“I was praying, others were joining me, in praying for the actual toppling of this wall.” — Bishop Minerva Carcaño, leader of the United Methodist Task Force on Immigration.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Faith leaders struggle to bring hope to migrants
SAN DIEGO (UMNS) — United Methodists joined more than 300 faith leaders who marched to the border wall separating the United States and Mexico on International Human Rights Day in a “moral call for migrant justice.” Two United Methodist pastors were among those arrested when they stepped across the barrier set up by U.S. Border Patrol. Kathy L. Gilbert has the story and Mike DuBose has the photos.
Read story
Bishops’ website spotlights One Church Plan
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — A group of bishops has debuted a website to provide information on the One Church Plan, one of multiple proposals heading to the special General Conference. The new site is getting pushback but also support. Heather Hahn reports.
Read story
Visit website
Judicial Council sets February docket
ST. LOUIS (UMNS) — When the United Methodist Judicial Council holds a special session in February, the agenda will include its first administrative appeal. But a request for a partial reconsideration of the top court’s unanimous ruling in October on two proposed plans for the denomination’s future was denied. Linda Bloom reports.
Read story
Church in Nigeria opens new secondary school
GWATEN-BAMBUR, Nigeria (UMNS) — In Nigeria, where the average annual income is less than $2,500 U.S., paying for a child’s education is daunting. With a newly opened secondary school, however, The United Methodist Church’s Central Nigeria Conference is turning impossibility into possibility. Richard Fidelis has the story.
Read story
Greater New Jersey Conference
N.J. Supreme Court affirms property rights
ALPINE, N.J. — The New Jersey Supreme Court affirmed a lower court’s ruling that local church property is subject to governance by United Methodists of the Greater New Jersey Conference and the trust clauses of the Book of Discipline. The case settles a series of actions stemming back to 2015. Josh Kinney has the story.
Read story
Read previous conference story
World Council of Churches
Addressing online hate speech against refugees
GENEVA — The World Association for Christian Communication — Europe Region is embarking on a one-year project to identify and promote strategies to counter online hate speech focused on refugees and migrants.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Connectional Table, Council of Bishops, General Council on Finance and Administration
Report shows denominational growth
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A new report from The United Methodist Church on the state of the church says that 50 years after the merger that created the denomination, church ministries around the world are thriving. The 2018 State of the Church report shows the multinational denomination has seen a 12 percent increase in membership from 2006 to 2016.
Read press release
Read report
RESOURCES
United Methodist Communications
Take the Advent, Christmas music quiz
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMC.org) — The Peanuts gang sings a Charles Wesley hymn in the final scene of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Can you name the hymn?
Take the quiz
RECENT HEADLINES
Opinions still vary on the Way Forward
Filipino pastor arrested ‘rescuing’ Lumad children
EVENTS
Friday, Dec. 21
Live Nativity
NEWS AND FEATURES
Faith leaders struggle to bring hope to migrants
SAN DIEGO (UMNS) — United Methodists joined more than 300 faith leaders who marched to the border wall separating the United States and Mexico on International Human Rights Day in a “moral call for migrant justice.” Two United Methodist pastors were among those arrested when they stepped across the barrier set up by U.S. Border Patrol. Kathy L. Gilbert has the story and Mike DuBose has the photos.
Read story
Bishops’ website spotlights One Church Plan
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — A group of bishops has debuted a website to provide information on the One Church Plan, one of multiple proposals heading to the special General Conference. The new site is getting pushback but also support. Heather Hahn reports.
Read story
Visit website
Judicial Council sets February docket
ST. LOUIS (UMNS) — When the United Methodist Judicial Council holds a special session in February, the agenda will include its first administrative appeal. But a request for a partial reconsideration of the top court’s unanimous ruling in October on two proposed plans for the denomination’s future was denied. Linda Bloom reports.
Read story
Church in Nigeria opens new secondary school
GWATEN-BAMBUR, Nigeria (UMNS) — In Nigeria, where the average annual income is less than $2,500 U.S., paying for a child’s education is daunting. With a newly opened secondary school, however, The United Methodist Church’s Central Nigeria Conference is turning impossibility into possibility. Richard Fidelis has the story.
Read story
Greater New Jersey Conference
N.J. Supreme Court affirms property rights
ALPINE, N.J. — The New Jersey Supreme Court affirmed a lower court’s ruling that local church property is subject to governance by United Methodists of the Greater New Jersey Conference and the trust clauses of the Book of Discipline. The case settles a series of actions stemming back to 2015. Josh Kinney has the story.
Read story
Read previous conference story
World Council of Churches
Addressing online hate speech against refugees
GENEVA — The World Association for Christian Communication — Europe Region is embarking on a one-year project to identify and promote strategies to counter online hate speech focused on refugees and migrants.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Connectional Table, Council of Bishops, General Council on Finance and Administration
Report shows denominational growth
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A new report from The United Methodist Church on the state of the church says that 50 years after the merger that created the denomination, church ministries around the world are thriving. The 2018 State of the Church report shows the multinational denomination has seen a 12 percent increase in membership from 2006 to 2016.
Read press release
Read report
RESOURCES
United Methodist Communications
Take the Advent, Christmas music quiz
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMC.org) — The Peanuts gang sings a Charles Wesley hymn in the final scene of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Can you name the hymn?
Take the quiz
RECENT HEADLINES
Opinions still vary on the Way Forward
Filipino pastor arrested ‘rescuing’ Lumad children
EVENTS
Friday, Dec. 21
Live Nativity
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