News

Bishop Harvey has been elected president of the Council of Bishops, with Bishop Bickerton as the president-designate.

Legislation setting special provisions for United Methodist churches deciding to leave the denomination took effect immediately at the end of the special General Conference last February, the church’s top court has ruled.

The Traditional Plan adopted by the General Conference 2019 needs further consideration and clarification by The United Methodist Church’s top court, the president of the Council of Bishops said in an oral hearing.

The United Methodist Church has launched the “Not the Only One” advertising campaign to help offer encouragement through community. Research continues to emphasize people are experiencing a growing sense of loneliness. In fact, nearly half of Americans feel alone or left out, and it’s taking a mental and physical toll on them. The first video ad is available for viewing and sharing on YouTube.

“Faithful Giving in a Time of Change,” a roundtable discussion of connectional giving in The United Methodist Church, features panelists who work with giving and budgets at all levels of the denomination.

A long-simmering investigation into improper voting during General Conference 2019 boiled over Oct. 30 during a public oral hearing held by the United Methodist Judicial Council.

Come Christmas, the First United Methodist Church of Middletown, Conn., is hoping to leave behind their itinerant days of the last five years and settle into a new home. A 2,000-square-foot church is being constructed on former farmland about five miles from their old sanctuary in the middle of town.

As Hurricane Dorian continued to threaten the U.S. east coast, United Methodists were connecting with Methodists in the Bahamas to start relief efforts. Bishop Bickerton urges support for UMCOR efforts.

A group of centrists and progressives is offering a plan that would eliminate The United Methodist Church’s restrictions against LGBTQ ordination and same-sex weddings, while allowing local churches that disagree to depart and organize into new forms of Methodism.

Both The United Methodist Church’s bishops and finance agency are taking action in response to the investigation that found fraudulent voting at General Conference 2019.

MARCHA, founded in 1971, is an unofficial group of The United Methodist Church. The caucus seeks to ensure that the contributions and cultural values of the Hispanic-Latino community are appreciated in the church and society.

The board of directors of the General Council on Finance and Administration met July 18-19 in Dallas for its summer meeting.  The board celebrated the service of General Counsel Steve Lambert, who is retiring in August from the general counsel position.  Lambert has been with GCFA since 2014 and was instrumental in guiding the Legal Services Department and the agency through changes that improved the unit’s efficiency and effectiveness throughout the denomination. Bryan Mills was elected as ...

The United Methodist Church’s conflict over homosexuality is irreconcilable and calls for amicable separation into different denominations, according to a 12-person group of centrists, traditionalists and progressives that began meeting in late June. “We’ve discovered The United Methodist Church can’t live in the same house together peaceably, but we can live next door to one another,” said the Rev. Kent Millard, president of United Theological Seminary and one of the group’s organizers. ...

The Commission on the General Conference voted this week to implement new registration and credentialing procedures for General Conference delegates to safeguard against the possibility of unauthorized voting.

The Federal Trade Commission issued an alert on July 29 about a new spin on gift card scams. The alert said: “This time, scammers are pretending to be a pastor, rabbi, priest, imam, or bishop. They’re asking worshipers for gift card contributions for a worthy cause. Appeals are often made by email, but we’ve heard people are also getting texts and phone calls, too. The bogus emails often include the name of the local pastor and a legitimate looking email address. But a closer look should raise ...