Sexuality

East Africa Area Bishop Daniel Wandabula dedicates the new building of First United Methodist Church Moheto in the Nyanza District of Kenya on July 31. The bishop joined congregants, church leaders and U.S. representatives from Reconciling Ministries Network in celebrating the church’s ministry. In 2019, the church unanimously voted to identify as reconciling — making it the first African congregation to do so. Photo by Gad Maiga, UM News.

Bishop dedicates reconciling church in Kenya

East Africa Area Bishop Daniel Wandabula joined hundreds of congregants in celebrating the new sanctuary for First United Methodist Church Moheto.

Global Health

Faith leaders from around the world discuss HIV issues facing young people at the 24th International AIDS Conference, July 29-Aug. 2 in Montreal. Pictured are (from left) Sr. Crina Cardozo, Human Touch, Goa; The Rev. Canon Gideon Byamugisha, Anglican priest in Uganda; Gibstar Makangila, executive director, Circle of Hope, Zambia; Dr. Susan Hillis, senior technical advisor, Faith and Communities Initiatives, Office of the Global AIDS Ambassador and Health Diplomacy; Gareth Jones, Youth Programme consultant, UNAIDS; Suki Beavers, director, Equality and Rights for All, UNAIDS; and an unidentified man. Photo by Don Messer.

Faith leaders hear of ‘lost ground’ on HIV

24th International AIDS Conference underscores the negative effect COVID-19 and monkeypox are having on efforts to curtail HIV.

Social Concerns

With some congregations considering leaving The United Methodist Church or just wondering about its future, Ask The UMC offers a series of questions and answers to help clear up some common misperceptions or misinformation around disaffiliation. Graphic by Laurens Glass, United Methodist Communications.

Ask The UMC: Is The UMC really... ? (Part 2)

Ask The UMC responds to misinformation being spread about the policies of The United Methodist Church regarding human sexuality and whether they have changed or will soon be changed.

Congregations

The Rev. Jeff Olive, a Texas Conference district superintendent, presides at an Aug. 7 meeting at The Woodlands Methodist Church called to consider disaffiliation. Members of The Woodlands Methodist, in The Woodlands community north of Houston, voted by a 96.3% margin to leave The United Methodist Church. Photo courtesy of The Woodlands Methodist.

Some large Texas churches vote on disaffiliation

The Woodlands Methodist Church and Faithbridge, two large United Methodist churches north of Houston, decide on same day to leave the denomination.

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