News Roundup July 2023

Below is a run-down of significant (United) Methodist stories from the past month.

Bishop Bickerton Invites United Methodists to “Reclaim, Revive, and Renew”: Bishop Thomas Bickerton, chair of the Council of Bishops, issued a video inviting United Methodists to “reclaim, revive, and renew” their identity and mission as United Methodists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVXM7j_aL6c.

Global Ministries and GBHEM Call for "A Season for Renewal": Global Ministries and GBHEM issued a joint statement promising "to work together to support our worldwide connection" during "a season for renewal" in the church: https://www.gbhem.org/news/a-season-for-renewal-and-a-joint-commitment-to-our-worldwide-connection/.

Estonian Methodists Leave UMC: Methodist churches in Estonia have finalized a process for leaving The United Methodist Church to become their own autonomous Methodist denomination: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/estonian-churches-leave-united-methodist-fold.

United Women in Faith Selects New Leader: United Women in Faith announced Sally Vonner as their new General Secretary and CEO: https://uwfaith.org/press/2023/united-women-in-faith-board-elects-sally-vonner-general-secretary-ceo/. Meanwhile, UMNS profiled retired UWF leader Harriett Olson: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/from-girlhood-activist-to-denominational-leader.

Methodists Celebrate International Partnerships: Methodists in several countries reaffirmed international partnerships, including Methodists in the following places:

• Uruguay and Great Britain (http://www.imu.org.uy/hermandad-lancashire/)
• Zimbabwe and Ireland (https://vimeo.com/834677792)
• Poland and Ireland (https://vimeo.com/834775172 and https://irishmethodist.org/world-mission-news/mci-formation-student-visits-umc-poland)
• Fiji and California (https://twitter.com/cnumc/status/1669758050259939347)
• Tanzania and New Jersey (https://www.gnjumc.org/news/greater-new-jersey-rekindles-cross-and-flame-connection-with-tanzania-united-methodists/)
• Liberia and North Carolina (https://www.umnews.org/en/news/butchery-plant-empowers-pig-farmers-in-liberia)
• Angola and Florida (https://express.adobe.com/page/OL1W56vQE3sRU/)

European Methodists Promote Sustainability: The Austria Annual Conference passed a resolution at their June meeting calling upon the Austrian government to advance the cause of environmental sustainability: https://www.emk.de/meldung/mut-machen-trotz-sorgen-angesichts-der-klimakrise, English translation: https://www-emk-de.translate.goog/meldung/mut-machen-trotz-sorgen-angesichts-der-klimakrise?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp. The Switzerland-France-North Africa Annual Conference voted to create a Creation Care group: https://emk-schweiz.ch/2023/06/16/arbeitsgruppe-fuer-umweltgerechtes-handeln-eingesetzt/, English translation: https://emk--schweiz-ch.translate.goog/2023/06/16/arbeitsgruppe-fuer-umweltgerechtes-handeln-eingesetzt/?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp.

2 Churches in Louisiana Become Solar-Powered Relief Centers: Two New-Orleans area churches have partnered with others to install solar electricity generation so that they can serve as community relief centers in the case of catastrophic loss of power: https://la-umc.org/newsdetail/new-orleans-umc-churches-to-serve-as-true-neighborhood-lighthouses-17041165.

Reports on IAMSCU Meeting: International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities (IAMSCU) met in England in April. UMNS reported on that meeting: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/wesleys-vision-of-education-alive-and-well-today, and Adriana Murriello, newly elected president of the body, also offered reflections: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/knitting-bonds-of-love-and-hope-all-over-the-world.

Africa University Graduates Largest Class Yet: Africa University graduated over 950 students on June 10^th, including the first deaf student with a theology degree in Ghana (https://aunews.africau.edu/?p=2807) and the first PhD graduates in Business, Peace, Leadership and Governance: https://aunews.africau.edu/?p=2787 and https://www.umnews.org/en/news/africa-university-graduates-its-largest-class.

Czech United Methodists Support Hospital in Ukraine: As part of their response to the war in Ukraine, Czech United Methodists have been supporting a volunteer surgical hospital in Western Ukraine: https://emk-schweiz.ch/2023/06/06/16-betten-der-heilung-und-der-hoffnung/, English translation: https://emk--schweiz-ch.translate.goog/2023/06/06/16-betten-der-heilung-und-der-hoffnung/?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp.

Swiss Methodist Retirement Center Wins Mediation Prize: Haus Tabea has won the 2023 Swiss Mediation Prize for its work with elder mediation: https://emk-schweiz.ch/2023/06/07/haus-tabea-in-horgen-erhaelt-mediationspreis/, English translation: https://emk--schweiz-ch.translate.goog/2023/06/07/haus-tabea-in-horgen-erhaelt-mediationspreis/?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp.

Michigan United Methodists Welcome Refugees: The Michigan Annual Conference and the Immigration Law & Justice Network have shared stories of Michiganders welcoming refugees from Haiti (https://michiganumc.org/make-their-dreams-take-flight/) and Ukraine (https://iljnetwork.org/no-road-too-long/). In related news, applications for Global Ministries’ Mustard Seed Migration Grants are open until Oct. 1^st: https://umcmission.org/impact-story/mustard-seed-migration-grants/.

Woman Leaves Sanctuary at UMC Church: After receiving a Stay of Removal, Maria Chavalan Sut has left sanctuary at Wesley Memorial UMC in Charlottesville, VA: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/woman-builds-new-life-after-3-years-in-sanctuary.

Bishop Dyck Chosen as WCC Committee Head: Bishop Sally Dyck, the ecumenical officer of the UMC, has been selected as co-moderator of the Permanent Committee on Consensus and Collaboration (PCCC) of the World Council of Churches: https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-central-committee-appoints-youth-advisors-commissions-and-working-groups.

Hawxhurst Elected President of Churches Uniting in Christ: Rev. Jean Hawxhurst, Ecumenical Staff Officer for the UMC Council of Bishops, has been elected as president of the multidenominational ecumenical group Churches Uniting in Christ: https://www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/newsdetail/cob-staffer-rev-dr-hawxhurst-to-lead-churches-uniting-in-christ-17455827.

Avitia Legarda Mourned: Longtime Global Ministries staff person Rev. Edgar Avitia Legarda, known for his work with Latin America, was mourned after his sudden passing on June 27. Global Ministries statement: https://umcmission.org/news-statements/global-ministries-grieves-at-the-death-of-rev-edgar-avitia-legarda/, UMNews story: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/global-ministries-staffer-mourned-near-and-far.

Commission on General Conference Meets: The Commission on General Conference, which is responsible for planning that meeting, met to continue to make preparations for the 2024 General Conference: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/what-to-expect-at-the-next-general-conference. They referred a question about petitions submitted by those who are no longer United Methodist to its Rules Committee: https://www.umnews.org/en/news/tackling-a-petitions-conundrum.

Recommended Viewing: UWF Voices from the Philippines webinar

United Women in Faith recently hosted an episode of their "Voices from the Field" series with Emma Cantor, UWF regional missionary for the Philippines. In the episode, Cantor describes how Filipina women are engaging in mission, especially in mission with women focused on leadership development, economic development, combating gender-based violence, and assisting migrants. The episode also features pre-recorded presentations by other mission leaders from the Philippines, including Andelin Louisa Anolin of the Batis Center and Nora Guevara of Kapatiran Kaunlaran Foundation, Inc. (KKFI). The episode is a good depiction of the many ways in which Filipina Methodist women put their faith into action today.

Recommended Viewing: Harriett Olson Emerging Methodism Interview

As part of the Connectional Table's "Emerging Methodism" series, Rev. Kennetha Bigham-Tsai, Chief Connectional Ministries Officer for The Connectional Table, recently interviewed Harriett Olson, Chief Executive Officer of United Methodist Women. The interview, which runs around 40 minutes, touches on several issues relevant to the readers of this blog: the nature of mission, the connection between mission and ecumenism, the impact of COVID-19 on mission work, the nature of Methodism, and how best to combat racism. The interview is well worth watching as a thoughtful and faithful reflection on what it means to be in mission as a Methodist in 2021.

Recommended Viewing: UMW Voices from the Field

United Methodist Women hosts an occasional video series entitled "Voices from the Field," which features the work that UMW does in partnership with its regional missionaries and other partners around the world. The next Voices from the Field event will happen on Monday, May 10th at 10:00am EDT. The topic is "Standing with Women Leaders from Africa and Latin America,” featuring Regional Missionaries Elmira Sellu, Andrea Reily Rocha Soares, Catherine Akale, and Finda Quiwa. Interested readers can register here. Sellu and Soares have also both written about their work as regional missionaries in separate chapters in a newly-released book, The Practice of Mission in Global Methodism, edited by UM & Global blogmaster David W. Scott and Darryl W. Stephens.

Recommended Listening: African Women in Mission

Both United Methodist Women (UMW) and Discipleship Ministries have recently released interviews with African United Methodist women about their mission and ministry with other African women. Both interviews show the amazing work that United Methodist women do as part of God's mission and are well worth a listen. They show how important the principles of empowerment, listening, and "ministry with" are in African women's missiology.

As part of their Faith Talks series, UMW hosted a podcast in which Jennifer R. Farmer interviewed UMW regional missionaries Finda Quiwa of Sierra Leone and Dr. Catherine Akale of Cameroon about "International Women in Mission." The conversation focused especially on women's work in empowering other women, especially empowering younger women through education. The podcast episode runs about 48 minutes.

As part of its Global Conversations on Discipleship series, Discipleship Ministries hosted a podcast in which Mighty Rasing interviewed Rev. Betty Kazadi Musau of the North Katanga Episcopal Area in the Democratic Republic of Congo about "Women Empowerment and Discipleship in the DR Congo." This conversation also touched on women's work in empowering other women, including through education, and it explored women's work in reconciliation between Bantu and Twa/Pygmy peoples. The podcast episode runs about 24 minutes.

Plan Now: Global Climate Strike on Sept. 20th

Environmental activist and United Methodist Sunday School teacher Bill McKibben of 350.org is among those calling for a "global climate strike" next week on Friday, Sept. 20th. McKibben explains his reasoning in an article for YES Magazine. The strike is intended to draw attention to the pressing nature of the problems associated with climate change.

For why care for creation is a religious, theological and missiological issues, see this pastoral letter from UMC bishops, these previous posts from UM & Global, this UMW webpage highlighting their work in the area, and this Church & Society webpage highlighting their work in the area.

If you participate in the climate strike, here are some things you can do that day:

• Plan a worship service using these liturgical elements associated with the bishops' letter.
• Get a group together to run through UMW's Climate Justice Simulation Experience.
• Read some of these environmental justice articles from UMW.
• Hold a viewing party for the UM Creation Care Summit vidoes.
• Contact your government leaders about this issue.

Recommended Readings: UMW Assembly

United Methodist Women (UMW), the women's mission organization for The United Methodist Church in the US, held their quadrennial Assembly meeting May 18-20 in Columbus, OH. The event highlighted the foci for UMW's current mission work and celebrated their 150th anniversary, coming up in March 2019. A rundown of various news stories and videos related to the event are below:

Both this UMNS story and this UMW story provide a recap of Assembly

Both this UMNS story and this UMW story reported on the pre-conference day of service and action

The first day's events are covered in response magazine daily edition #1

The second day's events are covered in response magazine daily edition #2

The third day's events are covered in response magazine daily edition #3

UMW shared a story of the deaconesses consecrated at Assembly

UMW shared a story of the involvement of women bishops at Assembly

Video interviews with speakers from Assembly are available on UMW's Facebook page

Images from Assembly are available on UMW's Flickr account

Recommended Readings: United Methodism in Germany

In case you missed it, United Methodist News Service has been putting out a series of stories about The United Methodist Church in Germany. While entries in this series go back a couple of years, many of the stories have been published in the last couple of months. Not only are these stories a chance to learn more about United Methodism in another part of the world, most also deal directly with the church as it is in mission.

Among the stories are several about United Methodists seeking revitalized congregations and new ministries in the community.

Also included are several about the history of deaconesses in the German UMC.

Quite a number of the stories address immigration within society and within the church.

The General Board of Church and Society also met recently in Berlin, Germany. Board members were given another glimpse into the German church and German society. GBCS, UM News Service #1, UM News Service #2, the Germany Episcopal Area #1, and the Germany Episcopal Area #2 all wrote articles on this meeting.

Creation Care Updates

Christians are once again in the midst of the Season of Creation, a month-long focus by Christians from many traditions around the world on the Church's role in caring for God's creation. In light of this month's focus, here is a rundown of some creation care news from The United Methodist Church in the past several months.

A UMNS story, bishops' statement, and UMW response on/to US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords at the beginning of June

Wespath's announcement of its recognition by Responsible Investor for its sustainable investment reporting in June

Global Ministries' announcement of its hiring of Jenny Phillips as its new creation care staff, starting in July

A UMW story on their advocacy related to methane emission regulations in July

A UMNS story from early July about UMC responses to global climate issues

A United Methodist commentary on desert encroachment in Nigeria from early July

An UMCOR report of United Methodist Earthkeepers training in August

UMW focuses on climate justice in 2016

Today's post is by UM & Global blogmaster Dr. David W. Scott, Assistant Professor of Religion and Pieper Chair of Servant Leadership at Ripon College.

In my wrap-up of big news trends in 2015 and projection of news trends in 2016, I had indicated that the environment has been and will continue to be a major story within missiology. Now the United Methodist Women (UMW) is helping carry out that prediction for 2016, as indicated by their 2016 mission study materials. The UMW has identified climate justice as their social issue for study in both 2016 and 2017. Climate justice is also the focus of their children and youth studies for 2016.

Beyond the mere choice to focus on an environmentally-linked topic, the UMW's approach to environmental issues in their mission study indicates something about the variety of ways in which the environment can intersect with missiology. It is possible, for instance, to ground a missiological concern for the environment in a strong theology of God's role as Creator and humans' responsibility to steward God's creation. Yet this is not the only theological approach one can take to environmental issues, and it is not the one that the UMW takes.

Instead, the UMW links question about climate change and the environment to questions about justice and treatment of the poor. In this framing, the environment matters not necessarily for its own sake but for the sake of the humans affected by their environment. In this framing, the missiological challenge of climate change is its impact on the least of these and Jesus' command to care for them.

Of course, it is also possible to take both approaches and affirm that the environment matters both for its own sake and for the sake of the humans who live in it. The essential point is that there are multiple theological justifications for a concern for the intersection of mission and the environment.

Recommended Reading: UMW immigration work continues a long tradition among Methodist women

National Justice for Our Neighbors (NJFON), a United Methodist immigration ministry organization, recently reported on a grant that they received from United Methodist Women.  The $50,000 grant will be divided among four NJFON region sites to conduct a variety of services for immigrants.  The grant is just one aspect of UMW's immigration rights and advocacy work.

Yet work by Methodist women on behalf of immigrants goes back much further than the current constellation of immigration causes, concerns, and controversies.  Indeed, it goes back further than the UMW.  The Women's Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, one of the forerunners of today's UMW, conducted work with immigrants in the late 1800s, over 125 years ago.  You can learn more about that work and Alma Mathews, the Methodist woman who led it, from this video and this article.

Social Entrepreneurship in the Cote d'Ivoire UMW

Today's post is by UM & Global blogmaster Dr. David W. Scott, Assistant Professor of Religion and Pieper Chair of Servant Leadership at Ripon College.

Social entrepreneurship is an emerging trend within both the business and nonprofit worlds.  As a colleague of mine who teaches social entrepreneurship explains it, it's "doing good while doing well" - using business skills and tactics to solve social problems and generate revenue for charitable purposes.  There are a variety of examples of what falls under the umbrella of social entrepreneurship, everything from microlender Kiva to shoe-retailer TOMS to solar lamp manufacturer KARIBU.  The Ashoka Foundation is a great place to learn more about social entrepreneurship for those who are interested.

Now, it seems, United Methodist Women in Cote d'Ivoire are getting in on the game.  United Methodist News Service published an article recently on how members of the UMW in Cote d'Ivoire are partnering with social entrepreneur mobile phone company Pubcell CI to earn money for the UMW.  Members sign up for the mobile phone service, which then shares revenue from ads that are displayed on users' phones.

The UMW is looking to take the money it has earned and turn around and invest it in additional social entrepreneurial endeavors.  The UMW is using the money earned from Pubcell plus an additional $1,000 grant from Pubcell to support women who want to start business endeavors to provide a source of income so that they can lift themselves out of poverty.

A couple of generations ago, missions-led development in Africa looked like Western experts coming in to plan and execute large-scale infrastructure projects.  This story, though, represents the future of mission-led development in Africa: African women banding together to conduct their own small-scale social entrepreneurship projects.

Trip promotes global awareness by UMC leaders

Today's post is by UM & Global blogmaster Dr. David W. Scott, Assistant Professor of Religion and Pieper Chair of Servant Leadership at Ripon College.

A group of United Methodist denominational leaders recently made a trip to the East Congo Episcopal Area.  The trip, organized by the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) and the Mission Engagement leadership team of the Council of Bishops, took them on a tour through the episcopal area, the newest in the UMC connection.  Participating in the trip were Thomas Kemper, general secretary of GBGM; Barbara Boigegrain, general secretary of the General Board of Pensions and Health Benefits (GBOPHB); Erin Hawkins, general secretary of the General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR); Yvette Richards, president of the United Methodist Women (UMW) in the United States; Bishop Peggy Johnson of the Philadelphia Area; Bishop William McAlilly of the Nashville Area; and Bishop Ntambo Nkulu Ntanda of the North Katanga Area.  This was the first such trip organized by GBGM and the Council of Bishops, and more are planned in future years.

The participants in the trip were invited to see some of the exciting work that's going on in the East Congo Episcopal Area.  While that is good work blessed by the Spirit, the real story is about the trip itself.  The trip represents a significant step in helping denomination-level leaders in the UMC understand through experiences what is going on in the connection outside of their own country.  While Bishop Ntanda may have had some sense of what was going on in East Congo already, the trip was especially important for the American church leaders.  In the United States, it's fairly easy to get word about what's going on in other conference in the US.  Traditional and social media, personal connections, and a series of conferences and other events facilitate a fast flow of information.  What's significantly harder for American United Methodists is getting good and regular information about other areas of the connection.  (I know, since I have to do that on a regular basis for this blog.)  Personal exposure to the work of the church elsewhere provides information and knowledge in a way nothing else can.

It is, I believe, particularly significant that the general secretaries of GBOPHB and GCORR were part of this trip.  One of the challenges of and questions in rethinking the UMC as a global denomination is the relation of the general boards and agencies to annual conferences outside the United States.  GBGM and UMW have long, long histories of connections to all parts of the denomination around the world.  GBOPHB and GCORR, however, were developed in the United States to address issues specific to the American context.  While GBOPHB has been doing good work over the past decade or so with the Central Conference Pension Initiative, there is more than can be done to make it a resource for all areas of the church around the world.  GCORR currently does not do any work outside the United States (to my knowledge), but its skills in intercultural competency make it a natural resource for helping the church come to terms with itself as a global, culturally diverse entity.  I hope this trip will spark new ideas and new initiatives by GCORR and GBOPHB on a global scale.