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A UMNS Report
By Isaac Broune*
7:00 A.M. EST August 27, 2010 | ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire (UMNS)
An acolyte leads the choir into worship at Jerusalem United Methodist
Church in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo in April 2010.
A UMNS file photo by Mike DuBose.
African United Methodists desire a greater voice, more sharing of
power and the ability to adapt some church rules to local contexts.
And a study committee exploring the global nature of the denomination is listening.
After meeting with church leaders throughout the continent, the
Committee to Study the Worldwide Nature of The United Methodist Church
decided to work toward goals that include defining the covenant that
unites the global church, promoting greater regional connections,
exploring how the denomination’s Book of Discipline can be adapted for
local needs and examining the U.S. and international roles of general
agencies.
Throughout their visit, committee leaders were encouraged by the
church in Africa’s great commitment to and desire to serve The United
Methodist Church.
“We understood over and over again that it was a vision to not only
serve the needs of people in this country, but also to be engaged in
worldwide ministries,” said Bishop Scott Jones, study committee chair.
Hearing global perspectives
The committee studying the global nature of the church visited
Africa in August as part of its mission to hear representative voices
throughout the denomination before it makes its recommendations to the
2012 General Conference, the church’s top legislative body.
The Revs. Forbes Matonga and Bruce Robbins share ideas.
A UMNS photo by Isaac Broune.
Divided in four groups, study committee
members listened to church representatives in the Democratic Republic of
Congo, Liberia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe from August 14 to 17.
The committee asked three basic questions: “How is God at work in
your church to accomplish the mission of The United Methodist Church?
What are the things that are working well? If you could change one
thing in The United Methodist Church, what would you change?”
The whole committee then met in Abidjan on Aug. 19-22, where members
shared their experiences and heard from leaders of the Côte d’Ivoire
Annual (regional) Conference.
After listening to African leaders speak of their desire to be of
greater service to the denomination, the study committee assigned four
goals to subcommittees.
The first goal is to develop a covenant that helps the church
express its theology in ways — including multiple translations of
resources — that serve the global church. As United Methodists think
more globally, Jones said, “They understand cultural differences in
relating to each other.”
Another subcommittee will look at ways to provide greater regional
connections. “In Africa, there are three central conferences. How often
do people from all parts of Africa meet to talk about things like
theological education and other issues related to them?” Jones asked.
Parishioners sing a hymn during worship at the Temple Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
A UMNS file photo by Mike DuBose.
A third subcommittee will prepare recommendations on
adaptations that can be made to the Book of Discipline, the
denomination’s book of rules and bylaws, to meet local needs. A fourth
will study general agencies to determine whether they are global
agencies or U.S. agencies.
Voices of hope
“Coming to Africa to hear the voice of the church is something that
we need to celebrate,” Bishop Benjamin Boni of Côte d’Ivoire said in
his welcoming words to the committee.
That optimism extended throughout the consultation.
Bishop John Innis of Liberia, a study committee member, said the
African visit promises “great things for the church by the time the
committee complete its work.”
Boni also expects a lot from the study. He said the denomination
needs to advance into “the deep waters of evangelization” and social
action with efficient policies that bring forth the glory of God to the
world.
“African realities are different from those of Asia or America. The
study committee’s concern to hear all parties involved in the global
church needs to be praised, all the more so since we all have certain
features in common as well as specificities,” Boni said. “We must
continue to live the global dimension of the denomination while taking
into account our specific characteristics. This is extremely
important.”
*Broune is a United Methodist communicator based in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
News media contact: David Briggs, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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