"About August, all of a sudden you knew somebody who had it. In two or three weeks, you knew a whole pile of people. And then you knew somebody who died." — The Rev. Charlie Moore, on the rise of COVID-19 in South Dakota.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Dakotas Conference feels pain of COVID-19
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (UM News) — Clergy of the Dakotas Conference of The United Methodist Church are expert witnesses to just how much illness and death COVID-19 has brought to their states — and to how congregations have stepped up their ministry in response. Sam Hodges reports.
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Ask The UMC
Does Christmas have roots in pagan beliefs?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The assertion that Christmas is merely a "Christianized" pagan holiday simply isn't true, writes Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications. In his book "The Origins of the Liturgical Year," Thomas Talley shows that Dec. 25 was celebrated in the early church by the third century and suggests a North African rather than Roman origin for the feast and its dating.
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Religion News Service
Black pastor helps white church's reckoning
SALISBURY, N.C. — In one of the most conservative cities in North Carolina, the Rev. Aldana Allen — a United Methodist pastor — gingerly approaches racial issues without alienating his flock. Yonat Shimron has the story.
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PRESS RELEASES
The Upper Room
New nonprofit takes on retreats for middle schoolers
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Upper Room has granted ownership of its Discovery Weekend program to N2Discovery Inc., a new nonprofit ministry with a mission of growing young disciples. Discovery Weekend is a spiritual formation retreat program designed for middle school students. The Rev. Michael Ratliff, former executive at Discipleship Ministries, is N2Discovery president.
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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.
Florida Conference
Laity are needed in this strange Advent season
ORLANDO, Fla. — With clergy facing the challenge of being pastors in a pandemic, Alice Williams says laity's work matters more than ever. The lay leader of the Florida Conference writes about how laypeople can lead in this Advent season and the challenging days ahead.
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EVENTS
Tuesday, Dec. 15
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