Photo courtesy of the Liberia Annual Conference
NEWS AND FEATURES
InfoServ
Ask the UMC: First African-American bishop
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (InfoServ) — The first African-American bishop served as a missionary bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Liberia in 1858. He also was the youngest person elected bishop. InfoServ, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, shares more historical fun facts in the latest installment of Ask the UMC.
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Ask the UMC
Marshall News Messenger
Denzel Washington renews gift to Wiley College
MARSHALL, Texas — Two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington pledged to renew a $1 million gift to the debate program at United Methodist-related Wiley College, one of the denomination’s historically black colleges. Washington directed the 2007 film, “The Great Debaters,” about Wiley’s debate team.
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South Georgia Conference
Youth orchestra bolsters confidence, learning
COLUMBUS, Ga. — For 10 years, Open Door Community House director Kim Jenkins had prayed for the means to begin a music program. In the fall of 2016, that decade-long prayer was answered when a local music store donated 67 used band instruments, and a music teacher friend offered to provide lessons. In January 2017, the Youth in Unison children’s orchestra was launched. Kara Witherow reports.
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Holston Conference
Church helps preserve historic slave cemetery
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Community members joined with Hurst United Methodist Church recently to clean up a historic cemetery for slaves and their families in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Beck Knob Cemetery was founded by Joshua Beck, a staunch abolitionist. Sherryl Appleberry reports.
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Desert Southwest Conference
Dream comes true with opening of legal clinic
TUCSON, Ariz. — The United Methodist Desert Southwest Conference celebrated the answer to a long-held dream with the opening of a Justice for Our Neighbors legal clinic at New Hope United Methodist Church on Feb. 1. Billie K. Fidlin, director of outreach for the conference, writes about the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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See KGUN9 story on clinic opening
COMMENTARIES
The mystery of loving others
WASHINGTON (UMNS) — The Rev. Susan Henry-Crowe, chief executive of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, believes that God made us to seek companionship, and developing relationships often means looking past differences to form a bond. “The mystery of loving others increases our love for God,” she writes. Henry-Crowe’s commentary is part of “Many Voices, One Faith,” a forum for sharing theological perspectives on topics of interest in the church.
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United Methodist Forum: Many Voices, One Faith
RECENT HEADLINES
'A Methodist Requiem' offers analysis, hope
New scholarships to help children in rural Liberia
EVENTS
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.
Wednesday, Feb. 14
Wednesday, Feb. 14-Sunday, April 1
Online Lenten Study: 40 Days with Wesley
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