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The Rev. Adam Hamilton poses in front of his temporary office in Washington, D.C., during new senator orientation the week of Nov. 8. The United Methodist pastor and senator elect from Kansas said he was “deeply moved” by the experience and looks forward to building relationships and finding common ground when he officially takes office Jan. 3. Photo courtesy of the Adam Hamilton for Kansas Facebook page.

Rev. Hamilton goes to Washington

The Rev. Adam Hamilton, a United Methodist pastor, will bring his Christian values with him when he joins the U.S. Senate, but he hopes to model a more mainstream view of Christianity and be a unifier to address tough issues.

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Mission and Ministry

The Rev. Ayoub Samuel Ali Kori, district superintendent in Nasr City-Ramses United Methodist Church, joins church members during a joint Christmas carol service organized by Arbawnus United Methodist Church at a rented venue in Zahra, Egypt. Despite not having any physical church buildings, Arbawnus and two other United Methodist congregations in the region have become a sanctuary for refugees fleeing war in Sudan. File photo by Fifiana Ayoub.

Churches help refugees in Egypt find belonging

Despite the lack of facilities, three United Methodist congregations near Cairo provide physical and spiritual nourishment to those who need help.

Disaster Relief

The Rev. Godfrey Gaga (right,) Malawi Provisional Conference superintendent, removes the ribbon from the door of Annie Katumbi’s new home in Ngabu Village in Chikwawa, Malawi. The house was built as part of the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s Phase 2 recovery efforts after Cyclone Freddy devastated the area in 2023. Photo by Francis Nkhoma, UM News.

3 years after cyclone, recovery continues in Malawi

Phase 2 of the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s Cyclone Freddy recovery initiative is delivering long-term shelter, clean water and agricultural support across cyclone-affected districts.

General Church

Korean Methodist President Bishop Chungsuk Kim (left) thanks United Methodist Bishop Lanette Plambeck (right) for attending the Korean Methodist Church’s 37th General Conference and for her gift of a wooden bishop’s staff shaped like a crane’s head and curved neck. At center is the Rev. Byung-bae Hwang, general secretary of the Korean Methodist Church’s mission board. Photo by the Rev. Thomas E. Kim, UM News.

Bishop’s visit strengthens ties with Korean Methodists

Bishop Lanette Plambeck’s visit to the Korean Methodist Church’s 37th General Conference reaffirmed a mission partnership rooted in 141 years of shared history and a commitment to serve together.

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Congregations

Highland Park United Methodists who want to remain part of The United Methodist Church plan to worship at Prothro Great Hall on Southern Methodist University’s campus, starting on Nov. 15. Meanwhile, the legal dispute between the Horizon Texas Conference and breakaway Highland Park Methodist is escalating. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons.

Debate heats up over Highland Park name

Human Sexuality

(From left) Zara Torreglosa, Slats Toole, the Rev. Shawna Bowman and Eli Cooper-Nelson, the liturgical artists who led the “Sacred, Trans & Blessed” Hymn Festival, pose for a photo Oct. 8 at Grace Lutheran Church in Evanston, Ill. Photo by the Rev. Gustavo Vásquez, UM News.

Ecumenical gathering celebrates gifts of transgender people

General Agencies

The United Methodist Church is increasing its efforts to make “values-based” investments that contribute positively to the world, according to a new report from FaithInvest. “Good Intentions 2026: What Faiths Say about How They Invest — and How They Can Do More” offers an in-depth analysis of the fast-growing faith investment sector. Photo by Zetong Li, courtesy of Unsplash; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Church should boost values-based investing, report says

Bishops

With cherished prayer, bishops tackle problems

Social Concerns

At left, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, a member of Ben Hill United Methodist Church in Atlanta, celebrates winning Georgia's race for governor during an election night rally Nov. 3 in Atlanta. She is the first Black woman to be elected governor of a U.S. state. At right, the Rev. Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of Resurrection, The United Methodist Church’s largest U.S. congregation, celebrates his victory in Kansas’ Senate race at a watch party Nov. 3 in Overland Park, Kan. Hamilton will be the first Democratic senator from the state in nearly a century. Bottoms photo by REUTERS/Taylor Edgerton; Hamilton photo by Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

United Methodists win big in midterms

Mission and Ministry

Living the vision

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Local Church

The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia has stopped a lawsuit by 33 United Methodist congregations over property. In the meantime, the West Virginia Conference says it remains committed to supporting the churches. Photo by J. Alex Wilson, courtesy of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

State supreme court blocks church-property suit

Evangelism

Stephen Ministers from First United Methodist Church of Haddonfield, N.J., discuss how to share and use information gained during a celebration and learning event for the ecumenical ministry Sept. 26. While the church has 17 active Stephen Ministers and two supervisory Stephen Leaders, it hopes to recruit more to meet growing needs in its community. From left are Dan Gendron, Michael Persons, Betty Jo Zeno, Bud DelCamp and Stephen Ministry Co-Leader Lou Schopfer. Gendron joined the ministry after appreciating the care his late wife received from a Stephen Minister. Photo by John W. Coleman, UM News.

Stephen Ministries marks 50 years of training caregivers

Social Concerns

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi (from left), Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, the Rev. Erica Robinson-Johnson and other faith leaders participate in a public witness for immigrant justice near the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 25. United Methodist leaders are cheering an Oct. 20 U.S. federal appeals court ruling that allows faith groups, including United Methodists, to move forward with a lawsuit to stop a Trump administration policy that allows immigration enforcement within houses of worship. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Court revives suit to block ICE from churches

Mission and Ministry

Once a week, the ShowerUp truck comes to Cookeville First United Methodist Church in Tennessee. The church provides free towels and toiletries so that unhoused guests can clean up and enjoy a free hot lunch during their visit. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Church showers unhoused neighbors with love

General Church

The Rev. Giovanni Arroyo, top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race, gives communion to the Rev. Theon Johnson III, a fellow Connectional Table member and senior pastor of Campbell United Methodist Church in Campbell, Calif., during the Connectional Table’s Oct. 29-30 meeting in Vancouver. The leadership body, which coordinates United Methodist mission and ministry, met just days after the conclusion of the Leadership Gathering in Calgary, Alberta. Photo by Paul Gómez, United Methodist Communications.

Group pushes Leadership Gathering ideas forward

Commentaries

Andrew Q. “Andy” Hendren. Photo courtesy of Wespath.

Clergy get second chance for Social Security

Leadership Gathering should focus on local church

A vision for funding regional conferences

The Rev. Dr. Lloyd T. Nyarota and The Rev. Albert Otshudi Longe. Photos courtesy of the authors.

An invitation to reflect on the denomination’s future

Be brave enough to let the light find you

The Rev. Lindsey B. Freeman. Photo by Adam Bowers.

Walking the journey of calling

This blog appears in the Blogs and Commentaries section of UM News. UM News is a ministry of United Methodist Communications.

Suicide is a public health crisis. How can faith communities respond?

James H. Salley. Photo courtesy of the author.

James Laney had big impact on Africa University

Multimedia

Evangelism

The Rev. Roslyn Lee poses with a costumed Robert Festa, while the Rev. Won Tack Lee snaps a photo. Festa is a volunteer at the Restless Souls Haunted House, a ministry of West Hills United Methodist Church on Long Island, N.Y. Photo by Lilla Margiza, UM News.

Haunted ministry welcomes ‘Restless Souls’

Restless Souls Haunted House is serving up scares with a purpose: See how a collaborative effort by four New York United Methodist churches turns Halloween thrills into a ministry that brings the community together.

Faith Sharing

Happy Thanksgiving from United Methodist News. Psalm 118:24. Photo by Jill Wellington, courtesy of Pixabay; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Social media graphics from UM News

Mission and Ministry

A member of a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Disaster Response Team from Virginia works to clear a flood-damaged home in Western North Carolina during the days following Hurricane Helene in 2024. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

50 years of turning faith into action

Social Concerns

Graphic by Ben Ward, photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Atlanta: Connection across difference

UM News Podcast Season One