“The General Conference shall have full legislative power over all matters distinctively connectional.” — The United Methodist Church’s constitution.
A beginner's guide to General Conference
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UM News) — Because of the pandemic, the last regular session of General Conference was nearly eight years ago. Now, the international legislative assembly is scheduled for April 23-May 3. Need a primer on The United Methodist Church’s big meeting? United Methodist News has you covered.
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NEWS AND FEATURES
North Georgia Conference
Dinner church sets table for broader ministry
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Early last year, the Southeast Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry and Lawrenceville First and Cannon United Methodist churches joined together to offer a community dinner church. Nicole Meredith Fike writes about how, a year later, this Fresh Expression of church is bearing fruit.
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Highland Park United Methodist Church
Church recalls faithful photographer
DALLAS — James T. “Brad” Bradley, who died in October at age 101, photographed confirmation at Highland Park United Methodist Church for 22 years. Bradley, a World War II veteran, used his camera to document many other church events, and he photographed 75 Cotton Bowls. His church is remembering him fondly.
Read tribute and watch video
PRESS RELEASES
Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century
Black leaders embrace change
HOUSTON — Nearly 100 clergy and lay leaders learned innovative ways to create safe spaces, push for social justice and increase revenue streams during the Shift Happens Conference at St. John's Downtown Church. During the Jan. 10-11 gathering organized by Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century, leaders embraced the Shift Challenge to move toward positive change and look for ways to do ministry differently.
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See resources from conference
COMMENTARIES
UM News includes in the Daily Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not UM News staff.
Rethink Church
Was Jesus really nice?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Rev. Joseph Yoo says that one of the first things he learned about Jesus on his own was that Jesus was good, but he wasn’t nice. Though Jesus was generous and inclusive with his love, Yoo writes, “If Jesus was ‘nice,’ he wouldn’t have challenged the system that was oppressive and marginalized the vulnerable.”
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Word & Way
What the U.S. Congress reveals about church divide
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Brian Kaylor, editor and president of Word & Way, has an analysis looking at how church disaffiliations have affected the number of United Methodists in the U.S. Congress. Of the 28 United Methodist lawmakers he identified at the start of the 118th Congress, he writes that nine are part of the churches that have since disaffiliated.
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RESOURCES
Discipleship Ministries
Tax help for clergy
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Clergy face some unique challenges when it comes to things like social security payments, estimated tax payments, housing allowances or exclusions and reimbursed expenses. The Revs. Ken Sloane and Don Joiner are offering a free Zoom learning session to help out as April 15 looms. The webinar will be at 11 a.m. U.S. Central time Feb. 5.
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