“The church has given me hope for life.” — Kavira Mwavita, a homeless mother of three in Congo who received assistance from UMCOR.
NEWS AND FEATURES
UMCOR assists displaced people in Congo
BENI, Congo (UM News) — In northeastern Congo, many farmers are afraid to work in their fields, due to threats by Allied Democratic Forces rebels. Hunger and starvation are daily realities. In response, the United Methodist Committee on Relief recently provided almost $100,000 USD, buying a one-month supply of food and other necessities for more than 850 vulnerable households. Philippe Kituka Lolonga reports.
Read story
Florida Conference
‘God is going to build something new’
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Experience with responding to Hurricane Marie helped First United Methodist Church Kissimmee take on the emergency needs that resulted from the pandemic, says its pastor. Joe Henderson reports on how Florida congregations met the challenges of the past 15 months.
Read story
Virginia Conference
Longtime lay leader, delegate dies
PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Darlene Amon, a longtime General Conference delegate and the first woman to serve as the National President of Annual Conference Lay Leaders, died on May 27. She was 81. The Virginia Conference has her obituary.
Read obituary
News 6-ClickOrlando
After shooting, children’s home shuts program
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida United Methodist Children’s Home announced it was suspending its emergency shelter program. The announcement came less than 24 hours after two foster children ran away from the shelter and ended up in a shootout with sheriff’s deputies. The officers are uninjured, but one of the juveniles — a 14-year-old girl — was hospitalized. Adrienne Cutway reports.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Central Texas Conference
New bishops named for three conferences
FORT WORTH, Texas — Great Plains Conference Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. will extend his work to provide interim episcopal leadership to the Central Texas Conference when Bishop Michael Lowry retires on Jan. 1, 2022. Rio Texas Conference Bishop Robert Schnase will do the same for the New Mexico Conference when Bishop Earl Bledsoe retires on that date. Bledsoe also oversees the Northwest Texas Conference, and Oklahoma Conference/Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference Bishop James Nunn will fill the gap there until episcopal elections in November 2022.
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.
Understanding the effects of white privilege
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Learning about white privilege led Laura Derr to the realization that she must work to change the systems that have helped her but adversely affected others. Derr’s story is highlighted in UM News’ Personal Encounters With Racism feature.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
United Methodist Higher Education Foundation
College scholarships up to $3,000 available
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A limited number of United Methodist Dollars for Scholars awards are still available for the 2021-22 academic year from the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. The scholarships are for United Methodist students attending United Methodist higher education.
To learn more and apply
RECENT HEADLINES
Looking to neighbors to fix neighborhoods
Annual conferences plan online, hybrid events
EVENTS
Saturday, June 12-Sunday, June 13
Missouri Annual Conference
Sunday, June 13-Tuesday, June 15
North Texas Annual Conference
NEWS AND FEATURES
UMCOR assists displaced people in Congo
BENI, Congo (UM News) — In northeastern Congo, many farmers are afraid to work in their fields, due to threats by Allied Democratic Forces rebels. Hunger and starvation are daily realities. In response, the United Methodist Committee on Relief recently provided almost $100,000 USD, buying a one-month supply of food and other necessities for more than 850 vulnerable households. Philippe Kituka Lolonga reports.
Read story
Florida Conference
‘God is going to build something new’
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Experience with responding to Hurricane Marie helped First United Methodist Church Kissimmee take on the emergency needs that resulted from the pandemic, says its pastor. Joe Henderson reports on how Florida congregations met the challenges of the past 15 months.
Read story
Virginia Conference
Longtime lay leader, delegate dies
PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Darlene Amon, a longtime General Conference delegate and the first woman to serve as the National President of Annual Conference Lay Leaders, died on May 27. She was 81. The Virginia Conference has her obituary.
Read obituary
News 6-ClickOrlando
After shooting, children’s home shuts program
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida United Methodist Children’s Home announced it was suspending its emergency shelter program. The announcement came less than 24 hours after two foster children ran away from the shelter and ended up in a shootout with sheriff’s deputies. The officers are uninjured, but one of the juveniles — a 14-year-old girl — was hospitalized. Adrienne Cutway reports.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Central Texas Conference
New bishops named for three conferences
FORT WORTH, Texas — Great Plains Conference Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. will extend his work to provide interim episcopal leadership to the Central Texas Conference when Bishop Michael Lowry retires on Jan. 1, 2022. Rio Texas Conference Bishop Robert Schnase will do the same for the New Mexico Conference when Bishop Earl Bledsoe retires on that date. Bledsoe also oversees the Northwest Texas Conference, and Oklahoma Conference/Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference Bishop James Nunn will fill the gap there until episcopal elections in November 2022.
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.
Understanding the effects of white privilege
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Learning about white privilege led Laura Derr to the realization that she must work to change the systems that have helped her but adversely affected others. Derr’s story is highlighted in UM News’ Personal Encounters With Racism feature.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
United Methodist Higher Education Foundation
College scholarships up to $3,000 available
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A limited number of United Methodist Dollars for Scholars awards are still available for the 2021-22 academic year from the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. The scholarships are for United Methodist students attending United Methodist higher education.
To learn more and apply
RECENT HEADLINES
Looking to neighbors to fix neighborhoods
Annual conferences plan online, hybrid events
EVENTS
Saturday, June 12-Sunday, June 13
Missouri Annual Conference
Sunday, June 13-Tuesday, June 15
North Texas Annual Conference
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