Worship

Attendees raise their hands in celebration during a lunch-hour prayer service July 24 at St. Peter’s Inner City United Methodist Church in Mutare, Zimbabwe. The United Methodist-led services draw church members and people from other denominations for weekly prayer and worship. Photo by Eveline Chikwanah, UM News.

Lunch-hour prayer service draws members, friends

United Methodist-led opportunity changes lives through prayer, worship and counseling for spiritual needs.

Participants in the 2025 United Methodist Church Deacons Gathering sing during opening worship at the Upper Room Chapel in Nashville, Tenn. From left are the Rev. Shannon Howard, the Rev. Tina Marie Rees, the Rev. Sherry Brady and Candace Brady. A focus of the event was deacons’ new sacramental authority approved at last year’s General Conference. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

Deacons explore new sacramental authority

United Methodist deacons are discussing best practices now that General Conference has approved their new responsibility to preside at baptism and communion “when contextually appropriate.”

Faith Stories

The Rev. Jesse Baker preaches at First United Methodist Church of Elon, N.C. A poet as well as a pastor, Baker writes a sonnet based on the Scripture he intends to preach on each week, then uses the sonnet to inspire his sermon. His new book, “Clarity and Light: Meditations on Scripture,” is a collection of his sonnets. Photo by Patrick Abbott, courtesy of First United Methodist Church.

Pastor turns sonnets into sermons

A United Methodist pastor in North Carolina is writing poetry to put Scripture in perspective, which he says helps him write more compelling sermons.

Worship

Taking worship into the wild

Individuals are heading to the woods to connect with God in nature. This unique worship experience is a ministry of First United Methodist Church of Omaha, Nebraska.

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