Key points
- The World Methodist Council meeting bolstered ties between the Evangelical Methodist Church of El Salvador and the worldwide Methodist community.
- Justice, peace, migration, climate change and interfaith dialogue were among the gathering’s central themes.
- For Bishop Juan de Dios Peña, the gathering strengthened the church’s role as a social actor and its commitment to translating a prophetic voice into concrete action.
The most recent plenary meeting of the World Methodist Council in El Salvador marked a milestone for Methodism in the Central American country.
The gathering strengthened ties between the young Evangelical Methodist Church of El Salvador and the worldwide Methodist community while increasing the church’s visibility in Salvadoran society, according to Bishop Juan de Dios Peña.
Peña, president of the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches of Latin America and the Caribbean and the highest-ranking leader of the Evangelical Methodist Church of El Salvador, spoke with UM News about the gathering.
“For us, it was an excellent opportunity. The role of civil society organizations and, especially, churches has been limited by some of the political and legal changes the country has experienced. That is why it was important to show that the Evangelical Methodist Church of El Salvador is not isolated, but is part of a strong and solid worldwide Methodist communion and connection,” Peña said.
The World Methodist Council has traditionally met in countries with established Methodist communities and the infrastructure to host gatherings of this size. Latin America had hosted the meeting only once before, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1996.
This was the first time the gathering was held in Central America. El Salvador’s host church, established in 1994, is one of the youngest Methodist churches on the continent.
“I think the decision has to do with a new vision, but also with the fact that I am president of the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches of Latin America and the Caribbean and live in El Salvador. It is a notable gesture of solidarity and support for Salvadoran and Latin American Methodism in the midst of what the country and the region are experiencing,” Peña said.
The Aug. 12-16 gathering exceeded expectations, drawing more than 200 participants from Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Europe and Latin America, including a large delegation from The United Methodist Church. Peña highlighted the work with Salvadoran authorities that helped facilitate the arrival of the international delegations.
Justice, peace, migration, climate change and interfaith dialogue were among the gathering’s central themes. The bishop said youth participation remained relatively small and that a continuing challenge is to connect the worldwide gathering with opportunities for youth formation.
Greater visibility for the church
For Peña, the meeting had a significant impact on the Evangelical Methodist Church of El Salvador, increasing its visibility and strengthening its recognition as a social actor.
The day after the gathering ended, church representatives were invited to the United Nations office in El Salvador to meet with the resident coordinator. Other political actors also approached the church to learn more about its work.
“What we achieved was to be more present on the radar of Salvadoran social and political life and to show that the Methodist church has an important presence and voice in the country. That is one of the added values left to us by holding the World Methodist Council assembly in El Salvador,” he said.
The gathering also had a strong impact on local congregations. Many pastors had never traveled outside the country or met people from other parts of the world.
“For them, it was an extraordinary opportunity to discover that we are a worldwide Methodist family,” Peña said.
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He added that the delegates arrived with a spirit of Christian and fraternal love and genuine interest in local communities.
The church amid El Salvador’s challenges
After the meeting, the church continued confronting poverty, limited employment opportunities and a growing economic gap in its communities.
Peña also pointed to the political and social challenges facing El Salvador, including the state of exception — in place since 2022 — that limits constitutional protections as part of the country’s crackdown on gang-related violence.
“Church leaders have to be careful in promoting respect for the law and human rights. That is why faith communities continue working and speaking about issues such as diaconia for peace, while also developing activities such as the Methodist Peace (Award), to continue creating spaces for reflection and awareness about human rights and the importance of not forgetting our history,” he said.
Peña emphasized that the church is rooted in its communities and cannot withdraw from their realities.
“That is why I believe it is necessary to continue listening to people and understanding their experiences, even when those experiences are contradictory,” he said.
Reflecting on the significance of hosting the World Methodist Council, Peña expressed gratitude for what the gathering contributed to the church and its ministry.
“Beyond having a prophetic voice, the Evangelical Methodist Church of El Salvador has a ministry of prophetic action,” he said.
That action, he explained, takes shape by proclaiming the Kingdom of God through what the church lives and does, “in the streets, in homes and in communities.”
“I am very grateful for this opportunity to share our perspective as hosts of the World Methodist Council and for all that this experience has left in our church and in our communities,” he said.
Vásquez is coordinator of Hispanic-Latin Relations for United Methodist Communications. For inquiries to Noticias MU, contact (615) 742-5470 or IMU_Hispana-Latina@umcom.org.
See related UM News story: Methodist family spotlights justice, peace, joy
