United Methodist News

• Political context and the meaning of church September 22, 2022
  A pending separation and changing international composition find The United Methodist Church in a time of rethinking what it means to be a church, and a global church at that.
• Hungarian camp houses Ukrainian Roma refugees September 20, 2022
  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.
• Grassroots groups talk up The United Methodist Church September 19, 2022
  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.
• World Council of Churches works for just peace September 19, 2022
  On the final day of the 11th General Assembly, delegates adopted numerous documents, including statements on peace.
• WCC General Assembly closes with call to ‘act for justice’ September 19, 2022
  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.
• Churches discern whether to stay or go September 16, 2022
  It’s a hard process for many to decide whether to stay or leave The United Methodist Church, and even harder not to hurt others while doing it. Pastors and church leaders reflect on how they are trying to be faithful while working toward a difficult decision.
• Staying the course with vaccine access September 15, 2022
  A United Methodist church’s campaign to create equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines among poor countries has raised nearly half a million dollars, but challenges remain, so the campaign continues.
• Zimbabwe’s Old Mutare Mission Hospital gets a facelift September 15, 2022
  A state-of-the-art outpatient department, kitchen and 120-panel solar system are among recent additions funded by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries’ Global Health unit.
• ‘You can holler for your safety because you matter’ September 14, 2022
  The Rev. Tori Dr. Butler interviews the Rev. Dr. Jalene Chase about how clergy can ensure their own safety in challenging situations.
• Church helps displaced Central Africans living in Congo September 14, 2022
  Through UMCOR’s Global Migration program, The United Methodist Church disbursed $50,000 to help families living in a refugee camp.
• Bishop Spain, tireless counselor, dies at 96 September 13, 2022
  Bishop Bob Spain, who served as the United Methodist Publishing House’s chaplain well into his 90s, is being remembered for his faithful and energetic ministry.
• 9/11 attacks sparked life change for eyewitness September 12, 2022
  Innocence was lost, but writer translated the trauma of the moment into new goals and dreams of helping others.
• World Council of Churches assembly focuses on reconciliation September 12, 2022
  Both Methodist and United Methodist speakers connected the theme of the ecumenical gathering, “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity,” to a pending split within the United Methodist denomination.
• African bishops call for unity, condemn advocacy groups September 9, 2022
  The bishops released a statement Sept. 8 denouncing the Africa Initiative and Wesleyan Covenant Association, which they say “are wrongly influencing God’s people in our areas.”
• Faith communities can respond to substance-use epidemic with hope September 7, 2022
  September is Recovery Awareness Month. Pastor and advocate Matt Johnson encourages churches and faith communities to engage with those struggling with substance use disorder.