NCC and Peruvian Methodists met in November 2013 and reaffirmed their mutual commitment to be in mission together. NCC members are excited to attend the General Assembly of the Iglesia Metodista del Peru (Methodist Church of Peru) in March 2014, when a new bishop will be elected. This summer, NCC will be hosting Dr. Dora Canales Nunez, president of the Wesleyan Theological Seminary in Lima, Peru and a GBGM missionary. A new Facebook page (Grupo De Pacto Peru-North Carolina) was set up to help promote the Covenant.
The history of the Peru Covenant dates back to 1989. Dr. Frederick Herzog (Duke theological School) and NCC pastor Rev. Dr. Mark Wethington approached friends of theirs at the Methodist seminary in Peru about establishing a new type of mission relationship based on equality and mutuality. The result was the initiation of the North Carolina/Peru Covenant, a partnership between the North Carolina Conference UMC and the Iglesia Metodista del Peru. (To read more about the history, click on the Covenant link.)
Several NCC churches have long-standing relationships with Peruvian Methodists. Opportunities exist for new churches and individuals to become involved. A Mission Scholarship Program, managed by the NC/Peru Covenant Team, provides funds to help underwrite the costs of a short-term mission trip to Peru. NCC looks forward to many more years of building relationships between our churches.
Dr. Canales, who is a GBGM missionary from Chile, is looking for opportunities to visit churches and talk about the work she is doing in Peru. For more information about her visit to NC or to host her at your church, please contact Rev. Bill Haddock at revbillh@nccumc.org or 910-262-3831.
NC Mission Advances for the Peru Covenant count toward Lane 4:
General Fund #S-00053
Children and Youth #S-00117
Breakfast of Love #S-00111
Women’s Programs #S-00119
Additionally, GBGM Advances for Peru include:
Dr. Cora Canales Nunez #3021455
Wesleyan Theological Seminary #3020693