Six months ago, we celebrated the announcement of a five-year grant from The Duke Endowment to support the creation of new United Methodist Faith Communities and the strengthening of existing congregations within the North Carolina and Western North Carolina Conferences of The United Methodist Church. Over the next five years, $5.25 million will be invested in each conference to provide vital resources to help address the challenges posed by recent disaffiliations and continue to spread the message of Jesus’ love and radical hospitality, welcoming all of God’s children to gather in communion with Jesus Christ.
Since May, several new initiatives have begun or have continued, thanks to the generosity of The Duke Endowment.
The United Methodist (UM) Collective of North Carolina continues to welcome and provide connection and care for people who have been displaced or disconnected due to a local church’s choice to disaffiliate. Since October 2022, over 860 people have chosen to transfer their church membership to the UM Collective. Over 150 people from the UM Collective have already found a new United Methodist Church home and have become members of their new church family. Nearly 100 more people have shared with us that they are actively visiting local United Methodist Churches in person and looking for ways to connect and become more involved. Many more are still grieving the loss of their church home and are seeking the next step in their discipleship journey. We are so thankful for the three UM Collective chaplains who are regularly reaching out to offer care and connection on behalf of our whole conference.
Since the beginning of 2023, 110 United Methodist churches have made the intentional decision to become official Lighthouse Congregations of the NC Conference. These churches are spread across all eight of our districts and are committed to offering radical hospitality to those seeking to follow Jesus through their connection to a local United Methodist Church. Many of our Lighthouse Congregations are serving as beacons of hope and hospitality for people looking for a new church home while renewing their commitment to Wesleyan practices of worship, discipleship, mission, sacrament, and pastoral care. Several clergy and lay leaders of these lighthouse congregations are gathering on Zoom monthly to share best practices and to celebrate the ways the Holy Spirit is moving to welcome new people to gather in communion with Jesus Christ.
In addition to the UM Collective and our Lighthouse Congregations initiative, three local communities are experiencing new life and are welcoming people who might otherwise experience a UMC desert.
In Washington, NC, Ware’s Chapel UMC was our very first Lighthouse Congregation and has served as a beacon of hope and hospitality for many people in the greater Washington area. Over 40 new people have joined the church since the beginning of the year, with many more active visitors expected to join later this year. The church is welcoming children and youth and seeing growth in multi-generational discipleship and mission.
In Currituck County, Moyock UMC is seeing a resurgence of activity and connection with young children in their community. The church itself is once again feeling safe and connected to one another as they seek to follow God’s vision for engagement in their community.
In Bladen County, Grace UMC became our newest church plant. Grace UMC (Elizabethtown), while worshiping at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, has already welcomed 52 new members and has partnered with other United Methodist Churches and ecumenical partners to bear witness to God’s love in their community and in our world. The Bladen Journal also recognized Grace UMC as the readers’ choice for Best Church 2023 in Bladen County.
Finally, in October, 53 United Methodist churches in the North Carolina Conference received micro-grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 to encourage and strengthen these UM congregations. Many of these congregations were deeply wounded by disaffiliation votes and yet are experiencing new life and hope. These churches are giving birth to new initiatives and strengthening their commitment to hospitality and welcome toward one another and members of their communities. We are hearing stories of neighbors and friends returning to church after decades of absence and others discovering a church home for the very first time.
In the first year, The Duke Endowment made approximately ten percent of the total grant available for part-time and full-time salary support for chaplains and pastors and for micro-grants to United Methodist churches in the North Carolina Conference to help make these initiatives possible.
We are excited to continue and expand much of this great work in 2024 as we give thanks for our vital partnership with The Duke Endowment and the grace of God, which continues to lead and sustain us.