"The annual conference will welcome a special visitor from the past each day, reminding us of our roots and encouraging us to make the future as vital as our foundation." — Donna Miller, senior interpreter at historic St. George’s United Methodist Church in Philadelphia.
Celebrating 250 years of Methodism in America
OAK, Pa. — In 1767, Captain Thomas Webb and Joseph Pilmore led the push to establish the first Methodist classes in Philadelphia and along the East Coast of the new colonies. At the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference June 15-17, United Methodists will celebrate 250 years of Methodism with special commemorative performances, publications and displays. Conference members wearing colonial-era garb will portray several early ancestors of The United Methodist denomination. John W. Coleman reports.
Read conference story
Conference announces church's departure
JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi Conference has reached an amicable separation with The Orchard congregation, conference leaders announced. The appointed clergy at The Orchard have voluntarily surrendered their credentials and are no longer United Methodist ministers.
Read conference announcement on Page 3
Read UMNS story on church exits
Northern Illinois responds to Judicial Council ruling
CHICAGO — The Northern Illinois Conference Board of Ordained Ministry has responded to the Judicial Council ruling instructing it and other boards to examine all qualifications of ministerial candidates — including whether they practice “fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness.” The board has voted to form a task force “to review our procedures and policies to ensure that we are appropriately examining our candidates.”
Read announcement
Read UMNS story on Judicial Council ruling
Attack on Coptic Christians condemned
GENEVA (WCC) — The World Council of Churches top executive condemned an attack on Coptic Christians that killed 26 people and injured 25 more. The Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit offered “heartfelt condolences to the people who lost family members and friends.”
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Joh named full professor at Garrett-Evangelical
EVANSTON, Ill. — The Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary Board of Trustees unanimously approved the promotion of Wonhee Anne Joh from associate to full professor of systematic theology. The promotion makes Joh the first Asian-American woman to earn full professor in the seminary’s 162-year history.
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Commentary: How to help modern-day lepers
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — People with chronic conditions like diabetes are becoming a new class of socially undesirable people — modern-day lepers to be feared because of the perceived burden they place on society, writes the Rev. Jeremy Scott. He offers four ways churches can help.
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No Daily Digest on Memorial Day
There will be no Daily Digest on Memorial Day, May 29. The digest will resume on May 30. The staff at United Methodist News Service wishes everyone a Happy Memorial Day.
LOOKING AHEAD
Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have a United Methodist event to share, you can add it to the calendar with this submission form.
Thursday, June 2
Older Adult Ministry on a Shoestring — 10-11 a.m., Central. This webinar is designed for small-membership, rural and financially-strapped churches to help them offer quality older adult ministry to their seniors. The Discipleship Ministries webinar provides a roadmap for the small-membership church to follow. It also highlights the advantages of being small and the non-financial resources that are often overlooked. Details
See more United Methodist events
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