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Bishops
Retired Bishop José Gamboa Jr. served as the first resident bishop of the Davao Episcopal Area in the southern Philippines. He died Dec. 22 at age 97. Photo courtesy of Union Theological Seminary.
Retired Bishop José Gamboa Jr. served as the first resident bishop of the Davao Episcopal Area in the southern Philippines. He died Dec. 22 at age 97. Photo courtesy of Union Theological Seminary.

Bishop Gamboa remembered as humble shepherd
e educator and trailblazing United Methodist leader pioneered mission in the Philippines’ Davao Episcopal Area. Gamboa died Dec. 22 at age 97.

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Local Church
Volunteer Kalvin Davis helps a family select a tree from the artificial “tree farm” at Faith Community Church of Coopersville, Michigan, a United Methodist congregation. Video image by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Artificial tree farm brings joy to families with special needs
United Methodist ministry provides a unique experience for families living with sensory issues, allergies or physical disabilities.
Evangelism
Edward L. Massaquoi broadcasts on ELUM, The United Methodist Church's radio station in Monrovia, Liberia, in 2017. Massaquoi was among more than 40 communicators from across Africa and the Philippines who gathered Nov. 18-20 for the United Methodist Broadcast Network annual meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, as the network celebrated its 10th anniversary. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Broadcast network marks decade of amplifying Gospel
United Methodist Broadcast Network celebrates growth and achievements at 10-year anniversary gathering.
Local Church
Lisa Bowser (left), lay leader of Marshallton United Methodist Church in West Chester, Pa., speaks with Christian Boehnke as church members Neal Bowser and Jonah Eckert work in the background to renovate a disability access ramp at St. John United Methodist Church in Bridgeton, N.J. St. John is the fifth-oldest historically Native American church in the denomination. The two congregations have been sharing in ministry and fellowship since 2024 as part of Marshallton’s efforts to address racial injustice toward Indigenous people its area. Photo by David Eckert.

Church addresses historic injustice to Indigenous neighbors
A white Pennsylvania congregation has adopted a land acknowledgment statement and is walking alongside a Native American church in ministry and fellowship.

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Bishops
Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton gives the sermon during opening worship for the 2024 United Methodist General Conference in Charlotte, N.C. Bickerton, who was Council of Bishops president from 2022 to 2024, is among four bishops working with a task force that is examining the workload and number of U.S. bishops with plans to make recommendations that ultimately go before the 2028 General Conference. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Group zeroes in on number, work of US bishops
United Methodist Men
(From left) Steven Scheid, director of the Center for Scouting Ministries for United Methodist Men, receives communion from Bishop L. Jonathan Holston, who leads the North Alabama and Alabama-West Florida conferences, and Bishop Nelson Kalombo Ngoy of the Tanganyika Episcopal Area. The communion service was part of a meeting held Dec. 9-11 by the Commission on United Methodist Men at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. About 30 men gathered to discuss how to grow men’s ministry on the continent. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

Equipping men in Africa to make disciples
Faith Stories
This year, United Methodists mourned the passing of the bishop behind a popular Bible study, a cowboy turned preacher, the first Native American woman to be a United Methodist elder, and the last surviving World War II flying ace. Candle image by Gerd Altmann, courtesy of Pixabay; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

2025: Remembering United Methodists of note
Immigration
In a Nativity scene at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church in Dallas, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus are depicted being held in a detention center, as a protest of how immigrants are being treated in the United States. “We feel it’s important to depict the parallel of what’s happening in our world with what we understand to have been happening in the biblical story of the birth of Jesus,” said the Rev. Rachel Griffin-Allison, senior pastor of Oak Lawn. Photo courtesy of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church.

Nativity scenes, art spotlight immigration
Local Church
Video/photo caption: A display behind Grandville United Methodist Church in Michigan tells the Christmas story in a 15-minute light show set to music with an original soundtrack. Video image by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

The Nativity story comes to life in lights
Immigration
Bishop Minerva Carcaño (left), chair of the United Methodist Immigration Task Force, listens as the Rev. Giovanni Arroyo, top staff executive of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race, speaks during the United Methodist Immigration Task Force meeting, held Nov. 18-20 in Los Angeles. The gathering brought together church agencies, migrant ministries, bishops and ecumenical partners to strengthen coordinated advocacy. Photo by the Rev. Gustavo Vasquez, UM News.

Task force responds to growing needs facing immigrants
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Local Church
The Rev. Øyvind Helliesen, a member of The United Methodist Church’s top court since 2016, died Nov. 25, 2025. At the time of his death, he was the Judicial Council’s vice president. Photo by Kristine Helliesen.

Øyvind Helliesen mourned as ‘sage’ amid tumult
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Evangelism
new-year-2025-heron-umnews-previewImage by Adrian Campfield, courtesy of Pixabay; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Social media graphics from UM News
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Social Concerns
A “geofencing” campaign aims to flood the mobile devices of worshippers in the western U.S. with anti-Palestinian messages. Several United Methodist congregations in Texas are named in a filing by Show Faith by Works, a California-based company. According to the filing, the messaging will “combat low American Evangelical Christian approval of the Nation of Israel” and “increase awareness of Palestinian ties to Hamas and support for terrorism.” Map courtesy of Google; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Firm plans to target churches with pro-Israel ads
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Mission and Ministry
Vice chancellor Peter M. Mageto speaks during the commissioning of the Africa University solar plant in Mutare, Zimbabwe, on June 6. The solar plant represents a new milestone in the university’s quest to harness sustainable green energy and escape power outages affecting the country. Photo by Africa University Public Affairs Office.

Africa University switches to solar power
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General Church
Delegates participate in the Central Conference Pension Forum held Nov. 17-21 at the Diamond Hotel in Manila, Philippines. The forum, hosted by Wespath Benefits and Investments, brought together United Methodists from Africa, Europe and the Philippines to collaborate on strengthening clergy pension plans provided through The United Methodist Church. Photo by Gladys P. Mangiduyos, UM News.

Forum tackles pension sustainability outside US
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Commentaries

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

Compass provides sustainable retirement plan for clergy
The Rev. Dr. Don Messer. Photo by David Stucke, Dakotas Conference.

On World AIDS Day, church called to bold action
The Rev. Dr. Luan-Vu “Lui” Tran. Photo courtesy of author.

After regionalization, church must prioritize unity
The Rev. Dr. Tércio B. Junker Photo courtesy of the Northern Illinois Conference.

Reclaiming faith beyond fear and ideology
Retired Bishop Peggy A. Johnson. Photo courtesy of the author.

Remembering who we are amid US budget fight
The Rev. Dr. Darryl W. Stephens. Photo by Brian Tolbert.

Deacons serve diverse, specialized roles
The Rev. Jessica Boyce. Photo courtesy of the author.

Religious trauma affects clergy too
The Rev. Dr. Thomas Muhomba. Photo courtesy of the author.

Honoring our differences while celebrating unity
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Multimedia

Local Church
Volunteer Kalvin Davis helps a family select a tree from the artificial “tree farm” at Faith Community Church of Coopersville, Michigan, a United Methodist congregation. Video image by Lilla Marigza, UM News.
Volunteer Kalvin Davis helps a family select a tree from the artificial “tree farm” at Faith Community Church of Coopersville, Michigan, a United Methodist congregation. Video image by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Artificial tree farm brings joy to families with special needs
United Methodist ministry provides a unique experience for families living with sensory issues, allergies or physical disabilities.

More

Faith Sharing
new-year-2025-heron-umnews-previewImage by Adrian Campfield, courtesy of Pixabay; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Social media graphics from UM News
Local Church
Karen Ririe hands a plate to a student during a Thanksgiving Day meal at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. Ririe is the international student coordinator at the college. She also is a member of Oak Park United Methodist Church in Bartlesville, Okla. Video image by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Giving international students a taste of Thanksgiving
Social Concerns
Danny Fisher selects some canned goods at the Rhea House, a free grocery store in Tennessee operated by United Methodist Reelfoot Rural Ministries and Dyersburg First United Methodist Church. Video image by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Food pantry digs deeper to overcome challenging year
Connectional Table
Bishop Ruby-Nell Estrella of the Manila Episcopal Area shares her excitement on the Connectional Table’s October meeting being held in the Philippines. Screengrab by Matthan Bang-asan, United Methodist Communications, via YouTube by UM News.

Connectional Table lives into new vision at Philippines gathering
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