Monrovia: Retired Bishop of the United Methodist Church (UMC) in Liberia, Arthur Flomo Kulah have stated that he cannot and will not support the Regionalization Plan that has not yet been discussed, approved, and accepted by the Church.
Retired Bishop Kulah in respond to a press release that was published in the Wednesday, October 30, 2024 edition of the Frontpage Africa Newspaper (Vol. 17 No. 209) on ‘A joint solidarity statement to the membership of the Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church by the Retired Bishops of Liberia Episcopal Area of the United Methodist Church’ that is already trending within the global space on the internet is false and misleading.
In a statement on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, Retired Bishop Kulah stated that the writer of the false press release asserted that they endorse the 2020/2024 General Conference decision to approve the worldwide Regionalization and that the worldwide regionalization empowers them to tailor their ministries, missions, and worships, to their unique context, developing regional resources that reflects their needs and circumstances.
“This is a lie. I know nothing about this joint press release,” he stated. According to retired Bishop Kulah, the Regionalization Plan was one of several legislations passed at the recent General Conference and its proponents aims to restructure the worldwide UMC Denomination into regions so that each region can do ministry, mission and worship based on its own culture and context.
The Retired Methodist Church Bishop indicated that the General Conference concluded by saying that each annual conference has a period of eighteen months to discuss and vote on whether or not to ratify the Regionalization Plan.
He added that at this point, the Liberia Annual Conference of the UMC has not yet met to discuss and take a vote regarding its ratification.
“I want all United Methodist of the Liberia Annual Conference, in and outside of Liberia, to know that I cannot and will not notsupport the Regionalization Plan that has not yet been discussed, approved, and accepted by our church. Besides, I am aware of the history of several failed attempts by some within our worldwide connection to regionalize the worldwide UMC, dating as far back to about two decades ago. Now that this purported Regionalization Plan is causing chaos and confusion within the UMC in Liberia,” he added.
Meanwhile, Retired Bishop Kulah clarified that the press release that carries a fraudulent signature of him also claims that they stand in solidarity with Bishop Samuel Jerome Quire is also a lie as such he did not write the statement neither did I know anything about it.
“I served the Liberia Annual Conference of the UMC for 20 years as its Episcopal Leader (1980-2000). Like any leader, I had my challenging times. During those time I listened to the word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit in addition to the counsel of godly men and women to deal with the challenges,”he asserted.
However, Retired Bishop Kula vowed that he will continue to pray for the UMC leadership and hope that they do the right thing and save the UMC from the chaos and confusion it finds itself.
