“The income-generating projects sustain him and his family and stand true of the Shona idiom ‘unodya cheziya,’ meaning ‘you eat of your sweat.’” — Loveness Mutezo, Zimbabwe East Conference, on the Rev. Zebediah Marewangepo’s farming efforts in retirement.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Retired pastors reap benefits of farming
HARARE, Zimbabwe (UM News) — Transitioning from pastoral duties to retirement can be daunting, but several pastors in Zimbabwe have taken a leap of faith, retired from active ministry and become farmers and small-business entrepreneurs. Chenayi Kumuterera has the story.
Read story
Iowa Conference
Revised advice for churches with Boy Scout troops
DES MOINES, Iowa — Given the evolving situation with the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy, United Methodist leaders have revised their advice to local churches that host Boy Scout troops. Bishop Laurie Haller is among the church leaders sharing the update, which was done with the cooperation of the BSA.
Read message from Bishop Haller
UM News: BSA bankruptcy concerns church leaders
South Georgia Conference
Sunday school class gets medicine to people
THOMASVILLE, Ga. — Millions of Americans regularly have to choose between basic necessities and their medications. Members of a Thomasville First United Methodist Church Sunday school class decided to do something to change that. The result is the Lawson Neel MedBank, named for the class. Kara Witherow reports how the ministry works.
Read story
Guideposts
Pastor stays sober through the great outdoors
MARYVILLE, Tenn. — The Rev. Matt Hall, associate pastor at First United Methodist Church in Maryville, talks about how a summer ministering to hikers along the Appalachian Trail influenced his recovery from drug addiction. Hall also writes about his journey from addiction to ministry.
Watch video
Read Hall’s story
UM News: Appalachian Trail chaplain nears end of ‘2,200 miles of ministry’
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.
Young elder numbers hit record low
WASHINGTON (UM News) — The annual Lewis Center for Church Leadership study of clergy age trends in The United Methodist Church finds the number of U.S. elders under 35 at a historic low. The Rev. Lovett H. Weems Jr., a senior consultant for the center, shares other key findings from this year’s report.
Read commentary
Read report
RESOURCES
Wespath, United Methodist Communications
October is Pastor Appreciation Month
GLENVIEW, Ill. — October is National Pastor Appreciation Month in the U.S., and Wespath Benefits and Investments offers ideas in an email for local churches to say thank you to their pastors. Wespath also shared survey results revealing a downward trend in clergy well-being, reflecting the challenges of the pandemic, social/racial injustice and the ongoing uncertainty within The United Methodist Church.
See resources
United Methodist Communications: Saying ‘I appreciate you’ to pastors
Finance and Administration
Guide available on ministry partners
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Since 2016, the General Council on Finance and Administration Ministry Partner program has provided opportunities for businesses and organizations to connect with United Methodist ministries and provide discounts for services. The agency has put together an online United Methodist Ministry Resource Guide to catalog these partners. Agency staff vet the ministry partners to ensure they are in line with church teachings.
Read press release
See guide
RECENT HEADLINES
Filipino churchgoers minister amid COVID-19
Native American museum makes belated debut
EVENTS
Tuesday, Oct. 12
Tuesdays at the Table: What is the role of the Bible in our lives?
NEWS AND FEATURES
Retired pastors reap benefits of farming
HARARE, Zimbabwe (UM News) — Transitioning from pastoral duties to retirement can be daunting, but several pastors in Zimbabwe have taken a leap of faith, retired from active ministry and become farmers and small-business entrepreneurs. Chenayi Kumuterera has the story.
Read story
Iowa Conference
Revised advice for churches with Boy Scout troops
DES MOINES, Iowa — Given the evolving situation with the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy, United Methodist leaders have revised their advice to local churches that host Boy Scout troops. Bishop Laurie Haller is among the church leaders sharing the update, which was done with the cooperation of the BSA.
Read message from Bishop Haller
UM News: BSA bankruptcy concerns church leaders
South Georgia Conference
Sunday school class gets medicine to people
THOMASVILLE, Ga. — Millions of Americans regularly have to choose between basic necessities and their medications. Members of a Thomasville First United Methodist Church Sunday school class decided to do something to change that. The result is the Lawson Neel MedBank, named for the class. Kara Witherow reports how the ministry works.
Read story
Guideposts
Pastor stays sober through the great outdoors
MARYVILLE, Tenn. — The Rev. Matt Hall, associate pastor at First United Methodist Church in Maryville, talks about how a summer ministering to hikers along the Appalachian Trail influenced his recovery from drug addiction. Hall also writes about his journey from addiction to ministry.
Watch video
Read Hall’s story
UM News: Appalachian Trail chaplain nears end of ‘2,200 miles of ministry’
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.
Young elder numbers hit record low
WASHINGTON (UM News) — The annual Lewis Center for Church Leadership study of clergy age trends in The United Methodist Church finds the number of U.S. elders under 35 at a historic low. The Rev. Lovett H. Weems Jr., a senior consultant for the center, shares other key findings from this year’s report.
Read commentary
Read report
RESOURCES
Wespath, United Methodist Communications
October is Pastor Appreciation Month
GLENVIEW, Ill. — October is National Pastor Appreciation Month in the U.S., and Wespath Benefits and Investments offers ideas in an email for local churches to say thank you to their pastors. Wespath also shared survey results revealing a downward trend in clergy well-being, reflecting the challenges of the pandemic, social/racial injustice and the ongoing uncertainty within The United Methodist Church.
See resources
United Methodist Communications: Saying ‘I appreciate you’ to pastors
Finance and Administration
Guide available on ministry partners
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Since 2016, the General Council on Finance and Administration Ministry Partner program has provided opportunities for businesses and organizations to connect with United Methodist ministries and provide discounts for services. The agency has put together an online United Methodist Ministry Resource Guide to catalog these partners. Agency staff vet the ministry partners to ensure they are in line with church teachings.
Read press release
See guide
RECENT HEADLINES
Filipino churchgoers minister amid COVID-19
Native American museum makes belated debut
EVENTS
Tuesday, Oct. 12
Tuesdays at the Table: What is the role of the Bible in our lives?
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