Daily Digest - January 8, 2024

“I want all children to have the chance to live healthy and productive lives.” — Dr. Marie-Claire Manafundu, coordinator of the church’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health program in Eastern Congo.


NEWS AND FEATURES

Church helps thousands of malnourished children 
GOMA, Congo (UM News) — The United Methodist Church is helping care for malnourished children in Congo. As part of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health program, United Methodists provide nutritional supplements, medical care and advice to parents on infant feeding and care. In 2023, the church helped more than 2,300 malnourished children, including 771 with acute malnutrition. The program is supported by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries’ Global Health unit. Chadrack Tambwe Londe reports. 
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Dakotas Conference
Pub ministry reaches new people
PIERRE, S.D. — A Fresh Expressions ministry featuring meetings in bars has gained a toehold. Pub Theology is the brainchild of the Rev. Jeff Lathrop of First United Methodist Church. About 12 people meet weekly in a local pub, up from five or six when the ministry started in 2023. Fresh Expressions is a movement to establish faith communities outside of the standard Sunday morning church model. Doreen Gosmire has the story.
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Hendersonville Lightning
Church awards grants to local nonprofits
HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. — First United Methodist Church of Hendersonville provided $43,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations in the local community, the church announced. “We believe this is an opportunity to build strategic partnerships that help us extend the reach and witness of our church into the community,” said the Rev. Jeremy Morris, the church's associate pastor. The Hendersonville Lightning reports. 
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PRESS RELEASES

Discipleship Ministries
Wesley Pilgrimage set for 2024
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A 10-day pilgrimage to explore the early growth of Methodism in England is set for July 27 to Aug. 6. Cost of the trip is $2,499 and scholarships to reduce the fee by $700 are available, courtesy of a grant by the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, and 36 people is the limit for the trip. 
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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 UM News staff. 

Rethink Church
Embracing nerd ministry in a digital age
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Rev. Nathan Webb, a self-described “nerd pastor,” is fresh off the first Nerd Culture Ministry Summit, which brought together those in ministry with digital and gamer communities to embrace the global reach of this new era of ministry that transcends physical borders and cultural barriers. “If we knew there was a mission field made up of almost 50% of the world population,” he writes, “why wouldn't we be doing all that we can to reach them?”
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RESOURCES

United Methodist Communications
Start the new year with a new book
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Books can be an encouraging source of guidance in strengthening Christians’ relationship with God. Laura Buchanan has a roundup of devotionals and other new books on discipleship from the United Methodist Publishing House.
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United Methodist Men
Scout Sunday resources available
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Scout Sunday is Feb. 4, and the Center for Scouting Ministries is offering help to local churches that wish to mark the occasion. A 2024 Scout Sunday patch is available for purchase for $3.50. In addition, free liturgy and Sunday morning bulletin resources are available. 
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Purchase patch


RECENT HEADLINES

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United Methodists help cyclone survivors rebuild


EVENTS

Sunday, Jan. 14
Human Relations Day

Thursday, Feb. 29-Friday, March 1
Livestreamed General Conference orientation for delegates