UM News: Your official source of comprehensive information and news about The United Methodist Church.

Top Story

Bishop Antoine Kalema Tambwe (center) and his wife, Ngole Kitete Charlotte, greet guests in front of Bethel Cascade United Methodist Church in Bangui, Central African Republic. At left is newly ordained pastor the Rev. Christ Noël Yakizi, who serves the remote village of Cantonnier on the Cameroonian border. Photo by Chadrack Tambwe Londe, UM News.

Central African United Methodists celebrate 33 new pastors

The United Methodist Church’s ordinations in the country mark a spiritual renaissance for communities long deprived of clergy.

Editor's Picks

Social Concerns

The Rev. Shelby Slowey, pastor of South End United Methodist Church in Nashville explains how United Methodist Social Principles apply to current proposed legislation related to the death penalty in Tennessee. Over 200 United Methodists participated in United Methodist Day on the Hill at the Tennessee Capitol. Image from video by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Churchgoers take Social Principles to lawmakers

Concerns about immigration, education and criminal justice drive a record number of United Methodists to participate in Tennessee Day on the Hill in 2026.

Faith Stories

The Rev. Colleen Bookter, a United Methodist, dances in New Orleans Mardi Gras parades as a member of the dance krewe Sassyracs. “There is nothing like hundreds of thousands of people in the crowd cheering you on and dancing along with you,” she said. Photo by Nkechi Chibueze, courtesy of Bookter.

Pastor dances with joy in Mardi Gras parades

The Rev. Colleen Bookter, a United Methodist pastor, annually marches in New Orleans parades as part of Fat Tuesday festivities. It’s “a chance to be silly and sassy and celebrate community.”

Mission and Ministry

Volunteers pack relief supply kits at the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s Sager Brown Depot in Baldwin, La. UMCOR announced that it will no longer operate the depot, starting January 2027, as it looks to modernize the way the relief agency manages materials and reduce costs. Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Conference.

Sager Brown Depot to close as UMCOR shifts relief kit work

The United Methodist Committee on Relief said the changes will reduce costs while strengthening its disaster response ministry.

Latest News

Mission and Ministry

The second of three webinars discussing The United Methodist Church’s new vision statement examines Wesleyan approaches to mission and the call to “serve joyfully.” Graphic courtesy of United Methodist Communications.

Commitment to serve joyfully defines church

Church Growth

The Rev. Ken Suhr, director of leadership and congregational vitality for the California-Pacific Conference, delivers the keynote address on the “DNA of Growing Churches” during the 2026 Growing Church Conference at First United Methodist Church of San Diego. Photo by the Rev. Thomas E. Kim, UM News.

Growing Church Conference calls leaders back to discipleship

Theology and Education

Leaders of Greensboro College, a United Methodist-related school established in 1838 in Greensboro, N.C., say the college has a stronger financial foundation thanks to a partnership with Wespath and Wesleyan Impact Partners. Photo courtesy of Greensboro College.

Church connection bolsters college finances

Mission and Ministry

Bishop Ande I. Emmanuel, who leads The United Methodist Church in Nigeria, presides over a historic joint conference for the church’s five annual conferences, including the reunified Southern Conference. About 1,600 delegates and 2,000 observers attended the December gathering in Jalingo, Nigeria. Photo courtesy of UMCN Communications.

United Methodists in Nigeria celebrate growth, unity

General Church

Bishop Harald Rückert recites 1 John 4:20-21 during opening worship for a Feb. 6-9 meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, that brought together members of the Committee on Faith and Order, the Connectional Table, the Study of Ministry Commission and the Standing Committee on Regional Conference Matters Outside the USA (previously the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters). Rückert, who has retired after leading The United Methodist Church in Germany, chairs the standing committee that is leading the work to develop a globally relevant Book of Discipline. Photo by Heather Hahn, UM News.

Making regionalization a reality for the church

Social Concerns

The Rev. Mark Lewis, a retired United Methodist pastor who grew up in the U.S. but spent the bulk of his ministry in Denmark, shares with United Methodist leaders the impact of U.S. threats to seize Greenland on transatlantic relations. Lewis, an expert on Wesleyan mission, also is scheduled to be a panelist on the “Serve Joyfully” webinar scheduled for 9 a.m. U.S. Central time Feb. 21. Photo by Heather Hahn, UM News.

US threats to Greenland challenge church

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now

More Headlines

Local Church

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers chase Carlos Chavez (not pictured), a Mexican-born member of North Hills United Methodist Church Hispanic Mission in Los Angeles, on Jan. 29 on church property. Chavez was deported shortly thereafter. The ICE raid disrupted a food ministry and mothers and children working in the church garden. Photo courtesy of North Hills Hispanic Mission United Methodist Church.

Commentaries

The Rev. Dr. Javier A. Viera. Photo by Brian McConkey Photography, courtesy of the Rev. Dr. Viera.

Multimedia

Social Concerns

Churchgoers take Social Principles to lawmakers

Concerns about immigration, education and criminal justice drive a record number of United Methodists to participate in Tennessee Day on the Hill in 2026.

Faith Sharing