Daily Digest - February 06, 2013

"There is nobody who should be excluded from the Jesus message and the Jesus ministry and the healing." - John Simmons, member of the Deaf Ministry committee of Central United Methodist Church, Spartanburg, S.C.

The deaf will hear

SPARTANBURG, S. C. (UMNS) - Since late January, Central United Methodist Church has been reaching out to the large deaf community in its area near the S.C. School for the Deaf.
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UMTV: Worship and workout

ENGLEWOOD, Ohio (UMNS) - Most of us start a new year with resolve to eat right and exercise. An enterprising United Methodist church has found a way to foster spiritual and physical fitness. On Sunday mornings, Stillwater United Methodist meets at the Kleptz YMCA near Dayton. For an hour, the basketball court is transformed from a place for hoops into a holy sanctuary.
Watch video and post a comment

United Methodists respond to flooding in Mozambique

MAPUTO, Mozambique (UMNS) - The United Methodist Church in Mozambique, UMCOR and the Mozambique Initiative are teaming up to help more than 140,000 families affected by flooding caused by heavy rainfall in January. The government is predicting the number of flood survivors will continue to increase as isolated communities are reached.
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Nominations sought for evangelism awards

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N. C. (UMNS) - The Foundation for Evangelism, a United Methodist ministry, is seeking annual (regional) conference nominations for the Harry Denman Evangelism award. The award honors United Methodist clergy, laity and youth who possess a passion for bringing others into a relationship with Christ.
Download nomination materials

Iliff honors two with Courage Awards

DENVER (UMNS) - United Methodist-related Iliff School of Theology will honor Lee Everding, founder and director of Denver Eclectics, and R.J. Ross, president and chief executive officer of the Samaritan Institute, with Courage Awards. A concert and awards presentation is scheduled at 8:30 p.m. MT March 7 at the University of Denver's Newman Center for the Performing Arts.
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An overlooked issue in the Boy Scouts debate

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - Scouting offers boys interaction with a male figure, provides them with opportunities for learning and for skills that they likely would not have otherwise, writes the Rev. Larry Hollon, the top executive of United Methodist Communications and a former Boy Scout. "What church would not want to host a meeting each week in which half the folks present do not have a church home?" he asks in his blog "Faith, Media & Culture."
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Initiatives of Hope in Cambodia

GLEN ALLEN, Va. (UMNS) - The Virginia Annual (regional) Conference has expanded its Initiatives of Hope world ministry to include Cambodia. Neill Caldwell, editor of the Virginia Advocate, joined a Virginia United Methodist Volunteers in Mission team as the group visited congregations and schools in the Methodist Church of Cambodia. He writes about the group's experiences including meeting a group of children who flash the peace sign, "which takes on new meaning in this war-ravaged country."
Read blog about the team's journey