Families

Faith Stories
Susie and Ed Keefer pose with Miriam, age 4, in Kinshasa, Congo, in 2013. Shortly afterward, Miriam went home with the Keefers to the United States. The matching outfits were a gift from Dr. Rebecca Yohadi. Photo courtesy of Susie Keefer.

From mission volunteer to adoptive mom

When Susie Keefer traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2010, little did she know it would be the first of many mission journeys.
Global Health
The Iliff School of Theology in Denver is offering a Foundations of Death Care course that is the beginning of a new certificate program to help caretakers better comfort dying people and their loved ones. It’s billed as the first such offering at a seminary. Iliff is one of the 13 United Methodist theological schools in the U.S. Photo by truthseeker08, courtesy of Pixabay.

Death doula helps navigate end-of-life care

A new Iliff School of Theology course aims to “change the narrative around death” by giving pastors and others the foundation they need to support the dying and their families.
Disaster Relief
Items to aid flood victims in Tanzania are organized in the Masai District by volunteers from the local United Methodist church. With financial support from the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the church helped 250 families affected by the disaster. Photo courtesy of the North Katanga Episcopal Area disaster management office.

Church brings vital aid to flood victims in Tanzania

The United Methodist Church — with support from UMCOR — came to the aid of hundreds of families affected by devastating floods in Tanzania.
Faith Stories
More than 35 years ago, Cecelia Whitfield founded a transportation ministry to enable family members to visit their incarcerated loved ones. A United Methodist, Whitfield has helped 100,000 people visit relatives in dozens of Indiana prisons. Photo by Ichigo121212, courtesy of Pixabay; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Prison visits help inmates, families

Cecelia Whitfield was devastated when her son went to prison for armed robbery, but she rallied quickly and founded a ministry that has transported family members to visit their incarcerated loved ones for more than 35 years.

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