“I can’t tell you how many people will tell volunteers about how they used to come here with their mom and dad when they were little and how much that connection to the past means to them.” — Tom Ackerman, about his church’s long-running food stand at the Iowa State Fair.
Sustaining an Iowa State Fair tradition
DES MOINES, Iowa — West Des Moines United Methodist Church is the last remaining Christian organization to host an eatery at the Iowa State Fair. The congregation’s food stand debuted at the fair back in 1949. Courtney Crowder reports for The Des Moines Register.
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Commentary: Life as a Boy Scout chaplain
GLEN JEAN, W.Va. — The Rev. John Partridge just spent two weeks living in a tent, sleeping on a cot and walking miles each day — and considers it one of the best times of his life. Partridge joined dozens of other pastors of all faiths as a chaplain for the 2017 National Boy Scout Jamboree. He shared his experience with the East Ohio Conference News.
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Going forward after Standing Rock
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Rev. David Wilson, superintendent of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, got deeply involved in the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation protest of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Faith & Leadership has an interview with him on what the protest meant and where things go from here.
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Vacation Bible school as after-school program
ABILENE, Texas (UMC.org) — Many churches host vacation Bible school in the summertime, but St. Paul United Methodist Church has turned the VBS experience into an engaging after-school program that lasts 26 weeks instead of just one. UMC.org has the story.
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Where did the use of acolytes originate?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (InfoServ) — Acolytes have been part of the church in some form for nearly 2,000 years. In the latest installment of Ask the UMC, InfoServ, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, looks at the role of acolytes in the early church and today.
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Ask the UMC
Looking ahead
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, Aug. 10-Sunday, Aug. 13
MARCHA to meet in Dallas — MARCHA, United Methodism’s Hispanic/Latino caucus, will meet Aug. 10-13 in Dallas. The event will include a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry. Discussion topics include human sexuality and the sanctuary movement. Learn more
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