United Methodist Church
Legislation aims to ‘decolonize’ United Methodists, give parity to non-US conferences
By Yonat Shimron — February 6, 2024
(RNS) — A proposed regionalization plan would undo the dominance and control of the US church and make it on par with United Methodist conferences abroad.
The UMC lost a quarter of its churches — most in the South
By Yonat Shimron — January 26, 2024
(RNS) — The same area of the country that tends to be the most politically conservative and Republican-leaning was where most United Methodist churches voted to leave the denomination.
How to deal with same-sex unions? It’s a question fracturing major Christian denominations
By David Crary — January 9, 2024
Strikingly, the flare-up of debate in Catholic ranks coincides with developments in two other international Christian denominations that are fracturing over differences in LGBTQ-related policies.
How a remnant group of United Methodists is making a new church home
By Yonat Shimron — December 18, 2023
ADVANCE, N.C. (RNS) — Here, in the middle of a bland industrial park that looks like a self-storage facility, a new church is emerging.
‘Holy Frit’ film tells sacred, profane story of ‘huge, freaking’ stained-glass window
By Kathryn Post — November 10, 2023
(RNS) — The documentary captures Judson Studios' race against time to build one of the world’s largest stained-glass windows for the biggest mainline church in America.
A minister and a rabbi walk into a bar, and condemn Hamas
By Jeffrey Salkin — October 24, 2023
Christian churches must unequivocally condemn Hamas terror.
In United Methodist Church trial, a church on trial
By William B. Lawrence — October 2, 2023
(RNS) — A trial violated Wesley's dictum 'Do no harm.'
Suspended UMC Latina bishop found not guilty on all charges
By Yonat Shimron — September 22, 2023
(RNS) — Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño, a leader of the California-Nevada Conference, or region, of the United Methodist Church, will return to her role after an 18-month suspension.
Suspended UMC Latina bishop accused of financial malfeasance and retaliation
By Yonat Shimron — September 19, 2023
(RNS) — The trial of Bishop Minerva Carcaño is a first for a United Methodist bishop.
Melvin Talbert, first United Methodist bishop to officiate same-sex wedding, dead at 89
By Adelle M. Banks — August 8, 2023
(RNS) — Talbert was recognized for his work on racial justice, LGBTQ advocacy and ecumenical cooperation.
Left behind by disaffiliations, Texas town’s United Methodists charter a new church
By BeLynn Hollers — August 7, 2023
AMARILLO, Texas (RNS) — After all seven United Methodist churches in this city in the Texas Panhandle voted to leave the country’s second-largest Protestant denomination, an 83-year-old UMC minister became determined that the UMC wouldn't become extinct in Amarillo.
It’s a Christian mandate to create a society where all flourish — SCOTUS keeps undermining it
By Sally Vonner — July 10, 2023
(RNS) — Affirmative action may not have been perfect, but that does not mean that we abolish it, rather we stay committed to do better.
Maryland church, with $100,000 in vandalism damage, continues in faith
By Adelle M. Banks — June 27, 2023
(RNS) — On June 8, the red-carpeted sanctuary of the historically Black church was turned into a debris-filled space.
Four ways to leave your denomination: How churches are disaffiliating from the UMC
By Emily McFarlan Miller and BeLynn Hollers — June 14, 2023
(RNS) — To date, 5,550 of the United Methodist Church’s approximately 30,000 US churches have disaffiliated from the country’s second-largest Protestant denomination since 2019.
Judge clears way for disaffiliations from United Methodist Church in north Georgia
By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 18, 2023
(RNS) — The North Georgia Conference had barred churches wishing to leave the UMC from disaffiliating before the 2024 General Conference.
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