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Daily Digest - March 20, 2019

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"I invite the entire community of Beni and Ituri to help the response teams on the ground to eradicate this deadly disease and also avoid violence at Ebola treatment centers." — East Congo Area Bishop Gabriel Yemba Unda.

NEWS AND FEATURES

Attacks hamper Ebola efforts in Congo
BENI, Congo (UMNS) — East Congo Bishop Gabriel Yemba Unda said he is concerned about the latest attacks by armed groups on Ebola treatment centers in the Congo. The attacks come as The United Methodist Church and others continue to fight a growing epidemic that has killed nearly 600 people since the outbreak began in August. Philippe Kituka Lolonga reports. 
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South Georgia Conference
Epworth By The Sea: Still 'holy ground'

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — Seventy years after he was one of the first young people to visit the future site of Epworth By The Sea, Wallace Twiggs said South Georgia’s conference and retreat center is still "holy ground." Twiggs recently returned to Epworth By the Sea, this time as one of the chaperones for a group of students from Columbus' Wynnton United Methodist Church. Kara Witherow has the story.
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United Methodist Communications
Women who shaped the church

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMC.org) — Since the time of Susanna Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley, women have been shaping The United Methodist Church. In 2019, United Methodist Women marks 150 years of commitment to issues that affect women and children around the world. Videos tell the stories of some of the pioneering women in the church.
Watch videos

PRESS RELEASES

Uniting Methodists
Uniting Methodists: Independent voting probe needed

DALLAS (UMNS) — Members of Uniting Methodists are calling for an independent investigation of possible irregular or unethical delegate elections, preparations, credentialing or voting at the special 2019 General Conference. The centrist group, which supports church unity, questioned the wisdom of a Commission on General Conference task force handling the investigation. "With all due respect for the Commission’s work, given the serious nature of accusations related to voting at the highly polarized St. Louis session, the circumstances require an independent investigation," the group said in a statement.
Read press release
Task force to investigate GC2019 voting

Abingdon Press
New book offers ideas to stay relevant

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — "Blank Slate: Write Your Own Rules for a 22nd-Century Church Movement," a new release by Abingdon Press, offers ways for the church to get "unstuck" from its current context in order to address the context of younger generations to stay relevant for the future. The authors, three United Methodist leaders, provide examples from innovative secular organizations to help ministry leaders think about new ways to engage younger Christians.
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COMMENTARIES

Editor's note: United Methodist News Service includes various opinion pieces in the Daily Digest about issues in the church. These commentaries reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not of the UMNS staff.

Opinion: 'Hype and hyperbole' in response to GC2019
SUGAR LAND, Texas — The Rev. Chappell Temple believes there’s been a lot of negative "hype and hyperbole" in response to General Conference 2019. He offers his own interpretation of what The United Methodist Church said through passage of the Traditional Plan.
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RECENT HEADLINES

Photo essay: 'John Wesley' sails the Amazon

Church mobilizes to help cyclone survivors

EVENTS

Tuesday, March 26
Tuesdays in the Chapel: Doug Ruffle

Wednesday, March 27
Lecture: Is God’s charity broad enough for bears?


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