“When there’s conflict, people run from each other, they build camps and they ‘other’ each other.” — Mary Gladstone-Highland, one of the authors of “Calm: How to End Destructive Conflict in Your Church.”
NEWS AND FEATURES
Doing church after a disaffiliation vote
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — After losing a chunk of the congregation because of a painful disaffiliation vote, it was time to discern a new future for Memorial United Methodist Church in Michigan. With the help of a book about navigating conflict in church, the congregation is moving forward as members step up to replace church leaders who have left. Jim Patterson has the story.
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World Council of Churches
Holy Land Christians call for day of prayer
JERUSALEM — The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem has called for Oct. 17 to be a day of prayer and fasting in support of all those who have suffered in the Israeli-Hamas war and for the war’s de-escalation. The Christian leaders also call for addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The World Council of Churches, which includes The United Methodist Church, is joining in the prayers and fasting.
Read Christian leaders’ statement (PDF)
Read World Council of Churches story
Florida Conference
Ukrainian couple finds new church family
TAMPA, Fla. — Dima and Daria Vyshniak recently arrived in the United States, fleeing the war in their native Ukraine. Their home had been leveled by Russian missiles, but they were able to immigrate to the U.S. through a federal program called Uniting for Ukraine. They were greeted at the airport by members of Temple Terrace United Methodist Church. Joe Henderson has the story.
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NorthJersey.com
Ruling in school segregation lawsuit
NEPTUNE, N.J. — A New Jersey Superior Court judge has ruled that the state of New Jersey has systematically failed to address the problem of racial segregation that exists in its public schools. The Greater New Jersey Conference was among several groups that joined a 2018 lawsuit arguing that the state’s residency laws feed inequities between wealthy and poor districts by assigning schools based on a student’s ZIP code. However, the judge didn’t order the state to provide a remedy. Mary Ann Koruth reports.
Read story
Read Bishop John Schol’s remarks on ruling
PRESS RELEASES
National Council of Churches
Bishop Swenson honored for ecumenical work
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — At the 2023 Christian Unity gathering, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA honored retired United Methodist Bishop Mary Ann Swenson with the President’s Award for Excellence in Faithful Leadership. Her co-recipient was the Rev. Renita J. Weems, a Presbyterian biblical scholar who also helped start the United Methodist Women of Color Scholars program.
Read National Council of Churches newsletter
UM News: Women lead way in expanding church scholarship
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.
Upper New York Conference
Putting faith into action
LIVERPOOL, N.Y. — Daniel Bradley, pastor at Faith Journey United Methodist Church, explains how he is putting his faith into action through the Cradle & Beyond Ministry, which is more than just a thrift store. With the help of volunteers, the ministry partners with 32 Syracuse-area missions to clothe and feed others. This summer, they were able to give away 105 backpacks full of school supplies in time for the first day of school.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center
Six keys to helping churches in crisis
DAYTON, Ohio — A new webinar series kicks off at 2 p.m. U.S. Eastern time Oct. 19 with a session titled “The Gift of Desperation: Six Keys to Convert Crisis into Opportunity.” The Rev. Brett DeHart, a pastor in Augusta, Georgia, has been revitalizing churches for two decades using the methods detailed in the webinar. Cost to attend is $15.
Learn more and register
RECENT HEADLINES
Grappling with aftermath of bishop’s trial
Pastor shared stage with E. Stanley Jones
EVENTS
Monday, Oct. 30-Saturday, Nov. 18
Online course: Living Our United Methodist Beliefs
Monday, Nov. 6-Friday, Nov. 17
Online course: Anxiety, Fear and Faith
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