Community

Members of Marvin United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, N.C., pose during a bowling outing. Marvin United Methodist Church received a $100,000 grant from neighboring Sherwood Forest United Methodist Church to help make repairs on its building. Photo courtesy of Marvin United Methodist Church.

Church merger results in win-win-win-win

In North Carolina, United Methodists are making good things happen from an unhappy decline in membership in some of its churches.

Social Concerns

United Methodist youth leaders hold up a joint statement they prepared at the end of a training workshop in Uvira, Congo. The participants committed to promoting and restoring peace in their communities. Photo by Philippe Kituka Lolonga, UM News.

Church trains young people to promote peace

Supported by the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, the training aims to transform young people in eastern Congo into agents of peace in a region destabilized by war.

Church Growth

Taeron Flemming, a mime and community pastor at The Well Church in Washington, D.C., performs Feb. 26 during the Fresh Expressions United Methodist National Gathering 2026 at First United Methodist Church in Ocala, Fla. Flemming teaches mime as a Fresh Expressions ministry. Photo by Brian Rose, Church of the Restoration in Reston, Va.

Fresh Expressions movement gains momentum

United Methodist ministries set in tattoo parlors, yoga studios and restaurants are reaching people outside the sanctuary.

Church Leadership

The Rev. Stephen Handy (center) sits with Tommas Bolton (left) and Kevin Haas during a community meal at McKendree United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn. “We sit with them,” Handy said. “We want to know the names; we want to hear the stories.” Handy has been pastor at McKendree since 2009 and also supervises about 20 urban churches between Nashville and Memphis, encouraging them to get out in their neighborhoods. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Dare to take risks to move church forward, pastor says

The Rev. Stephen Handy envisions more United Methodist churches using the spare space in their buildings to build partnerships in their neighborhoods.

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