Friday Digest | Apr 12, 2024 |
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 | “It simply is not an effective way to do things — to have benefit-plan changes that apply only to the U.S. church be voted on by an international body.” — Dale Jones, managing director of church relations at Wespath.
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| Dale Jones of Wespath, The United Methodist Church’s pension and benefits agency, discusses the denomination’s pension program during the pre-General Conference news briefing at the Tampa Convention Center in Florida in 2012. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.
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| Why Wespath supports regionalization | | NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — The United Methodist Church’s pension and benefits agency has had a hand in crafting the regionalization legislation going before General Conference. Agency staff see the proposed changes as crucial to the work of supporting church workers in retirement. Heather Hahn reports. | | | | |
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| East Ohio Conference
Church adds sensory room | | VERMILION, Ohio — A church in the West Plains District has added a room to help people with sensory processing disorders comfortably attend church services. The room at Vermilion Grace United Methodist Church, partially funded by a grant from the East Ohio Conference, has muted lighting and other features to help people cope with sensory overload. There also is sensory equipment in the sanctuary such as headphones, sunglasses and fidget toys. Rick Wolcott has the story.
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| Church and Society, Indiana Conference
Trimble to lead Church and Society | | WASHINGTON — The United Methodist Board of Church and Society has elected Bishop Julius C. Trimble as the agency’s new top executive. Trimble, who currently leads the Indiana Conference, is set to retire as bishop on Aug. 31 and start his new role on Sept. 1.
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UM News includes in the Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not UM News staff. | Transformative unmasking paves a way forward
| | DELANCO, N.J. (UM News) — The United Methodist Church and the world at large are plagued by racism, sexism, heterosexism and division in many forms. Retired Bishop Ernest S. Lyght writes that too often the typical response to racism and other “isms” is for folks to don a mask as a shield. He says it’s time to “find the courage to remove our masks, and enter into a process of transformation and engagement of racism in our church and society.” | | | | |
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| United Methodist Communications
Celebrating Native American Ministries Sunday | | NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Native American Ministries Sunday, one of The United Methodist Church’s special Sundays for designated offerings, is April 14. Native American Ministries Sunday offerings support vital ministries and churches in Native American communities. Half of the funds given remain in the annual conference to develop its ministries, a quarter supports scholarships and a quarter benefits economic development and mentoring programs. | | | | |
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| Immigration Law & Justice Network
Webinar examines difficulties for asylum seekers
| | ANNANDALE, Va. — Immigration Law & Justice Network, the immigration ministry of The United Methodist Church, will host “CBP One App: Migrants Speak,” a webinar on the difficulties of asylum seekers confronting the U.S. asylum system at the southern border. Migrant guest speakers from the Mexican side of the border will share their experiences on the struggles and dangers they face while waiting for an opportunity to enter the United States. The webinar will be at 4 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on April 19 and is free and open to the public. | | | | |
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| United Theological Seminary
Learn more about spiritual direction
| | DAYTON, Ohio — A free webinar on the ministry of spiritual direction is planned for 1 p.m. U.S. Eastern time April 17. United Theological Seminary’s Bishop Bruce Ough Innovation Center is offering the webinar in partnership with the Center of Spiritual Formation. The webinar will share information and answer questions about United’s two-year online Spiritual Direction training for lay people and pastoral leaders. | | | | |
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| | | | 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. |
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| Monday, April 15-Friday, April 26
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Fossil fuels divestment debate returns | CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UM News) — Should The United Methodist Church divest from fossil fuel companies or hold onto the stocks and pressure the companies to do more to curb global warming? It’s a debate that engaged the 2016 General Conference. The different sides will be at it again at the upcoming General Conference in Charlotte. Sam Hodges reports.
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Church helps survivors of fire in Congo | FIZI, Congo (UM News) — The United Methodist Church has assisted 5,000 survivors of two fires that ravaged a camp for internally displaced people last year. Funding from the United Methodist Committee on Relief enabled the purchase of 74 tons of food and other supplies. Beneficiaries, many of whom fled unrest in the region, say the church’s support offers them hope for the future. Chadrack Tambwe Londe reports. | | |
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Video recaps church homosexuality debate | NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — The General Conference delegates who meet this month will be charting the future of an international denomination that already looks very different than it did eight years ago, when the last regular session of General Conference met. In a video, Heather Hahn gives an overview of The United Methodist Church’s homosexuality debate and how the denomination got here. | | |
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United Methodist Communications
Updating the church toolbox for social witness | NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Twelve years ago, the 2012 General Conference authorized the effort to make the Social Principles “more globally relevant, theologically founded and succinct.” Crystal Caviness reports on the results of that effort and some of the changes in the revised Social Principles going before General Conference delegates. | | |
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Pre-General Conference video resources | NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — As The United Methodist Church approaches a major legislative gathering that will determine its future, UM News is providing video resources to help people better understand how the legislative assembly works and what legislation is under consideration. The latest installment includes conversations with the top executives of United Methodist Men, Church and Society and Religion and Race. | | |
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Commentary: Spare Ministerial Education Fund | DAYTON, Ohio (UM News) — Delegates to the upcoming United Methodist General Conference will consider a proposal to reduce the Ministerial Education Fund by almost 50%. The fund provides scholarships for United Methodist students who attend United Methodist seminaries and intend a ministry career. Seminary president Dr. Kent Millard says a major cut to the fund would be short-sighted, exacerbating seminarians’ debt and causing new clergy to be less effective because of worry over their debt load. | |
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