“I hope reconciliation and healing will take place among us, and that we will continue to witness the Gospel of the Lord to the Korean community in Naperville.” — The Rev. Jung Nam Kwak, interim pastor of Naperville Korean United Methodist Church in Illinois.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Judge orders disputed church property returned
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (UM News) — The Northern Illinois Conference has resumed possession of Naperville Korean United Methodist Church’s property after a judge’s ruling, the conference announced. Church leaders said the March 21 temporary injunction is a meaningful step in moving forward from a conflict between the conference and a breakaway group that had withdrawn from the disaffiliation process required by the Book of Discipline and barred the remaining congregation from entering the church building. The Rev. Thomas E. Kim reports.
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Eastern Pennsylvania Conference
Church friendship grows from kidney donation
WEST CHESTER, Pa. — When Diane Boggess needed a second kidney transplant, her church family at Grove United Methodist Church came to the rescue. After hearing a sermon on sacrificial friendship, church member Susan Parno decided to step up as a donor. “It was the Holy Spirit who brought these two women together at Grove,” said the Rev. Gary Knerr. John W. Coleman shares their story in honor of Donate Life Living Donor Day today.
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Council of Bishops
United Methodists urged to celebrate 50 days of Easter
WASHINGTON — Council of Bishops President Thomas J. Bickerton encourages United Methodists to join in celebrating the resurrected Christ for the full 50 days of Easter. Easter faith “challenges us to believe that resurrection and new life in Christ is always available and always present for those who believe,” Bickerton writes.
Read statement
Ask The UMC: What is the Easter season for?
Holston Conference
Atheist group helps with Easter feast
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Atheist volunteers joined United Methodists in providing and serving a big Easter dinner to 110 worshippers at Magnolia United Methodist Church. “We wanted to help this church because they helped our neighbors when many others did not,” said Dustin Stout, the atheist group’s vice president. Annette Spence has the story.
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UM News: Knoxville church banks on outreach
Baltimore-Washington Conference
Remembering church and its place in racial justice
FULTON, Md. — The historic 1848 Pearl Incident, which involved escaping slaves and members of what is now Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington, illuminates the ongoing role that justice can and should play in The United Methodist Church today. Baltimore-Washington Conference staff report.
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PRESS RELEASES
Higher Education Foundation
Higher Education Foundation names top exec
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The United Methodist Higher Education Foundation has announced Phil Jamieson as its next president/chief executive officer. Jamieson has served since 2013 as president for the United Methodist Foundation for the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference and the conference’s United Methodist Development Fund. Bob Fletcher, the current president, is retiring. Jamieson assumes his new role on July 1.
Read press release
RESOURCES
General Conference
Delegate handbook, legislation available
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The new, valid petitions, reports and the updated delegate handbook information for General Conference have been published as a 2024 supplement to the Advance Daily Christian Advocate. The supplement and handbook are now available in PDF form in English, French, Portuguese and Kiswahili.
See resource
RECENT HEADLINES
Bishop faced death — and wrote about it
US delegates name General Conference goals
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Monday, April 15-Saturday, May 4
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