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Church Leadership
Participants sing during opening worship at the 2023 special session of the National Association of Korean American United Methodists at Korean First United Methodist Church in Wheeling, Ill., on Oct. 2. The Southeastern Jurisdiction has scheduled its first Asian American Ministers Gathering in May to bring clergy together for fellowship, resources and ministerial support. Pictured from left are Bishops Dottie Escobedo-Frank and Hee-Soo Jung, Dana Lyles and the Revs. MiRhang Baek, Prumeh Lee and Ju-Yeon Julie Jeon. File photo by the Rev. Thomas E. Kim, UM News.
Participants sing during opening worship at the 2023 special session of the National Association of Korean American United Methodists at Korean First United Methodist Church in Wheeling, Ill., on Oct. 2. The Southeastern Jurisdiction has scheduled its first Asian American Ministers Gathering in May to bring clergy together for fellowship, resources and ministerial support. File photo by the Rev. Thomas E. Kim, UM News.

Gathering aims to help Asian American clergy thrive
Southeastern Jurisdiction brings Asian American ministers together for fellowship, resources and ministerial support.

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Faith Stories
The Rev. Elaine A. Heath, a United Methodist elder and founder and “abbess” of Spring Forest, visits a herd of goats at the “intentional faith community” in Hillsborough, N.C. Spring Forest combines elements of monasteries and nunneries, regenerative farming, communes, churches and small businesses. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Growing a new kind of Christian community
Spring Forest in Hillsborough, North Carolina, is part monastery, part collective farm and part any number of other things.
Faith Stories
The Rev. Elaine A. Heath, former dean at Duke Divinity School and abbess at Spring Forest in Hillsborough, N.C., stands amid some of the crops at the farm portion of the 23-acre property that also contains two homes, large outdoor tables for community meals and a stage for entertainment. The monastic community is in stark contrast to Heath’s difficult childhood. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Pastor creates the community she longed for as a child
The Rev. Elaine A. Heath overcame a difficult childhood to make a successful career as a church leader and educator. Her latest incarnation is as the abbess of a new kind of Christian community.
Annual Conferences
Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr. (right), who leads The United Methodist Church’s Liberia Conference, walks beside Bishop James Boye-Caulker of the Sierra Leone Conference during the 192nd session of the Liberia Annual Conference, held Feb. 10-16 in Gbarnga, Liberia. Quire said the church was fighting for control of several sanctuaries in Liberia that were seized by members of the Global Methodist Church following the annual conference session. Photo by Priscilla Muzerengwa, United Methodist Communications.

Fights erupt over West Africa church property
United Methodist leaders in Nigeria and Liberia are caught in legal battles with the new Global Methodist Church over the ownership of United Methodist properties.

Latest News

Central Conferences
Episcopal Elections of the Central Conference of The United Methodist Church. Graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Northern Europe and Eurasia Central Conference Balloting 2025
Bishops
Bishop Hans Växby, who served as a beloved leader in the Nordic and Baltic countries for 12 years before leading Eurasia for another seven, passed away on March 30 at age 80. Photo courtesy of the Council of Bishops.

Bishop Växby, post-Cold War leader, dies at 80
Bishops
Bishop Benjamin A. Justo, who led the Baguio Area in the Philippines until 2008, is being remembered for his guidance, integrity and wit. He died March 28 at age 84. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Bishop Justo remembered as ‘pillar of faith’
General Church
Six bishops lead the opening worship and communion service at Black Methodists for Church Renewal’s 58th General Meeting at Holman United Methodist Church in Los Angeles on March 19. From left are Bishops Cedrick Bridgeforth, Tracy S. Malone, Dottie Escobedo-Frank, Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, Julius C. Trimble and Kennetha J. Bigham-Tsai. The three-day meeting included an Ebony Bishops panel discussion on “The State of the Church,” reports on the Black College Fund and Africa University and information on the revised Social Principles and social entrepreneurship. Photo by John W. Coleman, UM News.

Black caucus finds hope in work ahead
Mission and Ministry
This is the bedroom the Rev. John Collett and his wife, Rita, rented to a college student. The Colletts say intergenerational home sharing has been a positive experience. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Couple says intergenerational home sharing works
Church History
The Rev. Ted Campbell edited and published “A Core Methodist Hymnal,” a collection of 126 hymn texts by Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts, Fanny Crosby and others. Campbell intends the book as a devotional and teaching resource “to form people today in a Wesleyan and Methodist way of being Christian.” Photo courtesy of the Rev. Ted Campbell.

New attention for old hymn texts
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Local Church
United Methodists stand in front of the new Mont Morija United Methodist Church in Golf Plateau III, a fast-growing district of Lubumbashi, Congo. The new building can accommodate 800 worshippers. Photo courtesy of the Jerusalem District.

Family donates funds to build South Congo church
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Evangelism
The Rev. Michael Adam Beck leads The United Methodist Church’s Fresh Expressions movement. In his new book, “Never Alone,” the pastor of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Ocala, Fla., says Fresh Expressions can help create community for people suffering from loneliness. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Michael Adam Beck.

From prisoner to pastor
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Social Concerns
The Rev. Stephanie Vader (left), senior pastor of Capitol Hill United Methodist Church, joins with parishioners in a protest in support of the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID, which was established by Congress to distribute U.S. foreign aid, is being dismantled by the Trump administration without congressional action. Vader made the sign that says “USAID Makes America Great.” She said a parishioner who worked with the agency is most concerned that the suspension of the agency’s funds and work will cost lives on the continent of Africa. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Stephanie Vader, Capitol Hill United Methodist Church.

Church grapples with loss of foreign aid
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Mission and Ministry
Christine Ntamubano expresses gratitude to The United Methodist Church in Burundi for providing clean drinking water closer to her home. Around 5,000 people in the region now have access to drinking water, thanks to a borehole installed by the church. Photo by Jérôme Ndayisenga, UM News.

Borehole offers hope to Burundi town
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General Church
United Methodists at the Central and Southern Europe Central Conference stand together outside Winterthur United Methodist Church in Winterthur, Switzerland, where they met. Photo by the Rev. Jörg Niederer, Central and Southern Europe Central Conference.

Amid war, central conference practices ‘shalom’

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Commentaries

Anna Riddle. Photo by Heather Gaydeski Photography.

Carrie Parrish's legacy holds lessons for today
The Rev. Dr. Tércio B. Junker Photo courtesy of the Northern Illinois Conference.

In the Wesleys’ footsteps: Reflecting on justice, faith
The Rev. Paul W. Chilcote. Photo courtesy of the author.

A refreshed Wesleyan vision is emerging
The Rev. April Casperson. Courtesy of Otterbein University.

Amendment would make church more open
The Rev. Dr. Jean Claude Masuka Maleka. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Mission can revitalize United Methodism
The Rev. Neelley Hicks. Photo courtesy of the author.

Churches build bridges to counter hate
The Rev. Mel West. Photo courtesy of the Rev. Mel West.

World news becomes family news
The Rev. Christopher P. Momany. Photo by Kristen Schell.

Resistance is not enough
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Multimedia

"The Parable of the Prodigal Son, Received Home by His Father" -Luca Giordano (1634-1705), courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.
"The Parable of the Prodigal Son, Received Home by His Father" -Luca Giordano (1634-1705), courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Social media graphics for Lent and Easter
Download art for Lent and Easter from United Methodist to share on social media.

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Mission and Ministry
“Hope this letter finds you in the best of health and spirits.” Books requested by an inmate have been carefully packaged for shipping by Books to Prisons volunteers in Birmingham, Ala. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Ministry sends Books to Prisons
Faith Sharing
Photo by Charity Ponter; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News. Luke 6:31

Social media graphics from UM News
Church History
The history of Pickett Chapel United Methodist Church in Lebanon, Tenn., goes back almost 200 years. Pickett Chapel is believed to be the oldest African American church building in the state of Tennessee. Photo from video by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

Historic church tells story of slavery, triumph
A portion of Hong Kong at night as seen from Victoria Peak. More than 400,000 migrant domestic workers live in Hong Kong, about five percent of the total population. They cook and clean and care for children, pets, and the elderly. They also at times endure horrible treatment. Photo by Paul Jeffrey, UM News.

United Methodists support migrant workers in Hong Kong
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