“I'm grateful for their gifts, their time and their hearts, not just this week but every week. These and thousands like them are the real public servants who deserve to be heard and heeded by those we voted into office.” — The Rev. Terry Koehn, pastor of Elk City United Methodist Church, on the teacher walkouts in Oklahoma.
Photo courtesy of Whiney White Junger
NEWS AND FEATURES
Churches feed students, support protesting teachers
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — United Methodist churches in Oklahoma are offering day camps, feeding children who are missing school lunches and offering words of support and prayer for protesting teachers. Churches in West Virginia pitched in during an earlier teachers’ strike there. Kathy L. Gilbert reports.
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Planning for post-General Conference church
CHICAGO (UMNS) — No matter what happens at the special General Conference next year, United Methodists will still have a mission to fulfill. That was a frequent refrain at the recent meeting of the Connectional Table, a church leadership body responsible for coordinating mission and ministry even during this time of uncertainty. Heather Hahn reports.
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Read message from the Connectional Table
Bishop urges new mindset for way forward
Holston Conference
United Methodists pray, donate for arrested workers
ALCOA, Tenn. — United Methodists joined a community outcry against the arrests of workers at a Grainger County slaughterhouse after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid there. Members of Holston Conference churches prayed, donated and volunteered to help families whose relatives were missing or facing deportation. Annette Spence reports.
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World Methodist Council
Belfast plaque honors peace award winner
BELFAST — A commemorative blue plaque now adorns the front wall of Shankill Road Methodist Church in honor of Saidie Patterson, the first recipient of the World Methodist Peace Award in 1977. Patterson, who was at the forefront of those trying to bring peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland, died in 1985.
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Zimbabwe women embrace orphans
HARARE, Zimbabwe (UMNS) — The Fairfield Children’s Home at The United Methodist Church’s Mutare Mission got a shot in the arm with a donation of goods worth more than $5,000 from United Methodist Women in the Harare East District. The women also serve as role models to the orphans. Kudzai Chingwe has the story.
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Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UMNS
PRESS RELEASES
Higher Education and Ministry
New doctoral program in Methodist theology offered
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A new five-year, part-time doctoral program in Methodist theology is the result of a collaboration between the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, Africa University and Wesley House Cambridge. Applications for the program are now available.
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RECENT HEADLINES
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EVENTS
Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have a United Methodist event to share, you can add it to the calendar with this submission form.
Thursday, April 19-Saturday, April 21
Congregational care seminar at Church of the Resurrection
Friday, April 27
Mountain Talk: Living with dementia, challenges and opportunities
Share your story or tips with us at [email protected].
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