“It’s better to make sure we have a commission that represents all the voices of the church and will bring the wisdom to the table to find our way through a very difficult situation.” — Bishop Bruce Ough on why the bishops are going slow in dealing with the sexuality debate.
Bishops in no rush to form sexuality panel
PORTLAND, Ore. (UMNS) — United Methodist bishops have yet to set a timetable for when they expect to have a new commission on human sexuality up and running. However, they already are talking about the kind of qualities they would like commission members to have. Heather Hahn reports on what many see as a last-ditch effort to keep the denomination together.
Having it all, except safety
CHIOS, Greece (WCC) — Sitting in a tent at the Souda camp, a Pakistani family of 12 recalls the lives they had in their home country. Muhammed, an aircraft training engineer who fled with his wife, Asia, and their 10 children, said his family had everything — good job, good home, cars, good schools — except safety. The World Council of Churches reports.
Faith-based communities and humanitarian needs
GC2016: Portland Day of Service
PORTLAND, Ore. (UMC.org) — As United Methodists from all over the world met for the 2016 General Conference, church members also put their faith into action serving the people of Portland. This United Methodist Communications video shows a different side of General Conference.
Francis Asbury as missionary
PORTLAND, Ore. (UMNS) — Francis Asbury, the father of American Methodism, was a missionary before he became a bishop in 1784 and was a missionary afterwards — until the day he died in late March, 1816. The 200th anniversary of his death was marked May 19 with a one-minute video commemoration at General Conference 2016, the same day the church blessed and sent 29 missionaries from 11 countries into 16 countries. Elliott Wright has the story.
Urban Village does church differently
CHICAGO (UMC.org) — You often hear about the graying of U.S. congregations. Urban Village, a multisite United Methodist congregation in Chicago started in 2009, is bucking that trend and drawing millennials to discipleship. This United Methodist Communications video highlights what the church is doing.
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