"Joyce tells it like it is, and she never misses an opportunity to remind church women how much power God has given us and of our call to use that power." — Garlinda Burton, on United Methodist Joyce D. Sohl's influence on women's ministries.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Celebrating a trailblazer for women's ministries
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Growing up, Joyce D. Sohl learned important lessons: Think for yourself. Accept all. Always try to do your best. Prepare to be able to support yourself. Those values have served her well as a pioneer for women's ministries in The United Methodist Church. Barbara Dunlap-Berg has her story for Women's History Month.
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Judge rules for SMU over jurisdiction
DALLAS (UM News) — A judge has ruled for Southern Methodist University over the South Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church in a lawsuit over who controls the Dallas school. The jurisdictional conference and Texas Conference Bishop Scott Jones, who joined the suit on the jurisdictional conference's side, are appealing. Sam Hodges reports.
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Mountain Sky Conference
Prayer follows Colorado mass shooting
GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. — Mountain Sky Conference Bishop Karen Oliveto joined with her Lutheran and Episcopal counterparts in a short online prayer service following the mass shooting March 22 in a Boulder supermarket. The shooting claimed the lives of 10 people, including a police officer.
Watch prayer service
United Methodist Communications
A kid-friendly Easter explanation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Explaining the multi-layered, complex Easter story to children can be as simple as taking a cue from fables, folk tales and even Disney movies that have death scenes in them. Asking this one question is a good starting place: "What do you think?" Crystal Caviness reports.
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Global Ministries
Sri Lankans get clean water
ATLANTA — People in the Meehagahena Village in Sri Lanka have fresh water and sanitation facilities, thanks to a collaboration between the United Methodist Committee on Relief and Lanka Evangelical Alliance Development Services, a faith-based nongovernmental organization. Now, water is available from nearby spigots instead of having to be hauled up a hill. Christie R. House has the story.
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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.
Closed-door meetings breed mistrust
DALLAS (UM News) — Too often, important decisions at the church's highest levels are being made in closed sessions that violate church rules about transparency, says one General Conference delegate.
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RESOURCES
United Methodist Communications
Pastors provide devotions for Holy Week
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — During Holy Week, starting March 29 through April 3, a different United Methodist pastor will provide a daily devotion to help guide Christians through Jesus and his followers' difficult journey.
Read devotions
RECENT HEADLINES
Bishops cancel May 8 General Conference
Court clarifies decision on clergy session voting
EVENTS
Thursday, April 15
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