Daily Digest - June 12, 2023

“Unless it happens to you, you don’t understand. You don’t have the same feeling.” — Ed Cunningham, discussing the pain of his church disaffiliating. 


Trying to heal after church disaffiliation votes
EUSTACE, Texas (UM News) — The United Methodist Church’s splintering has left many feeling wounded. But churchgoers, pastors and seminary professors are finding different ways to mend. As the founders of one recently chartered United Methodist congregation in East Texas discovered, sometimes the best way to renew is to build something new. Heather Hahn reports. 
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NEWS AND FEATURES

Holston Conference
Worship visuals bless many annual conferences
LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — The Rev. Sarah Slack has created altar settings at the Holston Annual Conference for almost 20 years. On June 5, she preached in front of the intertwined circles she envisioned for the “Worship Together” theme on the Stuart Auditorium stage. Annette Spence has the story.
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Lewis Center for Church Leadership
Podcast discusses pastoral transitions
WASHINGTON — How can a seamless pastoral transition lead to a more effective leadership transition? Jessica L. Anschutz speaks with Lee Kricher, the author of “Seamless Pastoral Transition: 3 imperatives and 6 Pitfalls.”
Listen to podcast

Courier Express
Church’s original bell rededicated
PENFIELD, Pa. — Church and community members recently gathered to celebrate the return of a special piece of history at Penfield United Methodist Church. The church’s bell, which was “once lost and now is found,” was rededicated after a years-long journey back to its original home. Brianne Fleming reports. 
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PRESS RELEASES

Baltimore-Washington Conference
Conference invites advocacy for assault weapons ban
WASHINGTON — Family members of students who were killed in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, are wrapping up a seven-day youth survivor sit-in at the U.S. Capitol on June 12. In support, the Baltimore-Washington Conference Legislative Action Network encourages others to sign an action alert to advocate for the U.S. Congress to pass the Assault Weapons Ban of 2023.
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RESOURCES

Church and Society
Learn to advocate through public witness
WASHINGTON — The latest installment of the Wednesday Witness skill-building series will focus on advocacy through public witness. The session will be held via Zoom at 3 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on June 14. Each session in the series provides a one-hour deep dive into one specific advocacy tactic to create change and will include instruction followed by practice and sharing with other United Methodists ready to create social change. 
Register for event

Eastern Pennsylvania Conference
Churches may be eligible for COVID-era credits
NORRISTOWN, Pa. — The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference is alerting churches that may qualify for Employee Retention Credits because they retained lay employees and continued to pay FICA/Social Security taxes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those that paid health care premiums for clergy during the pandemic may also qualify for credits. The conference will present information via a Zoom meeting at 7 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on June 15.
Learn more


RECENT HEADLINES

United Methodism lives on in Amarillo

UM Men is on the move


EVENTS

Monday, June 19-Friday, June 30
Online course: Severe Mental Illness and the Church

Thursday, July 20-Thursday, Aug. 17
Launchpad 2023: Regrouping in the Wake of Disaffiliation