December 1998
Mexican Methodists Strengthen Evangelization Ministries
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Meeting in the recently acquired modern facility for theological education in Mexico City, Mexican Methodist leaders representing four annual conferences shared an intensive training experience from November 30 to December 5 for strengthening evangelistic ministries. Through the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches of Latin America and the Caribbean (CIEMAL), 21 leaders--including Bishop Antonio Aguina, president of the episcopal cabinet, Bishop Enrique Flores, and Bishop Isaias Ramos--used biblical and theological resources to develop and strengthen strategies for evangelization. The expectancy of renewed life in Christ that marks the Advent season underlined the sense of new possibilities for outreach ministries among the participants. Mexican Methodist leaders expressed keen interest in strengthening connectional ties through CIEMAL with the emerging Methodist churches in El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Colombia, and Paraguay. Bishop Isaias Gutierrez, president of CIEMAL, reported on encouraging developments in these new churches. In the midst of the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch, the churches of Honduras and Nicaragua are courageously engaged in ministries of consolation and emergency support. CIEMAL brings together in mission and ministry 15 Methodist churches in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America, including: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, Mexico, and the churches of the Methodist Church of the Caribbean and the Americas (MCCA). United Methodist churches in the Dominican Republic and Ecuador also relate to CIEMAL. Evidence of growing relationships between United Methodists and the churches of CIEMAL offers encouraging signs. President Gutierrez and the Reverend David Ortigoza, general secretary of CIEMAL, recently participated in the national meeting of the executive committee of the National Plan for Hispanic Ministries, and the MARCHA (Methodists Associated to Represent the Cause of Hispanic Americans) assembly. Plans will soon be developed to enhance mutual ministries among Hispanics born in the north and south. United Methodists who provided leadership included Dr. David Lowes Watson, former director of covenant discipleship at the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD); Dr. Douglas Ruffle, executive secretary of transformation, training, and leadership development at the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM); the Reverend Joaquin Garcia, director of conference relations at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM); and Dr. Wilson Boots, a GBGM missionary who works at CIEMAL in Bolivia. Many Methodists are among the large number of immigrants to the United States from Latin America and the Caribbean. CIEMAL churches have contributed a significant number of pastors serving United Methodist churches in each of the five jurisdictions. There is a growing recognition among United Methodists of the need to claim the vast opportunities for ministry among Hispanic people. ELADE (Latin American School of Evangelization), the CIEMAL body that organized the training event in Mexico, is one example of how ministries are being strengthened. For further information, make contact with: |