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| Wednesday, October 17, 2012 | |||||
"When one suffers, we all suffer together. As a body of Christ, we need to remember other parts of the world." - The Rev. Motoe Yamada, reflecting on the plight of Syrian Christians. Concerns rise for Syrian ChristiansNEW YORK (UMNS) - United Methodists who have had longtime relationships with Christians in the Middle East through ecumenical organizations are concerned about their plight in Syria and other countries. Interview with retiring Bishop Hans VäxbyPSKOV, Russia (UMNS) - United Methodist Bishop Hans Växby, a native of Sweden, is retiring after overseeing the Eurasia Episcopal Area since 2005. His area includes Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belorussia and other former Soviet republics. In a wide-ranging interview with Anton Kuzmin, a United Methodist, Växby discusses the challenges Russian Protestants face, the importance of U.S.-Eurasian United Methodist partnerships and why Caleb is one of his biblical heroes. Recharge your congregation's batteries this fallNASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - Take advantage of the cooler weather with great projects for your church to reach out to and invite in the community beyond your doors. United Methodist Communications offers six ideas. Trick or treat for UNICEFNEW YORK (UMNS) - For more than 50 years, UNICEF and the United Methodist Board of Church and Society have worked together to save and improve the lives of children around the world. Last year, United Methodist trick-or-treaters raised more than $150,000 for UNICEF. The Board of Church and Society hopes to continue that tradition. A new take on the devil and HalloweenDENVER (UMNS) - Just in time for Halloween, two scholars at United Methodist-related Iliff School of Theology have released "The Quest for the Historical Satan," an exploration of different perceptions of Old Scratch from pre-Christian roots to devilish representations during today's Halloween. The Rev. Miguel De La Torre, an ordained Baptist minister and professor of social ethics at Iliff, and Albert Hernández, Iliff's interim president, are co-authors. Rethink Church campaign reclaims ChristmasNASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - In a new advertising campaign for Advent, United Methodist Communications invites local churches to Reclaim Christmas and Rethink Church with a sermon series and a website redesign focused on simplifying the season and asking families to spend time, not money. The advertising campaign leads faith seekers to a redesigned and mobile-compatible RethinkChurch.org homepage to launch on Nov. 4. To download the free sermon series by the Rev. Mike Slaughter and to update your congregation's Find-A-Church profile to include Advent activities, visit umcom.org/differentkind. | |||||
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