Multicultural ministry & migration
Our own missionary partner, Matthew Laferty, in the left rear in the red T shirt and beard.
By Klaus Ulrich Ruof and John Calhoun
Sept. 27, 2019 | STUTTGART, Germany (UM News)
In recent years, Methodist congregations across Europe have opened their doors to refugees, asylum seekers and migrants from distant lands in search of greater freedoms and opportunities.
The churches have provided humanitarian assistance to those in need and are receiving new members who speak different languages and worship according to different traditions.
That can be complicated.
New members representing other cultural norms can energize congregational life, but many local churches also experience difficulty integrating these new members from faraway lands.
The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries has responded with a pilot project to train pastors and laity leading congregations affected by migration. The first session of the Institute for Multicultural Ministry was held Aug. 22-30 at The United Methodist Church of Germany Educational and Training Center in Stuttgart.