UM News Digest - May 11, 2026

UM News Digest - May 11, 2026

Exploring ‘Sacred Ground’ • Scripture podcast evolves • Unusual path to confirmation

“The more you look, the more you see. The more you listen, the more you hear.” — The Rev. Laurie Bayen, on exploring God’s bounty in nature through the Sacred Ground app.

The Rev. Laurie Bayen (left) reads the Sermon on the Mount from an Indigenous version of the New Testament while standing alongside the Laguna de Santa Rosa, a 22-mile-long wetland in Sebastopol, Calif., that was once inhabited by the Southern Pomo and Coast Miwok people, during a field trip for the Sacred Ground program. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Connecting with creation on Sacred Ground
SEBASTOPOL, Calif. (UM News) — The Rev. Laurie Bayen, who leads Windsor Community United Methodist Church in Sonoma County, has launched a mobile walking/spirituality app to spotlight creation care and Indigenous history and to encourage action. While current field trips focus mostly on northern California, Sacred Ground is expanding to new regions. Jane DuBose has the story, and Mike DuBose has photos.

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Denise Newkirk scans for wildlife during a Sacred Ground field trip to Tolay Lake Regional Park. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Denise Newkirk scans for wildlife during a Sacred Ground field trip to Tolay Lake Regional Park near Petaluma, Calif. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

A creek winds through reclaimed wetlands at Tolay Lake Regional Park. The park is featured on the Sacred Ground app. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

The Rev. Laurie Bayen (left rear) shares her love of the outdoors during a field trip for the Sacred Ground project at Tolay Lake Regional Park near Petaluma, Calif. Seated from left are Barbara Thompson, Cheryl LaSalle and Denise Newkirk. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

South Carolina Conference
Podcast evolves but keeps Bible focus
SIMPSONVILLE. S.C. — A popular Christian podcast has shifted to a video format in the hopes of broadening its audience and reaching even more people with open discussions about God’s word. The Rev. Joe Cate, a South Carolina United Methodist pastor, started “Sunday Scripture Podcast” more than a decade ago. “My favorite episode so far was an NFL-style draft of the books of the Bible,” he said. Jessica Brodie reports.
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Watch podcast

Alabama-West Florida Conference
An unusual path to confirmation
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Gabriel Pass’ story has never followed an ordinary path. He was born with a form of cerebral palsy that left him with the inability to walk or speak. He also began his life in foster care. His adoptive parents and the leaders at First United Methodist Church in Montgomery found a way for him to undergo confirmation and live into the promises of baptism. Mary Catherine Phillips has the story.
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California-Nevada Conference
New group intends to bridge divides
FRESNO, Calif. — The California-Nevada Conference is inviting United Methodist congregations from across California’s Central Valley to join a new effort to build a nonpartisan, ecumenical organization that aims to improve community life. United San Joaquin was born from a vision shared by five institutions, including Wesley United Methodist Church in Fresno. Manju Peter has the story.
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Dakotas Conference
Church member shares 30-day devotional
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — While leaning on her playlist of songs during a rough patch in her life, Mikaela Ekobena was inspired to use it to write a book of devotions. The member of Sunnycrest United Methodist Church noted the Scriptures related to the songs and wrote one devotional a day. Each reflection is based on her experience and voice as a layperson. The 30-day devotional is available in print and on Kindle. Doreen Gosmire reports.
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Wespath
Pension program gets new name
GLENVIEW, Ill. — Wespath announces that the Central Conference Pensions program is renamed Connectional Pension Support. The name change reflects the significant regionalization structural change within The United Methodist Church and reaffirms the program’s connectional, worldwide mission. The program helps provide a steady source of retirement income for about 3,700 clergy and surviving spouses and surviving children in the regional conferences outside the U.S. — across Africa, the Philippines and Europe.
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Learn more about Connectional Pension Support

Reconciling Ministries Network
Atlanta pastor named advocacy group head
CHICAGO — Reconciling Ministries Network announces that the Rev. Andromeda “Andi” Woodworth will be the next executive director of the advocacy group that champions LGBTQ equality in church life. Woodworth, a United Methodist elder, founding co-pastor of Neighborhood Church in Atlanta and trans leader, will step into the role on June 1.
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Emory University
AME scholar becomes Candler’s dean
ATLANTA — The Rev. Terrence L. Johnson, director of religion and public life and Charles G. Adams Professor of African American Religious Studies at Harvard Divinity School, has been appointed the next Mary Lee Hardin Willard Dean of Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. A theologian and elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Johnson will begin his five-year term on Aug. 1. Candler is one of 13 U.S. United Methodist seminaries.
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