Annual Report 2025

2025 Annual Report

2025 Annual Report to the Member Churches and the Delegates to the Council Meeting

World Methodist Council Member Churches African Methodist Episcopal Church, USA Central Africa, African Methodist Episcopal Church; Southern Africa, African Methodist Episcopal Church; West Africa, African Methodist Episcopal Church African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Argentina, Evangelical Methodist Church Australia, Chinese Methodist Church Australia, Uniting Church of Australia, Wesleyan Methodist Church Bahamas Conference of the Methodist Church Bangladesh, Methodist Church Belgium, United Protestant Church Benin, Protestant Methodist Church Bolivia, Evangelical Methodist Church Brazil, Methodist Church British, Methodist Church Canada, The United Church Caribbean and Americas, Methodist Church Chile, Methodist Church Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Church of the Nazarene Colombia, Methodist Church Costa Rica, Evangelical Methodist Church Cuba, Methodist Church Democratic Republic of Congo, Free Methodist Church Dominican Republic, Evangelical Church Ecuador, Evangelical United Church Fiji and Rotuma, Methodist Church Gambia, Methodist Church Ghana, Methodist Church Hong Kong, ROC, Church of Christ in China Hong Kong, Methodist Church India, Methodist Church India, Church of North India India, Church of South India Indonesia, Methodist Church Ireland, Methodist Church Italy, Methodist Evangelical Churches Kenya, Methodist Church Korean Methodist Church Malaysia, Methodist Church Mexico, Methodist Church Myanmar, Methodist Church (Lower) Myanmar, Methodist Church (Upper) Nepal, Methodist Church New Zealand, Methodist Church New Zealand, Wesleyan Methodist Church

Nigeria, Methodist Church North America, The Free Methodist Church Pakistan, The Church of Panama, Evangelical Methodist Church Paraguay, Evangelical Methodist Community Peru, Methodist Church Philippines, Evangelical Methodist Church Philippines, United Church of Christ Portugal, Evangelical Methodist Church Puerto Rico, Methodist Church Republic of China, Methodist Church Rwanda, Free Methodist Church of Samoa, Methodist Church Sierra Leone, Methodist Church Sierra Leone, West African Methodist Church Singapore, Methodist Church Southern Africa, Methodist Church Spain, The Evangelical Church Sri Lanka, Methodist Church Sweden, The Uniting Church Tanzania, Methodist Church USA, United Methodist Church United Methodist Church Central Conferences Africa East Africa, East Angola, Mozambique, West Angola, Zimbabwe Central and Southern Europe Albania, Algeria/Tunisia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech and Slovak Republics, France, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Siberia, Switzerland Congo Central Congo, North Katanga, South Congo Germany Northern Europe Belarus, Denmark, Estonia, FinlandFinnish, Finland-Swedish, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan Philippines West Africa Cote D’Ivoire Protestant Methodist Church, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone Uruguay, Evangelical Church Wesleyan Church, USA Zambia, United Church Zimbabwe, African Methodist Church Zimbabwe, Methodist Church

World Methodist Council Annual Report 2025 A Few Highlights of the WMC’s work in 2025 To Member Churches and Respective Delegates

Steering Committee meeting in Ghana 2025 and the WM Council meeting in El Salvador 2026 The Steering Committee of the WMC meets quarterly, one of these was an in person meeting. It took place in Ghana, in August 2025. This was by the generous invitation of the African Methodist Council and the Methodist Church, Ghana. The Steering Committee visited local churches sharing in worship, enjoying the hospitality of the people in Ghana: “Akwaaba”. They visited the Connexional Office of the MC, Ghana.

They reflected on wholistic mission, i.e., the Methodist approach to Mission through: education, health and social care, evangelism; it heard about the Programme for Christian and Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA). They received reports from the Standing Programme and Operational Committees and heard about the life and work of the Regional Bodies. They received with great joy the report of the Youth and Young Adults Programme. They deliberated on matters concerning the life of the Council. They issued a message supporting efforts for the reparations for the slave trade as they visited the Cape Cost Castle.

The next meeting in person will be at the WM Council meeting which will take place in San Salvador, El Salvador, August 2026, at the invitation of the Latin American Council of Methodist Churches (CIEMAL) and the Methodist Church in El Salvador.

Please make sure your delegation attends it. It will be a time to worship together, a deep dive into the regional context, to reflect on worldwide Methodism, to visit the local churches, to install the WM Peace Award, and, of course, to take decisions about the life of the Council. The aim internally is to grow in our connectivity, being a Connexion of Connexions, i.e., being autonomous member churches and still committed to one another in love, prayer, mission and accountability; and externally to visit a regional body and a young church in a region being targeted politically, to bring our prayer and solidarity.

Register before April 30th to receive the Early Bird rate of $100 per registrant. Starting May 1st registration will increase to $150 per registration. Follow the link to register today! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NNXN3YW 2025 World Methodist Peace Award The Steering Committee on that occasion in Ghana also had a ceremony to install H.E. Dr Fatou Bensouda as the 2025 World Methodist Peace Award Laureate. This took place at the Wesley Towers in Accra. Dr Bensouda distinguished herself in the service of justice for peace amongst nations as the senior Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) from 2012 to 2021. Presently she is the Gambia High Commissioner to the Court of St James’s and the Ambassador to many countries in Northern Europe and the Vatican. Dr Bensouda is Muslim. Her husband was a Roman Catholic, and sadly died in 2025.

YYA Peace Building Programme The Steering Committee received the Youth and Young Adults report about their activities regarding peace building ministry. They had a pilgrimage of peace to South Korea and have engaged in conferences around the world regarding peace and reconciliation. They have created a worldwide network of young adults.

Their pilgrimage to South Korea focused on active prayer of intercession for the Unification of the Korean Peninsula. This was part of the commemoration of the 140th Anniversary of the Korean Methodist Church.

In addition, the YYA’s President, the Rev Dr Sam Murillo, played a pivotal role at the WCC Global Ecumenical Theological Institute that met in Egypt at the Coptic Papal Residence at Wadi El Natrum, a cradle of Christian monasticism. Equally, Stefanie Gabuyo, the YYA Coordinator, has represented the WMC at several meetings, be it youth or peace oriented.

They have worked with Dr Bensouda and the WMC General Secretary on opportunities to deepen the reflection on peace and reconciliation.

Offices in Geneva Bishop Rosemarie’s presence at the World Council of Churches is significant in terms of the recognition that she has achieved as the Methodist linchpin at the WCC. She has visited staff at the centre regularly. She has engaged with particular pieces of work, for example, she serves on the coordinating team for NIFEA - the New International Financial and Economic Architecture - which is a faith-based perspective on financing the future. She plays an important role in the GEM School - WCC and partners like the WMC, host a School on Governance, Economics, and Management (GEM) for an Economy of Life. The applications from the Methodist young people to the GEM school in 2025 was disproportionately big, thanks to her work. GEM was hosted at Kwanglim Church’s retreat centre, in South Korea.

Bishop Rosemarie also represented the WMC on several other occasions, including the 500th anniversary of the Anabaptist movement and the Mennonites.

Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome (MEOR) MEOR overcame a great difficulty to the continuation of its operation as it approached August 2025. The Methodist Church in Britain had sustained it almost singlehanded for the last five years, at least. MEOR turned a corner with the help of UMC through the deployment of the Director Rev Matthew Lafferty as a GBGM missionary. This was only possible because of the generous financial contributions of all the members of the MEOR Forum. When MEOR registers as a Religious Association in Italy, membership of the Forum will be open to other member churches of the WMC who may wish to contribute to the programme.

2025 was an intense year for ecumenical events in Rome with the death of Pope Francis and the installation of Pope Leo XIVth. There was support also for the Methodist contributions to the International Conference for Peace, promoted by the Community of Saint’Egidio where WMC President, Bishop Debra and Revd Dr Lord Leslie Griffiths contributed with lectures.

Liaison Office in Jerusalem It has been a challenging situation for the Jerusalem Office in particular with the continued attacks on Gaza regardless of the cease fire agreed in October 2025; and the hardening stance taken by Israel regarding the Israeli illegal settlements in the West Bank. A joint visit was arranged in February 2025 when there was a short lived cease-fire. The WMC General Secretary together with leadership of MCGB and GBGM and some ecumenical partners participated in that visit arranged by Samar Hashweh and Rev David Hardman.

Through out the year, the Liaison Office has organised Prayers for Palestine fortnightly, via zoom, when there is a speaker and then prayers are said in breakout groups. A significant moment was when the Kairos Palestine Declaration 2 was released in November. This followed a series of visits to those living at the forefront of the conflict. Rev David Hardman helped to organise and accompanied the visits. Rev Dr Reynaldo Ferreira Leão Neto (Léo) participated in the subsequent Kairos Palestine Global Assembly.

The Affiliated Bodies to the WMC There are nine bodies affiliated to the WMC. They represent particular areas of focus for the Communion.

They vary immensely in terms of their structure and their work. All of them are linked to the WMC, built into the WMC structure and at the same time they are autonomous, responding for their own activities and budget. There is life and energy, resources and mission across the board regarding the Affiliated Bodies.

There would be no WMC without them equally without the WMC they would be a disconnected organisation. They are not para-ecclesiastical organisations. They are Methodists, whose work and mission makes worldwide Methodism proud.

Intentional investment of time and building up relationships has been a satisfying piece of work for the WMC General Secretary.

The Regional Bodies Equal to the Affiliated Bodies would be the WMC relationship with the Regional Bodies. They are an integral part of the worldwide Methodist Connexion of Connexions and at the same time have their own organisation, structure and modus operandi. The relationship with the Regional Bodies has been nurtured, strengthened and emphasised in 2025.

The plan is to launch a new level of leadership in worldwide Methodism: the Regional Bodies Roundtable.

This will meet under the generous invitation of the in South Korea MC, at the end of June 2026 in Seoul.

This has been arranged in collaboration with the President of the Asian Methodist Council and Presiding Bishop of the South Korea Methodist Church, Bishop Chungsuk Kim. The General Secretary was present at the African Methodist Council’s Head of Churches Summit in May, in Kenya. His address was concerning the WMC relationship with the Roman Catholic Church, synodality and the Bishop of Rome document. On that occasion Professor Leonardo Emberti Gialloreti, a leader at Saint’Egidio Community, spoke about cooperation in creating humanitarian and work corridors for migration from Africa into Europe. This programme operates through the partnership with the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy, the Methodist Church in Italy (OPCEMI) and the Waldensian Table, supported by the Italian Ministry of Interior and Foreign Affairs.

The General Secretary also attended and addressed the European Methodist Council Executive meeting that took place in Hamburg, Germany in October 2025. The EMC makes use frequently of the distance conferencing, it has developed a closely knit supporting relationship amongst the member churches, and an effective fund for mission in Europe.

Special Commemoration The WMC organised three webinars in commemoration of the 1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

They are published in book form through the following link, A WESLEYAN RESPONSE TO NICAEA: REFLECTIONS ON FAITH, UNITY, AND MISSION - World Methodist Council The WMC was represented by the General Secretary at a special celebratory service of prayers led by the Patriarch Bartholomew 1st and Pope Leo XIVth in Iznik, Turkish name, Nicaea, Greek name by the ruins of the church that housed the 318 bishops in 325AD for the Nicaea Council. This was followed by a meeting in Istanbul around a table for 24 heads of churches and leaders without distinction or privilege.

Methodists/Wesleyans through the WMC, in this way were recognised, and took their place at the Universal Church of Christ. A commemorative pectoral cross was given to all the 24 participants by the Syriac Orthodox Church Metropolitan. It was proudly received by the GS on behalf of the Methodist and Wesleyan family of Churches. Thanks be to God. One way to keep connected with the WMC news is to check on the First Friday of the month Letter on the WMC website. You can register to receive it directly in your email inbox.

We urge every WMC member church, big or small, to contribute to the WMC via the annual subscription.

With your contributions and other measures agreed with the Finance Committee and the Treasurer we have reduced significantly the long-standing deficit. There is a finance report accompanying this brief report of activities.

Please would each member church send the names of their delegates attending the Council meeting in El Salvador. Please send them to the General Secretary copying in Michaela Bryson. If there is doubt about the number of delegates allocated to your Conference, please get in touch and we can clarify that matter. The General Secretary can be contacted at: leo@worldmethodistcouncil.org and Michaela can be contacted at: mbryson@worldmethodistcouncil.org

Achieving Vision: Investing in a Sustainable Future 2025 Financial Overview

As we reflect on 2025, we are grateful for the faithful stewardship and generous support that continue to sustain the work of the World Methodist Council (WMC). This year’s financial results demonstrate both stability and forward momentum as we build toward long-term sustainability.

As of December 31, 2025, WMC reports total assets of $11,362,476, including $10,584,265 held in our Achieving the Vision (ATV) investment portfolio.

Established in 2003, ATV was created with a clear and faithful purpose: to generate recurring investment income that will sustain the mission of WMC for generations to come. This endowment strategy reduces reliance on annual appeals and strengthens our financial foundation. When ATV reaches $20 million, it will be fully endowed. With steady growth and an assumed 8% annual compounded return, we are on track to reach that milestone by 2034.

In 2025, member churches contributed $534,994, representing support from thirty member churches and fulfilling 82% of requested contributions. We are deeply grateful for this partnership. These contributions remain vital to advancing our global mission.

We also remain committed to responsible stewardship. Approximately 80% of expenses support essential operations, including payroll, travel, and professional services necessary to maintain accountability and program delivery. In 2025, WMC recorded an operating deficit of ($9,624)—our lowest in several years and significantly below the five-year average deficit of approximately ($52,000). This improvement reflects disciplined financial management and careful oversight.

Looking ahead, the Development Committee has begun expanding fundraising initiatives to diversify revenue streams. Our goal is for philanthropic and fundraising revenue to account for 20% of total revenue by 2028, further strengthening our independence and long-term resilience. Your generosity makes this progress possible. Every contribution accelerates the journey toward full endowment, strengthens our global witness, and ensures that the work of the World Methodist Council continues with integrity and impact.

If you would like to partner with us in building this sustainable future, we welcome your support. Please contact us for contribution details.

Yours in Christ, Rev. Myron D. Howie Treasurer, World Methodist Council