Mountain Sky Episcopal Area

A 1961 map shows the location of churches and the borders of episcopal areas within the Central Jurisdiction, which the Methodist Church established to segregate Black members from the wider church. The union that formed The United Methodist Church in 1968 dissolved the Central Jurisdiction. During the Council of Bishops spring meeting in Jacksonville, Fla., bishops explored the legacy of the Central Jurisdiction as denominational leaders consider changes to the geographic jurisdictional system. Image courtesy of Archives and History.

Lessons from past shape jurisdictions’ future

United Methodist bishops learned more about the legacy of the segregated Central Jurisdiction and history of the jurisdictional system, as leaders contemplate possible changes to that system.

Human Rights

Great Plains Conference Bishop David Wilson, left, and Eugene Ridgely Jr., a Sand Creek representative of the Northern Arapaho tribe, gather in an Arapaho tipi located at the History Colorado Center in Denver. Both men are part of the United Methodist Responses to the Sand Creek Massacre Team, which met Sept. 20-21 at Iliff School of Theology to formulate next steps in the denomination’s work to atone for its role in the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre. Photo by Joey Butler, UM News.

Church restarts response to Sand Creek Massacre

Church leaders and Sand Creek representatives from the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes gathered at Iliff School of Theology to identify concrete ways the denomination can continue to work toward repentance.

Human Rights

The Rev. Calvin Hill, a Navajo holy man and pastor at First United Methodist Church in Newcastle, Wyo., puts cedar ashes on Doug Tzan, assistant dean at Wesley Theological Seminary, in a calling your name ceremony Sept. 11 during the 10th Historical Convocation at Bozeman United Methodist Church in Bozeman, Mont. The convocation featured a detailed report on The United Methodist Church’s involvement with U.S. boarding schools for Native American children. Photo by the Rev. Jeremy Smith.

Spotlighting UMC’s role in Indigenous boarding schools

A report on The United Methodist Church’s involvement with U.S. boarding schools for Native American children was presented at the 10th Historical Convocation. Remembrance and reconciliation is the goal of the initial research, but more work is planned.

Global Health

Stephen Saucerman receives a COVID-19 vaccination from volunteer nurse Jackie Smith, RN, at Community United Methodist Church in Vincennes, Ind. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Churches increase access to COVID-19 vaccines

While supplies are still limited, United Methodists are doing what they can to expand access to vaccines, especially among underserved communities.

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