“I have a loud voice and I have pink hair, so people are going to pay attention to me.” — Billie Jean Baker, on winning an evangelism award from the North Texas Conference.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Evangelism award winner slept outside church
DALLAS (UM News) — Before getting her own place, Billie Jean Baker often slept outside Oak Lawn United Methodist as a homeless person. Baker also joined the church and helped expand its welcome to the unsheltered. The North Texas Conference has honored her with an evangelism award. Sam Hodges reports.
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Ask The UMC
How do we love our enemies?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Many Christians struggle with this question. As followers of Christ, we are called to love our enemies. How do we do that? Who are our enemies? Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, looks to Scripture and the writings of John Wesley in the latest installment of Ask The UMC.
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Filipino youth respond to fire victims
PULILAN, Philippines (UM News) — United Methodist youth in Bulacan province rallied to help an impoverished community recover from a devastating fire. A poor neighborhood was already struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic when a fire destroyed 28 of the community’s 108 houses in early September. Fort Nicolas reports.
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Florida Conference
Brew Theology keeps going without brews
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Tallahassee Brew Theology is a Fresh Expression of church that has been growing for almost two years while meeting in breweries and bars. Piper Ramsey-Sumner writes about how the community continues to thrive even as COVID-19 shuttered its usual meeting places.
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Native American Comprehensive Plan
Native church members struggle with COVID-19
OKLAHOMA CITY — Jennifer Neal describes her struggle with COVID-19, the virus that took the life of her husband, David. The Rev. Chebon Kernell, who leads the Native American Comprehensive Plan, is calling for all Native ministries within The United Methodist Church to stay diligent in protecting their communities by pausing activities, wearing masks and social distancing. Ginny Underwood reports.
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750 million lack water access
Coming Tuesday, Oct. 13: The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries reports that more than 750 million people around the world lack reliable water access. In “Water for Life,” UM News photographer Mike DuBose documents the church’s efforts to provide clean water to rural Africa.
PRESS RELEASES
Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Webinar examines lack of young clergy
WASHINGTON — The Lewis Center for Church Leadership of Wesley Theological Seminary will host a webinar panel discussion with younger clergy and candidates that discusses the decline of young elders to near record lows. The webinar, “The Crisis of Younger Clergy in the UMC: Young Clergy and Candidates Speak Out,” will be at noon U.S. Eastern time on Oct. 21.
To register
Read Clergy Age Trends report
Commentary: Young elder numbers near historic low
RECENT HEADLINES
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United Methodists among 19 dead in Congo massacre
EVENTS
Monday, Oct. 19
Online class: Generous Church Leadership
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