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A parade in Manila and a thanksgiving service at Wesleyan University in Cabanatuan highlighted the United Methodist Church's centennial celebration in the Philippines.
The March 14-21 events drew Methodists from around the world, and included a speech by Filipino President Fidel V. Ramos.
The celebration began with a parade of 26 floats, bands and delegations of various churches and institutions, followed by a service of praise and thanksgiving at the Quirio Grandstand on Manila Bay. A local newspaper estimated the crowd at 30,000 people.
President Ramos gave an "inspiring address" at the March 14 event, according to Richard Schwenk, a United Methodist missionary.
Ramos lauded United Methodists for their contributions to the country and their leadership in social services, health care and education. He also praised the church's emphasis on moral integrity in public and private life, Schwenk said.
The event included a 1,000-voice youth choir, live music, dances, drama, a historical video presentation and a fireworks display.
The following day, invited guests preached in local churches throughout Manila and spent the remainder of the week visiting United Methodist institutions and projects.
On March 21, a thanksgiving service was held on the campus of Wesleyan University in Cabanatuan, about 120 miles north of Manila. Bishop Dan Solomon of Baton Rouge, La., was the speaker. Participants included Methodist delegates from Africa, America, Asia and Europe.
A "barrio fiesta" celebration followed. After lunch, about 100 delegates participated in an open forum, moderated by Philippines Bishop Emerito Nacpil, to discuss how to enhance partnerships in the development of a global church.
The day ended with an exhibition of Filipino folk dances and a student drama of the history of Methodism in the Philippines.
Although not part of the centennial celebration, Union Theological Seminary in Dasmarinas, Cavite, about 20 miles south of Manila, had its 90th commencement exercise on March 20.
The 84 graduates came from all regions of the Philippines, as well as Japan, Korea, Nigeria and Burma. Founded in 1907 by Methodists and Presbyterians, the seminary trains pastors and church workers for the United Methodist Church, United Church of Christ in the Philippines and several other denominations.
Methodist mission work in the Philippines began soon after the United States bought control of the island nation for $20 million in 1898.
Bishop James Thoburn sailed to Manila from India in 1899 and organized a congregation as part of the Malaysia Mission Conference. What became the Philippine Mission then grew to span seven provinces north of Manila.
Organized in 1908, the Philippine Annual Conference divided as it continued to grow. Today, as a central conference, it has three episcopal areas –- Manila, Baguio and Davao –- and numerous annual conferences. Official membership, according to World Methodist Council statistics, stands at 225,000, but the church serves a larger community of nearly half a million.
United Methodists relate closely to the United Church of Christ in the Philippines. That denomination resulted from the 1948 union of five Protestant communities: Evangelical United Brethren, Presbyterian, United Brethren, Congregational and Philippine Methodist churches.
March 25, 1998
Produced by United Methodist News Service, (615) 42-5470, official news agency of the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New York, and Washington. Releases and photos also available at http://www.umc.org/umns/
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