Sept. 24, 2019: Trump's $25M fund for religious freedom, UMC elders, former drug addict
Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2019:
— Trump announces $25 million fund to protect religious freedom
President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the United States will dedicate $25 million to protect religious sites and houses of worship across the world. He also announced the creation of a coalition of top business leaders to help protect religious freedom in the workplace.
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Trump is the first U.S. president to convene a meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York focusing solely on religious freedom.
He said protecting religious freedom is one of his highest priorities.
— UMC report shows lowest number of young elders since 2005
The United Methodist Church has been experiencing a decline in the number of elders, particularly young elders.
A report by Wesley Theological Seminary’s Lewis Center for Church Leadership revealed that there are now 875 elders under the age of 35 in the UMC, which is near the record low of 850 in 2005. They make up only 7 percent of all active elders.
Notably, the denomination has experienced an increase in local pastors under 35, from 4 percent in 1990 to 9 percent this year.
— College football star-turned-meth addict talks transforming power of God
Damon West was the star quarterback for the University of North Texas and later worked for one of the largest stockbrokers in Dallas. But everything turned upside down when he became addicted to meth.
He said he “became a slave to that drug and gave everything away for it.”
He became homeless and supported his addiction by committing crimes. That’s when he was arrested and it was in prison that he turned his life around as he had what he called a spiritual awakening.
Today, West visits schools, churches and prisons with the message that if God can redeem him, He can redeem anyone.
— Calif. appeals court says Catholic hospital can be sued for refusing to sterilize transgender male
An appeals court in California struck down a trial court ruling that was in favor of a Catholic hospital sued for not performing a sterilization procedure on a transgender individual for religious reasons.
Presiding Justice Stuart Pollak ruled last week that Dignity Health’s refusal to perform a hysterectomy as part of a gender reassignment likely violated California’s civil rights law.
The case has been remanded back to the California Superior Court for San Francisco County.
— Coffee company creates new blend in late pastor Jarrid Wilson’s honor
For a limited time, Cause Roast, which is a coffee company co-founded by Jarrid Wilson, is offering a special blend called “HOPE” in memory of the late pastor.
Wilson, a pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in California, took his own life earlier this month after struggling with depression. He was 30.
Proceeds from the special blend will go to a ministry called Anthem of Hope, which Wilson and his wife started to help people struggling with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
