“Needless to say, this is a moment in time when we will not only see some of the dust settle but also see new dust storms arise.” — Council of Bishops President Thomas J. Bickerton
NEWS AND FEATURES
Bishops urged to prepare for seismic shift
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (UM News) — United Methodist Council of Bishops President Thomas J. Bickerton sees potential for big changes coming out of General Conference — including a possible end to the denomination’s longtime bans related to LGBTQ people. Bishops, he said, will have a role to play in what comes next after the April 23-May 3 lawmaking assembly. Heather Hahn reports.
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Read Council of Bishops press release
Big changes proposed for clergy retirement
GLENVIEW, Ill. (UM News) — Wespath, The United Methodist Church’s pension and benefits agency, is asking General Conference to authorize a new retirement program for U.S. clergy. While the proposal won’t affect current retirees, Wespath staff say change is needed for sustainability. Heather Hahn has the story.
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Minnesota Conference
Legal clinics help immigrant community
MINNEAPOLIS — Immigrants in Minnesota are getting legal help from the Minnesota Conference and some volunteer attorneys. A series of legal clinics are taking place at United Methodist churches across the state to assist with immigration, citizenship, asylum and other humanitarian relief efforts. The first one was held earlier this month at First United Methodist Church of Worthington. The event included information sessions and one-on-one appointments with volunteer lawyers and law students. Sabrina Tapia reports.
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Baltimore-Washington Conference
Churches offer aid following Key Bridge collapse
FULTON, Md. — Area United Methodist churches are assisting Maryland officials in providing items to support the 136 foreign nationals residing on the seven ships stuck in the Port of Baltimore following the March 26 collapse of the Key Bridge. Most of the individuals on the ships are non-English speaking. They are able to come ashore during the day but cannot “reside” on U.S. soil and must return to the ship each night. Conference staff have provided a list of requested items.
View list
PRESS RELEASES
Duke Today
Remaining churches more diverse
DURHAM, N.C. — North Carolina congregations that remained with The United Methodist Church during the recent wave of disaffiliations over LGBTQ inclusion are more politically and theologically diverse than those that left, researchers at Duke University found. Congregations that disaffiliated tended to be more homogenous in their beliefs and somewhat smaller and more rural.
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Read report
COMMENTARIES
UM News includes in the Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not UM News staff.
Western North Carolina Conference
Bishop writes ahead of General Conference
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bishop Ken Carter of the Western North Carolina Conference has shared his thoughts about the upcoming General Conference, including what he sees as an urgent need to remove Book of Discipline language that restricts participation of LGBTQ people in The United Methodist Church. Carter touches on other subjects, including “historical racism, which has plagued Methodism from the beginning.”
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RESOURCES
Pre-General Conference video resources
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — As The United Methodist Church approaches a major legislative gathering that will determine its future, UM News is providing video resources to help people better understand how the legislative assembly works and what legislation is under consideration. The last installment includes church leaders discussing proposals related to the church’s work in the world, education and formation of clergy and the denominational budget.
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RECENT HEADLINES
Queer Delegate Caucus debuts in Charlotte
Why Wespath supports regionalization
EVENTS
Monday, May 6-Thursday, May 9
Online course: Music Ministry Four-Day Sampler
Monday, May 13-Friday, May 17
Online course: Loaves and Fishes — Asset-Mapping Microcourse
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