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Alante Thomas knows his mission in The United Methodist Church is a challenging one. As a young Black man, he wants to be in a leadership role one day — a path that might not always be easy in a mainly white denomination. According to the Religious Landscape Study by the Pew Research Center — […]

As a mother of three with a full-time job at Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, Victoria “Tori” Edwards knows that time is a precious commodity. But that didn’t stop her from pursuing her calling. “Growing up in a fundamentalist Baptist church, I was always told I would make a great pastor’s wife,” she

One of Madelyn deVega’s earliest ministry experiences is also her most memorable. One early morning, she was helping with the Open Arms relief ministry at Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa, where her father, the Rev. Magrey deVega, is senior pastor. While serving food, she made a mistake and was chastised by one of the patrons.

During the past 18 months, the pandemic has put unprecedented pressure on church professionals, amplified the demands of ministry and stretched already strained resources. Coupled with that reality is the fact many clergy have been forced to implement and run technologies they are neither trained in nor paid to facilitate. “Folks are just so stressed,”

The Florida United Methodist Foundation is revising its investment options for church and agency investors, effective July 1. It’s the second phase of the foundation’s transition to new investment consultant CAPTRUST Financial Advisors. Investors will still have three fund choices, but they will now include a new long-term fund designed to meet the investment needs of churches

As the pandemic slowly begins to loosen its grip in the United States, the economic reality is still having an impact across the Florida Conference. Like many businesses, restaurants and schools, United Methodist churches are maneuvering and making adjustments to contend with the ongoing effects of COVID-19. Some have emerged with a few battle scars

When my teenaged daughter was at fault in a car wreck, five people sought representation from personal injury attorneys. I recognized them from the billboards along Interstate-4. The settlement conference could have been a nightmare. Fortunately, my family’s insurance plan provided adequate coverage that included umbrella insurance, which covers assets at risk in a lawsuit. It

The Florida United Methodist Foundation has switched to CAPTRUST Financial Advisors to assist in managing its investment funds, effective April 1. DiMeo Schneider and Associates Inc., a Chicago-based investment company, had been advising on the funds since 2014. The change was made to help Florida Conference churches and affiliated agencies that invest in the funds achieve

For many, retirement is a time of excitement and anxiety. That’s something the Rev. Dr. Luz Maldonado understands well. “I know for sure, when I retire, everything is going to change, financially especially,” she said. Maldonado has been a pastor for 36 years — a journey that began in Puerto Rico, where she served for

The Rev. Jeff Bennett could tell you a thing or two — or even three — about the Florida United Methodist Foundation. That’s because the pastor at First United Methodist Church in Stuart has taken advantage of the foundation’s financial programs in three ways — for his church and on a personal level. As both