By Prince J Musa in Kenema
The United Methodist Church (UMC), one of the leading Christian missions in Sierra Leone, has ended its bi-annual conference for 2020 with the theme: “Forget what is behind, press forward toward the goal’’.
The purpose of the conference, authorities say, is for circuit members and Bishops to make a formal presentation of their yearly reports to the council members.
The two-day conference attracted mission clergies across the country.
Addressing the clergy at Signer Group Methodist Church Circular Road in Kenema, the President of Methodist Mission in Sierra Leone, Rev. Mark Komba Ngobeh, said that this year’s ceremony focused on the review of activities for the past two years including the successes and challenges and to plan further. He added that the conference also centered on the properties of the mission within the regions and circuits across the country, which included schools, congregation functionality, hospitals, and clinics.
He however raised concerns over the Nixon Memorial Hospital, which he said had issues which would be settled subsequently.
‘‘The only problem on the Nixon Hospital was that the government wanted to partner with the mission and due to consultative meetings between the mission and government, a positive result will be reached. We have agreed with government to sign a memorandum of understanding on the running of the hospital,’’ he said.
He said the conference would enable them as a mission to reconcile with one another by settling some of the disputes that existed amongst the mission members.
Bishop Ngobeh reiterated that his role as president of the mission was to ensure unity and strengthen good relationship among the circuits and members.
‘‘My message to all circuit and bishops within the Methodist mission is to work in line with the theme, to forget about the past and think the way forward and propagate evangelism," he stressed.
The Lay President of the Methodist Church Sierra Leone, Salina Ade Williams, disclosed that her responsibility is to coordinate all Methodist church activities in the country. She added that the lay in Methodist church serves as a liaison between the bishops and non-bishops.
She said the conference, which is held every two years, would have be held before this time but that the outbreak of Covid 19 affected the sequence of events, adding that measures were put in place for the running of the church assets.
Mrs. Williams stated that the circuit members held their internal meeting on the opening of the conference, while the bishops did the same and presented the outcome of their meetings.
‘‘We discussed the role of lay to the Methodist church as a support body and we deliberated on issues of church properties that most times individuals intend to take ownership of,’’ she noted.
She added that the conference also looked at how the mission could strengthen up the educational system in the country amidst the launch of the free quality education programme.
''The issue of education should not be left in the hands of government alone. The Methodist Mission had played vital roles in promoting
education in this country, but the schools have deteriorated in academic field over a decade and this conference considered it very important.
We need to pay more attention to our schools as much as needed, for the mission to help government overcome the existing challenges,’’ she added.
She said they have identified their challenges and have proffered recommendations which they have to work towards.
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