UM News Digest - July 16, 2025

UM News Digest - July 16, 2025

Giving Methodist women their due
Ask The UMC: Whom to call for financial help
Responding to flooding across U.S.

“We women … couldn’t be fully validated in our call for exercise of ministry unless it was by other women. We needed to see other women, to experience other women, to hear the stories, to support each other, to encourage each other.” — Bishop Charlene Kammerer.

Holding hands during a service of appreciation for African Americans who stayed in the church despite institutional racism at The United Methodist Church's 2004 General Conference in Pittsburgh are, from left: Anne Marshall, Juanita Bryant, Jerry Ruth Williams, the Rev. Larry Pickens and Bishops Violet L. Fisher and Charlene Kammerer. File photo by Mike DuBose.

Giving Methodist women their due
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — A new book aims to bring Southern Methodist women and their social justice work to the forefront. “Southern Methodist Women and Social Justice: Interracial Activism in the Long Twentieth Century” features profiles of Mary McLeod Bethune, Bishops Leontine T.C. Kelly, Charlene Kammerer and six others. Jim Patterson has the story.

Read story

Learn more about the featured women

Mary McLeod Bethune with some of her pupils in 1905. Bethune, the daughter of former slaves, was a pioneering American educator and civil rights leader. She founded what became the historically Black United Methodist college named in her honor, Bethune-Cookman College (now Bethune-Cookman University). Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress World Digital Library Collection.

Ask The UMC
Need financial assistance? Start here
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — When faced with financial troubles, many reach out to The United Methodist Church for assistance. Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications, fields those requests and offers suggestions for whom people can call when they need help paying for utilities, rent, food, clothing, medical bills, car repairs or other essentials.
Read story

Eastern Pennsylvania, Greater New Jersey conferences
Calling for prayers after Northeast flooding
NORRISTOWN, Pa. — United Methodists are being asked to pray for those affected by flooding in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Some parts of the two states were hit with more than six inches of rain in a few hours on July 14, overwhelming storm water systems and resulting in flash flooding. In a letter, Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi also requests that affected churches contact their district superintendent.
Read letter

Rio Texas Conference
Bishop gives thanks for flood response
SAN ANTONIO — In a video message, Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey offers words of comfort, gratitude and hope following the devastating floods that have affected communities across the Rio Texas Conference. The conference has seen a record participation in early-response team training. Harvey leads both the Rio Texas and Texas conferences.
Watch video
Learn more about response

New Mexico Conference
Conference responds to New Mexico flash floods
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — On June 8, flash floods in Ruidoso and other areas in Lincoln County killed at least three people and damaged an estimated 200 to 400 homes. The New Mexico Conference is working with the Community Foundation of Lincoln County to respond. The conference is also encouraging people to assemble cleaning kits for the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
Assembling UMCOR cleaning kits
Give to UMCOR U.S. Disaster Response

Florida Conference
One AIDS kit left: What bishop witnessed
BO, Sierra Leone — Florida Conference Bishop Tom Berlin recently visited Mercy United Methodist Hospital in Sierra Leone, where he witnessed the real-world impact of potential U.S. aid cuts. The hospital had just a single AIDS test kit on its shelf. He is urging people to call their U.S. senators, who are preparing to vote on the future of USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, and possible cuts to PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The U.S. Senate has moved forward a bill that, so far, spares PEPFAR but continues deep cuts to foreign aid.
Read bishop’s message
Watch video
Reuters: AIDS program funding preserved ahead of US Senate vote

Church and Society
What church says about candidate endorsements
WASHINGTON — In a July 7 federal court filing, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service said houses of worship can endorse political candidates without risking their tax-exempt status. In response, the United Methodist Board of Church and Society clarified that the Social Principles encourage churches to speak out boldly on social issues but not affiliate with any political party.
Read statement

UM News includes in the Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not UM News staff.

Trust clause stands as connectional cornerstone
GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (UM News) — The trust clause has played a pivotal role in preserving The United Methodist Church’s unity, writes the Rev. Dr. Luan-Vu “Lui” Tran. He writes that the clause serves two purposes: legal and theological. Tran, who previously served on the denomination’s Judicial Council, is a pastor, assistant chancellor and assistant South District director in the California-Pacific Conference.
Read commentary

South Georgia Conference
Congregations join for ‘Holy Celebration’
WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The Rev. Jon Brown shares a reflection on a recent bilingual worship service that brought together English- and Spanish-speaking congregations at Warner Robins First United Methodist Church. Altogether 118 people gathered for Una Santa Celebración — a Holy Celebration.
Read commentary

ShareChurch
Training on church finances
LEAWOOD, Kan. — Church leaders can learn about reading financial statements, planning capital improvements and building cultures of generosity during an online workshop from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. U.S. Central time July 24. ShareChurch, a ministry of Resurrection, A United Methodist Church, is hosting “Church Finances: Things You Wish You’d Learned in Seminary.” It will be led by church-finance experts with six-month replay access included. The cost is $49 for an individual or $445 for a host site that can accommodate 10 people.
Learn more
To register