"My biggest advice for sharing God’s transforming love in Jesus Christ is to actually do stuff that shows God’s love." — Jason Balster, Dakotas Conference, 2014 Harry Denman award winner.
6 examples of effective Wesleyan evangelism
PORTLAND, Ore. (UMNS) — United Methodists who are effective at sharing the Good News show that evangelism need be neither intimidating nor intrusive. Heather Hahn shares lessons from five Harry Denman Evangelism Award winners as well as the Foundation for Evangelism’s 2014 distinguished evangelist.
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Minnesota church recognized for ‘culture of call’
HASTINGS, Minn. (UMNS) — The Foundation for Evangelism has recognized Hastings United Methodist Church as the 2015 Culture of Call Church. The Minnesota Conference congregation’s Ministry as Career program focuses on recognizing and mentoring young people to enter ordained ministry. Every Sunday night, participants lead a worship service called “Overflow,” which 50 to 100 students attend.
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How do Americans view faith groups?
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Many Americans today don’t think they have a place for church in their lives. “But they believe the church has a place for them, when or if they are interested,” said Scott McConnell, vice president of LifeWay Research, which issued a new survey June 3 on perceptions of religious denominations. The survey found that 52 percent of Americans had a favorable opinion of Methodists. Cathy Lynn Grossman reports for Religion News Service.
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History quiz: Can you name Francis Asbury’s horses?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Francis Asbury traveled thousands of miles on horseback spreading Methodism in America starting in 1771. Do you know the names of his horses?
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Barton to lead Perkins’ Hispanic ministries program
DALLAS (UMNS) — Paul Barton will be the new director of the Mexican American and Hispanic-Latino/a Church Ministries Program at Perkins School of Theology, a United Methodist seminary. Barton has been on the faculty at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas, and is author of the book “Hispanic Methodists, Presbyterians, and Baptists in Texas.”
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The awkward lives of clergy husbands
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — How does your church or conference treat clergy husbands? The Rev. Kira Schlesinger, an Episcopal priest with a lay husband, discusses the challenges today’s clergy spouses can face in church systems that developed with pastors' wives in mind. Her commentary appears in Ministry Matters, part of the United Methodist Publishing House.
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Looking ahead
Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have an item to share, email [email protected] and put Digest in the subject line.
Thursday-Friday, June 25-26
Native American International Caucus annual meeting — The official United Methodist caucus meets 7:30 a.m. EDT June 25 through 5:30 p.m. EDT June 26 at Lambuth Hall of the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. Contact Lake Junaluska about accommodations
You can see more educational opportunities and other upcoming events in the life of the church here.
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