wfn.org | World Conference Opens in Brazil

[umethnews-request@ecunet.org]

"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3111 notes).

Note 3110 by UMNS on Aug. 8, 1996 at 16:15 Eastern (4315 characters).

SEARCH: World Methodist Conference, Rio de Janeiro, Methodist,
worldwide, obedience, prayer, unity, peace

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Thomas S. McAnally                   396(10-21-71){3110}
          Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470             Aug. 8, 1996

First World Methodist Conference in South America
opens in Rio with pageantry, call for obedience, unity

by Thomas S. McAnally*

     RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (UMNS) -- The 17th World Methodist
Conference -- the first to be held in South America -- opened here
Aug. 7 with colorful pageantry, lively music and a call for
Wesleyan Christians to be obedient, prayerful and united.
     Handmade banners representing many of the Methodist
denominations around the world were paraded into the Rio Centro
auditorium as children from the streets of Rio sang and danced on
stage. More than 2,700 people are attending the conference, which
has as its theme, "Holy Spirit: Giver of Life."
     In a keynote address, the Rev. Donald English of England,
chairman of the World Methodist Council, said modern-day
Methodists have much to learn from early day Christians who
experienced the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
     While Methodists are committed to "heart-warming religion,"
he said they must not forget the importance of obedience. "Doing
the will of the Lord is crucial for our worship, growth and
witness."
     Unity often is missed, English said, when Christians take
their eyes off the greater tasks to which they are called.
     "When we neglect the challenge to worship God worthily, to
make the good news known in all the world, to care for the poorest
and neediest around us, to struggle for a more just society; when
we neglect those things we easily lower our vision," he said.
     When this occurs, he said less significant things take on an
importance they don't deserve. "We become estranged from one
another about matters that are not important enough to justify our
being divided over them."
     Like those Christians at Pentecost, today's Methodists should
pray together, English said. "Prayer for us so easily becomes a
support activity, something we do to enable us to get on with the
real business. It seems that for the earliest Christians prayer
was the real business."
     While the culture and setting of the early Christians was
different, English said "in many ways they were just like us --
ordinary human beings, full of frailty and full of the capacity to
get it wrong."
     What matters, he continued, is not that everyone achieve all
the highest qualities of the early Christians but that they
devoutly seek to have these characteristics in their service of
Christ.
     "We are not, of course, on the eve of the first Pentecost as
they were," he said, "but there is no reason why we should not be
on the eve of a renewed Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descends
with renewed vigor for us all. We would wish by God's grace to be
ready for that."
     The 500-member World Methodist Council, sponsor of the large
conference, represents 71 member denominations, 30 million members
and 107 countries.
     Staff executive of the council, with offices in Lake
Junaluska, N.C., is the Rev. Joe Hale.
     Pointing to war and conflict around the globe, Hale
challenged conference participants to "bring to birth a heritage
of love and forgiveness that can be passed on to the next
generation." He also urged them to "become an antidote to the
virulence of war" and to "replace the ancient heritage of war with
a new heritage of peace."
     Participants in the conference have brought with them money
collected in their respective communities for an offering to be
taken Saturday to help the Brazilian Methodist Church with its
ministry among homeless children in Rio.
     "Through this offering, we will put the arms of Jesus around
thousands of children in Rio de Janeiro," Hale said. "We may not
make a difference everywhere, but we can make a difference
somewhere, and we will begin here -- right where we are."
                              #  #  #

     * McAnally is director of United Methodist News Service
headquartered in Nashville, Tenn.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 To make suggestions or give your comments, send a note to 
 umns@ecunet.org or Susan_Peek@ecunet.org

 To unsubscribe, send the single word "unsubscribe" (no quotes)
 in a mail message to umethnews-request@ecunet.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------