“We know better. Why don’t we act or live differently? It strikes me as that we are still befuddled by our human fallibility.” — The Rev. Mai-Anh Le Tran, United Methodist theologian, discussing the reluctance of many to address racism.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Grappling with how racism coexists with faith
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Three theologians from across the U.S. wrestled with how Christianity can overcome racism at a time when polls show that many white Christians don’t see racial injustice as a problem. Heather Hahn reports on the most recent online panel in the United Methodist series on dismantling racism.
Read story
Read about earlier town hall
Missions’ doctors, nurses serve despite struggles
HARARE, Zimbabwe (UM News) — With the country’s health sector paralyzed by labor strikes and a lack of protective equipment and other supplies amid COVID-19, more patients are turning to United Methodist mission hospitals for care. Kudzai Chingwe reports.
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United Methodist Communications
134-year-old church becomes virtual school
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As parents seek socialization and academic support for their children, church buildings that normally sit empty during the week are suddenly the center of activity in neighborhoods. Historic Denton’s Chapel United Methodist Church is one example.
Watch video and read transcript
Alabama-West Florida Conference
Conference gears up to help after Sally
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama-West Florida Conference has been amassing flood buckets and gearing up in other ways to help after slow-moving Hurricane Sally. Conference officials were beginning to assess damage along the upper Gulf Coast and stressed that it’s too early for response teams to deploy.
Read conference message
Oregon-Idaho Conference
Church transforms into wildfire shelter for homeless
OAK GROVE, Ore. — On Sept. 10, the Rev. Heather Riggs of Oak Grove United Methodist Church received a text message that some of the area transient population was being turned away from wildfire shelters due to COVID-19 restrictions. In less than five hours, the church created a shelter.
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PRESS RELEASES
General Council on Finance and Administration
Agency names 2 new ministry partners
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The General Council on Finance and Administration has added two companies to its ministry partner program: Subsplash and Ecolab/Guest Supply. GCFA vets ministry partners to make sure they respond to church needs. Subsplash is an online giving platform and Ecolab sells cleaning and food-handling supplies.
Read press release
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.
Racism and Latinos: the wall of separation and fear
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (UM News) — In the current public discussion of racism toward Black people, the Rev. David Maldonado fears similar discrimination toward Latinos could go overlooked. “Addressing racism requires more than resolutions and specialized minority ministries,” the retired pastor writes.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
United Methodist Men
UM Men magazine celebrates 100 years of Scouting
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The latest issue of UM Men magazine celebrates 100 years of Scouting, which was officially recognized by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1920.
Read issue
RECENT HEADLINES
Clergy: Racial justice is church’s responsibility
Debrecen church has new home
EVENTS
Saturday, Sept. 19
Virtual International Emmaus Ministries gathering
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