Daily Digest - April 23, 2024

“Maybe our primary work in this space is about our motives. And maybe our preparation should be more about asking, ‘How is it with your soul?’ than asking, ‘How is it with your legislative committee?’” — Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton, preaching during opening worship at General Conference.

Bishop urges ‘spirit of hope’ as General Conference begins
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UM News) — In the opening worship service for the postponed 2020 United Methodist General Conference, Council of Bishops President Thomas J. Bickerton encouraged delegates to embrace a “spirit of hope” and commit to the revitalization of The United Methodist Church. Bickerton, who leads the New York Episcopal Area, declared this General Conference a seminal moment. “It is time to move forward as a denomination with new purpose and energy,” he said. Kathy L. Gilbert has the story.
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NEWS AND FEATURES

Standing Committee approves key petitions
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UM News) — Meeting just ahead of General Conference, the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters advanced petitions dealing with regionalization, the number of bishops in Africa, the number and naming of African central conferences and autonomy for four Eurasian annual conferences. Sam Hodges reports
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Church court’s elections up to General Conference 
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UM News) — The United Methodist Church’s top court responded to questions about what General Conference’s delay by four years means for the membership of both agency boards and the church court itself. The Judicial Council also released rulings on the three items on its spring docket. Heather Hahn reports.
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AIDS Conferenceaims to break down barriers
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UM News) — United Methodists and friends gathered in the ornate sanctuary of First United Methodist Church here on April 22 to get updates on an ongoing and important church issue: AIDS ministry. The daylong Breaking Barriers AIDS Conference featured worship, speakers, panels and workshops focused on helping people of faith break the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS. Neill Caldwell has the story.
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April 23 GC wrap-up: What happened on Day 1
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UM News) — United Methodist bishops marched to the altar to the strains of Charles Wesley’s “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing” as the long-delayed United Methodist General Conference began April 23. Joey Butler reports on the first day’s happenings, including an update from the Commission on General Conference on delegate numbers.
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Arkansas Conference
Conference wins litigation over church property
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Conference and First United Methodist Church of Jonesboro have prevailed in a lawsuit filed by a group known as First Methodist Church of Jonesboro. A judge granted permanent possession of the church campus to the conference, meaning that people committed to The United Methodist Church are entitled to use the First United Methodist building and other assets. 
Read conference statement 

Follow General Conference in photos
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UM News) — UM News has a team of photographers covering all of the happenings at General Conference, from morning worship to committee meetings, plenary action, special celebrations and more. Thousands of high-resolution photos capturing the events will be posted on Flickr with a separate album for each day of the conference. 
See photos 

Greater New Jersey Conference
Man charged with arson of church, food pantry
WEST DEPTFORD, N.J. — Colonial Manor United Methodist Church suffered significant losses from a fire early April 20. A man was subsequently charged with arson for the blaze. While the sanctuary was not damaged, the fire prevented use of the building for worship on Sunday and will prevent the church hosting its weekly food-distribution ministry for an indefinite period. John W. Coleman reports. 
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KQED-PBS
Cecil Williams, legendary pastor, dies
SAN FRANCISCO — The Rev. Cecil Williams, a respected social justice activist and longtime pastor of San Francisco’s Glide Memorial Church, died April 22 at the age of 94. Williams is best known for his stewardship of the former United Methodist church in the Tenderloin neighborhood that he became pastor of in 1963. He helped develop it into a world-renowned congregation and nonprofit service provider. KQED’s Alex Gonzalez, Matthew Green and Bay City News report.
Read obituary 

United Women in Faith
Earth Day vigil calls denomination to creation care
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than 200 people, including delegates and observers in town for General Conference, gathered April 22 at First United Methodist Church for a candlelight Vigil for Creation to mark Earth Day and to call the denomination to greater stewardship of creation. The event, sponsored by several United Methodist general agencies and climate justice ministries, also included a vegetarian and vegan meal, worship and Native American sacred storytelling. Audrey Stanton-Smith has the story.
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See photo essay 


COMMENTARIES

UM News includes in the Digest commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not UM News staff. 

Louisiana Conference
Embracing a Sankofa moment
BATON ROUGE, La. — General Conference offers the chance to “fetch what is at risk of being left behind.” The Rev. Van Stinson, assistant to the bishop and director of connectional ministries in the Louisiana Conference, learned the term “Sankofa,” which comes from the Akan tribe in Ghana, from his bishop, Delores J. Williamston. He applies it to the discussion at General Conference around the role of LGBTQ people in The United Methodist Church. 
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EVENTS

Monday, May 6-Friday, May 24
Online course: Living Our United Methodist Beliefs


Monday, May 6-Friday, May 31
Racial Reconciliation in the Church: Understanding, Healing, and Action