“With everything our denomination is going through right now, especially with everything that’s happened in 2020, we felt it was important for clergy to connect and find a way to have meaningful relationships with others.” — The Rev. Matt Scraper, Oklahoma Conference, on the monastic order he helps lead.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Oklahoma Conference
United Methodist helps lead monastic order
OKLAHOMA CITY — For some, the term “monasticism” may bring up images of chanting monks or helpful nuns. For the Rev. Matt Scraper, monasticism is an important part of his life and expression of faith. Scraper, an elder in the Oklahoma Conference, helps lead the Order of St. Patrick, a secularly cloistered monastic order for clergy and lay contemplatives.
Read story
Great Plains Conference
Pandemic claims pastor
COFFEYVILLE, Kan. — The Rev. Mark Demas died of COVID-19-related complications on Jan. 6, at 61. He led Coffeyville First United Methodist and Edna United Methodist churches in southeast Kansas and was recalled by a church member as “such a caring person.” David Burke reports.
Read story
Holston Conference
Women ensure church flowers bless twice
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A committee of five women at Church Street United Methodist Church wants to make sure the flower arrangements on the altar brighten more than Sunday worship. Kylie Hubbard writes about how the women bring blessings to nursing home residents and hospital patients.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Greater New Jersey Conference
$6 million budget shortfall to be addressed
NEPTUNE, N.J. — The Greater New Jersey Conference has discovered an approximate $6 million shortfall in its budget, according to a statement from Bishop John Schol. A report on conference finances, a plan to balance the budget and rebuild the reserves, a staffing plan and proposed legislation will be discussed at a Jan. 22 Special Annual Conference.
Read statement
Read financial report
Day1.org
Virginia pastor, author to preach on ‘Day 1’
ATLANTA — The Rev. Jason Micheli, an author and head pastor of Annandale (Va.) United Methodist Church, will be the featured preacher Jan. 24 on “Day 1,” the ecumenical radio program hosted by Peter Wallace. Micheli’s sermon topic will be “The Syntax of Salvation.” The program, produced by the Alliance for Christian Media, is broadcast across the U.S. and is accessible online at Day1.org and by podcast.
Learn more
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.
United Methodist Insight
End of the world as we know it
PASADENA, Calif. — The world is changing and there is no going back, writes Erin M. Hawkins, executive director of connectional ministries for the California-Pacific Conference, in the wake of last week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol. “No amount of antiracism training and diversity book club discussions will fix what is core to the display of unfettered white supremacy that has been building for years and that reached an inflection point (on Jan. 6).”
Read commentary
RECENT HEADLINES
Grappling with postponed General Conference
Assault on US Capitol dismays United Methodists
EVENTS
Sunday, Jan. 17
Human Relations Day
NEWS AND FEATURES
Oklahoma Conference
United Methodist helps lead monastic order
OKLAHOMA CITY — For some, the term “monasticism” may bring up images of chanting monks or helpful nuns. For the Rev. Matt Scraper, monasticism is an important part of his life and expression of faith. Scraper, an elder in the Oklahoma Conference, helps lead the Order of St. Patrick, a secularly cloistered monastic order for clergy and lay contemplatives.
Read story
Great Plains Conference
Pandemic claims pastor
COFFEYVILLE, Kan. — The Rev. Mark Demas died of COVID-19-related complications on Jan. 6, at 61. He led Coffeyville First United Methodist and Edna United Methodist churches in southeast Kansas and was recalled by a church member as “such a caring person.” David Burke reports.
Read story
Holston Conference
Women ensure church flowers bless twice
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A committee of five women at Church Street United Methodist Church wants to make sure the flower arrangements on the altar brighten more than Sunday worship. Kylie Hubbard writes about how the women bring blessings to nursing home residents and hospital patients.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Greater New Jersey Conference
$6 million budget shortfall to be addressed
NEPTUNE, N.J. — The Greater New Jersey Conference has discovered an approximate $6 million shortfall in its budget, according to a statement from Bishop John Schol. A report on conference finances, a plan to balance the budget and rebuild the reserves, a staffing plan and proposed legislation will be discussed at a Jan. 22 Special Annual Conference.
Read statement
Read financial report
Day1.org
Virginia pastor, author to preach on ‘Day 1’
ATLANTA — The Rev. Jason Micheli, an author and head pastor of Annandale (Va.) United Methodist Church, will be the featured preacher Jan. 24 on “Day 1,” the ecumenical radio program hosted by Peter Wallace. Micheli’s sermon topic will be “The Syntax of Salvation.” The program, produced by the Alliance for Christian Media, is broadcast across the U.S. and is accessible online at Day1.org and by podcast.
Learn more
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.
United Methodist Insight
End of the world as we know it
PASADENA, Calif. — The world is changing and there is no going back, writes Erin M. Hawkins, executive director of connectional ministries for the California-Pacific Conference, in the wake of last week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol. “No amount of antiracism training and diversity book club discussions will fix what is core to the display of unfettered white supremacy that has been building for years and that reached an inflection point (on Jan. 6).”
Read commentary
RECENT HEADLINES
Grappling with postponed General Conference
Assault on US Capitol dismays United Methodists
EVENTS
Sunday, Jan. 17
Human Relations Day
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