"But you can't truly understand and relate to people who are chronically hungry if you have the mentality that anytime you're starting to feel hungry you can pull out a credit card and swing through a drive-thru." - Matt Brodie, communications director of the South Carolina Annual (regional) Conference.
Walking with the hungry
COLUMBIA, S.C. (UMNS) - Some people give up chocolate or Facebook for Lent. Some vow renewed commitment to meditation, prayer or evangelism. Matt Brodie, communications director of the South Carolina Annual (regional) Conference, has embarked on a more extreme Lenten journey. Jessica Connor, editor of the South Carolina Advocate, explains that Brodie will live only on the meal packets that the food-relief group Stop Hunger Now provides to hungry people worldwide.
Read story
U.N. begins session on violence against women
NEW YORK (UMNS) - An international delegation sponsored by United Methodist Women is joining some 6,000 representatives of civil society to participate in the March 4-15 meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations. As Michelle Bachelet, executive director of UN Women, noted during the opening session, "It is an understatement to say that the priority theme of this (commission's) 57th session, the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls, is timely."
Read full story and post a comment
Churches recovering, investigating after fires
STOKES COUNTY, N. C. (UMNS) - Franklin Burcham is in charge of firefighting in this western North Carolina county. The Winston-Salem Journal reports he has spent the past couple of weeks visiting churches near the Stokes-Rockingham county line, specifically United Methodist churches.
Read story
Church fires: Damage, recovery, prevention
Parishioners look ahead after January church fire
WHITESVILLE, Va. (UMNS) - The pastor of Adams Memorial United Methodist Church says blessings are to be found even amid the devastation after a fire destroyed the historic Whitesville (Parksley) church in January. "The beauty that has come out of the fire is it... has expanded our idea of what is community," the Rev. Carl Perez, told delmarvanow.com.
Read story
World Methodists, Anglicans conclude 5-year dialogue
OCHO RIOS, Jamaica (UMNS) - After five years of work mandated by the World Methodist Council and Anglican Communion, the final meeting of the Anglican-Methodist International Commission for Unity in Mission concluded March 1. A report on key points of agreement concerning the interchangeability of ordained ministries and the awareness of each communion's need of the other has been prepared for both bodies.
Read story
Religion and race agency works on new ministry model
BALTIMORE (UMNS) - The board of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race gathered to lead the agency in carrying out a new ministry model for the next four years. The ministry model, officially adopted by the board last fall, encompasses three strategic areas of focus: vital congregations, institutional equity and intercultural competency.
Read news release
Serbia/Macedonia kicks off annual conference season
SKOPJE, Macedonia (UMNS) - Serbia/Macedonia Provisional Conference met Feb. 7-10 for one of the earliest annual conference sessions of 2013. At that gathering, voters also took up four proposed amendments to The United Methodist Church's constitution. More annual conference reports will be posted by United Methodist News Serviceas they come in.
Read report
See proposed constitutional amendments
Why the obsession with candles?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - Why does it seem there are candles everywhere in the church. The United Methodist Board of Discipleship's Chuck Knows Church series shows why.
Watch video
The future in present tense
ON A MOUNTAINSIDE, Haiti (UMNS) - "The digital future is becoming the digital present," writes the Rev. Larry Hollon, top executive of United Methodist Communications. Hollon was observing children work with solar-powered tablets and laptops that pick up wifi signals beamed across the mountains. The effort is a partnership with the communications agency to provide community-based information technology centers.
Read commentary
Correction: Asbury not a United Methodist school
An item in the March 4 Daily Digest mistakenly referred to Asbury Theological Seminary as a United Methodist institution. Asbury Seminary is approved by the University Senate for the education of students for ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church. United Methodist News Service apologizes for the error.
Like what you're reading? Support the ministry of UM News! Your support ensures the latest denominational news, dynamic stories and informative articles will continue to connect our global community. Make a tax-deductible donation at ResourceUMC.org/GiveUMCom.