“For those who were uncomfortable using computers or who did not feel comfortable to speak English, I let them know that I was able to help them to make their appointments for vaccinations through the internet.” — Registered nurse Shin Hee Yu, on her efforts to get 100% of her Virginia congregation vaccinated.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Nurse leads Korean church’s vaccine ministry
RICHMOND, Va. (UM News) — Last year, Bishop Sharma Lewis of the Virginia Conference encouraged her 1,100 congregations to organize Healthy Church Teams to coordinate pandemic-response efforts. At Emmaus United Methodist Church, registered nurse Shin Hee Yu took the lead and now every member of the congregation age 12 and older is fully vaccinated. The Rev. Thomas E. Kim has the story.
Read story
California-Nevada Conference
Bucket brigade prepares for fire season
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Volunteers from more than 20 churches gathered at the California-Nevada Conference Center to assemble fire relief and recovery bucket kits. Donations from California-Nevada Conference churches as well as First Rockwall United Methodist Church in the North Texas Conference funded the materials. Selby Ewing has the story.
Read story
Faith & Leadership
Church faced test with Floyd killing
MINNEAPOLIS — The Rev. Tyler Sit and New City Church, a United Methodist congregation, have been deeply engaged in protest, prayer vigils and emergency assistance since the killing of George Floyd about a year ago. Sit reflects on how that tragedy, which occurred a short walk from New City, galvanized a young congregation. Todd Nelson has the story for Faith & Leadership, an online publication of Duke Divinity School.
Read story
New 2021 annual conference reports posted
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodist News is posting 2021 annual conference reports. New this week are the Illinois Great Rivers, Louisiana, Michigan, North Georgia, South Georgia and Texas conferences.
Read reports
No Friday Digest on June 18
There will be no Friday Digest on June 18 in honor of the Juneteenth holiday, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. The Daily Digest will resume June 21. The staff at UM News wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday weekend.
PRESS RELEASES
Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders
Lay leaders call for ‘sustainable peace’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The pandemic-forced delay in General Conference has magnified the denomination’s differences and challenges, says a statement by the Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders. “We seek a sustainable peace,” the group’s statement says.
Read statement
North Georgia Conference
Bishop speaks about appointment controversy
ATLANTA — In two video interviews with conference leaders, North Georgia Conference Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson addresses the situation at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church. Leaders of Mt. Bethel announced plans for the congregation to disaffiliate after objecting to the transfer of its pastor to a new appointment. “There are a lot of moving parts to this,” she said in a June 11 video. “This was in the course of appointment making just like any other appointment we make.”
Watch June 11 video on appointment process
Watch May 28 video on Mt. Bethel, denominational debates
UM News: Megachurch seeks exit over appointment strife
Global AIDS Committee
New consultant announced for committee
TYLER, Texas — The United Methodist Global AIDS Committee unanimously chose the Rev. Sunny Farley to serve as its next part-time global AIDS consultant. Farley succeeds Linda Bales Todd, who worked with the committee for 17 years.
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.
Black father prepares sons for racial injustice
ATLANTA (UM News) — With Father’s Day this weekend, UM News is spotlighting a commentary that the Rev. Byron Thomas, senior pastor of Ben Hill United Methodist Church, wrote last year on equipping and preparing his two sons for racial injustice. He also calls on white fathers to teach their children about racial injustice.
Read commentary
RECENT HEADLINES
Connecting with people through prayer
Groups help alleviate hunger in Zimbabwe
EVENTS
Friday, June 18-Saturday, June 19
Wisconsin Annual Conference
Susquehanna Annual Conference
NEWS AND FEATURES
Nurse leads Korean church’s vaccine ministry
RICHMOND, Va. (UM News) — Last year, Bishop Sharma Lewis of the Virginia Conference encouraged her 1,100 congregations to organize Healthy Church Teams to coordinate pandemic-response efforts. At Emmaus United Methodist Church, registered nurse Shin Hee Yu took the lead and now every member of the congregation age 12 and older is fully vaccinated. The Rev. Thomas E. Kim has the story.
Read story
California-Nevada Conference
Bucket brigade prepares for fire season
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Volunteers from more than 20 churches gathered at the California-Nevada Conference Center to assemble fire relief and recovery bucket kits. Donations from California-Nevada Conference churches as well as First Rockwall United Methodist Church in the North Texas Conference funded the materials. Selby Ewing has the story.
Read story
Faith & Leadership
Church faced test with Floyd killing
MINNEAPOLIS — The Rev. Tyler Sit and New City Church, a United Methodist congregation, have been deeply engaged in protest, prayer vigils and emergency assistance since the killing of George Floyd about a year ago. Sit reflects on how that tragedy, which occurred a short walk from New City, galvanized a young congregation. Todd Nelson has the story for Faith & Leadership, an online publication of Duke Divinity School.
Read story
New 2021 annual conference reports posted
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodist News is posting 2021 annual conference reports. New this week are the Illinois Great Rivers, Louisiana, Michigan, North Georgia, South Georgia and Texas conferences.
Read reports
No Friday Digest on June 18
There will be no Friday Digest on June 18 in honor of the Juneteenth holiday, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. The Daily Digest will resume June 21. The staff at UM News wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday weekend.
PRESS RELEASES
Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders
Lay leaders call for ‘sustainable peace’
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The pandemic-forced delay in General Conference has magnified the denomination’s differences and challenges, says a statement by the Association of Annual Conference Lay Leaders. “We seek a sustainable peace,” the group’s statement says.
Read statement
North Georgia Conference
Bishop speaks about appointment controversy
ATLANTA — In two video interviews with conference leaders, North Georgia Conference Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson addresses the situation at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church. Leaders of Mt. Bethel announced plans for the congregation to disaffiliate after objecting to the transfer of its pastor to a new appointment. “There are a lot of moving parts to this,” she said in a June 11 video. “This was in the course of appointment making just like any other appointment we make.”
Watch June 11 video on appointment process
Watch May 28 video on Mt. Bethel, denominational debates
UM News: Megachurch seeks exit over appointment strife
Global AIDS Committee
New consultant announced for committee
TYLER, Texas — The United Methodist Global AIDS Committee unanimously chose the Rev. Sunny Farley to serve as its next part-time global AIDS consultant. Farley succeeds Linda Bales Todd, who worked with the committee for 17 years.
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.
Black father prepares sons for racial injustice
ATLANTA (UM News) — With Father’s Day this weekend, UM News is spotlighting a commentary that the Rev. Byron Thomas, senior pastor of Ben Hill United Methodist Church, wrote last year on equipping and preparing his two sons for racial injustice. He also calls on white fathers to teach their children about racial injustice.
Read commentary
RECENT HEADLINES
Connecting with people through prayer
Groups help alleviate hunger in Zimbabwe
EVENTS
Friday, June 18-Saturday, June 19
Wisconsin Annual Conference
Susquehanna Annual Conference
Like what you're reading? Support the ministry of UM News! Your support ensures the latest denominational news, dynamic stories and informative articles will continue to connect our global community. Make a tax-deductible donation at ResourceUMC.org/GiveUMCom.