“Afful really had a heart and passion for the most vulnerable. … He cared for them and loved them like his own.” — The Rev. Judy Chung, executive director of missionary service at Global Ministries, on the death of missionary Innocent Afful.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
Missionary remembered as a light for vulnerable children
KINSHASA, Congo (UM News) — Innocent P. Afful, a missionary with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, is being remembered as an energetic servant of God and dedicated mentor for orphans and other vulnerable children. He died April 17 at age 49. Chadrack Tambwe Londe reports.
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Ask The UMC
Understanding inclusive language for God
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — How should United Methodists use names and pronouns for God and people? Explore how United Methodists have evolved on these questions since the early 1980s in a new article from Ask The UMC.
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Read more Ask The UMC
United Methodist Communications
10 ways to take care of God’s creation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Creation care is a calling for people of faith. In honor of Earth Day on April 22, United Methodist Communications offers 10 ways for United Methodists to care for the environment. The agency also offers other Earth Day resources and inspiration. Feel free to download our Earth Day meme and share on social media.
Watch video
Download meme
New England Conference
Congregations invited to join Green Church movement
SUNCOOK, N.H. — The Rev. Bumshik Min, pastor of Suncook United Methodist Church, wants to encourage other congregations to address climate change. He founded the Green Church movement, which offers practical steps churches can take and a forum for them to work together. New England Conference staff have the story.
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Finance and Administration
Factcheck on trust clause case
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Lawsuits involving The United Methodist Church’s trust clause for local church property have been in the news lately. Bryan Mills, general counsel for the General Council on Finance and Administration, aims to separate fact from fiction about one recent case.
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PRESS RELEASES
United Women in Faith
UWF names James-Vickery interim head
NEW YORK — Mollie James-Vickery was elected as interim chief executive of United Women in Faith and will move to that post on May 8. Current leader Harriett Jane Olson, who announced her pending retirement in October, will exit on May 5. James-Vickery, a United Methodist deaconess, will continue in her job as operations officer until a permanent chief executive is named.
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UWF: Harriett Jane Olson to retire
RESOURCES
Cathedral of the Rockies
Envisioning the post-pandemic church
BOISE, Idaho — Dreaming, envisioning and strategizing on the future of the church will take place April 26-27 at the Northwest Leadership Institute at Cathedral of the Rockies, a United Methodist church. Participants will include Bishops Carlo A. Rapanut, Cedric D. Bridgeforth and Dottie Escobedo-Frank and the Rev. Duane Anders, senior pastor of Cathedral of the Rockies.
Learn more and register
EVENTS
Monday, April 24-Friday, May 5
Online course: Preaching a Children's Sermon
Monday, April 24-Saturday, May 6
Online course: Hope and Justice for Creation
TOP STORIES OF THE WEEK
United Methodists join march for gun reform
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Five caskets and an urn — one for each victim of the March 27 shooting at The Covenant School — were carried during an April 17 march from McKendree United Methodist Church to the Tennessee State Capitol. United Methodist clergy and laity were among the more than 1,000 people who participated in the “Moral Monday” rally in support of stricter gun laws. Jim Patterson has the story.
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Exiting Florida churches’ lawsuit dismissed
STARKE, Fla. (UM News) — A Florida judge dismissed a lawsuit originally filed by 106 churches seeking to leave The United Methodist Church without paying the exit fees. The judge wrote that current Florida court rules tied his hands, but his order appeared to welcome an appeal. Heather Hahn reports.
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Schedule of special sessions for disaffiliations
Church food pantry helps Alaskans ‘on the edge’
WILLOW, Alaska (UM News) — In a small, rural Alaska town, Willow United Methodist Church runs a community food pantry that is a lifeline for many living off the grid. Joey Butler has the story, with photos by Mike DuBose.
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UM News: Samoan congregation in Alaska celebrates new charter
Holston Conference: Clergy couple keeps connection strong in Alaska
Bishop Wilson shares priorities, hopes for future
OKLAHOMA CITY (UM News) — While acknowledging the significance of being the denomination's first Native American bishop, David Wilson is clear he intends to be an effective leader for all United Methodists under his purview. Wilson sat down for an interview with UM News to talk about his priorities and hopes for the future of The United Methodist Church. Jim Patterson reports.
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UM News: South Central elects Wilson as denomination’s first Native American bishop
Liberian bishop: ‘Agriculture, evangelism go hand in hand’
MONROVIA, Liberia (UM News) — Since he was elected in 2016, Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr. of the Liberia Conference has emphasized the need for his churches to become more financially self-sufficient. One of the ways he hoped to do this was through agricultural projects by the United Methodist Rural and Agriculture Development Program. Quire and the program’s director, the Rev. Joseph Theoway, discuss the status of those goals with E Julu Swen.
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UM News: Liberian bishop seeks to go ‘back to the soil’
Kids help plant trees to fight climate change
HARARE, Zimbabwe (UM News) — Addressing climate change is a priority in Zimbabwe, and The United Methodist Church is among those looking for solutions. United Methodists recently accepted a $3,000 grant from the ecumenical All Africa Conference of Churches to fund a joint tree-planting program alongside the United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe. With the help of schoolchildren and their teachers, The United Methodist Church planted 425 trees at Murewa Mission. Kudzai Chingwe has the story.
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Commentary: Differing trajectories of separation
ATLANTA (UM News) — Even as they vote to disaffiliate from The United Methodist Church, some congregations and conferences show interest in maintaining connectionalism with the denomination. How that works depends not only on the type of connectionalism — organizational, relational or theological — but also on what that process of separation looks like, writes Dr. David W. Scott, director of mission theology at United Methodist Global Ministries.
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Great Plains Conference
‘Unlikely’ home for remnant United Methodists
LEWELLEN, Neb. — The Most Unlikely Place is the name of a bistro and art gallery in the small Nebraska panhandle town of Lewellen. It’s also where local United Methodists have begun to meet, following their churches’ decision to disaffiliate. David Burke reports on the remnant group's commitment to inclusivity, conversation — and brunch.
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Religion News Service
Clergy reportedly face complaint, church trial
JACKSON, Miss. — The Rev. Paige Swaim-Presley and the Rev. Elizabeth Davidson say a formal complaint has been filed against them, allegedly for officiating a same-sex wedding. The couple they married identify as nonbinary. The Mississippi Conference confirmed the complaint and said the parties involved were “properly informed of the complaint and their rights to respond under church law.” Emily McFarlan Miller reports.
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