UM News Digest - Feb. 6, 2026

UM News Digest - Feb. 6, 2026 Small churches can do large ministries Church members take public stand on immigration United Methodists kick off year with prayer walk “Small churches may not be able to make a splash … but they can still change the community around them.” — The Rev. Wayne Cook, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church of Titusville, Florida. The Rev. Ingrid McIntyre (left) admires a birthday card for Terry Corral, a resident of the Village at Glencliff medical respite program housed at Glencliff United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn. Photo by Mike DuBose, UM News. Small churches can do large ministries NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Some people need diapers for their children, while others need a place to recover from surgery and freedom from medical debt. Three United Methodist churches are responding — and making an outsize contribution to their communities in Tennessee, Florida and New York state. Jim Patterson reports. Read story Western North Carolina Conference, Charlotte Observer Church members take public stand on immigration CHARLOTTE, N.C. — More than 1,000 United Methodists across the Western North Carolina Conference have signed onto a faith-rooted, nonpartisan public statement denouncing “aggressive, undisciplined, illegal, and inhumane” federal immigration raids. The statement appeared as an ad in regional newspapers on Feb. 4. The conference has the statement and list of signers. Brian Lumpkin of the Charlotte Observer has a story on the ad. Supporters can still sign on to affirm the statement. Read Western North Carolina Conference statement To sign Read Charlotte Observer story South Carolina Conference United Methodists kick off year with prayer walk COLUMBIA, S.C.  — United Methodists from across South Carolina came together Jan. 4 in a prayer walk seeking collaboration, connection and community in the city and state. The walk, which started at Columbia United Methodist Church, journeyed down Main Street and ended at the steps of the South Carolina Statehouse, where South Carolina Conference Bishop Leonard Fairley spoke on the necessity of joining together to be the light God calls people to be. Jessica Brodie has the story.  Read story ADVERTISEMENT Global Ministries Seeking peace through education MANILA, Philippines — Bishops, scholars, educators, students and mission partners joined forces Jan. 18-21 to talk about seeking peace through education in a multicultural world. Roland Fernandes, top executive of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, emphasized that peace pursued through coercion is not real peace at all. Instead, he highlighted a biblical and Wesleyan vision of peace rooted in shalom, justice and the commitment to “do no harm.” Susan Clark and Amos Nascimiento have the story. Read story United Methodist Communications Where can I find data about the church? NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The United Methodist Church has many resources for statistical reporting, data collection and data analysis. The Rev. Taylor W Burton Edwards, who serves as lead for Ask The UMC, the information service of United Methodist Communications, offers an overview of the variety of available data and how it may be accessed. Read story ADVERTISEMENT Council of Bishops Bishops list Leadership Gathering participants WASHINGTON — The Council of Bishops has released the list of participants for the 2026 Leadership Gathering — a diverse group of 300 emerging and established leaders from across the United Methodist connection. Under the theme “Emboldened by the Spirit: Imagining a Church Yet to Be,” the gathering will take place Oct. 20-24 at Knox United Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Read press release See list (PDF) UM News: Bishops ask all to help shape church’s future General Conference GC2028 worship and music director sought NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Applications are open for those interested in serving as worship and music director for the 2028 General Conference, being held May 8-18, 2028, in Minneapolis. Applicants should submit a brief résumé outlining their background and professional references, with a YouTube link to a five-minute audition video demonstrating the applicant's presence leading worship. Submissions are due no later than Feb. 20, and interviews for finalists will take place in March. View job description World Methodist Evangelism Methodist evangelism ministry names head CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The board of World Methodist Evangelism has named J. Paulo Lopes, a missionary in the Brazilian Methodist Church, as the ministry’s next executive director. He has been the ministry’s director of emerging leadership since 2020. He succeeds the Rev. Kimberly Reisman, who plans to retire in March after leading the World Methodist Council affiliate since 2014. Read frequently asked questions about the transition UM News includes in the Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not UM News staff. Church and Society Faith must be public WASHINGTON — Faith must be public, says the Rev. Liberato Bautista, who represents the United Methodist Board of Church and Society for United Nations and International Affairs. In a commentary reflecting on Black History Month and the national celebration of the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Bautista writes the United Methodist Social Principles “urge us to honor every person, dismantle racism, build equitable economies, steward creation, reject violence and uphold dignity across borders and identities.” Read commentary United Methodist Communications What churches can do to support immigrants NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids intensify across the United States, many United Methodist congregations are witnessing fear and disruption in their communities and are seeking faithful ways to respond. ResourceUMC gathers resources to help churches support their immigrant neighbors.  See resources Image from video by Lilla Marigza, UM News Connect with God in nature during Lent Read story Photo by Heather Hahn, UM News General Conference secretary steps away Read story Monday, Feb. 16 - Friday, May 1 Online Course: In God's Time — The Bible and the Future Monday, Feb. 23 - Monday, March 30 Online Course: Proclaiming Scripture with a Storytelling Spirit for Lent More United Methodist events UMNews.org |  UM News Photos

Weekly Outlook - Who is Bad Bunny anyway?

Dear readers, I'm currently in love with the writing of John Green. His nonfiction book Everything is Tuberculosis was my favorite read from last year, and I just finished The Anthropocene Reviewed, a collection of essays written during Covid that offers playful yet sincere attention to odd corners of human experience— from Super Mario Kart to diet Dr. Pepper to living in Indianapolis. This is the kind of writing I aspire to in my personal and professional life: work that notices ordinary things and, through careful attention, allows them to bloom. In Green’s hands, the everyday becomes a place to wrestle honestly with joy and grief. And it is filled with wonderful quotes and references (Pastors: it is a treasure trove for sermon illustrations).  Here is one quote that I'm thinking about today.    "As with all the best sci-fi writers, Kurt Vonnegut was really good at seeing into the future. Way back in 1974, he wrote, 'What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously, but the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.' That seems to me to be an even more important and more daring endeavor than it was 47 years ago.  When people ask me why I live in Indianapolis when I could live anywhere, that's what I want to tell them. I'm trying to create a stable community in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured. And you've got to do that somewhere."   May we find ways today to build communities that fight to cure the terrible disease of loneliness. May we have grace when other communities pursuing the same goal look different from ours. May we believe, with the power of the Holy Spirit, that such work is possible and ongoing. Peace, Rose Schrott Taylor Digital Content Editor Presbyterian Outlook

Why you should listen to Bad Bunny by Alex Evangelista  Marketing Jesus: Prayer apps and Super Bowl ads by Patrice Gaines Empathy as resistance by Matthew Frease Empathy isn’t about fixing pain by Teri McDowell Ott Faith leaders gather in Washington, D.C. to urge Senate vote against DHS funding by Gregg Brekke Church is still vital — it may just look different by Mark Elsdon In case you missed it... Meeting Jesus on the Road: A Lenten Study With weekly walking prompts, reflection questions and a pastoral tone, "Meeting Jesus on the Road" encourages us to meet Jesus in our neighborhoods, writes Amy Pagliarella. Presbyterians advocate for Haitian neighbors as a federal judge blocks, for now, an end to temporary protective status From Springfield, Ohio, to Spokane, Washington, Presbyterians joined other people of faith to rally for their friends. — Cindy Corell Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of Humanity In "Against the Machine," Paul Kingsnorth offers a prophetic, if alarmist, diagnosis of Western civilization’s collapse, ultimately calling the church to become a sanctuary, writes Blaine Crawford. Why the PC(USA)’s Book of Confessions is too long — and how to fix it Charles Aden Wiley, III, offers a provocative proposal: shorten the Book of Confessions to make it more accessible, usable and formational for the whole church. Even now: an Ash Wednesday lament An Ash Wednesday lament by Jennifer L. Aycock that names death, grief, and the ashes we carry into Lent. Maine clergy form spiritual ‘shield’ outside workplaces to protect immigrants from ICE Presbyterian clergy join an ecumenical coalition in Maine, forming a daily “spiritual shield” to stand with immigrant workers facing ICE enforcement.