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General Church
The United Methodist Mission in Honduras ordained its first three elders since its founding in 1997. In the photo, the bishops present lay hands on María Magdalena Zelaya Cruz. From left: Bishop Lizzette Gabriel Montalvo, Bishop Juan de Dios Peña, Bishop Emeritus José Roberto Peña Nazario, Bishop Juan Miguel Simpson Bennett, and Bishop Rubén Sáenz Jr. Photo by the Rev. Gustavo Vásquez, UM News.

United Methodists ordain first elders in Honduras
“This is historic for Methodism in Latin America,” says Bishop Rubén Sáenz Jr., episcopal leader of the United Methodist Mission in Honduras.
Faith Stories
Ethiopian Episcopal Church Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana (in black) congratulates 102-year-old Janet Gowe (seated) on the realization of her decades-long dream for a United Methodist church in her farm community of Murewa, Zimbabwe. United Methodist Bishop Gift K. Machinga (left) led the dedication of Hoyuyu United Methodist Church’s Nzira Sanctuary on May 25. At right is Kingston Kajese, Gowe’s son, who spearheaded the construction of the sanctuary. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

102-year-old church planter fulfills sanctuary dream
After more than three decades of pushing to have a permanent United Methodist church built in her Zimbabwe community, a mother’s dream became reality.
Church Leadership
Bishop David Graves commissions the Rev. Shadreck Kagoro alongside four other provisional elders at the Alabama-West Florida Annual Conference in June. The Lewis Center for Church Leadership has released its annual report on clergy ages. With 6.5% of its elders under the age of 35, the Alabama-West Florida Conference is tied for 10th this year among the denomination’s 53 U.S. conferences in its percentage of young elders. Photo by Luke Lucas, Alabama-West Florida Conference.

Church exits influence clergy age trends
In its latest study of United Methodist clergy, the Lewis Center for Church Leadership discusses the impact of disaffiliations.
Discipleship
Mission leaders and guests from the U.S. and Korea gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of United Methodist ministry in Mongolia during the Mongolian Mission Initiative’s annual gathering on Oct. 3. Photo courtesy of the Asia Regional Office, United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.

Celebrating 20 years of mission in Mongolia
The Mongolia mission, initiated by the Korean United Methodist Church in 2003, now has 12 United Methodist churches, two mission centers and various outreach ministries serving the Mongolian community.

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