“The committee determined she had still the gifts and graces for ministry.”
— The Rev. Susan J. Hagans on why Ginny Mikita remains a clergy candidate.
Same-sex wedding officiant remains clergy candidate
ROCKFORD, Mich. (UMNS) — A United Methodist clergy candidate who got a quick online ordination to officiate at her friend’s same-sex wedding is still on track to become a deacon. West Michigan Conference leaders told Ginny Mikita that she had forfeited her candidacy and church membership, but the committee that oversees her candidacy disagreed. Heather Hahn reports.
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United Methodists pray for student sentenced in North Korea
WORTHINGTON, Ohio (UMNS) — The United Methodist West Ohio Conference and Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio, are praying for the safe return of Otto Warmbier, a young University of Virginia student arrested in North Korea and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. Warmbier was charged with stealing a political propaganda poster from his hotel. He stated he was bringing the poster to a church member from Friendship as a “trophy” from his trip. Kathy L. Gilbert reports.
Mashambanhaka clinic pioneers computer records
MUREWA, Zimbabwe (UMNS) — Mashambanhaka Health Centre is transforming into a modern health facility where paper records of patients may soon become a distant memory after the Zimbabwe government installed two computer systems at the clinic. The clinic is located at The United Methodist Church's Mashambanhaka Mission Centre. Eveline Chikwanah reports.
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Methodist woman was voice for women’s rights
MADISON, N.J. (UMC.org) — Frances Willard might be best known for her leadership of the fight for temperance in the 19th century. But the Methodist reformer was also a force for seeking voting rights, better conditions for women and even full representation in the Methodist Church.
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Global AIDS Fund event will educate, inspire the church
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — A free United Methodist Global AIDS Fund-sponsored event on May 9 will feature leaders discussing the current realities of HIV and AIDS. The event is held a day before the 2016 General Conference meets in Portland, Oregon.
Read the press release
Cleaning buckets needed
BALDWIN, La (UMNS) — The United Methodist Committee On Relief depots in Louisiana and Alabama are running low on cleaning buckets, the Mississippi Conference reports. Cleaning buckets enable people to begin the overwhelming job of cleaning up after a flood or hurricane.
To assemble and ship a cleaning bucket
Tally of Upper Room prayer line requests
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — The Upper Room Living Prayer Center, a United Methodist-supported ministry, received 264,940 requests in 2015 by phone, mail or online. United Methodist Men contributed $26,756 to the ministry. South Carolina Conference was the biggest conference contributor. Rick Peck of United Methodist Men reports on the ministry.
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Methodist ministers, moral leadership focus of panel
ATLANTA (UMNS) — How can seminarians and church leaders apply lessons from the Civil Rights era to the church and world today? Joseph T. Reiff, author of "Born of Conviction: White Methodists and Mississippi’s Closed Society," will take part in a panel discussion on that question on March 29 at Emory University. Emory is a United Methodist-related university.
Read press release
Read UMNS story on Reiff’s book
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.
Saturday, March 26
Holy Saturday ─ One of the oldest traditions in Christianity is the Easter vigil, a service of preparation for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection and new life people have in Christ. Worship resources for church and home from Discipleship Ministries.
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