CIEMAL - Informs in English

CIEMAL-Informs N°143

4/30/2008

MEXICO

Superintendent Jorge A. Ochoa L. has informed us that on Friday April 18 Sra. Esperanza Gómez, mother of Bishop Moisés Valderrama Gómez entered her heavenly home. The Methodist family extends our sympathy and hold the Bishop and his family in prayer. (obispovalderrama@iglesia-metodista.org.mx)

BOLIVIA

In a letter from Bishop Carlos Poma to the Secretary for Dialogue of the Bishops Conference, he states: “The Evangelical Methodist Church of Bolivia is extremely surprised by the unfortunate expressions of Cardinal Julio Tarrazas during the homily on Sunday, April 13 in the Catedral of the city of Santa Cruz, related to the situation in which our Guarani sisters and brothers have been living for many years in the Bolivian Chaco, in which he denied the situation of servitude and slavery which is known by all of the Bolivian people and the international organizations such as the OAS and the United Nations. From the perspective of the liberating Gospel which proclaims the meaning, value and dignity of all human beings as children of God, it is deeply regrettable that situations of exploitation, servitude, submission and slavery in our nation, exercised by large land owners, agricultural enterprises, and unscrupulous families who only look out for their own interests, disregarding human sacrifice...As part of the People of God we cannot close our eyes to the infrahuman reality in which the Guarani people live.” The Evangelical Methodist Church reserves the right of non-participation in ecumenical activities with the Catholic Church as long as it does not offer recognition and respect for the Guarani people on all levels of the Catholic Church.

ARGENTINA

1 – On April 17 the First Evangelical Methodist Church in Buenos Aires was the site of the interreligious celebration of thanksgiving for the life of Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement which today is a witness for unity in the entire world.
A broadly based gathering representing different Christian traditions and other religions shared in the celebration. The well-known journalist, José Ignacio López, was the main speaker at the celebration.
2 – Ward Collage will celebrate its 98th anniversary this year, commemorating its educational work in a variety of events and special activities. The present director of the school is Lic. Adriana Muruelo.

SPAIN

The Evangelical Methodist Church will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Methodist Social Creed with a series of special events. The creed will be included in the Book for New Converts and its 16 points will be published in a book for the Church for wider distribution.

UNITED STATES

The General Conference of The United Methodist Church is in session in Fort Worth, Texas, from April 23 through May 2 with participation of persons from around the world. Prior to the meeting there was an encounter between the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church and CIEMAL with the purpose of strengthening our connectional ties for mutual working together in Mission. The General Conference will study a plan for greater unity with the Methodist Churches in Latin America and the Caribbean which was developed by the Committee on Relationships presided over by Bishop Minerva Carcaño.

BRAZIL

1 - Bishop Paulo Lockmann sends his greetings and his gratitude for the prayers by the brothers and sisters in the region during his recent illness. After several weeks of intensive treatment he has resumed his episcopal responsibilities. We are pleased to share this good news.
2- The Board of Dirctors of CIEMAL will meet June 12-14 in São Paulo under the leadership of Bishop Moisés Valderrama G. The members will be receiving the agenda, including consideration of the nominations for the new General Secretary of CIEMAL.

CUBA

Bishop Ricardo Pereira D. reports that the Sierra Maestra and Tunas Districts have celebrated a mass baptismal ceremony in which more than 1,500 persons participated and 550 were baptized. This tells us “The Methodist Church in Cuba is growing each day."

CIEMAL-Informs N°141

4/1/2008

CONTINENT-WIDE ENCOUNTER

YOUTH IN MISSION PROGRAM
February 28 - March 4, 2008
PANAMÁ

Fabiola Grandon Toledo, Program Coordinator presides over the opening session.

Group singing

Eluzinette Pereira and Dr. Eduardo Campaña, led a session on Holistic Health

Bishop Aldo developed the theme: Social Commitment of Methodism in the XXI Century

Translator Donald Reasoner also became a photographer.

The retiring and newly-elected Regional Coordinators

The new Continent-wide Coordinator of the Youth in Mission Program,, Gustavo Alí Alarcón

Some got their feet wet in the waters of the Pacific Ocean

Group photograph of the participants with their leaders, all of them wearing their Youth in Mission tee shirts

The cultural diversity of the Continent was depicted in dress, dance and national flags.

CIEMAL-Informs N°140

4/1/2008

IX GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF CIEMAL
March 5 – 9, 2008
PANAMÁ

Bishop Pablo Morales (Panamá) welcomes the Assembly.

The Rev. George Mulrain from Jamaica preaches during opening worship in the Avalon Resort Auditorium.

Dr. Tercio Junker, Brazil, planned and directed the liturgies for the different worship services.

Members of the liturgical team were Rebeca Mora, Paraguay), and Renato Olivera, Brazil

In the absence of President Bishop Paulo Lockmann, presiding the opening session of the Assembly were Bishop Juan Antonio Vera, from Puerto Rico and Bishop Adriel de Souza Maia, Brazil, assisted by Bishop (E) Aldo Etchegoyen, General Secretary.

Jane Eyre Silva Da Mata, Brazil ,Portuguese secretary, Bishop Adriel de Sousa Maia, Bishop Nelly Ritchie, Argentina, presiding one of the Assembly plenaries, the General Secretary, and Beatriz Flores Garza, Mexico, Spanish secretary.

Some of the national flags of the delegates to the IX Assembly

The Assembly expressed its solidarity and joined with the delegates from Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela in a prayer for peace at a time of heightened tension between their countries.

The General Secretary, Bishop Aldo M. Etchegoyen , presents his report.

The Program Coordinators prepare the video to be used in their report to the Assembly.

Fabiola Grandón presents the Youth in Mission report.

Alicia Paredes presents the Children, Adolescents and Family report.

Juan Damian reporting on the Schools of Evangelization

The Holistic Health Program, including the emphasis on HIV/AIDS is presented by Eluzinette Pereira and Dr. Eduardo Campaña.

The Treasurer’s report is given by Julio César Fernándes.

A Panel on Methodist Voices was moderated by Alba Lagos, Honduras, with the participation of a woman, Jane Eyre Silva Da Mata, a young person by Gustavo Alí Alarcón, a member of an indigenous community in Guatemala by Amilcar Solórzano and an adult from the Afro-American community in Panama.

President of the Methodist Church in Spain, Rev. Guillermo Correa. Francisco Mendoza, Venezuela and Dr. Salomon Cabezas, Ecuador.

Tomas Quenet (center), represented the Methodist Church of the United Kingdom

Representatives of the United Methodist Church, Jorge Domingues, Bishop Elias Galvan and Bishop Peter Weaver

The Rev. George Freeman, (far right) represented the World Methodist Council

Lic. Claudia Lombardo, president of ALAIME and Bishop Julio Murray, president of CLAI

The delegation from Brazil led the Assembly in prayer for the health of Bishop Paulo Lockmann. At the far right, Bishop Paulo Ayres Mattos who led the Bible studies for the Assembly.

Interpreter for English, Joyce Hill, and for Portuguese, Donald Reasoner

Presentation of the pages who worked during the Assembly under the coordination of Arling Méndez

The New Board of Directors was consecrated during the closing worship of the Assembly by Bishops Adriel de Sousa Maia and Luis Nelson Campos Leite. Bishop Moisés Valderrama, new president, preached the closing sermon.

Participants of the IX Assembly

CIEMAL-Informs N°139

3/18/2008

HOLY WEEK

The life and ministry of Jesus changed history, and that last week, full of lies, unjust manipulations and the cross created Holy Week for Christians.
May this Holy Week, which began on Palm Sunday, cause us to remember once again that life has conquered the power of death, and that in every act of love and dedication to truth, well-being, justice and peace we see the signs of Resurrection and the coming of the Reign of God. This is why “Together we have Hope for a New Creation.

IX GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Members of the committee to write the Message to the Churches were Bishop Nelly Ritchie from Argentina, Rev. Jorge A. Ochoa from Mexico and Pedro Waszuk from Uruguay. The Message was approved by the Assembly which also resolved that the member churches could edit it for sharing with the media without changing the content.
We recommend that it be shared with all of the local churches and read in their worship services. The same recommendation is made to the organizations affiliated with CIEMAL.

MESSAGE FROM THE IX ASSEMBLY OF THE COUNCIL OF EVANGELICAL METHODIST CHURCHES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN TO ITS MEMBER CHURCHES AND AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS

The sisters and brothers on the continent of Latin America and the Caribbean, gathered in the IX Assembly of the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches of Latin America and the Caribbean (CIEMAL) in Panama City March 5 – 9, 2008, under the theme: “Together in the Hope for a New Creation,” greet you with the peace of the Lord and sharing with you this message.

We rejoice in the renewal of the political leadership in our countries where women, indigenous and workers have been democratically elected to their positions. We recognize that in the dawn of this new millennium foreign interests continue confronting our brother and sister Latin Americans which obstruct the search for a genuine unity that favors life for all. We are pained by the conflictive situations in Grand Colombia and between Argentina and Uruguay, by the problem of immigration, the increase of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean, and the resurgence of racist and antidemocratic attitudes in Bolivia. All of these are barriers which separate us and become walls between us such as the one the United States is erecting on its boundary with Mexico.

We are pained that on a rich continent the unjust distribution of wealth generates poverty which kills our children, provides no opportunities for our youth, excludes the original people of our lands, increases racism, and fails to care for the elderly and vulnerable sectors of society; at the same time there is a resurgence of diseases such as yellow fever, cholera and the reality of the pandemic of HIV/AIDS.

CIEMAL is not isolated from this reality. We recognize that we suffer the same consequences of these contexts with their contradictions. We deeply regret the absence of the Cuban delegation among us because of the denial of entry permits by our host country. Nevertheless, by the grace of God and God’s creative power, we affirm that we have been called to transform these realities, creating spaces of encounter and reconciliation in the hope for the new heavens and new earth.

We affirm that CIEMAL is its churches which are part of the people called Methodist, and therefore we ratify the value of a life of holiness with a commitment of solidarity with our peoples. At the same time we affirm the value of unity in its inward expression by facilitating the inclusion and participation in all of the components of the community in the life of the church and in its outward expression in work for unity among the different Christian confessions, thus fulfilling the priestly prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ when he prayed, “…That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:21

The liturgical celebration of the Assembly, held in the Ecumenical Chapel located on what at one time was large military base known as the “School of the Americas,” renews our hope that even the spaces of repression and death can be transformed to be spaces of knowledge and life.

We have been fed by the Word of God to have hope for the new creation and we have been invited to persevere with one heart based on the teachings of apostles, in solidarity, in the breaking of bread and in prayer. (Acts 2:42).

We invite you to join us on this journey.

Methodist Connection with Spain
Spanish Methodism participated in the Latin American Assembly

Barcelona, Spain (Mar 14 08) The president of the Executive Council of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Spain, the Rev. Guillem Correa, was invited to participate in the IX General Assembly of the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches in Latin America and the Caribbean (CIEMAL) which was held in Panama City, Panama, from March 5 to 9, 2008.

The Assembly, in addition to considering the administrative reports which are part of this kind of meeting, also gave important impetus to place CIEMAL within the challenges and opportunities of the next quinquennium.

It is important to note that in the next session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church the future relationships between that church and the Methodist Churches in Latin America and the Americas will be on the agenda, a matter that has not been considered for 40 years.

The IX Assembly in Panama was a unique opportunity to understand the proposals being made at the General Conference from a Latin American perspective.

Prior to its closing, the Assembly received greetings from the President of the Evangelical Methodist Church in Spain who emphasized the positive result of his invitation. He expressed appreciation for the opportunity he had experienced in learning about the church in Latin America and the Caribbean. He also expressed gratitude for the love and support received by the Third Episcopal Region of the Methodist Church in Brazil. The president affirmed that this kind of support is an example of the “south-south” collaboration based on full respect for the autonomy of the church in Spain and is basic to a connection recognizing equality between the churches despite the great difference that exist between the Methodist Church of Brazil and the Evangelical Methodist Church in Spain in almost all of its aspects.

The president concluded his remarks by inviting the other churches participating in the Assembly to accompany the Methodist Church in Spain on its journey.

CIEMAL-Informs N°138

3/17/2008

IX GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF CIEMAL IN PANAMA

The Evangelical Methodist Churches and the Methodist Church of the Caribbean and the Americas (MCCA) hosted the IX General Assembly of CIEMAL which was held in a lovely setting in Panama City. The120 participants included delegates, guests and visitors.
The Assembly opened on March 5 with vibrant and prophetic preaching by the Rev. George Mulrain, President of the MCCA, and spirit-filled liturgy led by Dr. Tercio Junker and his team of musicians.
Later Bishop Juan A. Vera opened the business session of the Assembly with the proposal that Bishop Adriel de Souza Maia be named president pro tem given the absence of Bishop Paulo Lockmann, President of CIEMAL who was unable to be present because of illness.
The Assembly began by receiving the reports from the President, the President of the Council of Bishops, the General Secretaries, the Program Coordinators, the Treasurer, the Latin American/Caribbean Confederation of Methodist Women and the Association of Methodist Educational Institutions in Latin America. This provided a broad panorama of the what had been accomplished in the past five years since the VIII General Assembly held in 2003 in Piracicaba, Brazil.
The reports included videos of activities and interesting information. During the quinquennium more than 150 workshops, seminars, encounters and meetings were held, involving more than 1000 participants: women, young people, lay leaders, pastors and indigenous communities. All of the reports were evaluated by 7 Internal Commissions who also brought proposals for the consideration of the Assembly in its final plenary sessions.

DELEGATIONS

Based on membership, Brazil had 10 delegates, Mexico and Puerto Rico 6, Bolivia and Costa Rica 4, Chile 3, Argentina, the MCCA, Ecuador, Panama, Colombia, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay 2 and Guatemala, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Honduras and El Salvador 1 each.
The 6 member delegation from Cuba was prepared to participate but the government of Panama did not grant the visas giving them entry to the country. The Assembly regretted this action and concern for this negative political action was incorporated in the final declaration issued by the Assembly.
The presence of the President of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Spain, Pastor Guillermo Correa, for the first time in a CIEMAL Assembly was greatly appreciated.
Other guests also welcomed were the Rev. J. Thomas Quenet of the Methodist Church of Great Britain, James Hodgson from the United Church of Canada, and several representatives of The United Methodist Church: Bishop Minerva Carcaño from the Connectional Committee, Bishop Peter D. Weaver from the Council of Bishops, Bishop Elías Galvan from MARCHA, Mark W. Harrison from the General Board of Church and Society, and the Rev. Jorge L. Domíngues, the Rev. Edgar Avitia, the Rev. Thomas Hazelwood and the Rev. Clinton Rabb from the General Board of Global Ministries. The World Methodist Council was represented by the Rev. Dr. George Freeman and Religions for Peace, an interreligious organization, was represented by its Executive Secretary for Latin America, Elías Sczcytnicki.

WORSHIP SERVICES AND BIBLE STUDY

Dr. Tercio Junker, a specialist in liturgy, and a team working with him, planned the morning devotionals and the worship services during the Assembly.
Bishop Paulo Ayres Mattos led the Bible studies, in a profound development of the meaning of the theme of the Assembly: Together in the Hope for a New Creation. The Assembly participants expressed great appreciation for the devotionals and the Bible studies.

ECUMENICAL CELEBRATION

Thursday evening the participants in the Assembly attended a worship service in the chapel of the Ecumenical Center of Panama where they were received by leaders of the different churches in Panama, including the Roman Catholic Church. Bishop Pablo Morales of the Evangelical Methodist Church and president of the Ecumenical Council welcomed the delegates and guests. Bishop Julio E. Murray, president of the Latin American Council of Churches (CLAI), delivered the sermon. He also pointed out the historic significance of the location which, for many years, was the center of the School of the Americas. This was the place where, under the leadership of the United States government, thousands of Latin American military leaders received their training, officers who later led the governments of Latin American countries in a systematic military repression beginning in 1973 that have left the scars of torture and led to the disappearance of approximately 150,000 persons. This event was for all who participated a symbol of God’s redemptive work on behalf of life through the coming of God’s Reign of love and justice.

IMPORTANT MOMENTS

There were many significant moments during the Assembly. Among them were: The embrace of peace by the delegations from Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela at the time there were high political tension among their countries.
The heartfelt round of applause after the decision to receive the Evangelical Methodist Church of Nicaragua under the leadership of the Rev. Elmer Zabala as a full member of CIEMAL. The welcoming applause upon receiving the Latin American Association of Methodist Educational Institutions (ALAIME) led by Lic. Claudia Lombardo and Lic. Marcos Rocchietti as an affiliated organization of CIEMAL.
The celebration of International Women’s Day during the morning devotional period in which the women formed a circle in the center of the assembly room, surrounded by the men whose hands were lifted high in blessing during a time of prayer of gratitude and recognition.
The panel, “Methodist Voices,” which provided a space to hear the opinions of the church by leaders of different groups: indigenous and Afro-Latino/Caribbean persons, young adults and women. Another panel enabled the participants to hear presentations by representatives of CIEMAL’s Partners in Mission.
During the times of prayer in the devotional and worship experiences, prayers were heard in many indigenous languages as well as Portuguese, Spanish and English.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

Throughout the Assembly there were prayers of intercession for Bishop Paulo Lockmann and his family. He was unable to attend the Assembly because of illness. Janet, the wife of Bishop Juan A. Vera, was remembered in prayer as she was facing surgery, and prayers of thanksgiving were lifted up upon receiving favorable word of the result. Prayers were lifted up for peace in Iraq, for a solution to the conflictive tension between Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. And throughout the Assembly there were prayers for the abandoned and suffering children, the indigenous communities in the region, for abundant life throughout the world, for the mission of the Church and for Christian unity.

FINANCES

The more than fifty thousand dollar cost of the Assembly was shared by the member churches and contributions from the Methodist Church of Great Britain, the United Church of Canada and The United Methodist Church through the General Board of Global Ministries.

ELECTIONS

The new Board of Directors, elected to serve through 2013 includes President, Bishop Moisés Valderrama G. from México; Vice-President, the Rev. Oscar Bolioli from the Methodist Church in Uruguay; Lay members Alicia Pedrosa from Nicaragua, Rina Yanapa from Bolivia, Virginia Abrego from Panama, Glorymar Rivera from Puerto Rico, Daniel Contreras from Chile, Alejandro Chan Ortiz from Costa Rica, Luis Ruiz from Peru, Carolina Thomas from the Dominican Republic, and Amilcar Solórzano from Guatemala; Clergy members Joana D´Árc ,from Brazil, Maria Mulet Marrero from Cuba, Giena Spencer from the MCCA, Juan A. Cardona from Colombia, Rodolfo Lemos from Ecuador and Bishop Nelly Ritchie from Argentina.
Elected president of the Council of Bishops was Neptalí Aravena from Chile, and Carlos Poma from Bolivia was elected vice president.

GREETINGS

In addition to the greetings brought by the representatives of Churches and Ecumenical Organizations, written greetings were received by Prof. Plutarco Bonilla of Costa Rica, Enrique R. Zerbin, President of the Latin American News Agency, and the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, who wrote, “We pray that the CIEMAL Assembly will provide a new vision and commitment to the ecumenical family by the Methodist family. To meet today’s challenges, God calls us to work together with Him and each other to achieve a credible and effective promotion to abundant life for all people.”

CLOSING CELEBRATION

Wesley Church, one of the oldest buildings of the Methodist Church of the Caribbean and the Americas, was the site of the closing celebrations. The liturgy prepared by Tercio Junker and his team, together with the voices of the local choir singing Gospel choruses, provided a special atmosphere for the celebration. The new president of CIEMAL, Bishop Moisés Valderrama, delivered the sermon, and the new Board of Directors was consecrated by Bishops Adriel de Souza Maia and Luis Nelson Campos Leite. The Assembly concluded with a the celebration of Holy Communion.

TRANSLATORS

Joyce Hill and Donald Reasoner used their skills in translation to facilitate communication among the Spanish, Portuguese and English-speaking participants during the plenary sessions, the internal commissions and informal conversations.

THE LOCAL TEAM

Samuel Samuels demonstrated his experience in organizing and coordinating during many aspects of the Assembly, including their arrivals and departures for the Assembly. Working with him were José Gomez, Uriel José Valdéz, Victor and Virginia in charge of setting up the auditorium and meeting rooms, making photocopies of documents, etc.
At the same time important support was provided by the central office of the Methodist Church of Panama by the Rev. Danoval Jonson and Bishop Pablo Morales and the Pan American Institute, directed by Lic. Lupita Salmon. A team of 10 young persons from different countries served as pages for the Assembly under the direction of Arling Mendez from Panama with the support of Ruby E. Rodríguez from Argentina.

ENCOUNTERS HELD PRIOR TO THE IX GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Encounter of Youth in Mission – February 28 – March 4.

The retreat center of the Episcopal Church in Santa Clara, Panama, housed the 56 young people who came from 17 countries to participate in the Youth in Mission Encounter coordinated by Fabiola Grandón.
It was a time for worship, training, study, recreation and fellowship.
A high point in the Encounter was when Gustavo Alí Alarcón assumed the role of Continent-wide Coordinator for the next quinquennium, 2008 to 2013. The new leadership includes Rafne Moreno Jackson from Puerto Rico who will coordinate the work in the Caribbean Region, Angélica Afu from Panama for the Mesoamerican Region, Adriana Sarabia of Ecuador for the Andean Region and Favio Ramirez from Uruguay for the Southern Cone.
They prepared a Message from the Youth which was received by the General Assembly. One paragraph states: “We declare that youth are the Church of today and are vital to the growth of the church in our countries. As young people, we take upon ourselves the commitment and the responsibility to exercise the ministry of reconciliation throughout Latin America and the Caribbean in a holistic mission.”

See http://www.ciemal.com.ar

Encounter of the Council of Bishops and Presidents

The Council of Bishops and Presidents met at the same location as the Assembly on March 4 under the leadership of Bishop Juan A. Vera. A panel presentation of Autonomy and Connectionality provided the impetus for an interesting exchange of ideas. Also on the agenda was a dialogue with Bishop Minverva Carcaño, Chair of the Connectional Committee of The United Methodist Church (UMC), who presented the proposal concerning new relationships between that church and the autonomous churches in Latin America and the Caribbean. This matter was also on the agenda of the Assembly and will be presented to the General Conference of The United Methodist Church which will be held from April 23-May 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. There were also valuable exchanges with Bishops Peter Weaver and Elías Galván of the Council of Bishops of The UMC.

For more information click: www.ciemal.com.ar.

THE X GENERAL ASSEMBLY WILL BE HELD IN 2012 IN A SITE SELECTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CHURCHES, WILL DETERMINE.