News

Thirty years after The United Methodist Church established the Order of Deacons, the vocation continues to shape how the church serves beyond its walls through its estimated 1,100 ordained members. Approved by the 1996 General Conference, the order created a permanent ordained ministry centered on Word, service, compassion, and justice, affirming a lifelong calling distinct from elder ministry.

I pray this summer you found time to relax and renew. When I was a chaplain, I served in the president’s cabinet. From that experience, I know summers are not entirely relaxing for staff and administration. ... Not only do we gain a realistic picture of what we will find in the next few months, but it is also a time for staff and faculty to begin again.

Racial/Ethnic and Multiethnic Ministries grants support programs that foster leadership development and church growth in racial/ethnic communities.

Carefully laid plans don’t always align with God’s timing. For Police Chaplain Rev. Kimberly Davis, the call to ministry came when she was serving as a police officer.

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry’s (GBHEM) 2025 Impact Report highlights how The United Methodist Church continues to strengthen educational institutions, develop transformational leaders, and expand access to theological education amid a rapidly changing world. 

A new regional partnership developed in consultation with the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry will expand access to theological education for licensed local pastors.

During its June meeting, the University Senate of The United Methodist Church updated the list of approved non-United Methodist theological schools, based on University Senate requirements for preparing candidates for ordination in The United Methodist Church.

In May, nine United Methodist chaplains and campus ministers stepped onto Spain’s El Camino de Santiago, not simply to walk, but to listen for God more deeply. The journey created sacred space for discernment, renewal and connection among leaders who spend their days guiding others. The eight-day pilgrimage, supported by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM), was part of the Office of Collegiate Ministries Spiritual Development program, which provided $2,000 stipends for the nine participants.

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry’s revised Course of Study (COS) curriculum will reshape how local pastors in The United Methodist Church are formed for ministry through a streamlined, 16-course structure that is more integrated, flexible, and responsive to today’s church.

Discerning God’s call in your life and think that call may be to vocational ministry in The United Methodist Church? Exploration 2026 may offer the clarity you’ve been seeking. Exploration, a nationwide vocational discernment retreat hosted by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, is set for November 6-8, in Orlando, Florida. Registration is now open for adults 18 and older who are considering a call to vocational ministry.