Future missionary activities also in Germany
(21.02.2009) On the conclusion of the Council meeting of the United Evangelical Mission (UEM), having taken place in Wuppertal from 18 to 21 February, Regine Buschmann, Moderator of the UEM Council, was very satisfied with the results. She said the reduction from 28 to 14 Council members had resulted in a more efficient work and a quicker decision-making, as had been expected. Regine Buschmann: “By being a smaller group and able to communicate more personally, we had much more intensive talks, which, as I see it, also had a positive effect on the results of the Council meeting. I am really happy about these past days and I am looking forward to our further co-operation.”
The board, consisting of eight women and six men from member churches in Africa, Asia and Germany, supervises and advises the Management Team of the UEM. General Secretary Dr. Fidon Mwombeki and the other members of the Management Team reported on the work of the past six months and asked for recommendations on important decisions with regard to upcoming projects.
Among other things, it has been decided that international teams will be set up which will be entrusted with special tasks and will have an advisory function. As regards individual member churches and the situation in their countries, evangelism, diaconia, strengthening the position and equal rights of women, and the observance of human rights have been identified as the relevant current topics. It has also been decided that now also Germany will again be considered a UEM region where, like in Africa and Asia, missionary projects and programmes are to be undertaken. Other items on the agenda were the preparation of Regional Assemblies in Africa, Asia and Germany and the preparation of the topic of the UEM General Assembly, which will be attended by 63 delegates in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) in October 2010.
The following members attended the Council meeting: Regine Buschmann as Moderator (v Bodelschwingh Institutions Bethel), from Africa Victoria Kisyombe (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania), Kakule Molo (Baptist Church in Central Africa), and Lefoko Moagi (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Botswana), from Asia Eirene Gulö and Tuhoni Telaumbanua (both Nias Christian Protestant Church), Eliezer Pascua and Nathalie Dacanay (both United Church of Christi in the Philippines), as well as from Germany Barbara Roth (Evangelical Church in the Rhineland), Katharina Böttner (youth of UEM), Ulrich Möller (Evangelical Church of Westphalia), Wilhelm Richebächer (Evangelical Church of Hesse-Waldeck) and Birgit Krome-Mühlenmeier (Church of Lippe).
The United Evangelical Mission is an international communion of 34 churches in Africa, Asia and Germany, and the v Bodelschwingh Institutions Bethel. Its administrative office is in Wuppertal, Germany. The UEM also has regional offices in Africa (Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania), Asia (Medan, Indonesia) and Germany (Wuppertal). From the very beginning, the UEM followed a holistic and inclusive approach to mission, endeavouring not only to preach the Gospel, but also to support and improve diaconic and medical services, access to education for the people and to promote justice, peace and integrity of creation.
