Talks between Fijian Methodists and the Fijian Government would be "the best Christmas present" for the Church

Methodists in Fiji are hopeful that the relationship between the Church and the Fijian Government will improve before the end of the year.

The Fijian Prime Minister Commodore Voereqe Bainimarama, who is due to fly back to Fiji this week following a visit in Britain, has been reported as saying that he is willing to talk to the Methodist Church in Fiji after relations between the Church and state deteriorated over the summer.

The Assistant General Secretary of the Methodist Church in Fiji, the Revd Tevita Nawadra, welcomed the positive turn in events. “We are indeed very glad,” he told media. “We have been seeking a time to talk and share our difficulties together because the Church believes that the only way forward is for us to talk. If this comes around before the year ends, it will be the best Christmas present for us in the Methodist Church.” The Revd Tevita Nawadra also passed his thanks through the Connexional Team for “all the solidarity letters that have come our way from all parts of the world and the promised prayers Christians around the world have been forwarding the Methodist Church in Fiji”.

Church leaders from the Methodist Church in Britain met with Foreign Office officials following a deterioration of relations between the Fijian Government and the Methodist Church in Fiji in August. Foreign Office officials told Methodist Church leaders that MPs had received letters from individuals asking the British Government to help protect the rights of Fijian Methodists to practise their faith freely. Subsequent talks between the Foreign Office and the Fijian High Commission have resulted in a renewed interest on behalf of the Fijian Prime Minister to accept the Fijian Church’s offer to resume talks.

In 2009 four senior members of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma were charged with organising and participating in a contravention of the Public Emergency Regulations in 2009. Their trial was due to take place last week after countless adjournments over the past two years, but instead a further unexpected delay was announced and the case is now not due to be heard until 14 to 16 May 2012. The court has adjourned until February 27.

COP departures?

Today I depart South Africa and join the rest of the world as an outsider looking in on the COP17 negotiations.  I wish I could have stayed longer in Durban, but my predetermined, non-changeable agenda means that I leave just as the high-level negotiations start.

I wonder how many other predetermined agendas will also remain unchanged by the end of this week?

Please continue to hold the COP negotiations in your prayers. 

Julia

Steve adds news that, ‘South African Bishop Geoff Davies today compared rich countries' behaviour at the Durban climate talks with apartheid, saying wealthy nations were trying to keep power and wealth for themselves.’

Fritful Fields

El Salvador is a very small nation but it has an excellent communication network, very good major roads and a large international airport. It is the perfect place for gathering over 50 students, all at different levels of accademic competence, from very different backgrounds, to hear lectures on Homiletics, Theology, Church History and so on without power points and other audio visual aids, in english being translated into spanish, sharing a microphone in a school next to the football stadium during a needle derby match. The cost,

£7.50 per student per day to feed and accomodate,

£30 averaged out per person present to travel to the centre.

£4.0. per person per day on administration

These very rough figures betray the reality that over this week in El Salvador a group of very committed christians are learning in an atmosphere of willing expectation.

HOWEVER, none of these people have anything that they are being asked to give up in order to achieve this creative activity in their home country. Their loyalty is to learning, serving better their communities, being better pastors and disciples of Jesus Christ.

Tom Quenet

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COP - It's getting hotter

COP Week two and it’s getting hotter

And that’s official.  On occasion leading climate scientists use COP to launch major new research.  Yesterday a panel of UK Met Office scientists launched 24 country-specific climate impact reports.  They said that this is the first time that detailed climate impacts analysis at the national level has been undertaken.  News coverage of the findings for the UK can be found at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/05/met-office-uk-climate-risks?intcmp=122.  The predictions are for increased flooding and water shortages that will affect millions more people living in southern Britain.

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Chris Huhne gave the opening address.  “Winning hearts and minds is about linking the big [climate science] picture to everyday life,” he said.  He continued by saying:  “Mowing the suburban lawn on a Sunday afternoon is under threat”! 

The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change redeemed himself by saying:  “The UK remains a firm advocate of a global legally binding agreement within the UNFCCC.  We want major economies to commit now to a comprehensive global legal framework, and to complete negotiations by 2015 at the latest.”

Was Chris Huhne a secret We have faith protester at the Global Day of Action march on Saturday, I wonder? 

Julia

God?

COP17, what’s God got to do with it?  “Everything” said Anglican Bishop Geoff Davies.  Faith leaders have been very vocal in their call for climate action at COP, but they were outshouted by the We have faith youth at Saturday’s Global Day of Action rally.  Simon Muoki, a young Durbanite, who had accompanied the Trans-African Caravan of Hope (www.christianaid.org.uk/ActNow/climate-justice/caravan-of-hope-2011/index.aspx), said: “I want a future for my children”. 

There are mixed reports on the actual numbers who marched through the Durban streets on Saturday.  The local Sunday Tribune newspaper said there were 5,000 protesters, the local radio station said 8-10,000, and other sources put the figure closer to 20,000.  Whatever the number (it was described as a “biggish”?! march by local environmentalist, Patrick Bond) we, in the faith group, made our presence felt.

At Sunday’s Interfaith Service, held at the Durban University of Technology, Steve Biko campus, we made the following commitment: “We commit ourselves to pray for COP this week”.  Please join us.

Julia

Guard Parrot

Meet "Once" (It means 11 and its the name of the local football team - he has no name, except the one I have just given him, but his character I feel deserves world wide recognition). Though 11’s flight feathers have been trimmed so that he is not able to fly away and though he is the size of a blackbird, 11 is a "guard parrot". Though 11 is not able to fly he and his partner 12 ( I was not able to get such a good shot of her - she would not let me - naming on the same basis but +) move pretty swiftly between the branches of the bushes in the compound of families we visited to bring relief to over the weekend. As soon as we entered the compound of family homes, 11 & 12 started making such a racket that no one in the neighbourhood could help but notice our presence - "aaahhh so cute" was the initial reaction to 11 as I tried to get a good photo of him. His quick lunge at the camera - almost breaking the lens guards, showed me that though yes he was very cute, he had a sharp and quick and powerful beak that was ready to swing into action. In some places I have travelled to there have been geese, here there is 11 and 12, whose loyalty, faithfulness and commitment to their home, reflects the character of the Salvadorans that I have met so far.

COP

Rural women lead the way Rural women were the first to make their cry for climate justice heard at COP17.

  On Friday afternoon at Speakers' Corner, 500 women from across rural southern Africa gathered to share the realities of climate change for their communities.  Loudly, they demanded climate-change action: “We are rural women, we don’t live in cities, we can’t move to cities, we want action now,” they said.  They then set off to march on the Conference.

Part way the protest was halted, thankfully to remind opportunist activists that the rural women were to lead their demonstration; others were to hang back.

 As one of the women’s banners said:

  “There’s no climate justice without gender justice”.

Julia

Women of Central America

A woman prays alone in a chu[[posterous-content:pid___0]]

Travelling with St. Paul

In a shopping mall in Honduras in search of clerical shirts to give to local pastors, I found this shop next to the chemists' where I bought a talcum powder called Amens. The image I invite you to spend a while with and reflect on. There is Jesus, Mary, Christmas, Credit, Cross, Christianity, St.Paul, Society and so much more. Let me know through your response to this post if you see any others.

A few hours later, I found myself "travelling" - An hour's travel by air to El Salvador (The Saviour) became a whole days' journey, part of which was to trust that someone I had never met before would be there waiting for me at a stage in the journey. The new friend, took me on a remarkable journey of frightening tailgating for two hours. At which point I received an email from a friend in the UK who was celebrating a special family event in a place that I had introduced him to. Almost instantly we exchanged this information and photos of where we were in different time zones. After which I called my wife and said I had safely!!!! arrived at my destination.

The next day I woke up to the sound of a cockcrow, read the bible (1 Corinthians 13 & 14), listened live to Radio 4 and thanked God for the JOURNEY thus far.  

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Rural Methodism - Honduras

After two hour drive you come to a form in the road and you don't know which way to go. What do you do? Having used the mobile phone to ask which one to take you soon find yourself amazed at how far into the world Methodism has taken the gospel and what love and committment it takes to build such a good church that is well attended,. Enjoy the pictures of rural Honduran Methodists. Our final act was to save a tortoise that had decided to take a very slow walk accross a very wide road on our way back home. A case of why did the tortoise cross the road?

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COP social movement unmoved?

The vulnerable and marginalized in society will be most affected by climate change, but no one should consider themselves immune to the effects.  At each Conference of the Parties climate-change negotiations an alternative COP venue is established as a location where the people of the world can make their climate-justice voices heard.  This year, the University of KwaZulu Natal (KZN) is the alternative civil-society space, known as The People’s Space.  It is the focal point for all activists and other like-minded people from all over the world or, more accurately, it should be.

The campus was pretty sleepy earlier this week when I visited, except for the odd press person / film crew looking for action.  Unfortunately they found only inaction. 

It is a similar story in the streets surrounding the International Convention Centre where the negotiations are taking place.  For instance, ‘Occupy COP17’ activists are here but they only brought the one tent!  Two years ago in Copenhagen 100,000 people marched through the capital on the Global Day of Action.  This Saturday a similar Global Day of Action is planned for Durban.  Let’s pray that the people of Durban, accompanied by the rest of the world, can shake themselves from apathy, the health of our planet is at stake.  We must not allow the mass spread of a new disease: climate-change fatigue.  You can count on my attendance on Saturday.  Can our planet count on a future?     

Julia

"My little ones..."

Today, reflecting on a day spent with "little ones" I thought about what had happened upon the day, and looked at the photos that one of them had taken after I lent my camera to her and was moved by the images she brought back to me. This was not one of them. However, it led me to compose this paryer...

Lord Jesus, born today would you come as one of these children of Honduras? Born not in a stable but on a crowded favella hillside called "Fuerzas Unidas" (United Powers)?Looking for longed for liberator that you would be taught would one day come? Exposed to the tempation that you could be drawn into drug and gangs by your early teens?

From far away wise men and women would bring their gifts, take your photo and go back to their home by another way. Your friends would be your neighbours and they would share your pains about an unjust world. Many would follow your way of peace, love and the care of the other. The alliance of the police with the criminal would surely put you to death and think that they had dealt with you. Some would even abandon you because they were made an offer they could not refuse. But your mother is Maria a woman of Honduras, who tenderly washes away the marks of rifle and machete and fist. Laid away what you are is born again in the hearts and minds of many. You transform the world and give hope to all, please keep alive this hope in these "your little ones" 

Marsh flies, Dependence and Vision and Sacraments

Yesterday I visited Talanca in Honduras where Methodism has two churches. At one named "10th of September" the children of the community were enjoying a game of football on the recently cleared church lot (see previous post). This community suffers in the rainy season since it is constantly flooded and makes a breeding ground for marsh flies. Administering communion is a real challenge during the season, since any uncovered elements have to be kept constantly moving or the flies will overwhelm them on the way between the pastor and the member. The church and the homes were built on donated ground and prove that sometimes it is worth looking a gift horse in the mouth. Not only are there flies, and floods but the marshy ground has made the church unstable nad remedial action has been taken to recover the situation. Its not a pretty building, but it is the Church being where people are and offering some degree of hope. At one time the church gave constant handouts of donated clothes and school supplies and human being what they are - they came for the clothes and the supplies but for little else. Now the supplies are given less often and a congreation is being recovered and struggling itself with how to manage the resources that others give them.

In the midst of this there is still vision that inspires and motivates. We meet together and discuss about how a church has grown based on a simple yet effective housegroup structure. The Church becomes the focus for Worship and Celebration, a place where tithes are brought as well as a place where meetings are held about management of resources. Yesterday I was moved and inspired (as I regularly am) by the people I work with in the region sharing with me their vision. Two of the images are the external view of the church at "10th of September" and myself and pastors Guerrero and Luis Soto sharing the vision about how a samll space little bigger than a one car garage, will become a space for a Church of over 100 members in two years. "We have to concentrate on the building - that is the most important" declares Pastor Luis, whose family manages on the equivalent of £150 per month.

The final image is of the Church built for the Virgin of Suyapa - about which more may be provided if time allows.

Tom Quenet

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Durban must deliver

Durban must deliver
This is my first UN Conference of the Parties (COP) meeting and so the array of negotiations, side events and exhibitions, plus an open civil-society programme, can be quite bewildering.

  A daily schedule is published each day and from that you choose which activities you would like to attend.

   As I’m an NGO-Observer I am not entitled to sit-in on the closed negotiations, but all other events are available, and sometimes the opportunity also arises to catch up with delegates after their closed sessions have ended.

  Yesterday I was very pleased to bump into Rev. Tafue Lusama the General Secretary of the E

kalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu (EKT) Church and member of the Tuvalu delegation, and as a result, found myself invited to have lunch with the Tuvaluan delegation.

 COP17 may not achieve the media attention of COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009 nor the initiatives and institutions agreed at COP16 in Cancun last year, but the Durban meeting must deliver.
   Why?
  The future of the Kyoto Protocol is at stake.
  The Protocol came out of COP3 in Japan in 1997.
  It is the only legally-binding instrument that commits industrialised countries and countries in transition to a market economy to achieve emission reduction targets.
  Its first commitment period comes to an end next year.   Meaningful action on climate change must include a second commitment period, alongside a fair and ambitious agreement with legally-binding commitments to be adopted by 2015 at the latest.
  Governments must not delay; we are at a critical turning point in addressing climate change.
  These next two weeks will be decisive for all our futures.
Julia

Growing a church.

Methodism has not been long in Talanca and they have had 7 pastros since 1997 plus an interregnum of one year when no one looked after the church in this community. Yet in recent times it has grown because it has based its ministry on the small group being dedicated to supporting a neighbourhoood with service and proclamtion of the gospel. "How do they do it?" every house church only has 4 officers, Leader, Assistant, Treasurer and Host. (The group meets in the same house as often as they  need to). In the photo the central church identifies the mission and and states that growth is about

Communion, Responsibility, Evangelism, Sharing, Learning and Respect.. The churches in Central America practice these gifts from God and are growing, by 8% this year!!... If you woul like me to translate the bullet points of CRECER in the image, please email me at quenett@methodistchurch.org.uk

Where is England????

"Where do you come from?" asks a young man from Talanca in Honduras. When I said England I felt as if I could have said Mars for all the response I felt I saw. I persisted for a while and spoke about being a long way away, taking me two days to get there, having flown in an aeroplane to get there...still very little response. As I was on the church's grounds and had watched them play football I took a risk and mentioned Machester United...that was the key. Immediately I got a run down on the latest standing of the top six clubs in the Premier League. They knew about Newcastle and even Sunderland, places like Wigan and Celtic, places that they may have no idea where they were but they could identify with. Places where Honduras football players had or were playing. The football game that followed made an interesting backdrop to the conversation that followed on the challenges faced by this community and how the Methodist Church in Honduras is responding to them

Tom Quenet

Julia arrives at COP

"Sunday, 27th November:
Half way around the world but still in the southern hemisphere, I and, somewhat surprisingly, my luggage have arrived safely in Durban for COP17.

After 53 hours of continuous travel from the South Pacific, 9 airline meals and one very brief news reference to Pacific islands potentially ‘disappearing’ (published in a complimentary, in-flight British broadsheet, page 22), I’m looking forward to the start of the two-week long Climate Summit.
  The programme starts tomorrow.
 But first, time to reflect on my own personal, recent contribution to climate change: 1.8 tonnes of CO
2 emitted just by flying here."
Best wishes,
Julia

Being a Mission Partner - Maggie Patchet

In this short video Maggie Patchett, Mission Partner in Belize tells us about the essence of being a Mission Partner

Maggie_Patchett.mpg Watch on Posterous

 Tom

Untitled

The jet lag had not yet hit me... With Maggie Patchett (Mission Partner) I visited the Belmopan Methodist Church. Belmopan is the administrative capital of Belize and many miles inland from the exposed coastal commercial Belize City. In recent time the population of Belmopan has begun to explode and there is a shortage of secondary school places. Methodism has always been a leader in providing education to the people of Belize and is responding to the challenge by building a new secondary school that it hopes will open in September 2012. Here is Maggie talking to the local minister Revd Kofi Nials (right) and Mr Cuthbert Burrell (left) the project manager, in the centre is "Sofina" - the schools foundations (background) have been laid and the Church in Belize has identified completing this project as a priority.

Tom

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Untitled

Here are two images from my first day in Belize. The first encountered me as I stepped out for the airport. The other a few hours later. The first was an attempt to capture the experience of stepping out into a country and how you are struck by buildings, signage and foliage. In coming to Belize you are coming a country that outwardly has a very strong Christian Culture. Old mission bodies and agencies have been replaced by new ones with different objectives that do not always sit comfortably together. As I read this photo it impacted on me much more than before.

IN the second image - I was struck by the sight of a Belizians decorating a Christmas symbol. Decorating a tree and doing it very well that does not grow here... After this I saw them everywhere... though not as good as this one. "Well it is Christmas..." remarked my travelling companion. Nevertheless I longed for a more Caribbean or Central American way of getting into the spirit of the season... It came a few hours later, I missed the photo and probably a good job too. It was a brillian representation of a palm tree in red... lit up for Christmas... "Brilliant" I thought... However, the image marked a location some distance from the town and it made me wonder in the spirit of William Booth... "Why should the devil have all the best images...(in this case).

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Nixon Hospital Segbwema

Nixon hospital is located in the eastern region of Sierra Leone. It delivers essential medical services to its surrounding communities. It also has a Nursing school with up to 200 students. Here are few of the wards

Bicentenary celebrations

Bunmi

Bicentenary celebrations

Bunmi

Bicentenary celebrations

Bicentenary celebrations

This was first church built in Sierra Leone in 1809. Methodism started in 1792 by freed slaves. There was an ecumenical service held under the cotton tree after freedom was declared. The church was led by the local leaders and it flourished. Then message was sent to Britain for a minister. Thomas Cooke sent Warren and three teachers from Halifax and Brunswick. They arrived at 5.30pm on 12 November 1811. Bunmi

Bicentenary celebrations

Mark Wakelin and Wendy at the meeting
Bunmi

Bicentenary celebrations at Sierra Leone

We met with the President of Conference - Rev Arnold Temple, the Principal of the Theological College - Rev Dr Wesley, the Secretary of Conference - Rev Musa Jambawai and the Youth leader

Ferry arriving Freetown

Arrived Sierra Leone

Four members of the British Methodist Church set off yesterday to Sierra Leone for the Biennial celebrations -Mark Wakelin (President elect), Christine Gilespie (Leeds District rep), Wendy Klworth-Mason (appointed mission partner) and myself.
We arrived Freetown on a ferry and eventually went to bed at 1am. We were warmly received and cared for.

Blessings
Bunmi

Volunteers

Hope you can see Asami in the gathering gloom.

I visited the volunteer house that she runs in Sendai. The church bought the house so that volunteers could be based here and work in the community helping to support the local people as they rebuild their lives. The house was damaged by the tsunami, the water was three metres deep on this housing estate, so there was a big clean up to do first – everything the water touched was covered by a thick, muddy, oily mud and so much was broken, bent or twisted.

Asami is tucking into a local delicacy, dried seaweed – great as a snack but also used in sushi. It’s a local cottage industry and the volunteers are currently helping one small factory get back to production,  so that people can have work, money, employment and hope again.

Volunteers are coming from all over Japan for a week, a month or longer. The church is now organised to receive more volunteers so if you want to think about helping, get in touch with me, they will be working there for years!

Steve

Steve Pearce | Partnership Coordinator Asia and the Pacific | World Church Relationships

Christian Communication, Evangelism & Advocacy Cluster | The Connexional Team

020 7467 5161 (Direct line)

 

The Methodist Church

Methodist Church House, 25 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JR | 020 7486 5502 [Helpdesk]

www.methodist.org.uk  Registered charity no. 1132208

Looking towards the future

Today, we looked towards the future as the new Bishop, Silvio Ceballos, was inducted as the new Bishop of the IEMUE. It was a wonderful celebration and declaration of a church that is so passionate about working collaboratively with one another and with overseas partners.  After the pastors of the church and the overseas guests entered the church in procession, there were songs of worship and a sermon by Bishop Pablo Morales, head of the Methodist Church in Panama.  Bishop Stanley Moraes from the Methodist church in Brazil and Bishop Pablo Morales then laid hands on Silvio Ceballos, along with Salomon Cabezas, and inducted him as the new head of the church in Ecuador.

  The congregation was then given opportunity to say a few words to Bishop Silvio, and I brought him greetings from the Methodist Church in Britain and assured him of our support, our solidarity and our love, in spite of the miles that separate us. As a demonstration of our partnership, I gave him a copy of Singing the Faith.  Many others followed in their assurances of support to the Bishop in his new role.

  After the wonderful ceremony, I was able to sit down with the Bishop and some of the church pastors and discuss ways in which we could develop our partnership. Other conversations I have had with several leaders of the church included the possibility of linking the IEMUE's women's federation to MWiB, the youth federation with youth in the Methodist Church in Britain and more. If anyone would like to explore these links please contact us at the World Church Relationships Office, and we would be very happy to discuss this with you.

  Sandra

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Celebrating the past

Yesterday evening we celebrated the past 12 years of Bishop Salomon Cabezas' ministry and the faithfulness of his wife, Doña Anita (as she is affectionately known in Spanish), through song, poetry and scripture. Doña  Anita was thanked and honoured for being the spark that began the IEMUE's national women's federation. Their sons and grandchildren were also present and were thanked for their contribution to the church. Gifts and speeches of thanks and gratitude were offered by many, including overseas guests.

  It is clearly a moment of change for the church, of thanking but letting go of what has been, and grabbing hold of what God is doing in the present and future life of the IEMUE.

  Sandra 

   

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