“Typhoon Odette is one of the most devastating typhoons that hit my area. This natural calamity struck just before Christmas; many Filipinos did not enjoy the holiday celebrations.” — Bishop Rodolfo A. Juan of the Davao Area in the Philippines.
TODAY’S HEADLINES
Filipino churches step up after super typhoon
VISAYAS, Philippines (UM News) — Church leaders and relief groups are continuing to reach out to survivors in the wake of Typhoon Odette, which killed more than 400 people and destroyed homes and crops a week before Christmas. Several local churches are providing shelter, and United Methodists have been delivering food and other supplies. Gladys P. Mangiduyos has the story.
Read story
Remembering Jay Weaver of Big Daddy Weave
GULF BREEZE, Fla. (UM News) — Fans of popular Christian rockers Big Daddy Weave are mourning the death of Jay Weaver, bassist and co-founding member of the band and a lifelong United Methodist. The 42-year-old died from complications of COVID-19 after suffering from diabetes and kidney issues for years. Friends and members of St. Paul United Methodist Church remember him as upbeat and funny even as his health declined. Jim Patterson has the story.
Read story
Global Ministries
Human Relations Day grant empowers neighbors
ATLANTA — Cleveland’s Cory United Methodist Church will offer financial counseling to its community thanks to gifts given on Human Relations Day. The United Methodist Voluntary Services grant from United Methodist Global Ministries supports the program and provides a small cash incentive for completing the course. Human Relations Day is a denomination-wide special offering taken the Sunday before the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Christie R. House has the story.
Read story
Read more about Human Relations Day
No Daily Digest Jan. 17
In observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States, there will be no UM News Daily Digest on Monday, Jan. 17. The digest will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 18.
Download MLK meme
PRESS RELEASES
United Methodist Men
Vance promoted to operations director
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Rev. Rick Vance has been appointed as operations director of United Methodist Men, replacing the retiring Martha Davis. Vance, an ordained elder from the Peninsula-Delaware Conference, has directed the Center for Men’s Ministries for more than six years.
Read press release
Historical Society of The United Methodist Church
Saddlebag Award goes to Chilcote
MADISON, N.J. — A book about songs and singing in The United Methodist Church is the 2021 Saddlebag Award winner as the most significant book about Methodism during the year. “Singing the Faith: Soundings of Lyrical Theology in the Methodist Tradition” was written by the Rev. Paul W. Chilcote, director of the Centre for Global Wesleyan Theology at Wesley House in Cambridge, U.K.
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 the UM News staff.
Epworth United Methodist Chapel
What would MLK be saying in 2022?
BALTIMORE — The Rev. C. Anthony Hunt, an alumnus of Wesley Theological Seminary and one of its adjunct faculty members, has imagined the kind of letter the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. would write to America in 2022. Voter registration is a key theme.
Read letter
Faith & Leadership
Plan for the post-pandemic future of church buildings
DURHAM, N.C. — The number of congregations closing could rise sharply after the pandemic. The time to explore using church real estate wisely is now. Rick Reinhard and Chris Elisara share five steps churches can take to prepare for an uncertain future.
Read commentary
EVENTS
Monday, Jan. 24-Friday, Feb. 11
Online course: Living Our United Methodist Beliefs
Monday, Feb. 7
Clergy: Get Smarter About Your Taxes 2022
TOP STORIES FROM THE WEEK
Bilingual appointments boost declining churches
KENOSHA, Wis. (UM News) — The Wisconsin Conference has begun a creative new type of appointment, known as a bilingual appointment, to help respond to the trend of declining Korean and other ethnic churches. While such appointments can be challenging for pastors, there are benefits to assigning clergy to two congregations with different backgrounds. The Rev. Thomas E. Kim has the story.
Read story
Pastor passes along blessings to orphans, widows
KINSHASA, Congo (UM News) — It was from the many times God answered his prayers that the Rev. César Lodiha Akoka felt called to start the first Volunteers in Mission club in his home country and on the campus of United Methodist Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Through the clubs, he and more than 50 young adults reach out to marginalized people in their communities. Kathy L. Gilbert has the story.
Read story
Trailblazing Bishop Wilbur Choy dies at 103
SEATTLE (UM News) — United Methodists remember Bishop Wilbur Choy, the denomination’s first Asian American bishop, for helping the church grow more ethnically and racially diverse. He also had a great sense of humor. Choy died Dec. 28 at 103. Heather Hahn has an obituary.
Read obituary
Read press release
Churches face another test with omicron variant
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — The high-speed surge of the omicron variant is presenting another pandemic challenge to United Methodist churches, prompting some to back away from in-person gatherings, with others making more modest changes. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
Ask The UMC
What is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18-25, Christians everywhere are invited to remember one another in prayer and strengthen the bonds of love and mutual mission in Jesus Christ. Ask The UMC has more on this annual observance, including why it lasts eight full days and how to download resources.
Read story
Read World Council of Churches Q&A
Read more Ask The UMC
UMC.org
Update aims to make Bible translation more accurate
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — One of the most popular Bible translations, the New Revised Standard Version, is getting an update. The new version is not a fresh translation but an update that modifies language, grammar and punctuation aimed at increasing its accuracy. Jim Patterson has the story.
Read story
TODAY’S HEADLINES
Filipino churches step up after super typhoon
VISAYAS, Philippines (UM News) — Church leaders and relief groups are continuing to reach out to survivors in the wake of Typhoon Odette, which killed more than 400 people and destroyed homes and crops a week before Christmas. Several local churches are providing shelter, and United Methodists have been delivering food and other supplies. Gladys P. Mangiduyos has the story.
Read story
Remembering Jay Weaver of Big Daddy Weave
GULF BREEZE, Fla. (UM News) — Fans of popular Christian rockers Big Daddy Weave are mourning the death of Jay Weaver, bassist and co-founding member of the band and a lifelong United Methodist. The 42-year-old died from complications of COVID-19 after suffering from diabetes and kidney issues for years. Friends and members of St. Paul United Methodist Church remember him as upbeat and funny even as his health declined. Jim Patterson has the story.
Read story
Global Ministries
Human Relations Day grant empowers neighbors
ATLANTA — Cleveland’s Cory United Methodist Church will offer financial counseling to its community thanks to gifts given on Human Relations Day. The United Methodist Voluntary Services grant from United Methodist Global Ministries supports the program and provides a small cash incentive for completing the course. Human Relations Day is a denomination-wide special offering taken the Sunday before the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Christie R. House has the story.
Read story
Read more about Human Relations Day
No Daily Digest Jan. 17
In observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States, there will be no UM News Daily Digest on Monday, Jan. 17. The digest will resume on Tuesday, Jan. 18.
Download MLK meme
PRESS RELEASES
United Methodist Men
Vance promoted to operations director
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Rev. Rick Vance has been appointed as operations director of United Methodist Men, replacing the retiring Martha Davis. Vance, an ordained elder from the Peninsula-Delaware Conference, has directed the Center for Men’s Ministries for more than six years.
Read press release
Historical Society of The United Methodist Church
Saddlebag Award goes to Chilcote
MADISON, N.J. — A book about songs and singing in The United Methodist Church is the 2021 Saddlebag Award winner as the most significant book about Methodism during the year. “Singing the Faith: Soundings of Lyrical Theology in the Methodist Tradition” was written by the Rev. Paul W. Chilcote, director of the Centre for Global Wesleyan Theology at Wesley House in Cambridge, U.K.
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 the UM News staff.
Epworth United Methodist Chapel
What would MLK be saying in 2022?
BALTIMORE — The Rev. C. Anthony Hunt, an alumnus of Wesley Theological Seminary and one of its adjunct faculty members, has imagined the kind of letter the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. would write to America in 2022. Voter registration is a key theme.
Read letter
Faith & Leadership
Plan for the post-pandemic future of church buildings
DURHAM, N.C. — The number of congregations closing could rise sharply after the pandemic. The time to explore using church real estate wisely is now. Rick Reinhard and Chris Elisara share five steps churches can take to prepare for an uncertain future.
Read commentary
EVENTS
Monday, Jan. 24-Friday, Feb. 11
Online course: Living Our United Methodist Beliefs
Monday, Feb. 7
Clergy: Get Smarter About Your Taxes 2022
TOP STORIES FROM THE WEEK
Bilingual appointments boost declining churches
KENOSHA, Wis. (UM News) — The Wisconsin Conference has begun a creative new type of appointment, known as a bilingual appointment, to help respond to the trend of declining Korean and other ethnic churches. While such appointments can be challenging for pastors, there are benefits to assigning clergy to two congregations with different backgrounds. The Rev. Thomas E. Kim has the story.
Read story
Pastor passes along blessings to orphans, widows
KINSHASA, Congo (UM News) — It was from the many times God answered his prayers that the Rev. César Lodiha Akoka felt called to start the first Volunteers in Mission club in his home country and on the campus of United Methodist Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Through the clubs, he and more than 50 young adults reach out to marginalized people in their communities. Kathy L. Gilbert has the story.
Read story
Trailblazing Bishop Wilbur Choy dies at 103
SEATTLE (UM News) — United Methodists remember Bishop Wilbur Choy, the denomination’s first Asian American bishop, for helping the church grow more ethnically and racially diverse. He also had a great sense of humor. Choy died Dec. 28 at 103. Heather Hahn has an obituary.
Read obituary
Read press release
Churches face another test with omicron variant
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — The high-speed surge of the omicron variant is presenting another pandemic challenge to United Methodist churches, prompting some to back away from in-person gatherings, with others making more modest changes. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
Ask The UMC
What is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — During the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18-25, Christians everywhere are invited to remember one another in prayer and strengthen the bonds of love and mutual mission in Jesus Christ. Ask The UMC has more on this annual observance, including why it lasts eight full days and how to download resources.
Read story
Read World Council of Churches Q&A
Read more Ask The UMC
UMC.org
Update aims to make Bible translation more accurate
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — One of the most popular Bible translations, the New Revised Standard Version, is getting an update. The new version is not a fresh translation but an update that modifies language, grammar and punctuation aimed at increasing its accuracy. Jim Patterson has the story.
Read story
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