“His passion for its need and relevance in the Latin America and Caribbean region kept him focused not only on the fund’s creation but on its growth.” — The Rev. Cynthia Weems, on Lloyd Ambrosius’ commitment to the Methodist ministry fund called Encounter with Christ in Latin America and the Caribbean.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Layman led effort for Methodist mission fund
LINCOLN, Neb. (UM News) — Lloyd Ambrosius taught history for nearly five decades at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, winning Fulbright fellowships and publishing groundbreaking works on Woodrow Wilson’s foreign policy. Ambrosius also was a faithful United Methodist and played a critical role in the founding of Encounter with Christ in Latin America and the Caribbean, an endowed fund that supports Methodist ministry in those regions. Ambrosius died May 7 at age 82. Sam Hodges has a feature obituary.
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Alabama-West Florida Conference
State’s top court blocks 44 churches’ lawsuit
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by 44 Alabama-West Florida Conference churches disputing how the conference was handling church disaffiliations. The supreme court ruled that the First Amendment bars civil courts from adjudicating cases solely based on interpretations of church rules. “Because exercising jurisdiction over this case would entail resolving a dispute on the basis of religious practice or doctrine, we affirm the trial court’s judgment dismissing the suit,” the court said. In a statement, the Alabama-West Florida Conference expressed its gratitude to the state supreme court: “We appreciate the thorough work of the courts and look forward to continuing our United Methodist witness in these communities.”
Read conference statement
Read decision
Eastern Pennsylvania Conference
Churches invite neighbors to pickleball games
NORRISTOWN, Pa. — Believing that churches should be places to play as well as pray, two United Methodist churches in the Eastern Pennsylvania and Greater New Jersey conferences are providing indoor pickleball courts as inviting gifts to their communities. West Lawn United Methodist in Reading, Pennsylvania, and St. Paul’s United Methodist in Brick, New Jersey, have both gotten into step with America’s fastest-growing sport, drawing praise from their neighbors. John W. Coleman reports.
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South Carolina Conference
An unexpected ministry: Helping with taxes
PIEDMONT, S.C. — Augusta Road United Methodist Church hosts a Tax Aide location, part of a program offered by the AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons. The number of taxpayers grows every year, but volunteers can be harder to find. Denise Morgan, a Tax-Aide volunteer, writes why this can be effective ministry.
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Religion News Service
Former Duke dean leads ‘farmastery’
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — Part of the new monastic movement that began three decades ago among lay Protestants, Spring Forest is a model for how Christians can work, eat and worship as a community. The Rev. Elaine Heath, an ordained United Methodist and a former Duke Divinity School dean, founded the blend of farm and monastery. Yonat Shimron has the story of how the ministry reaches its neighbors.
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COMMENTARIES
UM News includes in the Digest 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.
‘Strangely warmed’ by General Conference experience
ARLINGTON, Mass. (UM News) — As a first-time General Conference delegate, Amanda Bonnette-Kim went prepared for fights. She didn’t expect to find compassion and cooperation instead. “Over and over, I kept hearing ‘this is not what General Conference is usually like,’ but I wonder if it should be,” she writes.
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RESOURCES
Finance and Administration
Webinar looks at new US overtime rule
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Starting July 1, a new labor rule from the U.S. Department of Labor will expand the workers who are eligible for overtime pay. The new rule raises the wage threshold for overtime exemption and could affect church workers. The General Council on Finance and Administration plans to have webinar on the new policy at 1 p.m. U.S. Central time June 5.
Register
See Finance and Administration infographic
Read Department of Labor blog post
Foundation for Evangelism
Online event discusses raising up gospel leaders
LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — The Revs. Stephen Gunter and Heather Lear of the Foundation for Evangelism plan to discuss how the foundation’s grants and partnerships are raising up evangelistic gospel leaders in the Wesleyan tradition. The online event is scheduled for 2 p.m. U.S. Eastern time June 10. A recording will be provided for those who register.
Register
RECENT HEADLINES
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Church revives itself with community engagement
EVENTS
Wednesday, June 5-Saturday, June 8
Indiana Annual Conference
Thursday, June 6-Saturday, June 8
Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference
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