Think about The United Methodist Church as one church, the body of Christ existing in many countries and cultures. How do you see the church as a whole? What does it mean to you to be connected to other United Methodists in the world?
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Jeanne Gregory says
Friends, I am coming in late and I do apologize. Planning a retreat for the women of the church, working on my project and teaching full time was a lot this week. I love reading your stories about missions. You wealth of information will serve all who you care for. Your love of people and all the ways they are unique and special is an inspiration to all.
sjatko says
One mission trip took me to, I think, El Salvador, where we worked with Habitat to built homes, but closely with the local UMC churches for lunches and worship. Then, during the winter, Apex UMC hosted the same UMC pastor and his praise band, to come here for outreach to the migrant camps – yes, a mission trip to the US! Two sisters stayed with us. Juan de Dios (I’ve forgotten his last name) gave a powerful sermon at Apex UMC that spoke of faith on one hand, and Christian mission on the other hand, left hand and right hand, working together for God to be made known in this world. All through the UMC Connectional system. Sue Ann
Lusi Radford says
That is neat to see both mission and message working together.
Lusi Radford says
I am amazed at the over all reach of our denomination. We are serving the Lord in so many places. We are linked through beliefs, structure and polity to all other United Methodists and the churches they attend. I have been involved in three other denominations during my adult years. I am so greatful to be a part of a United Methodist church. All Christians in all denominations have a part to play in God’s plan. I am so greatful mine is here.
rmorrison says
Lusi, like you, I am very thankful to be a part of the United Methodist Church. And I am happy that you are a part of this dynamic denomination because you are bringing wonderful value to our connected mission of making disciples for our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessings. Dick
Rick Stanford says
This brings to mind some stories my mom used to tell me about my dad. While they were missionaries Ecuador. My dad would go out on a houseboat on the amazon river to reach some villages that were not accessible by roads. He would go out for a couple of weeks and then would return. On his return he would be unshaven and in need of a good shower. Image those that he was able to reach. Yes, my dad like some many others in the UMC have been led to reach those in faraway places. The UMC as a whole has been shining the light of Christ and taking that light to remote places so that more people can know our Lord and Savior. In our acceptance of Jesus, we are all part of the same vine with the same purpose.
Lusi Radford says
I love your story, Rick. I know very little about Methodist missionaries.
rmorrison says
Rick, how many years were your parents missionaries in Ecuador? Where did they live? I visited Ecuador many times and my favorite town back in the day was Quito way up in the mountains. It was always exciting coming into the small Quito airport. A bit scary. Fascinating people in that country for sure. Your parents must have been brave to go into the Amazon for several days. No wonder you are so well grounded in Methodist tradition, etc. Your family story has been of much interest to all of us. Yes, we are definitely of the same vine. Blessings. Dick
rmorrison says
I have been privileged to live in eight countries, and to visit and work in many countries around the globe, and in some I was able to attend church services in a “connected Methodist church” but in many countries I found it necessary to attend Christian non-denominational churches, but in my mind they were connected to my Methodist church and tradition. That is because we were always worshiping one God and His Son, Jesus Christ. We shared the same beliefs as Christians, even as we would worship in different cultural (including language) ways. Frankly, I loved those experiences and miss those wonderful opportunities to worship as a Methodist with other Christians who perhaps didn’t even know I was a member of the Methodist denomination. But we were connected!
One country where I have been very much involved with the Methodist church is in Sierra Leone, West Africa, where the Methodist church flourishes and is well attended throughout the country. I have been there many times since 2013 when the Bishop of Sierra Leone invited a group of us to restore a Methodist hospital in the bush; a hospital that had been destroyed during the civil (“diamond”) war by the rebels in a small village called Rotifunk. We accepted that challenge and the hospital today is functioning extremely well, serving around 150,000 folk in the bush. The Bishop and I became close friends and worked together there and in the US when he visited for international oriented meetings. Unfortunately, he was killed about six years ago in a car crash as he was heading from Freetown to the city of Bo where we have a very large Methodist hospital and several Methodist church communities. I have even had the privilege to speak at the hospital Methodist church in Rotifunk – and I always enjoyed worshiping with the small community in the beautiful, but very poor, Rotifunk bush community.
Yes, we continue to be connected to the Rotifunk hospital and the Methodist churches in Sierra Leone. And as a Christian who is a member of the United Methodist denomination I am extremely thankful and excited to be a part of a worldwide connectional community. Thanks be to God.
Blessings. Dick
Rick Stanford says
Dick, hearing you speak of all of these places that you have been and walked as a light in the far off communities. God has truly been at work through you and you have been a faithful servant. You mentioned the other denominations that you attended and I like you believe that we are all following the same Lord and Savior.
Lusi Radford says
Thank you for sharing your experiences, Dick. Yes. We can worship with Christians of all denominations and that is wonderful. It is also good to belong to a denomination with such a great heritage.