by Sam Duenckel | May 19, 2026 | Ministry Toolbox, News, Virginia News
Your church is active in the community. People talk about it at school board meetings, mention it in local news stories, and sometimes it shows up in places you never expected. The question is: are you the last to know?Setting up a Google Alert for your congregation...
by Sam Duenckel | May 6, 2026 | AC2026, Ministry Toolbox, News, Virginia News
As an Annual Conference lay member, there is a responsibility to report back from the Annual Conference session to their local church soon after the event. But what do you report back?In a room of over 2,000 clergy and lay members, and over the course of three days,...
by Sam Duenckel | Apr 27, 2026 | Ministry Toolbox, News, Virginia News
Written by: Dwayne Stinson and Rev. Jason StanleyOften, when we speak of God’s call, we imagine Moses standing, awestruck, by the burning bush (Exodus 3), Samuel hearing God’s audible voice calling in the night (1 Samuel 3), or Mary’s visitation by an angel sharing...
by Sam Duenckel | Apr 22, 2026 | Belonging & Advocacy, Ministry Toolbox, News, Virginia News
By: Lan Davis Wilson “Justice is what love looks like in public.” – Dr. Cornel West. As followers of Christ, and particularly as United Methodist, we have a duty to uphold in the work of resisting evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they may present. ...
by Sam Duenckel | Apr 14, 2026 | Ministry Toolbox, News, Virginia News
Preparing Our Hearts and Homes for Hurricane Season As spring turns to summer in Virginia, we also enter a season that asks something important of us: hurricane preparedness. Living in Virginia, we know that storms can come quickly and unexpectedly. Some bring only...
by Sam Duenckel | Apr 6, 2026 | Ministry Toolbox, News, Virginia News
Every spring, our congregations have the opportunity to pause and honor the young people who are stepping into new chapters of life. Whether someone is walking across a high school stage, completing a college degree, or finishing a vocational or technical program,...