The Challenge of Hope: Building and Sustaining amidst Division and Confusion

The common theme for this Conference year – “Residing in Hope: Building and Sustaining” challenges our denomination, especially in the Manila Episcopal Area, with its current situation especially in the crisis in the episcopal leadership. We are suppose to reflect upon how we can realize that hope which is already present and how we can participate in building and sustaining it.

Currently, many actions and some declaration of some brothers and sisters in Christ especially among us United Methodists in the Philippines continue to clear a distinctive line against each other. One big problem is that many people do not really know the whole situation, the background or its history. Some are pushing superficial comments, criticisms and may sound spiritual to the current issue because they do not reflect a thorough knowledge of the matter.

As the writer of this article continue to reflect, analyze and converse with other people was challenged by the current theme which provide insights to the present conflict. And also confronted by the fact that the pivotal issue in which one must based his perspectives and actions is the reality of experiencing the Hope which is already in us through God’s grace.

And the reason for the postponement of the 3rd session of STPPACE which implies disbelief and discontent with the current system also want to try to preserve the unity of the church workers and some laity in the Annual (Regional) Conference. Inspite that the majority shares the same heart for change in the political atmosphere but they were diverse in ways of how to achieve it.

The idea now is to solve the issue that will preserve not just the unity among church workers and churches but to deal the issue in the process provided by the denomination’s polity to pursue unity that is not by means of mere association but by having one heart inspite of diverse opinion and beliefs.