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Heavy rains accompanied by balls of ice destroyed the roof of Kuziva Stephen Makunike’s home during the Oct. 5 storm that swept through Masvingo town in southeastern Zimbabwe. Estimates were yet to be made, but church members believe property damaged will need thousands of dollars to repair and rebuild. Photo by Pastor Samuel Maunga, UM News.

Zimbabwe hailstorm destroys churches, homes

United Methodists in Masvingo town are counting their losses after a severe hailstorm smashed church properties and members’ homes.

Editor's Picks

Mission and Ministry

Patricia Petudzai Mapani lights a candle held by Tabitha Mushishi, The United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe’s unit coordinator, during a memorial service for members of the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women in Botswana in April 2025. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

United Methodist elected to worldwide role

“I am driven by passion to support, encourage, empower women and girls and being the voice of the voiceless.”

Faith Stories

Photo courtesy of First United Methodist Church of Fort Worth; graphic by UM News.

Pastor’s ministry had length and depth

The Rev. Lamar Smith worked into his 90s as a United Methodist pastor, touching lives all along the way.

Annual Conferences

2026 United Methodist annual conference reports

UM News posts the official summaries filed by annual conferences from around the connection. Find the latest reports on our archive page.

Latest News

General Agencies

The Rev. Rick Vance, top executive of United Methodist Men, speaks during the inaugural meeting of the men’s agency on the African continent Dec. 9-11, 2025, at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. On Oct. 7, Vance announced that United Methodist Men had halted its affiliation with the U.S. National Association of Conference Presidents. But he also held out hope that United Methodist Men and association could work toward an agreement that restores their relationship. File photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

Men’s group loses United Methodist affiliation

Mission and Ministry

A member of a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission Disaster Response Team from Virginia works to clear a flood-damaged home in Western North Carolina during the days following Hurricane Helene in 2024. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

50 years of turning faith into action

Global Health

Dr. Gustave Ngoy, head of the non-malaria program for the Tanganyika Episcopal Area’s medical coordination team, speaks with Cathérine Shabani during a consultation at a mobile clinic in Kalemie, Congo. The 60-year-old mother of 11 children and a member of Jerusalem (United Methodist) Church received a free health checkup as part of a medical initiative funded by Bishop Nelson Kalombo Ngoy to benefit annual conference delegates and vulnerable populations. Photo by Chadrack Tambwe Londe, UM News.

In medical desert, pop-up clinics help Congolese

Young People

LaShanda Evans sings during the Fusion 2026 Worship Music Conference at Belmont United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn. Evans is the worship team coordinator for United Methodist Discipleship Ministries, which sponsored the event. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Music leaders tackle ‘great divide’ in worship

Mission and Ministry

The Rev. Jairous Mafondokoto, administrative assistant to the bishop in the Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Botswana Area, congratulates Pamela Saungweme for offering her home to the church for use in drug and substance abuse programs. Saungweme had been moved by the testimony of a family whose son had overcome addiction. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

Women put faith into action across Zimbabwe

Mission and Ministry

Living the vision

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Local Church

Hakim Erezenious Kwenyo (standing) helps a student during a session of the Youth Digital Literacy Project at Ariaze United Methodist Church’s women’s training center in the Rhino Camp Settlement of Uganda’s Siripi Zone. The project is supported by The United Methodist Church’s South Sudan Children Ministry and the Holston Foundation. Photo by Mudomo Joseph, UM News.

Computer training empowers South Sudanese refugees

Evangelism

The Rev. Anjie Peek Rivers officiates at a baptism Aug. 9 for the Nichols family at Atlanta’s Eastside Church, one of nine small, thriving United Methodist congregations featured in a new report by Wesleyan Impact Partners. In “Flourishing Small Congregations,” the Texas-based nonprofit challenges The United Methodist Church to see small churches as assets. Eastside also celebrated its 15th anniversary Aug. 9. Photo by Karina Aragon-Buchanan, Eastside Church.

How small congregations can flourish

Social Concerns

Giovanni Tapang, a scientist and spokesperson of Advocates of Science and Technology for the People , speaks to an ecumenical gathering in Quezon City about the proposed Pax Silica development in New Clark City, Tarlac, and its possible implications for communities, Indigenous Peoples, natural resources and Philippine sovereignty. Photo by Donna Mae Delfin, National Council of Churches in the Philippines.

Filipino United Methodists question AI hub

Mission and Ministry

Moïse Mwango Numbalanga (center in white shirt), coordinator for the United Methodist Committee on Relief’s Disaster Management Office in the Bukavu District, walks through the field of ruins in the Irambo neighborhood in Bukavu, Congo, to speak with United Methodist disaster survivors. More than 70 households from Ibanda United Methodist Church lost everything in the overnight fire. Photo courtesy of the Disaster Management Office of the East Congo Episcopal Area.

United Methodists lose homes in Congo fire

General Church

The skyline of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. United Methodists from around the globe are coming to the Canadian city for the denomination’s first-of-its-kind Leadership Gathering, scheduled for Oct. 20-24, intended to help the denomination discern its next steps. Photo by Tamsintj, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Countdown begins to Leadership Gathering

Commentaries

Leadership Gathering should focus on local church

A vision for funding regional conferences

The Rev. Dr. Lloyd T. Nyarota and The Rev. Albert Otshudi Longe. Photos courtesy of the authors.

An invitation to reflect on the denomination’s future

Be brave enough to let the light find you

The Rev. Lindsey B. Freeman. Photo by Adam Bowers.

Walking the journey of calling

This blog appears in the Blogs and Commentaries section of UM News. UM News is a ministry of United Methodist Communications.

Suicide is a public health crisis. How can faith communities respond?

James H. Salley. Photo courtesy of the author.

James Laney had big impact on Africa University

Remembering 9/11 at John Street church

Multimedia

Social Concerns

Graphic by Ben Ward, photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Atlanta: Connection across difference

The UM News podcast “Signs of Life” returns with the story of two congregations in Atlanta that embarked on a study of a Howard Thurman book. One congregation predominately black and the other white, participants explore together a story of new understanding and relationship.

UM News Podcast Season One

Discipleship

Church finds joy in bread, coffee and communion

Faith Stories

The Rev. Andrea Byer Thomas makes therapeutic soaps and creams to soothe skin allergies. Photos courtesy of Handmade Luxuries.

A ministry of healing

Disaster Relief

Lahaina United Methodist Church on Maui lost its sanctuary in the deadly Maui wildfires, but its congregation never lost its faith. Photo by Lilla Marigza, UM News.

3 years after wildfire, hope spreads in Lahaina