowledgeable about and committed to United Methodism, and many have church leadership experience.
Would You Like To Help Sponsor Our Free Webinars?
Write check designated to "Mountain Sky Conference" and send to Dr. Don Messer, UMARC Co- Chair: 7185 S Niagara Cir, Centennial, CO 80112.
To give online, click the button below, then scroll down to the UMARC box.
Thank you for supporting the mission of the United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy and Friends
Bishop Melvin Wheatley Legacy
$1,000 +
Mountain Sky UM Conference

Bishop Mary Ann Swenson Legacy
$250 +
Burnett, Ingrid and Steve
Miller, Joe & Kathryn
Marshall, Joretta & Joy Allen
University Park UMC, Denver

Rev. Julian Rush Legacy - $100 +
Baber, Melinda
Benedett-Farmer, Larry & Terry
Burnett, Steve & Ingrid
Butler, Tom & Pat
Center for Pastoral Effectiveness
Curry, Ella
Eakle, Lonnie & Terry
Graf, William
Howard, John & Constance
Hunt, Ann
Marsh, Kay
Martz, Harvey & Judy
Mercer UMC, Mercer, WI
Millikan, Laura
Oneal, Margaret Dianne
Responsible Stewardship (Mountain Sky)
Richards, Sheila & Caryle
Robledo, Liwliwa & Ramon
Tanquist, Mardel & Roger
Thompson, John
Twidwell, Susan
%20crop.jpeg)
Bishop Roy Sano Legacy - $500 +
Huie, Robert
Martz, Harvey & Judy
Messer, Don & Bonnie
Miles, Rebekah

Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell Legacy
$150 +
Bagwell, Inelle
Hunt, Ann
Owsley, Judy
St Paul & St Andrew UMC Churches,
New York City
Wills, Brenda

Rev. Mary Ann Downs Legacy
$50 +
Bergman, Michael
Bibb, Stephen
Bode, Glynden
Butler, Tom
Fado, Donald & Martha Jean
Fletcher, Paula
Gilbert, Richard & Jane
Guyette, Laraine
McCormick, Sharon & Thomas
Merrick, Tracy & Karen
Nelson, Karen
Newquist, Amy
Reaves, Charles
Rice, Mabel
Seckel, Carol
Talla, Eric
Trowbridge, Ruth
Wingelier, Douglas

Remembering Our United Methodist Heritage in the Mountain Sky:
Bishop Melvin W. Wheatley
In 1979, forty-four years ago, in Colorado Springs then Rocky Mountain host Bishop Melvin W. Wheatley, courageously stood alone and defied the entire United Methodist Council of Bishops. He declared he would not endorse their condemnation of homosexuality. With courage and eloquence, in a kind of United Methodist “Stonewall” moment, he began to break the barriers that prohibited LGBTQ+ persons full participation in the life of the church.


UMARC Endorses Christmas Covenant
By Ben Roe
October 31, 2022, Centennial, Colorado-- United Methodists will be considering in 2024 a plan for reorganizing the United Methodist Church along global regional lines. At a recent meeting, the United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy has endorsed the plan, which was developed by representatives from United Methodist Conferences outside the United States.
The Christmas Covenant features a regionalization plan...
.jpg)










.jpeg)

Steering Committee Members (Photos Left to Right):
Don Messer - Chair, Harvey Martz - Vice Chair, John Blinn - Treasurer,
Dave Ferguson, Chris Ferguson,
Marla Kauerz, Joretta Marshall, Kay Palmer-Marsh, Liwliwa Robledo, Ben Roe
Steve Burnett, John L. Thompson, Julian Rush - Honorary, Annie Arnoldy - Advisor