Navigation Back Search

UM News: Your official source of comprehensive information and news about The United Methodist Church.

Top Story

Bishops
Bishop Daniel Wandabula (center), Africa Central Conference College of Bishops president, congratulates the Rev. Emmanuel Sinzohagera of Burundi after he was elected a United Methodist bishop on the first ballot March 15 at the Africa Central Conference in Johannesburg. At left, Bishop Joaquina F. Nhanala of the Mozambique Episcopal Area looks on. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.
Bishop Daniel Wandabula (left), Africa Central Conference College of Bishops president, congratulates the Rev. Emmanuel Sinzohagera of Burundi after he was elected a United Methodist bishop on the first ballot March 15 at the Africa Central Conference in Johannesburg. At left, Bishop Joaquina F. Nhanala of the Mozambique Episcopal Area looks on. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

Emmanuel Sinzohagera elected as bishop
The dean of superintendents and speaker of the Senate in Burundi was elected a United Methodist bishop on the first ballot at the Africa Central Conference.

Editor's Picks

The Rev. Richie Butler is senior pastor at St. Luke Community United Methodist Church in Dallas. File photo courtesy of St. Luke Community United Methodist Church.

St. Luke pastor called to build bridges
The Rev. Richie Butler began his community outreach and race relations work at St. Luke’s mother church, historic St. Paul United Methodist in Dallas.
UM News special series spotlights legacy Black churches. Clockwise from top left: St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Montclair, N.J. (now The Mark Montclair), photo courtesy of St. Mark’s via Montclair Local; Mother African Zoar United Methodist Church in Philadelphia (location 1883-2020), photo courtesy of Mother African Zoar United Methodist Church; Central United Methodist Church in Atlanta, photo courtesy of Central United Methodist Church; and a family at St. Luke Community United Methodist Church in Dallas, photo courtesy of St. Luke Community United Methodist Church.

Special series: Legacy Black churches
UM News special report spotlights Black churches with rich histories and vibrant ministries.
Disaster Relief
Leaders with the Association of the Korean United Methodist Church of the California-Pacific Conference visit and pray at Altadena United Methodist Church on Feb. 24. The historic African American church in Altadena, California, was destroyed by wildfire in January. Photo by the Rev. Thomas E. Kim, UM News.

Korean-led campaign raises funds for wildfire relief
A campaign that transcended ethnic and regional boundaries raised more than $27,000 for recovery efforts and aid in California.

Latest News

Central Conferences
Episcopal Elections of the Central Conference of The United Methodist Church. Graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Africa Central Conference Balloting 2025
Bishops
The Rev. João Filimone Sambo of Mozambique receives the United Methodist episcopal pin from Bishop LaTrelle Easterling. Sambo was elected bishop March 15 by the Africa Central Conference. Photo by Priscilla Muzerengwa, United Methodist Communications.

João Sambo elected as bishop
Bishops
The Rev. Gift Machinga (right), newly elected as bishop, receives greetings from Bishop LaTrelle Easterling as Bishop Thomas Bickerton looks on. The Africa Central Conference elected Machinga of Zimbabwe as bishop on March 15. Photo by Priscilla Muzerengwa, United Methodist Communications.

Gift Machinga elected as bishop
Bishops
The Rev. Moisés Bernardo Jungo (right) receives the episcopal pin from Bishop Thomas Bickerton after being elected a United Methodist bishop on March 15 at the Africa Central Conference in Johannesburg. The pastor from Angola was the second bishop elected at the conference. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

Moisés Bernado Jungo elected as bishop
A young family attends St. Luke Community United Methodist Church in Dallas in February. Founded in 1933, the large, predominantly Black but diverse congregation gathers for traditional and contemporary worship services, small groups and social justice ministries. Photo courtesy of St. Luke Community United Methodist Church.

Spirit of service helps Black churches thrive
General Agencies
Members of the United Women in Faith Program Advisory Group celebrate the announcement of Assembly 2026, scheduled for May 15-17, 2026, in Indianapolis. Board and program advisory group members met in person March 6-9 at Scarritt Bennett Center in Nashville, Tenn., the organization’s first in-person meeting since early 2020. Pictured in the foreground are board member Marilyn Sanchez Reid of the Western Jurisdiction and Vice President Heidi Careaga of the North Central Jurisdiction. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Women’s group plans assembly, calls for justice
View More

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now

More Headlines

Local Church
United Methodists stand in front of the new Mont Morija United Methodist Church in Golf Plateau III, a fast-growing district of Lubumbashi, Congo. The new building can accommodate 800 worshippers. Photo courtesy of the Jerusalem District.

Family donates funds to build South Congo church
View More
Evangelism
The Rev. Michael Adam Beck leads The United Methodist Church’s Fresh Expressions movement. In his new book, “Never Alone,” the pastor of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Ocala, Fla., says Fresh Expressions can help create community for people suffering from loneliness. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Michael Adam Beck.

From prisoner to pastor
View More
Social Concerns
Nurse Franck Onamemba shows broken windows at United Methodist Irambo Health Center in Bukavu, Congo. The church hospital was ransacked by armed men during the weekend of Feb. 14-16 as fighting between M23 rebels and the Congolese armed forces continues in eastern Congo. Photo by Philippe Kituka Lolonga, UM News.

Violence, vandalism strike church in Congo
View More
Mission and Ministry
Christine Ntamubano expresses gratitude to The United Methodist Church in Burundi for providing clean drinking water closer to her home. Around 5,000 people in the region now have access to drinking water, thanks to a borehole installed by the church. Photo by Jérôme Ndayisenga, UM News.

Borehole offers hope to Burundi town
View More
General Church

Congo Central Conference gets new dates
View More

Commentaries

Anna Riddle. Photo by Heather Gaydeski Photography.

Carrie Parrish's legacy holds lessons for today
The Rev. Dr. Tércio B. Junker Photo courtesy of the Northern Illinois Conference.

In the Wesleys’ footsteps: Reflecting on justice, faith
The Rev. Paul W. Chilcote. Photo courtesy of the author.

A refreshed Wesleyan vision is emerging
The Rev. April Casperson. Courtesy of Otterbein University.

Amendment would make church more open
The Rev. Dr. Jean Claude Masuka Maleka. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Mission can revitalize United Methodism
The Rev. Neelley Hicks. Photo courtesy of the author.

Churches build bridges to counter hate
The Rev. Mel West. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Mel West.

World news becomes family news
The Rev. Christopher P. Momany. Photo by Kristen Schell.

Resistance is not enough
VIEW MORE

Multimedia

Artist Ary Scheffer (1796-1858) / Wikimedia Commons; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News
Artist Ary Scheffer (1796-1858) / Wikimedia Commons; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News

Social media graphics for Lent and Easter
Download art for Lent and Easter from United Methodist to share on social media.

More

Mission and Ministry
“Hope this letter finds you in the best of health and spirits.” Books requested by an inmate have been carefully packaged for shipping by Books to Prisons volunteers in Birmingham, Ala. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Ministry sends Books to Prisons
Faith Sharing
Photo by Charity Ponter; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News. Luke 6:31

Social media graphics from UM News
Church History
The history of Pickett Chapel United Methodist Church in Lebanon, Tenn., goes back almost 200 years. Pickett Chapel is believed to be the oldest African American church building in the state of Tennessee. Photo from video by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Historic church tells story of slavery, triumph
A portion of Hong Kong at night as seen from Victoria Peak. More than 400,000 migrant domestic workers live in Hong Kong, about five percent of the total population. They cook and clean and care for children, pets, and the elderly. They also at times endure horrible treatment. Photo by Paul Jeffrey, UM News.

United Methodists support migrant workers in Hong Kong
View More
World Press Freedom Day - Learn More
These efforts require financial support. If you believe in our mission, consider a tax-deductible donation to support the essential work of UM News and other ministries of United Methodist Communications.

United Methodist Communications is an agency of The United Methodist Church

©2025 United Methodist Communications. All Rights Reserved