wfn.org | Publishing House enters partnership with church in Philippines

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

June 2, 1999  News media contact: Tim Tanton*(615)742-5470*Nashville, Tenn.
10-33-71B{309}

By Judith E. Smith*

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - The United Methodist Publishing House has entered
into a three-year partnership to develop and distribute resources in the
Philippines, one of the fastest-growing areas of church membership for the
denomination.

The agency is in partnership with the United Methodist Church's Philippines
Central Conference, which includes 17 annual (regional) conferences. The
denomination has 225,000 members and a wider community of 460,000 in the
island nation, according to the World Methodist Council's 1997-2000
handbook. 

"I am personally excited about the possibilities for extending the ministry
of the church in the Philippines," said Neil Alexander, Publishing House
president and publisher. "We are working together with the central
conference to help more people come to know God, love God, and serve God and
neighbor."

The Publishing House is funding the project in an effort to support church
leaders and local congregations in the Philippines. The project will
strengthen and extend the existing program of the Philippines Central
Conference Board of Christian Education and Communications to create, market
and distribute effective resources.   

"There is a great need in our country for Christian literature - especially
United Methodist resources for both clergy and laity," said Bishop Daniel C.
Arichea Jr., one of the church's two bishops in the Philippines. "This
project will be a tremendous help in meeting our needs. We are very excited
about our partnership in ministry with the United Methodist Publishing
House."

The total budget for the three-year project is $51,200. The budget includes
funds to hire an editor and a part-time business manager; pay curriculum
writers' fees and partially underwrite new curriculum costs; and purchase a
computer with e-mail capacity. In the second and third years, new projects,
in addition to quarterly curriculum, will be initiated.

The funding diminishes over the three-year period, in expectation that the
sale of resources will enable the Philippines Central Conference to make the
publishing activities substantially self-sustaining.

"We find that material produced in America assumes that its readers will
have a similar background, when in fact there are many differences between
our countries," Arichea said. "For example, it is hard for readers in the
Philippines to relate to a photograph depicting a poor family when that
family is shown in a home with a refrigerator, which is a real luxury for
many of them.

"We are hoping to adapt as well as translate United Methodist materials from
the United States," he said. "There will also be an effort to create
resources written by Filipino authors for all age levels. In addition to
curriculum to use in Sunday school classes, there is a need for devotionals
and education material for clergy. The recruitment of Filipino writers will
be a top priority. We hope to provide training, direction, and encouragement
for them."  

In addition to the publishing project, other ways to strengthen this
partnership in ministry are under consideration. These include support for
resource development and publishing activities at church-related
institutions, and opportunities for Publishing House staff to learn from and
contribute to the ministries of the Philippines Central Conference.

# # # 

*Smith is director of special projects and church and public relations for
the United Methodist Publishing House.

______________
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