“I lost faith in my church, but never my belief in God and Jesus Christ.” — Jeanne White-Ginder, recalling a lack of acceptance from her United Methodist church after her son, Ryan White, contracted HIV from a contaminated blood treatment in the 1980s.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Faith leaders hear of 'lost ground' on HIV
MONTREAL (UM News) — Faith leaders and others at the 24th International AIDS Conference heard that newer global health threats like COVID-19 and monkeypox are hampering progress toward improving HIV prevention, treatment and care. The Rev. Donald E. Messer, secretary of the United Methodist Global AIDS Committee, reports.
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Minnesota Conference
Program trains volunteers to visit dementia patients
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — A simple question led to the founding of a new ministry by a member of Normandale Hylands United Methodist Church. The question was: “Do you have anybody who could come and visit my wife?” That led Tracy Keibler to found START Senior Solutions, which trains volunteers to visit people suffering from dementia. Christa Meland has the story.
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Dakotas Conference
Helping rural churches thrive
MITCHELL, S.D. — The Dakotas Connection Initiative is helping churches in rural areas to build a viable future. Rather than focusing on a scarcity of resources, the initiative encourages congregations to explore the strengths of gifted and faithful church leaders and laity. Al Roll and Doreen Gosmire have the story.
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UM News is rerunning this item from the Aug. 23 Daily Digest because the link did not work for some readers.
Central Conference of Central and Southern Europe
Ukrainian refugees attend United Methodist camps
ZURICH — United Methodist summer camps in Poland, Czechia, Hungary and Romania have welcomed Ukrainian refugees. That's one of several positive developments as denomination members in neighbor countries continue to try to help war-torn Ukraine. Urs Schweizer has an update.
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PRESS RELEASES
Council of Bishops
Bishops welcome church court's ruling
WASHINGTON — The Council of Bishops expresses gratitude for the Judicial Council’s ruling that clarified that Paragraph 2548.2 of the Book of Discipline, the denomination’s law book, does not provide a process for church disaffiliation from The United Methodist Church. The denomination’s top court noted that the paragraph pertains to deeding and transferring church property to another denomination but does not apply to the membership of a local church.
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UM News: Church court clarifies property-transfer rules
Perkins School of Theology
Bishop McKee to be Perkins' interim dean
DALLAS — North Texas Conference Bishop Michael McKee will serve as interim dean of Perkins School of Theology, beginning Jan. 1. McKee is retiring from the active episcopacy on that date. Perkins is part of Southern Methodist University and one of the 13 United Methodist seminaries. The Rev. Craig Hill is stepping down as Perkins’ dean at the end of the year due to health reasons.
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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 UM News staff.
My almost-100 years as a Methodist
COLUMBIA, Mo. (UM News) — When the Rev. Mel West was growing up in rural Missouri, he said that the trinity of family, farm and church were so intertwined that “one could not think of one without considering the other two.” Now 98, West reflects on his life and the church that helped shape it.
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RESOURCES
United Methodist Communications
Young people needed for church study
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Do you know a 15- to 22-year-old in The United Methodist Church? The United Methodist Communications Research Team is leading a study about youth in the church to explore their spiritual journeys, values, goals, desires and more. The study offers a $150 incentive for participation in a three-day online discussion board. Pastors and church leaders are encouraged to share the registration link and invite young people to join.
To register
RECENT HEADLINES
Russian-speaking congregation supports Ukrainian refugees
Bishop urges end to falsehoods, pivot to future
EVENTS
Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have a United Methodist event to share, you can add it to the calendar with this submission form.
Monday, Sept. 12-Monday, Sept. 26
Online course: Teaching and Leading Small Groups
Monday, Sept. 19-Friday, Sept. 30
Online course: Embracing Personal Prayer