Recommended Readings: Filipino and European UMC Self-Descriptions

The Connectional Table has been sponsoring an initiative entitled "Imagining the Future." While the initiative is playing out differently in different branches of the church, essentially it is an attempt to promote regional discussions on the current context of the church and the hoped-for future of the church. As part of that initiative, regional leaders have published "Background and Contextual Information" statements for both the Philippines and Europe. These statements situate The United Methodist Church in these contexts in light of societal, political, and intra-church dynamics currently at play. If the UMC is ever to become a more successfully global denomination, honest sharing and receptive listening to such recounting of the situation of the church in various contexts will need to become a more regular practice. Therefore, these short reflections are highly recommended.