Ganta, Nimba County – In the midst of a deepening schism rocking the United Methodist Churches in Liberia, Rev. Patrick Z. Luogon, District Superintendent of the Gompa District Conference, passionately called on church members to reject ingratitude.
By D. Franklin Doloquee
Speaking to a packed congregation in Gompa, he reminded them of the church’s profound legacy as one of Liberia’s oldest institutions, which has long served as a pillar of education, healthcare, and leadership training.
“Today, some have turned against the very institution that shaped their lives,” he lamented, his voice echoing through the vibrant halls adorned with Methodist banners and flickering candlelight.
The heartfelt appeal came at the close of a momentous five-day event: the 74th annual session of the Gompa District Conference under the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, coupled with the 99th anniversary celebration of the denomination’s enduring presence in Liberia.
Held in a bustling community center alive with hymns, prayers and rhythmic African drumming, the gathering drew several faithful United Methodist Churches from across the district.
Under the theme: “A Call to Serve the Lord in Such A Time as This,” drew from Esther 4:12-17, participants reflected on biblical calls to faithfulness amid trials.
Rev. Luogon, dressed in traditional clerical robes embroidered with the Methodist cross, urged attendees many wiping tears or nodding in solemn agreement to remain grateful for the church’s transformative role.
He highlighted how Methodist schools have educated generations of Liberian leaders, mission hospitals have healed the sick during epidemics like Ebola, and training programs have empowered clergy and laypeople to guide communities through civil unrest and poverty.
The Methodist family has been your cradle, your healer, and your guide,” he declared. “Do not forget these blessings in times of strife.
He also offered a beacon of hope, encouraging members to “keep the faith” as God fights their battles.
This message resonated deeply amid the church’s ongoing crisis, sparked by global debates over same-sex marriage.
The United Methodist Church’s perceived shift toward acceptance has fractured congregations worldwide, particularly in Africa, where conservative values hold strong.
In Liberia, this has birthed breakaway factions like the Global Methodist Church, which oppose the policy and have seized church properties, claiming the parent body has strayed from scriptural Even though United Methodist Churches have not come up publicly to agree and disagree with such practices in the Church.
The dispute has escalated to Liberia’s Supreme Court, where justices are deliberating a ruling expected imminently.
Tensions simmer in districts like Gompa, where loyalists and dissenters once worshipped side by side, now divided by ideology and legal battles over multimillion-dollar assets including schools, hospitals and clinic and historic sanctuaries built over a century ago.
As the conference ended with a rousing chorus of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” Rev. Luogon’s words hung in the humid evening air, a rallying cry for unity and resilience in Liberia’s oldest Protestant denomination, founded in the 19th century by American missionaries amid the young nation’s struggles.
The event, held in a sunlit auditorium adorned with colorful banners bearing scriptural verses, buzzed with anticipation as attendees clergy in flowing robes, lay leaders, and devoted members filled the pews, their faces reflecting a mix of weariness from ongoing challenges and renewed determination.
Bishop Samuel J. Quire Jr., a towering figure known for his resonant voice and unwavering resolve, officially opened the conference with a powerful invocation. Joined by Gompa District Superintendent Rev. Patrick Z. Luogon, whose calm demeanor and pastoral wisdom have
long inspired his community, the leaders delivered a message of unshakeable hope.
Together, they urged church members to hold fast amid the protracted crisis plaguing Methodist Churches a turmoil marked by internal divisions, leadership disputes, and external pressures that have tested the unity of the faith across the continent.
“In such a time as this, God is seeking true worshipers and devoted followers,” Bishop Quire proclaimed, his words echoing through the hall as sunlight streamed through stained-glass windows depicting biblical triumphs.
He called on attendees to anchor their spirits in faith, assuring them that divine intervention was at work.
“Have faith and await God’s mighty actions to resolve the crisis in our Methodist Churches,” he added, his tone blending solemn authority with tender encouragement. Rev. Luogon echoed this sentiment, sharing personal anecdotes of past deliverances and leading the congregation in a stirring hymn that filled the air with harmonious resolve.
The post Liberia: United Methodist District Superintendent Urges Church Members Not to Be ‘Ungrateful’ Amid Ongoing Crisis appeared first on FrontPageAfrica.
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