Politics

The Rev. Rachel Cornwell, wearing glasses at center, joins with the Rev. Donna Claycomb Sokol, wearing a clerical collar at left, and other D.C.-area pastors in a time of prayer and protest on Ash Wednesday on Capitol Hill. The gathering was organized by Repairers of the Breach, led by Bishop William J. Barber II, who called on faith leaders to stand together in prayer and moral resistance against injustice. United Methodist churches in the U.S. capital and beyond are doing what they can to help federal workers, contractors and others affected by the cuts and layoffs led by the Trump administration, some of which federal courts have already paused. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Rachel Cornwell, Dumbarton United Methodist Church.

Churches confront mass federal layoffs

Pastoral care, prayer and protests are some of the ways United Methodist congregations are supporting church members and others affected by the Trump administration’s drastic cuts.

Social Concerns

Young people hold a banner during a rally for peace in Kindu, Congo, in early February. Behind them, United Methodist clergy and other young people march to demand peace in eastern Congo, where fighting between M23 rebels and the Congolese army has escalated in recent months. Photo by Chadrack Tambwe Londe, UM News.

Churches multiply peace initiatives in eastern Congo

United Methodists join with other religious groups to seek lasting solutions to insecurity in the region, while young people rally for peace.

Immigration

United Methodists have joined with Christian and Jewish groups in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security seeking to reverse the Trump administration’s policy allowing ICE to raid houses of worship. The religious groups say the policy is an intrusion on their ministry and worship. Image by Sergei Tokmakov, Esq., courtesy of Pixabay.

United Methodists join suit against Trump policy

United Methodists are among the Christian and Jewish bodies suing to prevent ICE agents from intruding on their ministry with immigrants and their worship.

Social Concerns

United Methodists in North Carolina and beyond say it’s important for Christians with opposing political views to seek common ground. That’s the idea behind the Western North Carolina Conference’s Purple Church Initiative, which aims to foster dialogue between conservative and progressive church members. Church image by Steven Kyle Adair; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Looking for middle ground in a divisive era

As President Trump returns to office, some United Methodists are preparing to respond to new policies on immigration, while others are hoping common ground is still possible among politically diverse members.

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