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| Dialogue and Study Look at Relations among Methodists in the Americas | |||||||||||||
New York, NY, March 30, 2007—A series of dialogues and studies are looking at the past, present, and future relations between The United Methodist Church and its mission partner Methodist churches in Latin American and the Caribbean. In early March of this year, Methodist leaders from the region met in Panama City with United Methodists representatives to discuss common interests and to worship and pray together. “What a powerful experience of the Wesleyan vision of personal and social faith,” said the Rev. R. Randy Day, chief mission executive of The United Methodist Church, reflecting on the meeting in Panama. “It was thrilling to be with so many Methodists of different languages and cultures all united in common of mission and a sense of discipleship.” Rev. Day’s agency, the General Board of Global Ministries, is working with the denomination’s Connectional Table, the Council of Bishops and the General Commission of Church Unity and Interreligious Concerns in sponsoring and funding the Latin America/Caribbean study. The project was mandated by the 2004 legislating General Conference of the denomination Both the Panama meeting and the reasons for it are documented in a series of articles written by Linda Bloom of United Methodist News Service (UMNS). Those articles cover the histories, current situations, and aspirations of the Methodists of Latin America and the Caribbean, which relate to one another through the Council of Evangelical Methodist Church in Latin America and the Caribbean (CIEMAL). The kinds of issues covered are summarized in "Latin American, Caribbean Methodists share insights." Faith experiences in the region are sampled in "Latin Americans tell stories of faith." Methodism has been a presence in Latin America and the Caribbean for many years. That general history is covered in "Methodism has history in Latin America, Caribbean." The English and French speaking Caribbean churches have a British Methodist heritage. All other Methodist Churches in the region were founded by missionaries from the United States and were once organic parts of what is today The United Methodist Church. All are autonomous (independent) today, except for a recent mission-founded community of United Methodists in Honduras. The role of CIEMAL in providing links among the Methodist denominations spread over a vast area is described "Latin American Methodists: separate but connected." Struggles the members of CIEMAL face today, partly because of historical and geographical factors, and new ministry opportunities are considered in "Latin American Methodists eager to rebuild." Issues of present and future links between The United Methodist Church and the Methodist churches of Latin America and the Caribbean are laid out in "Church wants stronger bonds in southern hemisphere." The consultation in Panama is only one occasion in the ongoing dialogue and study on Methodism and its relations in the southern and northern parts of the Western Hemisphere. The conclusions of the study will be presented to the 2008 General Conference. Articles found on the United Methodist News Service website:
Date posted: Apr 02, 2007 |
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