Congregations

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

Discrimination at a prominent D.C. church led two African American congregations to break away in the 1800s. Now the three are reconnecting.

Local Church

This is Burley Middle School in Charlottesville, Va., where the nondenominational church Mission Charlottesville meets on Sundays. UM News photo.

New Charlottesville church draws suspicions

Pastors of nearby churches claim a new church plant is associated with traditionalist United Methodist-connected organizations and is intended to compete with them. Representatives for the organizations deny this, as do church leaders.

General Church

The Rev. Nyenda Okoko (center), a district superintendent, leads a procession of church members as they welcome visitors to Oye United Methodist Church, south of Kindu, Congo, in October 2015. Providing exact membership numbers is difficult in a denomination that spans multiple countries, languages and cultural understandings of church membership. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

How accurate are church membership numbers?

Denominational membership data comes with uncertainty. There are very good reasons why.

Local Church

Coy United Methodist Church in Preston, Miss., is among seven Mississippi congregations that left the denomination on June 30. Photo courtesy of the Mississippi Conference.

7 Mississippi churches exit denomination

Debates around sexuality caused his church to ‘lose focus,’ says one Mississippi pastor whose congregation is leaving The United Methodist Church.

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