“I felt convinced that Christ died for all mankind — that age, sect, color, country or situation make no difference. I felt an assurance that I was included in the plan of redemption with all my brethren.” — William Apess, from his autobiography, “A Son of the Forest.”
NEWS AND FEATURES
Ask The UMC
Celebrating a Native American trailblazer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — William Apess, born among the Pequot of Massachusetts, was the first Native American Methodist exhorter in New England and the first Native American licensed to preach by American Methodists. He also is credited as the first Native American to write and publish an autobiography. Ask The UMC has more on Apess as part of its Pioneers in Methodism series.
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Read about other pioneers
North Texas Conference
Small church gives big for Honduran clergy
WHITEWRIGHT, Texas — First United Methodist Church in Whitewright is small, averaging about 60 for worship. But the church raised more than $1,000 toward the conference’s $85,000 goal for covering annual salaries and benefits for 17 United Methodist pastors in Honduras. The North Texas Conference has a report on First Whitewright’s generosity.
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West Virginia Conference
Hope Center extends community outreach
SOPHIA, W.Va. — A group of nearly 40 people gathered on Palm Sunday to celebrate the dedication of a new community outreach center. The Hope Center, an ecumenical mission project of the Southern District of the West Virginia Conference, intends to offer homework help for students and classes for adults in areas such as basic financial management and healthy cooking. Audrey Stanton-Smith reports.
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Dakotas Conference
Garrett launches environmental center
EVANSTON, Ill. — United Methodist Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary launched a new center focused on the environment on Earth Day, and appointed the Rev. Timothy Eberhart as the holder of a chair there. Eberhart, of the Dakotas Conference, will be the Robert and Marilyn Degler McClean Endowed Chair in Ecological Theology and Practice. In his inaugural address, Eberhart said the center would seek “just healing of the land.” David Stucke reports.
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PRESS RELEASES
Council of Bishops
Bishops affirm colleague after conference vote
WASHINGTON — In an overwhelming decision during their spring meeting, United Methodist bishops affirmed Bishop Patrick Streiff of the Central Conference of Central and Southern Europe in the aftermath of the vote by the Bulgaria-Romania Provisional Annual Conference to leave the denomination. Over Bishop Streiff’s ruling on the process, Bulgaria-Romania conference members approved a disaffiliation resolution on April 1.
Read press release
Bishop Streiff discusses Bulgaria-Romania move
UM News: Bulgaria-Romania United Methodists vote to leave
United Methodist Church in Eurasia
Some delegates won't attend session on Ukraine-Moldova
MOSCOW — Delegates from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Federation say they will not attend an April 30 online extra session of The United Methodist Church’s Northern Europe and Eurasia Central Conference. The delegates say they fear “Russophobia” and other discrimination. The session was called to consider whether, given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Ukraine-Moldova Provisional Annual Conference should be moved from the Eurasia Area, currently led by Moscow-based Bishop Eduard Khegay. Khegay joined 20 delegates in signing the statement, which proposes delaying the session until “the cessation of hostilities.”
Read statement
UM News: Ukrainians may be moved from Russian bishop's area
RESOURCES
Religion and Race
Prayer challenge for racial justice issued
WASHINGTON — The United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race invites others to participate in a Racial Justice Prayer & Action Challenge. For six weeks beginning June 19 — Juneteenth — the agency will post daily prayers on social media for six weeks and include worship liturgies and weekly challenges to help put prayers into action. All materials are also available for download.
View resources
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