High Places

The Virgin of the Apocalypse slays her dragon above Quito,watching over millions of people in the crowded and vibrant streets below. Today we had the opportunity to visit Old Quito, with Spanish colonial architecture and a church on every square. we spent some time with Bishop Salomon at the HQ of the Methodist Church in Ecuador and later Sandra and I met with the head of the Council of Churches for Latin America - CLAI. We learnt of their priorities for the next three years - a broad program including challenging violence, particularly domestic, teaching about sexual health and rights, migrants rights, challenging racism and divisions in society and much more. The focus of this ecumenical work is to work together in world transforming, practical mission rather than on organic unity or doctrinal debates.

Bishop Salomon We were given a wonderful tour of Quito by night and continue to be impressed by the faithfulness and passion of the people we are meeting.

Michaela

4000miles and still on the plan

In his latest newsletter, Mission Partner Andy Dye writes "It’s been in the pipeline for a while, but this month saw the second Skype linked service to Truro Methodist Church in Cornwall. I was able to see, hear, speak too and answer questions from the Engage Worship service.

 

It was really lovely to see and hear people, share a bit and also feel the support of people from there. A lot of thanks have to go to the technical people (Tim and David). They set up cameras and microphones at the Truro end, so that I really felt part of the service and was even singing along with the worship.

 

I have heard of one of my Mission Partner colleagues trying the same thing and I wonder if there are any other churches who would like to try it, perhaps as part of mission Sunday, to strengthen Mission Partner links."

  

(Andy Dye is working as a teacher for the Methodist Church in the Caribbean - Grenada. You can read his newsletters at http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentoworld.content&cmid=3199 )

In the spotlight

There was excitement and celebration as well as a certain sense of accountability as the 6 British districts represented here talked about their mission work with Chinese speaking people to members of Hong Kong Methodist Church. Not least since we are celebrating the work of pioneer missionaries at the same time. The group has spent these days walking in the shoes of the other and beginning to see things with their eyes and hear with their ears - quite transforming. Some of our connexional shortcomings have certainly been under the spotlight though! Thankfully relationships go deeper than structures after 160 years. Steve

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Inauguration of the templo in Santo Domingo de los Tsachila

  This is Bishop Salomon Cabezas, officially opening the Church of Santo Domingo, after a prayer and Bible reading to dedicate the templo (temple) to God.

 

Fruitful Diversity

I have been very struck by the diversity and inclusivity of the Methodist Church in Ecuador. This image from the roadside is an icon for me, demonstrating diversity and God's creation.

Michaela

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The opening of the new Church in Santo Domingo de los Tsachila

Words cannot describe how privileged we were to share in the opening of a the new church building that was built on the foundations of love, effort, patience, endurance and self-sacrifice by members of the church, brothers and sisters from other Methodist congregations in Ecuador and from a group of volunteers from the United Methodist Church. The church's vision was to have a 'templo' (temple) that was glorifying to the Lord, a place of welcome and worship for the whole community. The church was officially opened by the Bishop, Dr. Salomon Cabezas with the cutting of a ribbon. The Lord our God was worshipped. Words of thanksgiving to God and to those who were heavily involved in building the church were offered, visitors from overseas were welcomed. Bishop Salomon preached a sermon of gratitude to God and of admonishment to the congregation to continue spreading the Word of God in their community. Members of the church from the Tsachila indigenous community sang a song of worship to God in their native Tsachila, and presented those from overseas with a beautifully woven and colourful native scarf. The Tsachila were adorned with traditional clothing and it was a moving sight to see believers of Jesus Christ from such a different cultural tradition worship and glorify the Lord through this very same tradition. Every tribe and every tongue, confessing that Jesus is Lord of their lives. It is clear that The United Evangelical Methodist Church has an amazing ministry of inclusion and acceptance, and incarnates Jesus' welcome to each and every one of us to come as we are.
Sandra

Friends from GBGM

On our way to Santo Domingo de Los Colorados (or Santo Domingo de los Tsachila as it is now commonly known, to emphasise the indigenous group of this area), we travelled with Eduardo and Lucinet Garcia,  an Ecuadorian and Brazilian mission partner couple from the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) who also participated in Michaela's liturgy workshop (the picture is of Lucinet helping us finish yesterday's workshop with a bang and a song of worship and thanks to the Lord). Until recently they had been working for CIEMAL (Council of Methodist Evangelical Churches in Latin America) and they are also committed members of the Church here in Ecuador. They specialise in supporting those in the Latin American region who have been left traumatised by natural disasters and had recently been providing support to people left traumatised by the Haiti and Chile earthquakes. Something I found extraordinary is that according to them, many of those who had been affected were able to say that the earthquakes had been a blessing in disguise. Beforehand, many had no food, clothing, shelter or access to medical treatment. Now, they had access to all these things and the world had finally taken notice of them. What a different and humbling way of seeing such an incredibly awful situation!

 This very dynamic duo are also specialists in sexual health and run programmes with young people.

Sandra

Ground Shaking Stuff

The day began with something of a surprise - my very first experience of being in an earthquake. Point 5 on the Richter Scale is quite uncomfortable experience when 12 stories up. I suddenly became aware of how little I know about what to do in such a situation and much more aware of the vulnerability many people experience constantly.

Almost as hair-raising was the three and a half hour drive from Quito to San Domingo de los Colarados - most of which was descending at speed on some very winding mountain roads. As we descended from the giddy heights of 9,000 feet to not much above sea level the temperature rose to tropical and the vegetation changed from orchids to plantains, bananas, citrus fruit and stunning hibiscus plants.

The photo is of small red bananas, typical of Ecuador's wide variety of banana related fruit. Stalls by the road side offered a colourful range of fruit.

The first part of the visit to this region was to take the form of a workshop on liturgy. It was great working with such a diverse group, some had travelled a long way to be there. One family present were part of an indigenous community building links with the church. We shared together in how we might treat worship as a wonderful banquet, thinking about who might be invited, how to create an atmosphere or welcome and joy and also, how we might plan the menu! It was good to learn from each other and Sandra did a great job of translating.

We then went to a retreat centre owned by the Methodist Church where children are fed each day and volunteers sometimes stay when working with the church. The pastor from San Domingo showed us a mural painted by British Methodist young people, they had visited 15 years ago and their visit was still remembered with joy. The pastor was keen to emphasise his commitment to the Methodist Church in Ecuador embracing its Methodist heritage and identity. It is interesting that as the Church in Britain is thinking about its mission and heritage, this relatively young church is doing the same.

Michaela

Ground Shaking Stuff

The day began with something of a surprise - my very first experience of being in an earthquake. Point 5 on the Richter Scale is quite uncomfortable experience when 12 stories up. I suddenly became aware of how little I know about what to do in such a situation and much more aware of the vulnerability many people experience constantly.

Almost as hair-raising was the three and a half hour drive from Quito to San Domingo de los Colarados - most of which was descending at speed on some very winding mountain roads. As we descended from the giddy heights of 9,000 feet to not much above sea level the temperature rose to tropical and the vegetation changed from orchids to plantains, bananas, citrus fruit and stunning hibiscus plants.

The photo is of small red bananas, typical of Ecuador's wide variety of banana related fruit. Stalls by the road side offered a colourful range of fruit.

The first part of the visit to this region was to take the form of a workshop on liturgy. It was great working with such a diverse group, some had travelled a long way to be there. One family present were part of an indigenous community building links with the church. We shared together in how we might treat worship as a wonderful banquet, thinking about who might be invited, how to create an atmosphere or welcome and joy and also, how we might plan the menu! It was good to learn from each other and Sandra did a great job of translating.

We then went to a retreat centre owned by the Methodist Church where children are fed each day and volunteers sometimes stay when working with the church. The pastor from San Domingo showed us a mural painted by British Methodist young people, they had visited 15 years ago and their visit was still remembered with joy. The pastor was keen to emphasise his commitment to the Methodist Church in Ecuador embracing its Methodist heritage and identity. It is interesting that as the Church in Britain is thinking about its mission and heritage, this relatively young church is doing the same.

Michaela

Language

I have been in worship three times today. Each time was in Urdu of which I understand only two words. It is however a liberating experience to be freed from understanding the words in worship. I'm loving this sermon by the bishop. Which two words? Roti (bread) and Taliban. he has used both!

Steve

NMA? -

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This is Pastor Freddy Gonzalez, the National in Mission being supported by the World Mission Fund, and Revd Michaela Youngson, standing in front of an inactive volcanic crater. This crater plays host to the village of Pululahua and is a geobotanical reserve.

The NMA (National in Mission Appointment)programme through the World Mission Fund provides national personnel to enable World Church Partners to develop their mission priorities throughout the world. Through this programme the World Mission Fund currently supports the mission work of 28 people in Latin America and the Caribbean and many many more throughout the world.

 

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Howard

Howard Mellor is welcoming us all to the international church here in Hong Kong after a day exploring the heritage of the Methodist work. This church opened in 1893. He describes himself as humbled by the range and quality of the work being undertaken by the Methodist Church of Hong Kong, but he and Rosie are clearly settled in well already. He is prioritising discipleship and getting ready to demolish the church and create a 20 storey replacement!
Steve

Journey to the Centre of the Earth!

Having arrived in Quito last night, following a very long journey, we were pleased that today was to be one of some rest and a little sight-seeing to help us acclimatise to the sights, sounds and soaring altitude here in the Andes.

 The Head of Church, Bishop Salomon Cabezas and Pastor Freddy Gonzalez drove us out of the City to two tourist destinations - a huge crater of an extinct volcano, in which a whole community live. It was an eerie and beautiful place, full of shifting mists and glimpses of the farms and houses as the sun peeked through. The settlement is only reachable on foot or by donkey, it was a place that seemed to belong to another time. The second site we visited is the monument that marks the equator. Here we were reminded of the way human beings have measured, mapped and marked out the world we live in and that what might seem an arbitrary point on a map has such significance in our lives.
 

We also had the privilege of visiting a museum of indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian populations. The general sense we got from this and from conversations with Bishop Salomon and Pastor Freddy, is that Ecuador is living an ethnically rich reality, where the indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian population,  traditionally from disadvantaged backgrounds, have in recent times become a greater priority for the current government, lead by President Rafael Correa. However, long before the state recognised the importance of its wonderfully complex and rich ethnic heritage, churches in Ecuador had already valued indigenous and Afro-Ecuadorian populations as being made in the image of God. The Church long ago began its mission among these populations, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ as well as providing holistic solutions to their practical needs of education and health, and more. The United Evangelical Methodist Church of Ecuador now continues this important mission work.

These visits were great but what was most important was to hear Pastor Freddy, who is a National in Mission supported by the World Church Fund, talk about the work his small Methodist Church community does in Guayaquil. They have a teaching programme for children and young people, which began with a project to give them much needed food and has developed into a place for bible study, counselling and vital support for the many children who have suffered domestic violence and abuse. The funding for the food project is no longer available but the Church does what it can to continue to offer spiritual and practical support. The Pastor and his church leadership work in partnership with the police and legal advisors to train people in matters of citizenship and laws to do with money, driving, abuse and rights and responsibilities.
It was so good to meet Freddy, to hear his stories and to talk about the Gospel as something that transforms people's lives in practical and liberating ways. He talked of the social gospel and an understanding of God's love that values all people, especially those often considered the least - children and the poor particularly.

 What a great start to our visit!

Michaela

Heritage

Great sense of excitement. 60 international guests - many former missionaries - joined by 200 Hong Kong Methodists for a full day heritage tour. 160 years of history includes combining American and British traditions and the fascinating interaction between East and West which this city represents. Steve

Crowded!

You thought my desk was full? Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated places on the planet, and it feels like it. It is not to everyone's taste, but I find it exciting and fascinating. It is, however, crowded. Whether it is desks, offices, apartments or trams everything is smaller, more compact. no this visit I see the buildings are taller and more land has been reclaimed from the harbour. And the economy is growing at almost 6% pa. Steve

Call to Mission

Rev Geoffrey Senior preaching at the commissioning of two Hong Kong missionaries. He was a British missionary to Hong Kong fifty years ago. The service encapsulates the mutuality of mission in the modern worldwide church of Jesus Christ and its enduring nature. Steve

Hong Kong

I leave shortly for Hong Kong as do about 30 other Methodists at the invitation of the Hong Kong Methodist Church in order to celebrate the arrival of the first Methodist missionary there, Revd George Piercy, 160 years ago. There will be celebration and much thinking about how our two churches can develop our partnership go the future. Steve

ECUADOR

 

From: Sandra Lopez
Sent: Wednesday, October 26, 2011 02:40 PM
To: Sandra Lopez
Subject: ECUADOR

 

Michaela Youngson, Superintendant of the Ealing Trinity Circuit, and I are leaving for Ecuador tomorrow morning. We are really looking forward to visiting the Iglesia Evangelical  Metodista Unida de Ecuador  (the United Evangelical Methodist Church in Ecuador). The Church adopted a Methodist identity only seven years ago and has been working hard to consolidate its identity as part of the worldwide Methodist family.  

Michaela and I will be visiting the work of the church in several places, including the church’s central headquarters in the cooler climate and higher altitude (over 2,500 metres above sea-level!) of Quito, the tropical, humid town of Santo Domingo de los Colorados (literally translated as ‘Saint Domingo of the Dyed Ones’ referring to the hair dye used by men from the indigenous group of the area, the Tsáchila), the cold climate of Pastocalle and as we travel down the mountain from Quito, El Quinché.  On our visit we will seeing the work of two Nationals in Mission, a local personnel programme funded by the Methodist Church in Britain’s World Mission Fund. Michaela will be leading several liturgy and worship workshops and preaching (I will be interpreting into Spanish) and we will also be attending the Church’s General Assembly, when a new head of church will be elected.

We hope you will join us as we blog our way around Ecuador!

Every blessing,

Sandra.

Blessings and best wishes,

Sandra

Sandra Lopez, Partnership Support Officer

The World Church Relationships Sub-Cluster| The Mission and Advocacy Cluster| The Connexional Team

+44 (0) 207 467 5298  |FAX: +44 207 467 5285| Lopezs@methodistchurch.org.uk

 

The Methodist Church

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

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

Sign up to our World Church Relationships Bulletin to receive monthly news of Partner Churches www.methodist.org.uk/signup

 Follow visits to Partners on our blog The World Church blog.

Heavy laden

The south west of this diocese is desert. Many of the people here are Hindu and very poor. The church is trying to help with education and social support. Women and girls are vulnerable to attack and abduction followed by forced conversion and marriage. Schools are distant so it is felt unsafe especially for the girls; literacy is less than 5%. As there are no toilets, the women again become particularly vulnerable. At worship here in the evening the chosen reading was 'come to me, you who are weak and heavy laden.'
I hope the partnership between our churches bears fruit here. Talk to me if you want to know more about partnership with this diocese long term. Steve

New life

Visiting diocese of Multan, which collapsed in a flurry of disloyalty, mismanagement and court cases ten years ago and went six years with no bishop or administration. Bishop Leo was elected in June. There is a great sense of hope and a delight that outside partners might help restore confidence and direction. This is an old Methodist mission area and the presence of the Methodist Church Britain has aroused much interest and story telling even though the united church is 40 years old. Bishop Leo is here with a rice field which is newly earning funds for the diocese which is desperately trying to pay its clergy, something it has achieved only sporadically in the last few years. Steve

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Yesterday’s visits to the areas that were devastated by floods in 2010 left me uncomfortable.

The village these men belong to was decimated, the rubble behind them is all that is left of the house that belonged to the man on the right, his brother died inside it.

Our response at the time was to send an immediate grant of 10,000 pounds which meant that the Diocese of Peshawar was able to respond quickly when, days after the worst of the flooding, they

heard of this village that had received no outside help; they took food and basic supplies. A year later they still have a good relationship with this (Muslim) village and continue to help.

No one in the village can remember floods as bad as last year, but everyone agrees that the present floods further south in Sindh are even worse.

On the drive back into Peshawar I saw several pathetic clusters of tents – hundreds of people still with nowhere to live, a reminder that the money for relief soon ran out and the government is unable or unwilling to act. It will be the same in Sindh. Pakistan does not have a good enough image to attract much support for relief, but the human tragedy is all too evident.

World Mission Fund has launched an appeal for Sindh and hopes to support both Raiwind and Hyderabad Dioceses in their efforts to respond.

Steve

British

An English parish church? No, the cathedral in Peshawar. So much here reflects the British involvement in the history of this area.
Higher education is taught in English so a 'good' education involves going to an English medium school, easy if you have money, not so easy if you don't. But the church is a player in education and prioritises the poor when it can. Christians tend to be poor here. The slum areas I visited yesterday witnessed to that; a church literacy, health and sewing project was a real ray of hope. Steve

Worship

Worship in the poorest area of the city - on someone's roof! Moving beyond words. Steve

London waiting

It is a bizarre thing to watch London wake up.

Paddington station, in all its bustle and busy-ness, stands eerily empty in the early hours of the first train departures. What will become a haven of commuters and tourists, a constant flow of people gathered and sent across the furthest reaches of the South and West of the uk, starts its new day in a civilised silence.

People wait.

Coffee is ground.

The sky, ink black for the journey in, begins to be tinted with purple and promise.

What has become a haven for the heathrow arrivals, and shelter for westminster's hidden homeless, once again begins to breath and sigh under the weight of the arterial flow of people minding the gap or merely passing through.

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Partners

The church of Pakistan partners meeting is just over. Bishops and reps of the 8 dioceses met with 10 European partners. We looked at our response to the recent disastrous floods affecting 6 million people (please see the update on the Methodist website, things are really bad). We committed to further action against the blasphemy laws which are misused against Christians and Muslims with appalling consequences including beatings, deaths and assassinations. Once you are accused, however unjustly, you have to go into hiding. Theological education is to be developed and ideas were shared, also a request for British ministers and theologians to give a little time to teach in Pakistan. Anyone out there due a sabbatical?
Much more too. A great opportunity to maximise the effect of partners' support through cooperation and consistency. Now ten hours on the road, next stop Peshawar.
Steve

Guards

Interesting thought, I have been in Lahore for three days and every meeting or service has been under armed guard. Normal life here. Steve

Some basics

At a meeting of Nat Council Churches. In this Islamic state 5% belong to minority faiths. Half of them are Christian, half of those are Protestants. In a population of 190m that is still a lot of people, but while there is protection in the constitution there is much hatred. The chief minister of the Punjab was assassinated for wanting to change the blasphemy laws, so abused against Christians. His murderer was sentenced last week and there have been many large demonstrations since demanding his release as a hero. Steve

Pakistan

In welcoming guests the Moderator said, 'Pakistan is getting worse each month and each week.'
He reminisced about the time before the 'militarisation of religion' when people 'trusted and believed each other'. He sees no way out until the problem of Israel and its neighbours is resolved. 'The war drums need to be silenced now by common and combined efforts.' The WCC General Secretary responded by saying that we have a calling to carry the cross together, especially when it is heavy. Steve

New cathedral!

The central Methodist church in Raiwind, Lahore, has been transformed into a cathedral and is dedicated today. The General Secretary of the WCC takes part. Steve

Women

The woman with the perfume in Mark 14 risked violence so Synod members in their morning Bible study groups discussed gender violence today. My group found the classroom display very relevant. It includes words of Kofi Annan, 'there is no tool of development more effective than the empowerment of women.'
Words and liturgy speak powerfully of equality here, but only 20% of synod is female. Steve

Exploration...

Never fails to inspire me...what are you going to explore today?

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Sameer

Sameer is a young CNI presbyter who, thanks to our NMA programme, has just embarked on a targeted scheme to enliven the mission of selected congregations. It includes facilitating mission responses to local needs, the 80 pastorates so far involved have come us with many initiatives, including an anti-trafficking project and 15 women setting up a truck-stop. He has also taken some of the CNI ordinands to defend a village in the anti-POSCO campaign (google it to learn more!) Any Methodist congregation in Britain which would like to link with his exciting work should get in touch with me! Steve

IMG00128-20111006-1024.jpg

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Synod

The flags of 27 dioceses gather for a procession through the streets of Delhi. The aim is to let everyone know the church is in town and not so small after all. In this largely Hindu country perceptions of Christianity are mixed where they exist at all.

Testament to love

Finished in 1653 by the emperor (and 20,000 workers) as a memorial of the love he and his wife shared. Literally breathtaking.
Steve

Partners

Smells, sounds and smiles tell me I am back in India. Oblivious to the chaotic driving, Pradip (youth officer) and I catch us on the news. Before some desperately needed sleep. But now the partners meeting begins at cni HQ. Steve

India in London

World Mission Forum welcomed Kasta Dip this morning, the CNI desk officer for Dalit concerns. He spoke of his work among the 70% of Cni's 1.8m members who are dalits and its funding by British Methodists. Steve