A new #BeUMC online toolkit has launched to assist church leaders in creating engagement in their church communities focused on the work of the Holy Spirit being done through the people of The United Methodist Church. Resources include inspiring ideas and practical suggestions, worship and preaching aids, communication tools, informative research, and more.
In the North Carolina Conference, we have developed a #BeUMC page on our website that will share these resources, stories of engagement from laity and clergy across our Conference, studies and other resources from the Media Center, and monthly themes and content ideas to share how we as Wesleyan people are working to #BeUMC!
#BeUMC is a grassroots effort built upon powerful stories of congregations and individuals living their faith while celebrating what draws people to The United Methodist Church and what United Methodists collectively aspire to be. It calls people to embrace their Wesleyan Heritage and envision a promising future in which members play an active role.
The campaign is consistent with the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church’s “A Narrative for the Continuing United Methodist Church,” adopted in November 2021. The narrative speaks to the excitement, enthusiasm, and hopes for the future of the denomination that are shared amongst United Methodists.
The United Methodist Church is founded on a Wesleyan theology of grace, anchored in Scripture and based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and the continuing movement of the Holy Spirit. The #BeUMC initiative’s overall messaging highlights these core tenets and their related core values that unite United Methodists:
- Disciple-Making – United Methodists draw from being faithful and deeply rooted people as they embrace the mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world in the tradition of John Wesley.
- Belonging and Inclusion- All belong and will be loved in the United Methodist Church. All will be heard, respected, and engaged. All will be free to develop their personal relationship with God and to serve fully in the ministry of Jesus Christ. This tenet is lived out by being diverse, justice-seeking, and resilient people of God.
- Influence, Connection, and Impact – With more than 12 million members across the globe, United Methodists are a connected, missional and generous community who are committed to changing the world by living and sharing the grace of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. They are committed to working for global health, education, creation care, child welfare, disaster recovery, and countless other efforts.
- Experience of God through The UMC – United Methodists show their commitment to being Jesus-seeking and Spirit-filled people by embracing our triune God in personal and community relationships while transforming their lives, the lives around them, and the world.
A specific core value will be spotlighted every month. In addition to toolkit resources, United Methodist Communications is rolling out dedicated editorial content that mirrors each month’s theme to help members, leaders, and seekers to dig deeper into these values via ResourceUMC.org, UMC.org, and their social media channels.
“We invite every church member, local church, and annual conference to be a part of the campaign as they tell their own stories,” shared Jennifer Rodia, Chief Communications Officer for United Methodist Communications, the global communications agency for the denomination. “They can start by simply including the #BeUMC hashtag in their social media posts that illustrate the UMC’s mission as it is lived out within our local churches, agencies, and ministries, individual lives, and communities at large. Adding the #BeUMC frame to the profile images on their local church and/or personal Facebook accounts is another easy way to participate.”
“Building off of the initial People of God campaign, we first introduced the #BeUMC hashtag in June 2021. Early efforts have generated millions of impressions and built strong awareness of the messaging campaign,” noted Poonam Patodia, Chief Marketing Officer for United Methodist Communications. “Through collaboration and the development of the robust, user-friendly online toolkit, we’re excited to be entering the next phase of the campaign where we focus on engaging the denomination. We’re eager to see how our members personalize the initiative as they highlight how God works through The United Methodist Church in their communities. We want to hear why they are United Methodist and what makes them optimistic for the future as we move toward a more perfect church.”
Be sure to visit the #BeUMC page often and use any of the resources in your ministry. We look forward to hearing all of the ways that you work to #BeUMC!