UMC Bishops Call for Justice in Wake of Ahmaud Arbery’s Death

The Bishops of The United Methodist Church are calling for justice and the eradication of racism and white supremacy in the aftermath of the killing of an unarmed Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, in Brunswick, Georgia. In a statement released today and signed by Council of Bishops President Cynthia Fierro Harvey, the leaders of the church joined the General Commission on Religion and Race and the General Board of Church and Society in condemning this senseless killing and racism and white supremacy in every form. To read the full statement go to https://www.unitedmethodistbishops.org/files/websites/www/pdfs/cob+statement+of+arbery+killing+-+may+14+2020.pdf.

Discipleship Ministries Grants

Discipleship Ministries offers several grant programs to further the priority of making disciples around the world. Applications for grants for Ministries with Young People and the Global Youth Service Fund are due June 1. Applications for Racial Ethnic Local Church Grants, which provide funding to strengthen ethnic congregations, are due Sept. 1. For more information and to apply go to https://ypm-umc.smapply.io/.

States Called to Protect Meatpacking Workers

United Methodist Justice for Our Neighbors centers in Iowa and Nebraska are pressing their states to protect the health and safety of meatpacking workers, most of whom are immigrants and refugees. Since early April, 10,000 COVID-19 cases have been linked to meat-processing plants, and at least 45 people have died. Read the press release at https://njfon.org/2020/05/12/essential-does-not-equal-expendable/.