Northern Illinois Annual Conference

Josephine Kwamboka, 12, fetches water from a tap installed by First United Methodist Church of Moheto, Kenya. Prior to the installation of the well, children traveled great distances each day to find water in streams and ponds. Waterborne illnesses have decreased significantly since the well was drilled. Photo by Gad Maiga, UM News.

Kenyan church provides clean, safe water

Today, some 2,000 community members, including 500 pupils at Moheto Primary School, benefit from a borehole project in rural Kenya.

General Church

Christine Dodson asks a question at the General Council on Finance and Administration board meeting on July 18 in Dallas. Dodson serves as vice president of GCFA’s board and is treasurer of the North Carolina Conference. She and fellow board members discussed reduced giving across the church since General Conference 2019, a contentious event that underscored the church’s divisions over how accepting to be of homosexuality. Photo by Sam Hodges, UM News.

Apportionment collection rates down after GC2019

Denomination’s finance agency reports declines in giving through June across the seven general church funds.

Social Concerns

The ordination and commissioning service at the Northern Illinois Conference at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center in Schaumburg, Ill., on Sunday, June 2, 2019. The conference ordained two deacons and seven elders, including an openly transgender deacon. Four were commissioned as provisional deacons, including two openly LGBTQ candidates. Two candidates were commissioned as provisional elders. Video image courtesy of Northern Illinois Conference livestream.

Two US conferences ordain, commission LGBTQ clergy

Defying the 2019 General Conference votes, at least two U.S. conferences featured the ordination or commissioning of openly transgender and LBGTQ candidates.

General Church

The singing of "This Little Light of Mine" opens a Feb. 22 gathering on the eve of the 2019 General Conference that featured openly gay delegates and others supporting full inclusion of LGBTQ people in The United Methodist Church. The Rev. Jay Williams (center) led the singing and also moderated a panel discussion. Photo by Kathleen Barry, UMNS.

LGBTQ voices heard at pre-GC event

Forum features openly gay delegates assessing One Church Plan and other legislative options.

Sign up for our newsletter!

UMNEWS-SUBSCRIPTION