Summary of Global Ministries Grants using Encounter’s Permanent Fund for 2021 and 2022

For questions or more information about the following listing of grants distributed to Latin America and the Caribbean by Global Ministries, please send an email to our Mission Interpreter: missioninterpreter@umc-encounter.org

2022

Grants from Permanent Fund for 2022

Fourteen grants were distributed by Global Ministries to twelve partners: MCCA (2); Evangelical Methodist Church of Bolivia; Evangelical Church of the Dominican Republic; Evangelical Methodist Church of Panama; The Evangelical Seminary of Theology in Cuba; The Methodist Church of Chile (2) ; The Regional Ecumenical Advisory and Service Center (CREAS); The Evangelical Methodist Church of Costa Rica; The Evangelical Methodist Church of Nicaragua; The Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches of Venezuela; The Wesley Heritage Foundation; The Methodist Church of Peru.

Total amount of grants: $121,600.

• $10,000–MCCA Panama-Costa Rica District: “Healthy Lunches and Saturday Tutoring.” To provide a wholesome meal at the beginning of every school week (Mondays) in the Rio Abajo neighborhood of Panama City and to offer mentoring/tutoring services on Saturdays along with a healthy lunch.  GM Goal: Seek Justice, Freedom, and Peace. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: Rio Abajo Methodist Church is a congregation within the Panama Circuit of the Panama/Costa Rica District of the MCCA. Located in an area of drastic social change and upheaval, the church was established in 1950 and ministered to low-income families. Since the congregation was established 70 years ago, many families in the congregation—descendants of founding members—achieved upward mobility and the church became a middle-class congregation. Currently, the immediate neighborhood is at high risk of violence. The population has a large group of people under the age of 21. There is a high index of teenage pregnancies, school abandonment, and drug trafficking. The return of in-person classes in Panama after a two-year pandemic, exposed problems in the immediate vicinity of the church of malnutrition, learning deficits, and an overall unpreparedness to return to a normal school setting. Leaders of the congregation saw alarming situations that if left unattended would lead to greater social malaise and the potential of a whole generation of children of being lost. Without skills in reading, writing, and comprehension and with a lack of adequate nutrition, these children and youth in the neighborhood risk becoming unemployable.

Program Goal: Provide healthy lunches on Mondays (a hot lunch) and Saturdays (a boxed lunch) as well as tutoring and mentoring helping students with their homework assignments, providing basic school supplies. Those needing it, will be provided transportation to the church.

People Impact: 55 direct beneficiaries, including 20 male children, 20 female children, 5 male youth, and 10 female youth. Expected outcomes include avoidance of malnutrition and provision for a structured learning environment to compensate for educational deficits. Counseling will be available to assist in developing life skills.   

The $9,600 grant from Encounter funds represent 43.6% of the budget. Local contributions and a grant from Panama’s UNICEF Food Bank will provide the balance of funding needed for the $22,000 budget.

• $10,000—MCCA Panama-Costa Rica District. “Accessing and supporting rural congregations in the Limón Province of Costa Rica.” To promote talks, seminars, workshops, and trainings amongst hard-to-reach rural, predominately Black populations in Pacuarito, Siquirres, and Cairo, Costa Rica. GM Goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: The Panama/Costa Rica District of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas is a binational conference whose first congregation began in 1815. The church was started by English−speaking Afro−Caribbean people who came to work on the transnational banana plantations in Panama and Costa Rica, the Panama Trans−Isthmian Railroad, and the Panama Canal.

In the 19th and first part of the 20th Century, the church developed under the stewardship of the British Methodist Church. It was a sub−district of the Jamaica District. As of 1967, it became one of the eight districts/conferences of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas (MCCA). Currently, the church is a religious body incorporated in the Republic of Panama and the Republic of Costa Rica.

Global Ministries has assigned a Global Missionary to work in the Limón Province in Costa Rica, in an area principally settled by Jamaicans who arrived to work on the local railroad. There has been little government investment in this area, and as a result churches have suffered negative cultural, economic, social, and even linguistic impacts.

The aforementioned impacts, and those due to the COVID−19 pandemic, decreased the membership and the personal presence and/or active participation at these rural, predominately Black congregations (Pacuarito and Siquirres). The church in Cairo was closed in the years preceding the pandemic but was reopened in November 2021. These churches are in different cities, so transportation to Cairo, Pacuarito, or to visit members in Siquirres has been a formidable challenge in allowing the missionary to do her work. There is also a dire need to

develop the scant activity materials which are currently at the missionary’s disposal. There is a lack of structure, as there is often no ideal space for some activities like Sunday school. There is also a lack of human resources and a need to train members to take local leadership.

Program Goal: The goal of this project is to revitalize the ministry of congregations in Pacuarito, Siquirres, and Cairo and make them more responsive to the present time they are in. This is because they are located in rural/semi−rural communities with access to the old railroad, which was used for the transportation of bananas. The composition of the communities over the past 50 years has changed from a predominant Afro−Antillean English−speaking population to a more diverse mix population whose main language is Spanish. The assigned missionary will be responsible for program implementation, with the support of the district episcopal office and the missionary’s spouse.

People Impact: A total of approximately 117 people, including 12 men, 30 women, 15 youth, and 60 children will benefit directly from this project.

Expected Results: As an outcome of this project, at least 117 people forming the congregations in Siquirres, Cairo, and Pacuarito will have their churches strengthened and discipleship revitalized. To foster sustainability, new local leaders will be inspired and trained through these congregational development activities.

The district will contribute $1,100 in addition to the $10,000 grant to cover costs of the project.

• $10,000.00—Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia. To support the efforts of upgrading the musical accompaniment provided by five missionary churches and four preaching points in the south of Bolivia. GM Goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: In the wake of COVID-19, Bolivia is experiencing a health crisis with consequences in the general population and among business and agricultural interests causing despair in many aspects of life. People are losing hope and are gripped with fear. The malaise poses a challenge to faith communities to which the population looks for psychological, economic, spiritual, and health help. In this pandemic infused context, the Evangelical Methodist Church in Bolivia (EMCB) has discerned that the Bolivian population seeks God and the support of the church more than ever before. The EMCB seeks to respond to the people in missionary areas in the south of Bolivia among nine growing churches along the border with Argentina and in the Potosi and Tarija areas. Previously the only equipment these churches had for gatherings were megaphones. They need sound and musical equipment, especially for their outdoor meetings.

Program Goal: Strengthen evangelization and congregational life through music. Purchase five sets of sound equipment and musical instruments, such as keyboards that will be District property and available to all of the congregations.

People Impact: A total of 935 people, including approximately 485 women, 350 men, and 100 children will directly benefit from this project. It is important to note that not only EMCB congregants will benefit. There are special activities in the community, such as Prayer Concerts held on the hilltops asking God for forgiveness, asking for rain, and thanking God for the harvest, in which entire communities participate. Approximately 200−300 people participate in these Prayer Concerts, including children.

Expected Results: That nine emerging congregations will have access to sound systems and musical instruments for worship, outdoor gatherings, and evangelization. To ensure sustainability the equipment will be managed by the district.

The local churches will contribute $1,000 towards the overall budget of $11,000.

• $8,000.00—Dominican Evangelical Church (DEC). To provide training opportunities to Dominican Evangelical Church pastors and lay leaders, focused on cultivating church growth through evangelism. GM Goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: As has happened in many countries, the Dominican Republic experienced an economic crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The DEC has been affected as well. The socioeconomic results of this situation have led to personal insecurity:  it is often dangerous for DEC members to attend nighttime services, particularly in Santo Domingo, due to robberies. Gender violence: an increase in domestic abuse towards women. Corruption: All social sectors have experienced corruption, even among Christian institutions. Food insecurity: the cost of food has increased a lot affecting half the population. The DEC has experienced a decrease in church membership. This project primarily addresses the need for a strategy to increase the level of commitment of pastors, lay leaders, and congregations so that they can fulfill the missionary task of the church.

Program Goal: Reach 1,500 people in the year 2022; train pastors and lay leaders on specific topics of church growth; create strategies that produce an increase in commitment to God among pastors, lay leaders, and congregations; create supporting resources to reaffirm the mission established by Jesus; provide accompaniment to churches that are having difficulty growing; and create a church growth plan based on committed discipleship.

People Impact: 1,500 people including approximately 650 women, 350 men, and 500 children.

Expected Outcomes: Pastors and laity will be trained and committed to the growth of the church and also gain a greater understanding of the missionary work of the church; 1,500 people will be reached with the power of evangelization.

Local churches in the DR will contribute $1,000 towards the overall budget of $10,000.

• $10,000.00– Evangelical Methodist Church of Panama (EMCP). To support the youth achievement center called Centro de Alcance las 500 (Outreach Center 500) in its ongoing efforts to address elevated levels of school dropouts, teen pregnancies, alcohol and illegal substance usage, gang participation, as well as low rates of participation in Christian congregations. GM Goal: Make Disciples of Jesus Christ. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: The EMCP continues its ministry of evangelization begun in 1906. Recently, the church has made efforts to go beyond its current presence in the provinces of Panama and Chiriqui, engaging in mission work in Veraguas and Santiago. In Punta Delgadita, Santiago, the church works with low-income families. The Youth Achievement Center, “Outreach Center 500,” serves youth from 13 to 17 years old who are unable to return to the regular school system after dropping out or suffering academic setbacks. This project addresses the high rate of school failures and dropouts and the lack of youth prevention programs that focus on reinforcing education. The consequence of this reality leads to an increase in teen pregnancies, alcohol and drug abuse, gang participation, and low participation in communities of faith.

Program Goal:  Integrate 60 adolescents and young adults into the center’s programs to avoid school dropouts and/or academic failure and thereby avoiding associate problems mentioned above. To achieve this goal the project will offer tutoring in language skills, mathematics, and English, the subjects with the highest index of failure. They will offer a two-week summer school in 2023. They will offer interactive workshops with topics such as managing emotions, conflict resolution, working in groups, creating a life plan, dating, and education on sexually transmitted diseases. They will also offer three cinema discussion events, cultural activities, and sporting events.

People Impact: A total of 60 people, including approximately 30 girls and 30 boys, will benefit directly from this program.

Outreach Center 500 will continue to develop partnerships with governmental institutions, universities, local businesses, non-governmental organizations, and other Christian denominations to sustain this program into the future. These partnerships along with local church contributions amount to 53.4% of the $23,460 budget.

• $9,000.00— The Evangelical Seminary of Theology in Cuba (EST). To provide holistic accompaniment for Cubans suffering from the financial, spiritual, and psychological toll of COVID-19 by reaching several objectives under the leadership of the seminary’s Center for Psychological Care. GM goal:  Alleviate human suffering. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: Cuba today faces the worst economic crisis since the collapse and dissolution of the Soviet Union (1989−1991). The crisis has progressively increased due to the sanctions applied extraterritorially by the U.S. government, recently intensified during the Trump administration. Added to this is the global situation generated since 2020 by the COVID−19 pandemic, which has accelerated the crisis in the world economy and generates serious uncertainties about the duration and speed of recovery on a global scale. The Cuban state is investing resources to save lives and produce vaccines, in times when Cubans have hardly any income due to the virtual paralysis of tourism, the main source of income. In Cuba, it has been necessary to face quarantine locations, food shortages, suspension of workdays in the workplace, in schools, and the impossibility of meeting in churches. From December 2021 to February 2022 (at the time of this application), a third and greater COVID-19 variant complicated the general situation in the country. In the midst of such complex circumstances, an “economic−social strategy to boost the economy and confront the global crisis caused by COVID−19” has been implemented, originally announced on July 16, 2020, and initiated on January 1, 2021, to try to respond to the accumulation of structural problems in the economy and the challenges leading to monetary and exchange rate unification.

The Evangelical Seminary of Theology (EST) is an ecumenical institution founded in the city of Matanzas in 1946 by Methodists, Presbyterians, and the Episcopalians, which serves this environment. It is the only institution for ecumenical theological training in Cuba, has several affiliations, which include the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education, World Council of Churches, and the Latin America and the Caribbean Ecumenical Theological Education Community.

Program Goal: EST will offer help to address food insecurity, scarcity of cleaning products, and medicines. It will also provide spiritual and psychological support so that people can recover from the effects of everyday stress, reorient their lives, and incorporate resources to face difficulties with resilience; provide biblical and theological resources by appropriately training students in the midst of a pandemic and preparing faculty to help their faith communities face the pandemic and its challenges with hope. Instrumental to the implementation of this program is the seminary’s Center for Psychological Care, which was established in the early 2000s. Dr. Marianela de la Paz Cot, professor of pastoral psychology, will supervise the entire process and be an integral part of the project.

People Impact: A total of 138 people, including approximately 53 women, 37 children, and 48 men will directly benefit from this project.

Expected Outcomes: After implementation of this program for 12 months, surveys will be given to 20% of the participants and random testimonials will be requested to evaluate the impact of the support received.

EST will contribute $1,500 towards the overall $10,500 budget.

• $10,000.00— The Methodist Church of Chile (IMECH). To accompany vulnerable populations, inform and defend their human rights, and help meet essential hygiene and nutritional needs. GM goal: Seek Justice, Freedom, and Peace. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: The pandemic produced by COVID-19 exacerbated an already countrywide social crisis that brought economic destabilization leading to a higher unemployment rate, increased poverty, and a general loss of well-being. At the same time, Chile began experiencing migration from people coming from other countries. In the last decade there have been new migratory flows to the country, as a result of the economic, social, and political crises of governments in Latin America, with 2020 and 2021 being the years of greatest migration. The implementation of control measures by the government did nothing but exacerbate the problem in terms of human rights. IMECH recognized the need to protect vulnerable populations, whose fundamental human rights have been systematically threatened.

Program Goal: The program´s goal is to reach the vulnerable populations who are victims of abandonment and violation of their rights through a social pastoral program that accompanies, attends, and welcomes. IMECH strives to encourage these people bringing new opportunities to their lives with tools that allow their integral development

To achieve these goals IMECH will host awareness workshops about human rights, a national training on how to accompany vulnerable populations, and pastoral accompaniment from each IMECH faith community.

People Impact: 1,700 people, including approximately 600 women, 600 children, and 500 men will benefit directly from this project.

Expected Outcomes: Vulnerable populations will be accompanied in their stages of crisis and acute conflicts and will gain tools to generate better bonds in their community. They will also receive orientation on their human rights.

Local contributions of $3,300 will support the $13,300 budget.

• $10,000.00— The Methodist Church of Chile (IMECH). To provide public workshops aimed at laypeople throughout Chile; publish and disseminate three printed Wesleyan magazines; publish selected works of John Wesley; and promote Wesleyan theology on social media. GM goal: Make Disciples of Jesus Christ. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: Amid many contemporaneous crises, Methodism in Chile has one more: “the crisis of identities.” This crisis has also permeated Methodism in its multiple expressions in Chile, where “the Methodist” is linked to traditionalisms, rather than to a tradition with a robust theology, practice, and pastoral presence, which are still valid for the present time. Thus, IMECH is undertaking a project to give theological trainings, publish Methodist materials, and raise virtual awareness for church renewal.

Program Goal: The overall objective of this project is to strengthen Methodist identity through a systematic training program that formulates and promotes the foundations of Wesleyan thought. To achieve this goal IMECH will offer workshops for laity throughout the country, with pastoral participation. The project will teach Wesleyan thought, theology, and history with an aim to recover the historical memory of Methodism’s origins and contribute to redefining Methodism for today. In addition, IMECH will publish three free print magazines on Wesleyan theology and publish in print and digital formats, a selection of Wesley’s works, which will serve as a resource for small group reflection, Bible studies, and Sunday school classes.

People Impact: The direct beneficiaries of this project will include 200 people, including approximately 120 women and 80 men.

Local contributions of $1,000 will support the $11,000 budget.

• $8,000.00— The Regional Ecumenical Advisory and Service Center (CREAS). To develop ecumenical leadership among youth in Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia through the Ikumeni Project. GM goal: Make Disciples of Jesus Christ. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: The Regional Ecumenical Advisory and Service Center (CREAS) is a regional, multidisciplinary, and Christian inspired ecumenical organization whose mission is to strengthen the capacity of the ecumenical movement to promote dignity, economic, ethnic-social, and gender justice, respect for diversity, and care for the common good. CREAS is an innovative organization that generates synergies and consolidates alliances for the strengthening of ecumenical diakonia. CREAS upholds the principles of partnership for mission, strengthening the voices of faith communities, diakonia for the common good, and the voices of youth and women to build bridges of dialogue and cooperation, and the sharing of knowledge and resources.

CREAS directs its action primarily to young people in communities of faith throughout Latin America, reaching populations far from capitals and large urban centers, with initiatives of territorial impact for the construction of peace, equity, and sustainability in their communities from the perspective of faith. The young people come from diverse socioeconomic strata, as well as from different churches and Christian denominations. CREAS cooperates with churches, diakonia and service organizations, and higher education institutions linked to churches throughout the region, as well as with government agencies working on public policy on religious issues, multilateral organizations, and civil society platforms on sustainable development issues. CREAS is a founding member of the ACT Alliance (a global alliance of more than 145 churches and related organizations from more than 120 countries providing humanitarian aid for poor and marginalized people).

Program Goal: The Ikumeni Project’s goal is for 60 young people to generate at least 10 concrete and unique encounter experiences in four Latin American countries at the community-territorial level that can be systematized and measured as good practices of ecumenical dialogue and interreligious cooperation for sustainable development and peace. CREAS developed a first series of encounters aimed at training and promotion of good ecumenical and interreligious practices in 2021, based on young evangelicals and Catholics in Peru and Colombia, and is in a phase of analyzing which countries will have optimal conditions for project implementation in 2022. The intention is to incorporate Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia.

People impact: Approximately 60 youth will directly benefit from this project, at least half of whom will be women.

This ecumenical project has support from the United Church of Canada, Bread for the World, and other church and non-government organizations. Encounter’s Permanent Fund contributes $8,000 towards the $62,000 budget.

• $10,000.00— The Evangelical Methodist Church of Costa Rica (IEMCR). To implement an existing plan for discipleship by distributing discipleship materials, providing trainings as needed, and monitoring results amongst the Evangelical Methodist Church of Costa Rica’s 120 churches. GM goal: Make Disciples of Jesus Christ. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: The Evangelical Methodist Church of Costa Rica (IEMCR) was founded in 1917. During its 105 years of ministry in Costa Rica, the IEMCR has established locations in every province around Costa Rica. The IEMCR is organized into 12 Conferences, 120 churches, 92 mission churches, 28 new church plants, seven institutions, and is reaching 25,000 people who identify themselves as Methodists. The IEMCR works throughout Costa Rica and especially in many rural areas with poor socioeconomic conditions. 90% of its Methodist churches are located in impoverished communities with great socioeconomic challenges. These churches know the challenges of theological education in the context of poverty. Thus, they have embraced this challenge: on the one hand, how to cover the training needs in all these communities,

maximizing the use of the limited resources with which they work, and on the other hand, how to provide means for facilitating the formation that both pastors and lay people need in their local churches, without unnecessarily incurring additional expenses.

Program Goal: The goal of this project is to implement an existing plan for discipleship by distributing discipleship materials, providing trainings as needed, and monitoring results amongst IEMCR churches. This goal aligns with the IEMCR’S 2017 strategic decision to focus on making discipleship available and appropriate to local contexts amongst its churches. Since 2021, it has also collaborated with Global Ministries’ missionary, Dr. Osías Segura−Guzman, for next logical steps. The project´s key goals are to carry out a situational diagnosis of each of 16 strategically chosen communities (8 communities for each year); to reach the numerical growth of the communities to approximately 20% in the period of two years; to organize 16 training meetings (8 for each year); and to consolidate and strengthen the National Evangelism Team (NET) to multiply the evangelizing leadership (2 annual meetings).

People Impact: The project will benefit 25,000 people, including approximately 11,000 women, 7,000 children, and 7,000 men.

The IEMCR will contribute $2,000 towards the $12,000 budget.

• $5,000.00— The Evangelical Methodist Church of Nicaragua (IGLEMEN). To equip lay and pastoral leadership with tablets and entrepreneurial training. GM goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational revitalization.

Context: IGLEMEN ministers in a socioeconomic context of extremely impoverished communities. IGLEMEN focuses on the inclusion of women and people with different abilities. The central problem this project addresses is to effectively identify how to resource needs at the personal, institutional, and community levels. One problem identified is the lack of a well-structured communication mechanism that allows for immediate response to needs and emergencies.

Program Goal: Train constituency on communication skills; purchase 20 SIM card-compatible tablets with wireless keyboards; hold two training workshops on the use of technology; hold three follow-up meetings via Zoom, to check progress and resolve emerging issues; conduct research and development of a list of organizations present in each community where IGLEMEN churches are located; and create a work group capable of extending this project to other areas.

People Impact: A total of 40 people, comprising 16 women and 24 men. Indirectly, all the members of the 20 represented churches as well as members of their communities will benefit as well.

Local church contributions of $1,900 will contribute to the overall budget of $6,900.

• $4,000.00— The Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches of Venezuela (CIEMVE). To purchase a plot of land in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, in order to build a new CIEMVE headquarters and worship center. GM Goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: The CIEMVE has been using the personal property of its Bishop as the headquarters of the church and as a worship location. The CIEMVE wants to purchase property and build a new church to accommodate a growing congregation and to stop occupying the land on Bishop Ramirez’ property so it may be used by his family.

Program Goal: The goal of this project is for CIEMVE to purchase a 432 square meter plot of land on Calle Africano, in the Mini Finca neighborhood of Puerto Ordaz, which will then serve as the headquarters for CIEMVE and serve as a worship center for the Central Methodist Church of Puerto Ordaz. Three initial payments to purchase the land (each $347) were made in February, August, and December 2021, and will be followed by a fourth payment of $4,000 and a fifth and final payment of $2,959 to complete the purchase.

People Impact: A total of 280 people, comprising approximately 100 women, 80 children, and 100 men.

The CIEMVE will be responsible for 50% of the $8,000 budget.

• $8,000.00— The Wesley Heritage Foundation (WHF). To craft a Spanish translation of an accessible and detailed introduction to female ministry in early English Methodism to show Spanish-speaking Methodists and Wesleyans the historical basis for female leadership in

their denominations. GM Goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: The Wesley Heritage Foundation (WHF) serves all churches in the wider Wesleyan family throughout the Spanish-speaking world. These churches have strong female leadership active in many of their ministries, sometimes as ordained ministers but more often as laywomen. Yet this female leadership occurs in a context of machismo and a general cultural sense of female subordination, where women’s gifts are considered secondary in the church’s history and activity.

Among many Protestant churches, and specifically Methodist churches, there is a sense that women’s secondary role in church ministry is a historical norm that must be maintained in the present. There is little awareness of the many women active in the early days of the Methodist movement. Translating and publishing the book, Mothers in Israel by Donna Fowler-Marchant in Spanish would help Methodist churches in many countries understand the historical roots of female ministry in a way that is both challenging and inspiring.

Program Goal: The goal of this project is to provide in Spanish an accessible, detailed, and interesting introduction to female ministry in early English Methodism as portrayed in Mothers in Israel, that can show Spanish-speaking Methodists and Wesleyans the historical basis for female leadership in their denominations, as well as validate and inspire the many varieties of ministry that women are already carrying out in these churches.

People Impact: This grant will have no direct beneficiaries. Likewise, it is difficult to estimate the potential audience of a book, but if this book can be cross promoted by Cokesbury and even picked up by Course of Study programs in the UMC conferences, then thousands of people can read and study it in the U.S. In Latin America, WHF’s network of Wesleyan/Methodist churches in many countries allows it to market the book to dozens of denominations and potentially thousands of church members through its website and social media.

WHF will provide editing, proofreading, translation services and book design for this project, an “in-kind” contribution of $2,000 towards the overall budget of $10,000.

• $10,000.00—The Methodist Church of Peru (IMP). To promote the spiritual, emotional, and physical development of mestizo and indigenous youth in Mesones Muro, Peru, by providing pastoral accompaniment, psychosocial workshops, nutritional support, medical referrals, Bible studies, and family counseling.  GM Goal: Seek Justice, Freedom, and Peace. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Context: Mesones Muro Methodist Church (MMMC) is a mission church which has a couple acting as lay pastors and has earned the support of an Awajun lay leader (indigenous Amazonian) from the Church of Emat (a completely Awajun community). MMMC has started a program aimed at children and adolescents in vulnerable situations, providing comprehensive pastoral accompaniment, which allows training in principles and values with biblical foundations for both children and their parents, and provides a complementary program of nutrition and weight and height control and timely referral for care at the health center. The problem to be addressed is that children and adolescents (mestizo and Awajun) in and around the town of Mesones Muro need to receive comprehensive support that contributes to their spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical development, in order to overcome their vulnerable conditions and achieve a fuller life.

Program Goal: The goal of this project is for children and adolescents (mestizo and Awajun) from the town of Mesones Muro to receive comprehensive support that contributes to their spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical development, in order to overcome their vulnerable conditions and achieve a fuller life. Activities will include a training program in values and principles, nutritional support (snacks with a nutritional balance at each of the activities), conferences for parents, follow-up for cases that require a more specialized medical intervention.

People Impact: A total of 105 people, including approximately 30 women, 50 children, and 25 men.

The IMP will contribute to one third of the overall budget of $15,000 through in-kind contributions.

2021

Grants from Permanent Fund for 2021

Partners receiving grants: MCCA (2); Primitive Methodist Guatemala; Council of Methodist Churches in Venezuela; Methodist Christian Community of Venezuela; The Methodist Church of Mexico (4); Latin America Biblical University (UBL—Costa Rica); United Methodist Mission in Honduras; Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina; Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina and Methodist Church of Uruguay; United House of Publications, Mexico; United Mission Board, Argentina.

Total amount of grants: $145,370

• $8,800.00–MCCA Leeward Islands District, US Virgin Islands: “A Reconfigured and Reimagined Sunday School.” To develop and publish Sunday School curriculum at all levels of Christian education that forge strategic linkages with other avenues for education within the Church. GM Goal: Make Disciples of Jesus Christ. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: clergy, church school superintendents, and existing and interested Sunday

School teachers will be empowered to develop and implement a Sunday School curriculum, teaching materials, and learning tools and workbooks that respond to the needs of Sunday School scholars in the Leeward Islands District of the MCCA. Sources of verification are published (digital and print) a collection of lessons, assessments, and other Christian education content that is taught in Sunday Schools in the Leeward Islands District and readily available in English, French, and Dutch languages, in print, video, and electronic forms through an online platform.

People Impact: 1,367 direct beneficiaries of this project comprising Sunday School scholars and trained Sunday School teachers, broken down as follows: 525 male scholars, 682 female scholars, 144 female Sunday School teachers, and 16 male Sunday School teachers.

• $10,000—MCCA Leeward Islands District. St. Kitts and Nevis. “Female Faith-Based Farming for Rural Food Security.” To develop and operate a small−scale commercial farm on 20 acres of arable land available to St Paul’s Methodist Church using environmentally friendly and yield−increasing farming methods. GM Goal: Seek Justice, Freedom and Peace.  GM Priority: Disaster Relief and Sustainable Development.

Program Goal: The project´s overall goal is to develop and operate a small−scale commercial farm on 20 acres of arable land available to St Paul’s Methodist Church using environmentally friendly and yield−increasing farming methods. This goal will be evident in the majority of the arable land being cultivated and producing crops that are being sold to individuals, hotels, and restaurants in the surrounding areas, evidenced by the crops harvested, purchase agreements with hotels and restaurants, the farm employing several women from the church and community, and a crop production log. The farm is intended to continue being part of the Christian Social Witness of the congregation.

People Impact: The total number of persons to directly benefit from this project is at least 2,871, including 127 church members, 275 primary, secondary, and college students, 18 primary, secondary, and college faculty, 2,151 weekly hotel and restaurant guests, and 300 general consumers including persons in the communities served by St Paul´s Methodist Church.

• $10,000.00—National Evangelical Primitive Methodist Church in Guatemala. To provide livestock care training to women in a rural community, acquire livestock and needed consumables, and provide follow−up support and monitoring. GM Goal: Seek Justice, Freedom and Peace. GM Priority: Disaster Relief and sustainable Development.

Program Goal: This project aims to empower women in communities, bolster community development, dignify the work and lives of the church´s brothers and sisters, and combat malnutrition. It will focus on three main areas to meet its stated goals:

− Training: A training on malnutrition and all relevant aspects of working successfully with livestock and

zootechnics will be offered, similar to one offered previously.

− Knowledge assessment: At the end of the training, breeding area and participants´ knowledge will be evaluated.

− Timely follow−up: On animal health and the development of the project overall.

People Impact: 30 women will benefit directly from the project, further benefitting 30 families.

• $9,700.00—Council of Methodist Churches in Venezuela. To create an online store and use the profits to exclusively support a program accompanying local church youth in their Christian walk and social service. GM Goal: Make Disciples of Jesus Christ. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: The Widening Horizons program goals include the following:

– Identify emotions, and where healing is needed.

– Learn how to listen and be a good conversation partner.

– Reinforce a relationship with God as the base for living a Christian life, and equipping youth to navigate

missionary challenges.

– Provide healthy spaces to take advantage of leisure time.

– Promote teamwork and strengthen a sense of belonging while having fun.

– Finance the Widening Horizons activities in a sustainable way.

The Widening Horizons program activities include the following:

– Motivational workshops dealing with emotional intelligence.

– Motivational workshops dealing with effective communication.

– Educational workshops dealing with spiritual life inside and outside the Church, and also learning about

CEMCV’s Constitution.

– Creating chess, baseball, and soccer clubs.

– Offering theater and art clubs.

– Using profits from the online store called ’Barch’ to support all the aforementioned activities.

People Impact: Widening Horizons aims to directly benefit 50-100 adolescents and 4 adults working as guides and mentors.

• $9,870.00–Methodist Christian Community of Venezuela. To support children’s discipleship ministries and academic tutoring classes. GM Goal: Make Disciples of Jesus Christ. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: Through this project, the MCCV aims to evangelize children, youth, and pre-adolescents and create with them and for them spaces of hope, in alignment with the MCCV’s stated strategy to bolster ministries with children in the communities it serves. As a second objective, the MCCV will develop the discipleship of young people committed to the churches for the study and management of the Bible, liturgy, and the sacraments for the development of future deacons and community leaders. The MCCV will complement and strengthen this program together with the different educational social programs developed by the different churches such as music, dance, dining rooms, comprehensive health programs, and self-defense school, spaces created for learning, recreation, teaching values and love of God and neighbor, and discipline. Specific activities include training activities for evangelization, creating discipleship materials, young discipleship activities, meetings with young disciples, reinforcement classes for different school subjects, and sharing the message of hope of Jesus Christ through these spaces.

People Impact: The MCCV hopes to cover an average of 100 active young people and pre-adolescents in the different spaces created by the church and an average of 150 children for the directed classes, to be led to Christ and lead them on the path of salvation.

• $10,000.00—The Methodist Church of Mexico. To implement a series of carpentry, foreign languages, administration, and arts workshops for former drug addicts. GM goal:  Alleviate human suffering. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: The vocational school’s project goals are to guide and educate people in drug rehabilitation and in a state of unemployment to learn a trade. The actions to be carried out will be to implement workshops and trainings in the areas of carpentry, foreign languages, administration, and the arts, among others. Workshop courses last approximately 3 months. The school also has the goal of distancing former addicts from the environments that influenced their additions.

People Impact: On a monthly basis approximately 15 women, 18 men, and 20 youth will directly benefit from this vocational training.

• $9,000.00—Latin America Biblical University (UBL Costa Rica). To bolster the advocacy capacity of a community of faith, in the face of environmental issues surrounding it, through a series of workshops, theological studies, and community mapping. GM goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: The project´s general objective is to strengthen the advocacy capacity of a community of faith, in the face of environmental issues surrounding it. It aims to:

1. Analyze the local context, through participatory biblical−theological reflection.

2. Identify capacities and gifts between the church and the community that will allow them to act.

3. Establish a vision for the future of their people that motivates them to work together in favor of their community and the environment.

4. Identify tools and techniques that stakeholders require to act successfully. This could include, for example, nursery, garden, recycling, or water management techniques.

5. Motivate the formation of organized social and ecclesial groups that have a continuous commitment to the care of creation.

6. Systematize the experiences and biblical reflections of the process carried out to produce materials that they will serve, to repeat the process in other communities.

The first stage of the project (4 months) involves entering the community: analyzing the context, identifying gifts and abilities, and establishing a vision of the future. This will bring the UBL work team closer to the community, where they will carry out an introductory workshop on Environmental Justice, Church, and Community and one on Learning and Participatory Action. They will map the community´s resources, history, well−being, and challenges, and carry out three to four Bible study sessions.

In stage two (9 months), they will develop community strategies and actions: identifying opportunities to have a positive impact on the surrounding environment and identifying tools and techniques that actors require to act successfully. This will entail brainstorming, analysis, and prioritization sessions, and carrying out two to three workshops on practical techniques. Then they will identify needs for creating biblical−theological reflection materials and follow with monthly sessions of biblical−theological analysis.

In stage three (3 months) they will continue with socialization and systematization: establishing social and ecclesial structures and processes that foster a continuous commitment to the care of Creation and systematizing experiences and reflections of the process carried out to produce materials that will be used to repeat the process in other communities. During this stage, they will promote the formation and training of permanent groups, inside and outside the church, to advocate for the care of the environment and community well−being. They will also continue offering monthly biblical−theological study sessions. Finally, using products created throughout the process as a source of ideas and examples, they will create materials that will serve as a guide to initiate interventions in other communities.

Stage four, evaluation (2 months) will entail closing activities, conducting evaluation, and editing the materials produced.

People Impact: The direct beneficiaries of the project will include approximately 30 women, 20 men, and 30 children.

• $10,000.00—United Methodist Mission in Honduras. To support the United Methodist Mission in Honduras in pastoral and staff salary support. GM goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: The goal of this support is to supplement the Mission’s budget provide compensation for pastors and staff so it can continue serving the churches and communities where each local church is located, a key part of its mission and growth strategy. The goal is to contribute to the Mission meeting its needs to make budget for the remainder of 2021. This salary support aims to provide important stopgap funding as the Mission seeks to restore financial stability through the following activities:

1. Mission teams are gradually starting to return, and the hope is that later in 2021 even more teams will be able to come and help support the Mission and its programming.

2. The Mission is continuing to foster relationships with United Methodist Churches, particularly in the North Texas Conference, through the In Mission Together program. These relationships help both in terms of mutual learning and financial partnership.

People Impact: The direct beneficiaries of this project will include 5 women and 20 men.

• $9,000.00—The Methodist Church of Mexico. To provide academic tutoring to students and life skills training to women in a disadvantaged rural community. GM goal: Alleviate human suffering. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: The first goal of this project is to improve academic achievement amongst students who are falling behind in primary and secondary education in the La Joya community. The corresponding activity will be to purchase at least three computers and hire a teacher who tutor students daily.

The second goal is to improve self−esteem amongst disadvantaged women in the La Joya community and provide new avenues to express themselves creatively and explore opportunities for economic advancement. The corresponding activity will be to set up and arts and crafts school in the same cooperative school facility used for academic tutoring, so they may join daily classes offered by a local artisan. The facilitator will train women to produce handicrafts that may then be sold to improve their economic situation.

As a program run under the auspices of the Methodist Church of Mexico’s Mexico Annual Conference, these goals align with its stated priorities to provide training opportunities for women and children.

People impact: Approximately 30 women and 20 children will directly benefit from this program.

• $10,000.00—Evangelical Methodist Church of Argentina. To implement a series of in−person and virtual gathering trainings on evangelization in 2021 and 2022. GM goal: Make Disciples of Jesus Christ. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: The AEMC has designated the creation of the National Evangelism Team (NET) within the framework of the Biennium of Evangelism. This team is comprised of laity, men and women, youth and adults, and some pastors, and is challenged to express a church that receives and brings the grace and love of God, through the announcement of the adventure of the Gospel, driven by the Holy Spirit and commitment to those around us. In this way, the project ’Missionary Revitalization through Evangelization’ was developed for the entire AEMC for a period of two years (2021−2022). Its general objectives are to share the Gospel with everyone possible, regardless of race, age, national origin, gender, social status, or marital status; to accompany communities to plan and organize a missionary revitalization process; to promote and strengthen the development of gifts, fostering new evangelizing leaderships; and to train and provide strategic tools for evangelization.

The project´s key goals are to carry out a situational diagnosis of each of 16 strategically chosen communities (8 communities for each year); to reach the numerical growth of the communities to approximately 20% in the period of two years; to organize 16 training meetings (8 for each year); and to consolidate and strengthen the National Evangelism Team (NET) to multiply the evangelizing leadership (2 annual meetings).

To achieve these goals, the AEMC will carry out the following activities:

1. Formation of 8 ’small groups’ of accompaniment, in June to November 2021.

2. Webinar on Evangelization of the Southern Cone in the Context of the Pandemic, with transversal axes: women, indigenous peoples, and climate justice. Coordinated with Dr. Wesley De Souza of the World Methodist Institute of Evangelism, in July 2021.

3. Preparation of messages of hope, developing printed and digital flyers, promoting faith, hope and justice, in August 2021.

4. Carry out two annual NET intragroup training meetings, virtually and/or in person in July 2021 and March 2022.

5. Carry out eight virtual/face−to−face training meetings in eight communities, thinking of the evangelistic task as a process; in the months of August 2021 to March 2022 and then from April 2022 to November 2022. Topics to be covered include evangelization objectives (biblical texts, realities, and social contexts − virtual), participative diagnostics in each community (strengths and weaknesses), a missionary church (strategic planning − virtual), evangelization resources (parables, music, theater, videos, etc.), promoting changes (spirituality, gender, and eco−theology − virtual), evangelical leaders, community work (from us to them), and evaluation.

6. Virtual gathering to evaluate, in December 2021 and November 2022.

All activities planned for 2021 will also be implemented in 2022.

People Impact: Approximately 160 women, 80 men, and 30 youth will directly benefit from this project.

• $10,000.00—The Methodist Church of Mexico. To support a children’s feeding program and after school tutoring program. GM goal: Alleviate human suffering. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational revitalization.

Program Goal: The goal of the ’Building Community’ program is to respond to the lack of nutrition some children face and provide them with both the necessary nutrition before school and an academic tutoring service after school in the same facility. Building Community particularly aims to serve children who are 3 to 12 years old with single mothers. This ministry aligns with the Northwest Annual Conference’s stated priority and firm belief that children having their basic needs met is of the utmost importance and necessary for them to succeed academically.

The feeding program will operate for 12 months, beginning the second half of June 2021. It will provide

breakfast including hot−cooked dishes for children from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. A volunteer team mostly comprised of New Jerusalem congregation members will lead these activities. The after-school tutoring program will operate for 12 months, beginning the second half of June 2021. It will provide reinforcement for music, language, and physical education classes for children from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Two part−time teachers hired by New Jerusalem will lead these activities.

People Impact: Approximately 50 children will directly benefit from the Building Community program.

• $9,000.00—United House of Publications (Casa Unida de Publicaciones, Mexico). To support the editing of biblical study materials, hymnals, and books on theological reflection; to convert The Upper Room and other important materials to digital format; and to update an online book sales platform. GM Goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: The general goal of this program is to edit texts and materials whose demand is assured, managing to consolidate digital editions to meet new market needs. This aligns with CUPSA’s ongoing strategy to diversify its digital and hard copy portfolio for changing customer needs, to ensure financial resilience. These materials will cover the topics of Methodist doctrine, education, Sunday schools, hymnals and children’s worship manuals, and resources for worship.

To achieve this, CUPSA will manage co-publishing agreements with related institution, promote publishing and printing work in the Methodist Church of Mexico and other denominations, and print liturgical materials.

CUPSA will also implement sales strategies, including developing a sales channel for digital and printed books through a digital platform and promoting direct sales with a home delivery system.

People Impact: 9,369 students participating in the Methodist Church of Mexico’s different Sunday Schools will be the direct beneficiaries of this project.

• $10,000.00—United Mission Board (Junta Unida de Misiones). To support an indigenous youth program’s strained transportation resources with the purchase of a vehicle. GM Goal: Seek Justice, Freedom, and Peace. GM Priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: This project aims to support the logistics and mobility of JUM´s ongoing indigenous youth program. The specific objectives of the indigenous youth program are to facilitate the strengthening of young indigenous leaderships in rural communities, to facilitate technological and communication access to indigenous youth as a key tool in the context of a health emergency, and to accompany indigenous youth from rural communities in the development of sustainable production processes with the recovery of ancestral knowledge and values.

These three objectives are currently being developed through two projects. The ’youth and technology for the self−determination of indigenous peoples of the Chaco’ project, is currently supported by the Otto Per Mille program of the Iglesia Evangelica Valdense del Rio de la Plata. The sustainable Chaco project is currently supported by ICCO Cooperation, Kerk In Actie, of the Reformed Churches of the Netherlands.

For the youth and technology program, the following activities will be carried out:

1. Develop two digital connectivity points in Miraflores and Bermejito, which are both in process.

2. Develop a mobile application available in Google Play, aimed at indigenous youth in rural and urban areas, implementing strategies to reduce the inequality gap in relation to connectivity.

3. Face−to−face training at the JUM site, following the protocols of the Ministry of Health, as well as virtual meetings.

The activities planned for the sustainable Chaco project include:

1. Training and consulting on strategies for producing, promoting, and legally commercializing products like honey, vegetables, small livestock, etc.

2. Facilitation of spaces and encounters of eco−spirituality and interculturality in network with indigenous pastors of various indigenous communities.

3. Advisory sessions on the creation of brand names and creating legal entities.

People Impact: Approximately 3,000 people from the Qom and Wichi indigenous communities will be direct beneficiaries of this program.

• $10,000.00—Argentine Evangelical Methodist Church and Methodist Church of Uruguay. To support a lay pastor position covering several rural Argentine towns, in the Argentina and Uruguay Littoral Missional District. GM Goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: The main goal is to facilitate congregational and lay leadership development in the MCU and AEMC´s Littoral District, an objective strategically shared for this border area by both national churches. The activities to achieve this goal include:

− providing pastoral care and worship to the congregations in Concordia, Colon, and Concepcion;

− facilitating a network of churches on the Argentine side, to coordinate missional efforts with the MCU;

− empowering lay leaders in Concordia, Colon, and Concepcion churches;

− facilitating congregational development options from the perspective of a renewal movement for old congregations; and − working in coordination with a Global Ministries missionary located on the Uruguayan side of the Littoral District, strategizing for leadership and congregational development.

People Impact: Approximately 70 women, 35 children, and 30 men will directly benefit from this program.

• $10,000.00—The Methodist Church of Mexico. To provide pastoral salary support for the North Central Annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Mexico. GM Goal: Strengthen, develop, and renew Christian congregations and communities. GM priority: Evangelism and Congregational Revitalization.

Program Goal: The goal of this support is to cover the salaries and stipends of the pastoral body of the North Central Annual Conference over a four-month period. To achieve this, the Conference plans to do the following:

– Raise $5,000.00 from local churches each month to support pastoral salaries.

– Continue covering the benefits for full-time ministers from the Annual Conference budget.

People Impact: 63 pastors will directly benefit from this program.