“Istanbul, Nice, Dallas, Minneapolis and our own Baton Rouge, again. There is so much hate in the world. What more can we say? We lament and simply pray that God hears the words of our heart.” — Louisiana Episcopal Area Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey on the killings of three Baton Rouge police officers.
U.S. bishops begin new assignments Sept. 1
NEW YORK (UMNS) — Most of the 15 United Methodist clergy elected as new U.S. bishops last week will be packing their bags to move to a new home within their region. The denomination’s five U.S. jurisdictional conferences announced assignments for new and old bishops in all 46 episcopal areas, effective Sept. 1. Linda Bloom has the story.
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Bishop Harvey: ‘Let us be a voice for peace’
BATON ROUGE, La. (UMNS) — Louisiana Episcopal Area Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey called on United Methodists to be ‘a voice for peace’ in the midst of violence around the world, including the killing of three police officers in Baton Rouge. The city has been in turmoil since the police fatally shot an African-American man while he was pinned to the ground. “Let us be a voice for peace, a voice for love, remembering that love casts out all fear,” she wrote.
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Bishop Schäfer, bridge builder, dies at 95
ZURICH (UMNS) — Bishop Franz Werner Schäfer throughout his ministry served as a bridge between countries, ideologies and different streams of John Wesley’s movement. The retired bishop, who led the church in Central and Southern Europe as well as North Africa from 1966 to 1989, died July 14. Heather Hahn reports.
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Great Plains sets trial of lesbian pastor
CONCORDIA, Kan. (UMNS) — Bishop Scott J. Jones of the Great Plains Conference announced that the church trial for a lesbian pastor will be conducted Aug. 24 in Concordia. The Rev. Cynthia Meyer stated in a letter to her district superintendent earlier this year that she was in a committed homosexual relationship. The conference’s committee on investigation, which serves the role of a grand jury, decided in June that there was enough evidence to move the proceedings to a church trial.
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New D.S. achieves another ‘first’
WILMINGTON, N.C. (UMNS) — The Rev. Edie Gleaves, new district superintendent of the Harbor District, United Methodist North Carolina Conference, and former staff of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, has achieved several “firsts” as an African-American woman. Ben Steelman of the Wilmington StarNews reports.
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New ways to reach the “nones”
DES MOINES, Wash. (UMNS) — From Pokémon Go to the Create Commons efforts in Tacoma, Washington, church planters and pastors in the Pacific Northwest Conference are finding new and creative ways to reach the unchurched or “nones.” The Rev. William D. Gibson reports for the conference.
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Pension board changes its name
GLENVIEW, Ill. (UMNS) — The United Methodist Board of Pension and Health Benefits has changed its name to Wespath Benefits and Investments, starting July 18. The “Wes” part of the name honors John Wesley, Methodism’s founder, and “path” refers to the agency’s goal of providing participants and institutional clients with a path toward personal health, investment and retirement objectives.
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More about Wespath
Looking ahead
Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have an item to share, email [email protected] and put Digest in the subject line.
Sundays, through Aug. 7
Summer Worship Series at Lake Junaluska — Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center has invited distinguished Christian leaders to preach each Sunday. Services start at 10:45 a.m. in Stuart Auditorium. Speakers include the Rev. Robert E. Long, pastor at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City; Harry J. Lyness, distinguished evangelist for the Foundation for Evangelism; Tony Campolo, internationally known evangelist; and United Methodist Bishop Larry Goodpaster. Details
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