To be people of Easter, resurrected people, is to live outside of fear. No threat of violence – physical, emotional, or otherwise – can compromise our sense of right and wrong. Life is not dependent on the whims of those who persecute us. Our life is built on the love of God. This is the message of Easter. As we live with this certainty, we will be people of the Resurrection.

At their April meeting in Nairobi, board members of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) approved a one-time distribution of $4 million from agency reserve funds in support of the 11 United Methodist-related Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States.

With $4 million in funding approved by the board of directors at their spring meeting, the new grant program centers on institutional development and contextual education beyond the U.S.

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Paine College is experiencing a renewal, thanks in part to the enduring support of The United Methodist Church’s Black College Fund, which leaders say has been essential to both the UM-related Historically Black College and University’s (HBCU) survival and mission.

Easter! In the Christian tradition, the season of Easter (or Eastertide) begins on Easter Sunday and runs for 50 days ending on the Sunday after Pentecost. For me, this is good news. For the 40 days of Lent, we have been in self-examination, often finding ways in which we fall short. Eastertide is also filled with self-reflection, but as a celebration of who we have become. Eastertide is a celebration of transformation.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — For Philander Smith University President Dr. Maurice Gipson, support from The United Methodist Church, its General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM), and the Black College Fund is essential. “I look at those funds as our version of state support,” Gipson said. “Without the support, there would be critical infrastructure activity we’d be unable to do.”

Rev. Justin Colón, chaplain at Robinson School in San Juan, a missionary-founded girls’ school that has grown into an international, English-speaking co-ed prep school, says his work with students is grounded in a steady sense of hope shaped by his faith.

As I read the events of the last supper, I can’t help but notice the reaction of the disciples to the news that one of them would betray Jesus. They didn’t all look to Judas, pointing a finger at the obvious culprit. One by one, each questioned: Is it I, Lord? Could it be me?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — “Meharry [Medical College] was birthed, reared in and now sustained by our faith. Methodists came together to create something special,” said Dr. James Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry. “It allows our students to worship God through service.”

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) of The United Methodist Church has awarded a $975,000 capacity building grant to support Gammon Theological Seminary’s work toward independent accreditation and long term sustainability.