Friday Digest | Aug 16, 2024 |
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“This award is presented annually, and it is not just for Methodists but for people who exhibit courage, creativity and consistency.” — Bishop Ivan M. Abrahams, outgoing general secretary of the World Methodist Council.
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Norma P. Dollaga listens as Bishop Ivan Abrahams reads the citation for the 2024 World Methodist Peace Award on Aug. 15 during the World Methodist Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden. Photo by Heather Hahn, UM News.
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| 2 United Methodists receive Peace Awards |  | GOTHENBURG, Sweden (UM News) — Bishop Christian Alsted and Filipino deaconess Norma P. Dollaga both received the World Methodist Council’s highest honor for courageous ministry in very different contexts. Alsted earned a World Methodist Peace Award for his spiritual leadership in Ukraine, while Dollaga was honored for her efforts to stop extrajudicial killings in the Philippines. Heather Hahn reports. | | | | |
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| Mississippi Conference
Church still helps 5 years after ICE raids | | JACKSON, Miss. — Five years ago, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents — more commonly known as ICE — arrested about 680 people and left many children facing a sudden separation from their families, not knowing when they would see them again. Mississippi United Methodists stepped up to help the children, and that outreach continued through this year. Jasmine Haynes reports. | | | | |
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| Pacific Northwest Conference
UMCOR helps with wildfire efforts | | DES MOINES, Wash. — United Methodists are helping support wildfire survivors across central and eastern Washington and the Idaho Panhandle. The United Methodist Committee on Relief approved a $10,000 solidarity grant to aid the Pacific Northwest Conference and local church efforts to help evacuees as they leave and later return to their homes. Patrick Scriven 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 is the East Congo Conference.
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| Council of Bishops
United Methodist to lead Methodist council | | GOTHENBURG, Sweden — Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett is the new president of the World Methodist Council, an international organization that connects and represents over 80 Methodist, Wesleyan and related Uniting and United churches worldwide. She will serve in that role for the next five years. Starting Sept. 1, she will lead the Holston and West Virginia conferences.
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| Indian American Muslim Council
Conference joins coalition opposing anti-Muslim float | | NEW YORK — The New York Annual Conference has joined with human rights and interfaith organizations, including the New York State Council of Churches, to urge New York City Mayor Eric Adams to oppose the inclusion of an anti-Muslim float at the India Day Parade scheduled for Aug. 18. The float celebrates the destruction of the historic Babri Mosque, which was demolished in 1992 by a mob of right-wing Hindu militants. Matt Schaeffer, the conference’s chair of the Commission on Christian Unity and Interfaith Concerns, and fellow supporters gathered at a press conference on Aug. 14. The event followed a letter to Secretary Antony Blinken that was signed by more than 3,000 ecumenical Christian leaders, including United Methodist bishops, advocating for India’s persecuted religious minorities.
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| Status and Role of Women
Female leadership rising | | CHICAGO — For the first time, there are more female than male U.S. resident bishops in The United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women monitored elections and reported that 53.1% of resident U.S. bishops are female, while 46.9% are men. Across the denomination worldwide, 33.3% of the resident bishops are female and 66.7% are male. Other statistics are available in a new report from the commission. | | | | |
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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, Sept. 23-Sunday, Oct. 6 | | |
| Monday, Sept. 30-Saturday, Oct. 12
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Amid uncertainty, finance board plans for new day | FRANKLIN, Tenn. (UM News) — The board of The United Methodist Church’s finance agency held its organizing meeting for the next four years. The board elected officers, tackled a tough situation in Nigeria and confronted lingering worries about the denomination’s financial picture. Church leaders agree this is a time of transition for the denomination. Heather Hahn reports.
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DC church wrestles with FBI connection | WASHINGTON (UM News) — After 58 years, Capitol Hill United Methodist Church will move a plaque honoring controversial former FBI leader J. Edgar Hoover out of its sanctuary. The plaque dedicates a large stained-glass window portraying Jesus to Hoover, which happened after his former home was knocked down to make way for a church parking lot. The congregation has planned a Sept. 29 rededication ceremony for the window to distance it from Hoover. Jim Patterson reports. | | |
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Ask The UMC
Ending disaffiliation | NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The 2024 General Conference received nearly 30 petitions to request that the disaffiliation provisions of the expired Paragraph 2553 be extended in some way. Instead, it deleted the paragraph. How did this happen, and what will happen now that disaffiliation is no longer an option? The Rev. Taylor Burton Edwards looks at these questions in the latest installment of Ask The UMC’s “The UMC really is …” series. | | |
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Status and Role of Women
Wiggins Hare announces retirement
| CHICAGO — The United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women has announced that top executive Dawn Wiggins Hare will retire in January 2025. Per Book of Discipline standard, the general secretary role allows 12 years in service. The process for finding her replacement is underway, and applications for the role are being accepted through Sept. 20. | | |
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Be aware of phishing attempts | NASHVILLE, Tenn. — UM News has been made aware of instances of mail spoofing using the NewsDesk@umcom.org email address. Please remain vigilant in reviewing the validity of emails. The Federal Trade Commission offers advice for how to recognize and avoid phishing scams. | |
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