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The Rev. Godfrey Gaga (right,) Malawi Provisional Conference superintendent, removes the ribbon from the door of Annie Katumbi’s new home in Ngabu Village in Chikwawa, Malawi. The house was built as part of the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s Phase 2 recovery efforts after Cyclone Freddy devastated the area in 2023. Photo by Francis Nkhoma, UM News.

3 years after cyclone, recovery continues in Malawi

Phase 2 of the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s Cyclone Freddy recovery initiative is delivering long-term shelter, clean water and agricultural support across cyclone-affected districts.

Editor's Picks

Bishops

Bishops urged to pray God’s future into being

Council of Bishops President Rubén Saenz Jr. preached about the power of the Lord’s Prayer as the bishops joined online for their first meeting since the Leadership Gathering offered ideas for The United Methodist Church of tomorrow.

Faith Stories

The Rev. Francis O. Lunge, pastor of Greenwood Memorial United Methodist Church in Dorchester, Mass., died on Oct. 8 at the age of 41. Photo courtesy of the Lunge family.

Pastor remembered as humble leader devoted to youth, justice

The Rev. Francis Onusamba Lunge, a United Methodist pastor in Massachusetts and son of Bishop Daniel Lunge, died Oct. 8 at age 41. Those who knew him remember his faithfulness, love for youth ministry and commitment to justice.

Ecumenism

Stephen Ministers from First United Methodist Church of Haddonfield, N.J., discuss how to share and use information gained during a celebration and learning event for the ecumenical ministry Sept. 26. While the church has 17 active Stephen Ministers and two supervisory Stephen Leaders, it hopes to recruit more to meet growing needs in its community. From left are Dan Gendron, Michael Persons, Betty Jo Zeno, Bud DelCamp and Stephen Ministry Co-Leader Lou Schopfer. Gendron joined the ministry after appreciating the care his late wife received from a Stephen Minister. Photo by John W. Coleman, UM News.

Stephen Ministries marks 50 years of training caregivers

The ecumenical ministry is hosting nationwide training events to equip church members, including United Methodists, to provide one-on-one support to people facing life’s challenges.

Latest News

Annual Conferences

The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia has stopped a lawsuit by 33 United Methodist congregations over property. In the meantime, the West Virginia Conference says it remains committed to supporting the churches. Photo by J. Alex Wilson, courtesy of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.

State supreme court blocks church-property suit

General Church

Korean Methodist President Bishop Chungsuk Kim (left) thanks United Methodist Bishop Lanette Plambeck (right) for attending the Korean Methodist Church’s 37th General Conference and for her gift of a wooden bishop’s staff shaped like a crane’s head and curved neck. At center is the Rev. Byung-bae Hwang, general secretary of the Korean Methodist Church’s mission board. Photo by the Rev. Thomas E. Kim, UM News.

Bishop’s visit strengthens ties with Korean Methodists

Social Concerns

At left, Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, a member of Ben Hill United Methodist Church in Atlanta, celebrates winning Georgia's race for governor during an election night rally Nov. 3 in Atlanta. She is the first Black woman to be elected governor of a U.S. state. At right, the Rev. Adam Hamilton, senior pastor of Resurrection, The United Methodist Church’s largest U.S. congregation, celebrates his victory in Kansas’ Senate race at a watch party Nov. 3 in Overland Park, Kan. Hamilton will be the first Democratic senator from the state in nearly a century. Bottoms photo by REUTERS/Taylor Edgerton; Hamilton photo by Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

United Methodists win big in midterms

Connectional Table

The Rev. Giovanni Arroyo, top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race, gives communion to the Rev. Theon Johnson III, a fellow Connectional Table member and senior pastor of Campbell United Methodist Church in Campbell, Calif., during the Connectional Table’s Oct. 29-30 meeting in Vancouver. The leadership body, which coordinates United Methodist mission and ministry, met just days after the conclusion of the Leadership Gathering in Calgary, Alberta. Photo by Paul Gómez, United Methodist Communications.

Group pushes Leadership Gathering ideas forward

Faith Stories

The Rev. Alfred T. “Fred” Day III speaks about the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Church on May 17 during the 2016 United Methodist General Conference in Portland, Ore. Day, former top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History, died Oct. 29 after a short illness. He was 75. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Beloved historian Rev. Fred Day dies at 75

Mission and Ministry

Living the vision

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Local Church

Once a week, the ShowerUp truck comes to Cookeville First United Methodist Church in Tennessee. The church provides free towels and toiletries so that unhoused guests can clean up and enjoy a free hot lunch during their visit. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Church showers unhoused neighbors with love

Evangelism

The Rev. Eric Kalumba Nkulu, a Global Ministries missionary assigned as a church planter in Madagascar, receives the first stone of a new United Methodist church building from a local construction worker in Sambava, Madagascar. The church will be home to a growing congregation in the northern part of the country. Photo by Rosette Viviane, UM News.

New churches take root in Madagascar

Social Concerns

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi (from left), Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, the Rev. Erica Robinson-Johnson and other faith leaders participate in a public witness for immigrant justice near the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Feb. 25. United Methodist leaders are cheering an Oct. 20 U.S. federal appeals court ruling that allows faith groups, including United Methodists, to move forward with a lawsuit to stop a Trump administration policy that allows immigration enforcement within houses of worship. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Court revives suit to block ICE from churches

Mission and Ministry

Holding a banner for the Bishop Richard Allen Way street renaming celebration Oct. 7 at Historic St. George’s United Methodist Church in Philadelphia are (from left): the Rev. Carolyn Cavaness, pastor of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church; Yvonne Studevan, an Allen descendant; AME Bishop Samuel Lawrence Green Sr.; United Methodist Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi; and the Rev. William Wilson Sr., pastor of St. George’s. Surrounding them are other descendants and members of the Prince Hall Masons lodge named for Bishop Allen. Photo by John W. Coleman, UM News.

United Methodists help honor AME Church founder

General Church

The United Methodist Church is increasing its efforts to make “values-based” investments that contribute positively to the world, according to a new report from FaithInvest. “Good Intentions 2026: What Faiths Say about How They Invest — and How They Can Do More” offers an in-depth analysis of the fast-growing faith investment sector. Photo by Zetong Li, courtesy of Unsplash; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Church should boost values-based investing, report says

Commentaries

Andrew Q. “Andy” Hendren. Photo courtesy of Wespath.

Clergy get second chance for Social Security

Leadership Gathering should focus on local church

A vision for funding regional conferences

The Rev. Dr. Lloyd T. Nyarota and The Rev. Albert Otshudi Longe. Photos courtesy of the authors.

An invitation to reflect on the denomination’s future

Be brave enough to let the light find you

The Rev. Lindsey B. Freeman. Photo by Adam Bowers.

Walking the journey of calling

This blog appears in the Blogs and Commentaries section of UM News. UM News is a ministry of United Methodist Communications.

Suicide is a public health crisis. How can faith communities respond?

James H. Salley. Photo courtesy of the author.

James Laney had big impact on Africa University

Multimedia

Evangelism

The Rev. Roslyn Lee poses with a costumed Robert Festa, while the Rev. Won Tack Lee snaps a photo. Festa is a volunteer at the Restless Souls Haunted House, a ministry of West Hills United Methodist Church on Long Island, N.Y. Photo by Lilla Margiza, UM News.

Haunted ministry welcomes ‘Restless Souls’

Restless Souls Haunted House is serving up scares with a purpose: See how a collaborative effort by four New York United Methodist churches turns Halloween thrills into a ministry that brings the community together.

Faith Sharing

Happy Thanksgiving from United Methodist News. Psalm 118:24. Photo by Jill Wellington, courtesy of Pixabay; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Social media graphics from UM News

Mission and Ministry

A member of a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Disaster Response Team from Virginia works to clear a flood-damaged home in Western North Carolina during the days following Hurricane Helene in 2024. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

50 years of turning faith into action

Social Concerns

Graphic by Ben Ward, photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Atlanta: Connection across difference

UM News Podcast Season One