Key points:
- An interim leadership team of bishops has guided United Methodists in Nigeria to nominate candidates for election to episcopal office in December.
- 995 delegates (about 74% of the number prior to the former bishop’s resignation) attended the sessions and discussed the agenda, with virtual support from Bishop John Schol.
- Attendees resolved to pursue all legal ways to recover and secure United Methodist Church properties, assets including funds and passwords.
- District superintendents envision a church that is loving and transparent and abhors corruption.
The United Methodist Church of Nigeria has taken major steps toward electing a new bishop, with all four annual conferences holding nominations during special sessions Aug. 23-26.
During the sessions, delegates also elected leaders for each of their conferences and received a Path Forward Covenant report on resolving the internal challenges the church has faced in Nigeria.
The sessions had guidance from the interim leadership team appointed by the denomination’s Council of Bishops. Bishops John Schol (retired), Eben K. Nhiwatiwa of Zimbabwe and Patrick Streiff of Central and Southern Europe were assigned to lead the Nigeria Episcopal Area until a new leader is elected in December at the West Africa Central Conference in Côte d’Ivoire. Schol is the Nigeria interim lead bishop with Bishop David Yemba (retired) of Congo serving as adviser.
Photo by Shari deAngelo, the Greater New Jersey Conference.
Schol was unable to travel to Nigeria and provided leadership virtually, while Nhiwatiwa traveled to Nigeria but encountered challenges with immigration officials deterring him from chairing the special sessions. Nhiwatiwa managed to meet with the 41 district superintendents who were appointed after former bishop John Wesley Yohanna resigned with his cabinet in July to join the Global Methodist Church, a breakaway denomination.
“The United Methodist Church in Nigeria is alive,” Nhiwatiwa said after the meeting. “On asking the district superintendents what the future of The UMC they envision for Nigeria looked like, one after the other responded: ‘A church full of love, a church which is transparent, a church which abhors corruption…’ Everyone had an opportunity to express their wish.”
The Rev. Eli Yakku, dean of the cabinet, presided over the sessions in accordance with Paragraph 603 of the Book of Discipline, and 995 delegates participated, a figure representing 74% of the delegates prior to Yohanna’s resignation, according to a press release.
Delegates unanimously voted to remain in The United Methodist Church and also adopt the Path Forward Covenant, which was designed to achieve peace and reconciliation in the denomination and grow United Methodist witness in Nigeria.
The 995 delegates approved the board of trustees to pursue all legal means to secure property, equipment, bank accounts, funds and passwords of The United Methodist Church. They overwhelmingly affirmed that marriage is between one man and one woman and that The United Methodist Church would abide by Nigerian law.
The delegates confirmed by a 992-3 vote that a July vote conducted by the former bishop did not represent their conference and was not held according to The Book of Discipline.
“The newly assigned bishops are helping to reorganize The UMC and assist with moving the mission forward,” Yakku said.
The United Methodist Church of Nigeria has 348 pastoral charges (or 72% of the charges before the former bishop left the denomination), and 68% of active pastors and almost all of the retired clergy have remained with the denomination. A charge may include three or four congregations.
“Today I see a new United Methodist Church coming from Nigeria that is stronger and more united than it has been in the past,” said Janet Garba, women’s president of the Central Nigeria Conference, in a press release. “We see a future United Methodist Church built on Jesus Christ, irrespective of our tribal and sectional differences.”
In the same press statement, other church leaders also expressed optimism and hope.
“It gives me great joy today to be a part of the United Methodist family in Nigeria,” said Rimande Garba, lay delegate from the Southern Nigeria Conference. “This special session brought me a lot of joy, hope and peace to see the majority of us are staying United Methodists.
“Before, I was so concerned with the way many of us were being coerced to leave,” she added.
At the Central Nigeria special session Aug. 25, six clergy and seven lay members testified that they initially aligned with the new Methodist denomination but had realized their mistake and now their churches were firmly United Methodist.
“I am the most happiest person today to see the confirmation that the majority of us are staying in The United Methodist Church,” said the Rev. Nigron Haruna, Abuja District superintendent. “The United Methodist Church remains strong and committed to honoring Jesus Christ and advancing God’s mission and ministry in Nigeria through The United Methodist Church. I and my family are staying in The United Methodist Church because this is the church that nurtured us; it is a family of people, brothers and sisters in Christ.”
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Bishop Schol also touted the work United Methodists are doing throughout the country.
“As The United Methodist Church of Nigeria moves forward in ministry, it’s exciting to see our faith put into action as our members serve their communities,” he said. “Recently, as we’ve seen food shortage concerns due to the lack of rain, we’ve tapped into our denominational partners to distribute food to those in need. We’ve also been reaching out to youth through events, including one at which we welcomed 5,600-plus young women attendees. And we continue to see to the needs of our current members/staff and our retired clergy.”
District superintendents and other church leaders are working with the United Methodist Committee on Relief and preparing to distribute food aid to mitigate the effects of drought.
Regular annual conference sessions are being planned for November, and church leaders expect more than 25 ordinations, the approval of new budgets, and an updated report on the Path Forward Covenant. A team has been tasked to ensure retired clergy and clergy widows/widowers receive their pension on time.
“During a time of unrest due to rampant misinformation, it’s essential that we continue to be bearers of faith, hope and truth and offer educational information to help address fears,” Schol said. “I’m grateful to the governor of Taraba state, local police, our legal counsel and others who are ensuring that The United Methodist Church of Nigeria and the overall denomination are able to justly conduct our lawful ministry practices and gatherings while ensuring the safety of our members.”
Chikwanah is a UM News correspondent based in Zimbabwe.
News media contact: Julie Dwyer or Tim Tanton at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free Daily or Weekly Digests.
