 |
|
Among the 16 new churches that joined the Annual Conference at its meeting last July, there is a group from Odessa, Ukraine. It was started as an independent Bible study group. After they got acquainted with Methodism through literature and some personal contacts, they asked to join the United Methodist Church.
Asked why they had chosen United Methodism, they uttered their dissatisfaction with the Orthodox Church because of "priests telling them what to do with no discussion" and with the Baptist Church because of the "dry doctrine and exclusiveness." Neither Pentecostals or charismatics seemed attractive nor to start an independent church because "we don't want to hop, jump, and scream in tongues to rock music" and "we don't want to be part of a sect without a tradition."
There is a new importance of the connectional nature of Methodism in this growing interest in joining the United Methodist Church. We do not compete with other confessions and denominations, but there is something unique in the "mix" that makes United Methodism.
What seems to be attractive is openness and intellectual honesty, missionary zeal combined with a high regard for church tradition and ritual, and the belonging to a greater community on the national and international level.
One pastor suggested wearing T-shirts in our language saying: "UNITED METHODISTS – Join us for what we are not; stay with us for what we are."
Bishop Ruediger R. Minor (with material provided by Bill Lovelace, Kiev)
Bishop Minor is episcopal leader of the Eurasia Area, which includes Russia.
Next page: Exciting Growth in Russia United Methodist Church
Return to the Russia Initiative Newsletter page
URL: http://gbgm-umc.org/news/2001/jan/russiamixmw.stm