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United Methodist Church in Vietnam moves forward Elliott Wright, Jun 8, 2010
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WEST OHIO CONFERENCE
Vietnamese United Methodists welcome visitors from Ohio in April.
By Elliott Wright Special Contributor
The United Methodist Church continues to move toward becoming a legally recognized religious organization in Vietnam.
The church’s mission in the Southeast Asian country has obtained permission from the government to hold a national meeting in the fall to receive a certificate for religious activities, according to the Revs. Ut To and Karen Vo-To, church personnel there.
A certificate of recognition is likely a year later, when the first national conference is projected for the enactment of a charter and the selection of leaders.
“This is truly a historic moment for the United Methodist mission in Vietnam,” said Bishop Bruce R. Ough of West Ohio, president of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM).
“Ten years ago, there was very limited United Methodist presence in Vietnam. Today, we are on the verge of being able to openly engage in our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
In April, Bishop Ough led a delegation that met in Hanoi with the Vietnamese government’s Committee for Religious Affairs. The trip came immediately after the April 18 dedication of the new United Methodist Mission Center in Ho Chi Minh City.
Purchased in July 2009, the mission center has been modified to meet church needs, serving both as mission headquarters and as a space for pastoral and lay training. Having the tangible presence that a building affords is needed to gain full legal recognition as a religion in Vietnam.
There are currently 160 United Methodist congregations/fellowships with 11,000 members in Vietnam. The country is part of the church’s South East Asia Mission, which also includes Laos and Thailand.
The delegation to Hanoi also included the Rev. Joseph Bishman, Shawnee district superintendent; Joyce Fry, the bishop’s assistant; the Rev. Jong Sung Kim, Global Ministries staff; and the Rev. Son To, a pastor from Dallas.
“The Vietnamese officials indicated that they had a good understanding of United Methodist work in Vietnam,” Mr. Kim said. “They appreciated the fact that it includes not only church development, but also focuses on improvement of the quality of the lives of people.”
Bishop Ough said efforts are under way to obtain a permit for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to operate in Vietnam. “While in Hanoi, we met with the government committee that governs all the non-governmental organizations operating in the country and submitted UMCOR’s application,” he said. “We were assured that the permit would soon be granted.”
The West Ohio Conference has a covenant relationship with the mission in Vietnam and contributed $465,000—including $295,000 from the Shawnee District—to help purchase and equip the 7,800 square feet of space in a newly constructed complex. The GBGM gave another $110,000.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WEST OHIO CONFERENCE
There are currently 160 United Methodist congregations/fellowships with 11,000 members in Vietnam. The country is part of the church’s South East Asia Mission, which also includes Laos and Thailand.
