“I have been blown away by the expressions of grace from people at all levels.” — The Rev. Michael Binger, a United Methodist pastor and Carolinas regional director for the Society of St. Andrew.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Reclaiming more food to fill pandemic gaps
BIG ISLAND, Va. (UM News) — Few have a better perspective of the dynamics of food insecurity and food waste — before and during the coronavirus pandemic — than the staff at the Society of St. Andrew. The United Methodist-supported ministry is working to meet increased demand while also adapting to social distancing guidelines. Linda Bloom reports in the final story in a three-part series.
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Read Part 1: Tackling food insecurity caused by pandemic
Read Part 2: African churches ease pandemic’s hunger blow
United Methodist ministry aids Navajo Nation
SHIPROCK, N.M. (UM News) — The United Methodist Church is continuing to offer support to the Navajo Nation as confirmed COVID-19 cases top 4,000 on the reservation. The Four Corners Native American Ministry is among those helping the tribal community and frontline workers. Ginny Underwood has the story.
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Michigan Conference
Help coming for flood survivors
LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Conference disaster response team has been activated to help victims of the Great Lakes Bay Region flood. Heavy rains led to the failure of multiple dams May 19 and some areas are expected to be under 9 feet of water before the waters recede.
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Global Ministries
Health board grants assist with COVID-19 training
ATLANTA — Solidarity grants through the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries have assisted health boards in Africa with training related to COVID-19 prevention and control in their regions. Other grants assisted Native American communities and United Methodist partners in Asia. Christie R. House reports.
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Donate to COVID-19 Response Fund
Arkansas Conference
Foundation grant aims to help churches reopen
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas is awarding a grant of nearly $60,000 to help all 635 churches in the Arkansas Conference reopen safely. The grant will fund personal protective equipment, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies. The conference has the story.
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No Daily Digest May 22 or May 25
There will be no UM News Daily Digest on Friday, May 22, or on Memorial Day on Monday, May 25. The digest will return on Tuesday, May 26. The staff at UM News wishes everyone a happy and safe holiday weekend.
PRESS RELEASES
National Council of Churches
Ecumenical service to mourn COVID-19 deaths
WASHINGTON — United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carcaño, California-Nevada Conference, is among the faith leaders who will participate in a virtual memorial service at 6 p.m. Eastern time May 24 to honor and remember those who have died from COVID-19. The service will be broadcast on YouTube and Facebook Live.
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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.
Preserving United Methodist history with audio
BELFAST, Maine (UM News) — A wealth of church history is contained in audio files in local churches, seminaries and annual conferences, writes Mike Hickcox. Hickcox has digitized more than 1,100 files for preservation at the Commission on Archives and History, but he notes that other recordings are in danger of being lost.
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RECENT HEADLINES
Clergywoman also is nurse on COVID-19 front line
Ask The UMC: What is Pentecost?
EVENTS
Sunday, June 7
Peace with Justice Sunday
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