Daily Digest - July 1, 2015

"This is not a time to draw lines in the sand but rather a time to come together in prayer for one another and for all those with whom God calls us to be in ministry." — Nashville (Tennessee) Area Bishop William T. McAlilly on Supreme Court ruling.

Bishops offer advice after
gay marriage ruling

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — How can a United Methodist pastor minister to same-gender couples and not run afoul of church law? A number of United Methodist bishops in the U.S. are striving to answer that question in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex civil marriage in all 50 states. Heather Hahn reports.
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Commentary: Love in
a post-Charleston world

HOUSTON — The Rev. Rudy Rasmus of St. John's United Methodist Church in Houston says the recent shooting deaths of nine black people at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church have tapped out his usual reserves of forgiveness and unconditional love. "The time has now come to confront racism and bring an end to divisive practices that create fertile environments of hostility," he writes for the Houston Chronicle.
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Broadway actors on faith
and Supreme Court ruling

NEW YORK — Playbill Magazine interviewed several “actors of faith,” including Victoria Clark, a Tony Award winner and member of the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, United Methodist, about the Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states.
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UMW seminar to include rally
on mass incarceration

CHICAGO (UMNS) — Two public events — a discussion and a rally on mass incarceration — will be part of the United Methodist Women's National Seminar at the University of Illinois in Chicago, July 29- Aug. 2. "Interrupting Indifference: Jesus, Justice and Joy" is the theme of the quadrennial social justice training event for United Methodist Women members.
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Korean Methodists discuss strategy with mission agency

NEW YORK (UMNS) — Top leaders from the Korean Methodist Church, including Bishop Yong Jai Jun, president of the Korean Bishop’s Council, met recently with representatives of the United Methodist Council of Bishops and Board of Global Ministries to discuss theological matters and joint mission strategies. Judith Santiago reports for the Board of Global Ministries.
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NIH grant to expand Meharry-Vanderbilt AIDS research

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — A five-year National Institutes of Health grant to Meharry Medical College, Vanderbilt University and the Tennessee Health Department will be used to establish the Tennessee Center for AIDS Research, an expansion of the Vanderbilt-Meharry Center for AIDS Research. The first-year grant is $937,000. Meharry is one of the 11 historically black colleges and universities supported by The United Methodist Church through the Black College Fund.
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Abingdon Press garners 4 awards

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Abingdon Press was honored by the 2014 Foreword Reviews’ IndieFab Book of the Year Awards with four awards. The award program recognizes distinctive books from the independent publishing community across a number of genres. Abingdon Press is part of the United Methodist Publishing House.
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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 [email protected] and put Digest in the subject line.

Tuesday, July 7
Deadline to register for five online courses offered by United Methodist Communications — United Methodist Communications will offer the following courses June 8-August 19: “Communicating Faith in the 21st Century,” "United Methodism 101," “Welcoming Ministry 100," "Moodle 200" and "Connectional Giving.” Costs vary. Connectional Giving is free. Details.

Monday, July 6-Sunday, July 19
Rediscovering Our Spiritual Gifts: Online course from BeADisciple for United Methodist Lay Servants — Participants in the Body of Christ depend on the spiritual gifts God has given them. Those gifts differ but they provide the foundation for our ministry. Learn more about your spiritual gifts — and how to help your congregation learn more about their spiritual gifts — in this two-week online course. The course has been approved by United Methodist Discipleship Ministries as an advanced course in Lay Servant Ministries and is the spiritual gifts component for Lay Speaker certification. One CEU also available. $65 Details.

You can see more educational opportunities and other upcoming events in the life of the church here.