NEWS AND FEATURES
Ask The UMC
A look at legislation that affects clergy formation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Clergy formation is a significant topic that General Conference delegates will consider when they meet beginning April 23 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry and Alabama-West Florida Conference have each offered petitions. The Rev. Taylor W. Burton Edwards offers an analysis of the legislation in Part 3 of Ask The UMC’s series on what’s new for General Conference 2024.
Read analysis
Read more in series
Florida Conference
Church honored for great pumpkin patch
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s news that would grab the attention of the Peanuts’ Linus and other Great Pumpkin fans. Isle of Faith United Methodist Church — a small church with a big patch — recently learned its 6,000-pumpkin spread was judged No. 1 for Outstanding Patch Appeal among churches supplied by Pumpkins USA. Joe Henderson writes about the volunteer-operated ministry.
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Louisiana Conference
Resilience in Ruston
RUSTON, La. — A year ago, two churches in this north central Louisiana community chose to disaffiliate. But faithful United Methodists of Ruston have been dreaming about — and are now planning for — a new faith community. “In many ways, our job is to help facilitate the dreaming,” said Louisiana Conference Bishop Delores J. Williamston. The Rev. Todd Rossnagel reports.
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COMMENTARIES
UM News includes in the Digest commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not UM News staff.
Revised Social Principles offer new start
WASHINGTON (UM News) — The Rev. Lovett H. Weems Jr. says the Revised Social Principles, up for consideration by the General Conference, provide United Methodists “a better way to live together as Christ followers.” He maintains in a commentary that the revision’s language about marriage can be affirmed across a diversity of annual conferences. Weems is senior consultant of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
Pre-General Conference video resources
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — As The United Methodist Church approaches a major legislative gathering that will determine its future, UM News is providing video resources to help people better understand how the legislative assembly works and what legislation is under consideration. The latest installment includes conversations with executives from Wespath and the Connectional Table, as well as a conversation regarding proposals on church regionalization.
Watch videos
Virginia, Tennessee-Western Kentucky conferences
Infographic on denominational structure
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Virginia and Tennessee-Western Kentucky conferences have collaborated in creating an infographic that explains the denomination’s structure and how General Conference operates.
Download infographic (PDF)
RECENT HEADLINES
Why Wespath supports regionalization
Church helps survivors of fire in Congo
EVENTS
Friday, April 19
Immigration Law & Justice Network webinar: Migrants Speak
Monday, April 22-Friday, May 3
Online course: Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition
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