Asbury Creating Church Planting Master's Degree

WTVQ-TV in Lexington produced a story about Asbury Creating Church Planting Master's Degree and Rosario Picardo, Pastor of Embrace Church, was one of the sources quoted in the story.  Rosario said, “New churches are willing to take risks,” Picardo said. “And wanting to reach people who are not in the church. And that's the goal and that's always been the goal.” To see the whole story and/or to watch the video, click here.    ...

24 Years of Making a Camp a Home

Click on the blue links within the story to see short video clips of the interview with Lee Padgett. A sign at the entrance to Aldersgate Camp and Retreat Center says, “Welcome Home.” The words became a motto of the camp after a pastor’s son commented on how he really didn’t know where to call home since he had moved around so much. “Aldersgate has never moved,” he said. “It’s home. It feels like home because it’s the one consistent place...

Berea UMC Responds to Community's Need

On Sunday, May 2nd the Disaster Response team at Berea UMC was active. That night one church family was evacuated through waste deep water, and on Monday morning the team began working with those impacted to remove standing water from their living spaces, basements and crawlspaces. Berea UMC was able to supply a generator and fuel to one family for several days. They also supplied dehumidifiers and fans to homeowners to begin the drying out...

Nicholasville's Manna Ministries Featured in Video Bible Study

Through its Manna Meals ministry, Nicholasville United Methodist Church (Lexington District) has provided thousands of restaurant quality meals to community residents. The meal is served each Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The church started this ministry in 2008. Around 100 volunteers help throughout the year, and various churches, businesses, and organizations donate food and money. Manna Ministries is featured in a video from a PREPOSTEROUS Bible study on discipleship. The focus of...

Sharing Christ's Love at Thriller Parade

Over the past four years Embrace UMC (Lexington District) has joined the folks of downtown Lexington for the Michael Jackson Thriller parade sharing glow sticks, hot chocolate, and the love of Christ. This year they handed out little flashlights with the Embrace logo on them. The parade started at the Kentucky Theatre on Main Street, one of two locations where Embrace gathers for worship on Sunday mornings. What a perfect opportunity to have thousands of people pass by the church’s...

Trunk or Treat 2012 at The Lyric Theatre

On Wednesday, October 31, 2012, Nia Community of Faith hosted 250 children and their parents for their first “Trunk or Treat” event. Held at the historic Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center of Lexington, Kentucky, the event provided children living in the East End community of Lexington with a safe place to trunk or treat. Games, food, music, face painting, and an invitation to be guests at the Nia Worship Experience, which takes place at the theater on Sundays at 10:00 a.m.,...

Nia Community of Faith Launches New Worship Experience

"It’s All Connected" and Romans 8:28 were the theme and scripture of the sermon at the Nia Worship Experience this past Sunday at 10:00 a.m. While the attendance goal throughout the launch period has been to have 50 people in attendance at each service, we had 62 people in attendance at the launch service at the Lyric Theatre yesterday, many of whom were first-time guests. While we celebrate the success, we are continuously focusing on evangelizing our...

2012 Embrace UMC 5K

Despite the cold drizzle and rain that started the day, there were still quite a few participants who turned out to take part in the Embrace Your City 5K Run/Walk. Approximately 150 people pre-registered and approximately 20 people registered on site for today's event. The race started at 8:00 a.m., undeterred by the rain.  Runners and walkers alike started down the path in Coldstream Park in Lexington, KY. Luke Murray placed first overall and first male overall in under 20...

"Safe Sanctuary Sunday" Helps Church Focus on Being Safe Haven for Children

On Sunday, July 22, Winchester Trinity UMC (Lexington District) celebrated our first “Safe Sanctuary Sunday.” Like many churches we were frustrated with the minimal attendance at our various Safe Sanctuary trainings. Before July 22, we had only 15 people from our church with background checks and Safe Sanctuary training. In response to this, the worship team decided to dedicate an entire Sunday morning to making our congregation aware of the Safe Sanctuary Policy, as well as making...

St. Luke UMC Launches a Weekly Multicultural Worship Service

St. Luke United Methodist Church (Lexington District) launched a multicultural worship service on February 19, 2012. The service included scripture readings in languages representing Kenya, Senegal, the Congo, Bhutan, Nigeria and Ethiopia. Rev. Harun Gatobu, pastor of multicultural ministries, is originally from Kenya, he will preach and lead the weekly services.  After nearly three years of planning, including 15 months of monthly multipurpose gatherings, the day was what...

Manna Meals Ministry Going Strong and Growing

Manna Meals is a weekly meal that is served in the Community Center of Nicholasville United Methodist Church (Lexington District).  The meal is served every Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Diners are seated at tables and are waited on by servers. Their meal is delivered to their table on real plates. Each meal is a restaurant quality, well-balanced meal. The meal was begun to try to alleviate some of the hunger in our county and show God’s love to those in need. The meal...

Wesley Village Small Home "a Bold and Compassionate Approach" to Memory Care

“A bold and compassionate approach…” Those were the words that Governor Steven Beshear used in describing the new and innovative plan for care that the Wesley Village in Wilmore has implemented with their new Small Home, the Holloway Cottage. On September 28, 2011, Governor Beshear, Bishop Lindsey Davis, and several other dignitaries and invited guests gathered for the dedication of Wesley Village’s Small Home – the first one in the state of Kentucky. Over 300...

September 11, 2011 a Day of New Starts

September 11, 2011 was the 10th anniversary of a day of infamy, a day of death and destruction. But one of the tenets of the Christian faith is our belief in resurrection, rebirth - a new life. To that belief, on this tenth anniversary of those tragic events, the Kentucky Conference will now also remember that day as one of "new life." It is with great pleasure and the highest praise that on September 11, 2011 the Kentucky Annual Conference chartered one new church, Embrace UMC in...

AC 2011 New Church Starts Video - Embrace

To see more videos that were shown at  the 2011 Annual Conference click here.    ...

AC 2011 New Church Starts Video - Andover

To see more videos that were shown at  the 2011 Annual Conference click here.  ...

AC 2011 New Church Starts Video - First Fire

To see more videos that were shown at  the 2011 Annual Conference click here.  ...

AC 2011 New Church Starts Video - Hope Springs

To see more videos that were shown at  the 2011 Annual Conference click here.    ...

Hope Springs: 10 Years and Other Numbers that Count

At the 2000 session of the Kentucky Annual Conference in Bowling Green, Bishop Robert Morgan appointed David Calhoun to “New Church Lexington.” The new church would eventually find a name and an exciting future as Hope Springs Community Church was born. During the first nine months in Lexington, this “parachute drop” of a church plant grew from 5 (the Calhoun family) to 9 (the first meeting of interested “missionaries” in the Calhoun living room in July 2000)...

Change the World Weekend: Berea

Over 1,600 churches participated around the world in community outreach projects May 14-15. Berea UMC (Lexington District) coordinated two days of community outreach projects. Fifty-two volunteers complete projects at 10 different locations.  Sixteen of our participants were under 18 years old. Our great support team provided meals and assisted with registration. Projects included rebuilding a fence, clearing a fence row, fixing and cleaning gutters, cutting and stacking firewood,...

Adventures in Church Planting

My First Recruit…Well Kinda My life and ministry experiences gave me a unique skill set and desire for church planting. My skills were developed while working at my first appointment at The Rock La Roca in every role from pastor to custodian. My heart for church planting was fostered through experiences that had left me a broken man. I had found healing in my brokenness through my relationship with Christ, and I wanted other broken people to experience the same healing I found. This...