Daily Digest - March 10, 2021

"The greatest advantage and beauty of being a chaplain is that it is possible to minister without discrimination, to reach out beyond the usual relationship that pastors inevitably have." — The Rev. DooSoo Lee, a U.S. Army chaplain stationed in South Korea.

NEWS AND FEATURES

Army chaplain returns to his native Korea to serve
SEOUL, South Korea (UM News) — The Rev. DooSoo Lee's latest pastoral appointment has taken him to his motherland. Lee, who is Korean American and a U.S. Army chaplain, currently serves soldiers at U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek. The Rev. Thomas Kim reports.
Read story

New feature invites essays on racism
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — UM News is inviting people to share their stories about encounters with racism, as well as hopes and ideas for combating it, in a new forum titled, "We Are God's Family: Personal Encounters with Racism." The feature is designed to foster dialogue and build understanding of how racism affects people at a personal level.
Read more

Kentucky Conference
UMCOR grant helps flood response
CRESTWOOD, Ky. — The Kentucky Conference has received a $10,000 grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief to help in its early response to destructive floods in eastern and southeastern Kentucky. Alan Wild reports.
Read story
WKYT: Church provides laundry unit, supplies for flood survivors

BBC Radio 4
BBC program takes on Wesley, Methodism
LONDON — The BBC Radio 4 program "In Our Time" recently explored the life of John Wesley and the influence of the Methodist movement he helped found. Three scholars joined host Melvyn Bragg for the 52-minute discussion. Program notes include a reading list about Wesley and Methodism.
Listen to broadcast

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 the UM News staff.

United Methodist Communications
How faith, gaming help us survive worst of times
MEEKER, Colo. — When the Rev. David Petty, pastor of Meeker United Methodist Church, founded an online gaming ministry in 2017, he had no idea that everyone would one day be adapting to worship in a virtual setting. "I didn't start an online faith community in order to endure a pandemic or change the world," he writes, "but the pandemic has made the necessity of such a project more evident than ever before."
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Faith and Leadership
Winter storm prompts thoughts on poverty
GALVESTON, Texas — The Revs. Michael Gienger and Julia Riley write about how Central United Methodist Church scrambled to help during Texas' winter storm. They also explain why their church should not have to do so again.
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RESOURCES

The Liberation Project
Panel discusses reclaiming Holy Week
MILWAUKEE — Amid discussions of racial reckoning and policing, the Liberation Project — a United Methodist group — plans to hold a panel discussion on "Reclaiming Holy Week: The Scandal of Policing, Lynching and New Life Revisited." The panel discussion is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. U.S. Central time March 11 on Facebook.
To watch on Facebook
UM News: Group pursues liberation within denomination

United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy
Sharing transgender life stories
DENVER — The final webinar in the three-part Courageous Connections series will share empowering life stories from the transgender community in an effort to increase understanding about the challenges transgender people face. The United Methodist Association of Retired Clergy, an advocacy group for inclusiveness in the denomination, will host the March 11 Zoom event from 6:30 to 8 p.m. U.S. Mountain time.
See details (PDF)
Learn more about UMARC

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EVENTS

Thursday, March 25

Webinar: Let Older Adults Lead Ministries