"It really was a story of a man who would experience tragedy, and yet he did not let that tragedy define his life. It was speaking to my soul as well as giving me lots of great material." — The Rev. Bob Long, on using Sanford Greenberg's memoir "Hello Darkness, My Old Friend" for an Advent sermon series.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Blind man's memoir sparks Advent sermons
OKLAHOMA CITY (UM News) — The Rev. Bob Long found material for an entire Advent sermon series in "Hello Darkness, My Old Friend," the memoir of Sanford Greenberg. Long, pastor of St. Luke's United Methodist Church, and Greenberg, a blind Jewish philanthropist and college roommate of Art Garfunkel, have since become friends. Sam Hodges reports.
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South Georgia Conference
Church center relieves Alzheimer's isolation
ALBANY, Ga. — Albany First United Methodist Church has a new Alzheimer's Outreach Center that expands on a longstanding ministry. The Outreach Center offers caregivers a break from the oft-consuming pressures of caring for those with dementia and Alzheimer's, says director Nancy Goode. Kara Witherow has the story.
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Iowa Conference
Brad Kiesey, bishop's husband, dies
IOWA CITY, Iowa — D. Bradley Kiesey, husband of retired Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey, died Jan. 27 after an eight-month battle with cancer. The bishop led both the Dakotas Conference and what is now the Michigan Conference. Her husband was a lawyer. Iowa Area Bishop Laurie Haller shares a remembrance.
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Southern Living
Ministry feeds thousands each week
COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. — A volunteer operation that feeds 20,000 individuals each week started out with a chance encounter at a grocery store. For four years, Collierville United Methodist Church's "Gleaning Ministry" has been redistributing fruits, vegetables and other perishable foods donated by area grocers to food-challenged populations. Meghan Overdeep has the story.
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PRESS RELEASES
Commission on the Status and Role of Women
COSROW moves into shared space with conference
CHICAGO — The United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women has moved into shared office space with the Northern Illinois Conference in an effort to be good stewards amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The relocation to a smaller space within the Chicago Temple allows the agency to share the cost of equipment and services. "We are working to be a 'nimble' agency, with the bonus of getting to share space with colleagues in ministry," said Dawn Wiggins Hare, top executive.
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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 the UM News staff.
UM & Global
Vaccines won't save General Conference
ATLANTA — The introduction of COVID-19 vaccines is not enough to save an in-person General Conference this year, writes David W. Scott, director of mission theology for the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. With the vaccines' slow rollout, especially in Africa, and the emergence of new variants to the virus, he urges the church to look at alternatives.
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