Daily Digest - February 20, 2020

“As a faith-based institution, we believe every student should have a second chance. More importantly, in a broken system such as ours, it’s unfair to blame the victims for their lack of performance.”George Carew, vice chancellor at Sierra Leone United Methodist University, on the school’s new preparatory program for failing students.


NEWS AND FEATURES

University offers path to success

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (UM News) — United Methodist University has established a preparatory program to address the massive failures of students taking the high school exit exams. Over 95% of students who took the 2019 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations failed to score high enough to meet university requirements. Phileas Jusu reports.
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Michigan Conference
Tough conversations help church grow in faith 

MANCHESTER, Mich. — The pastor of Manchester First United Methodist Church got his congregation talking about tough choices facing the denomination. The Rev. Dillon Burns used resources provided by the conference and "Courageous Conversations" from Discipleship Ministries to foster the conversations. Kay DeMoss has the story.
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KHOU-TV
Church celebrates life of civil rights icon

HOUSTON — As a college student, the Rev. Earl Allen joined in the first lunch counter desegregation action in Houston. He would become a local civil rights icon. Allen died recently at age 86. Windsor Village United Methodist Church, where he attended in later years, celebrated his life on Feb. 17. KHOU-TV reports.
Read story and watch video

WilliamsonHomePage.com
Using faith to tackle racism

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — More than 200 people gathered at Brentwood United Methodist Church for conversations on the role of faith in tackling racism in Middle Tennessee and the country as a whole. Matt Masters has the story.
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PRESS RELEASES

Higher Education and Ministry
Course of Study program coming to Wesleyan College

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Women who are licensed local pastors in The United Methodist Church will be able to earn their Course of Study credits via an online program starting this spring at a church-related women’s college, Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. United Methodist-related Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky, is planning a similar program that also will be open to men.
Read press release


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.

Bishop offers new plan for unity
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Bishop Gary E. Mueller, who leads the Arkansas Conference, is offering a plan to create two geographically overlapping regional conferences that are theologically defined. He writes that the proposed Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation doesn’t answer the concerns of U.S. traditionalists who wish to remain United Methodist. 
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RECENT HEADLINES 

Liberians want changes in separation plan


Think tank to look at GC2020 possibilities


EVENTS

Monday, Feb. 24-Saturday, April 4

Online Bible study: The Promise of New Hope  

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