News

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. 

More than 470 scholarship recipients supported by The United Methodist Church’s General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) reached a major milestone this spring, earning degrees across disciplines ranging from theology and education to finance and science.

As students face mounting financial pressures from cuts in student support programs on U.S. university campuses, the General Boards of Higher Education and Ministry and Global Ministries will offer campus food and hygiene insecurity grants for United Methodist-related colleges to help provide food and essential supplies to their students.

As many who speak truth to power, I often wonder, where did their courage come from? On a more personal note, I ask myself, if I needed this much courage, where would I find the strength to have it?

Peace is more than the absence of conflict—it is the presence of justice, dignity, and wholeness. As you begin this week, consider how you might embody that peace on your campus, creating spaces where every person is seen, valued, and respected.

“We care for the soul of the soldiers.” In eight short words, Chaplain (Major) Amor Del Rosario, a United Methodist endorsed chaplain in the U.S. Air Force, captured the crucial ministry that chaplains perform throughout all branches of the military.

The end of the semester always comes with a bittersweet taste. We say farewell to students who have been part of the campus community during the early years of adulthood. These students were formed on our campuses. They will carry the values of your institution for the rest of their lives.

The E. Stanley Jones Foundation and the General Boards of Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry have partnered to develop and release a suicide prevention video training course designed to equip faith leaders with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to prevent suicide, respond to crises, and care for individuals and families affected by suicide loss.