“Regardless of whether you are progressive or conservative, we must become leaders of faith who honor and listen to the words of God.” — The Rev. Chul Goo Lee, speaking at the Association of Korean Churches in The United Methodist Church annual gathering.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Association of Korean Churches discerns its future
DALLAS (UM News) — In the first in-person annual gathering of the Association of Korean Churches in The United Methodist Church, several panelists questioned whether the church’s membership decline could be attributed to a lack of spiritual renewal and its long-standing conflict over homosexuality. The Rev. Thomas Kim reports.
Read story
West Ohio Conference
Churches help refugees resettle
WORTHINGTON, Ohio — Irfan Ali Shah Akhundzada moved his family out of Afghanistan and away from the Taliban to Columbus, Ohio, with the help of two churches. Worthington United Methodist Church and St. John’s Episcopal Church collaborated with Community Refugee and Immigration Services to set up a home and pay several months of rent for the family. A welcome team also helped them navigate language and cultural challenges. Amy Graham reports.
Read story
Florida Conference
Homeless man finds peace through art ministry
TAMPA, Fla. — Larry Magee is well known in the Tampa arts community. His paintings have been displayed at the Tampa Museum of Art and the Ferman Center for the Arts at the University of Tampa. He is also homeless. Thanks to an art therapy class at Hyde Park United Methodist Church, he said he has found his “happy place.” Joe Henderson has the story.
Read story
Religion News Service
Federal report details US Indian boarding schools
WASHINGTON — The United States operated 408 boarding schools for Indigenous children across 37 states or then-territories between 1819 and 1969 — half of them most likely supported by religious institutions including United Methodist predecessors. Emily McFarlan Miller reports on the first volume of an investigative report by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Read story
UM News: Pastor reflects on abuses at Indian boarding schools
PRESS RELEASES
Council of Bishops
Bishops seek clarification from church court
WASHINGTON — The United Methodist Council of Bishops is requesting a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council on the meaning and application of Paragraph 2548.2 in the Book of Discipline. The paragraph deals with the deeding of church property to another denomination. Council of Bishops President Thomas Bickerton describes the paragraph as ambiguous.
Read press release
Read Paragraph 2548.2
UM News: Church court says conferences can’t exit unilaterally
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.
Let’s love our neighbors
DALLAS (UM News) — Growing up in a traditionalist church but now on staff at a reconciling congregation, Kendra Weddle feels there is room at the table for everyone. Weddle, scholar-in-residence at Northaven Church, writes, “As Christians, in the midst of this uncertainty and pain, we have the benefit of finding in the gospels witness to how Jesus lived in tumultuous times.”
Read commentary
RECENT HEADLINES
Ask The UMC: Pioneers in Methodism — Zenro Hirota
Tom Locke on influencing from the edge
EVENTS
Tuesday, May 31-Friday, June 10
Bridge of Fire: Refilling Your Spiritual Tank
NEWS AND FEATURES
Association of Korean Churches discerns its future
DALLAS (UM News) — In the first in-person annual gathering of the Association of Korean Churches in The United Methodist Church, several panelists questioned whether the church’s membership decline could be attributed to a lack of spiritual renewal and its long-standing conflict over homosexuality. The Rev. Thomas Kim reports.
Read story
West Ohio Conference
Churches help refugees resettle
WORTHINGTON, Ohio — Irfan Ali Shah Akhundzada moved his family out of Afghanistan and away from the Taliban to Columbus, Ohio, with the help of two churches. Worthington United Methodist Church and St. John’s Episcopal Church collaborated with Community Refugee and Immigration Services to set up a home and pay several months of rent for the family. A welcome team also helped them navigate language and cultural challenges. Amy Graham reports.
Read story
Florida Conference
Homeless man finds peace through art ministry
TAMPA, Fla. — Larry Magee is well known in the Tampa arts community. His paintings have been displayed at the Tampa Museum of Art and the Ferman Center for the Arts at the University of Tampa. He is also homeless. Thanks to an art therapy class at Hyde Park United Methodist Church, he said he has found his “happy place.” Joe Henderson has the story.
Read story
Religion News Service
Federal report details US Indian boarding schools
WASHINGTON — The United States operated 408 boarding schools for Indigenous children across 37 states or then-territories between 1819 and 1969 — half of them most likely supported by religious institutions including United Methodist predecessors. Emily McFarlan Miller reports on the first volume of an investigative report by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Read story
UM News: Pastor reflects on abuses at Indian boarding schools
PRESS RELEASES
Council of Bishops
Bishops seek clarification from church court
WASHINGTON — The United Methodist Council of Bishops is requesting a declaratory decision from the Judicial Council on the meaning and application of Paragraph 2548.2 in the Book of Discipline. The paragraph deals with the deeding of church property to another denomination. Council of Bishops President Thomas Bickerton describes the paragraph as ambiguous.
Read press release
Read Paragraph 2548.2
UM News: Church court says conferences can’t exit unilaterally
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.
Let’s love our neighbors
DALLAS (UM News) — Growing up in a traditionalist church but now on staff at a reconciling congregation, Kendra Weddle feels there is room at the table for everyone. Weddle, scholar-in-residence at Northaven Church, writes, “As Christians, in the midst of this uncertainty and pain, we have the benefit of finding in the gospels witness to how Jesus lived in tumultuous times.”
Read commentary
RECENT HEADLINES
Ask The UMC: Pioneers in Methodism — Zenro Hirota
Tom Locke on influencing from the edge
EVENTS
Tuesday, May 31-Friday, June 10
Bridge of Fire: Refilling Your Spiritual Tank
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