UM News Digest - Aug 12, 2026

UM News Digest - Aug. 12, 2026

Georgia unification | Nigeria training | Prayers for Colombia

“As this decision now becomes a part of our shared story, turn our hearts upon the future you are preparing for us.” — Bishop Robin Dease, praying after delegates voted to unite the North Georgia and South Georgia conferences.

The newly united Georgia Conference will begin operations in January 2027. Maps courtesy of the South Georgia Conference, adapted by UM News

Georgia unification gains final approval
DULUTH, Ga. (UM News) — The United Methodist Church’s Southeastern Jurisdiction has approved the union of the North Georgia and South Georgia conferences. Both missional and financial reasons led to the unification. The newly formed Georgia Conference will begin operations in January 2027 with more than 215,000 members. Heather Hahn reports.

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Bishop Ande I. Emmanuel (right center) prays for graduates of The United Methodist Church’s Technical Training Program during a July 1 ceremony in Jalingo, Nigeria, marking the program’s revival after a two-decade hiatus. Photo by Joseph Dauda Idris, UM News.

Church relaunches technical training in Nigeria
JALINGO, Nigeria (UM News) — After a two-decade pause, The United Methodist Church in Nigeria restarted a program that provides vocational training to young people and offers them funds to help start their own businesses. The program was relaunched under the leadership of Bishop Ande I. Emmanuel, who has placed young people’s economic empowerment at the heart of the church’s mission. The Rev. Filibus Bakari Auta has the story.
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Council of Bishops
A pastoral letter for Colombia
WASHINGTON — Bishop Rubén Saenz Jr., president of the Council of Bishops, has written a pastoral letter in response to the deadly Aug. 10 earthquake in Colombia. It calls United Methodists to prayer and tangible compassion through the work of the United Methodist Committee on Relief. “John Wesley taught that personal holiness and social holiness are bound together — that we cannot love God without also tending to our neighbor’s wounds,” he writes. “In moments like this one, that teaching stops being an idea and becomes a summons: to show up, to give generously, and to accompany those who grieve.”
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Dakotas Conference
Walking in footsteps of American Methodism
MITCHELL, S.D. — United Methodists from the Dakotas and Minnesota conferences traveled through New York City, Philadelphia, Delaware and Baltimore seeking insight from prominent places in Methodist history. The six-day American Methodist Pilgrimage, a partnership with the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History, invited participants to “walk in the steps of Bishop Francis Asbury and other early Methodist leaders” while discovering the places where American Methodism took root. Anna Mutzenberger reports.
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WLOS-ABC
Church helps with free community fridges
FRANKLIN, N.C. — First United Methodist Church Franklin is one of five local partners behind Fresh Access Franklin, a new initiative providing free, solar-powered community fridges for neighbors experiencing food insecurity. The church hosts one of the three refrigerator kiosks on-site and helps keep it stocked with fresh produce, dry goods and other essentials — available around the clock at no cost. Deanna Sipe has the story.
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Christian Century
Sharing pastors across denominations
LA GRANDE, Ore. — Across the Pacific Northwest, rural churches from mainline denominations are combating declining attendance and escalating costs through a novel solution: pastor sharing. “What we’re finding is it’s getting harder to attract clergy to move to rural communities, particularly for part-time positions,” said the Rev. Geoff Helton, a district superintendent in the Pacific Northwest Conference. “We’ve begun, where we can, sharing clergy.” Emma Maple reports.
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Global Ministries
Grants support racial/ethnic leadership, ministries
ATLANTA — Multiethnic Ministries, a joint program of the United Methodist boards of Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry, has announced 10 U.S. conferences as recipients of the 2026 Racial/Ethnic Local Church and Multiethnic Ministries grants. Grants range from $10,000 to $20,000 and focus on programs to develop racial/ethnic leadership and church growth.
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Wespath
Buckler hired to advance church well-being
GLENVIEW, Ill. — The Rev. Jill Buckler has joined Wespath to help lead the development of denomination-wide strategies to advance the holistic well-being of those who serve The United Methodist Church. Buckler’s experience as a pastor, licensed mental health counselor and researcher of clergy well-being positions her to strengthen partnerships and initiatives that support clergy and lay workers across the denomination, the agency said in a press release.
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