Daily Digest - September 28, 2012

"The actions of GCFA reflect our fiduciary responsibility for the whole church as we work to protect, defend and strengthen the trust our United Methodist people have in their churches, conferences, agencies and projects." - Indiana Area Bishop Michael Coyner, president of the finance agency's board.

Finance agency asks E. Africa funds cutoff

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - The United Methodist Church's finance agency announced Sept. 27 that it recommends general agencies, annual (regional) conferences and local churches withhold funding from the East Africa Annual Conference until further notice. In addition, the board of the General Council on Finance and Administration approved filing a formal complaint against Bishop Daniel Wandabula, who has led the East Africa Annual Conference since 2006.
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United Methodists working to connect Haiti

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - A need to bring technology to underserved communities - especially in rural Haiti - sparked a new initiative among United Methodist Communications, United Methodist volunteers and a nonprofit organization with the power to make the connections.
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United Methodist part of White House 'energy' talk

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - The Rev. Pat Watkins, a United Methodist church and community worker from Virginia, was among speakers at a Sept. 13 conversation at the White House about boosting the energy efficiency of the nation's houses of worship. The White House has issued a "call to action" that encourages houses of worship to measure and track their energy use with the Environmental Protection Agency's Portfolio Manager tool.
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Support for local pastors

KISSIMMEE, Fla.(UMNS) - For pastors left stinging from comparisons to previous church leaders or feeling frustration at how slowly things change at their assigned church, the Rev. Lovett Weems has some words of wisdom. "Leadership is not about the leader," he told the National Fellowship of Associate Members and Local Pastors. "Leadership is helping God's people take the next faithful step." Susan Green of the Florida Annual (regional) Conference reports on the national fellowship's gathering.
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Webcasts to feature United Methodist mission work

NEW YORK (UMNS) - This year's 10-Fold begins Oct. 1. 10-Fold is an interactive global gathering that features webcasts about United Methodist projects around the world supported by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries and the United Methodist Committee on Relief. The webcasts will take place during five weeks and focus on a new project each week. The first week will feature UMCOR's disaster relief work. Webcasts will follow on young people in mission, mission initiatives, missionaries and fair trade.
Learn more at www.10-fold.org

Clarification

The Rev. Dave Norman, pastor of Crossroads United Methodist Church in Ashburn, Va., asked for clarification of some information that appeared in a United Methodist News Service story - "Judicial ruling sought on East Africa funds" - that was published Sept. 25, 2012. Norman said that neither he and his wife nor the Crossroads church sent any funds to the East Africa Conference for the Namboole Church project. Norman also emphasized that he and his wife were not the founders of the Humble School project in Uganda. The project was a joint undertaking of the Crossroads church and the Uganda United Methodist Church and later was enabled by building funds from the South Georgia, Kentucky and Virginia annual conferences.