GC 2004

Church Leadership
Participants in the 2025 United Methodist Church Deacons Gathering sing during opening worship at the Upper Room Chapel in Nashville, Tenn. From left are the Rev. Shannon Howard, the Rev. Tina Marie Rees, the Rev. Sherry Brady and Candace Brady. A focus of the event was deacons’ new sacramental authority approved at last year’s General Conference. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Deacons explore new sacramental authority

United Methodist deacons are discussing best practices now that General Conference has approved their new responsibility to preside at baptism and communion “when contextually appropriate.”
General Church
Bishop Bruce P. Blake. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS

Giving ‘til it heals

If he hadn’t mentioned it, no one would have noticed that Bishop Bruce Blake was wearing moccasins.
General Church
Jay Williams is an advocate for human rights in Sudan. UMNS photo by Mike DuBose

2008 General Conference will feature youth address

The value of the voices of youth and young adults was affirmed when the 2004 General Conference voted overwhelmingly to add an address by a young person to the agenda for the 2008 General Conference.
General Church
The Spiritual Image choir from Melrose United Methodist Church, San Leandro, Calif., sings during morning worship on May 7, final day of the denomination's 2004 General Conference in Pittsburgh. A UMNS photo by Mike DuBose.

Bishop Calls Life a Song ‘Waiting to Be Sung’

Bishop Rhymes H. Moncure, Jr. took a little liberty with the lyrics of a Jim Forbes’ song to communicate the idea that people’s lives are like songs waiting to be sung.

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now
Loading

United Methodist Communications is an agency of The United Methodist Church

©2025 United Methodist Communications. All Rights Reserved