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

Top Story

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.

Editor's Picks

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

Natural disasters fade quickly from the headlines, but recovery often takes years.

Local Church

Bishop João Filimone Sambo cuts the ribbon at the July dedication of Muhalaze United Methodist Church’s new permanent chapel on the outskirts of Maputo, Mozambique. The church’s Muhalaze Mission Field has grown into six local churches with more than 300 members, but this is its first permanent structure. Photo by Roque Facela, UM News.

Church moves from chicken coop to new chapel

The United Methodist Church’s Muhalaze Mission Field in Mozambique began with six members meeting on a house porch and later in a family’s chicken coop. Now, members have a permanent sanctuary.

Faith Stories

The Rev. Jesse Baker preaches at First United Methodist Church of Elon, N.C. A poet as well as a pastor, Baker writes a sonnet based on the Scripture he intends to preach on each week, then uses the sonnet to inspire his sermon. His new book, “Clarity and Light: Meditations on Scripture,” is a collection of his sonnets. Photo by Patrick Abbott, courtesy of First United Methodist Church.

Pastor turns sonnets into sermons

A United Methodist pastor in North Carolina is writing poetry to put Scripture in perspective, which he says helps him write more compelling sermons.

Latest News

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

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

Church Leadership

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

Bishops

Tanganyika celebrates new bishop, episcopal area

Local Church

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

Sign up for our newsletter!

Subscribe Now

More Headlines

Local Church

The Rev. Andy Oliver (left) of Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, Fla., prays with Luis Blanco in front of the Tampa immigration office on Jan. 30, 2018. The congregation supported Blanco and his family during his deportation proceedings. Oliver continues to be in ministry with marginalized communities in Florida, including helping to lead weekly protests at detention centers in the state that are housing suspected undocumented immigrants. File photo courtesy of the Rev. Andy Oliver.

Pastor emulates Wesley in Florida

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

Rumbidzai Munetsi of Divine Grace Bakery separates freshly baked buns into batches for sale at Hunyani United Methodist Church in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. Munetsi is a member of the church, where group members meet to bake on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

Bakery ministry empowers women in Zimbabwe

Mission and Ministry

The Union Theological Seminary choir, under the direction of Deborrah Reyes, helps lead closing worship for The United Methodist Church’s Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters meeting in Manila, Philippines, in 2019. Bishops are planning a one-time special offering next year to support the endowment fund for theological education in Africa, Europe and the Philippines. File photo by Heather Hahn, UM News.

Big push planned to fund pastoral education

General Church

An American flag waves at half-staff in 2018 after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Flags are standing at half-staff again after the Sept. 10 assassination of an activist on a university campus. United Methodist bishops are urging members to act as peacemakers to help put an end to the violence. Photo by Bryan Roschetzky, iStock.

After assassination, bishops urge peacemaking

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

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

These efforts require financial support. If you believe in our mission, consider a tax-deductible donation to support the essential work of UM News and other ministries of United Methodist Communications.