Soon after Pentecost, on 4-6 June, the Methodists for World Mission (MWM) will hold their annual conference at the Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick, UK.

The conference entitled, “Latin America - Chaos, Cross, Celebration” is jointly organised in association with 5 other ecumenical partners, namely Christian Aid, Christians Aware, Grassroots, United College of the Ascension and United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG).

As the aim of MWM suggests, it is to ‘celebrate diversity and promote mutual partnerships between Christian people of widely differing cultures from all parts of the world. The conference will enable national and overseas churches to exchange ideas on their faith and worldviews, and even how they worship.

President of Methodists for World Mission, Rosemary Wass, said, “This Conference will give us the opportunity to try and begin to hear and experience the gospel from another culture and through another language. We will not be the same people when we leave as when we arrive if we allow this to impact our lives. The opportunity to share with those of another culture enlarges our understanding of what God is calling us to do and be today.”

The Methodist Church has just finished celebrating a spiritual feast during their Wesley Day festivities - in recognition of the birth of Methodism in 1783. Methodists were reminded once again of the dream and teachings of John Wesley, the Father of Methodism. However, it is a discouraging fact that churches in the Western World have been declining in recent times, despite the fact that Christianity first originated there.

Concerning the choice of the theme, the Methodist Church hopes that this conference will once again reinforce the Methodists’ commitment to a world church through celebrating Latin American spirituality.

Latin America experienced a revival during the 1990’s and this has continued. Many healing evangelists now speak to hundreds of thousands in massive crusades, and churches continue to multiply. Some evangelists there fast and pray in an area before commencing crusades until the strongholds in that area are broken. Then they report astounding moves of the Spirit of God. An estimated 3.5 million a year become Christian in Latin America now.

President of Methodists for World Mission, Rosemary Wass commented, “Spirituality in Europe has become a commodity. We sample the different brands and we have our favourite suppliers. In Latin America spirituality is not an exotic extra to be indulged in when there is adequate money and time, but has emerged to make the Christian faith relevant to the people and issues of Latin America.”

Methodists are looking to learn from the precious lesson of revival which has occurred over Latin America by the power of the Holy Spirit. The World Methodist family has achieved many great advances over recent decades, with an increase from 42.4 million to 74 million members in the Methodist community worldwide. The conference, however, will still provide them with an opportunity to learn further about the power of the Holy Spirit.

Revd Thomas Quenet, Area Secretary for the Americas at The Methodist Church, added: “The Conference will explore how the Holy Spirit is having a dramatic impact on the life of the Church in Latin America. Spiritual renewal is taking place alongside the struggle for justice and peace. It is like the early days of Methodism. The Bible is coming alive for ordinary people. This Conference will be an opportunity to learn about how we might change – if we dare.”

Also, at the Conference Dr Peter Fox, the new President of Methodists for World Mission, will be designated.