Friday's News & Ideas - 4/26/2024

United Methodists vote to restructure worldwide church
Religion News Service: The plan, called “regionalization,” must now go before each region, called an annual conference, for ratification by the end of 2025.

There’s now half a dozen pastors vying to be SBC president
Baptist News Global: A record six candidates have now announced their intention to run for the presidency of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.

Inside the long-odds push to undo an abortion ban in ruby red Arkansas*
The Washington Post: After winning campaigns in both red and blue states, abortion rights activists are facing a test of the limits of their success in what is sometimes ranked as the most “pro-life state in America.”

Amid real disagreement, Christian unity still matters
Sojourners: “While the church’s divisions tend to grab headlines, I’ve noticed that examples of unity within the body of Christ often go unnoticed.”

Metal detectorist finds centuries-old religious artifact once outlawed by emperor
CBS News: Experts said the cross icon is likely a relic of the Orthodox communities that continued to practice after a series of reforms split the Russian church in the middle of the 17th century, and an example of the kinds of symbols that were outlawed during a later monarch's reign.

The Spark

Spoiler alert: Leftovers for dinner 
From The New Yorker: How to host a dinner party for nine using a pre-trash haul* from Too Good to Go and other food-waste apps. Carb-averse guests, beware.

*access is limited for nonsubscribers