"Now our goal is to move from good practices to a new EU (European Union) policy adopting the humanitarian corridors as the main safe passage to Europe for asylum-seekers and vulnerable migrants." — Paolo Naso, the Methodist coordinator of Mediterranean Hope.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Small churches play big role for refugees in Italy
ROME (UMNS) — Methodists and their fellow Protestants in Italy have created an innovative legal model for asylum-seekers that could be replicated across Europe. Operating through Mediterranean Hope, the Humanitarian Corridors project has resettled some 2,200 refugees in Italy and beyond. Linda Bloom reports.
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Communication at forefront of GC2019
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Communication is a varied and vital part of any General Conference, and that’s emphatically true for the special called session of General Conference set for Feb. 23-26 in St. Louis. Everything from print to podcasts will be used to share the story. United Methodist Communications is at the center of it all, including helping put on the legislative event. Sam Hodges reports.
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9News, Highlands United Methodist
Church expands preschool during teachers’ strike
DENVER — The teachers’ strike in Denver Public Schools led to cancellation of Early Child Education classes. During the strike, Highlands United Methodist Church expanded its preschool to accommodate 30 students from the cancelled classes.
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PRESS RELEASES
Connectional Table
Contingency fund grows for unanticipated needs
CHICAGO — The United Methodist Church budget for new programs that address unanticipated needs will be increased to $8.9 million while the overall budget for the 2021-2024 quadrennial is being cut by 23 percent. The World Service Contingency Fund was used in the past for ministries including the Immigration Task Force and the Do No Harm initiative to promote the prevention and response to sexual misconduct.
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Read UMNS story on budget
2021-2024 Quadrennial Report released
Love Your Neighbor Coalition
Coalition at GC2019 collecting donations for homeless
ST. LOUIS — The Love Your Neighbor Coalition is inviting all General Conference attendees to bring hygiene items, lightly used clothing and unused underwear for distribution to St. Louis-area homeless. The coalition includes United Methodist ethnic caucuses and unofficial groups that advocate for LGBTQ equality. The coalition will have a collection site for the donations at the Holiday Inn, 811 N. Ninth St., across the street from the Convention Center.
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United Methodist Women
Remembering Parkland school shooting
NEW YORK — Reflecting on the first anniversary of the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 dead, Harriett Jane Olson, top executive for United Methodist Women, called for commonsense gun reforms and evidence-based solutions to make schools and communities safer.
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COMMENTARIES
United Methodist News Service includes in the Daily Digest various commentaries about the plans for future of the church and other issues in the denomination. The commentaries reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not the UMNS staff.
Kennedy telegram provides reminder from past
MADISON, N.J. (UMNS) — A 1968 telegram has surfaced in which Sen. Robert F. Kennedy congratulates leaders of the newly formed United Methodist Church for being a "witness to the urgent need for cooperation in a world divided and broken." The telegram may be a sign that Kennedy considered this show of unity a “source of hope” during turbulent times, writes the Rev. Alfred Day III.
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Pacification or passion and prejudice
ASHEBORO, N.C. (UMNS) — The Rev. Donald Haynes reflects on what lessons the slavery debate at the 1840 and 1844 General Conferences might offer for the legislative assembly in St. Louis.
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RECENT HEADLINES
Seeing a Way Forward: The Rev. Chris Ritter
Amid political unrest, Zimbabwe churches lead dialogue
EVENTS
Monday, Feb. 18-Saturday, March 2
Online Lay Servant Ministries class: Come to the Waters
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