Amid mixed Pew findings, youngest adults outpace parents’ generation in worship attendance
A new report from Pew Research Center, released Wednesday (Oct. 28), presents startling and conflicting findings. Most striking — although with several caveats — is that 41% of young adults surveyed who were born between 2004 and 2008 (ages 18 to 22) reported attending religious services at least monthly, a higher percentage than the U.S. public (33%) and any other age group except those born before 1950 (43%). Read more

UMC bishop removes ministers from Dallas’ Highland Park; church says they will stay
(RNS) — The bishop overseeing Dallas’ Highland Park United Methodist Church removed the current and former senior ministers of the congregation on Thursday (Oct. 29) and provided a new pastor to lead worship at a different location, in yet another escalation in the fight between the denomination and the church. Read more

U.S. bishops urge Catholic voters: Start with your faith, discern your vote
In a video released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Portland, Oregon, Archbishop Alexander Sample suggested Catholics should think of themselves as “disciples of Jesus first, Americans second … and, if you’re going to belong to a political party, that is third.” Read more

United Methodists help honor AME Church founder
United Methodists joined in a historic tribute to the former slave who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church, as Philadelphia’s mayor renamed a street in honor of Bishop Richard Allen. Read more

In another historic move, Pope Leo casts absentee US vote from Rome
(RNS) — Pope Leo XIV has done his civic duty: He has voted from Rome in the U.S. midterm election, the Vatican announced, marking another first for the American pope. Read more

Flashy AI campaign ads use religion to stir emotions and attack candidates
(RNS) — In some key races, AI has been used in campaign ads to depict candidates’ religious views and convey religious messaging, ranging from highly realistic to provocative and eccentric. Read more

Multisite churches — also known as franchises — are now a staple of American life
(RNS) — A new study of multi-site churches has found that such congregations have become commonplace, found in almost every state in the nation. Many of the 1,800 multisite churches have started a new location by merging with another church. Read more