Liberian Annual Conference
Introduction
The Liberia Annual Conference, through its Executive Committee, graciously embraced the Covenant Partnership in Ministry that was entered into by the Detroit Annual Conference and the Liberia Annual Conference in June 1998 in Adria, Michigan. The result of this commitment is the appointment of a Task Force to be chaired by the Reverend Dr. Emmanuel F. Bailey with the responsibility of:
- Keeping the vision of our partnership alive
- Keeping communication flowing between the two Conferences
- Implementing the Partnership Covenant
Expectations and Priorities
As we move forward in our Covenant Partnership in Ministry with each other, we are suggesting the following as our way forward in our partnership and solidarity:
- Begin a Prayer Circle in our Annual Conferences to include local churches, circuits, and districts. This Prayer Circle will lift up ministries, leaders and other needs for God's blessings. Secondly, United Methodists in both the Liberia and Detroit Annual Conferences will pray for each other and for the ministries of the Church in their nations; and will pray for God's blessings upon the sessions of the Detroit and Liberia Annual Conferences each year. We request prayer from our Detroit Conference partners for the transition that is underway in Liberia today, both in terms of the nation and of the Church.
- Explore the possibilities for respresentive(s) from each Annual Conference to attend and participate in the sessions of the Annual Conference of the other partner Conference. This will allow for visible sharing and learning between the members of our annual conferences.
- Ensure that our partnership functions at several levels
- Conference to Conference
- Distinct to District
- Local Church to Local Church
- United Methodist Women to United Methodist Women
- United Methodist Men to United Methodist Men
- United Methodist Youth Fellowship to United Methodist Youth Fellowship
- United Methodist Young Adults to United Methodist Young Adults
- Ministry (projects) to Ministry (projects)
- School to School
- Sunday School to Sunday School
- Consider the following specific areas of priority
- Evangelism and Discipleship ministries
- Education and training
- Judith Craig Children's Village operation, expansion, and endowment
- Trauma Counseling/Healing
- Health Care Services
- Agriculture and Food Production
- Ministries with Women, Children, Young People, Men and the Aged
- General Reconstruction (i.e. churches, school, clinics, hospitals, etc.)
- Stewardship education
- Ministerial Support (salaries and benefits)
- Construction
- Communications
- Transportation
- Human Rights Advocacy ministries
- Economic Empowerment
Although our journey together will have challenges, we strongly remain committed to the process of our Covenant Partnership in Ministry. Having endured many years of civil war in Liberia with the loss of tens of thousands of human lives and the destruction of most of the vital infrastructures (schools, hospitals, clinics, churches, and other mission institutions) we still have the enthusiasm for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. We appreciate our journey together as we discern and implement the direction of our live in partnership. It is our hope that the details of all our work will be made possible through the actions of the task forces in our respective conferences over the weeks and months ahead.
May God bless our Covenant together. Amen
Presented May 19, 2000 on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
Connect with our Sisters
The following is information received from Dave Pratt. It helps to acquaint us with the Liberian sister districts we are partnered with.
- Grand Gedeh District
- D.S. Rev. Patrick Nyanti
- Languages: being Krahn, Klao, and English
- Location: Grand Gedeh County is the second largest county (in area) and lies along the country's northeastern border with the Ivory Coast.
- History: It is one of the newest districts in the conference and the home area of the late Liberian military leader, President Samuel K. Doe, under whose leadership the country entered the Liberian Civil War. The District is mostly tropical forest and mountains.
- Nana Kru District
- D.S. Rev. Morrison M. Wleh, Sr.
- Languages: Kru and English
- Location: Sinoe and Grand Kru Counties
- History: This district is an old district in the conference and is in a territory, among the Kru people who have had deep roots with the UMC since the early 1800's when the Church came into Liberia.
- Sinoe District
- D.S. Rev. Patrick K. Bennie
- Language: Kru and English
- Location: Sinoe County along the Atlantic Coast between Rivercess and Grand Kru Counties
- History: This distinct is among the oldest and is occupied mostly by the Kru people, one of the most committed United Methodist groups in the nation.