UM News Digest

UM News Digest - Oct. 18, 2024 Restarting Sand Creek Massacre response Judicial Council to meet on fall docket Teams arrive to help with hurricane cleanup “Sand Creek is one of the most well-documented massacres in U.S. history and committed by Methodists. We are heirs to the atrocity.” — Retired Bishop Elaine JW Stanovsky Great Plains Conference Bishop David Wilson, left, and Eugene Ridgely Jr., a Sand Creek representative of the Northern Arapaho tribe, gather in an Arapaho tipi located at the History Colorado Center in Denver. Photo by Joey Butler, UM News. Church restarts response to Sand Creek Massacre DENVER (UM News) — The United Methodist Church has made a number of efforts over the past three decades to atone for its role in the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre, but progress stalled in recent years. Church leaders and Sand Creek representatives from the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes gathered at Iliff School of Theology Sept. 20-21 to identify concrete ways the denomination can continue to work toward repentance. Joey Butler and Jim Patterson report. Read story ADVERTISEMENT Editor’s note: Welcome to the new UM News Digest! We hope you like the redesign. You’re still getting all of the news and features from around the denomination to help you stay informed, and we’ve made some changes to make the content more readable, including increasing our font size. Please let us know what you think. You can contact us at newsdesk@umnews.org. Judicial Council set to deliberate on fall docket NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — The United Methodist Church’s top court will meet Oct. 23-25 in Los Angeles. The Judicial Council’s 11-item fall docket includes questions about General Conference actions, U.S. bishop assignments, a property dispute in Liberia and the handling of church exits now that the denomination’s disaffiliation policy has ended. Heather Hahn reported on the docket in an advance story earlier this year.  Read story See docket Holston Conference Teams arrive to help with hurricane cleanup ALCOA, Tenn. — Holston Conference disaster-relief workers have handed out about 5,000 buckets full of cleaning supplies since the remnants of Hurricane Helene ravaged parts of the southeastern U.S. in late September. With the help of other groups, Holston Conference has also sent early response teams to three flooded towns in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Annette Spence has the story. Read story Next phase: How to help hurricane survivors now Western North Carolina Conference: Fresh Expressions respond to Helene South Carolina Conference  Dementia-care advocates teach love GREENVILLE, S.C. — The South Carolina Conference has launched a new effort called the South Carolina Cognitive Connection Ministry. Since May, organizers have been making their way across the state offering workshops on how churches can offer a dementia-care ministry right where they are with the people they already serve. Jessica Brodie reports.  Read story Desert Southwest Conference Celebrating new Spanish-language church PHOENIX — On Oct. 6, the Desert Southwest Conference launched a new Spanish-language church in downtown Phoenix to reach the local Hispanic and Latino population, particularly immigrants and asylum seekers. The Rev. Flor Granillo, founding pastor of Iglesia Aliento, said the new church start assists immigrants and locals in need, but also aims to help them grow into leaders who give back to the community. Christina Dillabough has the story.  Read story Mountain Sky Conference, NBC Montana Clothing ministry connects with students BIGFORK, Mont. — Every Thursday at Bigfork Community United Methodist Church, students from the Bigfork and Swan River districts have access to clothing, personal hygiene products and school supplies. Beyond meeting basic needs, the Threads ministry — founded by church member Kim Rose in 2017 — provides a supportive social environment where students can relax, snack and connect with one another during school hours. Sadie Rison has the story for NBC Montana.  Read story and watch video ADVERTISEMENT 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. Lewis Center for Church Leadership  Church finances can be spiritual and practical WASHINGTON — Some in the church operate on the assumption that a spiritual perspective on money requires the abandonment of practical thinking. But Ann A. Michel, a stewardship expert, says a sound theology of stewardship reveals that a spiritual perspective regarding money and finances is practical, and a practical perspective can also be spiritual. Read commentary Monday, Oct. 21- Sunday, Nov. 10 Online course: The Lost Art of Practicing His Presence Monday, Oct. 21- Friday, Dec. 13 Online course: A Journey Through the Letters of Paul More United Methodist events Photo courtesy of Wesleyan University-Philippines, College of Allied Medical Sciences. University rallies to help disaster survivors   CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines (UM News) — Students and faculty at United Methodist-related Wesleyan University-Philippines held events to raise funds for those affected by recent disasters and climate change. Events included a concert, battle of the bands and paint for a cause fundraiser. Gladys P. Mangiduyos reports. Read story Photo courtesy of the Florida Conference. Church member lived his life helping others   ORLANDO, Fla. — Harry Hopkins was the kind of person who was always reaching out to help someone. The longtime member of First United Methodist Church Orlando started volunteering two years ago with the Florida Conference’s emergency response team. He died last week while clearing debris from Hurricane Milton. Joe Henderson reports. Read story Graphic by Laurens Glass, United Methodist Communications. Is The United Methodist Church involved in politics?   NASHVILLE, Tenn. — United Methodists have a long history of political involvement from the time of John Wesley to the present day. Now is a good time to remind ourselves of that heritage and what the church can and cannot do as elections approach. Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, looks at the denomination’s stances on political involvement. Read story Photo by Todd Seifert, Great Plains Conference. Honoring those who endured Indian schools   LINCOLN, Neb. — The Great Plains Conference's Committee on Native American Ministries hosted its second-annual ceremony to remember children who endured atrocities at U.S. Indian boarding schools. The event, hosted at Saint Paul United Methodist Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, drew about 100 people. Todd Seifert with the Great Plains Conference has the story and photos. Read story and see photos