The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) has awarded $697,900 through the inaugural grant cycle of its Regional Conference Higher Education Fund (RCHEF), supporting 14 higher education projects across Africa, Europe, and the Philippines.

The general boards of Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry have awarded $143,350 in Campus Food and Hygiene Insecurity Grants to 19 United Methodist-related colleges and universities, supporting campus programs that help students access nutritious food, personal care items, and other essential resources needed to pursue their education.

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) and the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges, and Universities (IAMSCU) mourn the passing of Rev. Dr. Roger Ireson, president emeritus of IAMSCU and general secretary of GBHEM from 1988 until his retirement in 2001, who died on November 6, 2026, in Austin, Texas.

Sometimes we come to believe that we can do great things on our own. In some cases, it appears to be so. The marathon runner that finished the race seems to do it alone. The author of a book seems to have done it on their own. Someone who recently completed their doctorate, by all appearances, it looks like they did it alone.

This last Sunday, as a guest preacher, I didn’t want to say something that would create a problem for my friend as she was coming back from vacation. This time I felt led to use empathy as the centerpiece of the sermon. Of course, at any other time in history, empathy is the safest thing to talk about in church. Except in our time. Empathy has become a dirty word and controversial even in the church.