Daily Digest - October 13, 2021

"Ken's death takes heavenward one of the premier shapers of Methodist historiography." — The Rev. Russell Richey, United Methodist historian, on the Rev. Kenneth Rowe.

NEWS AND FEATURES

Kenneth Rowe, church historian, dies at 84
MADISON, N.J. (UM News) — Colleagues agree that the Rev. Kenneth Rowe's contribution to Methodist history was monumental. He was an author, professor, librarian, archivist, bibliographer — and he insisted the church's marginalized groups have their story told, too. Rowe, who had a key role in bringing the United Methodist Archives and History Center to Drew University, died Oct. 8 at age 84. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
Read remembrances of Rowe

United Methodist Communications
Did Jesus really say that?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In a new Rethink Church podcast, biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine explains teachings of Jesus that seem harsh. Levine is a Vanderbilt Divinity School professor and New Testament scholar. She wrote "The Difficult Words of Jesus."
Listen to podcast

United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina
New church paradigm in North Carolina

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Woodlawn Community Fellowship, a merger of two United Methodist congregations, is trying a new model of a faith community that will use development of its property to fund its ministry. Plans call for building 36 townhomes to help generate income.
Read story

Claremont School of Theology
Claremont-trained Muslim chaplain aids Afghan refugees

CLAREMONT, Calif. — U.S. Air Force Captain Mir M. Ali is a Muslim chaplain who recently ministered to Afghan refugees as they arrived at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He's a 2015 graduate of United Methodist Claremont School of Theology, where he was part of an interfaith chaplaincy program. The seminary has posted a profile of Ali.
Read story

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.

UM Insight
Vaccine mandate ban upends religious practice

MESQUITE, Texas — Cynthia B. Astle writes that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's ban on any Texas entity requiring COVID-19 vaccines has already had an impact on her plans to attend a Christian gathering. The editor of UM Insight says she hopes people will heed medical science and "join in a community effort to halt this death-dealing plague."
Read commentary

RECENT HEADLINES

Billy Abraham, traditionalist scholar, dies

Filipino churchgoers minister amid COVID-19

EVENTS

Thursday, Oct. 14

Discipleship Ministries webinar: "How to Fight Racism"

Sunday, Oct. 17

Laity Sunday


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