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Bishop Frank Beard uses fishing metaphors to launch his new evangelism program, Catching Like Jesus Ministries, during a sermon at Elkhart Faith United Methodist Church in Goshen, Ind. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Eyesight fading, bishop envisions new role as evangelist

After glaucoma forced him to step down from overseeing a conference, United Methodist Bishop Frank Beard is launching a new ministry as an evangelist. He is using his love of fishing to hook new disciples.

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Local Church

Members of the Comics X Theology book club discuss the graphic novel “Persepolis” on Aug. 31 at Fantom Comics in Washington, D.C. Organized by a United Methodist pastor, the book club meets once a month to discuss a comic and how its story relates to religious issues. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Comics and theology — a match made in heaven?

There are many paths to faith, and one of them may be a cluttered comic bookstore in Washington, D.C., where a group gathers once a month to discuss a comic and how its story relates to religious issues.

Social Concerns

Filipino United Methodists join thousands of protesters in the Trillion Peso March Sept. 21 as they walk to Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines. The demonstrators called for accountability and transparency by government officials amid allegations of large-scale corruption. Photo courtesy of Blessy Grace De Leon.

Filipino United Methodists rally against corruption

About 100,000 demonstrators participated in a call for accountability and transparency by government officials, following allegations of large-scale corruption.

Immigration

Emma Escobar, president of MARCHA (Associated Methodists for the Hispanic-Latino American Cause), speaks during the opening ceremony of the caucus’ 53rd annual assembly Aug. 1 in Chicago. The altar, prepared by the Spanish-Latino Ministries of the Northern Illinois Conference, offered a display of sacramental elements and colors as a liturgical expression of the diversity of races, cultures, theological interpretations, ages and genders that make up MARCHA. Photo by the Rev. Gustavo Vasquez, UM News.

MARCHA urges: Don’t just pray, organize

Clergy and lay leaders from the United Methodist Hispanic-Latino community gathered under unusual security conditions in Chicago to celebrate the caucus’ 53rd annual assembly.

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Social Concerns

Sarah Metroff (left), marketing manager of investment for Wespath Benefits and Investments, speaks with M. Theresa Basile (middle), co-founder of United Methodists for Kairos Response, and Andy Hendren (right), top executive of Wespath, during September meetings at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. Wespath organized the summit to foster dialogue about its investments. Photo courtesy of Wespath Benefits and Investments.

Investment debates underway for 2028

Faith Stories

The Rev. Abisay Lameck Juwakali, described as an inspiration for resilient leadership and service as well as a pioneer of holistic mission, died Oct. 5 in a traffic accident. Photo courtesy of the Tanzania Annual Conference.

Abisay Juwakali remembered as holistic leader

Social Concerns

The Rev. Will Ed Green (right), senior pastor of Silver Spring United Methodist Church in Silver Spring, Md., shows part of the church’s facility to Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. Moore visited the church Feb. 23 as part of efforts to promote affordable housing. Photo by Alison Burdett, Baltimore-Washington Conference.

State gives big boost to church housing plan

Mission and Ministry

Participants sing praises during the opening worship of the Korean Association of The United Methodist Church, held Sept. 29 at Calvary Korean United Methodist Church in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Pictured (from left): Bishops Cynthia Moore-Koikoi of the Greater New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania conferences; Hee-Soo Jung of the Ohio Episcopal Area; Dottie Escobedo-Frank of the California-Pacific Conference; and the Rev. Kyu Hyun Kim, pastor of Berkeley Korean United Methodist Church in Orinda, Calif. Photo by the Rev. Thomas E. Kim, UM News.

Korean church leaders commit to mission, healing

Social Concerns

Members of four annual conferences in the U.S. Northeast cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., where police attacked peaceful marchers on March 7, 1965, on what is known as Bloody Sunday. The visit was part of the group’s July 12-19 Civil Rights Journey, a tour of sacred sites of the Civil Rights Movement. Photo by Jeannie Schott, Western Pennsylvania Conference.

United Methodist tours explore civil rights struggles

Violence

Supporting sexual violence survivors in Congo

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Local Church

Participants in the 2025 United Methodist Church Deacons Gathering sing during opening worship at the Upper Room Chapel in Nashville, Tenn. From left are the Rev. Shannon Howard, the Rev. Tina Marie Rees, the Rev. Sherry Brady and Candace Brady. A focus of the event was deacons’ new sacramental authority approved at last year’s General Conference. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Deacons explore new sacramental authority

Evangelism

World Communion Sunday. 1 Corinthian 11:24. "The Last Supper" (h. 1562) by Juan de Juanes, mid-late 16th century, Museo del Prado. Graphic by Laurens Glass.

Social media graphics from UM News

Social Concerns

Families visit booths set up outside Chicago First Korean United Methodist Church in Wheeling, Ill., during the church’s Sept. 13 “Great Feast for Refugees and Neighbors.” The event marked the congregation’s 102nd anniversary and its commitment to supporting vulnerable members of the community. Families from refugee centers across Chicago participated in a day filled with worship, music, food, fellowship and practical support. Photo courtesy of Chicago First Korean United Methodist Church.

Chicago First Korean marks 102 years by hosting refugees

Mission and Ministry

Tapiwanashe Moreblessing Manyeza (left) and youth from the West Angola Conference participate in an educational campaign in Luanda, Angola, in response to a cholera outbreak in January. Working with the church’s health department as a Global Mission Fellow, Manyeza partnered with the Angola Council of Churches to help identify communities to visit to raise awareness about the outbreak and distribute pamphlets and hygiene packs. Photo courtesy of Tapiwanashe Moreblessing Manyeza.

Missionaries make difference in Angola

General Church

Bishop Mande Muyombo (left), president of the Africa Colleges of Bishops, presents the episcopal staff to Bishop Nelson Kalombo Ngoy during Ngoy’s installation as the first bishop of the new Tanganyika Episcopal Area on Sept. 14 in Kalemie, Congo. Photo by Chadrack Tambwe Londe, UM News.

Tanganyika celebrates new bishop, episcopal area

Commentaries

Remembering who we are amid US budget fight

Deacons serve diverse, specialized roles

Religious trauma affects clergy too

Honoring our differences while celebrating unity

Love more, fear less, in cross-cultural ministry

The Rev. Joelle Henneman. Photo courtesy of the author.

Church can be sanctuary for trans lives

Silence is complicity: Responding to racist mascots

The Rev. Christopher P. Momany. Photo by Kristen Schell.

Troubled times call for revival of personalism

Multimedia

Faith Sharing

Social media graphics from UM News

Graphic for World Communion Sunday available to download and share on social media in four languages.

Disaster Relief

Members of Floris United Methodist Church help Barbara Douglas remove debris from her home in Spruce Pine, N.C., following Hurricane Helene. Video image by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Volunteers still rebuilding 1 year after Helene

Worship

Taking worship into the wild

Disaster Relief

Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Conference.

Louisiana Conference: Hope Beyond the Storm podcast series

Disaster Relief

Sunlight streams through the stained-glass windows as the choir sings during worship at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in New Orleans in July 2025. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Members rallied to save church after Katrina

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