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Daily Digest - November 2, 2021

“As the writer of Ecclesiastes notes, ‘For everything there is a season,’ and the season for waiting on General Conference legislative solutions as the only way forward has passed.” — From “A Call to Grace,” an open letter released at the start of the Council of Bishops meeting. 


NEWS AND FEATURES

Group seeks bishops’ grace in church exits

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — A group of United Methodists is urging bishops and conference leaders to allow churches to leave the denomination with property now rather than wait for General Conference. The group released its open letter, titled "A Call to Grace," as the Council of Bishops begins its fall meeting. The online gathering goes through Nov. 5. Heather Hahn reports.
Read story
Read press release

South Georgia Conference
Clergy promote peace during trial

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — The Rev. Abra Lattany-Reed is among the clergy trying to bring peace, prayer and comfort to those who mourn outside the county courthouse during the trial of three men charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery. Kara Witherow reports on the United Methodists seeking to model justice and peace as the trial moves forward. 
Read story

Wesley Theological Seminary
A seminarian shares about Día de los Muertos

WASHINGTON — Talina Sarmiento Beck is a Wesley Theological Seminary student and an ordination candidate as a deacon in the Virginia Conference. The Mexico City native shares about how her family observes Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in an interview with Wesley’s Sheila George. 
Read Q&A

KGW-TV
Church helps homeless university students

PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon's college students are experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity at all-time highs. First United Methodist Church of Portland has teamed up with Portland State University to find a solution so students have a safe place to stay. Christelle Koumoué reports.
Read story and watch video


PRESS RELEASES

National Fund for Sacred Places
4 United Methodist churches receive grants

PHILADELPHIA — Four historic United Methodist congregations are among the recipients of up to $250,000 in restoration grants from the National Fund for Sacred Places. Among this year’s 15 recipients are Arch Street and Calvary in Philadelphia, Mount Zion in Washington, D.C., and St. Stephen in Mesquite, Texas. The fund receives support from the Lilly Endowment. 
Read press release 


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 the UM News staff.

Lewis Center for Church Leadership
8 keys for improving online worship

MARION, Ind. — Bob Whitesel, author of “Growing the Post-pandemic Church,” offers eight practical suggestions for engaging online worshippers more effectively. One suggestion for church leaders is to ignore, rather than criticize, technical glitches during worship. 
Read commentary


RECENT HEADLINES

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