Friday Digest | Jun 28, 2024 |
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 | “Everybody is keeping their eyes open because Jesus is everywhere." — The Rev. Veronica Fleming, pastor of Arthur (N.D.) United Methodist Church.
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| Flat Jesus is showing up in boats and at the market in Arthur, North Dakota. Photo from Arthur UMC's Facebook page.
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| Dakotas Conference
Church offers summer fun with Jesus | | ARTHUR, N.D. — A hide-and-seek game played by children at Arthur United Methodist Church featuring a laminated illustration of Jesus has been expanded to the whole community. The Rev. Veronica Fleming has placed 12 of the Jesus signs around the community. People who spot one can text the pastor, and she will enter their name into a drawing for a prize. “It is a way to keep Jesus in people’s minds and hearts,” Fleming said. Doreen Gosmire reports. | | | | |
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| Global Ministries
Young adult missionaries reflect on years of service | | ATLANTA — Global Mission Fellows do missionary work around the world for The United Methodist Church. Ten of them offer reflections and photos as they near completion of their two-year terms. Nations represented include Congo, Ecuador, Brazil and the U.S.
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| Western Jurisdiction
Preparing for possible bishop election | | SPOKANE, Wash. — The Western Jurisdiction Committee on Episcopacy is preparing for the possible election of a new bishop when the jurisdictional conference meets July 10-13. Initially, the plan was for no U.S. bishop elections this year. The Inter-Jurisdictional Committee on Episcopacy continues its work in developing a plan for transfers of bishops to ensure each jurisdiction has the required minimum of five bishops. But the Western Jurisdiction committee said a bishop election “will likely be necessary.”
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| Eastern Pennsylvania Conference
Camp's suburban farm feeds urban families | | HATBORO, Pa. — As one of four Camp & Retreat Centers of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, the Carson Simpson Farm Christian Center’s primary purpose is to provide faith-enriching summer camp experiences annually for children and youth. But now it also provides an abundance of vegetables and fruit grown by staff, volunteers and campers in its Good Stuff Garden. John W. Coleman has the story.
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| PBS NewsHour
PBS spotlights United Methodist congregation | | MOUNT VERNON, Ill. — Judy Woodruff of PBS NewsHour looks at how Christian communities face growing political divides even as they face declining numbers. But amid these struggles, her report spotlights First United Methodist Church in Mount Vernon — where a politically diverse membership continues to worship together and the pews were mostly full on the Sunday PBS visited.
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| Wisconsin Conference
Bishop's email hacked | | SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — People who correspond with Bishop Hee-Soo Jung need to be cautious, as his email account was compromised this month. Anyone who received an email from the bishop on June 24 with a subject line of “Notification: Document is ready for review from Bishop Hee-Soo Jung [WIUMC],” should not click on any of its links. It should be marked as “Spam” or “Junk Mail.”
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| No UM News Digest July 3-5 | | There will be no UM News Digest on July 3 and 4 and no Friday Digest on July 5 due to the U.S. Fourth of July holiday. The Digest will resume its regular schedule July 8. UM News wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday.
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| Archives and History
Oliveto to chair LGBTQ+ heritage center | | MADISON, N.J. — Bishop Karen Oliveto will chair the Center for LGBTQ+ United Methodist Heritage, set to be launched in October. Oliveto, who leads the Mountain Sky Conference, is set to retire as bishop this year. The new center was announced May 2 at General Conference. “The voices, ministries and witness of my queer siblings in Christ — who for far too long have been silenced and cast aside — are examples of the stories we will intentionally collect, preserve and share through the Center for LGBTQ+ United Methodist Heritage,” said Ashley Boggan D., the top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History. | | | | |
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| Emory University
New dean named at Candler | | ATLANTA — Jonathan Strom, professor of church history at Emory University, has been named the new dean at Emory’s Candler School of Theology. His two-year term begins on Aug. 1 after current Dean Jan Love concludes her 17-year tenure. “(Strom) has been a longtime leader within the school … and has the deep knowledge and support of the Candler community that will serve Emory well as he takes on the full leadership role of the dean,” said Ravi V. Bellamkonda, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. | | | | |
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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. | How one conference reflects hope for future | | OCEAN CITY, Md. (UM News) — As the effects of General Conference play out in different ways around the church, the Peninsula-Delaware Conference exemplifies the sense of forward movement that many conferences are experiencing, says Tim Tanton, chief news officer for United Methodist Communications. “United Methodists are refocusing, anchoring themselves in worship and their steadfast faith in God, connecting with the power of the Holy Spirit and discerning how Jesus is calling them into the future,” he writes. | | | | |
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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, July 8-Saturday, July 27 | | |
| Monday, July 8-Friday, Aug. 2
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Bishop shares path from poverty to prominence | DURHAM, N.C. (UM News) — The memoir of retired Bishop Kenneth Carder is surprisingly joyful, considering it prominently features prison, dementia and the near murder of the author as a child. The book charts Carder’s journey from humble beginnings to leadership in The United Methodist Church, and his discomfort along the way. Jim Patterson reports. | | |
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All that General Conference passed | NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodist News has assembled a chart of all the legislation that this year’s historic General Conference moved forward. The chart includes brief summaries of what the legislation does and when it takes effect. Heather Hahn reports.
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Church addresses food insecurity in Madagascar | ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (UM News) — With help from the United Methodist Committee on Relief, members of Ambodifasika United Methodist Church distributed food and other support to people affected by climate change in the southern part of the country. Periods of extended drought and flooding have left many in the region facing food insecurity and extreme poverty. Esdras Rakotoarivony reports. | | |
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New 2024 annual conference reports posted | NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodist News is posting 2024 annual conference reports. New this week are the Great Plains, Holston, Pacific Northwest and South Carolina conferences. | | |
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Commentary: Reflecting on the deaths of three 'giants'
| INDIANAPOLIS (UM News) — Bishop Julius C. Trimble of the Indiana Conference reflects on the legacy of three “giants” who died in June. He shares how the Rev. James Lawson, theologian Jürgen Moltmann and baseball legend Willie Mays influenced his life and leadership. “All of them made contributions to humanity and died on the right side of history,” he writes. | | |
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Commentary: Gratitude for diverse ministry
| LOCKPORT, Ill. (UM News) — As she retires, the Rev. GaHyung Kim looks back on the challenges and blessings of serving in cross-racial/cross-cultural appointments. “The Northern Illinois Conference is blessed to have many Asian clergy and laity and other ethnic minorities,” she writes. | | |
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Episcopal News Service
Episcopal bishops support full-communion goal
| LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Episcopal Church’s bishops, meeting during the denomination’s General Convention, approved a resolution that is the next step toward full communion between Episcopalians and United Methodists. United Methodist Bishop Gregory V. Palmer told those gathered that this movement toward full communion is “a sign for what God intends for all of us.” Melodie Woerman reports. | |
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