TOP STORY
Florida churches begin Helene recovery efforts
CEDAR KEY, Fla. (UM News) — United Methodists across the southeastern U.S. are responding in communities that were devastated by Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm that left more than 200 people dead. UM News photographer Mike DuBose traveled with church leaders and relief workers in Florida, where the storm first made landfall, to document as they began assessing damage and planning relief efforts.
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Florida Conference: In Bronson, neighbors helped neighbors
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Holston Conference
'Look what God can do'
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — An East Tennessee pastor says God guided her congregation to respond to the needs of families displaced by Hurricane Helene. The Rev. Sarah Varnell, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church, says the church’s response started small and has grown into a community-wide effort. “Look what God can do,” she said. Lilla Marigza with UM News and Annette Spence with the Holston Conference have a video.
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Western North Carolina Conference
Church houses families of first responders
BOONE, N.C. — Boone United Methodist Church’s preschool is offering free emergency child care to any household affected by Helene. That includes first responders, health care workers and volunteers taking part in relief efforts. Meanwhile, members of Cullowhee United Methodist Church helped people in their community check in with loved ones after the storm. Ken Garfield and the Rev. Kelli Hitchman-Craig have the stories.
Church preschool mobilizes
Two phones provide lifelines
TODAY'S HEADLINES
Time Magazine
United Methodist makes Time list
DURHAM, N.C. — Caleb Parker, a General Conference lay delegate and member of Duke Memorial United Methodist Church in Durham, was included on the Time100 Next list for 2024. The list recognizes influential leaders who aren’t waiting to have an impact. Parker led the formation of General Conference’s first Queer Delegate Caucus, whose leadership contributed to overturning decades-old denominational bans on gay clergy and same-sex weddings. Helen Ryde has the tribute.
Read Time100 Next tribute
UM News: Queer delegate caucus debuts in Charlotte
West Virginia Conference
Faith brings UM Men, Scouts together
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Two weeks before the West Virginia Conference United Methodist Men’s annual Circuit Rider event, Wayne Custer received some discouraging news: Only four men, four Scout leaders and 20 Scouts had registered. In 2023, 600 Scouts and 140 men had participated. Despite calls to cancel, Custer said he instead prayed and “constantly asked God for guidance.” Custer’s prayers were answered, as 70 adult Scout leaders and 140 Scouts registered in the following weeks. Audrey Stanton-Smith reports.
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PRESS RELEASES
Religion and Race
Arroyo reelected at board meeting
BALTIMORE — The Rev. Giovanni Arroyo was reelected as the top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race, and Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi was elected board president at the commission’s annual meeting, held Sept. 26-28. The meeting included a brainstorming session where the board exchanged ideas, set goals and shared their vision for the work ahead in this quadrennium.
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United Methodist Communications
A fundraising call to empower African communicators
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — United Methodist Communications has long been committed to empowering church communicators and strengthening communications across the church, especially on the African continent. Ahead of a training event in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where almost 50 communicators from annual conference across Africa will meet to enhance their technical and digital skills, UMCom seeks to raise $50,000 by Oct. 14 to help cover their travel and accommodation expenses. The goal of the training is to equip the communicators to share the church’s message of hope and transformation — including information on regionalization.
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To donate
Society of St. Andrew
Gleaning ministry reschedules celebration
BIG ISLAND, Va. — The Society of St. Andrew is celebrating its billionth pound of food with a virtual party, now scheduled at 7 p.m. U.S. Eastern time Oct. 7. The celebration was postponed from Sept. 26 because of Hurricane Helene.
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RESOURCES
Discipleship Ministries
Laity Sunday is approaching
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The third Sunday in October is set aside each year as Laity Sunday. It celebrates the ministry of all Christians as they love God and neighbor. United Methodist Discipleship Ministries offers a resource to help churches take part in a meaningful Laity Day.
Learn more
Download resource
EVENTS
Here are some of the activities ahead for United Methodists across the connection. If you have an item to share, you can add it to the calendar by clicking here.
Monday, Oct. 7-Wednesday, Oct. 9
Online course: Women’s Ministries 3-Day Sampler
Friday, Oct. 18-Sunday, Oct. 20
Choir Music Weekend
TOP STORIES FROM THE WEEK
Missionary walks where Jesus walked, even in time of war
JERUSALEM (UM News) — Decades after serving as a mission intern in Jerusalem, the Rev. Jane Eesley returned to the Holy Land in 2023 as a United Methodist missionary. Within weeks of her arrival, the war between Israel and Hamas began. Eesley now helps amplify the voices of Palestinian Christians and also works to identify where grants from the United Methodist Committee on Relief could make a difference in the lives of people affected by the war. Paul Jeffrey reports.
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UM News: Christian farmers in Holy Land refuse to hate
UM News: Pilgrimage for peace in the Holy Land
United Methodists offer relief after Helene
BOONE, N.C. (UM News) — United Methodists in the southeastern U.S. are doing their best to raise morale and get organized after many communities there have been hard hit by flooding from Hurricane Helene. “It’s pretty devastating,” said Brian Mateer, disaster response coordinator for the Western North Carolina Conference. “What’s complicating matters is there’s no access in and out of some of these places, no roads.” Jim Patterson reports.
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Western North Carolina Conference
Conference helps neighbors recover from storm
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — In a video message, Bishop Ken Carter of the Western North Carolina Conference talks about the response to Hurricane Helene. He said the conference is assembling cleaning buckets in collaboration with the United Methodist Committee on Relief and will be providing volunteer teams when the time is right. The conference also is planning a special offering on Oct. 6 to support churches and communities across the region. “We love our neighbor, and in a crisis, we reach out to them as a strong connection,” he said.
Watch video
See conference update
Holston, Florida and South Georgia conferences
Long recovery begins in Southeast
ALCOA, Tenn. — In the mountainous Holston Conference, rescuers and survivors are beginning the long recovery following Helene’s catastrophic floods. The conference’s flood relief fund already has received more than $36,000 through an online giving link. Florida Conference Bishop Tom Berlin has a video of his visit to Cedar Key United Methodist Church, which is now recovering after multiple hurricanes. In Georgia, United Methodists have helped to clear roads and are organizing resources for the work ahead.
Read Holston Conference story
Read Holston Conference updates
Read South Georgia Conference story