"I tell folks that I used to have this sweet 50-hour-a-week job as pastor. I put another 50-hour-a-week job on top of that, running the day shelter." — The Rev. Ruth Marsh, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Churches see lots of need this Advent
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (UM News) — In this second Advent of the pandemic, many United Methodist churches and affiliated nonprofits in the U.S. are seeing increased appeals for help with food, shelter and other necessities. Sam Hodges talks to pastors and others about the extent of the need, and the reasons for it.
Read story
Kentucky and Tennessee-Western Kentucky conferences
Conferences to partner on tornado response
CRESTWOOD, Ky. — The Kentucky and Tennessee-Western Kentucky conferences plan to work together closely on relief and recovery work after the devastating Dec. 10-11 tornadoes, which hit their areas hard. The Tennessean also highlights how the United Methodist Committee on Relief is working with conferences to respond. Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference Bishop William McAlilly and Kentucky Conference Bishop Leonard Fairley have both made statements about the challenges ahead.
Read Kentucky Conference story
Read Tennessean story
Read McAlilly blog post
Read Fairley statement
Southern Illinoisan
Church sends supplies to twister-hit towns
MURPHYSBORO, Ill. — Murphysboro First United Methodist Church is among the faith communities responding right away to the deadly tornadoes that hit the upper South and Midwest on Dec. 10-11. The church has sent one 38-foot trailer full of supplies to Mayfield, Kentucky, and another to Dresden, Tennessee. Both towns were hard hit by twisters, and Murphysboro has its own experience with deadly tornadoes. Makayla Holder reports.
Read story
UM News: United Methodists respond after devastating tornadoes
New England Conference
Conference camping centers go green
METHUEN, Mass. — In recent years, the New England Conference's four Camp and Retreat Centers have taken steps to reduce their carbon footprint and increase energy efficiency, as well as to move toward renewable energy sources and reduce waste. Conference staff report on the ways, both large and small, that the camps practice environmental stewardship.
Read story
DanKarla.com
Christian artists feature church in new release
SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa — Dan Tritle and Karla Oleson Tritle, praise team leaders at Spirit Lake United Methodist Church, have entered the Christian contemporary music scene and now have a Christmas release. The video for their new song, "Stars and Angels," features their church.
Watch video on Facebook
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 the UM News staff.
Doubter's Parish
Laywoman, not pastors, had the Christmas spirit
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — The Rev. Martin Thielen, a retired United Methodist pastor who runs the Doubter's Parish website, has written a Christmas story about a faithful laywoman who put her town's pastors to shame in showing how to observe Jesus' birth.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
Foundation for Evangelism
Foundation offering local church grants
LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — The Foundation for Evangelism is launching a new $250,000 Equipping the Local Church grant cycle. Grants for $5,000 or $10,000 will be awarded to Wesleyan-tradition congregations with under 250 participants, or clusters of churches working together. Applications open Jan. 15.
Read press release (PDF)
Learn more
RECENT HEADLINES
Church exits, COVID lead to steep budget cuts
EVENTS
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