NEWS AND FEATURES
Young women’s program revived in Sierra Leone
YONIBANA, Sierra Leone (UM News) — Six years after shutting down, a program to educate and hone leadership skills in young women is active again, thanks to a $5,000 donation by United Methodist Discipleship Ministries. Phileas Jusu has the story.
Read story
Oregon-Idaho Conference
Openly LGBTQ provisional elder commissioned
EUGENE, Ore. — The Rev. Taylor Gould, an openly bisexual-queer woman, was among six clergy candidates ordained or commissioned by the Oregon-Idaho Conference. “There’s such a deep privilege here,” the 26-year-old provisional elder said. She is the first LGBTQ person in the conference to be a candidate for ministry since General Conference 2019 passed legislation that strengthened the ban on “self-avowed practicing” gay clergy and imposes tougher penalties for violating that ban when the law goes into effect in January 2020. Kristen Caldwell has the story.
Read story
Greater New Jersey Conference
Pemberton church celebrates 250th anniversary
PEMBERTON, N.J. — A New Jersey United Methodist church founded in 1769 celebrated its 250th anniversary at a gala attended by 200 current and former members. Pemberton United Methodist Church is the third oldest United Methodist congregation in the U.S. Lisa Challender reports.
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Second Wave Media
Transforming to neighborhood center
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — After a merger of three United Methodist churches became official in July 2018, church leaders decided to make one of the buildings — Trinity United Methodist — a center where residents of the Old Lakeview Neighborhood and beyond could come to gather, dream, and make plans for what they want their space to look like. Jane Simons reports.
Read story
AL.com
Church shows banned kids’ TV program
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — First United Methodist Church joined a film festival in screening a PBS children’s show episode that Alabama Public Television would not air because of the same-sex marriage content. About 300 people watched “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone,” an episode of the animated “Arthur” program. Abbey Crain reports.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Religion and Race
Focus on local context in the Philippines
DASMARINAS, CAVITE, Philippines — The United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race has launched a steering committee to work with Filipino United Methodists in reaching more people in their local contexts through the use of intercultural collaboration and competency.
Read press release
RECENT HEADLINES
526 Africa University graduates in 2019 class
Rural girls face challenges at city universities
EVENTS
Wednesday, July 10-Sunday, July 14
Love Well: Youth 2019
Young women’s program revived in Sierra Leone
YONIBANA, Sierra Leone (UM News) — Six years after shutting down, a program to educate and hone leadership skills in young women is active again, thanks to a $5,000 donation by United Methodist Discipleship Ministries. Phileas Jusu has the story.
Read story
Oregon-Idaho Conference
Openly LGBTQ provisional elder commissioned
EUGENE, Ore. — The Rev. Taylor Gould, an openly bisexual-queer woman, was among six clergy candidates ordained or commissioned by the Oregon-Idaho Conference. “There’s such a deep privilege here,” the 26-year-old provisional elder said. She is the first LGBTQ person in the conference to be a candidate for ministry since General Conference 2019 passed legislation that strengthened the ban on “self-avowed practicing” gay clergy and imposes tougher penalties for violating that ban when the law goes into effect in January 2020. Kristen Caldwell has the story.
Read story
Greater New Jersey Conference
Pemberton church celebrates 250th anniversary
PEMBERTON, N.J. — A New Jersey United Methodist church founded in 1769 celebrated its 250th anniversary at a gala attended by 200 current and former members. Pemberton United Methodist Church is the third oldest United Methodist congregation in the U.S. Lisa Challender reports.
Read story
Second Wave Media
Transforming to neighborhood center
BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — After a merger of three United Methodist churches became official in July 2018, church leaders decided to make one of the buildings — Trinity United Methodist — a center where residents of the Old Lakeview Neighborhood and beyond could come to gather, dream, and make plans for what they want their space to look like. Jane Simons reports.
Read story
AL.com
Church shows banned kids’ TV program
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — First United Methodist Church joined a film festival in screening a PBS children’s show episode that Alabama Public Television would not air because of the same-sex marriage content. About 300 people watched “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone,” an episode of the animated “Arthur” program. Abbey Crain reports.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Religion and Race
Focus on local context in the Philippines
DASMARINAS, CAVITE, Philippines — The United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race has launched a steering committee to work with Filipino United Methodists in reaching more people in their local contexts through the use of intercultural collaboration and competency.
Read press release
RECENT HEADLINES
526 Africa University graduates in 2019 class
Rural girls face challenges at city universities
EVENTS
Wednesday, July 10-Sunday, July 14
Love Well: Youth 2019
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