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Daily Digest - January 15, 2020

"By coming together to determine what is possible at the community level, by strengthening your social network, you are setting an example for all United Methodist women around the world." — UMCOR's Lorrie King, speaking to United Methodist women in Côte d'Ivoire at the dedication of a new processing plant.

NEWS AND FEATURES

Ivorian dish cooking up profits for women
ANYAMA, Côte d'Ivoire (UM News) — United Methodist women have seen their dream of opening a processing plant for a popular local dish become a reality. The women will be making and selling attiéké, a traditional Ivorian dish made from cassava flour. The United Methodist Committee on Relief contributed a $200,000 grant to help fund the project. Isaac Broune reports.
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Church in Côte d'Ivoire focuses on farming, food security

World Council of Churches
Sosa, ecumenical worship leader, dies at 85

BUENOS AIRES — The Rev. Pablo Sosa, 85, an Argentinian Methodist who died Jan. 11, was "one of the grandfathers of global ecumenical spirituality," said the Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, top executive of the World Council of Churches. The Rev. Terry MacArthur, a United Methodist who worked with Sosa, said he met the challenge of ecumenical worship by "embodying the theology of another, and in the process understanding more clearly how we were shaped by our presumptions."
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Michigan Conference
Michigan church goes solar

SUTTONS BAY, Mich. — Keswick United Methodist Church is getting most of its power from the sun after church members found a way to help the environment and save money in the long term. The church finance committee worked with two energy companies and formed a Limited License Corporation that can take advantage of tax benefits to which the church doesn't have access. Fred Elmore reports.
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Baptist News Global
Study: Dog owners more regular churchgoers

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — When it comes to churchgoing, dog owners tend to be faithful while cat owners tend to be more finicky. That's according to a new study that looks at pet ownership and religiosity. Jeff Brumley interviews Ryan Burge, an American Baptist minister and co-author of the study.
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RESOURCES

General Council on Finance and Administration
2019 tax law changes that affect churches

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tax season is here, and the General Council on Finance and Administration has information for United Methodist ministries in preparing tax documents. A big change is that nonprofits no longer have to pay taxes on the provision of employee parking.
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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.

Arkansas Conference
It's still about your church

LITTLE ROCK — Bishop Gary E. Mueller admits he cannot fix what's broken in The United Methodist Church, but he believes people need local churches more than denominations. "Embrace your identity," he writes. "Your church is literally the Body of Christ."
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