By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The United Methodist Church in Nigeria UMCN has held a joint session of the five annual Conferences comprising of the Districts of Senegal and Cameroon began in Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria with a large turn-out of over five thousand clergy and laity in attendance.
The event began with a worship session at the Gym Hall of the Jolly Nyame Stadium, Jalingo.
In his remarks, Bishop, Ande Emmanuel of Nigeria and the Districts of Senegal and Cameroon ointed out that UMCN has faced series of crises for the past years, and express joy that it has become one.
“After many years of conflicts, today we have come as one family. The Church shall never go back, for the words that brings division amongst us have been broken down.
“The labor of our past Bishops shall never go in vain.
In his remarks, Bishop Samuel Jerome Quire of Liberia and the President of the West Africa Central Conference (WACC) College Of Bishops, said the General Conference has taken a decision to create a second Episcopal Area in Nigeria, and the committee on the demarcation will present it’s report at the joint conference.
“UMCN is a great family and we are working on how Nigeria will get more than one Bishop, because one Bishop cannot serve the entire congregation.
“The standing committee have approved the appointment of additional Bishop in Nigeria in 2026 and will be supervised by the College Of Bishops.
“A special session for the West Africa Regional Conference will hold in 2026, where a new Bishop will be elected, for Nigeria’s new Episcopal Area – he said.
The Guest Speaker, Bishop Boye-Caulker preaching on the theme ” Behold I’m doing a new thing, ” said God loves it when we plan together, reminding the congregation that despite the persecution, challenges, and difficulty faced by the Church “God has a plan”.
“The Church in Nigeria recognises God, and will not change, because God is on the throne, so do not dwell on the past”.
According to him, the United Methodist Church in Nigeria is a recipient of what God is going to do, as he is taking the church out of the wilderness.
” When God wanted to take his people out of Egypt, not even pharaoh could stop it. When God is doing a new thing, it cannot be business as usual. God is saying hold on for a moment, don’t you know that new things are coming up?”
“When plans come together in most crises, God has a plan to cover it.
“The Church in Nigeria recognize you as God, nothing will change you because God is on the throne.
He urge members not to dwell on the past, but on what God wants them to do, adding that the Nigeria Episcopal Area is now a new place.
“The Church was divided, but it is now coming together. God is the initiator while UMCN is the recepiant.
“There is no one that can stop God if he wants to do a new thing and no equal with him.
“God is bigger than our limitations and challenges, he is calling us to work with him in proclaiming what he wants us to do.
The Bishop point out that it is God’s calling to some of the members of the Church to occupy some key positions in Government.
“He called you for a purpose, that is why he placed you in that position. God is calling all of us, no matter our position to play our parts.
“God perfect us for the purpose he send us – he said.
The Bishop urged the congregation to always stop and have a moment with God, when things get tough, adding that “God is calling each one of us to work with him, he doesn’t see us as imperfect, but he perfects us for the purpose he called us.
Bishop Samuel Jerome Quire of Liberia and the President of the West Africa Central Conference (WACC) College Of Bishops, and Bishop James Boye-Caulker of Sierra-Leone were also in Nigeria for the yearly event, which serves as one of the largest decisions making platforms for the church.
Highlights of the joint Annual conference include the presentation of The Good Shepherd Award by the youth in Nigeria Episcopal Area To Bishops Jerome Quire and James Boye-Caulker, also awarded was Mr Edward Bakari, in recognition of his contribution to the growth of the local church in Nigeria.