UM News Digest - Feb. 19, 2025

UM News Digest - Feb. 19, 2025

Program strengthens cross-racial ministry
Church provides aid for flood survivors
Black Methodists’ contributions celebrated

“(CRCC Madang) is a place of training practically and solidly to enhance the pastoral skills and abilities of Korean pastors appointed to a cross-cultural church.” — The Rev. Sungho Lee, longtime Madang board member.

The Rev. Grace Pak leads a session on cross-cultural theology at the United Methodist Church of the Incarnation in Schaumburg, Ill., during the 2024 CRCC Madang. File photo by the Rev. Heewon Kim.

Program strengthens cross-racial ministry
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Korean American pastors serving cross-racial/cross-cultural appointments have an opportunity to strengthen their ministry through a program that starts in May. The CRCC Madang retreat has been updated this year with fresh input and design ideas from alumni who are also involved in leading the training. More than half of The United Methodist Church’s Korean American pastors serve in cross-racial/cross-cultural appointments. The Rev. Thomas Kim has the story.

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Church provides aid for Congo flood survivors
KINSHASA, Congo (UM News) — The United Methodist Church has provided assistance to flood survivors in central Congo. With financial support from the United Methodist Committee on Relief and the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, the church distributed food, medicine and other supplies to thousands of people who lost their homes to severe flooding last year. The Rev. Fiston Okito reports.

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South Georgia Conference
Black Methodists’ contributions celebrated
MACON, Ga. — For Black History Month, the South Georgia Conference celebrates leaders in the segregated predecessors of The United Methodist Church and those serving today. The first Black male elder in the South Georgia Conference who did not face denominational, racial segregation was the Rev. Marvin W. Kirkland, ordained in 1974. The story compiles historical articles written by Mackie L. Harper Norris and the late Rev. Herchel H. Sheets.
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Greater Northwest Area
Church, Habitat join forces for housing
COUPEVILLE, Wash. — Coupeville United Methodist Church and Habitat for Humanity for Island County have entered a partnership to help provide permanently affordable housing in this island community in the Puget Sound. Like many communities, Coupeville has a shortage of property that is both affordable and capable of being developed for multifamily housing. Patrick Scriven has the story.
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South Carolina Conference
Church ‘getting back on track’ despite lawsuit
SIMPSONVILLE — A group attempting to leave the denomination without its church going through the proper legal channels is slated to appear in Greenville County court Feb. 27. Meanwhile, a portion of the church wishing to remain United Methodist has been “getting back on track,” according to its Facebook page. Jessica Brodie reports.
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World Council of Churches
Jerusalem church leaders issue plea for Gaza
JERUSALEM — The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem have issued a humanitarian plea for Gaza. “Amid this anguish, we are compelled to speak against the grave threat of mass displacement, an injustice that strikes at the very heart of human dignity,” the statement says.
Read statement
WCC: Group urges Trump to follow international law

UM News includes in the Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not UM News staff.

Real Estate Issues
Transforming empty church properties
ROCKVILLE, Md. — A “tsunami of emptying houses of worship” is sweeping across the United States, as church membership drops, writes consultant Rick Reinhard. Faith communities, real-estate professionals, government leaders and planners all have a role to play in responding to this trend. Reinhard, a principal for Niagara Consulting Group and former administrator for The United Methodist Church, shares recommendations.
Read commentary
Related: HUD guide for working with faith-based organizations

Higher Education and Ministry
Denomination’s University Senate starts anew
ATLANTA — The United Methodist Church’s University Senate met Feb. 10-11 for its first meeting of the new quadrennium. Senators from Methodist-related U.S. academic institutions meet twice a year to ensure standards are maintained across church-related institutions in areas such as church-relatedness, program quality, financial integrity, stewardship and governance.
Read press release
Learn more

World Methodist Council
Webinars explore impact of Nicaea
LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. — To mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, the World Methodist Council is planning to hold three webinars under the title “A Wesleyan Response to Nicaea: Reflections on Faith, Unity and Mission.” The webinars, each focused on a different region of the world, will feature different speakers and be held at different times to best accommodate each region. A webinar focused on Asia-Pacific is set for 3 p.m. Manila time March 3. The webinar focused on North and South America is set for 3 p.m. U.S. Eastern time March 4. The webinar focused on Africa and Europe is set for 10 a.m. U.S. Eastern time March 18.
To register