First Friday Letter The World Methodist Council
August 2023
Greetings from the General Secretary Dear Friends, There is an air of excitement and anticipation as we count down to the 22nd World Methodist Conference, On the Move, in Gothenburg. Do not miss the Early Bird and Super Saver registration rate for this historic event in this idyllic setting. Register here: https://cvent.me/lLNkeZ The next few weeks will be quite busy as the Steering Committee meets with the Host Committee to finalize arrangements for the Council and Conference. As we plan for the upcoming events, it became noticeably clear that we cannot do the same things and hope for a different result. We cannot be wedded to structures and ways of working that no longer seem fit for purpose; hence we will propose a document, New Patterns of Working, to the Council for adoption. It is my hope and prayer that we will seize the opportunity so that the Council can become more resilient, agile, and effective in responding to the volatile dynamics and challenges of the twenty-first century. Please pray for our Host Committee as well as the Nominations and Steering Committee as we prepare a slate of officers to give leadership to the World Methodist Council from 2024-2030. The Korean Methodist Church will host a Roundtable Meeting from 28-30 August to consider peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula. The WMC supports the “Korea Peace Appeal” https://en.endthekoreanwar.net/ and stands in solidarity with Korean churches toward permanent peace. The World Methodist Council will hold a Consultation on Migration in Manila, Philippines, from 4-7 September. We have also been invited to the 13th General Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation in Krakow, Poland, from 13-19 September. I will participate in a discussion on the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (JDDJ), which effectively resolved a 500-year-old debate on justification at the heart of the Protestant Reformation. The landmarked agreed text was the result of a Catholic-Lutheran Dialogue in 1999. The World Methodist Council adopted the Declaration in 2006, followed by the Anglican Consultive Council in 2016 and the World Communion of Reformed Churches in 2017. Geneva Secretary Bishop Rosemarie Wenner will represent the Council at the New International Financial and Economic Architecture (NIFEA), GEM School for young adults in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 21 August to 1 September. Our President, Rev. Dr. JC Park, will represent the Council at the Sant Egidio Community International Meeting for Peace in Berlin, Germany, from 10-12 September. We will share more about these events in upcoming First Friday Newsletters. This edition offers a reflection on the Gospel of Matthew 10:39: Project Restoration’s response to hurricane victims in Pennsylvania, All We Can’s Emergency Relief Fund in the face of global crises, and the Nazarene Youth Conference in Tampa, Florida. All these events speak to how the sons and daughters of those in the Wesleyan tradition are On the Move. Blessings, Ivan
World Methodist Council
First Friday Letter page 1
