Bishop Bickerton's Congo Journal - Day 6
Our trip would not be complete without making a stop in the Central Congo Area to support the work and ministry of Bishop David Yemba. While most of our time has been spent in the North Kantanga Province, which is home to two episcopal areas, the Central Congo Area itself is comprised of 10 provinces and covers nearly two-thirds of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Bishop Yemba has 24 District Superintendents who oversee 500,000 United Methodists and 500 pastors who serve in this region (This compares to the 187,000 United Methodists and 723 pastors I supervise in Western Pennsylvania).
Needless to say, overseeing this massive area demands a dedicated bishop and leadership team. Their challenge is even greater because the infrastructure of roads and communications is as bad as the other two areas we visited -- and there are ongoing violent conflicts on the border with Rwanda and Burund. This area needs lots of support.
That is why we have come. We’ve learned that the hospital and clinic system has only six doctors and limited resources. We’ve seen growing congregations with little or no resources to further their ministry in productive ways. And, as we have seen throughout this enormous country, there is a pronounced and disturbing level of poverty which limits the life and productivity of God’s children in this place. Yet, despite all this, the true African spirit of determination exists in health care, congregational development and evangelism. The spirit of these people is truly transformative and inspiring.
We are here to demonstrate and witness to the connection of the church. This is an episcopal area that needs much attention from beyond its borders, but gets little. We came here to listen, learn, and become absorbed into the unique issues and needs that exist in this poverty-stricken and, in places, violent part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have come to connect and to demonstrate support through our presence.
I have always been a fan of the connection. During the formative years of my youth, I found a personal and vital relationship with Christ through a Conference youth event. While my home church did a wonderful job of nurturing me, it all made sense at a Conference-sponsored event. That’s connectionalism.
As a pastor, I always got excited when I talked with my parishioners about how their offerings could only do so much UNTIL they were combined with the offerings of other United Methodists throughout the world. We can do so much more together than any one of us can do on our own. That’s connectionalism.
On my first trip to Africa I encountered a small, thin man who held a Bible in my face and thanked me for caring enough to be a part of church that spreads God’s love throughout the world. Inside the cover of that Bible were written the words, “Dean John, keep the faith. Never lose Hope. Always Love the Lord.” It was signed by a United Methodist missionary in 1952. That’s connectionalism.
When Confirmation classes come into my office, I spend time talking with them about the 60+ bishops in our church. I tell those confirmands that when one of those bishops comes into Western Pennsylvania, they become the bishop of this area WITH me. It is a part of the collegial covenant of ministry we share as bishops across the church. We are elected to be bishops of the church, not just bishops of a particular area. While I love being in Western Pennsylvania, I have been elected to be a bishop of the world. A part of my responsibility is to provide support and encouragement for my colleague bishops wherever they are assigned.
Today, Bishops Dorff, Bledsoe, and I were bishops of the North Congo Area of The United Methodist Church with Bishop David Yemba. We have come to share a supportive presence for the work of the church in this place. That’s connectionalism at its best and one of the prime reasons I celebrate being a United Methodist.
That’s why I’m here.
The Journey Continues, . . .
Bishop Tom
By: Bishop Thomas Bickerton On 4/21/2010
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