| “The trip was an eye-opener for me. Never had I seen this glaring a level of disparity over water.” – Dinesh Suna, Ecumenical Water Network. |
Schaefer appeal to be heard this week
LINTHICUM HEIGHTS, Md. (UMNS) — The United Methodist Northeastern Jurisdiction committee on appeals will convene on June 20 to hear an appeal from Frank Schaefer, who lost his ministerial credentials as the result of a church trial held Nov. 18-19, 2013. Schaefer was found guilty of violating church law by performing a same-sex wedding ceremony for his son.
Simpsonwood center in Georgia to close
ATHENS, Ga. (UMNS) — North Georgia Conference members have voted to close operations of the Simpsonwood Conference and Retreat Center, a ministry of the conference that was opened in the 1980s, due to ongoing financial losses. Conference offices will remain open on the property.
Water issues in West Bank, Gaza
JERUSALEM (UMNS) — The lack of clean water and adequate sanitation in the West Bank and Gaza is a critical problem for Palestinian residents and farmers, says the Ecumenical Water Network. Representatives of the network of churches and Christian organizations, which promotes people's access to water around the world, recently spent 10 days in the region.
Breeding a better goat in Haiti
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (UMNS) — Two years ago, the United Methodist Committee on Relief and the Methodist Church of Haiti launched a pilot goat-raising program they hoped would strengthen local farmer incomes. In July, a team will return to provide training based on the needs reported in an assessment last month.
UMC Giving launches new website
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — United Methodist Communications has launched a redesigned website, umcgiving.org, that helps local churches see the impact of United Methodist generosity. The new site offers a biblical perspective to help United Methodists across the globe align their giving practices with their personal faith. The site also includes a section dedicated specifically for church leaders and pastors that offers tools and downloadable resources to help inspire giving within local churches.
Small church baptizes nine on one Sunday
COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Before a congregation of 83, nine teens and young adults stepped forward on Palm Sunday to be baptized at Piperton United Methodist Church in the Memphis Annual (regional) Conference. “All were first timers,” said the Rev. Cynthia Davis, McKendree District superintendent, “First time joining church and being baptized! Glory to God!” The Rev. Roger Joseph, the church’s pastor, shares the ministries that are drawing people to the congregation.
Two United Methodist pastors recognized
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (UMNS) — Two United Methodist pastors have each received a $10,000 fellowship from the Beatitudes Society. The Beatitudes Fellowship seeks to equip a select group of young entrepreneurial Christian leaders with resources and relationships. The eight recipients include the Rev. Gerald “Jay” Williams, lead pastor of Union United Methodist Church in Boston, and the Rev. Emily McGinley, pastor of Urban Village Church in Hyde Park, part of a multi-campus congregation in Chicago.
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