Friday Digest - Jun 25, 2021

Friday Digest Jun 25, 2021 "Imagine working for a lifetime and with your salary you equip your house, and in less than 24 hours see everything taken away with the rainwater. Although the rain is a blessing, for us, this time, it brought sadness.” — The Rev. Faustino Congo, retired United Methodist pastor in Angola. TODAY'S HEADLINES United Methodists support flood survivors LUANDA, Angola (UM News) — Within days of massive flooding that affected more than 8,500 people in Dondo, the Angola West Conference mobilized to provide food and other relief. Orlando da Cruz reports. Read story Religion News Service Kirbyjon Caldwell reports to prison BEAUMONT, Texas — Former United Methodist megachurch pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell has begun serving a six-year federal prison sentence. He's in a low-security facility in East Texas. Caldwell, who led Houston's Windsor Village United Methodist Church to become the denomination's largest church in membership, pleaded guilty in March 2020 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced in January. Caldwell surrendered his United Methodist clergy credentials but continued to preach at Windsor Village as a lay pastor after his plea. Adelle M. Banks reports. Caldwell and his wife, the Rev. Suzette Caldwell, also released a Facebook video this week. Read story Watch video UM News: Former megachurch pastor gets 6 years in prison PRESS RELEASES United Methodist Communications #BeUMC expands on People of God campaign NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The new #BeUMC campaign invites members to embody the church's values and remain with The United Methodist Church during trying times. The call to action builds on last year's People of God campaign. Graphics with the #BeUMC hashtag will appear in denominational advertising and may be used by local churches, annual conferences and other United Methodist organizations on their websites and social media channels. Read press release Gammon Theological Seminary Survey asks Black churches about worship ATLANTA — The June 30 deadline is approaching for Black church leaders to respond to a survey on how their congregations are resuming in-person worship and navigating virtual worship as pandemic restrictions lift. Partners in the survey include Gammon Theological Seminary, Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century, Convocation for Black Pastors in the UMC, Black Clergywomen of the UMC and Black Methodists for Church Renewal. To take survey RESOURCES United Methodist Communications How to tell your church's story online NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On June 30, United Methodist Communications is hosting a Social Media Day Q&A to help churches share their stories online. The live learning session, which will be held at noon Central time, will feature social media experts from the denomination's communications agency. They will answer questions about Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and offer suggestions to help churches utilize social media for meaningful ministry and effective outreach. To register and submit questions Learn more Read press release ADVERTISEMENT EVENTS Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have an item to share, you can add it to the calendar by clicking here. Sunday, June 27-Sunday, Aug. 1   Lake Junaluska Summer Worship Series Friday, July 16-Saturday, July 17   Northern Illinois Annual Conference ADVERTISEMENT TOP STORIES FROM THE WEEK Rural churches emerging from coronavirus CLINTON, Ky. (UM News) — In rural Kentucky, the members of Oakton United Methodist Church are savoring the return to in-person worship services as coronavirus precautions fall away. The congregation in Hickman County numbered seven at a recent worship service. Jim Patterson reports, with photos by Mike DuBose. Read story Online gamer ministry offers unique outreach COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (UM News) — When a video game-playing pastor realized the strong communities that gamers were building online, he saw an untapped opportunity for ministry. Aaron Cross reports. Read story Commentary: How faith, gaming help us survive worst of times Ask The UMC What is the purpose of a Christian funeral? NASHVILLE, Tenn. — What are we doing when we gather at a Christian funeral? Why do we say and do certain things? Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, explores these questions and others related to United Methodist beliefs about death and resurrection in a new series. Read story Read more Ask The UMC Social media enables community around news NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Social media has extended The United Methodist Church's reach and revolutionized the way UM News reports. However, those advances come with challenges. Tim Tanton, chief news officer, writes about the impact of social media on news and what it means to be a neighbor. Read commentary Tennessee Conference After tornado, churchgoers give family hope NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Whitehead family considered themselves fortunate to survive Nashville's devastating 2020 tornado. But to rebuild, they found they needed help from a joint ministry of the Tennessee Conference and the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Cindy Solomon reports. Read story Greater New Jersey Conference $1 million going to recognize Native Americans NEPTUNE, N.J. — The Greater New Jersey Conference is allocating $1 million to preserve a Native American church and burial ground and return land and buildings to a tribe. "This is a promise that has promise," said Cynthia Mosley, a member of the Lenape tribe who chairs the conference Committee on Native American Ministries. She and other United Methodists also are working to call attention to the unsolved cases of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. Heather Mistretta has the story. Read story Commentary: Living as a pastor in Nomadland SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis. (UM News) — Like the main character in the Oscar-winning film "Nomadland," itinerant pastors learn to form community and connection even though they are always on the move. "If we are desiring to settle down, we will ignore connectionalism as the spirit of United Methodism," writes the Rev. Dr. Sun-joong Kim. Read commentary South Georgia Conference KILT ministry supports young men's faith MIDLAND, Ga. — To a group of young men, receiving a kilt is an honor — a distinction earned for years of commitment, service and leadership. Kara Witherow has the story on Pierce Chapel United Methodist Church's Knights in Leadership Training program for high school males. Read story AL.com Retiring pastor goes from pulpit to tractor DECATUR, Ala. — After 48 years of preaching, the Rev. Hughey Reynolds plans to start his retirement by restoring antique tractors. He has found that pastoring United Methodist churches can be like keeping a tractor running. Greg Garrison has the story. Read story Minnesota Conference Soul care during a pandemic MINNEAPOLIS — Every night for more than a year, a group of laity and clergy in the Minnesota Conference has gathered via Zoom to share a devotion and ask one another: "How is it with your soul?" Becky Boland, a certified lay minister, leads the group. Watch video Wespath Benefits and Investments Sustainable Investment Report released GLENVIEW, Ill. — The United Methodist agency that administers benefit plans for the denomination is reporting about its work in 2019-20, including the agency's commitment to net-zero and other climate change actions, responding to COVID-19 and growing its affordable housing program. The Sustainable Investment Report was issued June 21 by Wespath Benefits and Investments. Read press release Read report United Methodist News is a ministry of  810 12th Ave. S. Nashville, TN 37203  Unsubscribe from UM News Friday Digest. We respect your privacy and will never share your information with any party.