Daily Digest - September 07, 2012

"When I walked, it was like a connection that I made&ellipsis;to this world, to God and the universe, that all our lives affected one another." - Mary Long, on how the labyrinth walk changed her life.

UMTV: Mom's Grief Inspires Peace Walk

CHICAGO (UMNS)-Recent gun violence in this city has left more than 300 people dead, and Mary Long's son, Eric Williams, was among the victims. But Long is turning her anger into action by inviting others to pray for troubled youth and to walk a prayer labyrinth. Long has dealt with drug addiction and prison, and now her son's loss, but she is committed to changing things for the better. Williams finds support from her home church, Ingleside-Whitfield United Methodist. She says she knows her son would want her to help end the killing. "It's like his spirit is pushing me. I hear his voice saying, 'Ma, you know what you gotta do.'"
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UMTV: Mom's grief inspires peace walk

'Best of mission' training

POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. (UMNS) - The mission conference "Beyond These Walls," which aims to help revitalize congregations through "best of the best" missions training, is scheduled Oct. 11-13 at McEachern United Methodist Church in Powder Springs. The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, the Mission Society, World Methodist Evangelism and the International Leadership Institute are among the sponsors.
To register and learn more

Louisiana disaster responders go to churches

BATON ROUGE, La. (UMNS) - Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey of the Louisiana Area; Tom Hazelwood, head of the United Methodist Committee on Relief's U.S. disaster relief efforts, and disaster relief coordinators from the area toured for two days some of the areas hardest-hit by Isaac. Here is what they found:
Day 1
Day 2

Family removes tombstone after church suit

GLOUCESTER, Va. (UMNS) - Salem United Methodist Church sued the family of the late Wilmer Frank Soles over his headstone that featured a photo of him playing cards and drinking alcohol with a friend. The church, which owns the cemetery where Soles is buried, said the image offended its members and other families with loved ones interred in the cemetery. The family has decided to remove the headstone.
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Congo delegation presents petition to U.N.

NEW YORK (UMNS) - United Methodist Bishop Ntambo Nkulu Ntanda Ntambo, a member of the Democratic Republic of Congo Senate, was part of a delegation presenting a petition for peace, dialogue and reconciliation to the United Nations Security Council last week.
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Dialogue crucial to conflict in Syria, WCC says

KOLYMPARI, Greece (UMNS) - Calling for an immediate end to all forms of violence in Syria, the World Council of Churches Central Committee has issued a public statement saying the only solution to the conflict is for "all parties to engage in dialogue" to safeguard the country's unity.
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