Friday Digest September 17 2021

Sept. 17, 2021
Preheader: Congo church relaunches FM radio station | LDS church agrees to pay into BSA victims fund | Top stories from the week

“(In one day), radio has the capacity to reach the same places that we can reach in one year of evangelization.” — Henriette Kumakana, director of Lokole Methodist Radio in Congo.


TODAY’S HEADLINES

Congo church relaunches FM radio station 
KINSHASA, Congo (UM News) — After years of silence, Lokole Methodist Radio is up and running, enabling The United Methodist Church in Congo to reach millions of people in Kinshasa and surrounding areas, and intensifying the fight against COVID-19. Pastor Fiston Okito has the story.
Read story

LDS church agrees to pay into BSA victims fund
DOVER, Del. (UM News) — The United Methodist Church continues to be part of negotiations in the Boy Scouts of America’s sex abuse-related bankruptcy. But another religious group that has sponsored many Scouting troops — the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — has agreed to pay $250 million to a fund for abuse victims. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story

Ask The UMC
Confessing sin in all its forms
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Before receiving communion, United Methodists are invited to confess and turn from the state of sin in which we find ourselves and from the sinful acts we have done. Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, has more on acknowledging sin.
Read story 
Read more Ask The UMC

RESOURCES

Religion and Race
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
WASHINGTON — Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15-Oct. 15 each year in the United States. The United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race has an infographic with facts about Hispanics' impact on The United Methodist Church and suggestions for ways to celebrate. United Methodist News has an overview in Spanish about the month’s development. The article can be read in English through Google Translate.
See infographic 
UM News: What is Hispanic Heritage Month? 
UM News video: “A source for United Methodist Identity” 

Global Ministries
‘Racism and the Native American Community’
ATLANTA — Racism against Native Americans is the topic of the next “Raise Up Your Voice Against Racism” webinar, set for 5 p.m. U.S. Pacific time Sept. 21. The event will cover Indian massacres, forced-march relocations, the so-called "Indian wars," deaths by starvation and disease, and boarding schools where Native Americans were taught to reject their own culture.
Learn more 
Register 

Kairos Response, MFSA
Webinar on Black and Palestinian relations
WASHINGTON — United Methodists for Kairos Response and Methodist Federation for Social Action, both advocacy groups, have a webinar on “Black-Palestinian Solidarity” at 1 p.m. U.S. Eastern time Sept. 22. 
Learn more 
Register 


EVENTS

Sunday, Oct. 3
World Communion Sunday


Sunday, Nov. 14
The Nyadire Connection 15th Anniversary Celebration 


TOP STORIES FROM THE WEEK

Supporting Wesleyan evangelism amid pandemic
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (UM News) — In this time of a global pandemic, World Methodist Evangelism is celebrating its 50th anniversary and continuing its work of equipping people to share Christ's love across continents. That work includes building a social media community around John Wesley's practice of prayer and fasting. Heather Hahn reports.
Read story 

Celebrating Asbury’s impact on 2 shores 
BRISTOL, England (UM News) — The 250th anniversary of Francis Asbury’s crossing of the Atlantic from England to America is being celebrated jointly by the Methodist Church of Britain and The United Methodist Church. Though virtually unknown in England, Asbury went on to build the Methodist movement in America and became one of the first two bishops of what is today The United Methodist Church. Tim Tanton reports.
Read story 

Reyes, jurist for nation and church, dies 
MANILA, Philippines (UM News) — Justice Ruben T. Reyes served on both the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the top court of The United Methodist Church. Fellow United Methodists remember Reyes, who died Sept. 13 at age 82, for his meticulousness, broad legal knowledge and passion for prayer. Heather Hahn has the obituary.
Read obituary 

Bishop cares for Sierra Leone after tragedy
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (UM News) — After the death of Sierra Leone Conference Bishop John K. Yambasu in August 2020, retired Bishop Warner H. Brown Jr. was named as interim episcopal leader. The bishop said he sees his role as a caregiver. He talks about the challenges and highlights of the past year and his hopes for the future. Phileas Jusu has the story.
Read Q&A 

Commentary: Examine United Methodist real estate
ROCKVILLE, Md. (UM News) — For a variety of reasons, including cost of upkeep, these days many churches are having to close some of their buildings or close altogether. Church leaders need to collect and assess real estate data to make good decisions, says Rick Reinhard, who has worked in management positions involving a number of United Methodist properties. "The real estate crisis is the church's elephant in the room," he writes.
Read commentary