Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4 NIV
We are grateful for all of you who support Women’s Ministry in your local churches and in our wonderful Upper Midwest Conference!
GENERAL CONFERENCE 2026 was awesome! It is going to take a few months to process and share so many amazing experiences with you.
This month, I want to let you know of legislative actions taken that directly impact women and families. I served in the Social Witness legislative group. We engaged in hours of deep, meaningful dialog as we discerned how to lovingly communicate the beliefs of the Global Methodist Church to an increasingly hostile and secular world. The Holy Spirit moved through our discussions, which were respectful and productive. In the end, we were able to outline fifteen simple affirmations intended to inspire, not regulate, as they point us to living as Christ’s salt and light around the globe. The affirmations we dealt with involved the sanctity of life, assisted suicide, workers’ rights, the biblical understanding of marriage, and God’s intentional design for sexual wholeness and gender identity. The beautiful sentiment stated in this last affirmation says, “While affirming a scriptural view of sexuality and gender, we welcome all to experience the redemptive grace of Jesus. We are committed to being a safe place of refuge, hospitality, and healing for any who may have experienced brokenness in their sexual lives.”
You can read a more detailed summary of the Social Witness legislation written by our Committee Chairperson, Chappell Temple, for the September 15th edition of Firebrand.
