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UMNS Daily Digest - February 21, 2012 (membership and giving, temperance, 40 days, Lenten resources,

From "United Methodist News Service" <newsdesk@umcom.org>
Date Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:01:31 -0800
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       UMNS Daily Digest - Produced by United Methodist News Service
                         Tuesday, February 21, 2012

     [5]Mixed blessings in recent U.S. church numbers
     [6]Could you go alcohol-free for Lent?
     [7]What is Lent, and why does it last 40 days?
     [8]Resources for Lent and Easter
     [9]Texas Methodist Foundation grows
     [10]Bishop Joe Wilson honored
     [11]Blog: An Inconvenient Ministry
     [12]Blog: Can you hear the birds sing?
   
   [13]
   General Conference 2012Â»





      [14]
   Lent & Easter ResourcesÂ»




   [15]
   UMTV: Rethinking Stations of the CrossÂ»





   [16]
   When keeping Sabbath, simply restÂ»





   [17]
   UMTV: Church Drive-thru PrayerÂ»





   



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   Read Additional UMNSÂ»



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âThe world has changed drastically around us as it relates to alcohol use. A
   lack of awareness to the implications and consequences of normalizing
  alcohol use is an ongoing concern and threat to public healthâ¦ .â â Jim
    Winkler, top executive for the denominationâs social action agency.


Mixed blessings in U.S. church numbers

   NASHVILLE, Tenn.(UMNS) ââ United Methodist churches in the United States
   continued a declining membership trend and weathered a difficult economy in
   2010, but recently released statistics for that year also show increased
   giving.

                                 [22]Read full story and post a commentÂ»


Could you go alcohol-free for Lent?

   NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) â During Lent this year, from Ash Wednesday on Feb.
   22 to April 8, the United Methodist Board of Church and Society is asking
   all United Methodists to give up alcohol, donate the funds they would have
   used to buy alcohol and start an international conversation about the harm
   done by this common vice.

                                       [23]Read more and post a commentÂ»


What is Lent, and why does it last 40 days?

   NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) â Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and
   preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and
   reflection. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for
   baptism.

                                                          [24]Read moreÂ»


Resources for Lent and Easter

   NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) â United Methodist Communications has compiled an
   online guide for Lenten resources. Find devotionals, meditations, news
   articles, suggestions for family observances, aids for worship, study
   guides, videos and ways to take action.


                                                          [25]Read moreÂ»


Texas Methodist Foundation grows

   AUSTIN, Texas (UMNS) â The Texas Methodist Foundation, the largest United
   Methodist foundation in the United States, has acquired the majority of
   assets and liabilities of the Central Texas Methodist
   Foundation, headquartered in Fort Worth. Assets for the Texas Methodist
   Foundation, following the acquisition, now exceed $400 million. The Texas
   Methodist Foundation assists United Methodist churches, institutions and
   individuals with a variety of financial and leadership resources within the
   five geographic conferences of Texas, in addition to the Rio Grande Annual
   (regional) Conference of Texas and New Mexico.

                                                          [26]Read moreÂ»


Bishop Joe Wilson honored

   SAN ANTONIO (UMNS) â The Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty has
   honored retired United Methodist Bishop Joe Wilson with its Founderâs Award.
   The organization called Wilson a persistent voice for justice on multiple
   issues who works to raise awareness and advocate for change. [27]The
   Methodist Church officially called for the abolition of the death penalty in
   1956, and The United Methodist Church has maintained the position of its
   predecessor body. The South Central Jurisdictional Conference elected Wilson
   bishop in 1992. He served for eight years before retiring in 2000. He now
   serves as bishop-in-residence at United Methodist-related Southwestern
   University in Georgetown, Texas.

                                                          [28]Read moreÂ»


An Inconvenient Ministry

   NEW YORK (UMNS) ââWhy canât you work in a place thatâs easier to get to?â In
   a blog post, Linda Unger of the United Methodist Committee on Relief says
   the denominationâs relief agency is dedicated to work with all in need,
   despite the challenges.

                                                          [29]Read blogÂ»


Can you hear the birds sing?

   LEEâS SUMMIT, Mo. (UMNS) â The Rev. Jeff Brinkman, a United Methodist
   pastor, writes that Whitney Houstonâs death offers a lesson in being
   grateful. âFor her life, and for ours. Today is Godâs gift to you.â

                                                          [30]Read blogÂ»


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