Diversity

The Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli. Photo courtesy of the author.

Putting hope in the 'harder thing'

Worldwide regionalization allows the worldwide church to remain United Methodist in a new connectional way.

Gratitude for diverse ministry

As she retires, a Korean American pastor looks back on the challenges and blessings of serving in cross-racial/cross-cultural appointments.

Local Church

Children play before Sunday services begin on March 10 in the “prayground” of Bethany United Methodist Church in Smyrna, Ga. Church officials removed some pews at the front of the church to add the play area so parents could attend services while keeping watch on their kids. Photo by Jim Patterson, UM News.

Church revives itself with community engagement

Bethany United Methodist Church suffered from declining membership because of an aging population that no longer reflected its neighborhood. But the congregation is doing something about it.

Human Sexuality

United Methodist clergy and lay members pray outside the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C., on Oct. 13 for the General Conference that will take place in its halls in about six months. The United Methodist Queer Clergy Caucus organized the prayer session for the denomination’s top lawmaking assembly during the Reconciling Ministries Network Convocation in Charlotte. The Rev. Austin Adkinson, pastor of Light of the Hill United Methodist Church in Puyallup, Wash., leads the prayer. Photo by Heather Hahn, UM News.

LGBTQ advocates plan for new day in church

Reconciling Ministries Network’s 2023 Convocation looked back at the group’s 40 years of advocacy for LGBTQ United Methodists. The gathering also included time for strategizing for next year’s General Conference.

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