Hezekiah House creates new space for new disciples By Melissa Lauber UMConnection Staff Dream no small dreams. That’s the message Pastor Ginger Medley preaches as she continues to strive to create a new ministry movement at Asbury UMC in Shepherdstown, W.Va. Asbury itself is strong...
Churches take lead in fight for justice By Melissa Lauber & Alison Burdett UMConnection Staff Outside of Wesley UMC on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, a large banner reads, “Blacks Lives Matter. All Lives Matter.” It’s a gesture in a continuing series of actions by...
The Rev. Ira Clay Keperling died Dec. 30, 2014, at Normandie Ridge Senior Living Community in York, Pa. A Service of Honor and Praise was held Jan. 3, 2015, at Winterstown UMC in Felton, Pa., with the Rev. Keith J. Schmuck officiating. Ira Clay Keperling was born in Manor Township, Lancaster...
Pastor Erma Dyson, 63, the wife of Pastor Richard C. Dyson Sr., died Dec. 24, 2014. A funeral was held Dec. 31 at Jackson Chapel UMC in Frederick. Erma Arlene Ambush was born Oct. 22, 1951, to the late Julia Virginia and George Thomas Ambush. She graduated from Frederick High School, attended...
Louise Phelps, 97, the widow of the late Rev. Franklin “Bailey” Phelps, died Dec. 25, 2014, at Asbury Village in Gaithersburg. The Rev. Harold Bell-Wright officiated at a service in Jefferson Funeral Chapel Dec. 30, and the Rev. James Miller officiated at a memorial service Jan. 17...
When Christmas Day Is Dawning When Christmas Day is dawning, I wish that I could be There by the manger cradle , God’s Son, new born , to see. How kind of you, our savior, for us to come to earth O may we not by sinning, despise your lowly birth. We need you, O Lord Jesus, to be our...
The Rev. Charles Donophan, 81, a retired Elder, died Dec. 23, 2014, at a Salisbury, Maryland, Nursing Home. A funeral service was held there Dec. 30 and one at Barretts Chapel in Frederica, Delaware, Dec. 31. Born in Frederica, he was the son of the late John Lewis Donophan and Geneva Austin...
The Rev. Ronald Carr, a retired Elder and the husband of retired Elder, the Rev. Arlene Carr, died from Alzheimer’s disease Dec. 18, 2014, in Melbourne, Florida. Ronald L. Carr was born Jan. 27, 1933, in Austin, Pa., to Milan Carr and Vida Earle Carr. He served in the Air Force for seven...
Artist and his dog inspire D.C. church to new ministry By Erik Alsgaard UMConnection Staff In 2008, Craig Nelsen, an artist and resident of Washington, D.C., experienced the tragedy of loneliness. A neighbor in his apartment building, David, took his own life and no one noticed for days. It...
There’s a fine line between sharing and vanity By Alison Burdett UMConnection Staff Vanity is a hard thing to avoid in this age of social media. A friend of mine has never created a Facebook page because, he said, it’s used too much for vanity. My immediate reaction was, “No...
