The United Methodist Church in Buzaishte, Albania

The United Methodist Church (UMC) has grown to 5 churches since 2008. They are in the bigger towns & cities: Pogradec, Elbasan, Tirana & Dürres & Librazhd. The youngest church is in Buzaishte, in the Mokra mountains in south-east Albania. Many years ago work began there but was discontinued. At that time a number of people had become members of the UMC. In 2019, a group from Buzaishte approached Sup. Nausner & the pastor in Pogradec & asked them to consider again the planting of a Methodist Church. For the first weeks in summer of 2019, Pastor Mustafa held services outside & spoke with many of those interested. The pandemic interrupted meeting & travel possibilities. In July 2020 they rented some small rooms in Buzaishte & continued the church services & also the other activities with the many children & youth, including music & English lessons. Women also meet regularly in groups.

Pastor Mustafa Isufi from Pogradec assisted & guided the first stages of the church plant. Buzaishte is a small village in the Mokra mountains with 350 inhabitants, about 40 km away from Pogradec. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is necessary for the journey, which takes over two hours. Pastor Mustafa also held a course for baptism & membership. In November 2021,11 people were admitted into the membership of the UMC in Albania. There is now a further group who are learning about basic Christian teaching & Methodism. Alfros Hyko, who lives in Buzaishte with his family, shares the responsibility for the church activities. He will begin theological studies in this coming year. The three pastors of the UMC also studied at the Nazarene Faculty in Albania.

Sup. Wilfried & Jean Nausner, Tirana / Vienna

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