PORTSMOUTH (England) – When Stanley Lucas of Cornwall died at the age of 110 in June, he was thought to be the oldest male member of the British Methodist Church and one of the oldest men in the world.
Is this sort of longevity characteristic of Methodists?
Yes, according to an analysis conducted by British Religion in Numbers of family announcements printed in the Methodist Recorder.
The analysis showed that in 1973 the mean age of death for Methodist laity was 77.9 years for men and 83 for women. By 2008, these figures had risen to 83.9 and 91.1 respectively – well above the life expectancy of 77 for men and 82 for women for the United Kingdom population as a whole.
Mr Richard Vautrey, Vice-President of the British Methodist Conference, said: “I’m sure there are many different factors at work for Methodists to attain these numbers. But I would guess that our emphasis on caring for our spiritual as well as physical health, avoiding excess, engaging with people in our communities and being good neighbours all help.” – United Methodist News Service.
Resource to include 188 new hymns
NASHVILLE (Tennessee) – Production of a new resource, Worship & Song, is under way. It will include 188 new, traditional, contemporary, global and ethnic hymns and songs in a wide variety of styles.
The United Methodist Publishing House and the United Methodist Board of Discipleship developed this new resource for worship and congregational singing.
General Editor Gary Alan Smith of the publishing house said: “Worship & Song attempts to take a snapshot of worship and song in the second decade of the 21st century and pass it through a filter consistent with United Methodist and other mainline Protestant theology and practice.”
The resource is scheduled to be released next March. – United Methodist News Service.