“In the mountain, there is less destruction. You enhance spiritual growth (and) give people ample time to pray alone, hence a positive impact on church growth has been witnessed.” — The Rev. Sibongile Mabungu, on the practice of praying in the mountains in Zimbabwe.
NEWS AND FEATURES
Going to the mountain to pray in Zimbabwe
HARARE, Zimbabwe (UMNS) — United Methodists in Zimbabwe climb mountains to seek God’s healing and grace, find spiritual uplifting and commit their families and children to God. Church leaders say the mountaintop prayer sessions also are positively affecting church growth and giving. Chenayi Kumuterera reports.
Read story
Second Hungary school becomes United Methodist
BUDAPEST, Hungary (UMNS) — After successfully leading a secondary school in Budapest for five years, The United Methodist Church in Hungary has taken leadership of a second school. “The years spent with our Forrai school encouraged us to start the cooperation with Schola Europa,” said the Rev. László Khaled, superintendent of The United Methodist Church in Hungary. Urs Schweizer has the story.
Read story
NBC
Church responds with love to anti-gay vandalism
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Allendale United Methodist Church responded with a message of love to a vandal’s attempt to deface a church sign with anti-gay graffiti. Instead of quickly removing the graffiti, the Rev. Andy Oliver and his congregation surrounded it with colorful hearts and the phrase “Love Always Wins!”
Read story
The Grand Island Independent
Still faithful in tiny Nebraska town
HAZARD, Neb. — Three little churches, each of a different denomination, are surviving in their own ways in this tiny Nebraska town, population 70. The United Methodist church is the smallest of the three, with 20 members of retirement age or older. Erika Pritchard has the story.
Read story
World Council of Churches
Roma leader appreciates WCC collaboration
GENEVA — United Methodists have been in ministry with local communities of the Roma in Europe. And for decades, the World Council of Churches, of which The United Methodist Church is a member, has supported this ethnic group, also known as the Romani. The WCC interviewed International Romani Union president Zoran Dimov, who shared his appreciation for collaboration with the ecumenical body.
Read Q&A
UMNS: Unique school project for Macedonia’s Roma
Memphis Conference
Video features church, mosque connection
CORDOVA, Tenn. — Heartsong United Methodist Church is prominently featured in a 10-minute video produced by Strayer University for its more than 40,000 online students. “The Mosque on Church Road” tells the story of the congregation’s ongoing friendship with the Memphis Islamic Center, after the mosque moved into Heartsong’s suburban neighborhood in 2010. Lane Gardner Camp has the story.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Wespath Benefits and Investments
Wespath expands service to institutional investors
GLENVIEW, Ill. — Wespath Benefits and Investments will launch Wespath Institutional Investments, dedicated to serving an expanded range of institutional investors, such as hospitals, universities and other organizations whose missions align with that of The United Methodist Church. Wespath, which manages the denomination’s pensions as well other institutional investments, also will launch I Series, a line of globally diversified multimanager funds.
Read press release
Q&A on Westpath Institutional Investments
RECENT HEADLINES
Filipino United Methodists respond after storms
EVENTS
Tuesday, Oct. 2
Wespath webinar: What you need to know about wills, power of attorney, medical proxies
NEWS AND FEATURES
Going to the mountain to pray in Zimbabwe
HARARE, Zimbabwe (UMNS) — United Methodists in Zimbabwe climb mountains to seek God’s healing and grace, find spiritual uplifting and commit their families and children to God. Church leaders say the mountaintop prayer sessions also are positively affecting church growth and giving. Chenayi Kumuterera reports.
Read story
Second Hungary school becomes United Methodist
BUDAPEST, Hungary (UMNS) — After successfully leading a secondary school in Budapest for five years, The United Methodist Church in Hungary has taken leadership of a second school. “The years spent with our Forrai school encouraged us to start the cooperation with Schola Europa,” said the Rev. László Khaled, superintendent of The United Methodist Church in Hungary. Urs Schweizer has the story.
Read story
NBC
Church responds with love to anti-gay vandalism
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Allendale United Methodist Church responded with a message of love to a vandal’s attempt to deface a church sign with anti-gay graffiti. Instead of quickly removing the graffiti, the Rev. Andy Oliver and his congregation surrounded it with colorful hearts and the phrase “Love Always Wins!”
Read story
The Grand Island Independent
Still faithful in tiny Nebraska town
HAZARD, Neb. — Three little churches, each of a different denomination, are surviving in their own ways in this tiny Nebraska town, population 70. The United Methodist church is the smallest of the three, with 20 members of retirement age or older. Erika Pritchard has the story.
Read story
World Council of Churches
Roma leader appreciates WCC collaboration
GENEVA — United Methodists have been in ministry with local communities of the Roma in Europe. And for decades, the World Council of Churches, of which The United Methodist Church is a member, has supported this ethnic group, also known as the Romani. The WCC interviewed International Romani Union president Zoran Dimov, who shared his appreciation for collaboration with the ecumenical body.
Read Q&A
UMNS: Unique school project for Macedonia’s Roma
Memphis Conference
Video features church, mosque connection
CORDOVA, Tenn. — Heartsong United Methodist Church is prominently featured in a 10-minute video produced by Strayer University for its more than 40,000 online students. “The Mosque on Church Road” tells the story of the congregation’s ongoing friendship with the Memphis Islamic Center, after the mosque moved into Heartsong’s suburban neighborhood in 2010. Lane Gardner Camp has the story.
Read story
PRESS RELEASES
Wespath Benefits and Investments
Wespath expands service to institutional investors
GLENVIEW, Ill. — Wespath Benefits and Investments will launch Wespath Institutional Investments, dedicated to serving an expanded range of institutional investors, such as hospitals, universities and other organizations whose missions align with that of The United Methodist Church. Wespath, which manages the denomination’s pensions as well other institutional investments, also will launch I Series, a line of globally diversified multimanager funds.
Read press release
Q&A on Westpath Institutional Investments
RECENT HEADLINES
Filipino United Methodists respond after storms
EVENTS
Tuesday, Oct. 2
Wespath webinar: What you need to know about wills, power of attorney, medical proxies
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