Transgender people are beloved children of God, called to discipleship, equipped by the Holy Spirit, and gifted for ministry. They are not merely people the church is called to include. They are among the people through whom God is already renewing the church.

Land Acknowledgement vs. Welcome by the Original People; Suggested Guidelines for the United Methodist Church is a document written by Native American International Caucus of the United Methodist Church to provide resources to the church.

Many Annual Conferences and local churches want to acknowledge that they are meeting, worshiping, and living out ministry on land occupied and cared for by Indigenous people long before the Christian Church arrived. This is an honorable intent.

This document offers a greater understanding of the difference between a land acknowledgement and a welcoming ceremony and provides assistance in planning.

Disability, Trauma, and the Church: Toward a Disability-Just, Trauma-Informed Ecclesiology, Ministry, and Institutional Practice
A White Paper from the Association of Ministers with Disabilities

This white paper grew out of the conversations, experiences, and concerns raised at the 2026 Disability Summit. It explores the intersection of disability, trauma, ableism, and the life of the Church and calls The United Methodist Church toward practices that are both disability-just and trauma-informed.

The paper is intended not only for disabled clergy and laity, but also for bishops, cabinets, annual conferences, Boards of Ordained Ministry, District Committees on Ordained Ministry, clergy mentors, seminaries, congregations, and other ministry leaders whose decisions and practices shape participation, belonging, leadership, and vocation in the Church.