Daily Digest - April 19, 2013

"prayer, patience, and hope frame faith facing tragedy," - Bishop Mike Lowry of the Central Texas Annual (regional) Conference, which includes the town of West.

Comfort, help after Texas explosion

WACO, Texas (UMNS) - "First, foremost and always, let us be a people who place our lives and the lives of our loved ones before God in trusting prayer," says Bishop Mike Lowry of the Central Texas Annual (regional) Conference. Lowry was responding to the deadly explosion in West and providing information about how United Methodists can help.
Read bishop's statement
Explosion shakes West and Central Texas

Interfaith service offers comfort, affirmation for Boston

BOSTON (UMNS) - More than 2,000 people, including Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar and other United Methodists, drew together during an interfaith prayer service, April 18 at Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. President Barack Obama told those gathered, "We will all be with you as you learn to stand and walk and, yes, run again." Alexx Wood of the New England Annual (regional) Conference writes about the service.
Read story

Love crosses the finish line

BOSTON (UMNS) - Kimberly Grauer was in Boston on April 15 fulfilling a promise to her dad. She was among the runners stopped by police at Mile 25. "I got three medals," she says, "when I saw the faces of my mom, brother and friend that evening." Kay DeMoss of the West Michigan Annual (regional) Conference shares the story of Grauer and her family.
Read story

Remembering 3rd Boston victim

BOSTON (UMNS) - Friends and strangers across two countries mourned the loss of Lingzi Lu, a Chinese graduate student at United Methodist-related Boston University. The Boston Globe reports on the tributes to the high-achieving student, who was working on a statistics degree.
Read story

East Belfast Mission lessons to share

NEW YORK (UMNS) - Signing a peace accord is just the first step in reuniting a country where the population has been divided by conflict. The Methodists of East Belfast Mission in Northern Ireland have been living into that reality ever since the 1998 Good Friday agreement declared peace between Catholics and Protestants there. Two leaders, the Rev. Gary Mason and Gary Crooks, during a recent visit to the United States talked about the lessons they can share with others.
Read story and post a comment

'Home Run' hit for recovery ministries

TULSA, Okla. (UMNS) - "Home Run" is a movie about addiction - a story of a professional baseball player whose life spirals out of control because of ego and alcohol. Premiering today, April 19, the inspirational feature film highlights the recovery ministries offered by thousands of United Methodist churches.
Read news release

Day of service for Hurricane Sandy

NEW YORK (UMNS) - Timothy Crisler remembers "God's people coming from everywhere" to help after Hurricane Katrina struck Mississippi. He was happy to return the favor as directors and staff of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries assisted Sandy survivors in New York and New Jersey.
Read full story

UMTV: Earth Day Green Churches

SAN FRANCISCO (UMNS) - A look at ways United Methodists are committing to be better caretakers of God's creation.
Watch the video
Green for life

Perkins youth program anniversary event

DALLAS (UMNS) - Perkins Youth School of Theology at United Methodist-related Southern Methodist University plans to celebrate its 10th anniversary with an alumni weekend April 20. The weekend will include highlights of the gifts and talents of young people from the Dallas metroplex, including Lessie Vonner, jazz trumpeter and United Methodist alumna of the Perkins program.
Learn more about event
Learn more Lessie Vonner

Support after Chicago parsonage fire

CHICAGO (UMNS) - Chicago-area United Methodists are organizing a special worship service of praise and thanksgiving for the Rev. Amos Oladipo's family and Chicago Epworth United Methodist Church at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 20. A fire heavily damaged Oladipo's parsonage April 13, but his family escaped unharmed. Anne Marie Gerhardt of the Northern Illinois Annual (regional) Conference reports how the broader United Methodist community is reaching out to help.
Read story


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