faith stories

The Rev. Colleen Bookter, a United Methodist, dances in New Orleans Mardi Gras parades as a member of the dance krewe Sassyracs. “There is nothing like hundreds of thousands of people in the crowd cheering you on and dancing along with you,” she said. Photo by Nkechi Chibueze, courtesy of Bookter.

Pastor dances with joy in Mardi Gras parades

The Rev. Colleen Bookter, a United Methodist pastor, annually marches in New Orleans parades as part of Fat Tuesday festivities. It’s “a chance to be silly and sassy and celebrate community.”

Faith Stories

Athletes with Alaska Pacific University’s Nordic Ski Center practice cross-country skiing ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The United Methodist-related university in Anchorage, Alaska, has a tradition of sending cross-country skiers to the Olympics going back to 1972. Photo courtesy of APU Nordic Ski Center.

United Methodist school brings Olympic glory

Alaska Pacific University, a small college with strong United Methodist ties, is sending nine cross-country skiers to the 2026 Winter Games. The university also has a commitment to Alaska Native students.

Local Church

Brick by brick, persistent pastor builds own church

After decades worshipping under a tree in Zimbabwe, United Methodist congregation gets permanent sanctuary constructed by local pastor and his family.

Faith Stories

Fictional characters including Superman and Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” have been identified as Methodist over the years. A new novel, “The Deliverance of Barker McRae,” features a fictional character based on 19th-century Methodist circuit preacher Lorenzo Dow (pictured at right). Also pictured (from left) are actors Kirk Alyn, who played Superman in the 1940s, and Gregory Peck as Finch in the 1962 film “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Movie stills courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and Dow photo courtesy of the “Encyclopedia of World Methodism.”

‘Crazy Lorenzo’ joins other fictional Methodists

A novel by a graduate of United Methodist Candler School of Theology features a woman searching for her father, who is based on an eccentric 19th century preacher.

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