Daily Digest - April 21, 2025

UM News Digest - April 21, 2025

Bishop Wilke, beloved Bible study creator, dies
United Methodists remember Pope Francis
Working for safe water as engineer and deacon

“If I were to say anything to The United Methodist Church, it would be that the gift my father gave was an absolute focus on loving Jesus.” — Sarah Wilke, Bishop Richard Byrd Wilke’s youngest daughter.

Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News

Bishop Wilke, beloved Bible study creator, dies
WINFIELD, Kan. (UM News) — Bishop Richard Byrd Wilke, a retired United Methodist bishop and developer of the popular Disciple Bible Study series, died April 20, Easter Sunday. He was 94. The bishop, who helped millions of people delve deeper into Scripture, was also a voice for LGBTQ inclusion in The United Methodist Church. Heather Hahn and Nancy Kruh have the obituary.

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Great Plains Conference: Remembering Bishop Wilke

United Methodist Bishop Mary Ann Swenson greets Pope Francis in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2018, during the commemoration of the World Council of Churches’ 70th anniversary. File photo by Albin Hillert, World Council of Churches.

United Methodists remember Pope Francis
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodists around the world are mourning the passing of Pope Francis and acknowledging the special relationship between the Catholic Church and The United Methodist Church. “Pope Francis challenged and inspired Methodists and Catholics to move beyond ecumenical dialogue to be a pilgrim people walking and working together, particularly in care of creation, migration and human fraternity,” said the Rev. Matthew Laferty, director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome. Jim Patterson has the story.

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UM News: Pope delighted with John Wesley bobblehead

To download Earth Day graphic, click here

Holston Conference
Working for safe water as engineer and deacon
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Rev. Caroline Archer remembers the first time she felt the call to serve as a minister of clean water. She was a junior in high school on a mission trip to Nicaragua. Today, Archer is pursuing a unique ministry as a United Methodist deacon with a full-time job as a water engineer. Annette Spence has this Earth Day feature.
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Northern Illinois Conference
Church gives rescue vehicles new life
GLENVIEW, Ill. — The Rev. Marilyn Robb, a retired elder who worships at Glenview United Methodist Church, was reading a mailing from Midwest Mission when she saw a notice that intrigued her. The organization accepts used firetrucks, firefighting gear and equipment, and ambulances in good shape and ships them to Guatemalan towns that need them. Robb thought that Glenview’s Mission Team would like to participate and she got to work. Midwest Mission and Victoria Rebeck have the story.
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The Associated Press
Members bear cross where LA fires burned
LOS ANGELES — Carrying a tall wooden cross on his shoulder, the Rev. John Shaver walked down the street where his church had stood just three months ago. On Good Friday, Shaver and a handful of community members gathered at the site of what had been Community United Methodist Church. Shaver also remembered 85-year-old Annette Rossilli, one of the 29 people killed in the fires. Deepa Bharath reports.
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UM News: Wildfires claim life of United Methodist

KCAL-CBS
Easter has special meaning for Altadena church
ALTADENA, Calif. — Despite losing their church in the Eaton Fire, members of Altadena United Methodist Church gathered Sunday for their annual Easter tradition. Lauren Pozen reports on how celebrating Christ’s resurrection has special meaning for the congregants this year.
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UM News includes in the Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not UM News staff.

Wespath
Wespath focuses on long-term results
GLENVIEW, Ill. — For those uneasy about stock market losses that followed tariffs the U.S. imposed on other countries, Johara Farhadieh, chief investment officer at Wespath Benefits and Investments, has issued a reminder that long-term results are more important than daily fluctuations in the stock market. “I want to assure you that Wespath anticipates and prepares for market volatility,” she said.
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Support UM News on World Press Freedom Day
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For 85 years, UM News has been telling the story of God’s work in the world through The United Methodist Church. In an increasingly divided world, sharing these stories of faith and hope is more important than ever. In honor of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, help UM News reach its $10,000 goal to ensure that fair, faithful and trusted reporting remains free and accessible for all.
Support UM News

United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy
3 new bishops explore ‘New United Methodism’
CENTENNIAL, Colo. — Highlighting “The New United Methodism: Celebration & Challenges,” a webinar set for 4 p.m. U.S. Mountain time May 5 will focus on the vision and voices of recently elected United Methodist bishops from the United States, Africa and Europe. The keynote speakers are Mountain Sky Area Bishop Kristin Stoneking, Nigeria Area Bishop Ande Emmanuel, who also leads mission districts in Senegal and Cameroon, and Nordic-Baltic-Ukraine Area Bishop Knut Refsdal.
To register