Be the change!

Bishop Gregory Palmer urged the congregation at Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, DC to “be the change you want to see.” The Baltimore-Washington Conference has taken the quote from Gandhi as their theme during the inauguration of Barack Obama. About 40 churches in the conference are opening their doors to show “radical hospitality” to the millions flooding into the city. At Foundry, more than 90 United Methodists from New Jersey, Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, Iowa and Georgia are sleeping on the Sunday school classroom floors. At the moment, they are enjoying oven baked chicken, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables and chocolate cake in their red, white and blue decorated fellowship hall. Watching over them is a life-size cardboard cut-out of a smiling Obama. As one young man said, “I’m here to see history.” United Methodist News Service will be in DC throughout the MLK holiday and inauguration, stay tuned for more details.


Like what you're reading? Support the ministry of UM News! Your support ensures the latest denominational news, dynamic stories and informative articles will continue to connect our global community. Make a tax-deductible donation at ResourceUMC.org/GiveUMCom.

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now
General Church
The Rev. Paul T. Stallsworth. Photo by Krystal Baker.

Getting beyond the traditionalism of liberalism

Pastor urges United Methodist leaders to take tradition seriously when they meet for the Leadership Gathering in October.
Social Concerns
Tammy Evans. Photo courtesy of the author.

An upswell of joy

Decades after enduring painful events as a closeted teen, writer Tammy Evans recounts feeling buoyed by her United Methodist pastor celebrating Pride.
Human Rights
The Rev. Christopher P. Momany. Photo by Kristen Schell.

On human dignity: People are ends in themselves

The teaching in Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical has strong similarities with the ideas that drove the abolitionist movement in America.

United Methodist Communications is an agency of The United Methodist Church

©2026 United Methodist Communications. All Rights Reserved