NEWS AND FEATURES
Ask The UMC
Exploring Our Living World
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Religion describes the ways human cultures have sought to create, sustain and renew links with one another, the world around them and the powers or reality behind it all. In a six-part series, Ask The UMC explores how United Methodists seek to sustain and renew links to our living world. Part 1 looks at how United Methodists relate to animal life.
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Great Plains Conference
Making cross-cultural ministry work
LEXINGTON, Neb. — A team effort has helped make for a cross-cultural, cross-racial ministry success story at First United Methodist Church of Lexington. The Rev. Velma Tim last summer became the church’s first Black pastor in its 150-year history. She benefited from expertise at the conference level and from having a transition team at the church, something she says should be mandatory for pastors in her situation. David Burke reports.
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Eastern Pennsylvania Conference
Prison ministry launches ‘Toiletry Bowl’ donation campaign
VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — College football bowl season is months away, but members of the Eastern Pennsylvania and Greater New Jersey conferences can participate in a bowl competition that will better the lives of thousands of those incarcerated in Philadelphia prisons. The first-ever Toiletry Bowl, which began on June 15 and will run until Aug. 15, will collect travel-size toiletry items to donate to inmates. John W. Coleman has the story.
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Global Ministries
Key Global Ministries staff member dies
ATLANTA — The Rev. Edgar Avitia Legarda, a longtime key staff member at the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, died suddenly on June 27, the agency reported. Avitia represented The United Methodist Church in mission work and church relationships throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. United Methodist News is at work on a feature obituary.
PRESS RELEASES
Arkansas Conference
Diana Butler Bass to give religious lecture
CONWAY, Ark. — United Methodist-related Hendrix College announced that it will welcome Diana Butler Bass for the 2024 Willson Lecture at 7 p.m. U.S. Central time Feb. 5, 2024. Bass, who grew up United Methodist, is a frequent commentator on spiritual matters, a historian of American Christianity and a scholar of mainline Protestantism.
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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 UM News staff.
Florida Conference
Encouragement is key in pastoral transitions
LAKELAND, Fla. — It’s that time of year when many United Methodist churches receive a new pastor. Florida Conference Bishop Tom Berlin is asking churches and clergy going through such a transition to offer one another encouragement at every opportunity.
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RESOURCES
Global Ministries
Learn about missionary work
ATLANTA — Missionaries will share about their work during a Zoom meeting at 7 p.m. U.S. Eastern time July 6 to give prospective missionaries insights. Missionaries to Taiwan, the U.S. and Hong Kong plan to participate.
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RECENT HEADLINES
Estonian churches leave United Methodist fold
United Methodism lives on in Amarillo
EVENTS
Monday, July 10-Friday, Aug. 4
Online course: Journaling With Your Camera
Monday, July 17-Wednesday, July 19
Trauma Resilient Communities Engagement Training
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