NEWS AND FEATURES
United Methodist Communications
Ask The UMC: Is The United Methodist Church really … ?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, has received many questions from congregations wondering about the future of the denomination and whether they should consider disaffiliating from it. These have included recurrent questions that reflect misperceptions or misinformation that congregations are receiving as they discern their next steps. This is the first of a series of articles offering accurate responses to such misperceptions or misinformation.
Read story
Read more Ask The UMC
West Virginia Conference
Clean Water Resolution to aid rural communities
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Clean Water Resolution, approved by the West Virginia Conference at its annual session last month, aims to help establish sustainable potable water systems for rural communities in southern West Virginia. The conference is partnering with the nonprofit Dig Deep to run water lines to 400 residences in Wyoming and McDowell counties — some that have never had running water. Audrey Stanton-Smith reports.
Read story
Northern Illinois Conference
Cross giveaway supports Ukraine
CHICAGO — A church in Sterling, Illinois, is passing out free crosses to support the people of Ukraine. The Rev. Jim Miller says the people of East Jordan United Methodist Church want community members to plant crosses “because the people in Ukraine can’t.” Kevin Deets, East Jordan’s administrative council board chair and a woodworker, cuts the wood for the crosses and church members help assemble and paint them. The Northern Illinois Conference has the story.
Read story
New 2022 annual conference reports posted
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodist News is posting 2022 annual conference reports. New this week are the California-Nevada, Eastern Pennsylvania, New Mexico, North Alabama, North Texas and Northern Illinois conferences.
Read reports
PRESS RELEASES
United Women in Faith
EPA ruling by Supreme Court criticized
NEW YORK — A June 30 Supreme Court ruling that will limit the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate emissions from power plants is a major setback in the effort to address the climate crisis, said Elizabeth Chun Hye, faith director of mobilization and advocacy for United Women in Faith. “As women of faith called to steward the earth and care for one another, we are deeply concerned about the court’s low regard for front-line communities,” Hye said in a statement.
Read statement
United Theological Seminary
3 bishop officers are United alumni
DAYTON, Ohio — United Theological Seminary, a United Methodist seminary, is celebrating that three graduates of its doctor of ministry program are now officers on the Council of Bishops. New York Conference Bishop Thomas Bickerton is Council of Bishops president and East Ohio Conference Bishop Tracy Smith Malone is president-designate. Bishop Sally Dyck has been the bishops’ ecumenical officer since 2021.
Read press release
RESOURCES
Global Ministries
Migrant ministry grants available
ATLANTA — Mustard Seed Migration Grants, inspired by the well-known parable, are available from the United Methodist Committee on Relief to provide up to 50 congregations in the United States with as much as $2,000 in funding to support one-time, community-based projects that assist refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented individuals and migrants of all types. Applications are accepted any time before Sept. 1 and will be reviewed and processed within a month. Churches receiving grants in 2021 are not eligible for the 2022 program.
Learn more
RECENT HEADLINES
HIV and AIDS conference encourages acceptance, not fear
Extra pay approved for bishops with extra workloads
EVENTS
Friday, July 29-Sunday, July 31
Online course: Women's Ministries 3-day Sampler
Monday, Aug. 1-Wednesday, Aug. 3
Black Clergy Women's 31st annual meeting
United Methodist Communications
Ask The UMC: Is The United Methodist Church really … ?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, has received many questions from congregations wondering about the future of the denomination and whether they should consider disaffiliating from it. These have included recurrent questions that reflect misperceptions or misinformation that congregations are receiving as they discern their next steps. This is the first of a series of articles offering accurate responses to such misperceptions or misinformation.
Read story
Read more Ask The UMC
West Virginia Conference
Clean Water Resolution to aid rural communities
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Clean Water Resolution, approved by the West Virginia Conference at its annual session last month, aims to help establish sustainable potable water systems for rural communities in southern West Virginia. The conference is partnering with the nonprofit Dig Deep to run water lines to 400 residences in Wyoming and McDowell counties — some that have never had running water. Audrey Stanton-Smith reports.
Read story
Northern Illinois Conference
Cross giveaway supports Ukraine
CHICAGO — A church in Sterling, Illinois, is passing out free crosses to support the people of Ukraine. The Rev. Jim Miller says the people of East Jordan United Methodist Church want community members to plant crosses “because the people in Ukraine can’t.” Kevin Deets, East Jordan’s administrative council board chair and a woodworker, cuts the wood for the crosses and church members help assemble and paint them. The Northern Illinois Conference has the story.
Read story
New 2022 annual conference reports posted
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodist News is posting 2022 annual conference reports. New this week are the California-Nevada, Eastern Pennsylvania, New Mexico, North Alabama, North Texas and Northern Illinois conferences.
Read reports
PRESS RELEASES
United Women in Faith
EPA ruling by Supreme Court criticized
NEW YORK — A June 30 Supreme Court ruling that will limit the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate emissions from power plants is a major setback in the effort to address the climate crisis, said Elizabeth Chun Hye, faith director of mobilization and advocacy for United Women in Faith. “As women of faith called to steward the earth and care for one another, we are deeply concerned about the court’s low regard for front-line communities,” Hye said in a statement.
Read statement
United Theological Seminary
3 bishop officers are United alumni
DAYTON, Ohio — United Theological Seminary, a United Methodist seminary, is celebrating that three graduates of its doctor of ministry program are now officers on the Council of Bishops. New York Conference Bishop Thomas Bickerton is Council of Bishops president and East Ohio Conference Bishop Tracy Smith Malone is president-designate. Bishop Sally Dyck has been the bishops’ ecumenical officer since 2021.
Read press release
RESOURCES
Global Ministries
Migrant ministry grants available
ATLANTA — Mustard Seed Migration Grants, inspired by the well-known parable, are available from the United Methodist Committee on Relief to provide up to 50 congregations in the United States with as much as $2,000 in funding to support one-time, community-based projects that assist refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented individuals and migrants of all types. Applications are accepted any time before Sept. 1 and will be reviewed and processed within a month. Churches receiving grants in 2021 are not eligible for the 2022 program.
Learn more
RECENT HEADLINES
HIV and AIDS conference encourages acceptance, not fear
Extra pay approved for bishops with extra workloads
EVENTS
Friday, July 29-Sunday, July 31
Online course: Women's Ministries 3-day Sampler
Monday, Aug. 1-Wednesday, Aug. 3
Black Clergy Women's 31st annual meeting
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