"It was a moment in history when God saw fit to call America back from the depths of moral depravity and onto his path of righteousness." - The Rev. James M. Lawson Jr., a retired United Methodist pastor and civil rights pioneer.
Two testimonies from the 1963 march
WASHINGTON (UMNS) - Civil rights icon the Rev. James M. Lawson Jr. and the Rev. George McClain, both retired United Methodist clergy who still are active in human rights advocacy, each attended the 1963 March on Washington. Garlinda Burton shares their experiences then and now on the site of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race.
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'Today, our demands are the same'
WASHINGTON (UMNS) - Jim Winkler, the top executive of the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, reminded Saturday's marchers that there is much work left to be done. "Today, our demands are the same: jobs and freedom. Those pillars of the 1963 march are reiterated by us at a time when climate change threatens God's very Creation, when governments lie and spy with impunity, when many in Congress want to deny food stamps to those who are hungry, when war rages across the earth, and untold millions go to bed hungry each night," he said.
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Lawson persuaded students to risk lives for civil rights
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - For the Rev. James Lawson, whose training in nonviolent resistance made Nashville's lunch counters the first in the nation to desegregate, the battle for freedom and equality isn't even close to ended. The Tennessean profiles the 84-year-old United Methodist pastor who still feels Jesus' call to take action.
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The time is still now: 50th anniversary of the march
WASHINGTON (UMNS) - "Martin Luther King at the March on Washington, and the Civil Rights Movement in so many ways, helped the USA acknowledge the gap between our national creeds and our national deeds," observes the Rev. Gilbert H. Caldwell as he reflects on why there never again will be anything like the 1963 march.
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Trail chaplain struggles with pain but still persists
MICHAUX FOREST, Pa. (UMNS) - Josh Lindamood is struggling with blisters and rash on his back, causing him pain beneath his backpack "every step of the way" on the Appalachian Trail. Still, Annette Spence reports in "The Call," Lindawood perseveres in his role as a chaplain representing the Holston Annual (regional) Conference.
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GCFA board begins budgeting process for 2017-20
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - During the quarterly meeting of the General Council on Finance and Administration board, members and staff met with agency executives, treasurers and members of the Connectional Table to discuss the budgeting process for the 2017-2020 quadrennium. The budget for the next quadrennium must be completed by August 2015 in time to be printed and ready for distribution to General Conference delegates.
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Exploring the role of district superintendents
LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. (UMNS) - The job of a district superintendent in The United Methodist Church has changed dramatically - changes dictated by social, cultural and economic shifts. Nevertheless, most DSes say it's a worthwhile appointment. That's one of the findings in a study of district superintendents released by the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, reports Vicki Brown.
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Institute honors Bishop Sano
PASADENA, Calif. (UMNS) - The Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity plans to honor retired United Methodist Bishop Roy Sano for his pioneering leadership. Sano in 1984 became the first Japanese-American elected a United Methodist bishop.
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