“The 21-day lockdown in the country is a contributory factor to the surge in number of waiting mothers. Some refuse and cry not to go back to their homes. (They want to) stay at the hospital.” — Florence Ogugua Mefor, midwife at United Methodist Mutambara Mission Hospital in Zimbabwe.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Mission hospital sends pregnant women home to wait
MANICALAND, Zimbabwe (UM News) — A United Methodist mission hospital is sending pregnant women home to protect them from the coronavirus while they wait for labor to start. Meanwhile, the number seeking shelter has surged. Chenayi Kumuterera reports.
Read story
South Georgia Conference
Georgians sew masks for patients, workers
ALBANY, Ga. — In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, it often helps to focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t. That’s what many South Georgia United Methodists are doing by sewing masks for patients and health care workers. Kara Witherow has the story.
Read story
Ask The UMC
Why is the Easter season 50 days long?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Easter for Christians is more than a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. The season of Easter, or Eastertide, begins at sunset on the eve of Easter and ends on Pentecost, the day the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church is celebrated. Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, has more on the Easter season.
Read story
Read more Ask The UMC
World Council of Churches
Protecting women from violence during pandemic
GENEVA — In many countries, the rise of domestic abuse is being called “a new COVID-19 crisis” as movement restrictions aimed to stop the spread of the coronavirus are making violence in homes more frequent, more severe and more dangerous. Supporters of Thursdays in Black, the global campaign for a world free from rape and violence, are calling on everyone to protect women from this emerging threat.
Read story
COMMENTARIES
UM News includes in the Daily Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not the UM News staff.
Faith community must support those suffering abuse
BOSTON (UM News) — While social distancing will slow the spread of the coronavirus, isolation is both a risk factor and a weapon of abuse, writes the Rev. Anne Marie Hunter. “Sheltering in place” with someone who is abusive is at best dangerous and at worst a death sentence, the New England Conference elder writes.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
Minnesota Conference
EarthKeepers curriculum for youth available
MINNEAPOLIS — A four-week EarthKeepers curriculum for youth is available from the Minnesota Conference and Hopeful EarthKeepers. The free lesson plans explore how United Methodists relate to God’s creation. A bonus lesson takes on the environment and COVID-19. Karla Hovde has the story.
Read story
RECENT HEADLINES
Modeling non-anxious leadership during pandemic
Church leaders urge African Americans to stay healthy
EVENTS
Sunday, April 26
Native American Ministries Sunday
NEWS AND FEATURES
Mission hospital sends pregnant women home to wait
MANICALAND, Zimbabwe (UM News) — A United Methodist mission hospital is sending pregnant women home to protect them from the coronavirus while they wait for labor to start. Meanwhile, the number seeking shelter has surged. Chenayi Kumuterera reports.
Read story
South Georgia Conference
Georgians sew masks for patients, workers
ALBANY, Ga. — In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, it often helps to focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t. That’s what many South Georgia United Methodists are doing by sewing masks for patients and health care workers. Kara Witherow has the story.
Read story
Ask The UMC
Why is the Easter season 50 days long?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Easter for Christians is more than a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. The season of Easter, or Eastertide, begins at sunset on the eve of Easter and ends on Pentecost, the day the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church is celebrated. Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, has more on the Easter season.
Read story
Read more Ask The UMC
World Council of Churches
Protecting women from violence during pandemic
GENEVA — In many countries, the rise of domestic abuse is being called “a new COVID-19 crisis” as movement restrictions aimed to stop the spread of the coronavirus are making violence in homes more frequent, more severe and more dangerous. Supporters of Thursdays in Black, the global campaign for a world free from rape and violence, are calling on everyone to protect women from this emerging threat.
Read story
COMMENTARIES
UM News includes in the Daily Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not the UM News staff.
Faith community must support those suffering abuse
BOSTON (UM News) — While social distancing will slow the spread of the coronavirus, isolation is both a risk factor and a weapon of abuse, writes the Rev. Anne Marie Hunter. “Sheltering in place” with someone who is abusive is at best dangerous and at worst a death sentence, the New England Conference elder writes.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
Minnesota Conference
EarthKeepers curriculum for youth available
MINNEAPOLIS — A four-week EarthKeepers curriculum for youth is available from the Minnesota Conference and Hopeful EarthKeepers. The free lesson plans explore how United Methodists relate to God’s creation. A bonus lesson takes on the environment and COVID-19. Karla Hovde has the story.
Read story
RECENT HEADLINES
Modeling non-anxious leadership during pandemic
Church leaders urge African Americans to stay healthy
EVENTS
Sunday, April 26
Native American Ministries Sunday
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