“We continue to go to church because we want to live (and) because of the social atmosphere, to help us maintain a good attitude and keep our faith strong.” — Agnes Nekesa, a cancer patient who is receiving home-based care from Huruma United Methodist Church in Nairobi, Kenya.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Nairobi church offers home care, hope to sick
NAIROBI, Kenya (UM News) — Members of Huruma United Methodist Church are providing help and hope to people living with cancer in Nairobi’s slums. The church’s free community home-care program focuses on strengthening end-of-life care and enhancing quality of life for underprivileged people who have no primary caregiver. Gad Maiga reports.
Read story
CNN
Campus ministry decries ‘display of hate’
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Wesley at Virginia Tech, a United Methodist ministry, has been flying rainbow pride flags for years, and vandals tearing them down has been an ongoing issue. But in the latest incident, instead of tearing them down, the vandals replaced them with Confederate flags. “Our Pride flags have been torn down before, but this active display of hate is unacceptable and malicious,” the ministry wrote in a Facebook post. Alisha Ebrahimji and Lauren M. Johnson have the story.
Read story
New 2021 annual conference reports posted
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodist News is posting 2021 annual conference reports. New this week are the Central Texas, East Congo and Kivu conferences.
Read reports
COMMENTARIES
UM News includes in the Daily Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not the UM News staff.
Simone Biles and St. Paul: Expectations vs. outcomes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Famed Olympic gymnast Simone Biles arrived at the Tokyo Olympics with high expectations, but unforeseen complications prevented her from meeting them. Likewise, St. Paul came to Athens expecting to establish a church and fell short. The Rev. Rich Peck considers what may have prevented Paul from meeting his goal.
Read commentary
Dakotas Conference
Reflections on the Olympics
MITCHELL, S.D. — Bishop Laurie Haller, who leads the Iowa Conference and is interim leader of the Dakotas Conference, writes that she’s always impressed by seeing how athletes deal with pressure and performance anxiety. She praised U.S. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles for courage in publicly acknowledging her own struggles. After 18 months of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, Haller encourages others to be mindful of their mental health and to practice self-care.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
United Methodist Communications
How to facilitate hybrid worship
LOS ALTOS, Calif. — While many people want to return to an in-person experience, others are choosing to continue worshipping online. This development brings with it unique challenges that church leaders need to resolve to best serve the needs of the congregation. The Rev. Jeremy Steele, associate pastor at Los Altos United Methodist Church, shares advice on juggling the two worship experiences.
Read story
RECENT HEADLINES
Church helps children orphaned by volcano
Churches mask up, close doors as virus spikes
EVENTS
Tuesday, Sept. 7-Saturday, Oct. 9
How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice
NEWS AND FEATURES
Nairobi church offers home care, hope to sick
NAIROBI, Kenya (UM News) — Members of Huruma United Methodist Church are providing help and hope to people living with cancer in Nairobi’s slums. The church’s free community home-care program focuses on strengthening end-of-life care and enhancing quality of life for underprivileged people who have no primary caregiver. Gad Maiga reports.
Read story
CNN
Campus ministry decries ‘display of hate’
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Wesley at Virginia Tech, a United Methodist ministry, has been flying rainbow pride flags for years, and vandals tearing them down has been an ongoing issue. But in the latest incident, instead of tearing them down, the vandals replaced them with Confederate flags. “Our Pride flags have been torn down before, but this active display of hate is unacceptable and malicious,” the ministry wrote in a Facebook post. Alisha Ebrahimji and Lauren M. Johnson have the story.
Read story
New 2021 annual conference reports posted
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodist News is posting 2021 annual conference reports. New this week are the Central Texas, East Congo and Kivu conferences.
Read reports
COMMENTARIES
UM News includes in the Daily Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not the UM News staff.
Simone Biles and St. Paul: Expectations vs. outcomes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Famed Olympic gymnast Simone Biles arrived at the Tokyo Olympics with high expectations, but unforeseen complications prevented her from meeting them. Likewise, St. Paul came to Athens expecting to establish a church and fell short. The Rev. Rich Peck considers what may have prevented Paul from meeting his goal.
Read commentary
Dakotas Conference
Reflections on the Olympics
MITCHELL, S.D. — Bishop Laurie Haller, who leads the Iowa Conference and is interim leader of the Dakotas Conference, writes that she’s always impressed by seeing how athletes deal with pressure and performance anxiety. She praised U.S. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles for courage in publicly acknowledging her own struggles. After 18 months of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, Haller encourages others to be mindful of their mental health and to practice self-care.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
United Methodist Communications
How to facilitate hybrid worship
LOS ALTOS, Calif. — While many people want to return to an in-person experience, others are choosing to continue worshipping online. This development brings with it unique challenges that church leaders need to resolve to best serve the needs of the congregation. The Rev. Jeremy Steele, associate pastor at Los Altos United Methodist Church, shares advice on juggling the two worship experiences.
Read story
RECENT HEADLINES
Church helps children orphaned by volcano
Churches mask up, close doors as virus spikes
EVENTS
Tuesday, Sept. 7-Saturday, Oct. 9
How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice
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