“It’s hard to have higher stakes than this.” — Admiral Brett Giroir, a United Methodist leading the federal effort on testing for the coronavirus.
NEWS AND FEATURES
COVID-19 testing czar gets home church support
WASHINGTON (UM News) — Since mid-March, Admiral Brett Giroir has led the federal effort to coordinate and expand testing for the coronavirus. The 59-year-old pediatrician and public health specialist has spoken at White House briefings, given national TV interviews and attended many high-level meetings. Busy as he is, he finds time to read encouraging texts and emails from members of his home church, Dallas’ Lovers Lane United Methodist. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
East Ohio Conference
Caring for truck drivers
CONNEAUT, Ohio — A church in eastern Ohio is easing the load on truck drivers who come through the area delivering food during the coronavirus pandemic. Members of Amboy United Methodist Church have set up shop at a rest stop to hand out goody bags with snacks and bottled water for truckers. A prayer is stapled to the outside of each bag. Brett Hetherington has the story.
Read story
Various advocacy groups
Groups press forward amid General Conference delay
MINNEAPOLIS — With General Conference on hold for at least a year, various United Methodist advocacy groups are pressing ahead with the church future they envision. Mainstream UMC is asking bishops for a moratorium on church trials and a more gracious exit for churches that want to leave. The Wesleyan Covenant Association continues with plans to launch a new traditionalist Methodist Church. UM-Forward released a video of its vision of a Liberation Methodist Church. Reconciling Ministries Network held a virtual worship service.
Watch Mainstream UMC town hall
Read Wesleyan Covenant Association’s essay
Watch UM-Forward video
Watch Reconciling Ministries Network service
PRESS RELEASES
Greater New Jersey Conference
Conference plans push for food security
NEPTUNE, N.J. — Bishop John Schol addressed more than a thousand United Methodist leaders of Greater New Jersey via Zoom and YouTube to discuss a plan to address the realities of COVID-19. “The plan’s first step is to turn the church outward during the pandemic by modifying current spending and raising new funds to allocate $500,000 for food security,” Schol said. Two Greater New Jersey clergy and more than 100 laity have died because of COVID-19 and more than 600 clergy and laity have been infected with the virus.
Read press release
United Church of Christ
Bishop joins in National Day of Prayer
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today is the U.S. National Day of Prayer. In this time of COVID-19, the United Church of Christ has assembled 46 original prayers for healing written by people of many faiths. Among the contributors is Bishop Minerva Carcaño of the California-Nevada Conference.
Read prayer
Read press release
LaGrange College
College names new president
LAGRANGE, Ga. — Susanna Baxter, current president of the Georgia Independent College Association, was named the 26th president of United Methodist-related LaGrange College after a unanimous vote by the institution’s board of trustees. She is the second woman to serve as the college’s president.
Read press release
RECENT HEADLINES
Bishops look at financial sustainability
2017: Little church looms large in church history
EVENTS
Friday, May 8
Systemic Racism, COVID-19 and Inequities of the Consequences to Black Communities
NEWS AND FEATURES
COVID-19 testing czar gets home church support
WASHINGTON (UM News) — Since mid-March, Admiral Brett Giroir has led the federal effort to coordinate and expand testing for the coronavirus. The 59-year-old pediatrician and public health specialist has spoken at White House briefings, given national TV interviews and attended many high-level meetings. Busy as he is, he finds time to read encouraging texts and emails from members of his home church, Dallas’ Lovers Lane United Methodist. Sam Hodges reports.
Read story
East Ohio Conference
Caring for truck drivers
CONNEAUT, Ohio — A church in eastern Ohio is easing the load on truck drivers who come through the area delivering food during the coronavirus pandemic. Members of Amboy United Methodist Church have set up shop at a rest stop to hand out goody bags with snacks and bottled water for truckers. A prayer is stapled to the outside of each bag. Brett Hetherington has the story.
Read story
Various advocacy groups
Groups press forward amid General Conference delay
MINNEAPOLIS — With General Conference on hold for at least a year, various United Methodist advocacy groups are pressing ahead with the church future they envision. Mainstream UMC is asking bishops for a moratorium on church trials and a more gracious exit for churches that want to leave. The Wesleyan Covenant Association continues with plans to launch a new traditionalist Methodist Church. UM-Forward released a video of its vision of a Liberation Methodist Church. Reconciling Ministries Network held a virtual worship service.
Watch Mainstream UMC town hall
Read Wesleyan Covenant Association’s essay
Watch UM-Forward video
Watch Reconciling Ministries Network service
PRESS RELEASES
Greater New Jersey Conference
Conference plans push for food security
NEPTUNE, N.J. — Bishop John Schol addressed more than a thousand United Methodist leaders of Greater New Jersey via Zoom and YouTube to discuss a plan to address the realities of COVID-19. “The plan’s first step is to turn the church outward during the pandemic by modifying current spending and raising new funds to allocate $500,000 for food security,” Schol said. Two Greater New Jersey clergy and more than 100 laity have died because of COVID-19 and more than 600 clergy and laity have been infected with the virus.
Read press release
United Church of Christ
Bishop joins in National Day of Prayer
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today is the U.S. National Day of Prayer. In this time of COVID-19, the United Church of Christ has assembled 46 original prayers for healing written by people of many faiths. Among the contributors is Bishop Minerva Carcaño of the California-Nevada Conference.
Read prayer
Read press release
LaGrange College
College names new president
LAGRANGE, Ga. — Susanna Baxter, current president of the Georgia Independent College Association, was named the 26th president of United Methodist-related LaGrange College after a unanimous vote by the institution’s board of trustees. She is the second woman to serve as the college’s president.
Read press release
RECENT HEADLINES
Bishops look at financial sustainability
2017: Little church looms large in church history
EVENTS
Friday, May 8
Systemic Racism, COVID-19 and Inequities of the Consequences to Black Communities
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