NAIROBI – From April 8-10, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya, 112 board members, staff, and missionaries – including eight bishops from diverse regions – converged for a three-day meeting of the boards of directors for Global Ministries (GBGM), UMCOR, and Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM).

Launched in 2025, “This Moment Matters” has awarded hundreds of bridge grants to address critical gaps in need in the areas of food security, education, health, migration, and peace.

Directors of Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry approve a proposal for Mary Johnston Hospital in Manila to develop the first certified and accredited UMC CPE program outside the United States.

A proposed unification of four UMC agencies aims to strengthen collaboration, mission impact, and long-term sustainability across the church.

At their April meeting in Nairobi, board members of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) approved a one-time distribution of $4 million from agency reserve funds in support of the 11 United Methodist-related Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the United States.

With $4 million in funding approved by the board of directors at their spring meeting, the new grant program centers on institutional development and contextual education beyond the U.S.

Roland Fernandes addresses the Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry boards of directors in their spring meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya.

This Moment Matters is a faith-based response to the current context of global instability, humanitarian crises, attacks on equitable education programs and shifting political landscapes.

Addressing the boards of Global Ministries and Higher Education and Ministry in a joint online meeting, General Secretary Roland Fernandes outlined the agencies’ progress on faith-based responses to suffering caused by ongoing global instability and humanitarian crises, and he announced This Moment Matters, a campaign to address global needs in key areas of focus.

Advocates for LGBTQ+ inclusion within The United Methodist Church, including the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM), gathered July 24-27 in Madison for the biannual convocation of the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN), celebrating the recent removal of harmful language from the Book of Discipline.