UM News Digest - July 15, 2026

UM News Digest - July 15, 2026 Young people’s gathering | New AU dorm | Find-a-Church “You are the church now, and you are the church of the future.” — Chris Wilterdink, director of Young People’s Ministries, speaking to youth at the Global Young People’s Convocation. Jesse Aaron Felicitas of Antagan United Methodist Church in Isabela, Philippines, sings during worship at the Global Young People’s Convocation, held July 7-11 in Dublin, Ireland. Photo by the Rev. M. Scott Hughes, Discipleship Ministries. Young people’s gathering energizes connection DUBLIN (UM News) — Breaking from the legislative focus of past gatherings, the 2026 Global Young People’s Convocation shifted toward prioritizing discipleship, cross-cultural connections and authentic relationship-building. The July 7-11 United Methodist forum brought together about 600 young delegates and youth leaders to celebrate, strengthen and actively lead the connectional ministries of the global church. The Rev. Gustavo Vásquez reports. Read story Safe, comfortable campus housing for female students is in high demand at Africa University, given its rural location and the lack of reliable public transportation. Photo courtesy of Africa University. Conferences team up to raise $1.5M for AU dorm NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UM News) — Responding to Africa University’s pressing need for student housing, two U.S. annual conferences are partnering to raise $1.5 million for building a new dormitory for women. Members of The United Methodist Church’s Upper New York and Susquehanna annual conferences, meeting separately in May and early June, approved the project. Tim Tanton has the story. Read story New England Conference Bishop: Pray, advocate after 2nd ICE death METHUEN, Mass. — Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton, who leads the New England and New York conferences, offered a pastoral response after the death of Joan Sebastian Guerrero, who was the second person killed by federal immigration officials in less than a week. He called for prayer, advocacy and transparency in the investigation of Guerrero’s death. Read bishop’s statement Ask The UMC Keep Find-a-Church profile fresh NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In a new installment of Ask The UMC Shorts, the Rev. Taylor Burton Edwards suggests how often your church should update its Find-a-Church profile. The goal is to keep the information as fresh as possible, he said, noting that the profile is likely the first impression your church is making on potential visitors. Watch video ADVERTISEMENT Religion News Service Latina women in Texas reshape denomination DALLAS — Latina United Methodist Church leaders in Texas are emerging with fresh models for ministry following years of church disaffiliations, decline and uncertainty within the denomination. For many, their leadership is vital to the survival and flourishing of United Methodist congregations across the state and U.S. Chloe Landen and Ellie Ashby have the story.  Read story UM News: Historic church embraces new era of ministry New York Conference Remembering the Rev. John E. Carrington NEW YORK — The New York Conference is remembering the Rev. John E. Carrington, a longtime pastor and New York City leader who died June 26 at age 100. From 1971 to 1999, he was executive director of the United Methodist City Society. For more than 36 years, Carrington was board chairman of Brooklyn’s New York Methodist Hospital, which is now part of the New York Presbyterian Healthcare System. Its Carrington Pavilion bears his name. Lisa Isom has his obituary. Read obituary United Methodist Congress of the Deaf Northeastern Deaf ministry leaders gather WILMINGTON, Del. — People hugged, longtime friends shared updates and hands were flying in ASL during the gathering of Deaf Ministries from across the Northeastern Jurisdiction. The board of the Northeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Congress of the Deaf — a chapter of the Deaf caucus — hosted the June 26-27 gathering at Grace United Methodist Church. The Rev. Leo Yates reports. Read story ADVERTISEMENT 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. Michigan Conference Be bold in embracing faith DOWAGIAC, Mich. — As part of the Michigan Conference’s “America at 250” series, the Rev. Chris Momany argues that, as Wesleyans, United Methodists’ best response to the dangerous ideology of Christian Nationalism must be theological and rooted in the Gospel. Read commentary Read series File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News Remembering civil rights advocate Clara Ester Read story Photo courtesy of Knox United Church Calgary Leadership Gathering moves ahead amid challenges Read story Aug. 12 Status and Role of Women webinar: How to Do a Salary Study Nov. 6-8 Exploration 2026 More United Methodist events UMNews.org | UM News Photos

WCC news: Rev. Dr Susan Durber elected as future moderator of United Reformed Church General Assembly

Rev. Dr Susan Durber, World Council of Churches president from Europe, has been elected moderator of United Reformed Church General Assembly from July 2027 to July 2028. Photo: United Reformed Church 15 July 2026 “This is a great honour and a wonderful opportunity to serve the church that has nurtured me, welcomed, and affirmed me, and which I am proud to serve,” she said.  She accepted the role after the election held at the 2026 meeting of the United Reformed Church General Assembly “with gratitude, and in all humility.” Durber thanked the South Western Synod for its nomination and the General Assembly for issuing “this call to serve our church and to continue ministry in this way. “In our family when anyone goes to take an exam or do something daunting we say ‘JDYBL’ – ‘Just do your best love.’ I shall get a wristband made. … I do not underestimate either the size of the task or your generosity in calling me to it. Thank you.” Durber recalled that it was Maundy Thursday when she received a letter from the United Reformed Church general secretary to tell her that she had been nominated to serve as moderator of the General Assembly – and that she was the only candidate. “That weekend I then went to several services where we sang Isaac Watts’ lines – ‘Love so amazing, so divine/Demands my soul, my life, my all.’ I knew that I had to say yes. “I will have a whole year to prepare for this role – and I shall keep on singing and praying.” As moderator-elect, Durber will serve on a number of committees for the following year and, after her year in office, will serve on them for a year as immediate past moderator. See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland

RNS Morning Report - Amid ICE killings, clergy protest at Delaney Hall

Amid ICE killings, more than 100 clergy from across the US stage protest at Delaney Hall   Amid the recent killings of two immigrants by immigration enforcement agents, around 100 religious leaders from across the country staged a protest outside the Delaney Hall immigrant detention center on Monday (July 13) afternoon, demanding the closure of the privately run facility over what they say are inhumane conditions.   The protest, chiefly organized by Faith in New Jersey, came after Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, were fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents; for about a year, there have been recurring protests outside of Delaney Hall.   “I am sick and tired of waking up every morning to see another loved one is dead,” Charlene Walker, head of Faith in New Jersey, told RNS National Reporter Jack Jenkins.         Top Stories Amid ICE killings, more than 100 clergy from across the US stage protest at Delaney Hall NEWARK, New Jersey (RNS) — 'I am sick and tired of waking up every morning to see another loved one is dead,' said Charlene Walker, head of Faith in New Jersey. Iranian Christian refugee wins custody battle against Pastor Saeed Abedini, former political prisoner (RNS) — Niloofar Aragh, an Iranian refugee living in Turkey, said Pastor Saeed Abedini abducted her 5-year-old daughter and fled the country in violation of international law. A federal judge in Virginia ordered the child returned to her mother. Iran persecutes its Baha’i minority fiercely in a year of protests and war, rights groups say (AP) — This year, amid massive anti-government protests and war with the United States and Israel, the Islamic Republic has mounted a fierce crackdown on the country’s largest non-Muslim religious minority, human rights groups say. Opinion Learning what a trip to Jewish Poland has to teach (RNS) — A cautionary tale for today. AI will make war worse, Pope Leo warns (RNS) — Technology, detached from ethics and responsibility, will make wartime decisions about life and death more rapid and impersonal, the pope writes. ICYMI ‘It really did take me back to after 9/11’: How Islamophobia roiled a Texas election FRISCO, Texas (RNS) — A mayoral election in Frisco, Texas, turned into a referendum on who belongs, with Islamophobic and anti-Hindu rhetoric dominating. The Latina women in Texas reshaping the UMC (RNS) — Latina United Methodist Church leaders in Texas are emerging with fresh models for ministry following years of schism, decline and uncertainty within the denomination. Support Our Work As a nonprofit newsroom that covers all faiths, RNS sits uniquely at the intersection of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. News tips or feedback? Email comments@religionnews.com. Like the Morning Report? Share it with a friend. Forwarded this newsletter? Subscribe here. We rely on reader donations to power our reporting. Donate here. Or send a check to: Religion News Foundation PO Box 1808 Columbia, MO 65205

Copyright © 2026 Religion News Service, All rights reserved.