| “It’s deepened my prayer life significantly. You know, in most crisis situations, you can determine that there is an end point. And I’m not sure where that is with this.” – San Antonio Area Bishop James E. Dorff, speaking on the dramatic spike of Central Americans, including unaccompanied minors, trying to enter the United States. |  |
Church seeks to meet needs in border crisis
DALLAS (UMNS) — United Methodists have mobilized to provide humanitarian relief and other assistance as the United States deals with a flood of Central American immigrants, including unaccompanied minors. But the magnitude of the need is sobering, and the crisis is likely to be long term, church leaders say.
Women’s colleges cultivate leadership
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Ruth A. Knox, a 1975 graduate and now president of Wesleyan College, knows firsthand that women’s colleges give their students “countless opportunities to develop as leaders and thinkers, to explore and accept challenges, to experience success and failure, and – even when not hitting the mark – to keep trying.” Wesleyan, in Macon, Georgia; Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina and Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, are all United Methodist-related women's schools.
Social action agency urges sentencing review
WASHINGTON (UMNS) — The United Methodist Board of Church and Society is among 17 faith groups that signed a letter to the U.S. Sentencing Commission urging retroactivity of its sentencing guidelines amendment for drug offenses.
Memorial service in Liberia held for Ebola victims
CONGO TOWN, Liberia (UMNS) — The National Health Workers Association of Liberia held a memorial service July 12 for colleagues who died caring for those infected by Ebola. The memorial service was a public admission of the unfolding impact of the disease in Liberia, writes Julu Swen of the Liberia Annual (regional) Conference.
Firdaus Kharas: Activism through animation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Firdaus Kharas has created a series of animated shorts that confront issues such as AIDS and domestic violence in the hopes of creating what he calls “a cultural shift.” Kharas is a panelist at the upcoming Game Changers Summit, hosted by United Methodist Communications Sept. 3-5 in Nashville. The conference will demonstrate how information and communications technology can be used to improve all facets of life.
Ministry idea: Post-it identity
SONOMA, Calif. (UMNS) — Is your church welcoming a new pastor? David W. Chambers, a member of Sonoma United Methodist Church in California, shares the following idea for helping to familiarize that pastor with a congregation’s ministries, and what parishioners might be interested in doing differently.
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