“What I love about The UMC is the marriage of preaching and evangelism with social work.” — The Rev. Samuel Goia, pastor, Way of Life United Methodist Church in Micești, Romania.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Romanian hotel houses one-stop shop for ministry
CLUJ-NAPOCA, Romania (UM News) — A hotel and ministry center run by The United Methodist Church in Romania hosts numerous programs to help Ukrainian refugees, as well as the rest of the community. Joey Butler has the story, with photos by Mike DuBose and video by Francisco Litardo.
Read story
Watch video
UM News: United Methodist ministry with Ukraine
Florida Conference, UMCOR
Pray and give amid Ian’s devastation
LAKELAND, Fla. — Fully assessing Hurricane Ian’s devastation will take time after it left more than 2.5 million people without power in Florida and many evacuated from their homes. The United Methodist Committee on Relief has released a $10,000 solidarity grant to the Florida Conference to purchase supplies and provide urgent services to survivors. What is now a tropical storm is forecast to continue its damaging path into South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. In the meantime, people can support those in Ian's path with their prayers and financial donations. Volunteers also are asked not to self-deploy.
To give to UMCOR’s U.S. Disaster Response
To give to the Florida Conference
To assemble cleaning kits
Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Young elder numbers hit record low
WASHINGTON — The Lewis Center for Church Leadership has published its annual report on clergy age trends in The United Methodist Church. The number of elders under age 35 is at a record low. Young deacon numbers are up slightly. The Rev. Lovett H. Weems Jr., senior consultant for the Lewis Center, has done an analysis of the trends.
Read full report
Read Weems’ analysis
Read report highlights
Burundi Conference
Head of state inaugurates new UM schools
GITEGA, Burundi — Burundi’s head of state, Evariste Nadayishimiye, inaugurated two primary schools and a technical school Sept. 19 in the Gitega District of the Burundi Conference. The schools, projects of The United Methodist Church in Burundi, feature 24 classrooms, and more than 2,000 students already have registered. Niyiragira Ladislas reports.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Global Ministries
New UMCOR grant to help remove landmines in Ukraine
ATLANTA — When Russian Federation forces recently withdrew from large parts of Ukraine, they left behind landmines, booby traps and unexploded cluster munitions hidden to do the most harm. A new $2 million grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief to Mines Advisory Group will help demine reclaimed ground, enable teams to identify the exact location of unexploded ordnances and educate Ukrainians living in or returning to these areas on safe behaviors to reduce the risk of accidents.
Read press release
The Upper Room
Walking fundraiser starts Oct. 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A wellness walk fundraiser is planned for Oct. 1 through Nov. 12, with the proceeds going to Emmaus Ministries. Emmaus is dedicated to strengthening disciples for the renewal of the church. Cost to register for the walk is $29. Participants are asked to walk 7 miles, which is the distance between Jerusalem and Emmaus. After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to two disciples walking to Emmaus — an encounter described in Luke.
Read press release
Register
RESOURCES
Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference
Remembering Native boarding school victims
ANADARKO, Okla. — Members of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference will gather Sept. 30 to mark the National Day of Remembrance for U.S. Indian Boarding Schools. The service will be at 10:30 a.m. at J.J. Methvin United Methodist Church at 615 E. Broadway St. From Sept. 30 through Oct. 6, United Methodists are invited to observe a special time of prayer and action as they remember the atrocities associated with tribal children taken from their families and placed in boarding schools. The Native American International Caucus has resources to help churches raise awareness.
See resources
RECENT HEADLINES
Bishops push back against recruitment tactics
2022 annual conference reports
EVENTS
Wednesday, Oct. 19-Saturday, Oct. 22
SBC21 National Summit on Mass Incarceration
Wednesday, Nov. 16
Facing the Future virtual conference for pastors serving cross-racial, cross-cultural and multicultural contexts
NEWS AND FEATURES
Romanian hotel houses one-stop shop for ministry
CLUJ-NAPOCA, Romania (UM News) — A hotel and ministry center run by The United Methodist Church in Romania hosts numerous programs to help Ukrainian refugees, as well as the rest of the community. Joey Butler has the story, with photos by Mike DuBose and video by Francisco Litardo.
Read story
Watch video
UM News: United Methodist ministry with Ukraine
Florida Conference, UMCOR
Pray and give amid Ian’s devastation
LAKELAND, Fla. — Fully assessing Hurricane Ian’s devastation will take time after it left more than 2.5 million people without power in Florida and many evacuated from their homes. The United Methodist Committee on Relief has released a $10,000 solidarity grant to the Florida Conference to purchase supplies and provide urgent services to survivors. What is now a tropical storm is forecast to continue its damaging path into South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia. In the meantime, people can support those in Ian's path with their prayers and financial donations. Volunteers also are asked not to self-deploy.
To give to UMCOR’s U.S. Disaster Response
To give to the Florida Conference
To assemble cleaning kits
Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Young elder numbers hit record low
WASHINGTON — The Lewis Center for Church Leadership has published its annual report on clergy age trends in The United Methodist Church. The number of elders under age 35 is at a record low. Young deacon numbers are up slightly. The Rev. Lovett H. Weems Jr., senior consultant for the Lewis Center, has done an analysis of the trends.
Read full report
Read Weems’ analysis
Read report highlights
Burundi Conference
Head of state inaugurates new UM schools
GITEGA, Burundi — Burundi’s head of state, Evariste Nadayishimiye, inaugurated two primary schools and a technical school Sept. 19 in the Gitega District of the Burundi Conference. The schools, projects of The United Methodist Church in Burundi, feature 24 classrooms, and more than 2,000 students already have registered. Niyiragira Ladislas reports.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Global Ministries
New UMCOR grant to help remove landmines in Ukraine
ATLANTA — When Russian Federation forces recently withdrew from large parts of Ukraine, they left behind landmines, booby traps and unexploded cluster munitions hidden to do the most harm. A new $2 million grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief to Mines Advisory Group will help demine reclaimed ground, enable teams to identify the exact location of unexploded ordnances and educate Ukrainians living in or returning to these areas on safe behaviors to reduce the risk of accidents.
Read press release
The Upper Room
Walking fundraiser starts Oct. 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A wellness walk fundraiser is planned for Oct. 1 through Nov. 12, with the proceeds going to Emmaus Ministries. Emmaus is dedicated to strengthening disciples for the renewal of the church. Cost to register for the walk is $29. Participants are asked to walk 7 miles, which is the distance between Jerusalem and Emmaus. After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to two disciples walking to Emmaus — an encounter described in Luke.
Read press release
Register
RESOURCES
Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference
Remembering Native boarding school victims
ANADARKO, Okla. — Members of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference will gather Sept. 30 to mark the National Day of Remembrance for U.S. Indian Boarding Schools. The service will be at 10:30 a.m. at J.J. Methvin United Methodist Church at 615 E. Broadway St. From Sept. 30 through Oct. 6, United Methodists are invited to observe a special time of prayer and action as they remember the atrocities associated with tribal children taken from their families and placed in boarding schools. The Native American International Caucus has resources to help churches raise awareness.
See resources
RECENT HEADLINES
Bishops push back against recruitment tactics
2022 annual conference reports
EVENTS
Wednesday, Oct. 19-Saturday, Oct. 22
SBC21 National Summit on Mass Incarceration
Wednesday, Nov. 16
Facing the Future virtual conference for pastors serving cross-racial, cross-cultural and multicultural contexts
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