"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

-1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Pictured above: Care Team members Barb Baker and Darlene Ross prepare to make Joy Project deliveries.

The Care Team was on the road in June spreading love through The Joy Project. Care Team members prepared bags containing treats and a Joy Jar filled with little scripture cards for recipients to take out and use when they need encouragement. Care Team member Barb Baker said, "we are just getting it off the ground, but it has been a joy for us also." Do you know someone who could benefit from a visit from our Care Team? Let us know! Want to be a part of spreading the joy? Let one of our Care Team members know!

Hello church family,

I'm grateful for the opportunity to share a few highlights from the 2026 Western PA Annual Conference, which I recently attended.

First, I want to thank you for allowing me to represent our congregation. It was a meaningful experience filled with worship, learning, and connection with fellow United Methodists from across our region.

One example of this would be, I was asked and elected to the transition team for our new conference superintendent Rev. Scott Gallagher. I will be on a team of nine who will meet monthly to help shape our new district. We will be renaming the Northern District, so if you have any creative ideas, let me know.

-----

One of the most powerful aspects of the conference was the daily worship. Gathering with hundreds of others reminded me that we are part of something much bigger than our local church.

The messages consistently centered on faith, resilience, and our calling to serve others, especially in times of change. It was both uplifting and grounding.

---

Where was the Conference Focused?

The conference addressed several important areas that shape the future of our church:

· Strengthening our mission and outreach

· Supporting clergy and lay leadership

· Responsible financial stewardship

· Responding to the needs of our communities

· Continuing to navigate changes within the broader United Methodist Church

There was a strong emphasis on being a church that is active, relevant, and present in the lives of people around us.

---

I;d like to take a few moments to talk about the jars of soil we brought back with us. As part of our pre-conference materials, each church was asked to bring a jar of soil from its own grounds. These jars were displayed in the plenary area throughout the conference. During her State of the Church address, Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball reflected on how God touched the soil and brought forth life. She spoke about the different kinds of soil and what they produce, and she also challenged us to consider the neglected or fallow ground in our lives and communities. She reminded us that we must be intentional about cultivating that ground--transforming negative patterns into new, positive ones that can bear good fruit.

We also participated in a powerful collective exercise. Each person was given a stick and invited to write down something that was preventing them from moving forward. Together, we then came forward and planted those things into pots at the front of the plenary. It was a moving experience to witness everyone participating and letting go of what holds them back.

Just as Pastor Kendra shared with us a few weeks ago, here is the soil we brought back from Jamestown, PA UMC. I also have this small heart that says, Plant me. If you would like to join me after the service out in the churchyard, we will mix this soil with our own and plant our seed heart in that shared ground.

Let us also lift that congregation in prayer, just as another church, holding Stone Church's soil, is planting and praying for us.

The lesson of this activity was to eliminate the Us vs Them and moving to living into the WE. Of course, Bishop Steiner Ball's sendoff message for this was to LOVE BOLDLY, SERVE JOYFULLY AND LEAD COURAGEOUSLY. We all need to live into that message.

---

Key Takeaways

I'd like to share a few key takeaways that I believe are especially meaningful for our congregation:

1. Community Matters More Than Ever

Churches are being called to go beyond their walls, meeting people where they are and responding to real needs like food insecurity, mental health, and isolation.

Another person who presented at conference was our own Ron Cole, the president of Allegheny College. He spoke about AC and the UMC connection. In his talk, he said education is a catalyst to make the world a better place. Wesleyan traditions woven into the process of education help to bring about ethical decision making, leading to a world empowered with justice.

2. Adaptability Is Important

The world is changing, and the church must adapt while staying rooted in faith. There's encouragement for creativity in how we worship, serve, and connect.

3. Leadership Is Everyone's Responsibility

Not just pastors, but all of us are called to lead through service, kindness, and participation.

4. Stewardship and Sustainability

We are reminded of being thoughtful and responsible with our resources so that the church can continue its mission for generations to come.

---

So, what does this mean for our church?

It means continuing to:

· Look for ways to serve our community

· Support one another in faith and fellowship

· Be open to new ideas and opportunities for ministry

· Stay connected to the larger United Methodist family

Each of us has a role to play in strengthening our church and its mission.

---

I came back from the conference encouraged and hopeful. The United Methodist Church in Western Pennsylvania is committed to moving forward with purpose, faith, and compassion.

Thank you again for your support and prayers. I'm happy to talk more with anyone who has questions or would like to hear additional details.

Let's continue to grow together in faith and service.

Thank you, Lisa Clayton

Dennis Carlson

Pat Lafferty

Nichola (Nikki) Dawn Page

Carol Page

Men's Bible Study meets in Miller Parlor at 6:45pm. Any man seeking a closer relationship with God is welcome to attend.

Upcoming meetings will be discussing the book Wild Places by George Dejong.

Please visit stoneumc.org/events/mens-bible-study for schedule details.

When you set up your giving through Tithely, you can give a one-time gift to one designated area or set up a recurring offering.  Recurring offering giving through Tithely saves you the hassle of dealing with offering envelopes each week and helps the church in its' work to plan, budget and be good financial stewards. 

Stay motivated to earn BIG all year long! Every month brings a new challenge, and a new chance to win a $500 gift card of your choice.
How it works: Between 7/1 and 7/31, each purchase from shopping online through RaiseRight scores you an entry to win a $500 gift card of your choice.

I will be out of the office from July 27 through September 7.  During this time, the office will be staffed by volunteers while I work from home.  If you need office assistance, please feel free to leave me a message at 814-724-6736 or by email at churchoffice@stoneumc.org

I will return to the office on September 8 - with a new hip and hopefully a spring in my step :) Thank you for your prayers and understanding while I recuperate! --Jen

Thank you to the members of Stone and Bethany churches who came out on June 14th to help celebrate Pastor Kendra's time in Meadville and wish her the best in her new appointment. Thank you also to SPRC and our Care Team members for hosting the meal, to all who shared their delicious homemade dishes and to the Welcoming Committee for their photo board display and Pastor's "Roast" presentation.

Please use the links below to watch a video of some of the remarks shared by our Welcoming Committee.

ADDRESS UPDATE:

The new address for Pastor Kendra Balliet after July 1, 2026 will be

Revs. Kendra & John Balliet

PO Box 364

309 S. Main St.

Harrisville PA 16038.

For more information about church activities, please visit our online calendar at stoneumc.org.

Registration is open!

EmpowHER Leadership Conference

September 28-29, 2026

Jumonville Camp & Retreat Center

The WPAUMC Discipleship Task Force is excited to invite women leaders, laity and clergy, to this leadership conference that aims to bring women together to affirm their call, build grace-filled relationships and mutual support, and equip hearts, minds, and hands to take the next faithful step in their mission and ministry. Read more and register today.

A heartfelt thanks to: All who bring joy and order to worship each Sunday morning including ushers, communion stewards, musicians, counters, florists and youth ministry volunteers; to Marie Schlosser for overseeing our UMCOR efforts at Stone and keeping track of our bucket inventory each month; to our SPRC and Care Team for the wonderful cookout luncheon for Pastor Kendra; to the Welcoming Committee Players for their entertaining program at Pastor Kendra's luncheon; to Armendia Dixon for quietly stepping in to lend a helping hand folding bulletins during a few particularly busy weeks in the office, to our secret garden crew who cleaned up and hauled off several buckets of weeds and trash from the front of the church, to our committee members and laity who serve the church, to all who join us in worship in person or online, and to all who give, pray and serve!

Pastor

Rev. Kendra Balliet

pastor@stoneumc.org

814-299-9129 cell

Office Administrator

Jennifer Royer

churchoffice@stoneumc.org

Director of Music

Jim Ross

music@stoneumc.org

© 2026 All rights reserved.

If you no longer wish to receive email notifications, please click {unsubscribe_link}.