"While Black people were attracted to and proud of the staunchly bold Methodist stance against slavery at the beginning, they were too soon to experience pain and to weep at its compromise and complicity." — The Rev. William Bobby McClain during a denominational town hall on dismantling racism.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Unsnarling U.S. and church racial history
WASHINGTON (UM News) — Historians and other church leaders joined a livestreamed town hall to explore Methodism's complicated and sometimes suppressed record on race. They hoped to help United Methodists turn away from past sins and dismantle racism. Heather Hahn reports.
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Native ministry fills need in Tulsa food desert
TULSA, Okla. (UM News) — On the last Friday of the month, Tulsa Indian United Methodist Church opens its doors to provide food boxes for families in need. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people seeking help has doubled. Ginny Underwood has the story.
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PRESS RELEASES
National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry
Padilla to lead Hispanic/Latino ministry plan
ATLANTA — Manuel Padilla has been named interim executive director of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry, beginning July 1. He follows the Rev. Francisco Cañas, who is stepping down as executive director after more than 14 years of leading the plan. Padilla formerly served as both a U.S. missionary for strategy and ministry and manager of conference relations and strategy for the plan.
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Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
Ough, Laurie named Distinguished Alums
EVANSTON, Ill. — Bishop Bruce R. Ough, a 1978 graduate of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and the Rev. Sue Laurie, a 1995 graduate, have been named Distinguished Alums for 2020. Each year, Garrett-Evangelical chooses two alums to be honored. One alum is chosen from the most recent 25 years of graduates, and one alum is chosen from alums who graduated over 25 years ago. Both Ough and Laurie will be honored at the 163rd Commencement service, originally scheduled for May 22, 2020, on Friday, May 14, 2021.
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RESOURCES
United Methodist Communications
Books about race: a place to start
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As United Methodists are being urged to take action against the sin of racism, one place to begin is by reading books from a variety of perspectives. No shortage of such books exists, but the United Methodist Publishing House and Commission on Religion and Race have some recommendations for beginning the journey. Crystal Caviness reports.
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