UM News: Your official source of comprehensive information and news about The United Methodist Church.

Hungarian camp houses Ukrainian Roma refugees

At the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, about 800,000 refugees crossed through Hungary. The United Methodist Church in Hungary has helped to house hundreds of them, including at a summer camp.

General Church

A large crowd at a June 13 Celebrate UMC-sponsored event at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, rises in applause. Celebrate UMC, which formed in the Alabama-West Florida Conference, is one of a handful of grassroots groups that are making an affirmative case for The United Methodist Church as some congregations decide whether to leave the denomination. Photo courtesy of Celebrate UMC.

Grassroots groups talk up The United Methodist Church

In a season of discussion and action about local church disaffiliation, coalitions such as Stay UMC and Celebrate UMC are challenging what they see as misinformation and making a case for remaining in The United Methodist Church.

Ecumenism

Faith leaders from around the world join together during the closing prayer service for the World Council of Churches' 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany. From right are: The Rev. Heike Springhart of the Evangelical Church in Germany, Bishop Abraham Mar Paulos of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar, Metropolitan Zacariah Mar Nicholovos of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, United Methodist Bishops Sally Dyck and Mary Ann Swenson from the U.S., and the Rev. Hyuk Cho of the United Church of Canada. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

WCC General Assembly closes with call to ‘act for justice’

At the 11th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches, around 3,000 participants from 120 countries met to discuss the future direction of ecumenism.

Annual Conferences

2022 United Methodist annual conference reports

UM News posts the official summaries filed by annual conferences from around the connection. Find the latest reports on our archive page.

Latest News

General Church

Churches discern whether to stay or go

Mission and Ministry

A new outpatient department, funded by a United Methodist Board of Global Ministries grant, houses many departments and consultation rooms at Old Mutare Mission Hospital in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The facelift of the over 100-year-old institution includes a kitchen, a 120-panel solar system and a comfortable indoor waiting area for patients. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

Zimbabwe’s Old Mutare Mission Hospital gets a facelift

Disaster Relief

Two displaced Central African women receive an envelope containing money to buy food. The United Methodist Committee on Relief provided $50,000 to assist nearly 1,000 displaced families from the Central African Republic living in a refugee camp in Limasa, Congo. Photo courtesy of the Eastern Congo disaster management office.

Church helps displaced Central Africans living in Congo

Violence

The Rev. Dr. Tori Butler (right) speaks with the Rev. Dr. Jalene Chase, former Metro Transit police officer in Washington and current pastor of Goshen United Methodist Church in Gaithersburg, Md., about practical ways clergy can maintain their safety. Screengrab from ZOOM via YouTube by UM News.

‘You can holler for your safety because you matter’

Bishops

Bishop Spain, tireless counselor, dies at 96

Bishops

Greater Nhiwatiwa (in purple dress), wife of Bishop Eben K. Nhiwatiwa (left), explains the history and significance of the Chin'ando prayer mountain to bishops attending the Africa College of Bishops retreat held Sept 5-8 at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The bishops released a statement at the close of the retreat calling for unity in The United Methodist Church while condemning traditionalist advocacy groups looking to break up the denomination. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

African bishops call for unity, condemn advocacy groups

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Local Church

Bishop Russell dies at age 96

Evangelism

Participants pray during a service for peace and reunification between South and North Korea at St. Stephan Church in Karlsruhe, Germany, as part of the World Council of Churches' 11th Assembly. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

World Council of Churches works for just peace

Social Concerns

During their online meeting Aug. 26, bishops unanimously affirmed a statement addressing gun violence. To stop the gun violence epidemic in the U.S. and around the globe, bishops are urging United Methodists to raise their prayers to God and contact their elected leaders. Screengrab courtesy of the Council of Bishops via Zoom by UM News.

Bishops call for rejecting ‘idolatry of guns’

Mission and Ministry

Nyasha (with headset), a second grade student in the hard-of-hearing class at Nyadire Primary in Zimbabwe, tries out an auto-hearing machine machine donated to the school by the Northwest District of the Indiana Conference. Also pictured are David Czerwonky (left) with the Wesley Foundation of Purdue University; Janée LaFuze (center), Northwest District lay leader; Ruvarashe, another student; and teacher Everjoy Nyamukapa (far right). During a July 13-Aug. 4 mission trip, visitors from the Northwest District and the Wesley Foundation of Purdue connected with church members in the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area. Photo by Kudzai Chingwe, UM News.

Mission trip strengthens partnership, ministries

General Church

Mpho Raadt (left), digital marketing and sales officer at Africa Upper Room Ministries, talks through an outline for creating a meditation during a writers’ workshop held June 21-22 at Four Points Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. United Methodists were among interfaith leaders who received instruction in writing daily devotions during the two-day training and listening pilgrimage. Photo by Gad Maiga, UM News.

African churchgoers train to write devotionals

Commentaries

Dr. David W. Scott. Photo © Hector Amador.

Political context and the meaning of church

Staying the course with vaccine access

9/11 attacks sparked life change for eyewitness

Faith communities can respond to substance-use epidemic with hope

Kedging our way toward a hopeful future

Church must address property issues in net-zero effort

The Rev. Mel West. Photo courtesy of the author.

My almost-100 years as a Methodist

Hollering for safety

News From UMC Partners

Local Church

Kids helped make baked goods as volunteers from Hampden Highlands United Methodist Church in Hampden, Me., completed 24 mission projects in it's own community during Raya (neighbor) Mission Week. Photo courtesy of the New England Conference.

Church takes mission trip into its own community

Inspired by a United Methodist church in Pennsylvania, Hampden Highlands United Methodist Church in Hampden, Me., set out to do mission projects to assist its neighbors, completing 24 projects, nine more than originally planned. The New England Conference has the story.

Additional Headlines

Local Church

After a devastating fire, many believed Zion United Methodist Church's sanctuary in Las Vegas, Ar., had closed but the church in partnership with Energy Tree, focused on implementing urban agriculture. Graphic by UM News.

Garden ministry grows out of fire's ashes

Young People

When kids came to camp throughout the summer, they were invited to put their name, handprint and year on a canoe. When parents picked up their children, they were also invited to put a donation into the canoe, whether it was change or pop cans or a check. Money raised will go toward the new bathhouse. Photo courtesy of the Northern Skies District.

Camp Michigamme celebrates 100 years

Disaster Relief

A team from Keith Memorial United Methodist Church wears the mud they worked in while pulling out water-logged insulation beneath a mobile home in Norton, Virginia. From left to right: Sarah Williams, Tyler Nash, Chris Anderson, and Terry Stansell. Photo by Melissa Smith, courtesy of the Holston Conference.

United Methodists put 'legs on the prayers'

Church Leadership

When the Rev. Vance Rains suggested suspending origami doves to syfrom First United Methodist Church's sanctuary ceiling, he wasn't sure what to expect. The congregation embraced the idea. Photo courtesy of the Florida Conference.

At church, paper doves send message of hope

Multimedia

Immigration

United Methodist Bishop Christian Alsted prays with Alexandre, who is living in the gymnasium at the Onokivtsi Secondary School near Uzhhorod, Ukraine, after fleeing his home due to the war with Russia. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Photo essay: United Methodists stand with Ukraine

United Methodists in Eastern Europe have been welcoming Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of their country. UM News staff photographer Mike DuBose was part of a team that traveled to Eastern Europe in late May to share stories of United Methodists’ humanitarian ministry.

Immigration