Daily Digest - November 20, 2023

“As we go through change, we must remain steadfast in our commitment to the values that have always guided us: compassion, community and a shared sense of purpose.” — The Rev. Moses Kumar, top executive of the General Council on Finance and Administration.


NEWS AND FEATURES
 
Board reviews spending on bishops, agencies
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — The board of The United Methodist Church’s finance agency approved agency and bishop spending plans for the coming year, including increased pay for bishops and funding for their office support. The board also looked ahead to what giving and church departures might mean for the coming 2025-2028 denominational budget. Heather Hahn reports.
Read story
Read press release

Holston Conference
Coffee ministry connects church to college
ATHENS, Tenn. — When Trinity United Methodist Church offered pizza parties to the college students next door, nobody came. But when the congregation offered free, strong coffee with seven kinds of sweeteners every day, students from Tennessee Wesleyan University came to the church in droves. Annette Spence has the story. 
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North Georgia, Missouri and Iowa conferences
3 conferences approve church exits on Nov. 18
ATHENS, Ga. — During a Nov. 18 special session, the North Georgia Conference approved the disaffiliation of 261 congregations from The United Methodist Church. That leaves about 440 in the conference after disaffiliations take effect on Nov. 30. However, North Georgia voters did not ratify the disaffiliation requests of four churches. North Georgia’s special session comes after a county court judge lifted the conference’s disaffiliation pause in May. Also meeting Nov. 18, the Iowa Conference approved 59 disaffiliations and the Missouri Conference approved 20. The U.S. church exits come after decades of debates over LGBTQ inclusion.
Read North Georgia Conference story 
Read Missouri Conference story
Read Iowa Conference story
UM News: Judge lifts disaffiliation pause 
UM News: Number of disaffiliations approved 

Global Ministries
57 EarthKeepers commissioned
ATLANTA — The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries commissioned 57 EarthKeepers from across the United States — the largest class to be commissioned since 2019. Bishop Thomas Bickerton officiated the Nov. 14 commissioning and was joined by Roland Fernandes, top executive of Global Ministries, and the Rev. Jenny Phillips, the agency’s director of environmental sustainability. EarthKeepers develop projects that preserve the environment and promote communities that value and demonstrate environmental care. Christie R. House has the story. 
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Alaska Conference
Alaskans reconsider becoming mission district
ANCHORAGE, Alaska — In early 2020, the Alaska United Methodist Conference voted to submit legislation to the coming General Conference to become a missionary district of the Pacific Northwest Conference. The Rev. Kristi McGuire, on behalf of the conference’s Mission District Task Force, explains why Alaska United Methodists now expect to vote on rescinding the legislation.
Read story and watch video 


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 UM News staff. 

Good Faith Media
Rosalynn Carter was a first lady of faith, action
NORMAN, Okla. — Rosalynn Carter, who died Nov. 19 at age 96, drew on her Christian faith in becoming a politically engaged first lady with a focus on expanding and improving mental health care. John D. Pierce’s tribute notes her Methodist background.
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RECENT HEADLINES

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EVENTS

Sunday, Nov. 26
United Methodist Student Day

Monday, Dec. 4-Friday, Dec. 22
Advent: A Photography Journey