Human Rights

Stacey Abrams speaks to the legacy banquet during the United Women in Faith Assembly 2026 in Indianapolis on May 16. Photo by Paul Jeffrey, United Women in Faith.

Church women urged to resist authoritarianism

United Methodists Stacey Abrams and her mother, the Rev. Carolyn Abrams, challenged United Women in Faith to disrupt rollbacks to voting rights. Elizabeth Eckford, one of the Little Rock Nine, also shared her story of bravery in the face of brutality.

Church History

A 1961 map shows the location of churches and the borders of episcopal areas within the Central Jurisdiction, which the Methodist Church established to segregate Black members from the wider church. The union that formed The United Methodist Church in 1968 dissolved the Central Jurisdiction. During the Council of Bishops spring meeting in Jacksonville, Fla., bishops explored the legacy of the Central Jurisdiction as denominational leaders consider changes to the geographic jurisdictional system. Image courtesy of Archives and History.

Lessons from past shape jurisdictions’ future

United Methodist bishops learned more about the legacy of the segregated Central Jurisdiction and history of the jurisdictional system, as leaders contemplate possible changes to that system.

Human Rights

An illustration shows Wesley Chapel, built in 1768 and located in downtown Manhattan. The chapel was the first meeting house of John Street United Methodist Church, the New York City church that grew out of the first Methodist Society in North America and still worships near Wall Street today. The church played a role in balancing civic responsibility in the early days of the U.S. republic and faithfulness to God. Photo courtesy of John Street United Methodist Church.

As US 250th nears, bishops discuss democracy

United Methodist bishops and scholars from around the world examined Christian faith and democracy at the spring Council of Bishops meeting. The discussions came as democracy faces threats around the world.

Faith Stories

Emily Yellin (center), co-author of civil rights leader the Rev. James Lawson Jr.’s memoir, speaks during a book launch Feb. 18 at Woolworth Theatre in Nashville, Tenn. Judge John C. Lawson II, Lawson’s son, is to her right, and to her left is Dennis Dickerson, a historian from Vanderbilt University. Photo by Joe Howell, Vanderbilt University.

Why Lawson selected Yellin as his co-author

The relationship of veteran reporter Emily Yellin with civil rights leader the Rev. James Lawson began when Yellin was 5 years old.

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