“As a bishop, he was always pastor to the people.” — Retired Bishop Ernest Lyght on his friend, the late Bishop F. Herbert Skeete.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Bishop Skeete, ‘pastor to people,’ dies at 90
NEW YORK (UM News) — United Methodists remember Bishop F. Herbert Skeete as a leader who stepped up to serve in whatever way the church needed. The retired bishop, who led the Philadelphia and Boston areas and helped establish Africa University, died Feb. 11 at age 90. Heather Hahn reports.
Read obituary
Read Council of Bishops press release
‘Black Church’ film taps United Methodist sources
PIEDMONT, W.Va. (UM News) — “The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song,” a PBS film premiering Feb. 16-17, draws on historic photos from the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History. Film host Henry Louis Gates Jr. is shown visiting the United Methodist church he attended growing up. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
Amid political unrest, cyclones plague Mozambique
MAPUTO, Mozambique (UM News) — In less than two years, four cyclones have struck Mozambique, killing thousands, leaving many homeless and destroying life-sustaining food crops. The United Methodist Committee on Relief is preparing an emergency response to humanitarian needs. Eurico Gustavo and João Sambo report.
Read story
After the cyclone, faith abides
Greater Northwest Area
Bishop Stanovsky plans to retire at year’s end
DES MOINES, Wash. — Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky, who leads the Greater Northwest Area, announced that she plans to retire as of Dec. 31, 2021. Her area includes the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest conferences. With her announcement, a total of 15 U.S. bishops are retiring or taking on new roles with the Council of Bishops this year.
Read announcement
Delay in elections upends bishops’ plans
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.
Greater New Jersey
The paradox of ‘We, the people’
NEPTUNE, N.J. — While events of the past year have raised the level of awareness and education about the nation’s systemic racism, the Rev. Lan Wilson, director of resourcing and worship for the Greater New Jersey Conference, notes that simply being educated isn’t enough. “One must take that knowledge and use it to examine ourselves, our communities, our organizations, our churches and the entire world around us,” Wilson writes.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
Church and Society
Agency hosts ‘Justice Talks’ webinar
WASHINGTON — The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe, top executive of the Board of Church and Society, will join agency staff for a conversation about their work and witness on Capitol Hill, advocating for peace and justice in a changing political landscape. “Justice Talks: A Look Ahead at 2021” will broadcast via Zoom at 4 p.m. U.S. Eastern time Feb. 24.
Register for event
RECENT HEADLINES
A virtual General Conference faces hurdles
Churches inject energy into vaccine access
EVENTS
Sunday, March 14
UMCOR Sunday
NEWS AND FEATURES
Bishop Skeete, ‘pastor to people,’ dies at 90
NEW YORK (UM News) — United Methodists remember Bishop F. Herbert Skeete as a leader who stepped up to serve in whatever way the church needed. The retired bishop, who led the Philadelphia and Boston areas and helped establish Africa University, died Feb. 11 at age 90. Heather Hahn reports.
Read obituary
Read Council of Bishops press release
‘Black Church’ film taps United Methodist sources
PIEDMONT, W.Va. (UM News) — “The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song,” a PBS film premiering Feb. 16-17, draws on historic photos from the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History. Film host Henry Louis Gates Jr. is shown visiting the United Methodist church he attended growing up. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
Amid political unrest, cyclones plague Mozambique
MAPUTO, Mozambique (UM News) — In less than two years, four cyclones have struck Mozambique, killing thousands, leaving many homeless and destroying life-sustaining food crops. The United Methodist Committee on Relief is preparing an emergency response to humanitarian needs. Eurico Gustavo and João Sambo report.
Read story
After the cyclone, faith abides
Greater Northwest Area
Bishop Stanovsky plans to retire at year’s end
DES MOINES, Wash. — Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky, who leads the Greater Northwest Area, announced that she plans to retire as of Dec. 31, 2021. Her area includes the Alaska, Oregon-Idaho and Pacific Northwest conferences. With her announcement, a total of 15 U.S. bishops are retiring or taking on new roles with the Council of Bishops this year.
Read announcement
Delay in elections upends bishops’ plans
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.
Greater New Jersey
The paradox of ‘We, the people’
NEPTUNE, N.J. — While events of the past year have raised the level of awareness and education about the nation’s systemic racism, the Rev. Lan Wilson, director of resourcing and worship for the Greater New Jersey Conference, notes that simply being educated isn’t enough. “One must take that knowledge and use it to examine ourselves, our communities, our organizations, our churches and the entire world around us,” Wilson writes.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
Church and Society
Agency hosts ‘Justice Talks’ webinar
WASHINGTON — The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe, top executive of the Board of Church and Society, will join agency staff for a conversation about their work and witness on Capitol Hill, advocating for peace and justice in a changing political landscape. “Justice Talks: A Look Ahead at 2021” will broadcast via Zoom at 4 p.m. U.S. Eastern time Feb. 24.
Register for event
RECENT HEADLINES
A virtual General Conference faces hurdles
Churches inject energy into vaccine access
EVENTS
Sunday, March 14
UMCOR Sunday
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