"The task of the Judicial Council is to pass upon the constitutionality of the legislative petitions without expressing an opinion as to their merits or expediency. It is up to the General Conference to determine the wisdom of each plan." — The Judicial Council on the constitutionality of three plans for the future of The United Methodist Church.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Court: One Church Plan largely constitutional
ZURICH (UMNS) — A review of possible plans for the future direction of The United Methodist Church found the One Church Plan to be largely constitutional, said a decision released Oct. 26 by the denomination’s top court. In Decision 1366, the United Methodist Judicial Council found more problems in the Traditional Plan petitions that would need to be addressed before that plan could pass a constitutional test. Linda Bloom reports.
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Decision 1366
Council of Bishops' statement on ruling
Way Forward Commission moderators' statement
Read UMNS story on oral hearing
Top court releases October decisions
ZURICH (UMNS) — Rulings from the United Methodist Judicial Council meeting include those related to Oct. 23 oral hearings on clergy appeals and removal of General Conference delegates. Linda Bloom and Heather Hahn have the story.
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Kentucky Conference
Church provides comfort after shooting
JEFFERSONTOWN, Ky. — River City United Methodist Church members gathered to provide comfort at a grocery store where two shoppers had been shot and killed. Cathy Bruce has the story.
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Two-decade partnership pays off in Zimbabwe
MACHEKE, Zimbabwe (UMNS) — For more than 20 years, members and friends of Community United Methodist Church in Crofton, Maryland, have been working with United Methodists in the Zimbabwe West Conference to improve lives in the rural Murewa District. On a recent trip, church members joined the Hanwa community in drilling a borehole that supplies clean water to the mission school and village. Chenayi Kumuterera has the story.
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United Methodist Communications
Cemeteries express Christian faith
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMC.org) — A walk in the graveyard might sound spooky, but many symbols in our cemeteries proclaim our Christian beliefs in the midst of grief, fear and death. Joe Iovino fills readers in on the most significant signs to note.
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East Ohio Conference
Offering a safe post-football game party
MASSILLON, Ohio — Pizza, music and hanging out are hallmarks of parties that take place after high school football games. But the best after-party following Perry High School home games is sponsored by Love Perry, a network of five area churches, three of them United Methodist. The alternative party was partly prompted by the suicides of six teenagers attending Perry Local Schools during the 2017-18 school year. Rick Wolcott has the story.
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Outreach Magazine, Illinois Great Rivers
United Methodist churches make fastest-growing list
FAIRVIEW, Ill. — Outreach Magazine and Lifeway Research announced the annual Outreach 100, which lists the 100 fastest-growing churches in the U.S. United Methodist congregations listed included Christ Church in Fairview Heights, Illinois, at 54 and Providence Church in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, at 62. The magazine looks each year at Protestant churches with more than 1,000 in attendance.
Read Outreach Magazine list
Read Illinois Great Rivers story on Christ Church
Read UMNS story on Providence Church
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EVENTS
Tuesday, Nov. 6 Retirement readiness webinar: Based on the five dimensions of well-being
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