United Methodist Communications and the Iliff School of Theology are sponsoring the teleconference, in cooperation with the Women's Division, United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, and the United Methodist Publishing House. A partnership between United Methodist Men and the Society of St. Andrew, aimed at energizing the church to feed the poor, is getting under way with the hiring of the first hunger relief advocate at the annual conference level. Krista Michael of Las Cruces, N.M., was hired by the Society of St. Andrew to serve as hunger relief advocate to the denomination's New Mexico Annual Conference.
Plans call for advocates to be hired for the other annual conferences eventually.
The program is a partnership between the Commission on United Methodist Men, the Society of St. Andrew and the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Despite the continuing drought in southeastern Ohio, one woman is determined to save at least 100 farms by finding and transporting hay cross-country. During the last two months, Mary Woodward, a United Methodist and director of Lutheran Social Services in southeastern Ohio, has built a national network to find hay and haul it from as far away as Nebraska to save farm operations in 24 southeastern Ohio counties. When the top legislative bodies of four Methodist denominations meet again, they will not have a plan of union to consider. However, they will be asked to merge two commissions that have been representing the denominations in discussions regarding possible union and overall cooperation.