Local Church

General Church
The Rev. Christopher T. McAlilly prays during morning worship Oct. 22 at the United Methodist Leadership Gathering at Knox United Church in Calgary, Canada. Participants spent their second full day together moving from naming the realities facing The United Methodist Church to reflecting on practices to help it thrive. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Gathering explores new practices for church

Participants at the Council of Bishops Leadership Gathering spent their second full day together moving from naming the realities facing The United Methodist Church to reflecting on ways to help it thrive.
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.
Church Leadership
Bishop Ande I. Emmanuel (second from left) and other episcopal leaders try out the newly acquired motorcycles at a handover ceremony in Jalingo, Nigeria. Built to handle rugged terrain, the vehicles will make it possible to reach isolated villages to plant churches, win souls and support pastoral work more effectively. Photo by Joseph Dauda Idris Balasa, UM News.

Motorcycles strengthen ministry in rural Nigeria

United Methodist Bishop Ande I. Emmanuel presented 48 motorcycles to district superintendents in the Nigeria Episcopal Area to ease travel challenges.
General Church
A multigenerational choir and praise band help lead worship Oct. 4 at the 100th anniversary celebration of First United Methodist Church in Portland, Texas, a city on the Gulf Coast. The church offers an example of the growing number of professions of faith through confirmation that U.S. United Methodist churches saw last year. Photo by George Banda, Rio Texas Conference.

Amid decline, US professions of faith rise

The United Methodist Church continued to see its U.S. membership slide in 2025. But data collected by the denomination’s administrative agency also shows signs of growth.

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