“This flood has plunged our district into great sadness. We have done all we can to provide local help, but the scale of the disaster is overwhelming.” — The Rev. Idda John Ngowi, superintendent of The United Methodist Church’s Masai District in Tanzania.
NEWS AND FEATURES
United Methodists among flood survivors in Tanzania
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (UM News) — Flooding in Tanzania’s Masai and Morogoro districts affected more than 6,300 people, including 300 members of The United Methodist Church. A local United Methodist congregation lost its temporary church. The Tanzania Conference is appealing for help to support survivors and continue its mission of evangelizing to the Masai people, a population of seminomadic herders and warriors from East Africa. Asaph Sungura Ally has the story.
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Missouri Conference
Bishop calls for prayer for Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri Conference Bishop Robert D. Farr is calling for prayer and steps to stop gun violence after shooters opened fire at a parade celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl win. The shooting left one woman dead and 22 injured, half under the age of 16. “I refuse to accept that mass shootings are ‘normative,’” the bishop writes. “Just because something is, doesn’t mean it should be.” He also provides resources for addressing violence.
Read statement
Virginia Conference
State house recognizes church’s 250 years
RICHMOND, Va. — With an official resolution on Feb. 8, the Virginia House of Delegates commended Trinity United Methodist Church in Alexandria as it celebrates its 250th anniversary this year. The Rev. Grace Han, the church’s lead pastor, opened the day’s session by reading the invocation. Sam Duenckel reports on the church’s anniversary plans.
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Watch video of invocation
Great Plains Conference
Changes for South Central Jurisdiction
WICHITA, Kan. — The South Central Jurisdiction episcopacy committee is recommending that one bishop be assigned to the Oklahoma, Arkansas and Oklahoma Indian Missionary conferences. The committee also foresees no bishop elections at the 2024 South Central Jurisdictional Conference. David Burke reports that a high rate of local church disaffiliations has prompted the committee’s recommendations for major change.
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United Methodist Communications
Thinking of new ways to do church
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On a new episode of “Compass Podcast,” the Rev. Heather Jallad talks about the creative and fun ways that church is coming together and meeting the world, such as Dinner Church or Messy Church.
Listen to podcast
RESOURCES
Discipleship Ministries
Webinars offer tools for worship planners
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Worship Team at Discipleship Ministries is leading a free webinar series to empower worship planners and equip them with the tools and inspiration needed to curate services that engage hearts, minds and spirits. Crafting Sacred Moments begins Feb. 20 and will have sessions through October. Topics include music and art, creativity and planning.
Learn more
Register
ENCORE Ministry
New online learning series for older adult ministry
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — ENCORE Ministry, the older-adult ministry of the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference, has partnered with the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga School of Nursing’s EngAGING Communities to create an online learning experience for clergy and church leaders interested in topics related to intentional ministry by, with and for older adults. Starting Feb. 20, “Building Community With Older Adults” will be at noon U.S. Central time on the third Tuesday of each month through December. Programs also will be recorded and posted on ENCORE’s website.
Learn more and register
Visit ENCORE website
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Monday, March 4-Monday, March 18
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