Two Korean, U.S. conferences pledge to work together
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A UMNS Web-only photo courtesy of World Methodist Conference
Bishop Sung Young Kwak (left) and Bishop John R. Schol present the covenant of cooperation.
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Sung Young Kwak (left) of the Nambu Conference of the Korean Methodist
Church and Bishop John R. Schol of the Baltimore-Washington Annual
(regional) Conference of the United Methodist Church present a covenant
of cooperation between their conferences. The covenant was signed July
22 at the 19th World Methodist Conference at Kum Nan Church in Seoul,
South Korea. The world conference drew more than 2,000 Methodists from
132 countries together for worship, dialogue and study. A UMNS Web-only
photo courtesy of World Methodist Conference. Photo #W06-107.
Accompanies UMNS story #442. 7/24/06 |
July 24, 2006
By Joan G. LaBarr*
SEOUL, South Korea (UMNS) — Methodists in two regions half a world
apart — one in the United States, one in South Korea — have signed a
covenant to work together on making disciples.
The Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church
and the Nambu Conference of the Korean Methodist Church entered into the
covenant July 22 at the World Methodist Conference meeting at the Kum
Nan Church in Seoul.
Bishop Sung Young Kwak of the Nambu Conference and Bishop John R.
Schol of the Baltimore-Washington Conference signed the document, which
reaches across denominations, continents, languages and cultures.
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A UMNS photo courtesy of World Methodist Conference
The covenant reaches across denominations, continents, languages, and cultures.
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covenant between the United Methodist Baltimore-Washington Annual
(regional) Conference and the Nambu Conference of the Korean Methodist
Church reaches across denominations, continents, languages and cultures.
It was signed July 22 at the 19th World Methodist Conference at Kum Nan
Church in Seoul, South Korea. The conference drew more than 2,000
Methodist from 132 countries together for worship, dialogue and study. A
UMNS photo courtesy of World Methodist Conference. Photo #06-810.
Accompanies UMNS story #442. 7/24/06 |
The signing was witnessed by Bishop Sunday Mbang, council chairperson
and prelate of the Methodist Church in Nigeria, and Bishop Ann B.
Sherer, president of the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity
and Interreligious Concerns and leader of her denomination’s Nebraska
Area.
The seeds of the new relationship were planted with exchanges between
the two conferences, primarily involving youth. Kwak invited Schol to
visit his conference and a number of congregations. In the month leading
up to the World Methodist Conference, there were discussions and
movement toward entering into covenant.
The covenant acknowledges that the two conferences have unique
histories and a common calling to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for
the transformation of the world.”
Under terms of the covenant, the two conferences commit to:
- Grow in understanding and appreciation for one another’s uniqueness ?
culture, history, spirituality and strategies for making disciples.
- Build on their common Wesleyan tradition to spread scriptural
holiness (personal and social holiness) through evangelism and
ministries of justice and mercy.
- Strengthen their ability to make and grow disciples of Jesus Christ
around the world by learning from one another and developing common
discipleship and mission strategies within their own conferences and
around the world.
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A UMNS Web-only photo courtesy of World Methodist Conference
Bishop Sung Young Kwak (left) and Bishop John R. Schol shake hands on the covenant.
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Bishop
Sung Young Kwak (left) of the Nambu Conference of the Korean Methodist
Church and Bishop John R. Schol of the Baltimore-Washington Annual
(regional) Conference of the United Methodist Church shake hands as they
announce a covenant of cooperation between their conferences. The
covenant was signed July 22 at the 19th World Methodist Conference at
Kum Nan Church in Seoul, South Korea. The world conference drew more
than 2,000 Methodists from 132 countries together for worship, dialogue
and study. A UMNS Web-only photo courtesy of World Methodist Conference.
Photo #W06-108. Accompanies UMNS story #442. 7/24/06
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A joint task force of representatives from both conferences will be
formed to develop strategies in key areas of ministry, including:
- Fostering youth, young adult, clergy, lay leadership and music
exchanges to develop deeper understanding of and appreciation for one
another’s culture, evangelism strategies, and justice and mercy
ministries.
- Identifying and planting new congregations in our own conferences
and mutually support the planting of new congregations around the world.
- Identifying, creating and mobilizing resources to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
- Identifying and jointly addressing justice and mercy mission needs in a region of the world outside their conferences.
The covenant concludes with the commitment, “We affirm that we are
stronger than each of our conferences are separately, and (we) will
serve together to bring glory and honor to God.”
*LaBarr is director of communications for the United Methodist
Church’s North Texas Annual Conference. She managed the World Methodist
Conference newsroom in Seoul, South Korea.
News media contacts: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470; Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759; or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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