“I think people are just anxious to get on with the mission and ministry of the church and get over this conflict that’s really dividing us and keeping us from doing what we should.” — Patricia L. Miller, executive director of the Confessing Movement and member of the Commission on a Way Forward.
NEWS AND FEATURES
'Little interest' for Connectional Conference Plan
ATLANTA (UMNS) — Patricia L. Miller, executive director of unofficial advocacy group The United Methodist Confessing Movement and member of the Commission on a Way Forward, submitted the legislation for the Connectional Conference Plan to General Conference. Though Miller thinks the plan has many merits, she says it likely has the least support of the three plans submitted by the commission. Miller spoke with UM News as part of “Seeing a Way Forward,” a video series featuring different perspectives of church leaders on the work of the Commission on a Way Forward.
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Conference sues for control of Glide
SAN FRANCISCO (UMNS) — The California-Nevada Conference and Bishop Minerva Carcaño have filed a lawsuit against the Glide Foundation’s board of trustees, escalating the battle for control of San Francisco's famed Glide Memorial United Methodist Church. Sam Hodges has the story.
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Blind soccer players have opportunity of a lifetime
HARARE, Zimbabwe (UMNS) — Tarumbidzwa Taruvinga, 17, has been blind since birth. A student at Murewa United Methodist High School, she never dreamed she would travel to Japan for a chance to compete in an international blind soccer tournament. But now, if she gets enough funding, that is on her 2019 agenda. Chenayi Kumuterera has the story.
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Ask The UMC
Does Christmas have roots in pagan beliefs?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The assertion that Christmas is merely a “Christianized” pagan holiday simply isn't true. Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, looks at the history of the celebration.
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'New birth' for United Methodist Mission in Vietnam
ATLANTA — A United Methodist pastor from Ohio who visited the United Methodist Mission in Vietnam said he believe the initiative is “experiencing a new birth.” The Rev. Sam Peters was one of several U.S. mission partners who attended the annual meeting of the nearly 20-year-old United Methodist Vietnam Mission, related to the Board of Global Ministries. Elliott Wright reports.
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South Carolina Advocate
Prisoners pray for pastors, churches
ENOREE, S.C. — This Advent, United Methodist prison chaplains are embarking on a new faith journey with inmates designed to wrap pastors and churches in prayer. Jessica Brodie reports.
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Pennlive.com, Susquehanna Conference
Reconfiguring a church presence in Harrisburg
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Congregations at 10 United Methodist churches will be organized into a multisite configuration, part of a revitalization effort by the Susquehanna Conference as it deals with aging buildings and declining membership. Ivey DeJesus has the story.
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Read Susquehanna Conference press release
PRESS RELEASES
Perkins School of Theology
Perkins gets $1 million for youth ministries project
DALLAS — Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University has been awarded a five-year, $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. for an initiative aimed at strengthening congregational ministries with youth. Titled “Reboot: The Congregation as Youth Worker,” the initiative will initially involve 18 congregations that don’t have a paid, full-time youth worker.
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