UM News Digest - June 24, 2026

UM News Digest - June 24, 2026

Kicking out HIV | Hmong church chartered | A not-so-calm address

“The reason why we have chosen soccer is that the rate of HIV among youths is high. Youth are the most vulnerable, and we have to mobilize them.” — The Rev. Faustino Duku Stephen, dean of superintendents for the Uganda-South Sudan Conference.

Children compete in a United Methodist Church-hosted soccer tournament at the Imvepi refugee camp in Uganda. The initiative, supported by a grant from the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, is aimed at raising awareness about HIV and AIDS in refugee communities, especially among young people. Photo by Asiki Felix.

Children compete in a United Methodist Church-hosted soccer tournament at the Imvepi refugee camp in Uganda. Photo by Asiki Felix.

Church uses soccer to ‘kick out HIV’
ARUA, Uganda (UM News) — As World Cup fever heats up, a United Methodist ministry is using soccer tournaments as a tool for voluntary HIV testing. The campaign, supported by a $60,000 grant from the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, aims to break barriers and reduce stigma in refugee settlements. The Rev. Juma Denis Daniel and Kudzai Chingwe have the story.

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Lab technician Arike Joel (right) conducts HIV testing during a soccer tournament hosted by The United Methodist Church at Imvepi Settlement in Arua, Uganda. Photo by Juma Denis Daniel, UM News.

California-Nevada Conference
New Hmong church chartered in California
FRESNO, Calif. — The California-Nevada Conference has chartered a new congregation, Hmong United Methodist Church in Fresno. The church began as a language ministry at Clovis Memorial United Methodist Church. The congregation started with 69 adults transferred from Clovis Memorial, 54 members taken in by profession of faith, and an additional 38 youth and young adults and 40 children. The California-Nevada Conference has the story.
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Florida Conference
Bishop rebukes ‘unholy ghosts’ afflicting faith
LAKELAND, Fla. — Bishop LaTrelle M. Easterling, who leads the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware conferences, preached at the licensing, commissioning and ordination service that concluded the Florida Annual Conference. “There are unholy ghosts afoot,” she warned. “Falsely fusing Christianity with national identity, purporting a power and selection that God did not give to create a world order that God does not bless is an unholy ghost.” Joe Henderson reports.
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The Spokesman-Review
Longtime church pianist plays final notes
SPOKANE, Wash. — For more than 75 years, Joanne Brown has filled the sanctuary of Moran United Methodist Church in Spokane with music — all without ever taking a formal piano lesson. Now 86, she’s preparing to play her final notes before moving to be close to family. Cindy Hval has the story.
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UnifyingForImpact.org
Website offers updates on agency unification
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Four agencies of The United Methodist Church working toward unification have launched a website to serve as the central source of information and updates on the proposal. The boards of Discipleship Ministries, Higher Education and Ministry, Global Ministries and United Methodist Communications are proposing to unite into a single connectional ministry agency. UnifyingForImpact.org stems from the agencies’ commitment to be transparent and offer clarity throughout the process.
Read press release
See UnifyingForImpact.org
UM News: 4 church agencies propose unifying into one

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.

A not-so-calm address on America’s 250th
MADISON, N.J. — A bit over 250 years ago, John Wesley wrote “A Calm Address to Our American Colonies.” It was the Methodism founder’s attempt to persuade the restless colonists not to rebel against Great Britain. Dr. Ashley Boggan and the Rev. Andy Oliver examine what Wesley’s warnings against false liberty, propaganda, rupture and moral decay mean for United Methodists today.
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Council of Bishops
2 ecumenical opportunities available
WASHINGTON — The Council of Bishops provides a scholarship each year for one young adult to study for six months at the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Institute at Bossey in Switzerland. The scholarship application for the 2027-2028 academic year is now available. Churches Uniting in Christ also has released an application to join its 2026-2027 young adult cohort to train U.S. residents in the ecumenical and interreligious movement.
See Council of Bishops application (PDF)
See Churches Uniting in Christ application (PDF)

Baltimore-Washington Conference
Resources for welcoming DeafBlind people
WASHINGTON — DeafBlind Awareness Week is June 25 to July 1. The Rev. Leo Yates Jr., the Baltimore-Washington Conference’s accessibility and inclusion coordinator, has put together a PowerPoint to help churches know how to welcome and fully include DeafBlind people in its ministries.
See resource