August Prayer Points

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Prayer Points for August:

  • Blow a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit in the churches throughout the Northeast and the entire GM Church to inspire passionate worship.
  • Plant the desire and opportunities to love extravagantly in our families, churches, communities, world, and online through social media.
  • Prepare the space where the Convening General Conference will be held in September in Cost Rica and unify the delegates to work together to shape the GM Church as God desires.
  • Bless and sustain the Northeast Conference Cabinet (Presiding Elders and President Pro Tem) and the appointments process for churches seeking pastors and pastors seeking appointments.
  • Give clear direction to the GM Church Transitional Leadership Council to finish well and prepare for General Conference and to steer the denomination into a fruitful future.
  • Give patience, stamina, and hope to those UMC churches and clergy who are praying for a new day as they discern aligning with the GM Church.
  • Raise up your people from across the Conference and world to find ways to plant new churches in new places to reach the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Open Prayer Meeting – August 27

Open Prayer Meetings are held at 7pm on the 4th Tuesday of the month.

All are welcome!

August 27, 7:00 pm

Join Zoom Prayer Meeting
https://tinyurl.com/NE-GMC-Open-Prayer-Meeting
Meeting ID: 897 4134 9144
Passcode: 562319

Devotional by Rev. Joseph Saunders

Who are you?

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, found in Luke 18: 9-14, is a familiar Parable to many of us where we see the contrasting ways that two people pray. The Pharisee is full of pride and self-righteousness, while the Tax Collector recognizes his sin and unworthiness before God. Both men are sinners; however, their focus is different. The Pharisee thanks God that he is not like others, whose sins he is quick to describe, instead sharing how he fasts and tithes. By comparison, the Tax Collector beats his chest and asks God to be merciful to him, a sinner. He makes no excuses and compares himself to no one. He comes to God feeling unworthy because of his sin, expresses his regret and repents.

In Luke 23:47-49 we encounter observers to the death of Jesus. The centurion proclaims “Surely, this was a righteous man” and the crowds beat their chest as they realize the tragedy of what occurred, many of them having been Jesus’ accusers. This day, their lives changed.

Are you the Pharisee, the Tax Collector or the Observer? Do you focus on the sins of others, not acknowledging your own? Do you recognize your sin and cry out to God for forgiveness? Or do you see the tragedy after it seems to be too late?

Jesus wants us to know that this is where we begin: recognizing our unworthiness before God because we are all sinners desperately in need of forgiveness. If you have never prayed “Forgive me for I am a sinner”, today is the day. It is not too late. You do not need eloquent words, you simply need to be like the Tax Collector: a broken man seeking a moment of holy grace with a loving God.

A Special Invitation

The Prayer Committee of the Transitional Commission on Convening General Conference (TCCGC) is excited to invite you to participate in a special season of prayer and fasting in preparation for our upcoming historic Convening General Conference. This intentional period of dedicated prayer and fasting designed to empower the Lord’s work through the Global Methodist Church, as we unite around the theme of the Convening General Conference: “So the World Will Know.” This initiative offers an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate our collective dependence on the Lord’s empowerment to fuel our movement.

We also encourage regional gatherings for prayer, which can be held individually, corporately, or even as concerts of prayer, both in person or electronically.

Prayer Guides for Convening General Conference

sotheworldwillknow.org/pray

Mr. Arthur Kendall

Chief Financial Officer

Art Kendall Bio

David Watson

David F. Watson is Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He has authored or edited a number of publications, including Key United Methodist Beliefs (with William J. Abraham), Wesley, Wesleyans, and Reading Bible as Scripture (edited with Joel B. Green) and has written a variety of articles and book chapters. His most recent book is Scripture and the Life of God: Why the Bible Matters Today More than Ever (Seedbed, 2017).  At present he is working on a book on Methodism and the Bible. He serves as Lead Editor of Firebrand and is one of the hosts of the Firebrand Podcast. 

David is an elder in the Global Methodist Church and serves on its Transitional Leadership Council. He and his family attend Stillwater Church in Dayton, Ohio.

Ms. Emily Allen

Emily Allen is the Coordinator of Worship at Asbury Theological Seminary where she is a current MDiv student, planning to graduate in 2025. She is a 2020 graduate of Houghton University with her Bachelor of Arts in Theology and a minor in Biblical Studies.

Emily is passionate about worshiping Jesus and raising up leaders in the church to do the same. Her favorite part of her job is working collaboratively with the 15 person Chapel Intern Team, as together they learn the theology of worship and plan Chapel services. She also has interest in the fields of spiritual formation and discipleship, church music, outdoor leadership, and all things British!

Emily currently resides in Wilmore, KY but calls Penn Yan, New York home. She is “To Be Ordained”Deacon in the Northeast Provisional Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church.

Rev. Steven Taylor

Rev. Steven Taylor serves as the President Pro Tem of the Northeast Provisional Annual Conference. Steve has been a follower of Jesus his whole life, but felt Gods call on his life when he was 12 and again at age 28. He’s been a Methodist pastor for over 20 years, ordained as an elder in 2011. In March 2020, Steve became a founding member of the GMC’s Transitional Leadership Council, helping to shape and steer the new world-wide Methodist denomination.

Steve grew up in Lancaster, NY and was baptized, confirmed, and heard his call to ministry through the Methodist Church and Christian camping. Steve holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from SUNY ESF and a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. Prior to answering the call to pastoral ministry, Steve worked for 10 years at an international consulting firm as a professional environmental engineer. He has served on The Confessing Movement Board of Directors, the regional Wesleyan Covenant Association board, and multiple leadership teams. Steve and his wife, Stacy, have two grown and married children, two grandchildren and one due in May 2024, and now reside in Syracuse, New York. Steve enjoys flying his drone, disc golfing, hiking, archery hunting, motorcycle riding, and spending lots of time with family.

Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory

Dr. Leah Hidde-Gregory currently serves as the President Pro Tempore for the Global Methodist Church’s Mid Texas Annual Conference. After 30 years in the United Methodist Church, she became an Elder with the Global Methodist Church in June of 2022. During her ministry she has served as a laywoman in the Oklahoma Conference, as a pastor in the North Texas Conference and the Central Texas Conference.  Before leaving the UMC, she sat on the Central Texas Cabinet of the UMC as a District Superintendent for six years, including serving as Dean of the Cabinet for five years.

Leah has a heart and a passion for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.  She has spent much of her ministry in church revitalization, revival and church growth.  She is excited about the Global Methodist Church and the orthodox witness which is being awakened within our congregations as they discern their next faithful step.

She holds a Doctorate in Ministry in Church Leadership Excellence from Wesley Theological in Washington, D.C.; a Master of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology; and a bachelor’s in psychology and sociology from Texas A&M Commerce.   She is married to partner in ministry, Stan.  They have two daughters and sons-in-law and a son Will who is still at home.

Rev. Dr. Steve Cordle

Rev. Dr. Steve Cordle is the founding and lead pastor of Crossroads Church, a cell-based congregation with four locations in the Pittsburgh metro area.

He is also the Executive Director of The River Network International, a non-profit dedicated to starting and strengthening churches around the world. He also coaches pastors and church planters.

He is the author of three books: The Church in Many Houses; Hear It, See It, Risk It; and A Jesus-Shaped Life.

Steve was named Outstanding Doctoral Alumnus at United Theological Seminary and is a winner of the Denman Award for evangelism. He chaired the Church Multiplication Task Force for the Wesleyan Covenant Association.

Cordle is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and attended high school in Brussels, Belgium. It was there that he came to faith in Christ and sensed a call to ministry.

In his spare time, Steve likes to play softball, run, play classical piano, and cheer on any Pittsburgh sports team.

Cordle is a graduate of Wittenberg University (BME), Asbury Theological Seminary (MDiv), and United Theological Seminary (DMin).

Steve and his wife Linda have three grown sons, three daughters-in-love, and five grandchildren.

Bishop Mark Webb

Mark J. Webb currently serves as a bishop in The Global Methodist Church.

He was elected a bishop in The United Methodist Church and consecrated on July 20, 2012, at the Northeast Jurisdictional Conference. Mark served as the episcopal leader of the Upper New York Area of the United Methodist Church from September 1, 2012, until December 31, 2022. On January 2, 2023, he was received as an elder and bishop in The Global Methodist Church.

Mark holds a M. Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Shippensburg University. He also holds a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Connecticut.

He served pastorates at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Mechanicsburg, Pa. from 1994-2007, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, Wormleysburg, Pa. from 1991-1994, and Linglestown United Methodist Church from 1989-1991. He served as District Superintendent of the York District of the Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church from 2007-2012.

Mark currently serves as a Trustee of United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.

He received the Harry Denman Evangelism Award in 2002 and in 2018, was named as one of the top 100 leaders by the John C. Maxwell Transformational Leadership Award.

Mark encourages clergy and laity to work together in the development of discipleship pathways that will point people to Jesus Christ and bear fruit for the kingdom of God. He has a passion for Christ-following leadership development, new faith communities and ensuring existing congregations grow in vitality and fulfill the mission of “making disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly and witness boldly”.

He is a native of Williamsport, Pa., and is married to Jodi. Mark and Jodi live in Lititz, PA and have two sons, Tyler, who is married to Lyndsay and Benjamin, who is married to Mary.

Bishop Emeritus Young Jin Cho

Young Jin Cho (Bishop Emeritus) graduated from the Methodist Theological Seminary in Seoul, Korea (Th. B. and Th. M.) and came to the United States in 1979 and continued to study at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. (M. Div. and D. Min.). He was transferred to the Virginia Annual Conference in 1983 and served the Korean UMC of Greater Washington in N. Virginia for 22 years.

During his tenure the church grew into the largest United Methodist congregation in the Virginia Conference measured by worship attendance. In 2005 he was appointed to District Superintendent of the Arlington District, serving in that capacity for 7 years and overseeing the planting of several new faith communities. He was elected and consecrated as Bishop in the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference in 2012. He served the Virginia Annual Conference for four years and retired in 2016. His consistent message had been “No Spiritual Vitality, No vital Congregation.”

In retirement Bishop Emeritus Cho remains engaged in ministry and mission. From 2019 to 2022 he helped three Korean congregations as an interim pastor and has been serving as a co-mentor of the Bishop Cho Scholars (D. Min. Program) at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He is also involved with Durihana Mission, which works with North Korean refugees in the United States.

Bishop Emeritus Cho has been married to Kiok Cho (Retired Deacon) for 48 years, and they have three adult children, Grace, Sophia and Chris and two grandchildren, Luke and Lily.