A couple of weeks ago Sayre asked this question
Just out of curiosity, is there an increase or decrease in the membership of the United Methodist Church for this year? I remember Pastor Susan talking about how people in Germany don’t go to church because it is state-run, and they know it’ll always be there; and something about how almost nobody goes to church in England anymore.. what about the United States, and Maryland itself? Just wondering.
Well here is my best try at an anwser…
The membership of the United Methodist Church as a whole is growing world wide. Yet it is decreasing in membership drastically in the United states. Yet in places like Africa, Korea and other places there is an increase in the membership. The Methodist church has been blessed in that we have roots almost everywhere in the world. This is one reason who the people from the Nothing But Nets mission chose the UMC to help partner with them. We are already in Africa and able to have a network that can pass out nets to the people who suffer from malaria.
At this years General conference (the world wide gathering of the UMC) there was a push to give people outside of the US more power and say as to the policies of the church. This was voted down because of a need for more information about the rest of the “Central Conferences” to give them more say…but the sad reality is that this seems to be a power play to keep the power within the US by the old guard and it buys them 4 more years till the next general conference.
On a much happier note, we as a congregation are growing steadily. 🙂
