"This would be a monumental change in a monumental moment." — The Rev. Edlen Cowley on his effort to replace the Cross and Flame as the insignia of The United Methodist Church.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Conference backs replacing Cross and Flame
DALLAS (UM News) — A pastor's call to replace the Cross and Flame as the insignia of The United Methodist Church has picked up the backing of the North Texas Conference. The Rev. Edlen Cowley says the insignia suggests to African Americans the cross burnings of the Ku Klux Klan. Sam Hodges reports.
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Fix broken migration policy, religious leaders say
GENEVA (UM News) — A recent fire that destroyed a massive refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos once again exposed "the fundamentally broken state of European migration and asylum policy and the suffering it has created," says an advocacy statement from religious leaders. The World Methodist Council participated in drafting the statement. Linda Bloom reports.
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Read full statement
Read WCC press release
North Georgia Conference
Men's Bible study crosses racial lines
ALPHARETTA, Ga. — This summer, dozens of men from St. James and Alpharetta First United Methodist churches joined via Zoom for a series of Bible studies and discussions on race and reconciliation. St. James' congregation is predominantly Black and Alpharetta First is predominantly white. Sybil Davidson has the story.
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The Aspen Times
Pastor collects sleeping bags for homeless
ASPEN, Colo. — After early September ushered in colder temperatures and tree-toppling snowfall, the Rev. Jerry Herships took to social media with a plea for sleeping bags for the homeless in his area. Rick Carroll reports on the generous response to the United Methodist pastor's request.
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PRESS RELEASES
National Council of Churches
Worries over human rights in Philippines
WASHINGTON — The U.S. National Council of Churches and United Methodist boards of Church and Society and Global Ministries are among the faith organizations signing a unity statement to protect and promote human rights in the Philippines. The statement cites "the worrisome heightening of human rights violations and intensifying curtailment of civil liberties" because of restrictions put upon democratic discourse.
Read statement
RESOURCES
Encouraging voter registration
WASHINGTON — John Wesley was a fan of voting. According to a 1774 journal entry, he urged Methodist Society members: "(1) To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy (2) To speak no evil of the person they voted against, and (3) To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side." In the U.S., Sept. 22 is national voter registration day.
To check voter registration
Read 2012 Ministry Matters voting commentary
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