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Liberian Methodists end successful reunion conference in US
Posted October 17, 2009
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“Well, yes – I can say in all sincerity that it has been a success,” was his answer to our question – if the reunion/conference of the First United Methodist Church of Monrovia-USA held in Garland, Texas was a success. The National Chairperson of the FUMC-USA Reunion Mr. Zachary Taylor Major told WRAR-96 Internet Radio and Running Africa.com in an exclusive interview on Sunday, August 23, 2009, that members gathered, deliberated and raised some money in support of ministries at the First United Methodist Church of Monrovia in Liberia. He however said that the attendance could have been much larger, an apparent concession of a low turn out. He said that most members have their own plans and therefore could not make it this time to the reunion. Mr. Major said, he is confident that the entire membership will come through financially to fund its projects in Liberia. Mr. Major added that even with the brutal work and family schedules in this country, there continues to be a faithful few, highly motivated, committed and dedicated members who always plan the reunion events as a part of their vacation and make the trip every year. He disclosed that when the reunion was launched nine years ago, it had only nine members, but today, it can boast of a membership of one hundred and twenty-five. He urged his fellow former FUMC members residing the United States of America to get involved and do what they can for God, because as he put it, whatever they do for God, will always prosper. The FUMC-USA National Chairperson then invited those who are yet to join the reunion, to visit the website at www.firstunitedmethodistchurchofliberia.org, review their activities and that of the Church in Monrovia, complete the form, and make suggestions on how to improve the organization. Mr. Major said the website is accessed on a daily basis by the reunion leadership. First Church as it is popularly called, undertakes projects in Liberia and the reunion supports those projects financially to make sure they are completed. Mr. Major named the rebuilding of a Church in Cotton-Tree, Harbel area from mud to concrete structure as one of such projects. That project has now been completed and dedicated. During the closing session of the 2009 FUMC-USA reunion and conference at the First United Methodist Church of Garland, Texas, the National Co-Chairperson of the reunion, Samson Kobbah reported that the conference has divided the continental United States into four regions – the Midwest, Southeast, Northeast and Farwest. This decision according to Mr. Kobbah will assist the Membership Committee in mobilizing former members of First Church residing in those areas and at the same time raise funds for the reunion. Mr. Kobbah has meanwhile thanked the Dallas Reunion Committee on behalf of the entire membership for organizing and the First United Methodist Church of Garland family for their generosity in co-hosting. He said, the work of God will always go on as the members of FUMC of Garland continue to touch hearts of others, adding, that what FUMC of Garland did, shows that they are truly good Christians and looks forward to longer and better ties. In remarks, the former President of the Men’s Unit of the First United Methodist Church of Monrovia, Theophilus Jreh, who represented the Church along with |
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Pastor Thompson, said attending the reunion was educational and he will be taking a lot back to the Church. Mr. Jreh urged the FUMC-USA to continue with its work for the betterment of the Church in Monrovia. He said since their arrival in the U.S. for the events, the reception accorded them has been warm and cordial. Delegates attending the reunion had earlier that day attending the regular Sunday Morning Worship Services of the First United Methodist Church of Garland, Texas during which the visiting Pastor of the FUMC of Monrovia Rev. Erlene Thompson delivered the sermon. In his introduction, the Senior Pastor of the FUMC of Garland, Rev. Gene Wisdom said, he was proud to share the pulpit with Rev. Thompson who he said has enormous responsibility on her shoulders as the Pastor of the President of Liberia Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Rev. Wisdom recalled that he first met Pastor Thompson in April 2008 when she attended the United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas at which time she was invited and she accepted the invitation and preached then at the FUMC of Garland. In her sermon on Sunday on the topic: A New Day Has Come, Pastor Thompson told Liberians in the United States through the membership of First UMC, Monrovia-USA that a new day has come in Liberia. She said, the lives of people are being transformed, new roads built, clinics and schools are reopening, food is surplus, investors coming in, and the city being cleaned. Pastor Thompson said things are not perfect, but they are nevertheless not what they use to be. Civil servants pay she said is current, adding, “we are moving on”. She said yet in the space of hopelessness, the FUMC, Monrovia, continues to provide hope, feeding the hungry and building schools to educate the future generation of the community. Pastor Thompson called on Liberians to begin to pick themselves up and walk down this new road while taking hold of God’s gifts offered to them. She said the new day is for all of God’s children to experience and rejoice in it, adding that they must be willing to extend God’s grace, because God has taught us to do just that. Rev. Thompson thanked the FUMC-USA for its contribution to the church’s ministry in whatever little way. She said the assistance from the group has led to the completion of their projects one of which was just dedicated and the other nearing completion. She urged them to continue with their assistance, because they are a part of that new day that they are experiencing. Pastor Thompson used the occasion to formally thank the FUMC, Garland family for a gift of Hymnals worth some 5-thousand dollars that the church sent to them some time ago through the instrumentality of Willie Kamara. She said, because of the love of God that constrained the Church in Garland to make the gift, her Church is now the only church using new hymn books for their services. The FUMC-USA reunion 2010 will be held in Silver Springs, Maryland.
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