Iglesia Evangelica Metodista Argentina and Uniting Church in Sweden

Last year, we stood in the gap for our brothers and sisters following Jesus in dangerous places. This year, we are expanding our circle of intercession to encompass the worldwide Wesleyan Methodist family.

There are over 80 million of us, spread across nearly every nation on earth. Each week, we’ll highlight a different denomination (or two!) – learning their stories, celebrating their ministries, and lifting their specific needs.

This week, we start our journey with our brothers and sisters in Argentina and Sweden.

Praying for the Iglesia Evangélica Metodista Argentina

There are 8,940 members in 123 congregations in the Iglesia Evangélica Metodista Argentina (IEMA). IEMA has a rich history dating back to 1836 and it is known for its deep commitment to “social holiness,” actively engaging in human rights, education, and aid for the marginalized.

This church has a profound theological history; the late Jose Miguez Bonino, a renowned liberation theologian who believed theology should never be oblivious to social realities or the oppression of people, was a member until his death in 2012. He served as the only Latin American non-Catholic observer at the Second Vatican Council.

Interceding for the Uniting Church in Sweden

The Uniting Church in Sweden is a relatively new church, formed in 2011 through the union of the United Methodist Church, the Baptist Union of Sweden, and the Mission Covenant Church of Sweden. It now consists of 63,000 members across 600 congregations. In a highly secularized society, our Swedish brothers and sisters are finding creative ways to share the Gospel. They focus heavily on youth ministry, climate justice, and welcoming refugees, striving to be a “church for the whole of life” where the Wesleyan fire continues to burn within a broad, ecumenical setting.

A Prayer

Father, we thank You that the Methodist movement knows no borders. We lift up our family in Argentina and Sweden today. May they be filled with a spirit of bold and confident evangelism. We pray that through their witness, the light of Christ would dispel darkness and bring hope to every corner of their nations. Remind us this week that though we are many, we are one body in Christ. Amen.