United Methodist News Service

"Your official source of comprehensive information and news about The United Methodist Church"

Top Story

Retired United Methodist pastor Martin Thielen reaches out to skeptics and struggling Christians, offering help and solidarity through his website, Doubter’s Parish. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Martin Thielen.

Retired pastor starts online ‘Doubter’s Parish’

After setting United Methodist church work aside, the Rev. Martin Thielen reaches out to skeptics and struggling Christians, offering help and solidarity.

Editor's Picks

Social Concerns

Displaced people, including United Methodists, from Mutwangwa and Eringeti villages arrive in Beni, Congo, after fleeing an attack by insurgents. Twenty-five civilians, including seven United Methodists, were killed in the Dec. 31 massacre. Photo by Philippe Kituka Lolonga, UM News.

United Methodists killed in Congo massacre

Seven United Methodists from two families were among at least 25 killed in the latest violence in this East Congo territory, according to the Beni District superintendent.

General Church

The Rev. Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, a General Conference delegate from the California-Nevada Conference, speaks during the last day of the 2019 special General Conference in St. Louis. The Commission on the General Conference met online in December to discuss planning for the General Conference postponed by COVID-19. File photo by Paul Jeffrey, UM News.

Grappling with postponed General Conference

Organizers of The United Methodist Church’s top legislative body have decided not to reopen the petition process but have set a timeline for dealing with postponement.

Social Concerns

Supporters of President Donald Trump storm into the U.S. Capitol in Washington after clashing with police to protest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results by Congress on Jan. 6. Photo by Shannon Stapleton, REUTERS.

Assault on US Capitol dismays United Methodists

Church members both near and far were disturbed by the actions of a mob that forced its way into the Capitol.

Latest

Social Concerns

The Rev. Susanne Nießner-Brose (right) listens while a 27-year-old Sudanese woman who asked that she be called Fatima relates her story of fleeing Sudan to seek religious freedom in Europe. She was taking asylum in 2017 at the United Methodist Church of the Redeemer in Bremen, Germany, where Nießner-Brose is pastor, and was later accepted as a refugee. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

A less welcoming place for refugees

Mission and Ministry

A man receives help from the Miss Stone Center. Despite the many challenges of 2020, the leaders and workers of the Miss Stone Center in Strumica, a diaconal facility of The United Methodist Church in North Macedonia, were able to care for more than 200 people without interruption. Photo by Christina Cekov, Strumica.

North Macedonia ministry provides hope during pandemic

Local Church

A view of the United States House of Representatives chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

31 United Methodists serve in 117th Congress

General Church

Munashe Furusa speaks during the 25th anniversary celebration for Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, in 2017. Furusa, the school’s vice chancellor, died Jan. 13. He was 59. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Africa University vice chancellor Furusa dies

Church Leadership

Kirbyjon Caldwell leads a Bible study at Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston in 2011. Caldwell was sentenced Jan. 13, 2021, to six years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a $3.5 million investment scheme. Caldwell, who has made restitution of more than $4 million to victims of the scheme, apologized for his conduct during the sentencing hearing in federal court in Shreveport, La. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Former megachurch pastor gets 6 years in prison

Sign up for our newsletter!

umnews-subscriptions

Help us celebrate the Power of Communication!

This essential work requires financial support. If you believe in our mission, consider a tax-deductible donation of $8-$80-$800 to the work of United Methodist Communications through its Foundation.