Church

(From left) Naoutane Ndecky, Senegal District women’s president, Abraham Basse, district lay president, and Eric Ané raise their hands in prayer during the dedication service at Temple Beth Shalom United Methodist Church in Diamniadio, Senegal. The ceremony marked the official inauguration of the new modern building, the result of a collective effort to provide United Methodists in the community with their own place of worship after 18 years of renting. Photo courtesy of the Senegal District.

Celebrating a new church building in Senegal

After 18 years of worshipping in rented spaces and experiencing a collapsed roof, community inaugurates Temple Beth Shalom United Methodist Church.

Social Concerns

The Rev. Mark Lewis, a retired United Methodist pastor who grew up in the U.S. but spent the bulk of his ministry in Denmark, shares with United Methodist leaders the impact of U.S. threats to seize Greenland on transatlantic relations. Lewis, an expert on Wesleyan mission, also is scheduled to be a panelist on the “Serve Joyfully” webinar scheduled for 9 a.m. U.S. Central time Feb. 21. Photo by Heather Hahn, UM News.

US threats to Greenland challenge church

A United Methodist pastor from the U.S. who serves in Denmark shared the ongoing impact of U.S. aggression on international relations. He also shared what it means for the church.

Immigration

In a Nativity scene at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church in Dallas, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus are depicted being held in a detention center, as a protest of how immigrants are being treated in the United States. “We feel it’s important to depict the parallel of what’s happening in our world with what we understand to have been happening in the biblical story of the birth of Jesus,” said the Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison, senior pastor of Oak Lawn. Photo courtesy of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church.

Nativity scenes, art spotlight immigration

Some United Methodist churches are reimagining their annual Christmas Nativity displays to protest the federal government’s raids on suspected undocumented immigrants.

Evangelism

The Rev. Joe Graves (left) baptizes a baby Sept. 21 at Cityview Church. The rest of the McKinley family also were baptized during the service. Graves helped launch Cityview, a merger between his 2017 church start Central City Church and the more traditional St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. He’s also written a book on church planting, a priority of the East and West Ohio conferences. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Ohio United Methodists aim to plant 100 churches

Starting new expressions of church is a priority in The United Methodist Church’s Ohio conferences, which plan to launch 100 new faith communities by 2029.

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