“It's important to visit older people so they know they have a friend. It's what Jesus would have done.” — 7-year-old Julia Eskridge, on visiting homebound church members and neighbors.
NEWS AND FEATURES
United Methodist Communications
‘Garden girl’ brings joy, veggies to homebound
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Visiting homebound church members may not be a popular pastime for most kids, but 7-year-old Julia Eskridge has been doing it since she was 2. She's following in her mom's footsteps, and her Nana's, too. In the summer, she takes flowers and bags of produce grown in the family’s garden to those she visits. "I like making friends," says the first-grader, who attends Jeffersontown United Methodist Church. Diane Degnan has the story.
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East Ohio Conference
Celebrating King’s words 60 years later
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Community leaders commemorated the 60th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail” by reading it aloud at the Mahoning County Courthouse. King began writing the letter on April 16, 1963, nearly a week after he had been arrested in Birmingham, Alabama, for helping to organize and participating in nonviolent protests against the segregated systems of the city. Rick Wolcott reports.
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Hope Springs Eternal
Pastor holds conversations on church future
HONAKER, Va. — The Rev. Natalie Justice, a pastor in the Holston Conference, is talking to United Methodist leaders for her video series “Hope Springs Eternal.” Justice speaks to pastors and other church leaders about The United Methodist Church’s future. She plans to post a new video each Monday. Those interviewed include the Revs. Matt Rawle, Dawn Chesser, Rachel Billups, Michael Slaughter, Sharon Austin and retired Bishop Kenneth Carder.
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Greater New Jersey Conference
Conferences weave network of mutual ministry
NEPTUNE, N.J. — The United Methodists of Eastern Pennsylvania and Greater New Jersey are living into their new connectional affiliation by collaborating on key administrative and program operations. Together, they are focused on jointly cultivating leadership and resourcing vital mission congregations, while viewing affiliation as a call to greater discipleship and stewardship. John W. Coleman reports.
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PRESS RELEASES
United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries
US camping ministries receive grants
LITTLETON, Colo. — Encouraged by the accomplishments of the 2022 grant cycle and success stories, an anonymous donor foundation is again offering funding for United Methodist Camp & Retreat Ministries. Sixty-eight projects at United Methodist-affiliated camps and retreat centers across the United States will receive funding through a $1.7 million grant.
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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 UM News staff.
New England Conference
How to be a savvy ‘green’ consumer
METHUEN, Mass. — A variety of business journals are reporting that consumers are willing to pay more for environmentally better products. Unfortunately, some companies are exploiting this to get consumers to pay more for “greenwashed” products. The Rev. Kim Hornung-Marcy writes about how to support the environment with your purchases by learning how to spot greenwashing and other deceptive marketing practices.
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