Daily Digest - May 27, 2020

"The agony of the poor is not a 'new normal' under (the) pandemic but an intensifying normalcy of a society where there are sharp inequities and injustice." — Norma P. Dollaga, a United Methodist deaconess in the Philippines.

NEWS AND FEATURES

Filipinos on the margins hurt by COVID-19
MANILA, Philippines (UM News) — COVID-19 is hurting people on the margins, with millions of poor and daily wage earners experiencing "the uncertainty of food supply and the certainty of hunger," said Rubilyn Litao, a United Methodist deaconess. Church members from the three episcopal areas in the Philippines have come together to provide assistance. Gladys P. Mangiduyos reports.
Read story
Tackling food insecurity caused by pandemic
African churches ease pandemic's hunger blow

Bishop Jones removed from SMU board
DALLAS (UM News) — Texas Conference Bishop Scott Jones lost his seat on the Southern Methodist University trustee board last month, another episode in an ongoing legal battle for control of the school. Jones' removal by fellow trustees came after he petitioned to join the South Central Jurisdictional Conference's lawsuit against SMU. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story

Minnesota Conference
Bishop laments death of George Floyd
MINNEAPOLIS — Bishop Bruce R. Ough, who leads the Minnesota and Dakotas conferences, lamented the death of George Floyd and called on United Methodists to address "this pervasive pandemic of racism." Floyd, a black man, died May 25 in the custody of Minneapolis police. Video showed an officer pinning him down while he struggled to breathe.
Read statement

World Council of Churches
5 women bishops discuss leadership
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Retired United Methodist Bishop Mary Ann Swenson has spent her career voicing the need for a church that includes all people, regardless of the amount of hate mail she received. Swenson was one of five female United Methodist bishops who took part in a panel discussion as part of a women's leadership conference hosted at California State University.
Read story

UMAC
Group honors communicators in online gala
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The United Methodist Association of Communicators named the Rev. Todd Rossnagel as communicator of the year. Rossnagel is the Louisiana Conference's director of communications and a licensed local pastor. He was among the communicators who received honors at the group's online gala.
Watch online gala
See award winners

Holston Conference
COVID-19 concerns get missionaries sent home
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Two months ago, the Rev. Mark Hicks was immersed in his ministry as pastor of the English Speaking United Methodist Church in Prague. By May 4, he was on his way to the United States, with only two suitcases and the clothes on his back, due to visa complications related to COVID-19. Hicks is now in East Tennessee, reeling from his abrupt departure from the Czech Republic. Annette Spence has the story.
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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.

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month during pandemic
SAN FRANCISCO (UM News) — The blaming and harassment of Asian Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic recalls the World War II internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans, writes the Rev. John Oda in a commentary about Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.
Read commentary

RESOURCES

Religions for Peace USA
Webinar looks at lessening hate during pandemic
WASHINGTON — Religions for Peace USA, whose members include The United Methodist Church, is hosting an hour-long webinar at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time May 28 to help participants learn more about approaches for undermining hate and division during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read about webinar
To register

RECENT HEADLINES

New General Conference dates announced

Churches extend helping hands to homeless

EVENTS

Sunday, June 7

Peace with Justice Sunday