Category: News

“We are different from one another in so many ways but we have in common our abiding in Christ.”

In this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we are invited to reflect on what it means to abide in Christ.

When the world is changing around us, as we are experiencing change and loss as divisions and injustice in society are exposed more clearly because of a virus which we cannot control: what does it mean to abide?

To be called to abide is to be called to stability and to an ordered way of life. To be called to abide in Christ is to be called to find that stability and order through following Christ. We are invited to abide in Christ, to find in Christ the stable and sure basis for life.

Christians abide in Christ. Daily we seek to follow his way in our varied places, with different cultural heritages, worshipping in a rich variety of ways. We are different from one another in so many ways but we have in common our abiding in Christ. When we recognise our common abiding then we can be enriched by the perspectives of others and then we can begin to learn from and truly respect one another.

Jesus said, “Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Together, as those who abide in Christ, we can do so much more to share the love of God and to speak and act against intolerance, injustice and oppression.

This year, the daily reflection for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity has been produced by the sisters in a Benedictine Community. Stability or abiding is an important part of the Benedictine way of life, it is about being rooted and grounded in Christ, recognising the presence of Christ wherever you are and following his way. You can find the daily reflections here.

Why not join in now or use them at any time of the year?

Aros yng nGhrist

Abide in Christ.

–  The Revd Ruth Gee is the co-chair of the MEOR Forum. She is also the Assistant Secretary of the Conference and Connexional Ecumenical Officer, marks  this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

The original article appeared on the Methodist Church Britain website.

The Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome, the Centro Pro Unione, and the Anglican Centre in Rome held a special prayer vigil for Christian unity on Sunday, 17 January on the eve of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. MEOR director Matthew A. Laferty offered a mediation on Luke 11 during the vigil.

On 10 December 2020, Bishop John Sherrington and the Reverend Dr. David Chapman spoke about the international Methodist-Catholic bilateral dialogue and its recent discussions on the theme of reconciliation. The Reverend Matthew A. Laferty moderates the conversation.

MEOR director Rev. Matthew A. Laferty was interviewed for the World Methodist Council’s newsletter First Friday Letter.

---

The Rev. Matthew Laferty began his duties as the new Director of the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome (MEOR) in September.

As he looks to the future, he shares his vision for MEOR includes several points. “First, the MEOR continues to build upon the strong work between the World Methodist Council and the Roman Catholic Church. We continue to find opportunities to educate those in the Methodist and Wesleyan family about the importance of Christian unity and Ecumenical engagement.” He added that he believes, “ MEOR not only is an important center of Methodist/ Catholic relations but becomes a place where Methodist can encounter Christians from all different traditions for mutual understanding, learning, and personal growth.

“It is important to point out that the Methodist Ecumenical Office in Rome is a ministry of the World Methodist Council. So, while it has its distinct features, including how it is governed, it is a ministry of the WMC and promotes the work and ministry.” Laferty shared in explaining the WMC’s role. “Part of how the WMC can help is by thinking about how [the Council’s] member churches can be engaged with the work.

“Of course, with COVID, things have been upended. Normally we would have opportunities for study and for learning. We are discerning how we might expand those programs after COVID to bring people to Rome for types of pilgrimage and learning opportunities. We need people in member churches to come and participate. We are also exploring, during particularly the next year, how realistically, we may be able to use online platforms to do both short-term and long-term programs. There would be several educational opportunities,” he stated.

“Promoting the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome, I think, is one of the ways member churches can be involved in their churches about MEOR’s offerings and opportunities for growth.” Laferty explained that by sharing the other work that MEOR is related to, such as international dialogue, which takes on a very different feature and has a different purpose, these resources could be shared with the member churches for education and ecumenical engagement.

In response to why he wanted to be Director of MEOR, Laferty, who grew up in a small town in Northern Ohio, USA says, “Our life as a Methodist family was shaped deeply by ecumenism, such as Vacation Bible School, Lent, helping out local food pantries, etc. So, I grew in an environment where it was explicit that we seek opportunities for learning, worship and discipleship with other Christians for social action together. The older I got, the more I realized that it wasn’t a given in every place.

“In my pastoral work, I have sought opportunities to work ecumenically. While in Moscow for four years serving a Methodist, Lutheran and Reformed Congregation.” Most recently in Vienna, Laferty said the United Methodist Congregation he served drew its membership from many different Christian traditions.

“I want to share the experiences that I have had as a Pastor, “ Laferty explained. “The things I have learned and the struggles that I have encountered allow me to use the opportunity as the Director to address them head-on, to encourage those in the Methodist/Wesleyan family to work more closely with other Christians, wherever they are, so that together they might proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and invite people into God’s saving love. “

In conclusion, Laferty said that he is interested in the field part of it. “The professional part of it is around the work I have already done as a Pastor. I like strategic thinking, I think where we are as an office right now, that long-term planning and strategic thinking is an important piece of the work,” he concluded.

WMC Communications Director Michaela Bryson met with MEOR Director Laferty via Zoom for this interview.

ROME (MEOR) – The MEOR Forum, the oversight committee of the Methodist Ecumenical Office Rome, met virtually on 3 September for its annual meeting. WMC general Bishop Ivan Abrahams and Rev. Ruth Gee from the Methodist Church in Great Britain are the Forum co-chairs. Due to COVID-19, the annual meeting was shortened and focused mostly on administrative matters. The Forum thanked the Rev. Dr. Daniel Pratt Morris-Chapman who served as the MEOR interim director from 2019-2020 for his service. They also welcomed the new MEOR director and WMC representative to the Roman Catholic Church the Rev. Matthew A. Laferty; Laferty is appointed to serve for 5 years.

During its meeting, the Forum agreed to start a strategic planning process in 2021 to be organized by Bishop Abrahams.

Serving in a temporary capacity, the Forum also welcomed Ms. Stefanie Gabuyo from the Methodist Churches in Italy to work as the MEOR acting administrator for 2020-2021.

In other news, the MEOR guesthouse remains closed through the end of 2020 due to COVID-19.

Rev. Laferty can be reached by email at director [at] meorome.org.