Nashville, October 2018 - The United Methodist Publishing House (UMPH) has launched an intensive project to gather insights about effective ministries in congregations across The United Methodist Church. At a recent learning event for staff executives, a local pastor, an associate clergy member, and an elder spent several hours along with their district superintendent painting a vivid picture of congregations and their ministries. Representing local churches ranging in size from 8 in Sunday worship to 425 members, the pastors described evangelistic outreach, vibrant worship, cross-congregational collaboration, working on community issues such as health care, drug addiction, education, and hunger, and creative ways for people to engage in life-changing Bible study.