Daily Digest - June 24, 2015

"What it shows is creativity in the face of adversity. The lesson I hope people will take away is that we can find a way to be the church, to be the gospel, to be disciples of Jesus Christ, in spite of all things." — Bishop Robert Hayes Jr. says of a camp flotilla.

Flotilla gets campers across floodwaters

KINGSTON, Okla. (UMNS) — The adventures of summer camp can include just getting there. Ask the teenagers who floated across floodwaters to attend an “island camp” at Cross Point United Methodist Camp. Sam Hodges reports.
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Rev. Lowery reflects on church shooting

ATLANTA — The Rev. Joseph Lowery, a civil rights leader and United Methodist pastor, said the deadly shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, is a sad reminder of the work that still needs to be done. “We’ve made progress in race, but we still have a terrible long way to go,” the 93-year-old pastor said in an interview with CBS46 reporter Vince Sims.
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Why church membership matters

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Church membership isn’t about privileges like assigned pews or having a say in important church decisions. Rather it is a call to participate as part of a fellowship of followers of Jesus Christ who seek to make the world more like the Kingdom of God. The Rev. Joe Iovino writes about membership in The United Methodist Church.
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Remembering Charleston pastor’s ‘passionate spirit’

MONROEVILLE, Pa. (UMNS) — The Rev. Scott Gallagher, pastor of Garden City United Methodist Church, remembers the Rev. Clementa Pinckney as a “strong, passionate spirit, filled with grace and compassion.” He was in seminary with Pinckney, who was killed with eight others at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Gallagher will speak during a 7 p.m. ecumenical service of healing and remembrance June 24 at his church.
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Marking 50 years of work between WCC, Roman Catholics

ROME (WCC) — A public event at the Centro Pro Unione in Rome on June 23 marked the 50th anniversary of the Joint Working Group between the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches. The group is one of the ecumenical legacies of improved relations among churches growing from the Second Vatican Council.
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Surf Shack: Cokesbury reveals 2016 VBS theme

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — As churches are in the midst of Vacation Bible school activities this summer, the search for next year’s program begins. In 2016, Cokesbury’s “Surf Shack: Catch the Wave of God’s Amazing Love” program will offer a beach-themed getaway for kids to learn about God’s awesome power. Cokesbury is part of the United Methodist Publishing House.
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Looking ahead

Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have an item to share, email [email protected] and put Digest in the subject line.

Tuesday, June 30
Deadline for early rates for Do No Harm 2015 Conference: Best Practices for Health, Accountability and Wholeness — “Do No Harm 2015” on Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 15-17 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Chicago O'Hare, is a sexual ethics summit. The summit addresses the most recent developments and challenges in prevention of and response to abuse, misconduct, and harassment of a sexual nature, particularly by people in ministerial roles (both lay and clergy) within The United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women is the sponsor. $450 by June 30. Details.

Wednesday, July 1
Deadline for submissions of General Conference petitions without digital media — If you are submitting a petition to the 2016 General Conference without digital media, it must still be typed, double-spaced and submitted by July 1. Handwritten or hand-printed submissions will not be accepted. The final deadline for petitions using digital media is Oct. 13. Details.

You can see more educational opportunities and other upcoming events in the life of the church here.