Global Relationships Partner Church Pre-Conference Consultation

The Global Relationships Partner Church Pre-Conference Consultation took place on Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd June 2022 at Methodist Church House, London. The consultation is a forum for the sharing of information to develop and sustain global partner relationships, listening to the concerns of partner Churches and preparing them for the Methodist Conference.

Partners are asked the issues they wish to discuss in advance and these are included in the consultation agenda. This year topics included the changing nature of global relationships, cross-cultural mission, food security, migration and refugee work.

The Pre-Conference Consultation helps the British Church hear the concerns of partners, with the partners who are present able to hear and reflect on the concerns of others and understand the context of the British Church, especially around the requirements of the charity commission in regard of governance of financial and safeguarding concerns.

Rachel Lampard shared with the group about the Walking with Micah project that was to be discussed at the Conference. Tim Carter, Director of Safeguarding, spoke in detail about the work of the safeguarding team, especially in relation to the international work of the Methodist Church and the context of safeguarding incidents and British aid.

This year’s Pre-Conference Consultation also included visits to Westminster Abbey, Westminster Methodist Central Hall and Wesley’s Chapel and museum. This final visit to Wesley’s Chapel, John Wesley’s resting place and the rooms in which he spent many hours in prayer, was especially poignant for some of the partner Church representatives.

Andy Dye, Programme Team Leader, Global Relationships said, ‘It was a privilege to listen and learn from the concerns of the gathered leaders and heads of churches, to identify the points of mutual concern between partners and to further develop the discussions on the evolving nature of our international partnerships.’

The full list of those partners attending alongside with the Global Relationships and Connexional Team:

Rev Chipasha Musaba -The United Church of Zambia
Bishop Rev Samuel Kayinamura - Free Methodist Church of Rwanda
Rev German Ramirez Lopez - Iglesia Evangélica Nacional Metodista de Guatemala
Bishop Everald Galbraith - Methodist Church of the Caribbean and the Americas
Mr Fa'afouina Iosefa Su'a - Methodist Church in Samoa
Bishop Dr Gordon Wong - Methodist Church in Singapore
Rev Hee-in Moon - Korean Methodist Church
Bishop Sifredo - Teixeria
Igreja Evangelica - Metodista Portuguesa
Revd Luca Anziani - Opera per le Chiese Evangeliche Metodiste in Italia (OPCEMI)
Rev Dr Werner Philipp - Evangelisch-methodistische Kirche (United Methodist Church) Germany
Rev Claudia Haslebacher-Flückiger -United Methodist Church Central Southern Europe
Bishop Sally Dyck - UMC global
Rev Dr Laurence Graham - World Mission Partnership Ireland