“I believe prayers are wonderful and very important, but it’s not enough. God gave us our brains and our hearts, so we have to act.” — The Rev. Lydia Istomina, on why her church, Francis Street First United Methodist in St. Joseph, Missouri, hosted a community rally for Ukraine.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Blessed be their Ukrainian ties
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (UM News) — For United Methodists with close ties to Ukraine, the Russian invasion of that country is an ever-present, wrenching concern. It’s also an occasion to try to help. Webinars about Ukraine. Community rallies for Ukraine. Fundraisers for Ukrainian refugee relief. United Methodists with connections to Ukraine have been doing these and more. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
Louisiana Conference
Response begins in wake of New Orleans tornado
BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Conference has begun its response to the March 22 tornado that touched down in New Orleans East, killing at least one person and leaving thousands without power and hundreds with destroyed homes. Initially, trained Early Response Teams will assess the needs before debris removal and roof tarping can begin. The Rev. Bob Deich, who leads the Conference Disaster Response Ministry, said, “You will not be alone — the church will be present for you, and God will be with you." Conference staff report.
Read story
New England Conference
Church offers backpacks to those leaving prison
ACTON, Mass. — St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church is not far from the Massachusetts Correctional Institution, and for many years it has collaborated with a prison ministry. In 2020, the church started helping with the WELCOMEBACKpack program, which fills backpacks with toiletries and other necessities for those coming out of prison without a permanent home to go to. The church recently blessed 48 packs ready for distribution. Conference staff have the story.
Read story
California-Nevada Conference
Pastoral letter about complaint process
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Interim Bishop Sally Dyck and the California-Nevada Conference leadership have issued a pastoral letter to address questions following the suspension of Bishop Minerva Carcaño. “One of the most frequent questions and biggest frustrations for many is that the complaint process against Bishop Carcaño is confidential,” the letter said. “One reason for confidentiality is to protect and care for the one who is under complaint as well as those who filed the complaints.”
Read letter
Block Club Chicago
$2 million going to church housing effort
CHICAGO — A nonprofit developer is getting $2 million in federal funds to convert Humboldt Park United Methodist Church into affordable apartments. Church leaders teamed up with LUCHA, the nonprofit, to redevelop the church building after deciding to move the congregation. Mina Bloom reports.
Read story
UM News: How an immigrant family found room at the inn
PRESS RELEASES
Discipleship Ministries
Report documents church-planting trends
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Data released by United Methodist Discipleship Ministries shows that COVID-19 disruptions had a great impact overall on the number of new churches, faith communities and fresh expressions that have been planted in The United Methodist Church. The Global Church Planting 2020 Report also notes that, “Given the current and unknown future related to both the denominational situation and COVID-19, many respondents found it difficult to project the number of new church plants anticipated over the next five years.”
Read press release
Read report
RECENT HEADLINES
Church in Nigeria welcomes first Deaf congregation
Ask The UMC: What is UMCOR Sunday?
EVENTS
Friday, March 25
Lunch and Learn: Panel Discussion on the ERA and Voter Suppression
NEWS AND FEATURES
Blessed be their Ukrainian ties
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (UM News) — For United Methodists with close ties to Ukraine, the Russian invasion of that country is an ever-present, wrenching concern. It’s also an occasion to try to help. Webinars about Ukraine. Community rallies for Ukraine. Fundraisers for Ukrainian refugee relief. United Methodists with connections to Ukraine have been doing these and more. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
Louisiana Conference
Response begins in wake of New Orleans tornado
BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Conference has begun its response to the March 22 tornado that touched down in New Orleans East, killing at least one person and leaving thousands without power and hundreds with destroyed homes. Initially, trained Early Response Teams will assess the needs before debris removal and roof tarping can begin. The Rev. Bob Deich, who leads the Conference Disaster Response Ministry, said, “You will not be alone — the church will be present for you, and God will be with you." Conference staff report.
Read story
New England Conference
Church offers backpacks to those leaving prison
ACTON, Mass. — St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church is not far from the Massachusetts Correctional Institution, and for many years it has collaborated with a prison ministry. In 2020, the church started helping with the WELCOMEBACKpack program, which fills backpacks with toiletries and other necessities for those coming out of prison without a permanent home to go to. The church recently blessed 48 packs ready for distribution. Conference staff have the story.
Read story
California-Nevada Conference
Pastoral letter about complaint process
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Interim Bishop Sally Dyck and the California-Nevada Conference leadership have issued a pastoral letter to address questions following the suspension of Bishop Minerva Carcaño. “One of the most frequent questions and biggest frustrations for many is that the complaint process against Bishop Carcaño is confidential,” the letter said. “One reason for confidentiality is to protect and care for the one who is under complaint as well as those who filed the complaints.”
Read letter
Block Club Chicago
$2 million going to church housing effort
CHICAGO — A nonprofit developer is getting $2 million in federal funds to convert Humboldt Park United Methodist Church into affordable apartments. Church leaders teamed up with LUCHA, the nonprofit, to redevelop the church building after deciding to move the congregation. Mina Bloom reports.
Read story
UM News: How an immigrant family found room at the inn
PRESS RELEASES
Discipleship Ministries
Report documents church-planting trends
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Data released by United Methodist Discipleship Ministries shows that COVID-19 disruptions had a great impact overall on the number of new churches, faith communities and fresh expressions that have been planted in The United Methodist Church. The Global Church Planting 2020 Report also notes that, “Given the current and unknown future related to both the denominational situation and COVID-19, many respondents found it difficult to project the number of new church plants anticipated over the next five years.”
Read press release
Read report
RECENT HEADLINES
Church in Nigeria welcomes first Deaf congregation
Ask The UMC: What is UMCOR Sunday?
EVENTS
Friday, March 25
Lunch and Learn: Panel Discussion on the ERA and Voter Suppression
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