Daily Digest-August 17, 2018

“As a female pastor, or bishop, not everyone believes you are capable. Some people do not believe in female leadership. It is a challenge to work in such an environment.” — Mozambique Area Bishop Joaquina F. Nhanala.


NEWS AND FEATURES

Nhanala: ‘Africa is ready’ for second female bishop
MUTARE, Zimbabwe (UMNS) — Mozambique Area Bishop Joaquina F. Nhanala, the first and only female United Methodist bishop on the African continent, has traveled a long and lonely road over the past decade. It is her prayer that “more women are elected into episcopacy in 2020.” Eveline Chikwanah has an interview with Nhanala.
Read Q&A 

Hispanic/Latino caucus supports One Church Plan
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UMNS) — The Hispanic-Latino caucus of The United Methodist Church is backing the One Church Plan, which would leave decisions to allow same-gender weddings up to churches and gay ordination up to annual conferences. The Rev. Gustavo Vasquez reports.

Read story 

Eastern Pennsylvania Conference
Church responds to Pennsylvania floods

TREMONT, Pa. — Leaders of St. John’s United Methodist are working with Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and district disaster response officials to help their community recover from recent storm
flooding that caused extensive damage to homes and other buildings. John W. Coleman reports.  
Read story

KIII-TV
New home for Harvey survivor

REFUGIO, Texas — The Rio Texas Conference joined other groups in providing a new home to an elderly woman displaced by Hurricane Harvey. KIII-TV reports on the happy outcome.

Read story and watch video


PRESS RELEASES


Higher Education and Ministry
University association names new president

LONDON — The board of directors of the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities, an organization supported by the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, formally elected the Rev. Thomas V. Wolfe as its president. Wolfe currently serves as president and CEO of United Methodist Iliff School of Theology in Denver.
Read press release


COMMENTARIES

United Methodist News Service plans to include various commentaries about proposals for the future of the church in the Daily Digest over the coming months. The commentaries will reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not the UMNS staff.

Good News leader explains proposals for church future
The WOODLANDS, Texas — The Rev. Thomas Lambrecht, vice president of Good News and a member of the Commission on a Way Forward, details the three plans included in the commission’s report on how The United Methodist Church should move forward to resolve differences over ministry with LGBTQ people.
The Traditional Plan 
The One Church Plan 
The Connectional Conference Plan 

Blogger explains plans for realigning church
SEATTLE — The Rev. Jeremy Smith, pastor of Seattle First United Methodist Church and the writer of the Hacking Christianity blog, explains the three plans included in the Way Forward Commission’s report, as well as the “Simple Plan,” submitted by the United Methodist Queer Clergy Caucus.
The One Church Plan 
The Traditional Plan 
The Connectional Conference Plan 
The Simple Plan 


RECENT HEADLINES

No end in sight for church wildfire response

Reflecting on a shared Methodist heritage 


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