United Methodist News Service

Top Story

The Revs. Maggie Proshek (left), Ricky Harrison (center) and Taylor Smith are young clergy in the North Texas Conference. All three were ordained at annual conference this summer, Proshek as deacon and Harrison and Smith as elders. The North Texas Conference has become one of the top U.S conferences in percentage of elders 35 and under, a new report shows. Nationally, the number of young elders has declined for three straight years. Photo by Hillsman S. Jackson, North Texas Conference. — Photo by Hillsman S. Jackson, North Texas Conference

Number of elders under 35 dropping

New report on United Methodist clergy age trends in U.S. shows three years of decline for elders in this demographic.

Editor's Picks

Theology and Education

Participants of the African and Asian Women Theologians Conference visited Ehwa Womans University, Seoul, Korea. From left are the Revs. Elaine Goh, Elvira Moises, Memory Chikosi, Ruth Daniel, Beauty Maenzanise, HiRho Park, Maaraidzo Mutambara, Kathy Armistead, Elizabeth Tapia and Yani Yoo. Foreground: Helena Guidione and HyunJu Lee. Photo by the Rev. Thomas Kim, UM News.

Women theologians: Following in the footsteps

United Methodist theologians from Africa and Asia gathered to discuss their interpretations of the Bible and find common ground.

General Church

Bishops Rodolfo Alfonso “Rudy” Juan (left), Ciriaco Q. Francisco (center) and Pedro M. Torio Jr. lead a prayer for the Philippines and Southeast Asia during the 2019 United Methodist General Conference in St. Louis in February. The Philippines Central Conference College of Bishops, meeting in Manila, signed a resolution opposing dissolution of The United Methodist Church. File photo by Kathleen Barry, UM News.

Filipino bishops back church unity

The Philippines Central Conference College of Bishops signed a resolution opposing dissolution and recommending restructuring to allow regional autonomy on divisive issues.

Multicultural Ministry

Graduates cut a cake to celebrate their completion of the Inua Partners in Hope vocational training program in Naivasha, Kenya. The program, a partnership between Trinity United Methodist Church in Naivasha and First United Methodist Church in Winter Park, Fla., teaches vocational and business skills to orphans and vulnerable young people. Photo by Gad Maiga, UM News.

Education equals hope for Kenyan orphans

Students learn vocational, business skills through Inua Partners in Hope program, an initiative of Kenya and Florida churches.

Latest

Students at the Maun Senior Secondary School in Maun, Botswana, gather for a school assembly. The United Methodist school has grown significantly since it opened in 1970. Photo by the Rev. Tafadzwa Mabambe.

Botswana boarding school sees historic enrollment

Mission and Ministry

Expectant mothers give Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa a tour of the vegetable garden they are tending at the Old Mutare Mission Hospital in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The garden provides nutrition, exercise and an opportunity to learn skills they can use when they return home after delivering their babies. From left are: Resistance Maphosa, Marvellous Chimbidzikai and Sophia Chindondondo. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

Hospital garden sows healthy care for expectant mothers

United Methodist Women coordinator Ethel Sandy talks to students at Albert Academy — the only United Methodist boys high school in Freetown, Sierra Leone — about the dangers of cheating on exams. Photo by Phileas Jusu, UM News.

UMW starts anti-cheating campaign at church schools

Kimberly Pitcher-Crago (left) and Ellen Hawes present a liturgical dance during a 2002 service of repentance by Foundry United Methodist Church at Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington. In the 19th century, racial discrimination at Foundry led to the formation of Asbury and later John Wesley AME Zion. File photo © Jay Mallin.

To fight racism, 3 churches reckon with past

United Methodist clergy and church members witness the dedication of the Chin’ando prayer shrine in Old Mutare, Zimbabwe. Photo by the Rev. Taurai Emmanuel Maforo, UM News.

Celebrating women’s movement at historic prayer hill

Sign up for our newsletter!

SUBSCRIBE

Multimedia

Rachael Porter and the Rev. David Johnston adopted two children who came from a home with opioid addiction. Johnston serves as pastor of Concord United Methodist Church in Athens, W.Va. — Foto Mike DuBose, Noticias MU.

Clergy embrace becoming foster parents

West Virginia has one of the highest rates in the nation of children removed from homes due to drug abuse, and one of the lowest rates of new homes for them. Clergy felt called to respond.

More

Kate Rhodes (left) leads students from House of the Carpenter back from a field trip on Wheeling Island in Wheeling, W.Va. Rhodes was serving as youth coordinator for the program's Pre-Work Camp, which teaches basic employment skills to middle school students. House of the Carpenter is a mission project of The United Methodist Church's West Virginia Conference.

Ministries help children affected by addiction

Wayne Worth (right) embraces Roger outside his home in Fisher, W.Va. Worth, a member of United Methodist Temple in Clarksburg, was passing out flyers containing information about local resources for anyone struggling with addiction, when he met Roger.

Outreach ministry for addiction is simple, effective

Disaster Relief

Isabel João (right) and Maria Lidia António salvage what they can of their corn crop, which was killed before it matured when their field was flooded by Cyclone Idai in Buzi, Mozambique. “Hunger is the number one problem now,” Joao said. Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS.

After the cyclone, faith abides

The Rev. Paula Napier lost her 32-year-old son, Lincoln Nutter, to a drug overdose in June 2018. Napier, who pastors Canaan United Methodist Church in Charleston, W.Va., says she lives in the midst of the opioid crisis. “I think people need to know it hits everybody,” she said.

Pastors cope with sons’ overdose deaths

Commentaries

Thomas Kemper, general secretary with United Methodist Global Ministries. Photo by Hector Amador for Global Ministries.

Rediscovering Native American-Methodist heritage

Bishop Richard Wilke. An official portrait courtesy of the Council of Bishops.

Gay daughter sent bishop back to Scriptures

Seeing ‘new face’ of Christian church in China

Commission on General Conference added to confusion

VIEW MORE

Ask The UMC

Theology and Education

The Rev. Shawn Moses (right) of First Grace United Methodist Church, New Orleans, welcomes a new family joining the church. Photo by Kathy L. Gilbert, UM News.

Ask the UMC: What does it mean to be a member?

Discover what it means to be part of a United Methodist congregation.

More

Theology and Education

Public domain image from the National Child Labor Committee collection by Lewis Wickes-Hine, courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress.

Ask The UMC: Why do we have Social Principles? Where did they come from?

General Conference

Spare voting machines rest on a table at the 2019 United Methodist General Conference in St. Louis. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Ask The UMC: How are decisions made at General Conference?

Theology and Education

Clockwise from top left: Detail from Butyka Mausoleum by Globetrotter19, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons; stained glass window by Kathleen Barry, UM News; Bible and cross by Mike DuBose, UMNS; detail of aanchor and two fish courtesy of Catacombe Domitilla; the Rev. George Miller by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Ask The UMC: Why do missionaries wear an anchor cross?

World map, courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

Ask The UMC: Is The UMC in Canada, Australia, Latin America, Asia?

Categories

United Methodist youth march in the streets of Luanda, Angola, in celebration of the church youth group’s 67th anniversary. Photo by Augusto da Graça, UM News.

Young people march for change in Angola

The Rev. Anna Blaedel (at microphone) speaks during the Iowa Annual Conference in June 2016. Blaedel is facing a church trial after being charged under the ban against ordination of a “self-avowed practicing homosexual.” File photo by Arthur McClanahan, Iowa Conference.

Iowa clergyperson to face trial

Children at the Nyadire Mission’s Home of Hope orphanage in Mutoko, Zimbabwe, pose with new bikes provided by Dutilh United Methodist Church in Pittsburgh. Photo by Mary Beth Zollars.

Pittsburgh preschoolers help orphans in Zimbabwe

View More

Two young women from Mozambique showcase their traditional attire during the Africa Youth and Young Adult Network gathering in Nairobi, Kenya. Young United Methodists from across the African continent gathered at the Desmond Tutu Conference Centre under the theme “Arise and Shine.” Photo by Gad Maiga, UM News.

Young United Methodists connect in Kenya

The Sierra Leone Minister of Lands, Housing and Environment, Denis Sandy (left in helmet), explains to the Masantigie community details of the agreement signed between the community and the Sierra Leone Conference regarding the disputed Pa Loko property. Photo by Phileas Jusu, UM News.

Sierra Leone Conference settles land dispute

The Rev. Casey Turner baptizes a man trying to overcome addiction at the Breaking Bonds Ministries campus in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Photo courtesy of Breaking Bonds Ministries.

Successful evangelism includes trusting the call

View More

Social Concerns

The Rev. Deidra Wright shows off some of the bounty of the community garden at Columbia Drive United Methodist Church, which she founded. Photo courtesy of Columbia Drive United Methodist Church.

Creation care gets traction as priority

The congregation of First United Methodist Church Moheto in southwestern Kenya votes to become reconciling. With the Sept. 1 vote, the congregation announced its intentions to support the equality of LGBTQ people in church life. Photo courtesy of First United Methodist Church Moheto.

First church in Africa becomes reconciling

Portia Kasuso, 11, tries her new hand-pedalled wheelchair during a United Methodist revival service in Murewa, Zimbabwe. The gift of the wheelchair was facilitated by the church’s Zimbabwe West Conference. Photo by the Rev. Taurai Emmanuel Maforo, UM News.

Wheelchair opens new doors for girl in rural Zimbabwe

View More

Mission and Ministry

Laurine Deemi and Thomas Mallah stand in front of medical supplies at The United Methodist Church in Liberia’s health department in Monrovia, Liberia. The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries has donated over $40,000 worth of anti-malarial medicine, tests and mosquito nets to the church in Liberia. Photo by E Julu Swen, UM News.

Church in Liberia gets malaria medication

The United Methodist Church in Davos, Switzerland, started offering free food in June 2019 in a joint effort with a local Pentecostal parish to help eliminate food waste. The "Save Our Food" program plans to expand its ministry by installing a refrigerator next to the United Methodist church building, as shown in the illustration. Photo by the Rev. Stefan Pfister.

Switzerland pastors launch ‘Save our food’

A Coast Guardsman talks to a civilian aboard an HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft, Sept. 5, as the Miami-based aircraft medevacs 10 people from Marsh Harbour to Nassau, Bahamas, in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Photo by Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Hunter Medley, courtesy of U.S. Dept. of Defense.

UMCOR starts efforts for Bahamas relief

View More

Bishop John K. Yambasu of Sierra Leone addresses a meeting of the Africa College of Bishops in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The bishops said the church would continue in Africa after General Conference 2020. Photo by Tim Tanton, UM News.

African bishops oppose separation plans

The Commission on General Conference meets in August at First United Methodist Church in Lexington, Ky. Both the denomination’s bishops and finance agency are following up on commission requests. Photo by Diane Degnan, United Methodist Communications.

Bishops, agency respond to GC2019 vote probe

Sara Hotchkiss, General Conference business manager, speaks to the Commission on General Conference during its meeting at First United Methodist Church in Lexington, Ky. Photo by Heather Hahn, UM News.

What to expect at General Conference 2020

View More