UM News Digest - October 9, 2026

UM News Digest - Oct. 9, 2027

Devastating hailstorm | Lost affiliation | Leadership Gathering

“I am about to retire from ministry; I have never seen this kind of storm my entire life.” — The Rev. Tendai Zimunya, 60, of St. Philip Masvingo United Methodist Church.

Heavy rains accompanied by balls of ice destroyed the roof of Kuziva Stephen Makunike’s home during the Oct. 5 storm that swept through Masvingo town in southeastern Zimbabwe. Photo by Pastor Samuel Maunga, UM News.

Zimbabwe hailstorm destroys churches, homes
MASVINGO, Zimbabwe (UM News) — United Methodists in southeastern Zimbabwe are counting their losses after a severe hailstorm smashed church properties and members’ homes. The storm destroyed seven United Methodist properties and left multiple families homeless. Pastor Samuel Maunga and Eveline Chikwanah have the story.

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The Rev. Rick Vance, top executive of United Methodist Men, speaks during the inaugural meeting of the men’s group on the African continent Dec. 9-11, 2025, at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. File photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News

Men’s group loses United Methodist affiliation
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — United Methodist Men has ended its affiliate relationship with the National Association of Conference Presidents, a fellowship that supports conference men’s ministries. United Methodist Men’s leadership said the move is the result of a dispute about the level of authority the association has under church law. However, leaders of both the general agency and association hold out hope for a restored relationship. Heather Hahn reports.
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United Methodist Communications
How God bridges differences in wartime Ukraine
LVIV, Ukraine — In western Ukraine, displaced youth, lifelong locals, devout believers and honest skeptics share a meal and discover that unity in Christ runs far deeper than denominations and war. People who come to Youth to Jesus are not searching for religiosity. They are hungry for God, and that hunger reveals itself in lively discussions. Karolina Havrylenko reports.
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Dallas County Courts
Court date set in Highland Park case
DALLAS — The civil lawsuit filed by the Horizon Texas Conference over changes to Highland Park United Methodist Church’s governing documents now has a trial date. According to court records, Judge Bridgett Whitmore of the 193rd Civil District Court in Dallas has set Oct. 12, 2027, for a non-jury trial. In the meantime, Highland Park United Methodist has scheduled a town hall this Sunday, Oct. 11.
See court records
UM News: Court cases test United Methodist governance

South Georgia Conference
Church celebrates 275 years of outreach
RINCON, Ga. — Goshen United Methodist Church, located about 35 miles from where John and Charles Wesley first arrived in the American colonies, recently celebrated 275 years of faith, fellowship and service. Dating back to about 1751, the congregation has witnessed generations of Georgia history. It was organized as a Methodist church in 1820. The South Georgia Conference has the story.
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Great Plains Conference
Hamilton returns to Resurrection
LEAWOOD, Kan. — The Rev. Adam Hamilton took a break from his campaign for the U.S. Senate to speak at ShareChurch’s Leadership Institute at Resurrection, a United Methodist Church. Hamilton, Resurrection’s pastor for 27 years and counting, said he has mostly enjoyed the campaign trail, despite political attacks and criticism. “If you don’t want to be criticized, don’t be a leader,” he said. David Burke has the story.
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Central Congo Episcopal Area
Bishop’s son, the Rev. François Lunge, dies
KINSHASA, Congo — The Rev. François Lunge, son of Central Congo Area Bishop Daniel O. Lunge, died Oct. 8 in Kinshasa at age 41 following a brief illness. He served as pastor of Greenwood Memorial United Methodist Church in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and previously led Youth for Christ, part of the United Methodist youth agency, in the West Congo Annual Conference. He had returned to Kinshasa for the placing of the tombstone of his brother, Papy Lunge, who died June 12. He died around 6 a.m. local time, as he was preparing to return to his work in the U.S., according to the Central Congo Episcopal Area’s communications office. United Methodist communicators in the Central Congo Area extend their condolences to Bishop Lunge, his family and all who knew and loved François Lunge.

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.

Leadership Gathering should focus on local church
ABINGDON, Va. (UM News) — United Methodist leaders have benignly neglected local congregations for too long, writes the Rev. Paul Seay. Looking ahead to this month’s United Methodist Council of Bishops Leadership Gathering in Calgary, Canada, the pastor says any effort to revitalize the denomination must focus on local churches.
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