"We've been saying for the last year, during the pandemic, that the church is not the building, yet the building is what people need in terms of having shelter." — The Rev. Clayton Oliphint, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Richardson, Texas.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Churches serve as warming centers, shelters
DALLAS (UM News) — United Methodist churches scrambled to open as warming centers and overnight shelters with historic winter storms having left nearly 3 million homes in Texas without electricity. Other states have been hit hard as well. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
Des Moines Register, Iowa Conference
Retired pastor dies from COVID-19
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Rev. Larry Sonner, who served the church as a pastor for decades and made waves after retirement for officiating at the wedding of a lesbian couple, has died from COVID-19 at 84. Iowa Area Bishop Laurie Haller said in a statement that Sonner was highly respected across the United Methodist connection. Sarah Kay LeBlanc and Courtney Crowder have the story for the Des Moines Register, and the Iowa Conference has an obituary.
Read story
Read obituary
East Ohio Conference
Videos promote racial justice
NORTH CANTON, Ohio — A new video series can help propel discussions of racial justice issues. The videos, featuring active and retired pastors and elders, were created by the East Ohio Conference Black Pastors' Fellowship and the conference's Multicultural Vitality office.
Read story and watch videos
PRESS RELEASES
Africa Voice of Unity
African group opposes denomination split
JALINGO, Nigeria — Africa Voice of Unity, a group of United Methodist clergy and laity from different annual conferences in Africa, has issued a statement opposing any breakup of The United Methodist Church.
Read statement
Wesleyan Covenant Association
Traditionalists urge protocol be taken up
ATLANTA — An international coalition of traditionalist leaders announced its continued support for the Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace Through Separation. The coalition also urged that the Commission on the General Conference, working with the Council of Bishops, find a way for General Conference to take up the protocol legislation as soon as possible. The Commission on the General Conference is meeting Feb. 20.
Read coalition statement (PDF)
Read WCA release
Christmas Covenant
Backers of Christmas Covenant launch website
HARARE, Zimbabwe — An international group of church leaders has launched a website to answer questions and offer testimonials about the Christmas Covenant, the first major restructuring proposal to originate in the central conferences — church regions in Africa, Europe and the Philippines. The legislation aims to transform central conferences into regional conferences and creates a U.S. regional conference.
Read press release
See website
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 the UM News staff.
Florida United Methodist Foundation
Taking up, not giving up, for Lent
LAKELAND, Fla. — This year for Lent, why not focus on making a positive contribution instead of giving up something? The Rev. Mark Becker, president of the Florida United Methodist Foundation, suggests committing to reading the Bible every day or volunteering in your community. "Make Lent a time when you grow closer to God by growing closer to your neighbors," he writes.
Read commentary
RESOURCES
Discipleship Ministries
Webinar series looks at 'de-colonizing' the church
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — If a colonial model of church relies on an authority figure dictating how to worship and how to "be" church, a de-colonized approach is Spirit-led and more communal. In the five-week webinar series "De-Colonizing the Church: A Commitment to Anti-Racism," leading scholars and practitioners in the field of anti-racism will explore the inherent racism in the church and encourage faith leaders to embrace a new approach. The series begins Feb. 18.
Register for event
RECENT HEADLINES
Scrutinizing the proposed hold on new bishops
Schools, students struggle with COVID-19 closures
EVENTS
Monday, March 8-Monday, May 17
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