“It is time, in our role as leaders, to initiate a conversation about what it is we want and dream about as a church moving forward.” — Council of Bishops President Thomas J. Bickerton
NEWS AND FEATURES
Bishop urges end to falsehoods, pivot to future
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton used his first address as Council of Bishops president to call on backers of a breakaway denomination to stop mischaracterizing The United Methodist Church. He also called on United Methodist leaders to begin pivoting to what they hope their denomination will be. Heather Hahn has the story.
Read story
Church court clarifies property-transfer rules
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — The Judicial Council ruled that a much-debated church law can only be used for transferring property and is not an exit path for members to another denomination. In a separate matter, the Judicial Council released a memorandum on the vote by the Bulgaria-Romania Provisional Annual Conference to move to the Global Methodist Church. Heather Hahn reports.
Read story
Read sidebar on memorandum
Central Conference of Central and Southern Europe
Ukrainian refugees attend United Methodist camps
ZURICH — United Methodist summer camps in Poland, Czechia, Hungary and Romania have welcomed Ukrainian refugees. That’s one of several positive developments as denomination members in neighbor countries continue to try to help war-torn Ukraine. Urs Schweizer has an update.
Read report
South Georgia Conference
Helping kids start school with confidence
LEESBURG, Ga. — Thanks to Leesburg United Methodist Church, more than 200 children started the school year with full backpacks, fresh haircuts and new-to-them clothes. Kara Witherow writes about how the church brought its community together for its inaugural Back-to-School Bash.
Read story
California-Nevada Conference
Pastor honored with Harry Hosier award
HAYWARD, Calif. — The Rev. Rochelle A. Frazier was named a 2022 Harry Hosier Spirit Award honoree by By Faith Magazine, which serves the 2,500 Black congregations in The United Methodist Church. Frazier, pastor of South Hayward United Methodist Church, received her Doctor of Ministry degree from Claremont School of Theology earlier this year. Hosier was an early and important Black preacher in American Methodism.
Read story
Learn more about By Faith Magazine
PRESS RELEASES
United Women in Faith
UWF: Inflation Reduction Act not enough
NEW YORK — The Inflation Reduction Act is a good thing, but more needs to be done, said Elizabeth Chun Hye Lee, director of mobilization and advocacy for United Women in Faith. “The allocated budget for environmental justice fails to meet the Justice40 goal of delivering at least 40% of climate and clean energy funds to benefit disadvantaged communities,” Lee said in an Aug. 18 statement. United Women in Faith will continue to lobby for the prioritization of climate and environmental justice, she said.
Read press release
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 UM News staff.
Discipleship Ministries
Consider the mental health of church planters
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Church planters must deal with institutional pressure, unstable ministry settings and frustration when they have setbacks, writes Marcelo Gomes, director of training and church planting systems with Path 1 at Discipleship Ministries. “We should have specific mental health evaluations and support for church planters,” Gomes said.
Read commentary
RECENT HEADLINES
Weekend spotlights Native culture
Grappling with mixed news on giving, church exits
EVENTS
Tuesday, Aug. 30
Webinar: Jesus Revealed — How I Am Reveals Who You Are
Tuesday, Sept. 6-Saturday, Sept. 17
Online course: Come to the Waters
NEWS AND FEATURES
Bishop urges end to falsehoods, pivot to future
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton used his first address as Council of Bishops president to call on backers of a breakaway denomination to stop mischaracterizing The United Methodist Church. He also called on United Methodist leaders to begin pivoting to what they hope their denomination will be. Heather Hahn has the story.
Read story
Church court clarifies property-transfer rules
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — The Judicial Council ruled that a much-debated church law can only be used for transferring property and is not an exit path for members to another denomination. In a separate matter, the Judicial Council released a memorandum on the vote by the Bulgaria-Romania Provisional Annual Conference to move to the Global Methodist Church. Heather Hahn reports.
Read story
Read sidebar on memorandum
Central Conference of Central and Southern Europe
Ukrainian refugees attend United Methodist camps
ZURICH — United Methodist summer camps in Poland, Czechia, Hungary and Romania have welcomed Ukrainian refugees. That’s one of several positive developments as denomination members in neighbor countries continue to try to help war-torn Ukraine. Urs Schweizer has an update.
Read report
South Georgia Conference
Helping kids start school with confidence
LEESBURG, Ga. — Thanks to Leesburg United Methodist Church, more than 200 children started the school year with full backpacks, fresh haircuts and new-to-them clothes. Kara Witherow writes about how the church brought its community together for its inaugural Back-to-School Bash.
Read story
California-Nevada Conference
Pastor honored with Harry Hosier award
HAYWARD, Calif. — The Rev. Rochelle A. Frazier was named a 2022 Harry Hosier Spirit Award honoree by By Faith Magazine, which serves the 2,500 Black congregations in The United Methodist Church. Frazier, pastor of South Hayward United Methodist Church, received her Doctor of Ministry degree from Claremont School of Theology earlier this year. Hosier was an early and important Black preacher in American Methodism.
Read story
Learn more about By Faith Magazine
PRESS RELEASES
United Women in Faith
UWF: Inflation Reduction Act not enough
NEW YORK — The Inflation Reduction Act is a good thing, but more needs to be done, said Elizabeth Chun Hye Lee, director of mobilization and advocacy for United Women in Faith. “The allocated budget for environmental justice fails to meet the Justice40 goal of delivering at least 40% of climate and clean energy funds to benefit disadvantaged communities,” Lee said in an Aug. 18 statement. United Women in Faith will continue to lobby for the prioritization of climate and environmental justice, she said.
Read press release
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 UM News staff.
Discipleship Ministries
Consider the mental health of church planters
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Church planters must deal with institutional pressure, unstable ministry settings and frustration when they have setbacks, writes Marcelo Gomes, director of training and church planting systems with Path 1 at Discipleship Ministries. “We should have specific mental health evaluations and support for church planters,” Gomes said.
Read commentary
RECENT HEADLINES
Weekend spotlights Native culture
Grappling with mixed news on giving, church exits
EVENTS
Tuesday, Aug. 30
Webinar: Jesus Revealed — How I Am Reveals Who You Are
Tuesday, Sept. 6-Saturday, Sept. 17
Online course: Come to the Waters
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