Daily Digest - June 5, 2019

“We’re kind of on the brink of disaster, and that’s an opportunity to really live as a witness to Christ at this moment.” — The Rev. Lindsey Bell-Kerr, pastor of First United Methodist Church and Christ Church United Methodist in Santa Rosa, California.
 

NEWS AND FEATURES

Fire season advances as California rebuilds
SANTA ROSA, Calif.(UM News) — Wildfires burning in Canada may be a prelude to the same in California, where the August to September wildfire season has been creeping into October in recent years. United Methodist officials say it’s difficult to plan ahead while they’re still involved in recovery efforts from the last few years of damage. Jim Patterson has the story. 
Read 2018 fire story  

Michigan Conference
Two LGBTQ candidates commissioned in Michigan

ACME, Mich. — Voters at the Michigan Annual Conference supported three measures designed to allow LGBTQ people to more fully participate in United Methodist life, and two openly gay candidates were commissioned as deacons or elders. Mark Doyal reports.
Read story   
UM News: North Texas Conference ordains openly gay pastor  
UM News: Two US conferences ordain, commission LGBTQ clergy   

Ugandan church partnership offers free health care
KAMPALA, Uganda (UM News) — More than 2,000 people in the Busoga region of eastern Uganda received free health and dental care services through a weeklong health camp sponsored by The United Methodist Church in Uganda and the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Vivian Agaba reports.

The Washington Post
Border wall will avoid historic Texas Methodist cemetery
HOUSTON — The U.S. government has altered plans to build President Donald Trump’s border wall on the site of a historic cemetery with Methodist ties. In a June 3 statement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say they will bypass the Eli Jackson Cemetery. Nomaan Merchant reports. 


PRESS RELEASES

South Carolina Conference
Advocate Press releases devotional on hunger
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The newest book from the Advocate Press is a 40-day devotional called “Feed My Sheep” that attempts to awaken a heart for hunger ministry in South Carolina United Methodists. Penned by award-winning author and Advocate editor Jessica Brodie, the book teams Bible verses with hunger ministry stories that have appeared in the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate newspaper.

Duke University
$5 million for Duke Divinity scholarships

DURHAM, N.C. — A $5 million gift will create an endowment for scholarships to Duke University Divinity School, a United Methodist seminary. The gift comes from Duke alumnus A. Morris Williams Jr., a former chair of the divinity school’s Board of Visitors, and honors the memory of Stuart Henry, who taught at the school. The scholarships will support students planning to enter parish ministry.
Read press release   


RECENT HEADLINES

 Ask The UMC: What is Ordinary Time?   


EVENTS

June and July

U.S. annual conferences meet  

Sunday, June 9

Manna: Online worship for all United Methodists 



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