The full General Conference approved the Pan Methodist Full Communion as part of the consent calendar on Monday, April 30, 2012. This action is a significant statement on a new and healing relationship between the United Methodist Church and our Methodist partners including the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Union Methodist Protestant Church and the Union American Methodist Episcopal Church.
“We have a shameful history of blatant racism that led to the break-up of American Methodism into multiple denominations beginning in the late 18th Century. This separation remains a morally inexcusable part of our collective past that has direct impact on inter-church relations today, said the Rev. Stephen J. Sidorak Jr., General Secretary of the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns (http://www.gccuic-umc.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=366&Itemid=196) . He continues, “ But, there is some solace in the fact that there has been demonstrable dedication within The United Methodist Church to preserve a special relationship with the historic African-American Methodist churches. This has been expressed through the Pan-Methodist Commission which exists in part to be a repairer of the breach. The unwavering will to overcome such a relational rupture is courageous testimony to the sincere yearning for racial reconciliation. “
So, the approval of the Pan-Methodist Full Communion Resolution is a major celebration. This celebration of Pan-Methodist full communion will be held at 4:30 p.m. May 1, a day also set aside for Ecumenical Day.
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