“When the flooding occurred, the trained district coordinators knew what their role was within their districts, and were able to respond immediately and appropriately.” — Greg Forrester, United Methodist Committee on Relief.
New depot aids West Virginia flood response
NEW YORK (UMNS) — A new relief-supply depot established last spring by the West Virginia Conference, together with training for disaster response coordinators and volunteers by the United Methodist Committee on Relief, resulted in a more effective response when flooding occurred in June. Susan Kim reports for UMCOR.
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Prayer walk for racial peace unites community
WILDWOOD, Fla. (UMNS) — A prayer walk for racial peace was a “kingdom” moment in efforts to unite a community, writes the Rev. Michael Beck in a commentary about interfaith efforts in the city.
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Young clergy gather in Washington
WASHINGTON (UMNS) — The Rev. Carolyn Gillette, a United Methodist pastor and hymn writer who was recently interviewed on PBS after writing a hymn expressing grief for the shooting deaths of 49 people at an Orlando nightclub, was a featured speaker at the Summer Young Clergy Leadership Forum. The Rev. Clayton Childers reports for the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, which sponsored the event.
Why we need evangelicals
LAKELAND, Fla. (UMNS) — Bishop Ken Carter of the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church takes on the word “evangelical” and what it really means. He says now, more than ever, “We are in desperate need — in the culture and in the church — of an evangelical movement that does not suffer conformity or captivity to the way it is so often perceived, stereotyped and yes, even lived.”
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New Global Mission Fellows ready to serve
ATLANTA (UMNS) — Bishop Woodie White laid hands on 43 new young adult missionaries, symbolizing that the church has designated them for special responsibility. The new missionaries were commissioned by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries on Aug. 3 at Grace Church, Atlanta, which now houses the denomination’s new world mission center.
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Resources for back-to-school season
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — As many families know, a new year doesn’t really begin with “Auld Lang Syne” but the first ring of the school bell. United Methodist Discipleship Ministries offers worship and devotional resources for churches to celebrate the start of the new school year and reach out to kids in their areas.
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Looking ahead
Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have an item to share, email newsdesk@umcom.org and put Digest in the subject line.
Wednesday-Saturday, Aug. 17-20
School of Congregational Development 2016 — The workshops for United Methodist clergy and lay leaders will be in Evanston, Illinois, outside Chicago. United Methodist Discipleship Ministries and Global Ministries sponsor the gathering. $475. Details
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