“It feels like a kindness bubble.” — Macy Lake, a volunteer counselor at Innabah Camp and Retreat Center, about Challenge Camps for developmentally disabled adults.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Summer camp caters to people with disabilities
SPRING CITY, Pa. (UM News) — Innabah Camp and Retreat Center in rural Pennsylvania sets aside eight weeks each summer for Challenge Camps for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The 50-acre camp offers swimming, archery, an obstacle course and more. As important, it provides support and acceptance for people who especially need those. Jim Patterson reports.
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Dakotas Conference
Church reaches out with carnival
BRANDON, S.D. — Celebration United Methodist Church reached out to its community with a carnival over Memorial Day weekend. “Brandon’s Big Celebration” featured rides, food and Christian music. "Some people will never come into a church building no matter what,” said Pastor Addy Kenkel. “The whole idea is to connect with the people, make relationships and plant some seeds for Jesus." Doreen Gosmire has the story.
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Florida United Methodist Foundation
Foundation helps fight homelessness
LAKELAND, Fla. — The nonprofit Hope Partnership seeks to end the poverty and homelessness that have come with continuing rapid population growth in Central Florida. Florida United Methodist Foundation has been a key financial partner for Hope Partnership. Derek Maul reports.
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PRESS RELEASES
United Women in Faith
Installation service for Vonner announced
NEW YORK — The installation service for Sally Vonner as top executive of United Women in Faith is scheduled for 3 p.m. Central time on July 29. The public can attend in person at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church in Dallas and also online. Vonner, who has worked at UWF since 2011, succeeds Harriett Jane Olson, who retired last Spring.
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Register
Claremont School of Theology
Hagiya named president of Claremont
CLAREMONT, Calif. — Retired United Methodist Bishop Grant Hagiya has been named president of Claremont School of Theology. Hagiya had been in the position on an interim basis since January. Claremont, which has announced it will move to the campus of Westwood United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, is one of the 13 United Methodist seminaries.
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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 UM News staff.
Baltimore-Washington Conference
Bishop's thoughts on Methodism and disaffiliation
FULTON, Md. — Reflecting on the number of churches leaving the United Methodist denomination, retired Bishop Forrest C. Stith considers that there may be underlying reasons, different from the oft-cited disagreement over human sexuality. He offers nine possible factors.
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RESOURCES
Church and Society
Monthly study series examines faith and gender justice
WASHINGTON — Our sense of activism is often passed down from loved ones. “Letters to My Daughters” is a virtual monthly study companion produced by the United Methodist Board of Church and Society. It will explore models of advocacy for girls and women, informed by the experiences of mothers, grandmothers, aunts and other mentors. The first session is 7 p.m. U.S. Eastern time Aug. 7, with a registration deadline of Aug. 4.
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Friday, Aug. 11-Sunday, Aug. 13
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Monday, Aug. 14-Monday, Oct. 16
Online Course: Religion and Science — Pathways to Truth