The Kerusso – January | 2019 Kerusso (Greek): “To publish, proclaim openly: something which has been done.”
The EMC is now officially in South Africa Almost four years ago a group of former Methodist leaders in South Africa reached out to the EMC, seeking denominational headship. They had pulled away from the Methodist Church of South Africa and had formed an association which they named, the “Combined Methodist Church.” Two key leaders traveled to the United States in October of 2017; Bishop Lungisa Nyangani and Lay Leader Jobe Tukwayo. They met with Dr. Williamson and many other EMC leaders, including several General Board members as we together explored the possibilities of a formalized connection. Lay Leader Tukwayo was our guest at General Conference in April of 2018 in Indianapolis. After those meetings, and with the consent of General Council in September, it was decided that these churches and leaders could be affiliated with the EMC through our Canada-based Conference, “Christ for All Nations,” with churches in Canada, Europe, and the DRC in Africa. International General Superintendent Max Edwards and his wife Judy were invited to attend the second triennial conference of the Combined Methodist Church, to be held at the Lumec Conference Center in Lusikisiki, South Africa, in November of 2018. Max represented both the CFAN Conference, and the Global EMC Church, and on Sunday, November 25th, the assembly of believers from across southern South Africa witnessed and celebrated the formal affiliation of the church there as the South Africa District of the CFAN Conference. They were overjoyed, and praised God for connecting us together. One of the very special things about the defined structure of the EMC is that it understands the need for flexibility in structure in areas of the world that are quite distinct from the United States of America. Our global conferences each embrace somewhat divergent structures. We are unified by our theology, and by our commitment to Biblical holiness, but within that unity, we embrace the possibility of a need for diversity in non-essentials. Our Myanmar conference, for instance, utilizes an appointment system for their pastors, which we do not follow in the USA. The newly affiliated South Africa District has a structure that is, in many ways, closer to what Wesley established in England in the 1700’s than we are accustomed to in the USA. The new EMC in South Africa has several “Circuits,” each of which has individual “Societies.” Not every society has a pastor, but certainly every circuit does. Depending on the number of societies in the circuit, there will be a greater number of pastors to travel to, and minister to, those outlying societies. One of the things I had not previously been exposed to anywhere is the widespread use of church uniforms. As you can see from these pictures, different groups or guilds have their own distinctive garb, which they wear with the intent to avoid favoritism, and pride. These precious brothers and sisters are so excited to be a part of the EMC, and we are extremely overjoyed to have a new set of kinsfolk in the faith … different in some ways, but the same in the most important of ways - - both they and we who have claimed Christ as Savior are children of the Most High God.