Daily Digest — September 23, 2015

"There is no one person I would so willingly have to be the instrument of good to me as you.” – Charles Wesley, writing to his older brother, John.

How the people called Methodist got their name

MADISON, N.J. (UMNS) – A group Charles Wesley gathered to help him improve his studies at Oxford University became so much more, especially once Charles’ brother John got involved. Andrew J. Schleicher details the history for umc.org.
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Small church opens doors to NAACP march

BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. (UMNS) – A tiny United Methodist congregation on the North Carolina-South Carolina border honored “open hearts, open minds and open doors” in a big way recently, hosting a stop on a multi-state protest march organized by the NAACP. Jessica Brodie of the South Carolina Advocate reports on the welcoming church on a historic road.
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Read about NAACP’s America’s Journey for Justice march

WCC, UNICEF to collaborate on children’s rights

GENEVA (WCC) – In a new partnership, UNICEF will be working with members of the World Council of Churches – more than half a billion Christians in 345 member churches in 140 countries – to recognize, monitor and promote children’s rights within their communities and congregations.
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Supporting refugee education in Lebanon

NEW YORK (UMNS) – The United Methodist Committee on Relief, in partnership with American Near East Refugee Aid, has distributed 5,712 school kits to Palestinian refugee students from Syria and their peers in Lebanon to support the children’s pursuit of education.
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Using parking lots as safe space

SEATTLE – For the past four years, the members of Lake Washington United Methodist Church in Kirkland have opened their church parking lot overnight to people who had nowhere else to go. Homeless advocates in the Seattle area would like to see the program expand to other parking lots, reports Lynn Thompson for the Seattle Times.
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Trending local: The rise of United Methodist local pastors

SENECA ROCKS, W. Va. (UMNS) – Local pastors – non-ordained, and in most cases without a seminary degree – are growing in number and taking on more roles in The United Methodist Church. Writer Sam Hodges and photographer Mike DuBose provide coverage of the overall trend in a series that begins Sept. 28.

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.

Wednesday, Sept. 30
Deadline to register for Exploration – This gathering for young adults, age 18-26, exploring a call to ordained ministry will be Friday-Sunday, Nov. 6-8 in Orlando, Florida. The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry is the sponsor. $225 by Sept. 30. Details

Deadline to register for Do No Harm 2015 Conference: Best Practices for Health, Accountability and Wholeness – “Do No Harm 2015” on Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 15-17 at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Chicago O'Hare, is a sexual ethics summit addressing the most recent developments in preventing and responding to abuse, misconduct and harassment of a sexual nature. The gathering is particularly for people in ministerial roles (both lay and clergy) within The United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women is the sponsor. $525 by Sept. 30. Day rates of $250 based on availability Sept. 1-30. Details

You can see more educational opportunities and other upcoming events in the life of the church here.