“In doing this job, I am able to put something into the project, as all of us benefiting from it need to do.” — Marie Josette Joseph on helping build a home to replace the house destroyed by the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
UMCOR helps Haitian earthquake survivors build homes
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (UMNS) — Haitian families uprooted by the 2010 earthquake are finally getting new homes thanks to their own labors and assistance from the United Methodist Committee on Relief and its partners in Haiti. David Tereshchuk reports for UMCOR.
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How church mergers can work
ST. LOUIS (UMNS) — What happens when a healthy church takes on a fading church as a second campus? United Methodists from each U.S. jurisdiction recently gathered for the New Wineskins Conference to learn about making such mergers work. Fred Koenig of the Missouri Conference has the story.
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Video: Creative way to help homeless
SHORELINE, Wash. (UMNS) — Ronald United Methodist Church in Shoreline is joining with local nonprofit groups to create Ronald Commons — a future home for homeless and low-income families and military veterans on church grounds. The Pacific Northwest Conference produced the video.
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Reaching out with little prayer box
VIBORG, S.D. (UMNS) — After Anita Stephenson reached out with prayer and Scripture to a friend contemplating suicide, she wondered how many other people in her small community were struggling and needed prayer. So she and her husband built a prayer box, stocked it with prayer cards and pencils, then shared their idea with all the churches in the South Dakota community. The box is in front of the Viborg Methodist Church.
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Steeple falls, kindness rises
CLARKSBORO, N.J. (UMNS) — The storm came first and the generosity followed. That generosity made the biggest impression on the Rev. Mark O’Shields in his first months as pastor at Evangelical United Methodist Church. Jeff Wolfe of the Greater New Jersey Conference reports.
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Reinhardt University runs up the character score
WALESKA, Ga. (UMNS) — A fundraiser to support Imagine No Malaria helped United Methodist-related Reinhardt University near Atlanta earn designation as a 2014-2015 Champions of Character Five-Star Bronze Institution by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Kristal Dixon of Canton-Sixes Patch reports.
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Commentary: Rethinking Halloween
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — Depending on whom you ask, Halloween is either harmless, secular fun or a dangerous, possibly satanic revel. Both interpretations ignore the holiday’s Christian roots. Shane Raynor of United Methodist Ministry Matters makes an argument for reclaiming the Christian observances of Allhallowtide on Oct. 31-Nov. 2.
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Looking ahead
Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have an item to share, email [email protected] and put Digest in the subject line.
The month of November
Native American Heritage Month — United Methodist Discipleship Ministries offers worship resources, including a Native American interpretation of Psalm 23. The United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race offers resources to highlight the history, gifts and struggles of the First Americans, including resources for the Act of Repentance.
Sunday, Nov. 1
All Saints Day — This is a day of remembrance for the saints, meaning all Christian people of every time and place. United Methodist Discipleship Ministries offers prayers and litanies for the day. Worship resources.
You can see more educational opportunities and other upcoming events in the life of the church here.
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