“As we reported before, there are more similarities than differences comparing the cohort of disaffiliating churches with the total pool of all United Methodist churches.” — The Rev. Lovett Weems Jr., main author of a new Lewis Center for Church Leadership report.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Study shows shift in disaffiliations
WASHINGTON (UM News) — Disaffiliations from The United Methodist Church have grown considerably and shifted geographically, according to a new study from the Lewis Center for Church Leadership. The Southeastern and South Central jurisdictions together still account for 70% of church departures — down from 84% in an earlier Lewis Center study. Sam Hodges reports
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Radio network transforms to reach more people
JOHANNESBURG (UM News) — The United Methodist Radio Network has voted to rebrand as the United Methodist Broadcast Network. The change, made during the group’s annual meeting in South Africa in June, emphasizes the network's commitment to using the power of broadcasting to reach more people with messages of faith. Priscilla Muzerengwa and the Rev. Taurai Emmanuel Maforo have the story.
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California-Pacific Conference
Praying, assessing damage amid Hawaii fires
LAHAINA, Hawaii — California-Pacific Conference Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank is calling for prayer as United Methodists continue to assess the damage caused by wildfires on Maui whipped up by Hurricane Dora’s winds. The fires have killed at least 36 people. The bishop said Lahaina United Methodist Church’s pastor and his family safely evacuated to a shelter and are checking in on church members, but the church building itself is destroyed.
Read bishop’s pastoral letter
To donate to UMCOR’s U.S. Disaster Relief
United Women in Faith
Vonner benefited from women’s scholarship
NEW YORK — The top executive of United Women in Faith knows firsthand how her agency can help women. Sally Vonner helped pay for her education at Perkins School of Theology with a scholarship from UWF, then called United Methodist Women. “These scholarships are an investment in lives that are an extension of us in the world,” she said. Audrey Stanton-Smith reports.
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UM News: Vonner installed as women’s group leader
New 2023 annual conference reports posted
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodist News is posting 2023 annual conference reports. New this week are the Mississippi and Wisconsin conferences.
Read reports
PRESS RELEASES
Candler School of Theology
Jan Love to step down as Candler dean in 2024
ATLANTA — Jan Love, the Mary Lee Hardin Willard Dean of Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, will step down as dean in summer 2024, when her current term ends. She will remain on the Emory faculty as a professor of Christianity and world politics and plans to take a sabbatical during the 2024-25 academic year before retiring in summer 2025. Candler is one of 13 United Methodist seminaries in the U.S.
Read press release
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