"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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A very Latin American response to tensions rising at the General Assembly

As a Latin American, the love of dancing is in my blood and I know full well that dancing can take place at any time, any place or in any context. The IEMUE's General Assembly was no exception. As tensions mounted over a notice of motion concerning the process for naming and managing future committees, it was suggested that the children from the Methodist School in Pastocalle that Michaela and I saw perform earlier on in the week, perform their beautiful dance of praise and thanks to Jesus Christ. What a wonderful way of calming the mood! Perhaps we could do this at our Conference?! I invite you to see the video clip of these lovely children dancing that I will upload shortly.

  This afternoon, saw the election of the new Bishop of the IEMUE. It was a very Ecuadorian take on the voting process, and it worked! Each representative was called by name to cast their vote. As the first round of voting came to an end, the scruntineer counted the votes, and reported that Pastor Rodolfo had 9 votes, Pastor Ramirez 10 and Pastor Silvio 29. This meant that a second round of voting had to take place between Pastor Ramirez and Pastor Silvio, as the elected Bishop needs a two third majority. The process started all over again, with each representative being called by name to the front to cast their individual vote.  This time, Pastor Silvio Ceballos won by 33 votes. We thank God for him and pray that he will be used mightily by God to continue developing the church and supporting it in deepening its discipleship, its outreach and understanding of its Methodist identity.

  Sandra

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Being salt and light in Ecuador

Yesterday evening, after an enjoyable time of praise and worship, Michaela preached on Luke chapter 4 verses 16-30. She preached about the importance of being salt and light in the context of the community we live in, of being salt and light to our neighbour, whoever that may be, of being salt and light through our actions and as we work to meet the needs of others, just as Jesus did. She reminded us that Wesley said that we should not only develop this social holiness, but also personal holiness, becoming well-rounded Christians. The sermon was very well received and it was clear to those participating that the Spirit had been at work in creating a common theme that ran between this sermon and the one preached the night before. 

Sandra

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Getting down to business

In the afternoon of the General Assembly in Ecuador, Bishop Salomon recounted the 12 years of his ministry as head of the IEMUE. The Church had doubled in membership. There were now indigenous congregations taking an active part in the life of the church. The church's youth ministry had grown.  The Church had responded to many local natural disasters and had been salt and light to many affected communities. They had more trained Ministers (over 80% of Ministers now had theological training, a huge step forward for this church). They had grown in partnership with many organisations, including the Methodist Church in Britain. However, one of the most important achievements for the church was that it had chosen a Methodist identity about 7 years ago, and that it now had a set of criteria against which each local congregation could develop its Methodist identity and mission. Bishop Salomon was clearly moved in his recalling of the last 12 years.

 The most talked about topic of the General Assembly in informal conversations seems to be about the three candidates for Bishop, who will be elected this afternoon and consecrated tomorrow. The photos show us the three candidates, known to the members of the IEMUE as Pastor Ramirez, Pastor Silvio and Pastor Rodolfo, respectively. Michaela and I have heard about what each one could bring to the church if they were elected, so if you are reading this blog before the elections take place in about 6 hours, please pray for the Holy Spirit to have it's way through the votes of the IEMUE's representatives at the General Assembly. Watch this space!

During the afternoon session, the Assembly was divided into groups to discuss the progress of the church in several key areas, including questions on what impact the church has on society, how decision-making structures could become more democratic, as well as many others. In our discussion group, several members mentioned that their church did not have a full-time Minister, and that this was something badly needed because the general attitude was that if the Minister was unable to preach on a Sunday, people would simply not turn up to church. Michaela pointed out that un the UK, local churches also want to have a Minister dedicated to their congregation, but there are simply not enough to go around. She encouraged the group by saying that Methodism was originally a lay movement, and that perhaps the church could think about developing lay leadership and lay preachers, instead of relying on Ministers.  This was fed back to the assembly and discussions on this theme and others will continue today.

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Debris

My trip to Sendai has been shocking and moving.

Everywhere are piles of debris like this. As space is cleared so that people can start life again after the tsunami, piles of rubble are created. Each heap, of course, represents many lives; lives that were lost – thousands of them, lives that have been disabled – physically and mentally, livelihoods and homes  - years of care lying broken.

As I travelled around the area, things I had heard talked about began to make sense and the extent of the need in these many communities became clear. There must indeed be many people who will simply despair and take refuge in the bright new bars and gambling establishments that seem to be in business already. Many families and individuals are still in temporary shelters and there will be snow by the end of the month here.  I watched an older couple cycle around an area that was once a suburb and is now completely cleared except for the ruin of a school, they looked woeful and confused.

So eight months on, don’t forget the people of NE Japan, it will take years to recover and some people will never be the same again.

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

Assembly Begins

This evening the General Assembly of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Ecuador begin. In true Methodist form it began with a meal followed by an act of worship. We were led in worship by a number of the pastors that we have met this week and the preacher was the senior Bishop of the Methodist Church in Brazil who emphasised the importance of the laity in growing the church and that this needed a deepened discipleship. The marks of such discipleship being Salvation, Sanctification and Service. Children from a Methodist Church just outside Quito sang for us and the Assembly has begun well. Visitors from other Methodist Churches in Latin America have arrived, as well as a representative of the United Methodist Church relief agency UMCOR.

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Michaela

Beautiful Orchids

Today, before our final liturgy workshop, we had the pleasure of visiting Bishop Salomon's beautiful orchid garden on his farm. Orchids are native to many Latin American countries, and I have been told that Ecuador has the smallest orchid in the world, as well as over 1,500 other varieties. You can see from the photos that every orchid is different. Each one belongs to one family, but there are small ones, tiny ones, white ones, ones with a massive head, red ones, greens ones, some with a musky fragrance, others with a sweet one, plain ones, some speckled with spots and those with no fragrance whatsoever. How wonderful is the creative mind of God! We have seen the Lord's creative glory even more in the people we have met on this visit, particularly in meeting the different indigenous groups who are part of the church here. We have had the pleasure of sharing the liturgy workshop in four different churches, and every time, we have been struck by how marvellously different each one has run its course, reflecting the richness of variety in the people of God in the Iglesia Metodista Unida del Ecuador. We are so thankful for God's creative mind and grateful that despite our differences, we belong to one body, the body of Jesus Christ. 

 Sandra

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