“If the Lord didn’t call her, he didn’t call anybody.” — Patti Owen, lay leader of Oak Haven United Methodist Church, on the ordination of the Rev. Jane Graner.
NEWS AND FEATURES
North Texas Conference ordains openly gay pastor
PLANO, Texas (UM News) — At age 57, the Rev. Jane Graner is a new elder in the North Texas Conference. She’s believed to be the first openly gay person to be ordained in either of the southern U.S. jurisdictions of The United Methodist Church. Conference officials say that because she’s single and not a “practicing” homosexual, she’s qualified for ordination under church law. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
Two conferences ordain, commission LGBTQ clergy
Ask The UMC
What is Ordinary Time?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Christian year includes two central cycles focused on major events in the life of Christ: Christmas and Easter. Each season begins with a time of preparation and anticipation followed by celebration. Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, calls Ordinary Time “the in-between time, where we see, speak about and join God’s ongoing work in the world.”
Read story
Read more Ask The UMC
Global Ministries
Caring ministry for survivors of terror attacks
ATLANTA — After losing their two children, his mother and other relatives in a 2013 church bombing in Pakistan, Insar Gohar and his wife, Uzma — who was injured in the attack — received trauma counseling in the U.S. through help from Thomas Kemper, top executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. In May, Gohar received two master’s degrees from Claremont School of Theology and is returning home to start a new ministry for trauma survivors in Pakistan. Rebecca Asedillo has the story.
Read story
UM News: Making a Christian commitment in Pakistan
South Carolina Conference
Children’s home opens first outpost facility
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Epworth Children’s Home, which helps children who have experienced abuse, neglect or significant loss, will open the first of 12 projected outposts in the state this summer in Charleston. Its first children’s home was established in 1896 in Columbia by South Carolina Methodists and the conference remains dedicated to its mission. Jessica Brodie has the story.
Read story
Africa University Today
Passion drove bishop’s ministry with Africa University
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bishop J. Lawrence McCleskey helped raise millions of dollars for Africa University with a passion driven by acknowledging that his own higher education was made possible through scholarships. After a decade of volunteering as executive vice president of development for the university, McCleskey, who retired from the episcopacy in 2008, is retiring again. Tom Gillem has the story.
Read story
Dakotas Conference
Builders Club finances projects in Dakotas
MITCHELL, S.D. — Nearly $1 million has been granted to churches in North and South Dakota since 1994 through the Builders Club, which selects a church each quarter to get money for a building project. The average grant is $10,000. Kelsey Morgan reports.
Read story
RECENT HEADLINES
Liberia pushes to recruit young people into ministry
Outreach ministry for addiction is simple, effective
EVENTS
Wednesday, June 5-Friday, June 7
Virginia Conference prayer vigil for Bishop Lewis
NEWS AND FEATURES
North Texas Conference ordains openly gay pastor
PLANO, Texas (UM News) — At age 57, the Rev. Jane Graner is a new elder in the North Texas Conference. She’s believed to be the first openly gay person to be ordained in either of the southern U.S. jurisdictions of The United Methodist Church. Conference officials say that because she’s single and not a “practicing” homosexual, she’s qualified for ordination under church law. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
Two conferences ordain, commission LGBTQ clergy
Ask The UMC
What is Ordinary Time?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Christian year includes two central cycles focused on major events in the life of Christ: Christmas and Easter. Each season begins with a time of preparation and anticipation followed by celebration. Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, calls Ordinary Time “the in-between time, where we see, speak about and join God’s ongoing work in the world.”
Read story
Read more Ask The UMC
Global Ministries
Caring ministry for survivors of terror attacks
ATLANTA — After losing their two children, his mother and other relatives in a 2013 church bombing in Pakistan, Insar Gohar and his wife, Uzma — who was injured in the attack — received trauma counseling in the U.S. through help from Thomas Kemper, top executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. In May, Gohar received two master’s degrees from Claremont School of Theology and is returning home to start a new ministry for trauma survivors in Pakistan. Rebecca Asedillo has the story.
Read story
UM News: Making a Christian commitment in Pakistan
South Carolina Conference
Children’s home opens first outpost facility
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Epworth Children’s Home, which helps children who have experienced abuse, neglect or significant loss, will open the first of 12 projected outposts in the state this summer in Charleston. Its first children’s home was established in 1896 in Columbia by South Carolina Methodists and the conference remains dedicated to its mission. Jessica Brodie has the story.
Read story
Africa University Today
Passion drove bishop’s ministry with Africa University
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Bishop J. Lawrence McCleskey helped raise millions of dollars for Africa University with a passion driven by acknowledging that his own higher education was made possible through scholarships. After a decade of volunteering as executive vice president of development for the university, McCleskey, who retired from the episcopacy in 2008, is retiring again. Tom Gillem has the story.
Read story
Dakotas Conference
Builders Club finances projects in Dakotas
MITCHELL, S.D. — Nearly $1 million has been granted to churches in North and South Dakota since 1994 through the Builders Club, which selects a church each quarter to get money for a building project. The average grant is $10,000. Kelsey Morgan reports.
Read story
RECENT HEADLINES
Liberia pushes to recruit young people into ministry
Outreach ministry for addiction is simple, effective
EVENTS
Wednesday, June 5-Friday, June 7
Virginia Conference prayer vigil for Bishop Lewis
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