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The Rev. Nathan Ndayiziga, a Methodist pastor from Burundi, gives communion to Emilia Lovejoy during a 2019 service at HopeGateWay Church in Portland, Maine. The church is among multiple congregations in the process of disaffiliating from The United Methodist Church. HopeGateWay is doing so in solidarity with LGBTQ members. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Sara Ewing-Merrill.

Churches across theological spectrum exiting

Churches in Maine and Texas and the largest church in the Illinois Great Rivers Conference are in the process of severing ties with The United Methodist Church.

Editor's Picks

Human Rights

We Are One Family: Personal Encournters with Racism is a series of commentaries of personal experience with racism and the intersection of faith and justice. Hands image by truthseeker08 courtesy of Pixabay; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

We Are God's Family: Personal Encounters with Racism

Racism underlies many significant issues, such as hunger, discrimination and disparities in education and income. As people around the world struggle with racism, personal stories are helping change hearts and minds.

General Church

Delegates from the Philippines and Southeast Asia sing during the 2019 United Methodist General Conference in St. Louis. Nearly 300 Filipino United Methodists joined a virtual conversation March 16 to talk about the Christmas Covenant and other plans for the future of The United Methodist Church. More webinars are planned for church members in Africa and Europe. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Restructuring legislation gets a hearing

The drafters of the Christmas Covenant are leading webinars in the Philippines, Africa and Europe about their proposal for changing the denomination’s global structure.

Local Church

The Rev. Derek Kubilus serves as pastor of Uniontown United Methodist Church in Uniontown, Ohio, though “vicar” is his preferred title. Earlier this year, he debuted “Cross Over Q,” a podcast offering a Christian response to the QAnon conspiracy movement. Photo by Brian Koch.

Clergyman takes on QAnon through podcast

The Rev. Derek Kubilus lands on ‘60 Minutes’ after launching his own podcast about conspiracy theories.

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Judicial Council

Bishops Thomas J. Bickerton (center) and Gregory V. Palmer (right) confer with colleagues on legislative procedures during the 2019 United Methodist General Conference in St. Louis. Bickerton is the Council of Bishops representative on the Commission on the General Conference. The commission — meeting behind closed doors — reviewed an investigation that found evidence of four ineligible people casting votes using the credentials of delegates who were not present. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Court won’t rule in advance on protocol legislation

General Church

Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr. addresses the Liberia Annual Conference meeting in Gbarnga, Liberia, in March. Quire is among African bishops in The United Methodist Church who have been discussing a denominational split and what that might mean for them and their conferences. Photo by E Julu Swen, UM News.

African bishops not united on church future

Local Church

Gordon Yu (left) and Julian Kim record a scene for the film “Happy Cleaners,” which examines the lives of working-class Korean Americans. Photo by Janice Chung.

Film puts Korean Americans center stage

Violence

A student was killed on school property yesterday after a shootout that wounded a police officer in east Knoxville, TN. United Methodists are trying to find ways to help a school that was already reeling from shooting deaths of four students since January. Photo courtesy of the Holston Conference.

After school shooting, United Methodists grasp for answers

Local Church

Members of the worship team at CityWell United Methodist Church in Durham, N.C., prepare to record an online worship service in 2020. A new study of United Methodist churches finds racially diverse congregations are more likely to grow over time. File photo courtesy of CityWell United Methodist Church.

Racial diversity linked to church growth

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