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Daily Digest: February 18, 2014

“President Obama has asked us to speak up and stand up and we have done that. Now he needs to do what is in his power. He needs to stop deportations.” – Los Angeles Area Bishop Minerva G. Carcano at President’s Day immigration pray-in in front of White House.

United Methodists arrested in D.C. immigration pray-in
WASHINGTON (UMNS) – Herminia Gallego Lopez, kneeling between United Methodist Bishops Minerva Carcano and Julius Trimble, was arrested along with other United Methodist and faith leaders Feb. 17 in an act of civil disobedience calling on President Obama to stop deportations.

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Humanizing the homeless
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) – Ingrid McIntyre, a United Methodist in Tennessee, was featured on CBS’s “60 Minutes” in February. She is a founder of “Open Table Nashville,” an ecumenical group working to end homelessness.

 

Watch the “60 Minutes” story

 

Adrian College’s fight against human trafficking
ADRIAN, Mich. (UMNS) – The Rev. Chris Momany, chaplain and director of church relations for United Methodist-related Adrian College, explains why he is so passionate about social justice issues, especially the fight to end human trafficking.

 

Read the lensconnect.com story

 

Bishop says pain remains in pastor’s removal
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (UMNS) – Philadelphia Area Bishop Peggy Johnson did not let the Frank Schaefer case and her views on homosexuality define her, but in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, she emphasized that continued conversation is the only way to try to close the divide. "I'm not turning my back to the pain," she said. "I want to head straight into it. Let the chips fall where they may."

 

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White House honors 8 from UM schools
WASHINGTON (UMNS) – Eight students from historically black colleges and universities supported by The United Methodist Church’s Black College Fund were among 75 students named 2014 HBCU All-Stars by the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

 

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Author of book on Methodism, slavery dies
ATHENS, Tenn. (UMNS) – Durwood Dunn, a history professor at United Methodist-related Tennessee Wesleyan College, late last year published his fourth and final book, “The Civil War in Southern Appalachian Methodism.” In the early morning hours of Feb. 15, he died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. He was 70 years old. Annette Spence shares a remembrance of the historian and his research.

 

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Many U.S. presidents have Methodist ties.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) – United Methodists have a long history of ties to U.S. presidencies. In fact, Methodism began its relationship with the presidency when Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury approached George Washington twice about different issues.

 

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Promoting an alcohol-free Lent
WASHINGTON (UMNS) – Lent provides an opportunity to promote alcohol awareness, says the United Methodist Board of Church and Society. The agency will have an organizing call at 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET Tuesday, Feb. 18. The speaker is scheduled to be the Rev. James Howell of Charlotte, N.C. Several years ago Howell developed the concept of an “Alcohol Free Lent.” Since then, other congregations have tried out the concept.

 

 

To learn more and RSVP


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