General Church

Church Leadership
Bishop Ande I. Emmanuel (second from left) and other episcopal leaders try out the newly acquired motorcycles at a handover ceremony in Jalingo, Nigeria. Built to handle rugged terrain, the vehicles will make it possible to reach isolated villages to plant churches, win souls and support pastoral work more effectively. Photo by Joseph Dauda Idris Balasa, UM News.

Motorcycles strengthen ministry in rural Nigeria

United Methodist Bishop Ande I. Emmanuel presented 48 motorcycles to district superintendents in the Nigeria Episcopal Area to ease travel challenges.
General Church
The Council of Bishops Leadership Gathering is set to take place Oct. 20-24 at Knox United Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Logo courtesy of United Methodist Communications.

What to know about the Leadership Gathering

After many months of preparation, the Leadership Gathering is set to take place this week in Canada to help imagine The United Methodist Church of tomorrow. Here are answers to frequently asked questions.
General Church
A multigenerational choir and praise band help lead worship Oct. 4 at the 100th anniversary celebration of First United Methodist Church in Portland, Texas, a city on the Gulf Coast. The church offers an example of the growing number of professions of faith through confirmation that U.S. United Methodist churches saw last year. Photo by George Banda, Rio Texas Conference.

Amid decline, US professions of faith rise

The United Methodist Church continued to see its U.S. membership slide in 2025. But data collected by the denomination’s administrative agency also shows signs of growth.
General Church
From left, Bishop Chungsuk Kim, president bishop of the Korean Methodist Church; the Rev. Byung-bae Hwang, general secretary of its General Board of Missions; Roland Fernandes, top executive of United Methodist Board of Global Ministries; and Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, an ecumenical officer of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, mark the signing of a mission cooperation covenant Oct. 14 in Sokcho, South Korea. The agreement commits the churches’ mission agencies to annual consultations and deeper cooperation. Photo by the Rev. Thomas E. Kim, UM News.

United Methodists, Korean church renew ties

Building on 141 years of shared missionary heritage, leaders of The United Methodist Church and the Korean Methodist Church signed a new covenant committing their mission agencies to regular dialogue and deeper cooperation.

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