The World Methodist Conference: A diary

Day 5: Young People

A huge contribution to the World Methodist Conference has come from young adults. Eli (pictured on the left above) is one of the British delegates to the World Methodist Council from South Wales. He is pictured talking with John Delaney from the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and Americas. Incredibly, the last time I saw John he was 9 years old and part of my Sunday school group when I was serving as a Mission Partner in Grenada. He is now a local preacher and young leader. It's a delight to witness at the World Methodist gathering all of the new links and networks formed for our leaders of today and into the future. Please keep the young people here in your prayers as they take on leadership.

Day 4: Africa, strengthening regional connections.

The Rev Dr Martin Mujinga invited me to join the open meeting of the African Methodist Council (AMC) here at the World Methodist Conference.

Martin is the General Secretary of the AMC, speaking from the lectern in the picture. He is heading up the project to build a new centre for the AMC in Ghana. Supported by the Methodist Church in Ghana and with a capacity building grant from the World Mission Fund.

It was good to hear about the start of this project. It is a project that will enable Methodists in Africa to meet and connect in new ways but also impact on Methodism worldwide to learn from our African partners. Strengthening the regional connecting organisations to sustain their work is an important development for worldwide Methodist work and made possible through the support of the World Mission Fund.

Day 3 - Thank you from Argentina.

Today at lunch Pastor Mariel Pons, Head of the Mission unit, from the Methodist Church in Argentina found me to say thank you!

The World Mission Fund (WMF) has supported her to travel to the World Methodist Conference here in Gothenburg, and she was so overjoyed to be able to express thanks to all who give to the WMF in Britain. So, thank you, gracias to all of you who have given. The fund has supported a number of partner church representatives to be here and do that very Methodist work of connecting, conferencing and learning together. This is mission! To keep supporting this and other work click here

Day 2: A historic appointment

Rev Charissa Suli is the new President of the Uniting Church of Australia, she is pictured with me (Andy Dye) and Dr Deidre Palmer the former

President of the Uniting Church of Australia.

Rev Suli's appointment is historic for the church in Australia as the youngest and first person of Pasifica heritage to hold this position. I was able to chat with them about all the work they are doing and have done in Australia facing structural injustices. It is always an inspiration to read the Facebook feed of the Uniting Church in Australia. If you are on Facebook I recommend it!

Day 1: Meeting of friends and colleagues

Today, Monday 12th August 2024 is the start of the World Methodist Conference! It starts with a gathering to consider business. It is also a wonderful meeting of friends and colleagues, some after many years, especially with the impact of Covid.

My conference began by meeting Bishop Juan Simpson, the new Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean Americas. I first met him over 10 years ago while I was still a Mission Partner in Grenada. With the promises and challenges facing us, not least the recent hurricane in the Caribbean, it was good to speak again, as I was welcomed with a warm Caribbean embrace. I look forward to this week of reaffirming the relationships we hold across the world as a Methodist community.

Andy Dye