“Some people say he wasn’t such a great scholar of Hebrew or Greek. But what Luther was brilliant at was developing a sort of idiom for the Bible, and it stuck.” — Jonathan Strom, church history professor at Candler School of Theology.
6 ways the Reformation still affects us
WITTENBERG, Germany (UMNS) — The Reformation led to changes that, 500 years later, still shape Christianity today. Heather Hahn reports on six developments that resulted from Martin Luther’s actions that fateful All Hallows’ Eve.
Read story
Interpreter Magazine on the Reformation and the Wesleys
Bishop visits wildfire-affected areas
NAPA, Calif. — Bishop Minerva Carcaño chronicles her visits across the communities affected by the northern California wildfires. “United Methodists from our beloved California-Nevada Conference continue to amaze me with their faithfulness,” she writes.
Read bishop's journal
Pope, Methodists celebrate 50 years of dialogue
ROME — To mark 50 years of Methodist-Catholic dialogue, Pope Francis met Oct. 19 with leaders of the World Methodist Council and with the Methodist Roman Catholic International Commission.
Read World Methodist Council report
Read and listen to Vatican Radio report
Christmas Cards for Inmates Project grows
VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — The best gifts keep on giving, and that’s what is happening with the Christmas Cards for Inmates Project, a growing initiative of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Prison Ministry and Restorative Justice Team. John Coleman has the story for the conference.
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Ohio church hosts town hall on opiate addiction
LORAIN, Ohio — Lorain Faith United Methodist Church hosted a town hall meeting to address the opiate and heroin epidemic that has gripped Lorain County. “As a church in Lorain, we care very deeply about this city and we feel we can no longer be silent while families are being torn apart by heroin,” said the Rev. Karen Hollingsworth. Rick Wolcott reports for the East Ohio Conference.
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Residents move into Cass tiny houses
DETROIT — The first residents are moving into Cass Tiny Homes, a development that aims to be a new model for low-income housing in Detroit. Cass Community Social Services, a United Methodist ministry, developed the rent-to-own houses. Maureen Feighan reports for The Detroit News.
Read story
Looking ahead
Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have a United Methodist event to share, you can add it to the calendar with this submission form.
Monday, Oct. 30-Friday, Nov. 17
Online Lay Servant Workshop: Life Together in the United Methodist Connection — This course will help newcomers to The United Methodist Church get their bearings and longtime members consider specific structural challenges the church faces. Participants must obtain the book "The Method of Our Mission: United Methodist Polity & Organization" by Laceye C. Warner. Approved by Discipleship Ministries as an advanced course in Lay Servant Ministries, it is the polity course required for Lay Speaker certification. One CEU for clergy awarded. Price: $70. Details
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