World Methodist Council

The World Methodist Council is composed of 500 members representing the member churches. Council members serve a term of five years. At least one person from each member church serves on the Council’s executive committee. The Council’s activities include the following:

    •    Standing committees on education; evangelism; ecumenics and dialogues; family life; social and international affairs; theological education, worship and liturgy; and youth;
    •    An active programme of world evangelism;
    •    Active bi-lateral dialogues with the Catholic Church, the Salvation Army, and previously with the Lutheran World Federation, the Anglican Communion, and plans to be in dialogue with the Orthodox Church;
    •    Worldwide ministerial exchange programme;
    •    Affiliation with the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women, the World Fellowship of Methodist and Uniting Church Men, and the World Methodist Historical Society;
    •    Co-sponsoring the Oxford Institute for Methodist Theological Studies every five years, bringing together the best theological minds from around the world to share and discuss relevant topics;
    •    Annual World Methodist Peace Award given to an individual or group whose work for peace and reconciliation is notable.

Methodist individuals and churches have made strong contributions to the modern ecumenical movement from its earliest days.

Member churches of the World Methodist Council in Latin America and the Caribbean have formed a regional body, the Council of Evangelical Methodist Churches in Latin America and the Caribbean (CIEMAL in Spanish). An Asian Methodist Bishop’s Council was set up a few years ago. There is also a European Methodist Council, and there are British and North American Sections within the WMC.

The headquarters of World Methodism is located at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina (USA). The Council also has a presence at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva. The WMC has 76 member churches representing 40 million believers. Of these, 59 churches are members of the WCC.

Periodical: World Parish